Flight Safety Information June 21, 2018 - No. 125 In This Issue Incident: India A321 near Mumbai on Jun 20th 2018, hydraulic failure Incident: Cargojet B752 near WInnipeg on Jun 15th 2018, strong odour of smoke EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Accident: Compass E175 near Calgary on Jun 16th 2018, tubulence injures flight attendant LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. NTSB issues final report on British Airways Boeing 777-200 uncontained engine failure and fire at Las Vegas NTSB report: Pilot was awake for 17 hours before Lake Erie crash that left six dead Etihad Airways passes IATA safety audit FAA chief urges increased cooperation with UK ahead of Brexit Locking Airplane Overhead Bins Might Make Passengers Less Safe During Evacuations Pilot of Saudi royal family jet arrested at Bangor airport Premier Air, Inc. Joins the Air Charter Safety Foundation Federal Auditor To Investigate FAA's Safety Oversight of Southwest Airlines Woman's Stun Gun Undetected at SFO and On Flight to LAX Bombardier to sell 20 aircraft to Delta Air Lines Allegiant Plans Aircraft Base in Tennessee, New Jobs and Future Growth Augmented reality helps build aircraft tanks Catch a Ride to the Alaska Range with These Female Pilots Why U.S. Regional Airlines May Not Be Able to Fly Embraer's Newest Jet China appears to be preparing to deorbit its Tiangong-2 space lab Spots are filling up fast for IEEE's first-ever...Try Engineering Summer Camp SUMMER MEETING OF ISASI's PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL CHAPTER (PNRC) 64th Air Safety Forum - Join Us! HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - New Online Course - Fall 2018 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 3 Incident: India A321 near Mumbai on Jun 20th 2018, hydraulic failure An Air India Airbus A321-200, registration VT-PPA performing flight AI-985 from Ahmedabad to Mumbai (India) with 131 people on board, was descending towards Mumbai when the crew reported a hydraulic failure. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Mumbai's runway 27. A replacement A321-200 registration VT-PPN performed the next sector to Muscat with a delay of 2:20 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=4ba1fcaf&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Cargojet B752 near WInnipeg on Jun 15th 2018, strong odour of smoke A Cargojet Airways Boeing 757-200, registration C-FKCJ performing freight flight W8-570 from Winnipeg,MB to Montreal Mirabel,QC (Canada) with 2 crew, was climbing through FL280 out of Winnipeg when a strong odour of smoke in the cockpit prompted the flight crew to return to Winnipeg. The crew worked the related checklists, the smell briefly disappeared but returned. The aircraft landed safely back in Winnipeg, emergency services followed the aircraft to the stand. The Canadian TSB reported the smell of smoke never became bad enough to don the oxygen masks or use the smoke googles. The crew also did not require medical attention. Subsequent inspections, operation checks and engine ground runs did not identify the source of the odour, the aircraft was returned to service. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CJT570/history/20180615/0600Z/CYWG/CYMX https://avherald.com/h?article=4ba1facd&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Accident: Compass E175 near Calgary on Jun 16th 2018, tubulence injures flight attendant A Compass Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N637CZ performing flight CP-5774/DL-5774 from Salt Lake City,UT (USA) to Calgary,AB (Canada), had been enroute at FL300 and was in the initial descent towards Calgary when the crew reported a flight attendant had been injured by turbulence. The aircraft continued for a safe landing in Calgary. The FAA reported the aircraft enountered "mountain turbulence", a flight attendant received a back injury, the occurrence was rated an accident. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CPZ5774/history/20180617/0235Z/KSLC/CYYC https://avherald.com/h?article=4ba1e453&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top NTSB issues final report on British Airways Boeing 777-200 uncontained engine failure and fire at Las Vegas Status: Final Date: Tuesday 8 September 2015 Time: 16:12 Type: Boeing 777-236ER Operator: British Airways Registration: G-VIIO C/n / msn: 29320/182 First flight: 1999-01-18 (16 years 8 months) Total airframe hrs: 85442 Engines: 2 General Electric GE90-85B Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 13 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 157 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 170 Aircraft damage: Substantial Aircraft fate: Repaired Location: Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport, NV (LAS) ( United States of America) Phase: Takeoff (TOF) Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport, NV (LAS/KLAS), United States of America Destination airport: London-Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK), United