Flight Safety Information June 18, 2018 - No. 122 In This Issue Incident: Qantas A332 near Melbourne on Jun 17th 2018, lightning strike Incident: Braathens Regional RJ1H near Malmo on Jun 16th 2018, smell of smoke in cabin Incident: Westjet B737 at Calgary on Jun 14th 2018, actual fire in cargo hold EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Norwegian B738 near Belfast on Jun 16th 2018, hydraulic failure Incident: Iran A306 at Amsterdam on Jun 14th 2018, flight control problems Accident: Bravo MD83 at Kiev on Jun 14th 2018, runway excursion on landing Bell 206B JetRanger Powerline Strike (Washington) Disabled American Airlines plane temporarily blocks Sky Harbor runway PNG ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION WILL NOT BE INVESTIGATING THE BURNING OF THE DASH-8 AT MENDI DURING THURSDAY'S RIOTS LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. Better Wi-Fi, Heat-Resistant Engines Among Aviation Testing Medical helicopter operators pushed to improve safety Industry Urges Improved Disabled Access To Aircraft Cabins FAA Tracking Down 11,000 Non-Compliant Aircraft Nippon Cargo temporarily grounds aircraft over maintenance records CHC Helicopter has announced that Alison Levine as keynote speaker COMAC grounds C919 flight-test aircraft to modify prototypes 737 Firefighting Aircraft Under Testing Norway's first electric aircraft to take off on Monday IndiGo pilots up in arms over 'foreign hands' at higher salary (India) Ending the pilot exodus: Air Force rolls out new bonuses, incentives - will it work this time? U-2's 'Michelin Men' Pilots Go High, Stay Low Key Former Rolls-Royce Engineer Suspected of Passing Fighter Jet Tech to China Aevum's New Rocket-Drone Airplane Duo Could Launch Satellites Every 3 Hours Bombardier Safety Standdown Award 2018 - Nominations are still open! HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - New Online Course - Fall 2018 Aircraft Accident Investigation from SCSI GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 3 Incident: Qantas A332 near Melbourne on Jun 17th 2018, lightning strike A Qantas Airbus A330-200, registration VH-EBP performing flight QF-423 from Sydney,NS to Melbourne,VI (Australia), was descending towards Melbourne when the aircraft entered a hold at FL150, 7000 feet and 6000 feet for about one hour, received a lightning strike some time during the hold and subsequently landed safely on Melbourne's runway 16. The aircraft is still on the ground about 18 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ba03389&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Braathens Regional RJ1H near Malmo on Jun 16th 2018, smell of smoke in cabin A Braathens Regional Avro RJ-100, registration SE-DSX performing flight TF-8262 from Split (Croatia) to Gotenburg (Sweden), was enroute at FL300 about 90nm south of Malmo (Sweden) when the crew decided to divert to Malmo reporting smell of smoke in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely about about 16 minutes later. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Malmo due to smell of smoke in the cabin. The passengers boarded another flight and departed Malmo to Gothenburg about 10-15 minutes after landing. The occurrence aircraft is being checked by maintenance. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ba02e8b&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Westjet B737 at Calgary on Jun 14th 2018, actual fire in cargo hold A Westjet Boeing 737-700, registration C-GWJT performing flight WS-113 from Calgary,AB to Vancouver,BC (Canada) with 56 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing out of Calgary when the crew received an aft cargo smoke indication, stopped the climb at about 10,000 feet and returned to Calgary for a safe landing about 16 minutes after departure. Emergency services inspected the cargo hold and found evidence, that a fire had occurred in a passenger luggage. The Canadian TSB dispatched two investigators on site. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/WJA113/history/20180614/1240Z/CYYC/CYVR https://avherald.com/h?article=4b9efe5c&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Norwegian B738 near Belfast on Jun 16th 2018, hydraulic failure A Norwegian Air International Boeing 737-800, registration EI-FHD performing flight D8-6241 from Keflavik (Iceland) to Madrid,SP (Spain) with 152 people on board, was enroute at FL350 about 20nm north of Belfast International (Northern Ireland) when the crew reported a hydraulic failure and decided to divert to Birmingham,EN (UK). The aircraft landed safely in Birmingham about one hour later. The aircraft stopped on the runway, emergency services foamed the aircraft when a hydraulic leak was seen from the left main gear. The airport reported the aircraft diverted due to hydraulic failure. Flights were suspended for about 4 hours as result. The airline reported a techncial issue. Ground observer video of landing and roll out (Video: flugsnug): https://avherald.com/h?article=4b9f779c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Iran A306 at Amsterdam on Jun 14th 2018, flight control problems An Iran Air Airbus A300-600, registration EP-IBD performing flight IR-724 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Tehran Imam Khomeini (Iran) with 187 people on board, was climbing out of Amsterdam's runway 18L when the crew reported they needed to return to Schiphol due to a technical problem and stopped the climb at FL100. They requested a long approach, the captain advised they had a minor flight control problem, they had problems with both pitch trims, had to turn both autopilots off and needed a long approach, they were ready for an immediate approach, no burning off or dumping fuel needed. The aircraft was vectored for a 20nm final to runway 27 and landed safely about 25 minutes after departure. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 34 hours, then departed to Tehran as flight IR-5374. https://avherald.com/h?article=4b9f91aa&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Bravo MD83 at Kiev on Jun 14th 2018, runway excursion on landing A Bravo Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83, registration UR-CPR performing flight BAY-4406 from Antalya (Turkey) to Kiev Igor Sikorsky/Zhuliyani (Ukraine) with 169 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Igor Sikorsky (formerly known as Zhulyani) Airport's runway 08 at 20:40L (17:40Z) but veered left off the runway and came to a stop on soft ground. The aircraft was evacuated via slides. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Passengers reported the aircraft came to a stop with the right wing on the grass, a number of passengers seats inside the cabin had been torn off, the smell of smoke appeared in the cabin prompting the passengers to run off the aircraft. The airport reported the aircraft suffered a runway excursion while landing at Zhuliyani. The airport was closed for 3 hours as result of the ocurrence. All 169 passengers of the aircraft were safely evacuated and taken to the terminal. Ukraine's NBAAI reported the aircraft ran beyond the limits of the runway while landing at Zhulyani/Igor Sikorsky Airport. There were no injuries. The NBAAI have opened an investigation. There is no clear information so far as to whether the right main gear collapsed or sunk into the ground. https://avherald.com/h?article=4b9eab89&opt=0 Back to Top Bell 206B JetRanger Powerline Strike (Washington) Date: 17-JUN-2018 Time: -09:49 LT Type: Bell 206B JetRanger Owner/operator: San Juan Aviation LLC Registration: N2762P C/n / msn: 2711 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Douglas County, Cascade Foothills, Orondo, WA - United States of America Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) Nature: Agricultural Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The helicopter clipped powerlines and impacted an orchard while maneuvering during an aerial crop- drying flight in Orondo, Washington. The helicopter sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot was uninjured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=212302 