Flight Safety Information June 7, 2018 - No. 115 In This Issue Incident: Avion Express A320 near Belgrade on Jun 5th 2018, cracked windshield Incident: Malta A320 near Malta on Jun 6th 2018, weather radar problem Incident: Qantas A333 at Sydney on Jun 1st 2018, engine shut down in flight Cessna CitationJet CJ2+suffers runway excursion accident at Saint Tropez Airport, France Wreck of missing Fly-SAX Cessna 208B Grand Caravan found in Aberdare Range, Kenya LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. Airline Pilots Battle "Attack on Safety" From Single Pilot Cargo Aircraft Study Honeywell to make flying safer by decoding accents in India IATA Addresses PED Safety Issue With Awareness Campaign Record-breaking number of guns confiscated from Atlanta airport Airlines Urged to Use Predictive Models, Data Sharing to Keep Skies Safe Man sent to prison for hoax bomb on Malaysia Airlines flight Aviation insurance underwriters are in for a bumpy ride FAA pushes back on Boeing exemption for 787 safety flaw Bell 525 Fly-By-Wire Controls Draw Additional FAA Certification Rules Airlines and passengers save billions through crew planning Aircraft maker Pacific Aerospace fined $74,000 for illegal North Korea exports Garuda Indonesia to employ Air Force pilots to anticipate strike Southern Utah University Flight School working to train more female pilots Saudi Aramco mulls spinning off aviation unit Upcoming Cranfield short courses Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation, Course, Oct 31-Nov 1, Woburn MA USA 2018 SERC of ISASI HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - New Online Course - Fall 2018 Human Factors in Accident Investigation from SCSI Flight Safety Officer Course from SCSI Call for Nominations For 2018 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 3 Incident: Avion Express A320 near Belgrade on Jun 5th 2018, cracked windshield An Avion Express Airbus A320-200 on behalf of Condor, registration LY-VEV performing flight DE-833 from Antalya (Turkey) to Stuttgart (Germany with 177 passengers and 7 crew, was enroute at FL340 about 150nm eastsoutheast of Belgrade (Serbia) when the crew decided to divert to Belgrade due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft landed safely on Belgrade's runway 30 about 35 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 20 hours, then continued to Stuttgart as flight DE-833A and reached Stuttgart with a delay of 22 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=4b98c71f&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Malta A320 near Malta on Jun 6th 2018, weather radar problem An Air Malta Airbus A320-200, registration 9H-AEO performing flight KM-186 from Malta (Malta) to Cagliari (Italy), was climbing through FL240 out of Malta when the crew decided to return to Malta due to a problem with the weather radar. The aircraft landed safely back about 30 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then departed again and reached Cagliari with a delay of 2:40 hours. The airline confirmed the aircraft returned to Malta due to an issue with the weather radar. The aircraft was repaired and departed again. https://avherald.com/h?article=4b98c584&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Qantas A333 at Sydney on Jun 1st 2018, engine shut down in flight A Qantas Airbus A330-300, registration VH-QPI performing flight QF-23 from Sydney,NS (Australia) to Bangkok (Thailand), was in the initial climb out Sydney's runway 16R when the crew stopped the climb at about 7000 feet reporting an engine (CF6) issue. The aircraft entered a hold for about 40 minutes while the crew was working the related checklists and burned off fuel and the airport performed a runway inspection without finding any debris on the runway. The aircraft landed safely back on Sydney's runway 16R about 55 minutes after departure. The airline reported the aircraft returned to Sydney about one hour after departure due to an engine issue. A replacement A330-300 registration VH-QPH is estimated to reach Bangkok with a delay of about 6 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Sydney 12 hours after landing back. On Jun 6th 2018 the ATSB reported the aicraft was in the initial climb when the crew observed abnormal engine and airframe vibrations along with abnormal engine indications for the right hand engine. The crew stopped the climb at 7000 feet, shut the engine down and returned to Sydney for a safe landing. The ATSB opened an investigation into the occurrence rated an incident. https://avherald.com/h?article=4b94fca6&opt=0 Back to Top Cessna CitationJet CJ2+suffers runway excursion accident at Saint Tropez Airport, France; two hurt Status: Preliminary Date: Wednesday 6 June 2018 Time: 13:10 Type: Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+ Operator: Unknown Registration: D-IULI C/n / msn: 525A-0514 First flight: 2013 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Saint Tropez-La Môle Airport (LTT) ( France) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Figari-Sud Corse Airport (FSC/LFKF), France Destination airport: Saint Tropez-La Môle Airport (LTT/LFTZ), France Narrative: A Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+ corporate jet was involved in an accident while attempting to land at Saint Tropez-La Môle Airport, France. One occupant sustained serious injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180606-0 Back to Top Wreck of missing Fly-SAX Cessna 208B Grand Caravan found in Aberdare Range, Kenya The wreck of the missing Fly-SAX Cessna 208B Grand Caravan has been found in the Aberdare Range, Kenya. The aircraft, 5Y-CAC, went missing on a flight from Kitale to Nairobi, Kenya on June 5. The wreck was located on the morning of June 7 at an elevation of 11,000ft in the Aberdare mountain range. No word yet on the fate of the ten persons on board. A rescue mission is expected to arrive on the scene later today. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/06/07/wreck-of-missing-fly-sax-cessna-208b-grand-caravan- found-in-aberdare-range-kenya/ Back to Top Back to Top Airline Pilots Battle "Attack on Safety" From Single Pilot Cargo Aircraft Study Workers pull package containers onto United Parcel Service cargo aircraft in Louisville, Kentucky in July 2016. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg) A proposed study of single pilot cockpits for cargo aircraft, championed by a powerful congressman but viewed by pilots a threat to air safety, is facing obstacles. The two-pilot cockpit is a key component of the safety infrastructure that makes U.S. commercial aviation perhaps the safest transportation system in the history of the world. Nevertheless, a provision that would enable a study of single-pilot operation of cargo aircraft remains on the table as part of legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration. The legislation has cleared Congress and awaits a Senate vote. Last week, the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 60,000 pilots at 34 airlines, asked members to contact members of Congress and the Senate to express opposition. Meanwhile, Congressman Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) is seeking to erode any impact from a single pilot study provision by inserting oversight language into the House transportation funding bill. The language, which provides guidance to agencies on how they should make funding decisions, has been unanimously approved by the house transportation