Flight Safety Information April 27, 2018 - No. 085 In This Issue Incident: American A319 enroute on Apr 10th 2018, lightning strike Incident: Jetstar A320 at Hobart on Apr 14th 2018, altitude discrepancy after landing Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow Accident (Maryland) Cessna 402 Forced landing (Mass) Yakovlev Yak 52 Accident (Oregon) American Airlines flight makes emergency landing at RDU EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Remembering Aloha Airlines flight 243, 30 years later 'Flight Deck LIBIK - Lithium-Ion Battery Incident Kit TSB recommends mandatory installation of flight recorders for commercial and private business aircraft UK Drops Alcohol Charges Against 2 Canadian Pilots NetJets Pilots Union Accepts Age 70 Mandatory Retirement Texas congressman's hot air balloon pilot safety amendment approved FAA Eliminates Complex Aircraft Requirement for Some Checkrides How a shift in Earth's magnetic poles forces Cork airport into 'crucial' runway name change (Ireland) Collaboration Announced on Aviation Safety Action Program Republic Airline Earns Fourth Consecutive FAA Diamond Award Boeing completes final FAA test on KC-46 tanker programme Tesla-Inspired Japanese Pond Scum Venture Bets Big on Jet Fuel Airbus Cuts Production Plans for A330 Jet Amid Weak Demand Southwest Airlines orders 40 Boeing 737 MAX jets worth $4.68 billion PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS - MEDALLION FOUNDATION Position Available: Professional Pilot Concentration Full-Time Temporary Faculty POSITION AVAILABLE: FOQA SPECIALIST GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 Incident: American A319 enroute on Apr 10th 2018, lightning strike An American Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N70020 performing flight AA-1230 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA) to Silao (Mexico), was enroute when the aircraft received a lightning strike. The crew continued the flight to Silao for a safe landing. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 17 hours, then positioned to Dallas Ft. Worth. Mexico's AIB reported there were no injuries, the aircraft did not sustain any damage. The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b7d4f15&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Jetstar A320 at Hobart on Apr 14th 2018, altitude discrepancy after landing A Jetstar Airbus A320-200, registration VH-VFJ performing flight JQ-707 or JQ-715 from Melbourne,VI to Hobart,TA (Australia), landed safely in Hobart when after landing the crew received an altitude discrepancy warning. The ATSB reported that following the altitude discrepancy warning the crew discovered the altimeter setting (QNH) of the captain was incorrect. The occurrence was rated an incident and is being investigated. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b7d4d45&opt=0 Back to Top Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow Accident (Maryland) Date: 26-APR-2018 Time: 20:21 LT Type: Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow III Owner/operator: WIFA (Washington International Flight Acad) LLC Registration: N719JH C/n / msn: 28R-7737171 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Carroll County Rgn'l Airport/Poage Field (KDMW), Westminster, MD - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Training Departure airport: Carroll County Rgn'l (KDMW) Destination airport: Carroll County Rgn'l (KDMW) Narrative: While practicing touch-and-go landings, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power during takeoff and a subsequent runway overrun during the ensuing force landing at Carroll County Regional Airport/Jack B Poage Field (KDMW), Westminster, Maryland. The airplane sustained undetermined damage during a subsequent nosegear collapse and the two pilots onboard were not injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=209946 Back to Top Cessna 402 Forced landing (Mass) Date: 26-APR-2018 Time: 17:15 LT Type: Cessna 402B Owner/operator: Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Tanner-Hiller Airport (8B5), New Braintree, MA - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Parachuting Departure airport: Tanner-Hiller (8B5) Destination airport: Tanner-Hiller (8B5) Narrative: Following a loss of engine power, the airplane force landed to airport access roadway terrain northeast of Tanner-Hiller Airport (8B5), New Braintree, Massachusetts. The airplane sustained substantial damage and there were no reported injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=209944 Back to Top Yakovlev Yak 52 Accident (Oregon) Date: 26-APR-2018 Time: 16:18 Type: Yakovlev Yak 52 Owner/operator: Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: WSW of Portland-Hillsboro Airport (KHIO), Hillsboro, OR - United States of America Phase: Unknown Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: Following a loss of engine power, the experimental aircraft force landed to terrain in Washington County west-southwest of the Portland-Hillsboro Airport (KHIO) in Hillsboro, Oregon. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the two occupants onboard received apparent serious injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=209945 Back to Top American Airlines flight makes emergency landing at RDU * An American Airlines flight made an emergency landing at RDU Thursday morning. (WTVD) MORRISVILLE, NC (WTVD) -- An American Airlines flight made an emergency landing at RDU Thursday morning. Flight 3356 from Dallas to RDU landed at the airport just before 1 a.m. Officials with the airline said an indicator light went off during the flight. The spokesperson also said flight attendants onboard smelled an odor, which caused the 10 passengers and three crews members to evacuate through the main door on the runway. Passengers were then taken to their terminal by bus. ABC11 spoke with several passengers who said they never saw any signs of smoke; however, their claim they were told they landed because of a sensor malfunction. No injuries have been reported; maintenance is evaluating the plane. http://abc11.com/american-airlines-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-rdu/3393672/ Back to Top Back to Top Remembering Aloha Airlines flight 243, 30 years later Years before Captain Sully and the "Miracle on the Hudson," there was Captain Schornstheimer, and the miracle landing of Aloha Airlines flight 243, after part of the plane ripped off in mid-air. Saturday marks 30 years since that incident. On April 28, 1988, just before 2 p.m., Aloha Airlines flight 243 made an emergency landing at Kahului Airport on Maui. "What really got us was people strapped into the seat, not moving, arms dangling in the air, hair flying in the wind," said a man who witnessed the emergency landing. The top of the Boeing 737 was peeled back like a canned good, turning the plane into a convertible. The plane had left Hilo on the Big Island, and was heading to Honolulu on Oahu, when about 20 minutes into the flight there was what sounded like an explosion. "I thought this was it because I thought we lost the pilot and everything because from my angle all I saw was sky," said a passenger. "Then I looked to my other side, my right side and no walls, and I look at my feet and I noticed right next to my feet was an exposed area and I could see the ocean below me," said a passenger. "I was working in my seat in the back of the Aloha Airlines and all of a sudden there was a loud noise, I heard an impact, looked up and saw the plane was falling apart in the front. I thought we were done," said a passenger. Flight attendant Clarabelle "C.B." Lansing was sucked out of the plane. She had been with Aloha Airlines for 37 years. "From what I gather talking to people afterwards, a few people saw her trying to grab the intercom maybe to tell them what to do," said passenger Amy Brown, an off-duty flight attendant on flight 243. The plane had been about 15 miles south of Maui, 24,000 feet in the air, when the pilot reported a rapid loss of pressure that ripped open the plane's body. "Then I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote my notes my last notes and said goodbye to my family," said a passenger. "I personally thought we were all gone," said a passenger. "There was no panic or yelling or screaming, people just put on our life vests and put our heads down," said a passenger. The plane landed at Kahului Airport about ten minutes later. Sixty people were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center. Lansing's body was never recovered. "The hearts of the entire Aloha Airlines family go out to those who are injured and their families and in particular to the family of Mrs. Lansing," said Maurice Myers, Aloha Airlines' president at the time. "She was a very sweet lady, easy to work with," Brown said. "She'll be very much missed. It's a terrible thing." The other four crew members survived, as well as all of the 89 passengers, thanks to Captain Bob Schornstheimer and First Officer Mimi Tompkins. "The way the plane was and the way he landed it was so perfect. Just one mistake and the thing could've just broke right in half," said passenger Lopaka Brown. Skill played a big role, and luck also played a role in helping to avert a major disaster. It's no doubt a day people in Hawaii won't ever forget. As for the cause of the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board said the probable cause was the failure of the Aloha Airlines' maintenance program to detect cracks in the fuselage. The cracks were caused by metal fatigue, which is a term that was just recently brought up by the NTSB as part of the reason why a Southwest Airlines jet's engine blade broke off earlier this month. It happened mid-flight, cracking a window open and causing a passenger to be partially sucked out. Others on the plane pulled her in, but she died from her injuries. Southwest Airlines promised a safety review of its fleet since that accident. Meanwhile, the company is still undergoing a federal review on whether its planes are able to safely fly to Hawaii from the mainland. The