Back to Top Disabled American Airlines plane temporarily blocks Sky Harbor runway A disabled airplane temporarily closed a runway at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Saturday morning. According to airport officials, an inbound American Airlines flight became disabled on the north runway. This caused the runway to temporarily close and the aircraft was towed to the gate. The runway was reopened just before 8 a.m. Sky Harbor officials added that there were no departure delays and there were only minor arrival delays. http://www.azfamily.com/story/38439348/disabled-american-airlines-plane-blocks-sky-harbor-runway Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Better Wi-Fi, Heat-Resistant Engines Among Aviation Testing Honeywell International Inc. develops and tests aviation systems in Arizona. PHOENIX (AP) - The Boeing 757 is minutes from takeoff to the Grand Canyon, but the interior lacks that airliner feel - its silver insulation is exposed, its overhead luggage bins and row upon row of seats gone. The exterior also is different: A third engine is mounted midway on the fuselage. Even the preflight patter with passengers is different. You'll have to watch your step, test pilot Helmuth Eggeling tells the two-dozen passengers on board, but instead of tripping over other passengers' feet, they'll have to avoid stumbling in a cabin full electronic equipment. Eggeling, a test pilot for Honeywell International Inc. for nearly three decades, is surrounded by cabinets stacked with computers to precisely monitor the performance of new equipment on the test flight: new 3-D weather-radar systems, Wi-Fi with improved connectivity, "smart" runways and a more efficient turbofan jet. Honeywell develops and tests aviation systems in Arizona during an era of flight considered one of the safest in modern history, even though deadly accidents can occur, such as what happened on a Southwest Airlines flight when a passenger died last month when she was partly sucked out of a window shattered by engine debris. Honeywell, and other aerospace industry leaders such as Boeing and Airbus, test new technology in conditions ranging from extreme weather to bustling runways. Aviation manufacturers also are looking toward a more automated future that could include planes piloted by computers rather than humans, similar to the emerging driverless-cars industry. Mark Pickett, a flight test engineer for Honeywell's aerospace division, said Phoenix is prime air space to test new technology. "The weather is great for flying here," Pickett said. The scorching heat, which has forced airlines to ground some commercial flights, is ideal for testing new engines' ability to withstand intense conditions thousands of feet in the air, engineers said. According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona ranks fourth nationwide in generating aerospace revenue, which totals to more than $14 billion for the state's aerospace industry. Honeywell develops a range of aviation technology, from small aircraft engines to electrical systems, called avionics, that perform such functions as weather and terrain detection, runway navigation and autopilot control, company engineers said "The philosophy is to get everything automated to reduce the pilot's workload," Eggeling said. "It's necessary because the sky is getting crowded." According to the Federal Aviation Administration, as many as 5,000 domestic flights are in the air at peak times every day, serving more than 2.5 million passengers. Aviation-technology manufacturers must go through a strict FAA certification process to ensure every piece of new technology meets safety standards, Honeywell spokeswoman Amanda Jensen said, adding that safety regulations and improvements bring peace of mind to passengers. "Weather radar helps with safety because you don't have to fly through any rough weather," Jensen said, and that makes passengers more comfortable. The comforts of in-flight Wi-Fi, better air conditioning and smoother landings are important to frequent flyers, she said, which drives Honeywell's strategy on what technology to develop. The biggest development in the distant future may be pilotless airline flights, sparked by new drone technology. FAA regulations require two pilots to be in the cockpit on all commercial flights, but that could change if drone and pilotless systems become more popular, said Dennis Wren, a professor of unmanned aerial systems at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott. One pilot might take the plane into the air while her co-pilot stays on the ground, even handling multiple planes at one time, he said. The technology that pilots drones is similar to that of planes, he said. Major airlines may be incentivized to adopt pilotless-aircraft technology because it's less expensive than hiring human pilot, Wren said. Pilotless commercial flights would require leaping over emotional, strategic and technological hurdles, including updated regulations and public fears, he said. Passengers are comfortable with autopilot systems because they know humans are in the cockpit as a backup, but a pilotless plane is beyond the imagination of most people. Computers are good at flying when they know what to expect, he said, but may have trouble adjusting to situations experienced human pilots routinely handle, such as storms, wind shears or equipment failures. "Aviation, the actual act of flying, is a very dynamic environment," Wren said. Airlines may be spurred to adopt pilotless technology so they can cut costs and hire fewer human pilots, Wren said. The airfreight industry may adopt fully autonomous-piloting sooner than commercial airlines do, he said, adding, "The two worlds are already starting to meet." FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the agency isn't aware of any commercial airlines proposing automated piloting services. But media reports said Uber signed a deal with NASA last year to launch a flying taxi project by 2020. Eggeling, whose final test flight was this Phoenix-Grand Canyon loop, said he doesn't think passengers would embrace about pilotless airplanes. "I hate to see the pilotless type of flying," he said. "I hope I never see that." https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2018-06-16/better-wi-fi-heat-resistant- engines-among-aviation-testing Back to Top Medical helicopter operators pushed to improve safety * Air Methods says it is investing millions in safety measures An Air Care helicopter flies near Kinnick Stadium as it comes in for a landing at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette) Air ambulance transports can be more dangerous than other helicopter flights because of the urgency of responding to emergencies, such as car crashes, heart attacks or premature births. For-profit air ambulance companies - including several that operate in Iowa - have worse safety records than not-for-profit or public safety agencies, research shows. A medical helicopter crashed Jan. 2, 2013, in north central Iowa, killing the pilot and two crew members from the Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City. Federal investigators blamed ice on the helicopter blades, saying the craft was not equipped to fly in the winter, the Mason City Globe Gazette reported. That helicopter was owned and operated by Med-Trans, a subsidiary of for-profit Air Medical Group Holdings, based in Texas. Air Methods, a Colorado-based company that owns 10 of the 16 medical helicopters registered in Iowa, has had three fatal crashes killing a total 10 people in the last year across the country, a review of the National Transportation Safety Board's Aviation Accident Database shows. The most recent was April 26, when an Air Methods helicopter plummeted into a wooded area near Hazelhurst, Wis., after taking a patient to Madison. The pilot and two medical crew members died. A 2017 Consumer Reports investigation showed the four largest for-profit air ambulance operators - including Air Methods, Air Medical Group Holdings, Metro Aviation and PHI Air Medical - were connected to 68 percent