committee; the bill awaits congressional approval. "Pilot groups are pushing back really hard" against the concept of single pilot cockpits for cargo aircraft, said Lee Collins, president of the 33,000-member Coalition for Airline Pilot Associations, which includes single-airline pilot unions at American and UPS as well as pilots in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. "We are getting way ahead of ourselves, trying to find a way to integrate drones and drone technology into our national air space system," Collins said. "The industry that wants this is frustrated by the pace it's going at and wants it to go much faster. It's a giant power grab to increase bottom line profit margins for companies that have this technology." In a recent speech to ALPA leaders, ALPA President Tim Canoll declared, "At the eleventh hour and with no advance notice, a dangerous provision was inserted into the House FAA reauthorization bill by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee to push for single-piloted and computer-piloted operations of cargo airliners. "This is an attack on our profession, passenger and cargo operations alike," Canoll said. "ALPA will use every resource we have to ensure that this anti-safety provision is not enacted." The proposal to study a single pilot cockpit was introduced by U.S. Rep LaMar Smith, R.-Texas. He is chairman of the Science, Space and Technology Committee, which oversees the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, the Department of Energy and other agencies. Cartwright's language in the transportation bill reads, "The committee recognizes that great strides in the safety of our airspace have been made possible by the presence of two well-trained, qualified pilots in our commercial aircraft. Funds made available in this act to study alternative crew compliments for flight decks in commercial operations should prioritize the safety effects relative to two-person flights." Following approval, Cartwright thanked Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. "For many years, aviation has been the safest form of transportation in the United States," Cartwright said. "This is by no means an accident; it is the result of a strong regulatory framework built over time, paired with an ongoing airline system safety culture that is one of the most ambitious in our nation's history. "In non-routine situations, the workload on the flight deck can increase significantly in a short period of time," Cartwright said. "Addressing these situations requires at least two well-trained, well-qualified pilots to communicate in real time without delay. "The report language I submitted simply prioritizes the safety effects of two-person cockpit operations in any study that the Department of Transportation may be conducting," he said. Collins said the language is fine, but the bill needs to pass the House for it to become meaningful. "The language that is most important is the language in the bill that has passed," he said. "That is where the threat is." https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed/2018/06/06/airline-pilots-battle-attack-on-safety-from-single- pilot-cargo-aircraft-study/#55f312b56bdc Back to Top Honeywell to make flying safer by decoding accents in India WITH more than 100 languages and the ambition to connect even its smallest villages by air, India has become a testing ground for a new software being developed by Honeywell International Inc that aims to make it easier to understand pilots speaking English with strong local accents. The conglomerate is, at the behest of the government, developing software that will decipher accents and automatically transcribe what's said for air traffic controllers. The move will enhance safety at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to add smaller airports to the world's fastest growing major market has increased the demand for pilots who could be speaking in a thick accent, thanks to more than 6,000 dialects spoken across the country. "One of the biggest problems in India has been that we Indians don't understand each other's English because of the dialects," Neelu Khatri, president of Honeywell's aerospace business in the South Asian nation, said in New Delhi. "This, we thought, works very well for the regional connectivity scheme, because you have regional pilots coming in, people don't know what he said and what he understood." https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/transport/honeywell-to-make-flying-safer-by-decoding-accents-in- india Back to Top IATA Addresses PED Safety Issue With Awareness Campaign Gilberto Lopez Meyer, IATA's senior vice-president of Safety and Flight Operations. Image via IATA APEX Insight: IATA is aiming to raise awareness of the regulations for traveling with personal electronic devices. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will launch, in July, an awareness campaign to help airlines communicate to passengers the dangers involved in carrying personal electronic devices in checked baggage. The move follows growing concerns about the potential danger of such devices in checked baggage. IATA has been working with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on the issue and recently conducted two surveys, involving airlines and passengers, to determine the risk profile, Gilberto Lopez Meyer, IATA's senior vice-president of Safety and Flight Operations, said at IATA's Annual General Meeting in Sydney yesterday. IATA found that many passengers are carrying prohibited items in their checked baggage, such as power banks and spare batteries, which are considered higher risk and could potentially ignite when not in use. Non-compliance is high due to a lack of awareness of the regulations, or of the potential consequences, Meyer said. Although IATA's research has determined that incidents related to the carriage of PEDs in checked baggage is very low, according to Meyer, the risk is potentially high. "By trying to control an issue [a perceived terrorist threat] we created a safety issue." - Gilberto Lopez Meyer, IATA A social media campaign will kick off in July, with IATA communicating directly to passengers, as well as providing airlines with material and infographics to communicate the message. Last year's restrictions on the in-flight carriage of laptops on certain flights to the United States operated by Middle East and North African carriers has further caused confusion among passengers, with the IATA campaign aimed at increasing awareness and improving compliance with regulations. Last year's US PED restrictions also highlighted to the air transport industry that "we need to have better communication with authorities and countries before those measures are implemented", says Meyer. "By trying to control an issue [a perceived terrorist threat] we created a safety issue," he adds. The industry and governments have learned from the issue, with Henrik Hololei, the European Commission's director general for mobility and transport telling IATA AGM delegates that the industry needs to be consulted on such issues. The latest security threat to airlines, that of chemical weapons being carried onboard aircraft in the form of powders, is being handled much better than the PEDs issue, Hololei said, with "much more engagement and more reaching out to industry". Mark Shield, head of Group Security at Virgin Australia, said the powder threat could result in countries limiting the