Kingdom Flightnumber: BA2276 Narrative: A British Airways Boeing 777-236 operating as Flight BA2276 to London Gatwick sustained substantial damage in an accident at McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nevada. The flight left the gate at 16:00 and taxied to runway 7L for departure. About 16:12, the captain lined up for takeoff and advanced the engines to takeoff flex power. The captain was the pilot flying (PF) and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring (PM). The relief first officer (RFO) was sitting in the cockpit jumpseat. During the takeoff roll they heard a "bang" or "thud" sound just before the airplane reached 80 knots (kts), and the airplane veered to the left. The captain announced he was stopping, retarded the thrust levers to idle, and began applying wheel brakes. As they were braking, the FO noticed the thrust levers began moving forward, and he disconnected the autothrottle (AT). As the airplane came to a stop the captain noticed the left (No. 1) engine exhaust gas temperature (EGT) indication turned red and the left engine fire indication came on, accompanied by an audible fire bell. The captain set the parking brake and called for the FIRE ENG LEFT checklist, and the FO performed the checklist memory items. As part of the memory items, the FO moved the left fuel control switch to fuel cutoff, pulled the left engine fire switch, and rotated the left fire switch to the stop to discharge the first fire bottle. The second fire bottle was discharged 15 seconds later. The RFO asked the captain if he should make an announcement to the passengers, and the captain approved. The RFO used the public address (PA) system to announce that passengers and cabin crew should remain seated. The RFO then noticed the shadow of a large cloud rising above the shadow of the fuselage, and he asked the captain if he should go into the cabin to investigate. The captain again approved. The RFO left the flight deck and met a cabin crewmember at door 2L, who said she had been trying to call the flight deck. The RFO observed black smoke, an orange glow, and a cabin window glass becoming "crazed." He told a cabin crewmember to get ready to evacuate and returned to the flight deck. While the RFO was in the cabin assessing the situation, the FO started the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) in accordance with the follow up reference items on the engine fire checklist. When the RFO returned to the flight deck he reported they needed to get off the airplane immediately. The captain commanded the FO to call the tower, then utilized the PA (public address) system to order an evacuation, and activated the evacuation alarm. The captain stated he attempted to run his portion of the evacuation checklist from memory and he missed the second step of ensuring both engines were turned off. The FO, who was referring to his portion of the QRH evacuation checklist, stated he spent between 15 to 20 seconds attempting to open the outflow valves (OFV) to depressurize the airplane for the evacuation, utilizing their respective switches on the cockpit overhead panel. However, recorded information showed the OFV selection switches remained in the automatic position. According to cockpit voice recorder information, a sound similar to the engine fire switches were pulled about 16:13:20, followed about 2 seconds later by a sound, similar to the fire switch handle, being rotated. The other engine fire bottle was discharged about 3 seconds later, as called for in the evacuation checklist. The RFO noticed the right engine EICAS showed that the right (No. 2) engine was still operating. He pointed this out to the FO, who then moved the right engine fuel control switch to the fuel cutoff position. The FO stated he then also pulled the right engine fire switch. According to data obtained from the flight recorders, the right engine had remained operating for approximately 44 seconds after the captain gave the evacuation command. About the same time as the right engine was shutdown, the forward cargo bay fire warning light illuminated and the fire bell sounded in the cockpit. The captain armed the cargo fire switch and discharged three of the five cargo fire bottles. All of the occupants and crew evacuated the airplane through various exits and slides. During the evacuation at least 2 of the cabin crew received minor and serious injuries. Some passengers had retrieved bags from the overhead lockers after the aircraft stopped and before the evacuation command was given. The flight attendants agreed that carry-on bags that some passengers took while evacuating, were not a problem during the evacuation. Probable Cause: PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the left engine high-pressure compressor (HPC) stage 8-10 spool, which caused the main fuel supply line to become detached from the engine main fuel pump and release fuel, resulting in a fire on the left side of the airplane. The HPC stage 8-10 spool failed due to a sustained-peak