of industry crashes from 2010 to 2016, although they accounted for just 51 percent of the air- transport market. A 2014 study in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery reported 85 percent of 139 air ambulance crashes from 1998 to 2012 were linked to commercial operators. The remaining crashes were associated with not-for-profit or public safety helicopters. Researchers said "deficiencies in training, reduced availability of equipment and resources, as well as questionable flight selection seem to play a key role" in crashes of for-profit operators. Air Methods transported more than 70,000 patients in 2016, so crashes are rare. The Federal Aviation Administration in 2014 released new rules requiring air ambulance operators to follow stricter flight rules, improve communication and training and add more onboard safety equipment. Air Methods told The Gazette some of the 2014 rules incorporated things Air Methods already was doing, such as using night vision goggles and terrain awareness systems. The company has invested more than $100 million in safety in the last five years and is investing another $100 million in state-of-the-art simulators that allow pilots to prepare for emergency situations, Air Methods said. http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/health/medical-helicopter-operators-pushed-to-improve- safety-20180617 Back to Top Industry Urges Improved Disabled Access To Aircraft Cabins When BBC television journalist Frank Gardner tweeted in March about his frustration over being stuck on an empty aircraft at London Heathrow Airport for more an hour because his wheelchair could not be located, he shone a light on an issue that is starting to gain traction. As it stands, air travel lags behind other modes of transport when it comes to accommodating people with disabilities. While this lag is largely related to strict safety regulations and the lack of space in aircraft cabins, disability campaigners are pushing for more to be done to enable passengers with reduced mobility (PRM) to bring their own wheelchairs into the cabin, or to certify an airline-owned wheelchair that can be pushed onto the aircraft and fixed to a row of seats. Either of these solutions, argue campaigners, would allow disabled passengers to board aircraft with greater ease and without the need to be physically transferred from an aisle wheelchair to a standard aircraft seat that is not tailored to their needs. UK design consultancy PriestmanGoode devised a detachable wheelchair concept to facilitate air travel for PRMs. It features pivoting wheels that slide sideways to be locked onto a fixed-framed aisle seat. Credit: PriestmanGoode But neither solution is available yet. As the International Air Transport Association (IATA) points out: "Aircraft seats are constructed to meet rigorous safety regulations that include survivability at several times the force of gravity. So at the present time, these certified aircraft seats are the only permissible seating for all passengers. "The same certification is not imposed on other modes of transport. This is why trains or buses, for instance, can accommodate a wider range of options." Nevertheless, some industry watchers believe that if the aviation industry does not devise a way to improve disabled access, regulators could step in and force the issue. "Unless the industry gets its act together, this will be imposed on them," says Paul Priestman, chairman of UK-based design consultancy PriestmanGoode. Priestman is calling for stakeholders from across the aviation industry to work together to implement a solution aimed at making air travel a less stressful and traumatic experience for disabled passengers. In 2012, his consultancy designed a detachable wheelchair concept to facilitate air travel for PRMs. The Air Access concept features a wheelchair with pivoting wheels that slide sideways to be locked onto a fixed-framed aisle seat. While Airbus, Embraer and Lufthansa were "interested" in the concept when it launched, Priestman says there was "no momentum" when it came to the seat manufacturers and the issue of funding development. "There are three parties, but they're not talking to each other," he says. "We've hit a logjam with no one party wanting to take the lead, and this has to do with competing manufacturers not wanting to work together." There are signs that things are changing, however. Disability campaigner Chris Wood, founder of Flying Disabled, organized the Wheelchair in the Cabin Symposium last September, which was hosted by Virgin Atlantic Airways. Attendees included Airbus, Air Canada, IATA and UK government officials. The aim of the event was to discuss the possibility of creating a wheelchair space in a commercial aircraft cabin. Following the event, Wood says he has been invited to discuss the issue further with the UK government, IATA and the European Air Safety Agency. Airbus says it has remained in contact with Flying Disabled and its counterpart in the U.S., All Wheels Up, and will this month attend a working group at wheelchair securement systems manufacturer Q'Straint's Florida offices where, it says, "the idea of in-cabin wheelchair securement will be discussed by the main stakeholders." All Wheels Up is in the process of crash-testing wheelchair tie-downs and wheelchairs that could potentially be certified for use on commercial flights. It is confident that existing wheelchair restraints manufactured by Q'Straint for other modes of transport could "exceed" the FAA's 16g requirement and says it is working with U.S. regulators to push this forward. In the event that a wheelchair frame and restraint system can be certified, the challenge will then be finding a suitable space in the cabin, as Geraldine Lundy, passenger accessibility manager at Virgin Atlantic, explains. "Regulations mean that you can't put someone in a wheelchair at the door. And if you envisage how narrow the aisles are on any aircraft existing at the moment, you wouldn't be able to fit the wheelchair down the aisle, so you would need to work with the manufacturers," says Lundy. "The really good thing is that people are now working on it. I think it will happen but there is still a way to go." Lundy believes it could take another 10-15 years before passengers will be able to bring their own wheelchairs into the cabin and remain seated in them during flight. She says that PriestmanGoode's Air Access concept, or another similar concept, "would be the most achievable next step." Dan Freeman, director of payloads and customer engineering at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, says Boeing is "supportive of efforts that allow more cabin access for people with disabilities." He adds: "While there are confines and challenges when designing a cabin, we continue to innovate and work with our customers to configure the cabin in ways that support the needs of airlines and their passengers and crew." On the seat manufacturer side, Rockwell Collins says its seating "has complied with the [U.S.] Department of Transportation regulations" for PRMs, adding: "The airframers work closely with regulatory bodies and institutes around the world on reduced physical mobility." http://aviationweek.com/aircraft-interiors/industry-urges-improved-disabled-access-aircraft-cabins Back to Top FAA Tracking Down 11,000 Non-Compliant Aircraft The FAA says it's tracking down the owners of up to 11,000 aircraft operating in the U.S. that may be non compliant or have expired registrations. The focus of the operation appears to be commercial aircraft but the FAA didn't make any distinctions in its comments on the topic. "When the FAA does not know the location of an aircraft, the owner of an aircraft, or whether the owner might be deliberately attempting to circumvent safety regulations, that's a serious problem," Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner said in a release. A whistleblower came forward in September of 2017 to report that hundreds of aircraft might be operating illegally with interior doors between passengers and emergency exits, suggesting that business aircraft might be involved. The walls are allowed in privately registered aircraft but can't be there if the planes are used in commercial operations. The agency said most inspectors weren't aware of the rule. A task force was formed to review interior door exemptions on 1,000 aircraft and the registration records of 11,000. It expects to be finished in September. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-Tracking-Down-11000-Non-Compliant-Aircraft-230991- 1.html Back to Top Nippon Cargo temporarily grounds aircraft over maintenance records TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. said Saturday it will temporarily ground all its aircraft effective immediately, after it discovered maintenance records for one plane were inaccurate. Nippon Cargo, which has 11 jumbo-sized aircraft and transports goods such as food, medicines and precision machinery to the United States, Europe, China and Singapore, said it has suspended flights "until all maintenance records have been confirmed appropriate." In a statement posted on its website, the Chiba-based company said it will do its utmost "to check safety for resuming operation as quickly as possible." It also said it expects it will take at least a week to confirm the safety of all fleet aircraft. The discrepancy in the maintenance records came to light Thursday during a transport ministry onsite inspection, the ministry and Nippon Cargo said. The records in question said that the amount of lubricating oil supply injected into a plane's wings was less than the actual amount. The ministry has been conducting inspections since late May due to separate incidents that led to serious aircraft damage and certified as aviation accidents. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20180616/p2g/00m/0bu/062000c Back to Top CHC Helicopter has announced that Alison Levine, team captain of the first American Women's Everest Expedition, will join hundreds of delegates and speakers at the 14th annual CHC Safety & Quality Summit as the keynote speaker at the event's gala dinner evening. The gala dinner, a memorable highlight of the Summit, brings together a significant portion of the more than 500 attending delegates for the evening. In addition to leading the first American Women's Everest Expedition, Levine has climbed to the summit of the highest peak on each of the seven continents and has skied across the Arctic Circle to the North Pole. Braving extreme challenges and hardships, she became the first American to take the treacherous Messner route across west Antarctica, journeying 600 miles through the frozen landscape to the South Pole. More recently, she served as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, focusing on leadership in challenging and extreme environments. "We're thrilled at the opportunity to invite Alison to share some of her leadership experience and hard- learned lessons with us," said Duncan Trapp, CHC's Vice President of Safety & Quality. "We've had the pleasure of hearing from so many different speakers over the years, and we look forward to Alison sharing her story with us." The 14th CHC Safety & Quality Summit will take place October 2-4 at the Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel & Convention Center, near CHC's global headquarters. To register and learn more about the Summit, please visit www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.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 MEDIA Cameron Meyer Communications Specialist +1.214.262.7391 Cameron.Meyer@chcheli.com SUMMIT Irina Sakgaev Safety & Quality Applications Specialist +1.604.232.7302 summit@chcheli.com Back to Top COMAC grounds C919 flight-test aircraft to modify prototypes The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) has grounded the C919 flight-test aircraft for modifications, costing about three months in the flight-testing schedule. The company has nonetheless restated a target to achieve certification in 2020. The two prototypes that have so far flown are having their tailplanes and flaps modified, according to two industry sources. The work on the tail is specifically a response to delamination observed on the carbon-fiber reinforced plastic elevators, one of the sources said. The modifications to the flaps are related to strength, the source added. Fuel tanks are also being modified, the other source said, adding that the aircraft have been kept on the ground since April and will probably stay there until July. Changes to the first two prototypes will likely be applied to the other four flight-test C919s that COMAC is building. Modifying them could result in a further loss of flight-test opportunities. CAAC said in March that C919 certification was targeted for 2020. Four months later, despite the loss of flight-testing time, COMAC has restated the 2020 target. A COMAC official referred to the 2020 target at a conference in Shanghai on June 14, Reuters reported. COMAC said in February it was aiming to make the first delivery of the C919 in 2021. The C919, designed to seat 158 passengers in a two-class arrangement, is powered by the CFM Leap-1C engine. The C919 prototypes have flown intermittently. The first aircraft, rolled out in November 2015, made its initial flight in May 2017, but did not fly again for 19 weeks. COMAC said in March that "normal modification work" caused the pause in flying. The second C919 first flew in December 2017. In March 2018, it was undergoing modification and was slated to return to flight in April-just when the work on the latest changes began. COMAC said in March that 23 C919 test flights had occurred, The third C919 flight-test aircraft had been scheduled to fly this year; its current status is not known. The other three are expected to fly in 2019. http://atwonline.com/manufacturers/comac-grounds-c919-flight-test-aircraft-modify-prototypes Back to Top 737 Firefighting Aircraft Under Testing Wildfire fighters may soon have a new aerial attack weapon in the in the form of a retired Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300. Coulson Air Tankers, the Canadian company that displayed the last flying Martin Mars flying boat at AirVenture 2016, bought six of the airliners from Southwest and has finished converting one to a multi-purpose aerial tanker. The Fireliner is currently in San Bernardino, California undergoing FAA certification tests, focusing on the flight performance of the plane with the 4,000-gallon water/retardant tank installed, "This is part of the certification program that every air tanker must go through and as we are the first fire fighting B737 in the world, it's key that we understand the limitations of the aircraft," the company said in a Facebook post. The next step is "grid testing" by the U.S. Forest Service to assess the drop pattern from the aircraft. The company says one of the selling points of the aircraft is a new delivery system that pumps water or retardant at the rate of more than 2,000 gallons per minute. That compensates for the higher speeds of the jet to concentrate flow on the fire. The aircraft can also carry 63 passengers when the tank is empty so it can be used for ferry ground crews or other personnel. In an earlier interview, company President Wayne Coulson said there's also an option for an executive interior so that countries or states can use it year-round. The plane also sports a new Garmin 5000 panel. Meanwhile, Coulson is still looking for "respectful" homes for its two Martin Mars aircraft, which will likely never fight fires again. He's hoping museums will be interested in acquiring the planes, which were originally built for the U.S. Navy as troop carriers. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/737-Firefighting-Aircraft-Under-Testing-230989-1.html Back to Top Norway's first electric aircraft to take off on Monday Minister for Transport Ketil Solvik-Olsen will be aboard the electric flight. Photo: Berit Roald / NTB scanpix Minister for Transport Ketil Solvik-Olsen will be on board as Norway's first electric aircraft makes its first journey on Monday. Avinor, the owner of the aircraft and Norwegian airport operator, wants the Scandinavian country to be a world leader in electric aviation and has set a target for all domestic flights in the country to be electric by 2040, NTB reports. "Unnecessary flights contribute to damaging the world's climate through enormous carbon dioxide emissions," Anja Bakken Riise of Norwegian environmentalist NGO Future in Our Hands told the news agency. The electric aircraft, an Alpha Electro G2 produced in Slovenia, is scheduled to take off from Oslo Airport on Monday afternoon and will be flown by Avinor CEO Dag Falk-Petersen. Solvik-Olsen will be the only passenger on board the aircraft, which has a capacity of two people and has a two-hour charging time. The aim of the flight is not to demonstrate the practical viability of the aircraft, Riise said. "This aircraft shows it is possible to fly on electricity. The point of the flight is to show it's possible," she said. The flight on Monday is therefore an important moment for Norway, said the head of the NGO, which hopes to see favourable government policies for electric aircraft in a similar manner to those relating to electric cars. "The aviation industry must learn from Norwegian electric car policies. Norway has been a leading country for electric cars because the government has used all its resources. The same thing must apply for electric aircraft," Riise said. https://www.thelocal.no/20180618/norways-first-electric-aircraft-to-take-off-on-monday Back to Top IndiGo pilots up in arms over 'foreign hands' at higher salary (India) * The IAF pilots are willing to fly any number of hours, as they are keen to make quick money before they retire A recent advertisement issued by IndiGo, India's largest private carrier, looking to hire commanders and senior pilots from South Amercia and West Asia, has got its existing pilot community up in arms. The pilots say the salary, benefits and the choice of bases being offered to the foreign recruits are better than what they get. The advertisement promises the expat pilots a salary of $12,003 a month, overtime of $3,500 a month and an annual bonus of $7,000. Currently, IndiGo has around 54 expats among its 1,220-odd captains for its fleet of 153 A320s, including the 35 A320Neos. IndiGo's pilots are also upset as their last official pay hike - of less than 10 per cent - took place in 2015. The existing pilots feel doubly outraged that these generous expat packages are being offered at a time when their "salaries have not been revised to keep pace with inflation". The airline, which did not answer a direct query on this, insisted that its packages are competitive. However, it is not just the expat versus domestic issue that is roiling IndiGo's pilot community, a further divide appears to have risen within their ranks - between the former Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots and the non-IAF pilots. Almost a third of IndiGo's pilots are from the IAF, a fact confirmed by the airline in response to an email query from Business Standard. According to the pilots, Indigo has been asking its pilots and first officers to give up their entitled leaves and fly, albeit compensation. The IAF pilots, who are middle-aged, are willing to fly any number of hours, as they are keen to make quick money before they retire. The non-IAF pilots say this undermines their efforts to bargain or negotiate better terms with the management. They say that the former IAF pilots do not seem to care about a healthy work-life balance. Hence, the non-IAF pilots end up looking selfish and disloyal, which is not true. The non-IAF pilots also say that the IAF pilots do not have the requisite expertise or number of hours on the A320s, an allegation that IndiGo strongly refutes. "All our pilots are put through rigorous selection and training and are licensed only when they achieve the high standards demanded by the company and the DGCA; whatever their background, whether civil or military, Indian or expatriate," the airlines asserts. There are two other issues, which irk the pilots. The first relates to the work contracts, which they signed with the airline. According to them, the contract bars them from setting up any kind of body through which they can unite to take up their grievances with the management. IndiGo pilots don't have any internal union and are not part of any external union such as the Airline Pilots' Association of India as of now. "There is an unwritten divide and rule policy that operates," says a senior commander, who has been with the airline since its inception. An IndiGo spokesperson, however, denies this charge. "We do not have any agreement barring union membership. As we know, the pilots have not felt the need to form any association and we have not and would not actively discourage this." The second niggling issue concerns the notice period that pilots are to serve according to the terms of their contract. Pilots say their contracts specify a six-month notice period. However, after the new CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements) were issued in August 2017, the airline sent them emails saying that their notice period would be for one year and the acceptance or acknowledgement of the email would be treated as the new legally-binding contract. "This cannot be legally binding since we have not signed a contract with them for a one-year notice period. How can an email suffice," asks a senior IndiGo captain. However, the airline maintains that the 12-month notice period is according to the CAR rules, which is an industry-wide obligation, and not specific to IndiGo. All this has further sharpened the resentment over the airline proposing to hire more expat pilots. Of course, this is a controversial issue across airlines. Pilots and their unions have been asking for the removal of expat pilots and the government has been backing them on this. In December 2017, minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha told Parliament four airlines - Air India Express, Alliance Air, Jet Airways, and IndiGo - collectively phased out 84 foreign pilots during 2017. In December 2017, there were around 249 foreign pilots employed by various domestic airlines but given the growth the sector is witnessing in India, experts feel the number of expat pilots hired by the airlines will only go up in the future. https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/indigo-pilots-up-in-arms-over-foreign-hands-last- official-pay-hike-118061700691_1.html Back to Top Ending the pilot exodus: Air Force rolls out new bonuses, incentives - will it work this time? An F-16 Fighting Falcon from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker while taking part in exercise Red Flag 16-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (Tech. Sgt. David Salanitri/Air Force) COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Nearly two years after top Air Force leaders began sounding the alarm on a worrying shortfall of pilots, the key elements of a solution are finally falling into place. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein, in exclusive interviews with Air Force Times, emphasized that many factors have led to the roughly 2,000-pilot shortfall that the brass warns could "break the force" - especially as commercial airlines are in the midst of one of their heaviest and longest hiring waves in decades. Because of that, he said, there will never be a single "silver bullet" that solves it once and for all. Instead, Goldfein said, the Air Force is making headway on a variety of fronts - including recruiting and training more new pilots, bringing back retired pilots, convincing experienced pilots to stay longer, and improving the lives of pilots so they're happier - that, when combined, should help close the gap. Goldfein, who spoke to Air Force Times June 2 and 3 during his trip to the 2018 Warrior Games at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, said the Air Force has a list of 69 different initiatives to fix the pilot shortfall. And the Air Force is on the verge of announcing a plan to tackle what Goldfein feels is the most important element in fixing the pilot problem: Revitalizing the Air Force's squadrons and ensuring they have strong, effective leaders. "That, to me, is the secret sauce," Goldfein said. "That's what's going to keep people in. It's what's kept me in. If I can get inspirational squadron commanders out there, that are given decision authority to run their squadrons, and they're given the resources they need to accomplish the mission, and they're out there inspiring their airmen, that is going to be far and above the most effective hedge against airline hiring that we'll ever have." The Air Force has already taken several steps to push decision-making authority down to the squadron level, emphasize that it trusts squadron commanders to make the right decisions, and slash regulations that were binding their hands - and Goldfein thinks those moves are already bearing fruit. "I'm aware that [as chief of staff], people will sometimes tell me what they think I want to hear," Goldfein said. "So, I'm a trust-but-verify guy. But I do hear enough independent vignettes that say ... all those things we're trying to do [are] making a difference out there." The military's stunning fighter pilot shortage: One in four billets is empty The military's fighter pilot shortfall is reaching alarming proportions - and a new report from the Government Accountability Office shows just how bad the problem has become. Next, Goldfein and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson are about to roll out an "implementation plan" to go further and do more to put the squadron back at the heart of the Air Force, improving morale and leading to more satisfied, proud airmen. "It's all designed to ensure that squadron commanders have the decision authority, the resources, the things they need, that we're developing them and giving them all the tools they need to succeed, and that airmen that are in that squadron feel like they're part of something really important," Goldfein said. "The question I ask squadron commanders when I'm out there is, 'Hey, what does it mean to be in your squadron? What does it mean to be part of the Boars, or the Thunderbolts, or this missile maintenance squadron?' That squadron commander ought to be able to define that." An F-15E Strike Eagle from the 492nd Fighter Squadron awaits clearance to taxi at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew/Air Force) An F-15E Strike Eagle from the 492nd Fighter Squadron awaits clearance to taxi at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew/Air Force) Goldfein declined to share details of this plan before he briefs his generals on it during the next Corona meeting of Air Force leaders, which will take place at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio the week of June 11. But, he said, healthy, well-led squadrons will lead to happier airmen and encourage pilots to stay longer - more so than just throwing cash at pilots to re-up. More money "is not what's going to keep people in the Air Force," Goldfein said. "People stay in the United States Air Force because they feel like they're on a high-powered team, a squadron that's doing meaningful work, making a difference. It's why they joined, it's why they're going to stay." Beefing up bonuses However, while money isn't everything, Goldfein said increased pilot bonuses can help. The Air Force will never be able to keep up with the hefty six-figure sums commercial airlines can pay, Goldfein said, especially as they seek to hire 4,500 pilots a year. And since former military pilots only need 750 flight hours to qualify as airline pilots - half that required of non-military pilots - the Air Force is an especially fruitful recruiting ground. But the Aviation Bonus Program, which offers experienced pilots tens of thousands of dollars for each year they agree to extend their contracts, will narrow the pay gap between Air Force pilots and their commercial counterparts at least a little. "If I can take a financial burden off of a family, I appreciate Congress' help" in authorizing more money for bonuses, Goldfein said. The Air Force on May 31 announced a major expansion of its Aviation Bonus Program. This year, for the first time, some bomber, fixed-wing combat search-and-rescue, special operations, mobility and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance pilots will be able to receive the same massive $420,000 retention bonuses already offered to fighter pilots. Goldfein said that the Air Force first offered the expanded bonuses - for pilots who choose to extend their contracts the maximum 12 years - to fighter pilots because that was where the shortfall was most prominent. But the other pilot categories are "shortly on [fighter pilots'] heels," he said, when asked why the service chose to expand the eligibility of the maximum bonuses. Lt. Col. Jeremy Johnston, an A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot, smiles prior to flying, May 17, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. (Senior Airman Janiqua P. Robinson/Air Force) Lt. Col. Jeremy Johnston, an A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot, smiles prior to flying, May 17, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. (Senior Airman Janiqua P. Robinson/Air Force) However, these massive six-figure retention bonuses can only do so much. In a sign of the limits of aviator retention pay's effectiveness, the so-called "take rate," or percentage of aviators agreeing to stay longer in exchange for hefty bonuses, continues to decline year after year. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/06/11/ending-the-pilot-exodus-air-force-rolls- out-new-bonuses-incentives-will-it-work-this-time/ Back to Top U-2's 'Michelin Men' Pilots Go High, Stay Low Key Jim Clash , CONTRIBUTOR The U-2 spy plane was made famous (or infamous, depending upon your point of view) in 1960 when pilot Gary Powers was shot down over the former Soviet Union during the Cold War. Powers had been doing reconnaissance work, snapping intelligence photos from more than 70,000 feet above the Earth for the U.S. government. Chasing the U-2 at 120 mph in a Dodge Charger on the Beale AFB runway is no easy task. Now, nearly 60 years later, the U-2 surprisingly is still in operation - and still gathering intel from various hot-spots around the world including Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. I'm at Beale Air Force Base, just north of Sacramento, CA, to report on these more recent U-2 activities and the stellar pilots who fly "Dragon Lady," as the aircraft is known. Beale is unique in that it houses and maintains several of the 100 or so U-2s produced since the 1950s and originally developed at Area 51. I will not fly, but I will do just about everything else, including suiting up in a high-altitude pressurized space suit and "chasing" the finicky aircraft upon landing. Jim Clash (space suit) with the Beale AFB technicians who put him in it. Here, Clash is sampling some blue Gatorade from a feeding tube. First the suit. Draped in a layer of white long underwear, I am stuffed like a sausage into a high-tech yellow contraption by two people. It is no easy feat. The final part of the procedure is locking into place over my head a fishbowl helmet, then pressurizing the suit. Suddenly, there is no noise other than that of me breathing 100% oxygen and some sporadic radio contact with the technician. It is hard to explain the isolation and claustrophobia. Multiply that by 10 when a pilot is in the plane above 70,000 feet, the highest person in the world except for astronauts at the International Space Station. But while the astronauts may be higher, they have a crew around them. A U-2 pilot has nobody. As you can imagine, movement in the stiff suit which, including helmet, weighs about 30 pounds, is laborious. Add another 20 pounds for the oxygen tank assembly carried out to the plane, and you get the picture. I had on my mind the classic shot from "The Right Stuff" movie, where an astronaut confidently carries his oxygen system to his spacecraft. So, in