company announced on Thursday that it plans to fly to Lihue, Honolulu, Kahului, and Kona from a "California gateway city," but there was no mention of flying interisland yet. http://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/remembering-aloha-airlines-flight-243-30-years- later/1145142709 Back to Top Back to Top TSB recommends mandatory installation of flight recorders for commercial and private business aircraft Calgary, Alberta, 26 April 2018 - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is recommending the mandatory installation of lightweight flight recording systems by all commercial and private business operators not currently required to carry them. The TSB is also concerned with Transport Canada's reactive approach to oversight of private business aircraft operations. The details are in the investigation report (A16P0186) released today into the 2016 fatal loss of control and collision with terrain of a Cessna Citation 500 near Kelowna, British Columbia. On 13 October 2016, a Cessna Citation 500 that was privately operated by Norjet Inc. departed Kelowna Airport, British Columbia, on a night instrument flight rules flight to Calgary/Springbank Airport, Alberta. The pilot and three passengers were on board. Shortly after departure, the aircraft departed controlled flight, entering a steep descending turn to the right until it struck the ground. No emergency call was made. All of the occupants were fatally injured. Impact forces and a post-impact fire destroyed the aircraft. Because there were no flight recording systems on board the aircraft, the TSB could not determine the cause of the accident. The most plausible scenario is that the pilot, who was likely dealing with a high workload associated with flying the aircraft alone, experienced spatial disorientation and departed from controlled flight shortly after takeoff. The investigation also determined that the pilot did not have the recent night flying experience required by Transport Canada for carrying passengers at night. Pilots without sufficient recent experience flying at night or by instruments are at a greater risk of loss of control accidents. "We don't like having to say 'We don't know' when asked what caused an accident and why," said Kathy Fox, Chair of the TSB. "We want to be able to provide definitive answers-to the victims' families, to Canada's aviation industry, to the Canadian public. This is why we are calling today for the mandatory installation of lightweight flight recording systems on commercial and private business aircraft not currently required to carry them." The Board also raised a concern with the way Transport Canada (TC) had conducted oversight of private business aviation in Canada. During the course of its investigation, the TSB found no record that the operator of this aircraft had ever been inspected by TC. As such, TC was unaware of safety deficiencies in its flight operations, such as the failure to obtain approval for single-pilot operation of the aircraft and the pilot's lack of recent night flying experience required to carry passengers at night. Since this occurrence, TC has said that it will conduct targeted inspections of private business operators starting in April 2018. The Board will continue to monitor this safety issue. The TSB is an independent agency that investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability. For more information, contact: Transportation Safety Board of Canada Media Relations Telephone: 819-994-8053 Email: media@tsb.gc.ca http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/medias-media/communiques/aviation/2018/a16p0186-20180426.asp Back to Top UK Drops Alcohol Charges Against 2 Canadian Pilots * A court has dropped charges against two pilots accused of preparing to fly a passenger plane while under the influence of alcohol. LONDON (AP) - Prosecutors have dropped charges against two Canadian pilots accused of preparing to fly a commercial aircraft while under the influence of alcohol after their blood samples were mistakenly destroyed at a Scottish prison. Prosecutors say there will be no further action against Imran Syed, 39, and Jean-Francois Perreault, 41, who were arrested July 18, 2016, before they were to pilot an Air Transat flight from Glasgow to Toronto. Authorities say Syed, from Toronto, allegedly had 49 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood. Perreault, from the province of Ontario, allegedly had 32 milligrams. Both men denied the charges. The flight eventually took off with a different crew the next morning after about 250 passengers spent the night at hotels. "We are working with Police Scotland to ensure there are proper processes and guidance in place covering the retention and storage of samples when an accused person is remanded in custody," prosecutors said. Air Transat had suspended the pilots but they will be reinstated because they have been "declared innocent," the airline said. "We will be meeting with them in the next few days to plan their reinstatement since there is no charge