Flight Safety Information May 4, 2018 - No. 090 In This Issue Incident: Alitalia A332 at Rio de Janeiro on May 1st 2018, bird strike Incident: Indigo A320 near Mumbai on May 2nd 2018, cargo smoke indication EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Ryanair B738 near Tenerife on Apr 26th 2018, blocked stabilizer trim Beechcraft C99 Fatal Accident (Colombia) Bell 206 Jet Ranger Fatal Accident (French Guiana) Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six Fatal Accident (New Jersey) Qantas planes in near miss as takeoff aborted at Perth airport UNITED AIRLINES INVESTIGATING ALLEGEDLY 'DRUNK OR STONED' FLIGHT ATTENDANT WHO 'TERRIFIED' PASSENGER 'Flight Deck LIBIK - Lithium-Ion Battery Incident Kit FAA issues new airworthiness directive for all CFM56-7B engines in wake of Southwest 1380 accident NTSB: Pilots struggled to control damaged Southwest jet NTSB issues an investigative update on Southwest Airlines flight 1380 accident Failed Southwest Air Jet Engine Had Passed Seven Inspections Pensacola NAS: Stop aiming laser pointers at military aircraft Navy Secretary: 'Not enough data' to link lack of funding to aircraft accidents Naval aviation plagued by 'disturbing' trend of ground mishaps Flight schedules: Airlines compromising safety, say pilots (India) NATA Announces Industry Excellence Awards Recipients for 2017 1 in 10 German military pilots lost helicopter licenses for lack of flight time American Splits $1.4 Billion Jet Buy Between Bombardier, Embraer New May/June 2018 Issue of FAA Safety Briefing Features the PEGASAS Center of Excellence European Space Agency wants in on quantum comms satellites Call for Nominations For 2018 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award 2018 CHC Safety & Quality Summit Early Registration Now Open 'BASS - Business Aviation Safety Summit - 2018' Don't miss the HFACS workshop in Las Vegas June 12th & 13th Incident: Alitalia A332 at Rio de Janeiro on May 1st 2018, bird strike An Alitalia Airbus A330-200, registration EI-EJH performing flight AZ-673 from Rio de Janeiro Galeao,RJ (Brazil) to Rome Fiumicino (Italy), was climbing out of Rio's runway 10 when a bird impacted the aircraft. In the absence of any abnormal indication the crew continued the climb and was enroute at FL350 about 350nm northnortheast of Rio de Janeiro when the crew decided to turn around and return to Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft landed safely back on Rio's runway 28 about 2 hours after departure. A replacement A330-200 registration EI-EJM positioned from Rome to Rio as flight AZ-8000 departing Rome about 14 hours after EI-EJH landed back, resumed the flight and reached Rome as flight AZ-8673 with a delay of 32.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Rio de Janeiro about 50 hours after landing back. The airline confirmed the aircraft sustained a bird strike prompting the crew to return to Rio de Janeiro. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AZA673/history/20180501/1735Z/SBGL/LIRF http://avherald.com/h?article=4b81ed5f&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Indigo A320 near Mumbai on May 2nd 2018, cargo smoke indication An Indigo Airbus A320-200, registration VT-IHG performing flight 6E-61 from Mumbai (India) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) with 178 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing through FL330 out of Mumbai when the crew received a cargo smoke indication and decided to return to Mumbai. The aircraft landed safely on Mumbai's runway 27 about one hour after departure. A replacement A320-200 registration VT-IDU reached Dubai with a delay of 5 hours. The airline reported the crew received a cargo smoke indication, after landing the indication was determined false. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b81e6e6&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Ryanair B738 near Tenerife on Apr 26th 2018, blocked stabilizer trim A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DYN performing flight FR-7476 from Pisa (Italy) to Tenerife South,CI (Spain), had been enroute at FL370 and was nearing the top of descent when the crew received a "STAB OUT OF TRIM" indication. The crew disconnected the autopilot, worked the related checklists and considering the weather with forecast windshear at Tenerife decided to divert to Las Palmas,CI (Spain) where the aircraft landed safely. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration EI-FZX delivered the passengers to Tenerife with a delay of 2.5 hours. The stabilizer trim was found blocked. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 14 hours, then returned to service. On May 3rd 2018 The Aviation Herald received information that the stabilizer trim actuator motor was found defective also disabling manual trim (jamming the trim wheel). The pilot of an aircraft landing into Tenerife South reported a positive windshear, while pilots landing into Las Palmas reported strong winds but no windshear prompting the diversion to Las Palmas. The crew configured for a flaps 15 landing in line with QRH procedures, requested a long approach and made a safe landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b7feba5&opt=0 Back to Top Beechcraft C99 Fatal Accident (Colombia) Status: Preliminary Date: Wednesday 2 May 2018 Time: 18:30 Type: Beechcraft C99 Commuter Operator: Servicio Aéreo de Policia Registration: PNC0203 C/n / msn: U-199 First flight: 1983 Crew: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Ibagué ( Colombia) Phase: Unknown (UNK) Nature: Military Departure airport: Mariquita Airport (MQU/SKQU), Colombia Destination airport: Ibagué-Perales Airport (IBE/SKIB), Colombia Narrative: A Beechcraft C99, operated by the Colombian National Police (Policía Nacional de Colombia), crashed during a night time training mission near Ibagué, Colombia. All four occupants sustained fatal injuries. Photo by A. Rojas https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180502-1 Back to Top Bell 206 Jet Ranger Fatal Accident (French Guiana) Date: 02-MAY-2018 Time: 10:30+ LT Type: Bell 206 Jet Ranger Owner/operator: Pilot'Air Aviation Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Regina, east of Belizon - French Guiana Phase: En route Nature: Private Departure airport: Cayenne-Félix Eboué (CAY/SOCA) Destination airport: Narrative: The helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances. Two occupants died in the crash. One occupant (17) was seriously injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=210378 Back to Top Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six Fatal Accident (New Jersey) Date: 02-MAY-2018 Time: 14:30 Type: Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six Owner/operator: IHAF Flying Mission LLC Registration: N4153R C/n / msn: 32-40468 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Greenwood Lake Airport (4N1), West Milford, NJ - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Test Departure airport: Greenwood Lake (4N1) Destination airport: Narrative: The aircraft impacted wooded terrain in Passaic County shortly after takeoff from Greenwood Lake Airport (4N1), West Milford, New Jersey. The airplane clipped powerlines and a post-impact fire ensued. The aircraft was destroyed and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=210342 Back to Top Qantas planes in near miss as takeoff aborted at Perth airport One plane had to pull up from takeoff as another threatened to come into its path The close shave between the two Qantas aircraft occurred in an area known as a runway incursion 'hotspot'. Photograph: Daniel Munoz/Reuters Two Qantas flights had a near miss in Perth when one crossed a runway into the path of another jet that was commencing takeoff. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the serious incident, which occurred on Saturday after a Qantas flight from Sydney landed and nearly cut across a departing plane. The pilot of the arriving aircraft had to brake hard as the other jet, travelling to Sydney, was forced to abort takeoff. An initial report from the ATSB said the aircraft that landed was supposed to stop short at a holding point before the runway but the pilots kept going until air traffic controllers told them to brake immediately. The close shave occurred in an area known as a runway incursion "hotspot", the ATSB said. Qantas said it would review the incident, and is assisting the bureau with its investigation. The final report is expected in a year. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/04/qantas-planes-near-miss-take-off-aborted-perth-airport Back to Top UNITED AIRLINES INVESTIGATING ALLEGEDLY 'DRUNK OR STONED' FLIGHT ATTENDANT WHO 'TERRIFIED' PASSENGERS United Airlines is investigating claims that a flight attendant on one of its planes was belligerently "drunk or stoned" during a flight from Denver, Colorado, to Williston, North Dakota, on Thursday. In a statement to Newsweek, the airline said it was aware of the incident. The flight in question was a Trans States Airlines flight, one of United's regional service providers. "As a gesture of goodwill, we have compensated all customers aboard the flight and we apologize for any inconvenience or distress this may have caused," United said in a statement to Newsweek. "The safety of our customers and crew aboard all United and Trans States flights is a top priority." At least one passenger tweeted to United about the incident. According to passenger Erika Gorman, the attendant appeared either "drunk or stoned" and made what was supposed to be a routine flight "terrifying." Gorman said she spoke to the pilot and told him "they had an out of control attendant." At one point, the flight attendant allegedly told passengers "if your seat belt isn't tight, you fucked up." Police officers and an ambulance were waiting when the plane landed at its destination, according to Gorman. The passenger also tweeted images of the suspected flight attendant, which have since been deleted. United Airlines quickly responded to the passenger and said it was "looking into" the "disturbing" claims. From a public relations standpoint, it's been a bumpy few months for United. On Wednesday, the company revised its pet policy after a 9-month-old dog died in one of its overhead luggage bins. According to the dog owner, she was forced to put the dog into the bin. On Thursday, the airline announced that it had hired the Obama administration press secretary Josh Earnest as its new spokesperson. http://www.newsweek.com/united-airlines-investigating-allegedly-drunk-or-stoned-flight-attendant-who-910242 Back to Top Back to Top FAA issues new airworthiness directive for all CFM56-7B engines in wake of Southwest 1380 accident The U.S. FAA issued a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all CFM International S.A. (CFM) Model CFM56-7B engines in the wake of the April 17 uncontained engine failure accident involving a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700. The AD 2018-09-10 requires initial and repetitive inspections of the concave and convex sides of the fan blade dovetail to detect cracking and replacement of any blades found cracked. The AD is effective May 14, 2018. In response to the Southwest Airlines accident, the FAA issued Emergency AD 2018-09-51, to address certain high-time CFM56-7B engines, specifically including those with 30,000 or more total accumulated flight cycles since new. AD 2018-09-51 requires a one-time ultrasonic inspection (USI) of the concave and convex sides of the fan blade dovetail. Since the issuance of that AD, the FAA states it has been working with CFM to develop an additional compliance plan to address the risk of fan blade failure for the entire CFM56-7B fleet. This AD addresses the unsafe condition affecting CFM56-7B engines by requiring initial and repetitive inspections of fan blades based on accumulated fan blade cycles. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/05/03/faa-issues-new-airworthiness-directive-for-all-cfm56-7b-engines-in-wake-of-southwest-airlines-wn1380-uncontained-engine-failure-accident/ Back to Top NTSB: Pilots struggled to control damaged Southwest jet DALLAS (AP) - The pilots of a Southwest Airlines jet struggled to handle the plane after an engine blew apart at 32,000 feet over Pennsylvania last month. Investigators say the captain, Tammie Jo Shults, took over control from the co-pilot. She first asked air traffic controllers for permission to land at the nearest airport, but then aimed for Philadelphia, where the crippled plane made an emergency landing. The National Transportation Safety Board provided new details Thursday on the fatal accident aboard Southwest Flight 1380 on April 17. Investigators say metal fatigue caused the No. 13 fan blade in the left engine to separate at 10:03 a.m. that day. Engine debris damaged the wing and window of the Boeing 737. Crew members told the NTSB they heard a loud sound, felt vibration and saw a "gray puff of smoke." "The flight crew reported that the airplane exhibited handling difficulties throughout the remainder of the flight," the NTSB report said. Flight records show the plane descended nearly 20,000 feet in a matter of minutes. Flight attendants were assisting passengers with their oxygen masks when they found Jennifer Riordan, a passenger in row 14, partially sucked out of the airplane. Engine maker CFM International increased the frequency of recommended inspections in the wake of Flight 1380, according to the NTSB report. The left engine had been last overhauled 10,712 cycles before the accident, according to maintenance records. CFM now recommends inspections occur every 3,000 intervals in the future, according to an April 20 bulletin. The NTSB report indicates the engine had been properly inspected and lubricated before the accident. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/nation/ntsb-pilots-struggled-to-control-damaged-southwest-jet/287-548568060 Back to Top NTSB issues an investigative update on Southwest Airlines flight 1380 accident The U.S. NTSB issued an investigative update regarding the April 17 uncontained engine failure accident involving Southwest Airlines flight 1380. On April 17, 2018, a Boeing 737-700 experienced a failure of the left CFM-56-7B engine and loss of engine inlet and cowling during climb about flight level 320. Fragments from the engine inlet and cowling struck the wing and fuselage, resulting in a rapid depressurization after the loss of one passenger window. The flight crew conducted an emergency descent and diverted into Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL), Pennsylvania. Of the 144 passengers and five crewmembers onboard, one passenger received fatal injuries and eight passengers received minor injuries. Initial examination of the airplane revealed that the majority of the inlet cowl was missing, including the entire outer barrel, the aft bulkhead, and the inner barrel forward of the containment ring. The inlet cowl containment ring was intact but exhibited numerous impact witness marks. Examination of the fan case revealed no through-hole fragment exit penetrations; however, it did exhibit a breach hole that corresponded to one of the fan blade impact marks and fan case tearing. Figure 1. Damage to cowl - inboard The No.13 fan blade had separated at the root; the dovetail remained installed in the fan disk. Examination of the No. 13 fan blade dovetail exhibited features consistent with metal fatigue initiating at the convex side near the leading edge. Two pieces of fan blade No. 13 were recovered within the engine between the fan blades and the outlet guide vanes. One piece was part of the blade airfoil root that mated with the dovetail that remained in the fan disk; it was about 12 inches spanwise and full width and weighed about 6.825 pounds. The other piece, identified as another part of the airfoil, measured about 2 inches spanwise, appeared to be full width, was twisted, and weighed about 0.650 pound. All the remaining fan blades exhibited a combination of trailing edge airfoil hard body impact damage, trailing edge tears, and missing material. Some also exhibited airfoil leading edge tip curl or distortion. After the general in-situ engine inspection was completed, the remaining fan blades were removed from the fan disk and an ultrasonic inspection was performed consistent with CFM International Service Bulletin 72-1033. No cracks were identified on the remaining blades. The No. 13 fan blade was examined further at the NTSB Materials Laboratory. Fatigue fracture features emanated from multiple origins at the convex side and were centered about 0.568 inch aft of the leading edge face of the dovetail and were located 0.610 inch outboard of the root end face. The origin area was located outboard of the dovetail contact face coating, and the visual condition of the coating appeared uniform with no evidence of spalls or disbonding. The fatigue region extended up to 0.483 inch deep through the thickness of the dovetail and was 2.232 inches long at the convex surface. Six crack arrest lines (not including the fatigue boundary) were observed within the fatigue region. The fracture surface was further examined using a scanning electron microscope, and striations consistent with low-cycle fatigue crack growth were observed. The accident engine fan blades had accumulated more than 32,000 engine cycles since new. Maintenance records indicated the accident engine fan blades had been periodically lubricated as required per the Boeing 737-600/700/800/900 Aircraft Maintenance Manual. According to maintenance records, the fan blades from the accident engine were last overhauled 10,712 engine cycles before the accident. At the time of the last blade overhaul (November 2012), blades were inspected using visual and fluorescent penetrant inspections. After an August 27, 2016, accident in Pensacola, Florida, in which a fan blade fractured, eddy current inspections were incorporated into the overhaul process requirements. In the time since the fan blade overhaul, the accident engine fan blade dovetails had been lubricated 6 times. At the time each of these fan blade lubrications occurred, the the fan blade dovetail was visually inspected as required for the fan blades installed in the accident engine. The NTSB materials group is working to estimate the number of cycles associated with fatigue crack initiation and propagation in the No. 13 fan blade and to evaluate the effectiveness of inspection methods used to detect these cracks. The remainder of the accident airplane's airframe exhibited significant impact damage to the leading edge of the left wing, left side of the fuselage, and left horizontal stabilizer. A large gouge impact mark, consistent in shape to a recovered portion of fan cowl and latching mechanism, was adjacent to the row 14 window; the window was entirely missing. No window, airplane structure, or engine material was found inside the cabin. Picture of window 14 with portion of engine inboard fan cowl. Three flight attendants were assigned to the flight, and an additional SWA employee was in a jumpseat in the cabin. During interviews, the flight attendants and the employee reported that they heard a loud sound and experienced vibration. The oxygen masks automatically deployed in the cabin. The flight attendants retrieved portable oxygen bottles and began moving through the cabin to calm passengers and assist them with their masks. As they moved toward the mid-cabin, they found the passenger in row 14 partially out of the window and attempted to pull her into the cabin. Two male passengers helped and were able to bring the passenger in. The investigation is ongoing. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/05/03/ntsb-issues-an-investigative-update-on-southwest-airlines-flight-1380-uncontained-engine-failure-accident/ Back to Top Failed Southwest Air Jet Engine Had Passed Seven Inspections By Alan Levin • NTSB releases preliminary report on April 17 fatal accident • More sophisticated testing ordered by FAA on similar engines NTSB investigators examine damage to the engine belonging Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 in Philadelphia on April 17, 2018. Photographer: Keith Holloway/National Transportation Safety Board The fan blade that failed on a Southwest Airlines Co. plane last month, killing a passenger, had been inspected seven times since late 2012 but without the sophisticated technology airlines are now under orders to use. The inspections relied on visual observations and there were no reports of cracks, according to a preliminary report issued Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The investigation of the April 17 Southwest flight is one of the most significant in years, since it raises questions about the safety of the CFM56-7B engine, one of the world's most popular. Before engines like this get approval from aviation regulators, manufacturers must demonstrate that failed fan blades won't trigger extensive damage if they break loose. Since a similar fan blade failure on another Southwest plane in 2016, engine maker CFM International Inc. has urged airlines to use either ultrasound or electric-current tests designed to find cracks beneath the surface. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued two orders since April's accident on Flight 1380 for the more sophisticated testing of fan blades, touching off a rush by airlines to examine thousands of the blades. The orders call for the inspection of blades that have made at least 20,000 flights by the end of August. If a blade's number of flights isn't known, it must also be tested by the same deadline. Failed Blade's History The failed blade had made more than 32,000 flights, according to the NTSB. Southwest says it expects to complete all the inspections, even those with fewer than 20,000 flights, of its fleet in coming weeks. The most recent extensive inspection of the failed blade occurred in November 2012, using a dye designed to highlight small cracks on the surface. The engine had made 10,712 cycles -- starting and stopping the engine, usually associated with a flight -- since then, according to the NTSB. For the six inspections since 2012, the blades were lubricated and mechanics examined them visually for flaws. Southwest said in a statement on Thursday that the company was continuing "to cooperate fully with the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) ongoing investigation into Flight 1380." CFM is a joint venture between General Electric Co. and France's Safran SA. A passenger, Jennifer Riordan, who was a vice president at Wells Fargo & Co. in New Mexico, was killed after being partly sucked out of the shattered window. The plane, a Boeing Co. 737-700 bound for Dallas from New York's LaGuardia airport, made an emergency landing in Philadelphia. While there have been fatal crashes involving cargo haulers, foreign airlines and charter operators, it was the first death of a passenger on a U.S. airline since 2009. Questions Remain The preliminary report doesn't say why the crack grew large enough for the blade to snap off or whether use of more sophisticated testing before the accident could have prevented the failure. When the blade broke loose -- the result of a crack that gradually expanded under the stresses of multiple flights -- it bounced forward and collided with the relatively unprotected engine inlet, tearing it apart and sending shrapnel into the fuselage and wing. Investigators may have identified the part that shattered the window. A metal piece that included a latching mechanism, which was recovered after the accident, matches "a large gouge impact mark" adjacent to the row 14 window that broke, NTSB said. An examination of the failed blade under an electron microscope showed evidence of "low-cycle fatigue," the NTSB said. That suggests that the crack grew relatively quickly, but investigators didn't provide any timeline. All the remaining blades on the failed engine were removed and tested using an ultrasonic device that can detect flaws beneath the titanium surface, but no additional cracks were found, NTSB said. The engine's containment shield, designed to prevent the kind of widespread damage that occurred in the accident, did block blade fragments from escaping. However, the majority of material at the front of the engine known as the "inlet cowl" was missing. The report also includes new information about what happened on the plane in the moments after the failure. The 737 banked more than 40 degrees to the left. The pilots recovered, but had to fight the controls. "The flight crew reported that the airplane exhibited handling difficulties throughout the remainder of the flight," the NTSB said. The plane's three flight attendants told investigators that they donned oxygen masks after the plane lost pressure and began moving through the cabin to assist passengers. That's when they noticed that Riordan had been sucked through the window. "As they moved toward the mid-cabin, they found the passenger in row 14 partially out of the window and attempted to pull her into the cabin," the report said. "Two male passengers helped and were able to bring the passenger in." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-03/failed-southwest-air-jet-engine-had-passed-seven-inspections Back to Top Pensacola NAS: Stop aiming laser pointers at military aircraft Pensacola Naval Air Station is warning people not to target military aircraft with laser pointers. In a news release issued Thursday, the base said it has seen a recent increase in the number of incident involving laser pointers being aimed at aircraft. "Pointing lasers at aircraft can not only temporarily blind pilots, but cause permanent damage as well. The canopy Plexiglas magnifies the intensity of the laser, which can compromise the vision of pilots and even require medical treatments," the Navy said in the release. The Navy said pointing a laser at an aircraft can bring a fine of up to $250,000 and five years' imprisonment. https://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2018/05/03/pensacola-nas-stop-aiming-laser-pointers-military-aircraft/577232002/ Back to Top Navy Secretary: 'Not enough data' to link lack of funding to aircraft accidents The heads of the Navy and Marine Corps on Wednesday would not connect a lack of military funding over the years to a string of recent aviation incidents, pointing to a lack of information. "There is not enough data right now to tell you that there's an exact correlation," Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer told reporters during a Pentagon briefing. He did add that a larger military budget in 2018 will allow pilots more training hours. "We are training people to the requirements necessary. Those additive hours that people have in the cockpit or doing their jobs are only going to help. So now we have the funds to do that." Spencer had been asked whether military leaders attribute a recent uptick in aircraft and ship crashes to a lack of funding thanks to past budget caps, something that lawmakers have pointed to following numerous mishaps in the past year. The most recent aircraft incident - a C-130 Hercules crash near an airport in Savannah, Ga. - happened only hours before the briefing. The Savannah-based 165th Airlift Wing said the plane - which was an Air National Guard aircraft out of Puerto Rico - was carrying five people and went down while performing a training mission. At least two people were confirmed killed. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller also spoke at the briefing saying funding "is affecting the number of airplanes that are ready and the number of hours we can fly," but declining to link a lack of dollars to the crashes. "There's not one single thing. You can't say 'it's because of this,' " Neller said. "We need more hours, we need better part support, we need new airplanes, we've got to improve our procedures, we got to stop doing stuff on the ground that causes us to lose otherwise perfectly good airplane and we need to train and it's a dangerous business." Neller also said the last deadly C-130 crash - a July 2017 crash that killed 16 people aboard a Marine C-130 in rural Mississippi - was not found to be a funding issue. "I think we have a pretty good idea of what happened to our airplane last year. In that particular case, I'm not sure funding would have changed the outcome," Neller said. "I'm not going to talk about it because the families have just been informed, but that was a mechanical issue," he added. Last month, a Marine AV-8B Harrier jet crashed at Djibouti Ambouli International Airport, with the pilot ejecting. Hours later, a Marine CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter suffered structural damage during a landing. Both incidents happened during Alligator Dagger, an annual amphibious exercise off the coast of Djibouti, and are under investigation. And in March, a Navy F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet crashed off the coast of Key West, Fla., killing the two pilots. The same week, four Marines were killed in a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crash in Southern California. Two Navy pilots also died in October when their T-45 training aircraft crashed in Tennessee. In November, a Navy transporter plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean near Japan, leaving three dead. http://thehill.com/policy/defense/385936-navy-secretary-not-enough-data-to-link-lack-of-funding-to-aircraft-accidents Back to Top Naval aviation plagued by 'disturbing' trend of ground mishaps Aviation Electronics Mate Airman Adam Lowery, front, and Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Tyler Humphries, conduct routine maintenance on an MH-60S Sea Hawk. Naval Air Forces identified a six-year rise in Class C mishaps, many during routine maintenance. (MC2 Jesse L. Gonzalez/Navy). The Navy's air boss announced that "Class C" ground mishaps in naval aviation have doubled in the past decade, and he's made eliminating the mistakes his current No. 2 priority - behind the continued efforts to eliminate cockpit physiological episodes. Class C mishaps are those in which total property damage falls between $50,000 and $500,000, or an incident that causes a sailor injury the warrants missing a day or more of work. Vice Adm. DeWolfe Miller, head all naval air forces, identified the increase of the mishaps in this year's annual aviation safety message to all aviation commanders and commanding officers on May 3. He also announced the requirement for every aviation unit to conduct their annual one-day safety standdown before the Memorial Day holiday. Navy Times obtained a copy of the message and Naval Air Forces confirmed its authenticity. In the message, Miller called the rise in mishaps a "disturbing trend." "Since 2012, Class C [ground] aviation mishap rates have more than doubled - 9.86 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours in FY12 steadily rising to conclude FY17 at 20.25," Miller wrote. "Almost all Class C mishaps are preventable and a significant number of these occur during routine maintenance evolutions." Miller pointed to the combination of inexperience among aviation maintenance sailors and diminished flight hours across the board in naval aviation over the same time period as the most likely culprits, and noted that "experience and proper supervision" are the best prevention methods for such mishaps. But at least half of that formula for success is harder to come by in today's Navy, he said, and it's something that requires more attention to detail from commanders. "Studies show that naval aviation's average E-5 has 1.5 years less experience as compared with 5 to 10 years ago," he wrote. "We also know that with reduced flight hour execution, sailors receive fewer reps and sets performing their maintenance actions." Miller called on units to recognize this lack of experience and ensure sailors are qualified and properly supervised during maintenance evolutions. "Therefore, we need to ensure all evolutions, no matter how routine, procedurally follow the book and are performed by qualified sailors who are properly supervised. "As an enterprise, we owe it to the American people to be good stewards of their money," he continued. "We also take great pride that we plan, brief, execute, and debrief every flight. Ensure your entire team does the same with maintenance evolutions." Despite the initiative, the number one safety priority in naval aviation remains the rash of physiological exposes plaguing aircrews in flight. "We are making great strides in mitigating PE, however, much work remains," Miller wrote. "Strict adherence to procedures and maintaining a sense of urgency at all levels with all activities are critical as we aggressively tackle PE across affected...aircraft and aircrew." https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/05/03/naval-aviation-plagued-by-disturbing-trend-of-ground-mishaps/ Back to Top Flight schedules: Airlines compromising safety, say pilots (India) The country's civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed airlines to use this as an operating norm. A Delhi High Court order of April 18 asked the airlines and the DGCA to pull a plug on this practice, citing five recent incidents that have resulted in both loss of life and aircraft, as result of fatigue arising out of constant flying. "The airlines are mismanaging resources and always maintain that the flying a pilot does is within the stipulated duty hours," said a senior pilot on condition of anonymity. "The airlines are mismanaging resources and always maintain that the flying a pilot does is within the stipulated duty hours," said a senior pilot on condition of anonymity. Are pilots being slogged with disregard to their health, fitness to fly and passenger safety? Here is a real pilot's schedule with an Indian carrier: Take off from Delhi at 8.15 am for Amritsar, land at Amritsar at 9.30 am, take off from Amritsar at 10.10 am for Delhi, land at Delhi at 11.30 am, take off for Bangkok from Delhi at 1.55 pm, land in Bangkok at 6.25 pm (IST), take off from Bangkok for Mumbai at 1.45 pm the next day, land in Mumbai at 6.25 pm, take off from Mumbai for Chennai at 8.50 pm, land at 10.55 pm, next day take off for Delhi, his home base, at 6.20 pm and land at 9.15 pm. This is a very testing schedule, especially if you consider how tiring flying is. If you have flown, you'll know just how tired you get after a flight. Now imagine taking several of them on the trot. It is over this nature of scheduling that the pilot fraternity is at loggerheads with the management teams of airlines, saying they are fatigued. They complain that airlines are extracting more work out of them as they expand their fleet, without recruiting enough new pilots. "The airlines are mismanaging resources and always maintain that the flying a pilot does is within the stipulated duty hours," said a senior pilot on condition of anonymity. The problem with this scheduling is that while technically it is within the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) - binding rules for safe operations of an aircraft that state the number of hours a pilot needs to fly, the rest period, and so on - the airlines have found a way around them. Even though the rules are written in black and white under the Aircraft Rules of 1937 and Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) are also governed by international conventions through agencies like the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), airlines in India are being allowed 'exemptions' to the CAR (see table), specifically Section 4-4.2, which allows the regulator to make exemptions in exceptional circumstances to these regulations, on the basis of the risk assessment provided by the operator. The country's civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed airlines to