that pose, I hammed it up for the photographer, and almost lost my balance. When an outside altitude of 35,000 feet was simulated, the suit really expanded. I felt like the Michelin Man. Jim Clash, mimicking the pose of "The Right Stuff" astronauts, carries his U-2 oxygen system at Beale AFB. In reality, a support crew performs this carry function. The suit claustrophobia is very real, by the way. One past trainee, who had endured the initial screening interviews and flown low-altitude U-2 training runs, couldn't integrate his psyche into the suit. Now all interviewees must sit in the suit for at least 45 minutes before being permitted to progress to other parts of the program. After changing back into my civilian clothes, I visited the pressurization chamber, which tests the suit at very high altitudes. Red Bull parachutist Felix Baumgartner tested there the space suit he ultimately wore at more than 128,000 feet when he did his then-record-setting jump in 2012. For U-2 pilots, the suit is basically an extra layer of protection should canopy pressurization fail. Few pilots have had to rely on it, but it is a necessary backup in case of a major malfunction. At 70,000 feet, your blood will literally boil without the suit. Accidents, although rare, do happen. In 2016, a Beale U-2 trainer crashed, destroying a $32-million aircraft and killing one of its two pilots. Next, it was over to the 12,000-foot runway at Beale to watch up-close the aircraft in action. A single- engine U-2 is very difficult to land. As such, it requires a chase car to radio instructions to the pilot, telling him how far his wheels are off the ground. When they are just one or two feet up, the pilot stalls the aircraft and puts the delicate wheels down on the runway. We watched several touch-and-go landings in the car, a Dodge Charger, at 120 mph from directly behind the plane. The takeoff, at a 40-degree angle with 18,000 pounds of thrust, is pretty impressive, too. Who are these U-2 pilots, anyway? Lt. Col. Carl Maymi (call sign PRESS), a supervisor of recruiting and training at Beale, says the few dozen there who have passed muster are fiercely independent but still able to work within a close-knit family of pilots and support crew. Some volunteers come from other armed forces services. Scott Collins, for example, my pilot for the T-38 trainer flight with the call sign FONIX is from the Marine Corps. The pilots are well-rounded, too. In his spare time, an advanced trainee (call sign CRASH) competes in Super Comp drag-racing events and has more than 800 parachute jumps to his credit. CRASH says that his life-long dream was to become a U-2 pilot, and that he pinches himself every time he is in the aircraft. Oh, and then there's the draw of the surreal view. CRASH and other pilots I met marvel at the blackness of space, the curvature of the Earth and the thin blue atmosphere hanging over that curvature from so high up. After we were done chasing landings and takeoffs, we called it a day. The U-2 veteran pilot Michael Opresko call sign NUTZ, who was driving our chase car, gave me a challenge coin he had taken above 70,000 feet in his plane. On one side it says, "Alone, Unarmed, Unafraid." https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2018/06/17/u-2s-michelin-men-pilots-go-high-stay-low-key/#152222834b09 Back to Top Former Rolls-Royce Engineer Suspected of Passing Fighter Jet Tech to China F-35B Lightning II fighter jets arrive at the Royal Air Force Marham airbase in Kings Lynn, England on June 6, 2018. A former British engineer is suspected of transmitting technology related to the jets to China. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) A former engineer for British multinational Rolls-Royce was arrested on June 12 after for allegedly passing military trade secrets to China. Bryn Jones, a former chief combustion technologist employed by Rolls-Royce from 1968 to 1996, was arrested at his home in the United Kingdom, British newspaper The Sun first reported. He is suspected of giving away technological know-how related to a newly purchased Royal Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet that cost 100 million pounds ($132.7 million). The 73-year-old engineer was arrested after British intelligence agency MI5 received intelligence that classified information had been passed onto Beijing. He has since been released pending investigation. Jones is currently a visiting professor of gas turbine combustion at Xi'an Aeronautical University in Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, according to The Sun. Rolls-Royce-developed technology is behind the F-35's lift system that lets it hover and land vertically on aircraft carriers. British police confirmed on June 14 that a man had been arrested in connection with an investigation under the Official Secrets Act, a British law against espionage. They seized computers and USB drives from Jones' home. Police are also looking into whether other information regarding Rolls-Royce's defense contracts was put at risk, according to The Sun. The British company is one of the world's largest defense contractors and a top manufacturer of aircraft engines. Developed by U.S. defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the F-35 fighter jet is among the most expensive weapons programs in history, at nearly $400 billion, according to the U.S. Defense Department. Acording to Lockheed Martin, about 15 percent by value of each F-35 aircraft-which the company plans to expand to an over 3,000 global fleet-is manufactured in the United Kingdom. The supersonic F-35 uses stealth technology to avoid being detected by radar and allows pilots to conduct attacks electronically. The UK plans to buy 138 of the F-35 jets, according to British newspaper The Telegraph. The Chinese regime has a history of stealing military technology. The Chinese air force's J-20 fighter jet is widely believed to be a knockoff of the F-35. In 2014, Su Bin, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Chinese military officers to steal design information and manufacturing technologies for the F-35 and other American fighter jets. Su assisted military hackers to access the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors, such as aircraft manufacturer Boeing. In 2016, he was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison. In 2008, the Chinese regime acquired British tech firm Dynex Semiconductor, via a state-owned firm. Dynex manufactures an advanced chip that enables the launching of aircraft from an carrier flight deck using electromagnetic technology. The Chinese navy now employs that same technology. https://www.theepochtimes.com/former-rolls-royce-engineer-suspected-of-passing-fighter-jet-tech-to- china_2564234.html Back to Top Aevum's New Rocket-Drone Airplane Duo Could Launch Satellites Every 3 Hours Artist's illustration showing Aevum's Ravn air-launch system in action. If all goes according to plan, Ravn could begin launching small satellites to Earth orbit in late 2019. Credit: Aevum A space launch every 3 hours may soon be possible using rockets carried on a fully autonomous unmanned airplane, a new startup company suggests. Alabama-based startup Aevum aims to per mission, using an air-launch system called Ravn. "Ravn is designed to launch every 180 minutes," Jay Skylus, Aevum's CEO and chief launch architect, told Space.com. "Other launch vehicles fly only a handful of times a year with an average of 18 months of lead time." "The typical turn time, from landing to takeoff, for a commercial aircraft can range from 30 to 80 minutes," said Skylus, an aerospace engineer who worked at NASA and Boeing. "Ravn operates just like a commercial aircraft would." Ravn could launch satellites as frequently as once every 3 hours, Aevum representatives say. Aevum is focused on launching multitudes of tiny satellites into space. Such constellations of satellites could enable advances such as "wireless internet everywhere," Skylus said. The key to Ravn's planned launch rate is its unmanned nature, which "simplif[ies] ground operations considerably," Skylus