low-cycle fatigue crack that initiated in the web of the stage 8 disk; the cause of the crack initiation could not be identified by physical inspection and stress and lifing analysis. Contributing to this accident was the lack of inspection procedures for the stage 8 disk web." Accident investigation: Investigating agency: NTSB Status: Investigation completed Duration: 2 years and 10 months Accident number: DCA15FA185 Download report: Final report https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20150908-0 Back to Top NTSB report: Pilot was awake for 17 hours before Lake Erie crash that left six dead The three minutes of events leading up to a small plane crash in Lake Erie that left the pilot and five passengers dead has been released by the National Transportation Safety Board. The report also said the pilot had been awake for nearly 17 hours before the time of the accident. The personal flight was intended to go to the Ohio State University Airport (OSU), according to NTSB. The plane had flown from OSU to Burke at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2016, and the pilot and passengers attended a sporting event before returning to the airport. John T. Fleming, the CEO of Columbus-based Superior Beverage Group, was piloting the plane. His wife, Suzanne, and their two sons, Jack and Andrew, and neighbors Megan and Brian Casey, were also aboard the aircraft. NTSB shared what can be heard in the communications between air traffic control and the pilot of the Cessna 525C aircraft in the few minutes between takeoff from the Burke Lakefront Airport and when the plane crashed in the lake. According to the NTSB report, at 10:55 p.m., the pilot was cleared for takeoff and he acknowledged. A minute and a half later, the engine power increased for takeoff and 15 seconds later the plane became airborne. Then things went south. A few seconds later, an automated voice said, "altitude," and 14 seconds later, "altitude" was heard again, according to the report. Then a sound similar to a decrease in engine power can be heard, followed by the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), which provided a bank angle warning, NTSB said. Shortly after, the tower controller instructed the pilot to contact departure control. The pilot tried to communicate with the tower controller, but communication was not received, suggesting the pilot did not have the microphone push-to-talk button depressed, according to NTSB. https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-cuyahoga/ntsb-report-reveals-the-three-minutes- leading-up-to-lake-erie-crash-that-left-six-dead Back to Top Etihad Airways passes IATA safety audit Biennial audit examines safety procedures to ensure compliance with requirements Etihad Airways said on Wednesday it has passed the biennial operational safety audit by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The Abu Dhabi-based airline met all the required standards - with the highest results of zero findings and zero observations - after the safety audit team examined Etihad's safety procedures in detail. The audit by IATA seeks to ensure that airlines are compliant with safety requirements and recommended practices. It is mandatory for IATA member airlines, and reviews standards in various operational areas. https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/etihad-airways-passes-iata-safety-audit-1.2239884 Back to Top FAA chief urges increased cooperation with UK ahead of Brexit FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell has called on the UK and world governments to accelerate the pace of bilateral aviation negotiations ahead of Brexit, when the UK leaves the European Union (EU), in March 2019. "Brexit and its March 2019 deadline is obviously on all of our minds," Elwell said during a June 19 speech at the EASA-FAA Aviation Safety Conference in Washington DC. "As the clock runs down, removing uncertainty about the UK and its aviation agreements with the rest of the world only becomes more important." "Brexit is going to affect passengers, businesses and the entire global supply chain, but early planning can help mitigate those impacts," he added. "It's in everyone's best interest to reach a decision on the aviation components of Brexit as soon as possible." Elwell also hailed a recent amendment to the US-EU Safety Agreement that makes it easier for both sides to validate and import each other's aircraft and aviation parts. The amended agreement, which sets a framework toward lowering validation fees for manufacturers, will help get products to market faster by "reducing the involvement of validating authorities on both sides of the Atlantic." "Thanks to the relationship we've built over the years, we have a high degree of confidence in our respective certification systems," Elwell said. "This agreement opens up a way for the US and EU to collaborate on flight simulation training devices, as well as on pilot licensing and training." The acting administrator also emphasized