against them and we have no evidence that they have broken any law nor our internal rules," the airline said. "They will need to undergo retraining and requalification as per applicable legislation, and we will put in place measures to ensure that their behavior is exemplary." https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2018-04-26/uk-drops-alcohol-charges-against-2- canadian-pilots Back to Top NetJets Pilots Union Accepts Age 70 Mandatory Retirement * FAA reauthorization bill will include a compromise provision that lets the fractional giant's pilots fly beyond age 65. * NetJets pilots face mandatory retirement at age 70 after company management and the union worked out a compromise deal. The FAA reauthorization bill now before Congress no longer includes a last-minute provision slipped into the legislation by Rep. Bill Shuster that would have required pilots for fractional giant NetJets to retire at age 65, the same age as airline pilots. Instead, NetJets pilots will be forced to retire at age 70, a compromise plan that has the backing of their union, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots. While the mandatory age 70 retirement age for certain Part 135 and Part 91K pilots doesn't specify NetJets, the mandate would apply only to companies that perform at least 150,000 turbojet operations in a calendar year, in effect making the new rule apply only to NetJets. The earlier proposal by Shuster included language that stipulated companies with 100,000 operations would be affected. Some NetJets pilots, as well as AARP, balked at mandatory retirement ages, saying they were arbitrary and unnecessary. NetJets, meanwhile, cheered the legislation as an important change to improve flight safety. "The lack of a pilot age restriction for large private air carriers is a growing concern in aviation safety," the company said in a statement. "NetJets supports an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization bill that would impose an age restriction for pilots of large, private air carriers that is similar to the restriction that currently exists for commercial airlines. Such a restriction is an important safety measure for private carriers whose flight operations are comparable in size and complexity to their commercial counterparts. We hold passenger safety as our highest priority and we look forward to working with Congress on this common-sense regulation that will make air travel safer for everyone." NetJets says the bill has a one-year phase-in period and will affect about 70 pilots who are older than age 70. https://www.flyingmag.com/netjets-pilots-union-accepts-age-70-mandatory-retirement Back to Top Texas congressman's hot air balloon pilot safety amendment approved * U.S. Rep. Doggett proposed the amendment after 16 people were killed in a hot air balloon crash near Lockhart in 2016. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a hot air balloon pilot safety amendment proposed by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) Thursday, which was designed to prevent more tragedies similar to the fatal hot air balloon crash that killed 16 people near Lockhart in 2016. "The FAA should have corrected this long ago," Doggett added. "Now with adoption of this amendment, I am hopeful that no other family will ever suffer the same horror as this tragedy near Lockhart." 2016's hot air balloon crash was the deadliest aviation disaster since 2009, according to the congressman's office. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that the FAA's refusal to require balloon operators to obtain a medical certificate contributed to the Caldwell County crash, according to a press release. Rep. Doggett's approved amendment ends this exemption to ensure no more families risk injury or death from an impaired pilot. According to the NTSB, there have been 124 balloon fatalities since 1964. One of the deadliest hot air balloon crashes was in February 2013 when a hot air balloon flying over Luxor, Egypt caught fire and plunged 1,000 feet to the ground killing at least 19 foreign tourists, according to USA Today. The following are some of the worst recreational hot air balloon crashes recorded, according to the AP: Feb. 26, 2013: A hot air balloon flying over Luxor, Egypt, caught fire and plunged 1,000 feet (300 meters) to the ground, crashing into a sugar cane field and killing at least 19 foreign tourists. Aug. 23, 2012: Six people died and 26 were injured when a hot air balloon carrying 32 people, mostly tourists including some children, caught fire and crashed near the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. Jan. 07, 2012: A hot air balloon struck power lines near Carterton, New Zealand, and exploded, crashing to the ground. All 11 people on board were killed. Oct. 14, 2009: Four Dutch tourists were killed in Guangxi, China, after pilots lost control and their hot air balloon burst into flames and crashed. Aug. 26, 2001: Six people including a child were killed when their hot air balloon touched a power line at Verrens-Arvey, in