use this as an operating norm. A Delhi High Court order of April 18 asked the airlines and the DGCA to pull a plug on this practice, citing five recent incidents that have resulted in both loss of life and aircraft, as result of fatigue arising out of constant flying. Activist Yeshwant Shenoy, who filed the PIL, says the court has acknowledged that the whole exercise is driven by a profit motive and this profit motive of the airlines is endangering people's lives. "The airlines have been manipulating CAR for maximum duty hours and minimum rest period. They use variations to increase the duty hours and thereby are breaking rules." Industry professionals say that the problem is arising out of the rapid growth in air traffic in India - the highest in the world for the past five years at 18%. To put his growth in context, about three and a half years ago the total aircraft count in the country was 395, a number that was added over 67 years post-independence. Contrast this with 900, the total number of aircraft airlines have ordered in just the last three years. This has led to India's airlines falling short of the pilot-to-aircraft industry benchmark of 13-14 sets of pilots (followed by legacy carriers like British Airways and Singapore Airlines), a set being a pilot and a co-pilot. In India there are less than 11 sets of pilots per aircraft, with budget carrier SpiceJet at the bottom of the pack with just 5.5 sets of pilots per aircraft. "We have less than 11 sets of pilots per aircraft, and with 13 sets of pilots, there is a report that British Airways pilots are clinically burnt out. You can imagine what is the level of fatigue of the Indian pilots," said a senior pilot not wanting to be identified. The study he refers to is a recent one by researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology and the British Airline Pilots' Association, which questioned 1,147 active members of the association and found 20% of them report 'clinical burnout levels', with over three quarters reporting that they see colleagues fatigued when they arrive at work; the researchers did find a strong indirect relationship between the scores on the burnout scale and simulator performance arguing for better facilities for the pilots to be provided by the airline operators. Though the total number of commercial licensees in India is around 12,000, not all of them are employable, and even if the pilots are on an airline's rolls, not all of them are fit to fly. Within Jet Airways, the largest Indian airline, sources say that though the number of pilots is around 1,900, nearly 300 of them are not available to fly, as they are still under training. As per the DGCA data, Indian carriers deploy a total of 3,603 pilots and 3,914 co-pilots (December 2017). In India, there is a massive requirement for pilots with airlines expanding not only on domestic routes but also to international markets and on the routes that are flown within three and half hours of flying time like the Middle Eastern routes. "Today all the Middle East flights are two consecutive operations - Dubai has day returns,all flights, be it Doha, Bahrain,Jeddah, all are consecutive operations," pilots say. "The Indian Scheduled Airline Operators have estimated employment opportunities for about 3,700 pilots and 3,600 co-pilots in the next five years," said minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha in response to a question in the Lok Sabha. It isn't just flying time that is causing fatigue among pilots, there are also other factors. Aviation infrastructure is still developing in India and one reason is the amount of time a pilot has to sit at the airport waiting, or the amount of time he takes to exit an airport post flight - both not counted as his duty hours.The second is the dead-heading, a term more used by budget airline IndiGo, which essentially means the travel a pilot has to do to report for flight duty not at his base location. So, for example, if a pilot has to fly from Mumbai to another sector, but he is based in Delhi, he will have to fly from Delhi to Mumbai to operate the flight, but this time is not included in his duty hours. "We are trying to get this issue resolved, but positioning comes at a cost," said an airline executive. Pilots say it is also because of ad-hoc planning and lack of advance rostering by the airlines that is responsible for this situation of theirs. "Fatigue is very real and it is the cumulative fatigue that is an issue. Today most of our flying is done on autopilot. But if any emergency arises, I am not sure I will be as alert after a 3am flight as I should be," said a senior commander with a private carrier. A senior pilot flying with an Indian carrier says that fatigue for pilots is real on a cumulative basis. But the Indian regulator has not undertaken any independent study. The rule that is followed by other international agencies like the EASA and the FAA is that a pilot needs to be given rest for 36 hours if the pilot has been used for two nights consecutively, but most of the airlines make exceptions to this. https://www.financialexpress.com/infrastructure/airlines-aviation/flight-schedules-airlines-compromising-safety-say-pilots/1144614/ Back to Top NATA Announces Industry Excellence Awards Recipients for 2017 Washington, DC, May 04, 2018 - Today, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) announced the recipients of its Industry Excellence Awards, presented annually to individuals, offices and organizations demonstrating superior service to the aviation business community, particularly through their efforts in advancing general aviation's safety-first culture: The ATP/NATA General Aviation Service Technician Award (sponsored by Aircraft Technical Publishers for 30 years) acknowledges the exceptional performance of a licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic or radio repairman who has practiced his or her craft for a period of 20 or more years. This year, NATA will present the award to Mr. George Terry, VP Director of Maintenance Operations at Corporate Eagle in Michigan. Mr. Terry's aviation career of 30+ years, includes more than 18 years with Corporate Eagle. His diligence and supervision has allowed Corporate Eagle to maintain an accident-free environment over his tenure. The recipient of NATA's Airport Executive Partnership Award is Juan E. Rivera, Airport Director at Manassas Regional Airport (HEF) in Virginia. This award recognizes an airport manager for his or her efforts to foster relationships between aviation businesses and airport operators. Mr. Rivera encourages the success of the airport through fair and transparent competition amongst on-field businesses. Recently, he has successfully aided in the development of a new FBO facility, a multi-acre building site and a hangar space. Mr. Rivera also cultivates the relationships between the airport tenants and Board to balance the needs of HEF overall, resulting in growth at Manassas Regional Airport and the financial health of its operators. Ms. Janine Schwahn, Chief Instructor at Summit Aviation in Montana, is the recipient of NATA's Excellence in Pilot Training Award. This award recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding contributions in safety, professionalism, leadership and excellence in the field of pilot training. Since 2009, Ms. Schwahn has been instrumental in the growth and success of both Summit Aviation and Bozeman Airport. Her leadership aided in a new runway and Summit Aviation's transition to a Part 141 flight training center and Part 135 operator. She developed custom training curriculums and charter manuals that won Summit Aviation FAA approval. Schwahn's vast contributions and accomplishments have extend beyond Summit Aviation and Bozeman Airport into the surrounding community. Mr. Henry Graves, Line Technician and Shift Leader at APP Jet Center Manassas in Virginia, will receive the fourth annual Safety 1st Certified Line Service Professional Award. This award recognizes the achievements of certified line service professionals demonstrating their positive impact on safety, service and business success. Mr. Graves is a ground support service veteran with 22 years of aviation experience. He has spent the last 15 years as an FBO shift lead/supervisor at the Manassas Regional Airport, training and mentoring new hires and providing clients with superior customer service. "Each year, NATA is proud to recognize the achievements of several individuals and organizations that help the general aviation community continue to thrive. The award winners exemplify the commitment and inspiration needed to encourage the next generation of aviation leaders," stated NATA President Martin H. Hiller. NATA recently announced the recipients of the William A. "Bill" Ong Memorial Award Distinguished Service Award to long-time aviation executives Larry R. Flynn and Randall (Randy) D. Berg respectively. NATA will alsopresent its Distinguished Public Service Award to Dr. Gerald Dillingham, former U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Director of Civil Aviation Issues. The Awards Presentation Luncheon will take place on June 13th at the Grand Hyatt Washington. The association will hold the luncheon in conjunction with its Annual Meeting and Aviation Business Conference. Contact Karissa Uko at kuko@nata.aero for more information on NATA's Industry Excellence Awards Presentation Luncheon and to secure tickets. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12411093/nata-announces-industry-excellence-awards-recipients-for-2017 Back to Top 1 in 10 German military pilots lost helicopter licenses for lack of flight time Bundeswehr pilots can't get enough flight time amid helicopter shortages and are losing their flying licenses as a result. The report is the latest to shed light on the embarrassing state of Germany's armed forces. Bundeswehr NH90 transport helicopter on a landing strip (picture-alliance/dpa/rtn - radio tele nord/C. Leimig) More than one in 10 helicopter pilots in the Bundeswehr lost their flying licenses in 2017 because they could not absolve the required amount of flight time, the government said on Thursday. The Defense Ministry released the figures in a response to a parliamentary inquiry by Green Party lawmaker Agnieszka Brugger. In its response, the ministry said 19 out of 129 helicopter pilots lost their licenses in 2017 because of insufficient flight time, while 12 out of 135 pilots lost their licenses for the same reason in 2016. The Bundeswehr was able to redistribute the licenses after the pilots completed additional training programs, it added. Brugger blamed the failure for some pilots to meet the necessary number of flight hours on a lack of working helicopters. "Not even a third of the most important types of helicopters are fit for service," she told the dpa news agency. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, Brugger added, was not "getting a grip on the dreary situation." Read more: 'No more missions for Germany's navy,' warns armed forces ombudsman A Bundeswehr report published in February found that technical problems had grounded 16 out of a total of 72 CH53 transport helicopters and 13 out of a total of 58 NH90 transport helicopters. The shortages reportedly forced the Defense Ministry to start renting civilian helicopters to ensure pilots could still get flight time. http://www.dw.com/en/1-in-10-german-military-pilots-lost-helicopter-licenses-for-lack-of-flight-time/a-43646369 Back to Top American Splits $1.4 Billion Jet Buy Between Bombardier, Embraer • Airline orders 15 CRJ900 planes and 15 E175s, plus options • Purchase extends carrier's push to update short-haul fleet Travelers walk past an American Airlines aircraft at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg American Airlines Group Inc. split a $1.4 billion order of regional jets between Bombardier Inc. and Embraer SA, extending a push to update its short-range fleet. The world's largest carrier is buying 15 Bombardier CRJ900 planes and 15 Embraer E175 jets, according to a regulatory filing Thursday. American also took options from each manufacturer for 15 more of the 76-seat aircraft. The purchase boosts American's shift to bigger regional jets with room for two passenger classes, which better match the offerings of the airline's larger single-aisle planes. American has also reduced the number of aircraft in the fleet that are smaller than the new ones it's buying from Bombardier and Embraer. "Any airline that can add 76 seaters will," said Savanthi Syth, a Raymond James Financial Inc. analyst. "They are really great aircraft, with dual class and Wi-Fi." Regional Flights The planes will be flown at two of American's wholly owned regional units, with the CRJ900s going to PSA Airlines and the Embraer E175 jets to Envoy Air. Deliveries of both aircraft types will begin next year, and will be used to replace single-class planes, said Josh Freed, an American spokesman. American has added about 200 dual-class regional jets over the past four years. At the end of last year, the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier had 118 of Bombardier's CRJ900 aircraft operated by PSA and Mesa airlines. It had 148 of Embraer's E175 planes in operation at Republic, Envoy and Compass. American will retire a still undetermined number of 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft at PSA to help make room for the new planes, Dion Flannery, president of the regional unit, said in a letter to employees. Bombardier and Embraer are pushing replacements for the aging regional jets in U.S. fleets. According to a market forecast released last year by Montreal-based Bombardier, North American airlines will need to retire about 2,100 aircraft of 150 seats or fewer by 2036. Forty percent of the current fleet is at least 15 years old, Bombardier said. The order is an "incremental positive as Bombardier looks to rebuild its backlog for its legacy aircraft, and specifically for the CRJ family," Kevin Chiang, a CIBC World Markets analyst, said in a note. The CRJ900 order has a list value of about $719 million before customary discounts, Bombardier said in a statement. The E175 deal is valued at about $705 million based on list prices, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil-based Embraer