amount of powder products passengers bring on board. https://apex.aero/2018/06/06/iata-ped-safety-awareness-campaign Back to Top Record-breaking number of guns confiscated from Atlanta airport Agents with the Transportation Security Administration say they have confiscated a record-breaking number of guns at Atlanta's airport. The TSA confirmed to Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez that security screeners confiscated 30 guns during the month of May at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The agency says that's the most guns ever confiscated at an airport in a single month. "Carrying a weapon on a plane is not necessary," traveler Saundra Jackson said. Gun owner Marc VanBruck, who was on his way to New York City, told Jaquez that gun owners shouldn't be so careless while traveling. "As a gun owner myself, that is strange," VanBruck said. "If you're taking it into a public space, you have to be considerate of others. That you're not thinking of that when you're coming through security - just doesn't make sense to me." Especially since fliers are asked if they packed prohibited items when they check in for their flight online, at the kiosk or in person, and they're reminded yet again through signs plastered throughout the airport before passing through security. "We're told we need to check our water. So, for people to think they can possibly get a firearm secretly through security means people are really careless," VanBruck said. TSA officers said so far this year, agents have discovered 108 firearms at Hartsfield-Jackson. That number is up from 91 for the same time period in 2017. More than 1,700 guns have been found at TSA security checkpoints nationwide so far this year. https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/record-breaking-number-of-guns-confiscated-from-atlanta-airport/764482926 Back to Top Airlines Urged to Use Predictive Models, Data Sharing to Keep Skies Safe Global airlines, coming off a record-low accident rate in 2017, need to guard against complacency over safety as heavy growth in travel demand stretches the air transport system, industry leaders warned at a conference this week. There were no jet crashes in 2017 and 19 fatalities across the sector, while some 301 passengers have died in five crashes over just the first five months of 2018, including the first fatality on a U.S. airline since 2009. The other fatal accidents occurred in Cuba, Russia, Iran and Nepal. Air transportation advocates say it is still by far the safest form of travel. But the industry also needs to modernize a fragmented infrastructure and adopt new technology to keep it safe even as demand balloons, delegates at annual talks of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. Alexandre de Juniac, director-general of the group of 280 airlines, called for a continued rigid focus on safety. "No arrogance in any case: (we need) humility and work," he said after IATA's three-day meeting in Sydney. With IATA forecasting passenger traffic will nearly double by 2036, there are worries over whether the industry will be able to attract and train enough capable pilots and engineers. Rising congestion in airspace and at airports, some of which are operating above capacity, and poor air traffic control are already posing challenges. A deadly plane crash in Nepal in March is a case in point. Sponsored by: Insurance Journal. You deserve an upgrade. Go Pro! IJPro. It's Insurance Journal on steroids. Airline and airport authorities in Kathmandu have blamed each other after the US-Bangla Airlines crash that killed 49 in what is the Himalayan nation's worst air disaster since 1992. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but a transcript of pilot radio conversations with the ground revealed confusion over the designated runway. Aviation remains a "very, very safe industry" despite the accidents this year, but there is concern over whether systems can keep pace with future growth, said Peter Harbison, executive chairman of Sydney- based CAPA Centre for Aviation. "There are worries about having lesser-trained pilots and that creating more risk, or congested airspace, air traffic control that is not adequate to support the services going through," he said. NEW TECHNOLOGY IATA executives said new air traffic technology is one of the keys to keeping busy skies safe. "Implementing technology is expensive and difficult but it is available now," IATA's senior vice president of safety and flight operations, Gilberto Lopez Meyer, said on the sidelines of the industry's biggest annual gathering. "It is allowing us to reduce separation safely," he said, referring to the ability for jets to fly closer together in a crowded airspace. IATA called for airlines to share more safety data and use predictive analytics to prevent accidents. "We are always on edge, always looking to see what we can learn, what we can improve," said Alan Joyce, outgoing chairman of the IATA and also the CEO of Qantas Airways Ltd, which has not had a hull loss since the dawn of the jet age. Although accidents are rare in air travel, with the numbers dropping over the past 15 years, they can lead to significant financial and reputational consequences. For example, Southwest Airlines expects its second-quarter unit revenue to drop by about 3 percent, hurt by lower bookings after a fatal engine blowout in April. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2018/06/06/491393.htm Back to Top Man sent to prison for hoax bomb on Malaysia Airlines flight MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - An Australian judge sentenced a man to 12 years in prison Thursday for threatening to detonate a fake bomb on a Malaysia Airlines flight, terrifying more than 200 passengers and crew. Manodh Marks, 26, forced the plane to turn back soon after takeoff when he screamed that he had a bomb and ran down the aisle carrying flashing electronic devices. A Sri Lankan studying hospitality in Australia, he pleaded guilty in a Melbourne court to attempting to take control of an aircraft, a federal offense that carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The drama came after Malaysia Airlines lost two planes in 2014. Flight 370, carrying 239 people, is thought to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean after flying far off course for reasons still not explained. Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 aboard, and investigators last month said the missile belonged to a Russia-based military unit. In May last year, an agitated and drug-affected Marks ran down the aisle of the plane holding a portable speaker and a power bank with flashing blue lights. Judge Michael McInerney said Marks reached the galley outside the cockpit door where he announced he intended to destroy the plane. "The passengers and crew were not only concerned but convinced that you were indeed in possession of a bomb," McInerney said. "One can imagine the fear and distress of everyone on board." McInerney said the bomb threat came during the vulnerable takeoff period, distracting the pilot and putting those on board at increased risk. The pilot made a mayday call to Melbourne air traffic control and turned the plane around. Marks was eventually overpowered by passengers and restrained with cable ties as the flight, bound for Kuala Lumpur, returned to Melbourne Airport. Police fearing a real bomb made passengers stay on the plane for almost 90 minutes before storming the aircraft and arresting Marks. His lawyers said Marks had become a regular methamphetamine user and on the night of the flight was suffering a drug-induced psychosis with delusions. The judge said Marks would be deported to Sri Lanka after serving at least nine years of his sentence. https://wtop.com/asia/2018/06/man-sent-to-prison-for-hoax-bomb-on-malaysia-airlines-flight/ Back to Top Aviation insurance underwriters are in for a bumpy ride Excess capacity and new exposures are forcing underwriters to rethink how they write aviation risk. The aviation market was once considered a 'quiet sector.' (Photo: Fotolia) The aviation market was once considered a 'quiet sector.' (Photo: Fotolia) Overcapacity, soft pricing and attritional losses have transformed the aviation market from a reliably profitable sector into a no-man's land of virtually no margin for the last few years, with little relief in sight. Experts in the field note that despite high-profile incidents such as the April 17 disaster of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 (in which an engine failure resulted in one passenger's death), too much capacity remains in the market for even a sustained string of major catastrophes to spur pricing. Terry Rolfe, global head of aviation for New York broker Integro, says that catastrophe losses in other marketplaces - namely, some $100 billion in insured losses from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the devastating California wildfires and flooding in Houston - are pushing insurers to raise rates wherever they can, even in aviation. "We are looking at small increases of 1% to 3%, depending on losses. Until we see a significant consolidation of capital, we will not see a hardening of this market." "The biggest issue is that reinsurance has been flowing freely into aviation for a long time," explains Shan Rogers, director of the national aviation practice for Chicago-based wholesaler RT Specialty. "Aviation has a reasonable loss rate, which makes it an attractive reinsurance market. So the money flows in, everything is cheap and the prices drop." Most carriers, he adds, are looking for rate increases of 5% to 15% this year, but not all will find them thanks to continued competition for high-quality accounts. Paul Tuhy, chief underwriting officer of global aerospace for XL Catlin, remains cautiously optimistic that rates will increase in the near future. "People have utilized redundant reserves to maintain their head above water until attritional losses catch up to the market," he explains. "Now, they have added up." Across the board, he predicts rates to range from flat to a 5% increase, depending on loss history. "Universally, across the market, everyone agrees that rates are too low. Everyone says that. The carriers, the brokers, even the insureds themselves," says Steve Allen, head of aviation at Sydney, Australia- based insurer QBE. "In our discussions with brokers and insurers, we expect 5% to 10% rate increases from 2018, and we are getting little to no pushback on that." Cyber coverage gaps Whether it's business interruption caused by the hacking of a passenger booking system, physical damage caused by taking certain mechanical processes offline, or reducing the value of a fleet of aircraft by compromising their electronic logbooks, cyber exposures have become aviation risks. "There is a high degree of awareness in the airline industry about this risk. What is lacking is the insurance market," says Joshua Motta, CEO of Coaliton, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity and cyber insurance provider. "The aviation underwriter has very little awareness of how cyberattacks work, who the actors are, or what controls to put in place to prevent a data breach or physical cyberattack. Meanwhile, the underwriters who do specialize in this risk don't provide coverage for some of the risks that the aviation industry has." The real issue lies in policy wording: Most aviation policies don't specifically exclude losses from cyber risks, and most cyber policies don't specifically exclude physical aviation losses. That creates a gray area in coverage. Steven Anderson, product executive, privacy and network security for QBE, heads that company's cyber business and works closely with Steve Allen in aviation to provide seamless coverage. But it's not easy. "What a lot of carriers pitch, especially with aviation and cyber, is that you'd like to have the same carrier on the same policies," Anderson notes. "It's like having Home/Life/Auto with the same carrier - you're more likely to get more attention, faster claims payments, better terms, etc." The take-up rate with cyber is increasing among aviation clients, he adds, and insurers are focusing on providing creative risk management solutions - such as data breach response, forensics, legal and PR - to help their clients better manage risk on the front end. Still, the capacity glut can be felt here, too, and the Coalition's Motta notes that they're seeing rate increases of up to 5% for smaller clients. Drones are a game-changer Eventually, the Federal Aviation Administration will allow drone operators to fly their aircraft beyond line of sight. When that happens, says Rogers, the drone market will expand dramatically. "We're talking about multimillion dollar drones that can fly to 80,000 feet, and essentially act like near- Earth satellites without the launch costs and can fly for months at a time." Drones acting as satellites will require data links between drones and ground facilities, as well as additional facilities themselves to hangar, maintain and operate the equipment. "Drones can get really expensive really fast, and the system costs are often five to 10 times the cost of the drone itself," Rogers says, pointing to potentially huge insurance opportunities. At the moment, though, most drones are personal devices still best folded into a Homeowners policy, says Tuhy. Larger drones that are part of a commercial fleet might fold into specialty coverage for the industry they serve, such as construction firms using them to survey build sites, or energy firms using them to inspect equipment or transmission lines. Ultimately, the market will segmentize it according to type of use. "We have to wait and see what the future guidelines are on drones," says Tuhy. "Then, it will become similar to underwriting aviation risk and [asking] who is flying them. What are their credentials and experience?" While this is still an evolving market without a lot of loss experience to draw upon, Tuhy said that if forced to choose between writing drones and writing helicopters (a segment that has suffered a large number of big losses recently), "I'd take the drone." The M&A factor The $4.28 billion merger of XL and Catlin in 2015 could have been a bellwether event for the sector, but both sides of that transaction maintained their relative books of aviation business. Even now, as AXA and XL enter into a $15.3 billion merger, sources say it's still too early to tell what kind of changes said union would really have on the market. "There has been significant consolidation since 2015," says QBE's Steve Allen, referring to mergers and acquisitions between Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and NationAir; Ace and Chubb; and Willis and Towers Watson, in addition to XL, Catlin and AXA. "You'll continue to see smaller specialty brokers being acquired by a few of the larger ones." In the