a host of safety innovations underway at FAA, including data communications technology, performance-based navigation and the rollout of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)-a system that uses GPS satellites to give air traffic controllers a more accurate picture of where an aircraft is at a given moment. FAA is currently about 18 months away from a deadline requiring all aircraft flying in controlled airspace to be equipped with ADS-B. Approximately 25% of the US airline fleet is already equipped with the technology. "We're working closely with our international partners to make sure any aircraft that will be flying in US airspace has equipment installed that complies with the mandate by Jan.1, 2020," Elwell said. http://atwonline.com/open-skies/faa-chief-urges-increased-cooperation-uk-ahead-brexit Back to Top Locking Airplane Overhead Bins Might Make Passengers Less Safe During Evacuations Marisa Garcia , CONTRIBUTOR While repeated occurrences of passengers ignoring critical safety instructions by evacuating aircraft with their luggage have raised concerns among aviation experts, locking overhead bins may introduce greater safety risks. Overhead bins on a Singapore Airlines A350 aircraft in Toulouse. Experts from the Royal Aeronautical Society in England have published a study this month which recommends that regulators study whether locking overhead bins might discourage passengers from delaying evacuations by stopping to get their bags, endangering other passengers in the process. It is a serious concern. There have been a number of recorded accidents during which passengers have ignored crew instructions and obvious danger from intense fire and prioritized their possessions over their lives. Zodiac Aerospace , which manufactures a number of aircraft interiors components including overhead bins, says that the technology already exists to lock overhead bins automatically from a central control that pilots could activate. But doing this goes against one of the primary requirements from regulators of overhead bin design. As Ian Scoley, vice president of industrial design for Zodiac Aerospace explains: "Although this scenario [of locking overhead bins during emergencies] is not something we have specifically looked at, we have done a significant amount of research and design around electronic latching, which could be programmed to lock out the bin use in certain scenarios. "Generally, the regulations drive us to make sure we can always get the bin doors open, with multiple redundancies like secondary release systems in case of mechanical failures. This is mainly due to the large variations in cabin configurations where emergency equipment could be stored in overhead bins- things like life rafts, ropes, first aid kits, etc." Many aircraft have specific bins designated for the crew, which can also hold other emergency items like defibrillators and oxygen tanks. To prevent passengers from using these bins for their personal items, they sometimes have a secondary manual lock. Therefore, having a separate locking method for crew emergency items would not be unheard of, Scoley says. Having a separate locking method for crew emergency items on aircraft with automatic locking overhead bins might work, but this solution introduces complexities. "The risk in this scenario is that something that might be critical to a passengers survivability gets locked away," Scoley says. During aircraft evacuations, every second that passes can result in a greater risk of injury or death. During evacuations, the cabin crew are first focused on getting passengers out quickly. A delay among the crew in opening a secondary manual lock to pull a life raft, oxygen mask or smoke hood out could prove as dangerous as passenger baggage delays. There is also concern that passengers may delay evacuations by trying to force locked overhead bins open instead of getting out of the aircraft quickly. The authors of the Royal Aeronautical study acknowledge that locking overhead bins may not be a perfect solution for this irrational passenger behavior. Still, the aviation industry will need to find a solution before passenger actions lead to loss of life. https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisagarcia/2018/06/20/locking-airplane-overhead-bins-might-make- passengers-less-safe-during-evacuations/#685d5e42356b Back to Top Pilot of Saudi royal family jet arrested at Bangor airport Police learned that one of the four pilots of a Saudi-owned Boeing 767 was wanted in Florida for felony theft, and arrested the man. He waived extradition and will face the charge in Florida, authorities said. A pilot flying a Saudi royal family aircraft that landed in Bangor (Maine) Tuesday was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Florida, the Penosbscot County District Attorney's Office said. Mancin Urbanski, 49, waived extradition at his first appearance Wednesday in Bangor and will be held without bail until police from Sarasota County, Florida, transport