said. "Ravn takes off and lands horizontally on any standard runway. Ravn is engineered to be autonomous from the moment it leaves the hangar from taxi, takeoff, launch, landing and taxi return to the hangar." As such, Ravn may need a ground crew of as few as six people, Skylus said. "Compared to the ground- crew needs of other launch systems, Ravn requires at least an order of magnitude less ground-crew personnel," he said. Aevum isn't the first company to develop an air-launch system. Northrop Grumman's Pegasus rocket has lofted dozens of satellites, and Stratolaunch Systems and Virgin Orbit are both working on rocket-carrier plane duos of their own. But these other systems all employ piloted aircraft. The first stage of Ravn consists of a reusable, fully autonomous unmanned aircraft system designed for atmospheric flight. "The overall aerodynamic design of the vehicle has been optimized for the rocket separation," Skylus said. "The maximum speed of the Ravn first stage is Mach 2.85 [2,186 mph, or 3,519 km/h]." This aircraft carries an expendable two-stage rocket engineered for spaceflight. The first stage of this rocket uses a proprietary fuel approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation, while the second stage relies on liquid oxygen. "The rocket engines have already been hot-fire demonstrated," Skylus said. Skylus was inspired to ramp up the rate of satellite launches when he came across a story of U.S. soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005. "With my own brother serving in the U.S. Army and away from home during that time, the news felt personal to me," Skylus said. "Upon research, I gained insight that communication failure was partly responsible for the losses we suffered in Afghanistan. I recall being furious that, while I could instant- message readily, people who were fighting to protect our country struggled with communication challenges." "Determined to figure out exactly why, I dug into communication technologies and found out that, in locations where geography is the limiting factor, the communication technologies were not necessarily faulty. We just needed better satellite-revisit times and positioning - more satellites," Skylus said. "However, the cost of deploying those satellite assets was stifling progress." In flight simulations, "Minnie, Aevum's autonomous flight software, has already completed nearly 640 flights," Skylus said. This work included the successful simulated launch "of a 30-satellite constellation in less than 3 hours," he added. Aevum has designed, built and tested both its aerodynamic components and a prototype unmanned aircraft system. "Aevum's currently building a proto-flight Ravn vehicle and aims to complete the ground qualification of the entire proto-flight Ravn vehicle this year," Skylus said. Aevum's customers can use the company's web app or call or email to deliver their cargo. In this sense, Aevum wants to be "the UPS or FedEx of space," Skylus said. "We take care of all the logistics and offer mission design at no cost to you, and you can book launches and track your satellite through our app." Aevum is working toward beginning flight testing in 2019. If the entire flight test campaign goes according to plan, Aevum has three launches planned for the fourth quarter of 2019, Skylus said. "We're always seeking to connect with more customers - there's still some capacity on these three launches," he said. "Ravn is unlike any other launch system known today," Skylus said. "Aevum's focused on providing a delivery service that will directly enable the solutions that address global challenges that cause pain every day, which include communication and connectivity." https://www.space.com/40918-air-launched-rocket-ravn-aevum.html Back to Top Bombardier Safety Standdown Award 2018 - Nominations are still open! The Safety Standdown award is given annually to an aviation professional who has demonstrated exemplary dedication to improving aviation safety through the application of the Safety Standdown principle: LEARN - APPLY - SHARE. By learning new skills and applying them, they demonstrate their dedication to personal improvement. By sharing their knowledge, they become distinguished role models. We all know or have worked with exceptional aviation professionals. These are the people who go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the safety of their operation. They are the mentors we look up to and who teach us so much. They are the dedicated people who demonstrate professionalism and courage in the toughest of circumstances. They are the people who had an impact on us and fostered the love we have for this industry. As you read these few lines, someone probably popped into your mind. Here's a way to recognize them: go to our website and nominate them for the Safety Standdown Award. The criteria for the award can also be found on the site and nomination form only takes a few minutes to complete. Submissions are evaluated by the Advisory council and a recipient is selected from the criteria. The award is presented during Safety Standdown USA 2018 seminar. Nominate now: http://www.safetystanddown.com/aviation-safety-award/ Safety Standdown Team Bombardier Business Aircraft Direct: +1 316 946 7876 Email: info@safetystanddown.com Website: www.safetystanddown.com Back to Top This course was created in collaboration with Curt Lewis's Flight Safety Information. Learn more from Beyond Risk Management Producer, Captain Elaine Parker, at https://vimeo.com/273989821 Back to Top Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 Dear Airline Pilots, My name is David Carroll. I am a doctoral candidate in the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University PhD in Aviation program, and I am working on my dissertation under the guidance of Dr. David Esser. We would like to find out a bit about how airline pilots learn in order to enhance the effectiveness of training. You can help out by participating in this survey. My dissertation topic entails investigating ways that FOQA data might be used to identify pilots at increased risk for Unstable Approaches. By capturing trend information regarding poor energy management practices that may lead to unstable approaches, the FOQA system may be ale to assign interventional training modules. These is research that indicates that these training events would be more effective if presented in a manner that is preferred by the learner. This survey supports the study by helping to determine if the population of airline pilots has a preferred learning modality. The survey also contains a set of energy management questions to examine pilot perceptions on energy management and stabilized approaches in several scenarios and situations. Participants are asked to select responses that are closest to how they would understand the situation if experienced in their current primary aircraft. Finally, the survey collects demographic information that will provide an understanding of how the body of respondents represents the study population. Respondents must be 18 years of age to participate, and we would like to limit the respondents to those currently employed in scheduled air carrier operations (Part 121, 135, or similar). Thank you in advance for your participation. Your inputs will be invaluable in helping to increase the level of safety in air carrier operations. Providing immediate interventional training for pilots who are demonstrating a need, while maintaining the anonymity of the FOQA concept, should provide such a benefit. If you have any questions regarding the study in general, or the survey in particular, please contact the researcher, David Carroll, at david.carroll@erau.edu or the dissertation committee chair, Dr. David Esser, at esserd@erau.edu. Please find the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V532B9J David A. Carroll, Doctoral Candidate ERAU PhD in Aviation Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 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 - 3 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 Curt Lewis