niche markets space, such as drones and excess, the biggest recent shakeup was Aerospace's straight purchase of Meadowbrook in 2016, says Shan Rogers at RT Specialty. Since then, Aerospace has merged with Hallmark, reducing the niche aviation markets to just two players: Aerospace and Great American. According to Integro's Terry Rolfe, soft market conditions are pushing brokers that might otherwise be content with their book of business to buy smaller specialists on the premise that a future hardening of the market will justify the investment. Making hay in a soft market For now, the antidote to soft pricing lies with sharper underwriting. But that is easier said than done, says Integro's Rolfe, who notes that in any prolonged soft market, underwriting skill tends to erode: "We have an entire generation that have come up without having to deal with any real consideration of underwriting. They are not having to have those difficult conversations about why a product costs what it costs." "In a soft market, it is really incumbent to be disciplined in your underwriting approach. You do not want to be caught in a death spiral of decreasing premium," says QBE's Allen. He cautions against placing top- line deliverables on underwriters, which adds premiums on the books in the short term but will cause problems over time with unsustainable loss ratios. "If you can focus on profitability, the bottom line, and walk away from underpriced risks, that's how you can mitigate a soft market." "A big thing for us is looking at analytics and how that can help us better underwrite the general aviation market," says Tuhy, who points to deeper data sets and artificial intelligence to better evaluate pilot behavior and other operational factors that can help to price risk. He notes that the advent of ADS-B technology, which is essentially a GPS transponder that IDs planes at all times, rather than just when they are in the air, is also a big step not just for more detailed underwriting, but for overall safety. All U.S. planes must feature ADS-B sets by 2020, but as the tech itself has dropped to $3,000 per kit, aircraft owners are installing it proactively. "Five years from now," Tuhy adds, "we will not underwrite general aviation risk the way that we have in the past." https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2018/06/07/aviation-insurance-underwriters-are-in-for-a- bumpy/?slreturn=20180507051827 Back to Top FAA pushes back on Boeing exemption for 787 safety flaw The US Federal Aviation Administration is pushing back on a request by Boeing for a temporary exemption from a safety regulation to allow the GE Aviation-powered version version of the 787-10 to enter service on schedule in August. The GEnx-1B engine has a software bug that in one instance prompted the computer to shut down the engine during a step climb to a higher altitude in ice crystal icing conditions. GE is working to fix the software bug, but the GEnx-1B-powered version of the 787-10 cannot obtain an airworthiness certificate without an exemption until it is ready. On 4 March, Boeing applied to the FAA to approve an exemption that would keep the delivery of the first 787-10 with GE engines on schedule for later this summer. In a letter responding to Boeing dated 1 June, the FAA asks Boeing to back-up its reasons for requesting an exemption. For example, Boeing said on 4 March that GE's fix for the shutdown problem is included in a broad software update called "B200", and it's not scheduled for delivery until December 2019. But GE has told FlightGlobal and the FAA that the B200 software update will be ready by the first quarter of 2019. "What justification does Boeing provide for delivering airplanes under an exemption until December 20, 2019?" the FAA asks in the latter. The FAA also notes that Boeing says that there will be no adverse impact on safety during the exemption period, due to the small chance that the automatic engine restart function won't work as designed if the software bug causes an engine shutdown. "Please provide a description of the assumptions and probabilities incorporated in the system safety assessment that determined the risk to be less than extremely improbable," the FAA says. The FAA also wants Boeing to back-up its assertion in the application that delaying the overall B200 software update to roll out a fix for the shutdown problem sooner would cause more harm to the public than benefit. "Please provide a description of the ... software changes planned for the version B200 software and how the public as a whole will be benefitted by these changes," the FAA writes. Boeing's responses to the FAA are due by 30 June. The Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-TEN-powered version of the 787-10 entered service in March with Singapore Airlines. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/faa-pushes-back-on-boeing-exemption-for-787-safety-f- 449263/ Back to Top Bell 525 Fly-By-Wire Controls Draw Additional FAA Certification Rules Bell's fourth flight test vehicle. Photo courtesy of Bell The FAA is proposing two additional special conditions for certification of the Bell 525 Relentess related to the prototype's unique fly-by-wire controls. Wednesday's proposed rules follow previous rules issued in May regarding putting in a suitable mode annunciation to flight crews for changes in flight control modes on the prototype. The new rules would require Bell to include in the 525's design measures addressing two features: control margin awareness and flight envelope protection. Both rules are directly related to the 525's fly-by-wire flight control system. "The system design must ensure that the flight crew is made suitably aware whenever the means of primary flight control approaches the limits of control authority," the notice states of the control margin awareness condition. "For the context of this special condition, the term 'suitable' indicates an appropriate balance between nuisance and necessary operation." Under flight envelope protection, the FAA details several requirements. "Onset characteristics of each envelope protection feature must be smooth, appropriate to the phase of flight and type of maneuver, and not in conflict with the ability of the pilot to satisfactorily change rotorcraft flight path, speed, or attitude within the approved flight envelope," the document states, among other requirements. The FAA is accepting comments for both notices until July 23. Bell is targeting 2019 for achieving certification of the aircraft. A fourth 525 prototype flew for the first time last week, with the fifth and final one to join the fleet near year's end. Once certified, the Relentess will be the first commercial helicopter to be flown with fly-by-wire flight controls. http://www.rotorandwing.com/2018/06/06/faa-seeking-comments-bell-525-certification-conditions/ Back to Top Airlines and passengers save billions through crew planning Dartmouth College Summary: Research explains the complex reality of airline crew scheduling and provides an inside look at the techniques used by carriers to avoid delays. Airlines avoid up to 80 percent of crew-related delays through advance planning, according to the authors of a Dartmouth College study on the commercial airline industry. The research explains the complex reality of crew scheduling and provides an inside look at the techniques used by airlines to absorb system delays. While individual airlines use proprietary