him south, said Penobscot Assistant District Attorney Marianne Lynch. Urbanski was one of four pilots aboard the private Boeing 767 that stopped in Bangor on its way to Los Angeles, she said. Urbanski is accused by police in North Port, Florida, of committing the equivalent in Maine of felony theft when Urbanski allegedly took $9,000 from a Florida man in 2016 and promised to help get the victim a pilot's license and a job with the Myanmar National Airlines, Lynch said. "He was engaging in a cyber crime," Lynch said. Lynch said police learned of Urbanski's warrant because his name was included on a master list of people aboard the flight. Authorities then used the list of names and dates of birth to check for warrants or other issues, Lynch said. 'It's part of the protocol when you're coming in, they run everyone's name," she said. "Even if you're not deplaning." It was unclear if the flight remained in Bangor or went on to its final destination; Lynch did not know the aircraft's tail number, which is tracked by the Federal Aviation Administration. It's also unknown whether any members of the Saudi royal family were aboard. "I don't know why they stopped there," Lynch said. "There could be any reason why they stopped." Bangor's airport, with an exceptionally long runway at more than 11,000 feet, means it can accommodate planes of practically any size, including the Space Shuttle. The facility is also shared with military flights, and is frequently a jump-off point for troop flights headed to the Middle East. Airport Director Tony Caruso said the flight landed for a technical stop, which typically means the passengers needed to clear Customs, refuel or resupply before heading on to a final destination. Caruso said he could not release information about this particular flight, but said it is fairly common for foreign aircraft to stop at Bangor before or after a transatlantic flight. The airport is also used as an impromptu stopover, sometimes drawing celebrities looking to refuel, or airplanes that are diverted or land for emergency reasons. In 2004, Yusef Islam, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, was arrested at Bangor International after his plane headed for London was diverted there. Stevens had been placed on a no-fly list and was barred from the United States, and when transportation officials learned he had boarded a flight back to London, they ordered the plane diverted to Bangor. The Bangor airport was the scene of more drama in 2010, when John Travolta landed at the airport. During the stop-over, a service vehicle struck and killed two small dogs that belonged to the actor, who also at the time owned a mansion on Isleboro. https://www.pressherald.com/2018/06/20/pilot-of-saudi-royal-family-jet-arrested-at-bangor-airport/ Back to Top Premier Air, Inc. Joins the Air Charter Safety Foundation Washington, DC, June 15, 2018 - The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce that Premier Air, Inc. dba Premier Private Jets a worldwide aircraft charter and management company based in Stuart, FL has joined the ACSF. Along with 170 other companies, Premier Private Jets supports the ACSF's vision to promote and enable the highest levels of safety in personal and business aviation through the promotion and facilitation of risk management programs. "Our mission at Premier is to provide our customers with world-class levels of service and safety for all their travel needs," said Premier Private Jets' Founder and President, Josh Birmingham. "We continually look for additional ways to improve our safety culture. Participating in the aviation safety action program (ASAP) program in conjunction with the ACSF will add to Premier's safety management system." "We are pleased to welcome Premier Private Jets to the foundation," said ACSF President Bryan Burns. "Becoming a member of ACSF and participating in our Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) program demonstrates their commitment to continuous improvement." http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12417445/premier-air-inc-joins-the-air-charter-safety- foundation Back to Top Federal Auditor To Investigate FAA's Safety Oversight of Southwest Airlines Skift Take The Department of Transportation's inspector general has several ongoing audits trying to measure the effectiveness of the Federal Aviation Administration. That's probably a nuisance to the FAA, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. Oversight is important. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Inspector General's office said Wednesday it will investigate the effectiveness of the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight over Southwest Airlines, saying it had received a complaint about "alleged pilot training deficiencies," and other "operational issues" at the low- cost carrier. "Recent events have raised concerns about FAA's safety oversight, particularly for Southwest Airlines," Matthew E. Hampton, assistant inspector general for aviation audits, wrote in a letter announcing his plans for an audit that will begin later this month. "We are concerned whether FAA's oversight includes an assessment of the carrier's ability to identify hazards and analyze and mitigate risks," This is the latest in a series of audits Hampton has announced since May, all with the same goal - determining whether the FAA is up to the task as the nation's top aviation safety regulator. The audit comes two months after an engine on a Southwest Boeing 737 failed in flight, resulting in a passenger's death. It was the first U.S. airline passenger fatality in more than nine years, and Hampton referenced it in his two-page memo. "Preliminary reports indicate similarities with a previous engine incident that occurred on another Southwest Airlines aircraft during a 2016 flight, but it is unclear what actions the carrier took to manage the risk to prevent a future failure," he said. In a statement, Southwest said it has a "transparent and professional relationship" with the FAA, and noted the airline has a safety management system approved by the regulator "designed to help us manage and mitigate operational risks and execute safe operating programs and practices." However, the statement also said Southwest would embrace the audit's findings. "We are always seeking new ways to strengthen our practices, and any additional enhancements or oversights into our safety management system that result from this audit ... are welcome additions to our safety culture," it said. In its statement, the FAA said the agency welcomed the audit but defended its practices. "The FAA's oversight system is designed to identify potential risks before they become serious problems and ensure that corrective action is taken," the statement said. "The process is dynamic and requires that the FAA, and the airlines we oversee, constantly strive for safety improvements." COMPLAINT HOTLINE Hampton's letter does not include details about alleged Southwest safety lapses, nor did it say the source of the complaint to the government's safety hotline. Airline employees can complain anonymously if they are concerned about issues at their employer. Often, the complaints are legitimate. But sometimes they're not, said Brett Snyder, an airline industry analyst and blogger. Airlines with labor-management tensions may receive more hotline complaints than other carriers, he said. He noted Southwest has had rocky relations with its mechanics union for several years, and union leaders have repeatedly blasted management for not investing enough in maintenance. "It is clear that the hotline, by design, is something that doesn't require any sort of accountability," Snyder said. "Anyone can report something, and then it's up to the FAA to determine whether it is real, and whether it needs to be investigated. You never know what someone's motivation is." AUDIT SCHEDULE Hampton's office has a busy schedule of audits covering the FAA. On Monday, Hampton said his office would examine whether the FAA is doing enough to ensure airlines can safety evacuate an aircraft in an emergency, even as carriers cram more seats on each plane. Airlines must prove they can evacuate an aircraft in 90 seconds or less, but that can be challenging, especially as more travelers try to bring carry-on bags off the aircraft. "Stakeholders have raised concerns about the validity of the assumptions that drive FAA evacuation standards-and industry tests and simulations for certifying new aircraft-given that the standards have not been significantly updated since 1990," Hampton said. And last month, in a similar audit to the one announced Wednesday, Hampton said his office would investigate whether the FAA has been properly monitoring aircraft maintenance procedures at Allegiant Air and American Airlines. That audit was announced just after a CBS 60 Minutes report detailed safety lapses at Allegiant. (An American spokesman said the airline did not know why it was included, saying it was "shocked" by the inspector general's decision.) "When 60 Minutes shines this light on the FAA and makes it look pretty terrible, I assume that's probably what kicked things into gear," Snyder said. "But I tend to think the FAA probably knows what is real and what is not." https://skift.com/2018/06/20/federal-auditor-to-investigate-faas-safety-oversight-of-southwest-airlines/ Back to Top Woman's Stun Gun Undetected at SFO and On Flight to LAX A San Francisco woman is worried about safety at the airport after she says she accidentally left a weapon in her purse, and security officers missed it during the screening. Ashley Montgomery says she and the weapon, a stun gun, made it all the way to Los Angeles from San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday completely undetected. The Transportation Security Administration has strict rules when it comes to what travelers can and cannot bring on an airplane, so she's wondering how she was able to get a stun gun past security and on a flight. Montgomery