southwestern France. June 17, 1999: Four passengers were killed when their hot air balloon hit a power line near Ibbenburen, Germany. Jan. 31, 1996: Five people died in the Bernese Alps, Switzerland, when their hot air balloon crashed into a mountainside at a height of 8,000 feet (2,400 meters). Aug. 8, 1993: Six people were killed when their balloon hit a power line near Aspen, Colorado, tearing off the basket and sending it plunging 100 feet (30 meters) to the ground. Dec. 11, 1990: Four people died near downtown Columbus, Ohio, after their hot air balloon hit a television tower and deflated. Oct. 6, 1990: Four people were killed in a balloon crash at Gaenserndorf, near Vienna. Aug. 13, 1989: Thirteen people were killed when their hot air balloon collided with another over the Australian outback near the town of Alice Springs. The two balloons were flying at an altitude of 2,000 feet (600 meters) when one plunged to the ground after the collision. Oct. 3, 1982: An explosion on board a hot air balloon carrying nine people at a festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico, killed four people and injured five. Aug. 6, 1981: Five people were killed and one seriously injured when a hot air balloon caught fire after touching electrical wires and crashed in a suburb of Chicago. 1785: Two Frenchmen attempting to cross the English Channel in a hot-air balloon were killed when their balloon caught fire and crashed, in possibly the first fatal aviation accident. http://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas-congressmans-hot-air-balloon-pilot-safety-amendment- approved/269-546215401 Back to Top FAA Eliminates Complex Aircraft Requirement for Some Checkrides * Agency alters decades old requirement to use a complex aircraft. Airworthy complex aircraft like Cessna's Cardinal RG have become nearly impossible to locate. The FAA has addressed a long-simmering aircraft availability issue that focuses on pilots trying to earn some pilot certificates. Until yesterday, the agency required commercial pilot applicants, as well as applicants for single-engine flight instructor ratings, to fly at least a portion of the checkride in a complex aircraft, that is, one with retractable landing gear, flaps and a constant speed propeller. In a new FAA national policy initiative - N 8900.463 - the agency acknowledged the lack of complex aircraft availability and, effective immediately, no longer requires such an airplane for any portion of either the single-engine commercial or CFI checkrides. The agency has been pestered for decades with requests to alter Part 61 and Part 141 from designated pilot examiners and flight instructors both to reflect reality of a changing industry and how tough it is for applicants to find an airworthy complex airplane in many locations around the U.S. While new Piper Arrows still occasionally roll off the line in Vero Beach, Florida, another brand new airplane, the Cirrus SR22, powered by a 310 hp engine and a constant speed propeller, would not meet the requirements. Rather than alter the definition of complex, the agency said, "removing the commercial pilot ACS requirement to furnish a complex or turbine-powered airplane and removing the flight instructor PTS requirement to furnish a complex airplane will achieve the same objectives. The FAA has determined that removing these ACS/PTS requirements will significantly reduce costs for persons pursuing a commercial pilot or flight instructor certificate by allowing applicants to utilize less-expensive airplanes on the practical test that are not complex or turbine-powered." The FAA plans to update the Airmen Certification Standards, as well as the Practical Test Standards to reflect the changes while noting that relief from the complex aircraft requirements on some checkrides, does not absolve a pilot from the need to still locate a complex airplane at some point in their careers in order to demonstrate proficiency in such an aircraft prior to acting as pilot in command. The change also does not alter the commercial requirement for applicants to log 10 hours of flight time in a complex aircraft. https://www.flyingmag.com/faa-eliminates-complex-aircraft-requirement-for-some-checkrides Back to Top How a shift in Earth's magnetic poles forces Cork airport into 'crucial' runway name change (Ireland) The first flight after the renaming of the main runway at Cork Airport prepares to take off. Photo: Brian Lougheed1 Changes to the magnetic poles of the Earth have forced the renaming of the main Cork Airport runway. Because of gradual changes in the Earth's magnetic poles, runways have to be designated roughly every 50 years. In 1961, Cork Airport's main runway was designated as Runway 17/35. However, it is now Runway 16/34. Over the past 57 years, the Earth's magnetic poles have changed and shifted the magnetic headings of the runway. The runway now stands at 164°M and 344°M respectively. The formal redesignation took place early yesterday morning before the first wave of departing flights. "Cork's two-digit runway designator is crucial for pilots during take-off, landing and taxiing," explained Cork Airport operations and safety manager Con Dooney. "Thanks to the co-ordinated efforts by Cork Airport and the Irish Aviation Authority, we are delighted to complete the renumbering overnight without any delay to our busy first wave of departing flights. "Work on the actual repainting of the runway numbers started as soon as the final flight landed last night to be finished in time for the first departure this morning at 6am." Cork Airport safety lead Nathan Wall said that work on the project had started two years ago and had included updating pilot charts and airport directories. The next redesignation for Cork Airport is due in 2068. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/how-a-shift-in-earths-magnetic-poles-forces-cork-airport-into- crucial-runway-name-change-36849825.html Back to Top Collaboration Announced on Aviation Safety Action Program The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) and FltPlan have reached an agreement that enables charter and business aviation operators to participate in the foundation's Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) via FltPlan's safety system management (SMS) software. "The goal is to provide end users with one-stop shopping by combining their overall safety management system with the ASAP program," said ACSF president Bryan Burns. "It is through a cooperative effort and shared mission of safety that ACSF and FltPlan.com have been able to bring this program to the marketplace through a single data source." Both entities believe this joint effort will help "to reduce operational risk and redundant workload associated with multiple databases." "We are happy to offer the marketplace the ability to participate in ASAP all within the FltPlan SMS software application," said company president Ken Wilson. "This will represent a significant decrease in both time and cost for each participating charter and business aviation operator, without compromising their respective data and reports." ACSF was established to promote and enable the highest levels of safety in personal and business aviation and implemented its ASAP in cooperation with the FAA. FltPlan was founded in 1991 and has grown into one of the largest flight-planning companies in North America. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-04-25/collaboration-announced- aviation-safety-action-program Back to Top Republic Airline Earns Fourth Consecutive FAA Diamond Award INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 26, 2018--For the fourth consecutive year, Republic Airline's Maintenance and Engineering Department has earned the Federal Administration's Diamond Award of Excellence for aircraft maintenance training. Of nearly 700 airlines and repair stations eligible nationwide last year, Republic was among only 171 select carriers to earn the award. Participation in the FAA's Aircraft Maintenance Training (AMT) program is voluntary, but Republic requires its more than 500 technicians and inspectors to complete the program's core coursework and related training hours in aviation maintenance, human factors, fatigue risk management and FAA regulations. "I believe this award once again demonstrates the dedication, excellence and professionalism our maintenance team exhibits year after year," VP of Maintenance and Engineering Tom Duffy said. "Republic and the FAA share a mutual commitment to top-tier training, and the Diamond Award is proof of that close partnership. I am very proud to work with this team." To date, Republic Airways has earned 21 Diamond Awards (15 Diamonds for Chautauqua Airlines, four for Republic and two for Shuttle America). More information about the AMT Diamond Award is available on the FAA website. About Republic Airways: Republic Airways, parent company of Republic Airline, operates a fleet of about 190 Embraer 170/175 aircraft and offers scheduled passenger service with about 950 daily flights to 100 cities in 40 U.S. states, Canada, the Caribbean and Central America. The Indianapolis-based airline provides fixed-fee flights operated under its major airline partner brands of American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express. The airline employs about 5,500 aviation professionals. Visit www.rjet.com for more information, follow the company on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, and connect on Facebook or LinkedIn. https://www.thepublicopinion.com/business/associated_press/republic-airline-earns-fourth-consecutive- faa-diamond-award/article_4a744d47-8a88-5c0f-b146-f09e19af5b7d.html Back to Top Boeing completes final FAA test on KC-46 tanker programme Boeing's KC-46 tanker programme completed all required supplemental type certificate (STC) flight tests for the US Federal Aviation Administration following a successful refueling and communications flight with a C-17. Boeing said on 26 April that it plans to now submit the resulting data and reports to the FAA for review. As part of the testing, a