systems for crew planning, this is the first study that publicly describes how crew itineraries are developed. It is also the first open study of how airlines weigh planned costs and disruption costs when deciding crew schedules. Understanding the rules and regulations that define how airlines work and that often compound frustrating delays for passengers is difficult. The analysis explains how positioning of flight crews attempts to ease travel disruptions while saving airlines and consumers billions of dollars. "Airlines are among the world's most complex businesses," said Vikrant Vaze, an assistant professor of engineering at Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering. "Understanding the sophisticated planning systems used by airlines to schedule crews -- as well as understanding how delays impact the air travel system -- are both massive tasks, but such information can result in great savings for the airlines and the flying public." Annual revenue and annual costs in the U.S. airline industry are each estimated to be around $150 billion. On the expense side, crew costs are counted as the second-largest outlay. On average, it is estimated that crew expenses -- including pilots and flight attendants -- account for about one-third of total airline costs, or about $45 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Calculations in the Dartmouth study demonstrate that sophisticated crew scheduling practices allow airlines to avoid 60-80 percent of crew-related delays. While a dollar figure is not provided in the paper, rough estimates suggest that this amounts to savings of up to $13 billion system-wide each year in terms of reduction in delay costs to airlines and consumers. Researchers focused on four categories of operational factors related directly to pilot scheduling that affect the extent of the spread of delays: aircraft change, connection buffers, crew legality and crew swaps. These categories relate to the complex constellation of operational decisions, regulations and labor guidelines that guide real-time decision-making in the airline industry. Among the regulations that airlines need to factor when determining crew schedules are: the amount of total flying time, sit time, rest time and the total time away from the crew base. "While the industry's problems are easy to pick out, finding solutions to keep countless moving parts working efficiently is much more challenging," said Vaze, the senior researcher of the study. According to this research, published in the journal Transportation Science, airline delays are strongly impacted by decisions that are made to pair crews to a series of flights during the course of a work period. In order to better understand how crew delays amplify throughout the airline system, the researchers developed a model to estimate the proprietary crew itinerary generation algorithms used by airlines. Once the research team could accurately estimate how airlines make crew pairing decisions, they were able to model how delays propagate throughout the airline system as a result of technical problems, poor weather, security issues and other disruptions. The team analyzed a series of confidential crew scheduling datasets from multiple major US airlines in order to confirm how well mathematical models used in the research estimate how the industry accounts for the cascading delays. "This study answers often-asked questions about crew pairing and airline delays," said Keji Wei, a doctoral candidate at Dartmouth and lead author of the paper. "Understanding the extent, causes and impacts of the propagation of delays and disruptions is essential for developing methods to improve the overall aviation system performance." Just under 80 percent of U.S. flights were delayed by 15 minutes or less in the first half of the current decade. According to the paper, public data does not include specific information on the number of flight delays caused by crew delays and disruptions. Researchers expect the study will help airports, airlines and government agencies improve delay- mitigation techniques used throughout the industry. "Accurate estimation of crew delays is critical for an overall understanding of aviation system performance and to inform government policy and air carrier decisions," said Vaze. The study -- that focuses on pilot schedules only -- comes after a difficult period for some airlines, including a high-profile incident in which a passenger was forcefully removed from a plane to provide room for transporting a crew member. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180606132740.htm Back to Top Aircraft maker Pacific Aerospace fined $74,000 for illegal North Korea exports North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seeking the easing of economic and other sanctions and other in an upcoming summit with US President Donald Trump. Hamilton-based Pacific Aerospace has been fined $74,000 for breaking United Nations sanctions by exporting aircraft parts to North Korea. The aircraft manufacturer sent $6700 worth of warranty parts to the hermit state in 2016. Judge John Bergseng declined to issue the maximum penalty, describing the breach of sanctions as "reckless". Pacific Aerospace chief executive Damian Camp, left, leaves Manakau District Court with lawyer Emmeline Rushbrooke, right, after a previous hearing. Pacific Aerospace is thought to be the first company in the world to be prosecuted for such actions, with the Crown citing only one largely incomparable example from abroad. In a reserved judgment dated May 29, Bergseng fined Pacific Aerospace $74,805 for three charges of indirectly exporting a specified good to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and one charge of making an erroneous export entry. Hamilton based Pacific Aerospace has been prosecuted for sending aircraft parts for its P-750 XSTOL plane, Hamilton based Pacific Aerospace has been prosecuted for sending aircraft parts for its P-750 XSTOL plane, pictured, to fulfill a warranty for one of its plane in North Korea. "[Pacific Aerospace's] breach of the Sanctions Regulations was best described as reckless. [Pacific Aerospace] was aware of the Sanctions Regulations but had chosen not to fully inform itself of its detail." Customs laid the charges after a Pacific Aerospace P-750 XSTOL plane was spotted at the Wonsan Air Festival in North Korea in September 2016. The direct or indirect supply of luxury goods to North Korea, including aircraft and related parts, is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718. Under New Zealand law, a company can be fined up to $100,000 for breaching a UN-mandated ban, and fined up to $5000 for making an erroneous declaration under the Customs and Excise Act. Pacific Aerospace provided aircraft parts - a banned luxury good under UN sanctions - to repair the aircraft in North Korea in three instances. The parts were a flap actuator used in take-off and landing, two cockpit indicators that display propeller speed and a fuel ejector. The sentencing of Pacific Aerospace, a Hamilton-based aircraft manufacturer, is a first for New Zealand. The UN investigation into Pacific Aerospace's sanction breach led some countries to question New Zealand's implementation of UN sanctions, Bergseng said. A victim impact statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said there were significant resources required to manage criticisms received through diplomatic missions. "Offending