even recorded video on her cellphone to show just how close her first class seat was to the pilots in the cockpit. "I normally don't carry it on a regular basis, so I had it in my purse and had totally forgotten to take it out," Montgomery said. "It concerns me that I was able to get through with that and that someone else could get through with something else worse." Montgomery said she didn't discover the weapon in her purse until she was aboard her flight. She had reached into her purse to get her phone charger and felt the stun gun. "This is the part that would shock you: The top part here is the button that you press, and this turns it on," Montgomery explained while displaying the stun gun. "And then the bottom has these very sharp, jagged edges; if you had to use it, it's something ... you could stab somebody with it." Montgomery said she decided not to tell anybody on the flight about it, but she found it unsettling that she was able to keep it to herself. "I didn't have any mis-intentions of bringing it on or using it, so I didn't want to scare anybody," she said. "I don't know how it got missed, but it was very shocking to me." SFO contracts its security screening to a private company called Covenant, which screens passengers under the authority of the TSA. So the TSA says the missed stun gun is Covenant's fault. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Womans-Stun-Gun-Undetected-at-SFO-and-On-Flight-to-LAX- 486080481.html Back to Top Bombardier to sell 20 aircraft to Delta Air Lines June 20 (Reuters) - Canadian plane and train maker Bombardier Inc said on Wednesday that Delta Air Lines Inc has signed a purchase agreement for 20 CRJ900 aircraft, in a deal valued at about $961 million. The airplanes, which Delta will take delivery in late 2018, will be the first to feature Bombardier's new Atmosphère cabin design, Bombardier said. (Reporting by Karan Nagarkatti in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta) https://www.reuters.com/article/bombardier-delta-air/bombardier-to-sell-20-aircraft-to-delta-air-lines- idUSL4N1TM3U3 Back to Top Allegiant Plans Aircraft Base in Tennessee, New Jobs and Future Growth KNOXVILLE, Tenn., June 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- State and local officials joined executives from Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) today as the company announced plans to establish a two- aircraft base at McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, Tennessee. As part of Allegiant's growth plans in Tennessee, the company plans to create up to 66 new, high-wage jobs in the area. "Over the past decade, Allegiant Air has provided low-fare nonstop flights to popular destinations from McGhee Tyson Airport," said Eddie Mannis, Chairman of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners. "They are continuing to support our region by selecting our airport as a base of operation, leading to more jobs and travel opportunities for the people of East Tennessee." The Las Vegas-based company is investing more than $50 million to establish its new base of operations, which will house two Airbus aircraft. The company, which focuses on linking travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class leisure destinations, plans to begin its base operations at McGhee Tyson Airport in October 2018. Knoxville is exactly what people declare it to be: a hidden gem. In this one, unique location, mountains meet music... art meets adventure... and culture meets cuisine. The pure walkability of downtown allows people to explore and discover vibrant murals, local music, historic sites, art museums, parks, greenways and more. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the country, seeing over 11.3 million visitors in 2017, and offers outdoor adventure abound as well as unparalleled breathtaking scenic beauty. Neighboring towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Sevier County, nestled at the doorstep of the Smoky Mountains each welcome guests year-round to the Smoky Mountain Vacation Area with their own unique, fun-filled family vacation experiences and charming personalities. Today, Allegiant serves 27 routes from five cities in the state of Tennessee, including flights from Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga and Tri-Cities. Of the routes, 22 are non-competitive, providing Tennesseans more nonstop options across the country. "Allegiant has already seen great success in the Knoxville/Great Smoky Mountains area, and establishing a permanent base affords the opportunity to embed even deeper into the community and contribute further to the local economy," said Keith Hansen, vice president of government affairs for Allegiant. "Having based aircraft and crews increases the efficiency of our operations and positions us for even more growth in the future, offering more access to and from the Great Smoky Mountains than ever before." Allegiant began operating at McGhee Tyson Airport in December 2006 and now offers eight nonstop