combined team from Boeing and the US Air Force was required to validate the boom and drogue systems for aerial refueling with multiple receiver aircraft, such as the F-16, F/A-18, C-17 and A-10. The team also had to demonstrate the KC-46 taking on fuel from KC-135, KC-10 and other KC-46 tankers. The aircraft also conducted night and day lighting tests, and tested its defensive systems and avionics. The KC-46, derived from Boeing's 767-2C design, is built in the company's Everett, Washington, facility. Boeing is currently on contract for the first 34 of an expected 179 tankers for the USAF. The FAA must still approve an exemption requested by Boeing before granting the STC. A software flaw discovered earlier this year could in an extreme condition cause an overpressure when the KC-46 is onloading fuel in flight into the centre fuel tank. The FAA is now seeking comments on Boeing's petition for exemption, but is expected to grant the waiver. Meanwhile, the USAF is still refusing to accept delivery of Boeing's first 18 KC-45 aircraft until several other deficiencies are resolved. Despite the pending issues, Boeing says the programme remains on track to complete delivery of the first operational squadron later this year. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-completes-final-faa-test-on-kc-46-tanker-prog- 448088/ Back to Top Tesla-Inspired Japanese Pond Scum Venture Bets Big on Jet Fuel * Euglena is investing half its revenue in a biofuel test plant * Director Nagata says taking big risks like Tesla is needed A tiny algae developer in Japan is betting its survival on biofuels in a big way -- a bravado its director says matches only that of Elon Musk's. An artist rendering of Euglena Co.'s biofuel demonstration plant.Source: Euglena Co. Euglena Co., a Tokyo-based maker of nutritional supplements, is spending 5.8 billion yen ($53 million) on building a test refinery that converts algae into biofuel used to power jets and vehicles. The investment is equal to about half of last year's total revenue, though it'll only produce 5 barrels a day. For comparison, larger processor JXTG Holdings Inc. has a daily refining capacity of about 320,000 barrels at its biggest plant. "The fact that a company with a revenue of our size is investing in facilities that won't make a profit means we're risking everything," Euglena's director Akihiko Nagata said in an interview in Tokyo. But risks it must take, Nagata says, if it's to try reach the heady heights of the company's muse -- Musk's Tesla Inc. While a comparison to the U.S. company, with a market value of $50 billion, seems far fetched, he says it draws inspiration from the electric-vehicle maker's willingness to risk near-term profits and make big investments for longer-term goals. Nagata sees the test refinery as a major step toward building and operating a commercial biofuel plant that can produce 2,000 barrels a day of jet fuel and diesel by 2025, and the company has the backing of JXTG, the country's biggest refiner, as well as major airline ANA Holdings Inc. "I always see our company as similar to Tesla," Nagata said. "Taking risks to challenge difficulties." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-25/tesla-inspired-japanese-pond-scum-venture- bets-big-on-jet-fuel Back to Top Airbus Cuts Production Plans for A330 Jet Amid Weak Demand * With dearth of deals, loss of orders to Boeing, company plans to build 50 of the wide-body planes next year; it delivered 67 in 2017 An Emirates Airline Boeing 777 aircraft is seen next to an Airbus A330-300. Airbus said it is cutting back output of the A330. LONDON-European plane maker Airbus SE EADSY 0.45% is cutting back output of one of its long-range planes amid weak demand, while still struggling to deliver enough of its most popular smaller jets. Record airline-passenger numbers have driven production of some models at both Airbus and rival Boeing Co. BA -0.02% to new highs but some wide-body planes haven't been selling well. Airbus has had a relatively dearth of orders for its A330 and A350 long-range planes. Boeing is scrambling to find customers for its big twin-jet 777 long-range airline and has already pulled back on output. Airbus, after lost orders this year to Boeing with Hawaiian Airlines and American Airlines Group Inc., said it had unfilled production slots for its A330 plane already in 2019. The Toulouse, France-based company Friday said it would cut production of that model, once an earnings driver for the company, to about 50 planes a year starting next year. It delivered 67 of such planes last year and plans to ship 60 in 2018. The move comes as the European aerospace giant posted a 31% decline in first-quarter profit. Less than three years ago Airbus was building 10 A330s a month, but its own introduction of a new long-range jet, the A350, and a slump in wide-body sales has forced the company to throttle back, impacting earnings. A new version, the A330neo with upgraded engines due for first delivery this year, so far has failed to be the sales success Airbus