said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-03/american-orders-15-regional-jets-apiece-from-bombardier-embraer Back to Top https://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2018/media/MayJun2018.pdf Back to Top European Space Agency wants in on quantum comms satellites It's fun to kick entangled photons into spaaaace The European Space Agency is looking to build a communications satellite to send data securely using quantum key distribution. On Thursday, it signed a contract with SES Techcom S.A, a satellite communications company based in Luxembourg, to develop QUARTZ (Quantum Cryptography Telecommunication System). Quantum entanglement is a booming area of research. The strange phenomenon of pairs of particles being coupled together in such a way that the quantum state of each particle cannot be described independently of the state of the other is used to probe quantum mechanics, build quantum computers, and form cryptographic keys. Satellites like QUARTZ act as a mediator between two ground stations that are trying to keep their communications secure. The information describing a string of random numbers is encoded as entangled photons. These are beamed from one ground station into space to the satellite and then sent back to the other Earth-based receiver. The key is then used to decrypt information. If any adversaries try to tamper with the keys it changes the quantum state of the entangled photons, so the senders know someone has tried to intercept their communication. Quantum entanglement is tricky to preserve over long distances, and most quantum key distribution is carried by optical fibers that extend to only a few hundred kilometers. By sending photons to and from satellites and ground stations, it allows the secret keys to be sent between people that are much further away. "QUARTZ is the first commercial step in this direction, aiming to provide a reliable, globally-available system for carrying and dispensing the keys," the European Space Agency said. "Under QUARTZ and with the help of ESA, SES plans to develop the platform to be a robust, scalable and commercially-viable satellite-based QKD system for use in geographically-dispersed networks." QUARTZ won't be the first quantum communications satellite to set foot in space. The QUESS (Quantum Experiments at Space Scale) project lead by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched the Micius satellite in 2016. In 2017, it was reported that the team had managed to keep photons entangled for 1,200 kilometers. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/05/03/the_european_space_agency_wants_in_on_quantum_communications_satellites/ Back to Top FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 25, 2018 CONTACT: Philip Barbour, 205-939-1700, 205-617-9007 Call for Nominations For 2018 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2018 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, honoring a leader in global aviation safety. The award will be presented during the 71st Annual International Air Safety Summit, taking place Nov. 12-15 in Seattle, Wash. Presented since 1956, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recognizes notable achievement in the field of civil or military aviation safety in method, design, invention, study or other improvement. The award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." Mechanics, engineers and others outside of top administrative or research positions should be especially considered. The contribution need not be recent, especially if the nominee has not received adequate recognition. Nominations that were not selected as past winners of the Award can be submitted one additional time for consideration. Please note that self-nominations will not be considered. The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award's story dates back 70 years. On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In the years following, her husband, Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Clifford E. Barbour, Jr., established the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in her honor. The Award Board, composed of leaders in the field of aviation, meets in June of each year to conduct a final review of nominees and selection of the current year's recipient. Please help us honor this year's most deserving recipient. Nominations, including a 1-2-page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website at http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/. Nominations will be accepted until June 14, 2018. For more information, including a complete history of Award recipients, see www.ltbaward.org. ABOUT THE LAURA TABER BARBOUR AIR SAFETY AWARD: The Award was established in 1956 through early association with the Flight Safety Foundation and from its founding has enjoyed a rich history of Award Board members, nominees and Award recipients. In 2013, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed from members of the Award Board, the aviation community and the Barbour family. As the foundation plans to broaden the scope of its intent, with great purpose, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to spotlight those champions who pioneer breakthroughs in flight safety. Back to Top 2018 CHC Safety & Quality Summit Early Registration Now Open IRVING, TX - May 1, 2018 - CHC Helicopter today announced the official opening of early bird registration for its signature aviation safety event, the annual CHC Safety and Quality Summit. From May 1 through May 31, interested delegates will have the opportunity to register for this year's' event at a discounted early bird rate of $1085 (USD). After May 31, the regular price for registration goes up to $1185 (USD). Now entering its fourteenth year, the CHC Safety and Quality Summit draws more than 500 industry professionals from nearly 30 countries to gather to share the latest in safety best practices and the human factors elements in safety. This year, delegates will come together to discuss the theme: Building Safety at Every Level: Does this start at the top or with front line employees? The 2018 CHC Safety and Quality Summit will take place October 2-4 at the Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, near CHC's global headquarters. To register and learn more about the Summit visit www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com. For additional questions, please email summit@chcheli.com. About CHC For more than 70 years, CHC Helicopter has provided safe, reliable, cost-effective helicopter service in some of the most remote and challenging environments around the world. With extensive experience transporting customers in the oil and gas industry, supporting search-and-rescue and EMS contracts, and providing maintenance, repair and overhaul services, our dedication to safety and reputation for quality and innovation help our customers reach beyond what they thought possible. Visit www.chcheli.com for information. Contact Information SUMMIT Irina Sakgaev Safety & Quality Applications Specialist +1.604.232.7302 summit@chcheli.com MEDIA Cameron Meyer Communications Specialist +1.214.262.7391 Cameron.Meyer@chcheli.com www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com Curt Lewis