which impacts on New Zealand's international reputation will almost invariably be serious ... in this case, given the contents of the victim impact statement, catastrophic consequence appear to have been avoided," Bergseng said. Prince William is given a tour of airplane manufacturer Pacific Aerospace, as chief executive Damian Camp looks in, on 2014. Pacific Aerospace now advises MFAT of all foreign aircraft sales, regardless of the country being exported to, and has appointed a sanctions officer tasked with preventing future breaches. Bergseng said the company had some customer payments "disrupted" because of publicity around the case. Customers in the United States were particularly concerned, and it was unknown whether US authorities will take any direct action. Pacific Aerospace chief executive Damian Camp, who expressed surprise when the plane's whereabouts became public in October 2016, declined an interview request. The company instead provided a statement detailing its version of events, noting it did not believe the plane's temporary presence in DPRK would breach UN sanctions and the charges related specifically to parts. In a March sentencing hearing, Customs lawyer Jasper Rhodes said evidence showed Pacific Aerospace was aware of the plane's presence in North Korea and knowingly breached the sanctions regime to meet their warranty obligations for the plane. "When we look at the list of luxury goods, it's pretty extensive. It ranges from things like fountain pens to caviar ... up to aircraft parts," he said. "Aircraft parts must be, if not the most serious, near the most serious on that list. Bearing in mind military application." In the same hearing, defence lawyer Emmeline Rushbrook stressed the exports were "indirect", which sat at the lowest level of sanction breaches. The parts were provided to a Chinese counterpart and the plane remained registered in China, although it was known to be in North Korea. This did not break Chinese law. Rushbrook asked that Pacific Aerospace be allowed to pay the fine in instalments. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/102792816/Aircraft-maker-Pacific-Aerospace-fined-74-000-for-illegal- North-Korea-exports Back to Top Garuda Indonesia to employ Air Force pilots to anticipate strike A Garuda Indonesia aircraft takes off from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali in this undated photograph. (Antara/Fikri Yusuf) National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has said it will employ pilots of Indonesia's Air Force if the airline's pilots follow through on their strike threat. Garuda Indonesia's vice president corporate secretary Hengki Heriandono said in Jakarta recently that it was an anticipatory step in response to the threat made by the airline's pilots. "We have made a contingency plan in case they really go ahead with their strike action," Hengki said as reported by tribunnews.com, adding that the cooperation with the Air Force was to ensure that the airline could continue to operate as normal. The Garuda Indonesia Pilots Association (APG) and the Garuda Labor Union (Sekarga) had initially threatened to strike unless the government stepped in to help resolve "managerial problems" at the flag carrier, namely that they were allegedly causing a continued decline in the company's performance. Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar pandjaitan said on Tuesday that the pilots had agreed to cancel their strike plan as their representatives continued to talk with representatives of both the airline management and the government to discuss their demand. Hengki said the cooperation with the Air Force also had the long-term objective of "utilizing" manpower, particularly pilots, who were working for the force. (bbn) http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/06/06/garuda-indonesia-to-employ-air-force-pilots-to- anticipate-strike.html Back to Top Southern Utah University Flight School working to train more female pilots CEDAR CITY (News4Utah) - Less than 6 percent of pilots globally are women and Southern Utah University is trying to change that. "I fly single engine, multi-engine, jets, helicopters, military aircraft, and some old warbirds. So I love flying!," said Rachelle Spector, Founder and President of the I Hart Flying Foundation. When Spector discovered her love of flying seven years ago she says she faced unique challenges as a female pilot. "It goes way beyond just a male-dominated profession. It's the old boys club where women weren't allowed," said Spector. "I think historically this has been seen as the domain of men. And it's unfortunate. It's not. Women in the training realm tend to learn and respond much faster than their male counterparts," said Michael Mower, Executive Director and Chief Flight Instructor at Southern Utah University. Spector set out to help other women receive their wings and began the I Hart Flying Foundation - offering scholarships to help young women reach their aviation goals. "What are young girls going to see when they see men, men, men, and they don't know that they have this option for being a pilot, for being an aircraft mechanic, or aerospace engineering," said Spector. Southern Utah University has partnered with I Hart Flying. "Getting more women to realize this is a great and viable career. Just Boeing alone needs over 600,000 pilots in the next 20 years. The helicopter industry is 40,000 short. There is no possible way right now for the current infrastructure to meet global demand," said Mower. "There are so many job opportunities available for these young girls, and women don't understand they are there and available to them," said Spector. You can find more information about I Hart Flying here: https://www.ihartflying.org/. http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/southern-utah-university-flight-school-working-to-train- more-female-pilots/1223385593 Back to Top Saudi Aramco mulls spinning off aviation unit Saudi Aramco Aviation Boeing 767-200 Saudi Aramco Aviation Boeing 767-200 © Tis Meyer (PlanePics.org) Petrochemical giant Saudi Aramco is considering spinning off its Saudi Aramco Aviation (Dammam) unit as part of preparations for its much-anticipated USD2 trillion IPO. Sources who spoke to Reuters said the move would be part of a restructuring of its overall assets aimed at streamlining its core unit's operations as well as clarifying its operations for valuation purposes. The firm declined to comment on the report. Saudi Aramco Aviation operates six B737-800s and one B767-200(ER) among various other fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft. Collectively, they are used to ferry personnel to the firm's various petroleum extraction and refining plants across Saudi Arabia as well as to ferry VIPs across the world. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/67869-saudi-aramco-mulls-spinning-off-aviation-unit Back to Top Upcoming Cranfield short courses The Cranfield Safety and Accident Investigation Centre (CSAIC) is helping to improve safety and shape the future of the transport industry. We offer an extensive range of continuing professional development (CPD) short courses in accident investigation, safety management, human factors and airworthiness. Our upcoming short courses for 18/19 include: * Safety Management Systems in Aviation: 03 - 07 Sep 2018 * Fundamentals of Accident Investigation: 10 - 28 Sep 2018 * Airworthiness Fundamentals: 10 - 14 Sep 2018 * Flight Data Monitoring and Flight Operational Quality Assurance in Commercial Aviation: 17 - 20 Sep 2018 * Applied Marine Accident Investigation: 01 - 19 Oct 2018 * Practical Reliability: 15 - 19 Oct 2018 * Human Performance and Error: 22 - 26 Oct 2018 * Safety Assessment of Aircraft Systems: 12 - 16 Nov 2018 Have you heard about our new blog? At the start of this year, we launched our Safety and Accident Investigation blog, providing information, insights and thought leadership from the CSAIC team. Read the Safety and Accident Investigation blog Please take a look and subscribe, to ensure you're the first to receive our latest content. We'd love to hear your feedback too. Contact us on: E: shortcourse@cranfield.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1234 754189 ACM122 Back to Top Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course presented by N. Albert Moussa, PhD, PE October 30-November 1, 2018 BlazeTech Corporation 29 B Montvale Ave, Woburn MA 01801 USA. Dear Colleague, While commercial air transport is very safe, the advent of new technologies poses fire safety challenges that will be treated in this course. This offering draws upon Dr. Moussa's work in this area since 1971 as well as related courses that BlazeTech has been teaching since 1998. Lectures will include Li and Li-ion battery fires, flammability of carbon fiber and glass fiber composites, emerging aviation fluids, engine fires, fuel tank fire/explosion, fire extinguishment methods, protection methods, aircraft accident investigation, and fire/explosion pattern recognition. Recent accidents are continuously added to the course. For each type of fire, this course will provide a cohesive integrated presentation of fundamentals, small- and large-scale testing, computer modeling, standards and specifications, and real accident investigation - as outlined in the course brochure. This integrated approach will enable you to address safety issues related to current and new systems and circumstances, and to investigate one of a kind fire and explosion accidents. The course will benefit professionals who are responsible for commercial aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles including design, equipment selection, test, operation, maintenance, safety management system, hazard/risk assessment, and accident investigation. View Brochure for course content and registration form (also embedded below). View Testmonials of previous attendees and their Companies. View some of the technical references discussed in this course. We also offer this course at the client site as well as customized courses on fire and explosion in other areas. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Albert Moussa, Ph.D., P.E. Sign Up For Our Course Announcement BlazeTech Corporation 29B Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801-7021 781-759-0700 x200 781-759-0703 fax www.blazetech.com firecourse@blazetech.com LinkedIn Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top 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 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 Dear Aviation Colleague, My name is Nicoletta Fala, and I am a Ph.D. candidate working with Prof. Karen Marais at the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. We are seeking your input on post-flight debrief feedback in this survey. The motivation behind this research is the unacceptably high number of general aviation accidents. Our overall goal is to use flight data of various sources to help improve general aviation safety. We are trying to understand how different kinds of safety feedback affect risk perception among general aviation pilots. During the survey, you will be asked to review flight data from four flights and answer specific questions on the safety of each flight. We will then ask you a few demographic questions. The survey should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. During the survey, you will not be able to go back to the previous flight safety questions. You will, however, have the opportunity to review and change the demographic questions as you wish. You may choose to not answer some questions and you may stop the survey at any time without any repercussion to you. If you do not wish to complete the survey in one sitting, you may save your progress and return where you left off if you use the same computer to re-access the link. No personally identifiable information is being asked, analyzed or reported. All responses will be anonymous and in aggregate at the end of the study. Your participation in this survey is voluntary. You must be at least 18 years old to participate in this research. Thank you for your time and your cooperation. Your responses are greatly appreciated and will hopefully enable the general aviation community to improve their safety record. If you have any questions regarding the survey or the information contained within, please feel free to contact the researchers directly either at nfala@purdue.edu or kmarais@purdue.edu. Survey Link: www.nicolettafala.com/survey Nicoletta Fala Purdue Pilots, Inc. President Ph.D. Candidate School of Aeronautics and Astronautics Purdue University || College of Engineering http://nicolettafala.com/ Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 Dear pilots, My name is Koen Scheers, First Officer and postgraduate student 'Air Transport Management' at City, University of London. Currently, I am working on my research project, which is the final part of my studies at City to gain a Master of Science (MSc) degree. My research project, entitled 'A sustainable model for pilot retention', aims to establish a model of organisational practices to keep pilots in the airline they are working for. To support my research project with data I have created a web survey for pilots, and via this way, I kindly ask your help by participating in the survey. The survey is not affiliated with any airline, training organisation, or any other. Participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous. The survey will take about 10 minutes of your time to complete and is open for participation until 15 July 2018. Also, I would be very grateful if you could forward this message to other pilots in your contact list or spread the word in the airline you are working for. Please click the link below to enter the survey: SURVEY WEB LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pilotretention Your participation is highly appreciated, kind regards, Koen Scheers +32 486 85 07 91 Koen.scheers@city.ac.uk Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 3 Dear fellow professional pilots, As part of my Masters Degree in Aviation Management, I am conducting a survey on 'Operator Conversion Courses' (A Course taken by pilots in a new airline when moving from one airline to another but remaining on the same aircraft type) May I ask that commercial pilots amongst you take just 5 minutes to answer this short survey; it is only 10 questions. I would also ask that you pass on the link to as many of your professional pilot colleagues around the world who might also be able to provide valuable data to the survey. The survey is open until the 15th June 2016 and all data is de-identied and shall only be used for the purposes of this paper. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VJFHRSK If you have any questions, please feel free to email me on guy.farnfield.1@city.ac.uk Thank you Guy Farnfield Curt Lewis