had hoped. Airbus Chief Financial Officer Harald Wilhelm expressed confidence in the plane, saying it would be "super competitive" and was positioned to benefit from an anticipated uptick in demand for larger planes. "We expect significant wide-body replacements to come at the beginning of the next decade," Mr. Wilhelm told reporters. That echoes Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg, who this week voiced "high confidence in a meaningful increase in wide-body replacement demand early next decade." Airbus and Boeing also have had to cut production plans for their largest planes, the A380 superjumbo and 747 respectively, amid slack demand. The production outlook is more positive for A320-family single-aisle planes, despite slow deliveries at the start of the year. Airbus and its suppliers are studying plans to boost output. It builds around 55 such planes a month today and is studying lifting output to as many as 70 A320 planes or more around 2021, Mr. Wilhelm said. Production should reach at least 60 A320s by mid-2019, combining output at sites in Hamburg, Germany; Toulouse; Tianjin, China; and Mobile, Alabama. Airbus narrow-bodies are sold out to 2023, Mr. Wilhelm said. Chicago-based Boeing has said similarly that it is considering stepping up production of its 737 single- aisle plane. It is on track to build 57 narrow-bodies a month next year. Orders for narrow-bodies-the backbone of commercial air travel-have been strong for both companies Demand has surged from the global growth in budget carriers and strong appetite in hot travel markets such as China. Increasing production isn't without risk, though, as this year's slow pace of deliveries by Airbus demonstrates. The company has dozens of planes built that can't be delivered because they lack engines. Engine makers Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. , and CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric Co. and Safran SA, have both been late. Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders called it "a challenging situation." As a consequence, Airbus reported net income fell to €283 million ($343 million) from the year-earlier €409 million, and a 12% drop in sales, to €10.1 billion. The company shipped 15 fewer airliners to customers in the latest quarter than a year earlier, largely because engine suppliers were late. Still, Airbus confirmed plans to deliver around 800 airliners this year based on commitments from the engine suppliers. "This still leaves us with plenty to do," Mr. Enders said. The first quarter's slow delivery pace also hurt Airbus's cash position. The company suffered €3.8 billion in free cash outflow before acquisitions and customer financing. The plane maker, which typically takes in most of its cash in the last quarter, stuck to its plan to generate around €3 billion in free cash flow this year. https://www.wsj.com/articles/airbus-cuts-production-plans-for-a330-jet-1524807744 Back to Top Southwest Airlines orders 40 Boeing 737 MAX jets worth $4.68 billion (Reuters) - U.S. carrier Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) has ordered 40 Boeing Co (BA.N) 737 MAX jets worth $4.68 billion at list price to help modernize its fleet, the airline said, making it the planemaker's largest global customer for the updated narrowbody. The 737 MAX 8 produced for Southwest Airlines is pictured as Boeing celebrates the 10,000th 737 to come off the production line in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 13, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Redmond Southwest converted options it held over the MAX 8 jets into firm orders, with 10 to be delivered each year from 2019 to 2022, the airline said in a statement on Thursday that announced its first-quarter earnings. "This is first and foremost an extension of our fleet modernization strategy," Southwest Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly told analysts on a post-earnings conference call, according to a transcript. "We have a very strong business case to replace older 737-700 aircraft given the superior operating economics of the MAX 8." Southwest is the world's largest operator of 737 jets, with more than 700 of the airplanes. The airline has now ordered nearly 300 Boeing MAX jets, the most of any customer, a Boeing spokesman said. The MAX series is more fuel efficient than previous models. Southwest warned on Thursday that the consequences of a mid-air engine explosion on a 737-700 last week will weigh on second-quarter bookings, as investigators probe the events that led to the first passenger death in the airline's history. The carrier posted a first-quarter profit of $438 million, excluding special items, up from $372 million a year earlier. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southwest-boeing/southwest-airlines-orders-40-boeing-737-max- jets-worth-4-68-billion-idUSKBN1HY0BS 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 Single 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** 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