routes to Las Vegas; Baltimore/Washington, D.C.; New York/Newark, New Jersey; and five cities in Florida: Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Tampa/St. Pete, Punta Gorda/Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando/Sanford. Knoxville will become the airline's 15th aircraft base, which will allow Allegiant to expand its service to and from Knoxville, offer more new nonstop routes in the future, increase the airport's existing 21 nonstops and further connect Knoxville businesses, residents and visitors to destinations around the world. Allegiant, which employs more than 4,000 team members across the U.S., plans to immediately begin hiring pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and ground personnel to support the operations. Positions are expected to offer average salaries more than 85 percent above the state's average wage. Interested applicants may apply online. "It is through strong community partnerships and the attractiveness of our region's tourism market that our airport is able to recruit opportunities like the one announced today," said Mannis. "We appreciate the support of our region's economic development and tourism organizations." The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority supports the project in partnership with the Competitive Airfare Partnership, the Blount Partnership, Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Council, Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, Sevier County Tourism Department, the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, and the Tennessee Department of Tourism. About Allegiant® Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is focused on linking travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class leisure destinations. The airline offers industry-low fares on an all-jet fleet while also offering other travel-related products such as hotel rooms and rental cars. All can be purchased only through the company website, Allegiant.com. Beginning with one aircraft and one route in 1999, the company has grown to more than 80 aircraft and 300 routes across the country with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. For downloadable press kit, including photos, visit http://gofly.us/iiFa303wrtF. Media Contacts: Allegiant - 702.800.2020 or medarelations@allegiantair.com Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority - Becky Huckaby 865.342.3014 or bhuckaby@tys.org SOURCE Allegiant Related Links http://Allegiant.com https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allegiant-plans-aircraft-base-in-tennessee-new-jobs-and-future-growth-300669619.html Back to Top Augmented reality helps build aircraft tanks Through ambient markers on the tank the AR glasses know where the tank is and how large it is, allowing them to project a 3-D model. Credit: Markus Breig, KIT Walking through an unfamiliar city, getting directions or simulations of buildings that no longer exist - augmented reality is where virtual content and the real world come together. Scientists at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are developing an assistance system based on this technology which supports engineers in building and maintaining aircraft tanks. The system is currently being tested in industry. In augmented reality applications (AR), a tablet, smartphone or special video glasses, also called a head- mounted display, provide additional information on reality. On the display, virtual content is mixed with the real world. One of the best-known AR applications is the game of Pokémon GO, a virtual hunt for virtual beings which "emerge" in all kinds of real-world locations. But the technology is gaining more and more in importance also in industry: "We are developing software that helps us build and maintain aircraft tanks. It aims to increase the flexibility of the employees, accelerate the workflow, and connect and optimize processes," says Christian Tesch from the Institute of Anthropomatics and Robotics at KIT, Chair of Intelligent Sensor-Actuator-Systems (ISAS, headed by Prof. Uwe D. Hanebeck). Many commercial aircraft are at first not equipped for long flights and their fuel tanks are too small. So that they can still travel long distances, additional tanks are required which have to be maintained on a regular basis. To do that, so far engineers have had to climb into the tanks through a small opening. Often, however, they need both hands for assembling components, and new workers in particular also need instructions at the same time. "The augmented reality glasses - at the moment we are using the HoloLens from Microsoft - display the work to be done in the engineers' field of vision, who then have their hands free to install or repair components," says Tesch. The glasses are equipped with cameras. Users scan special markers on the tank in advance using the cameras, which communicate the exact location and the size of the tank to the glasses. A transparent 3-D computer model from the inside of the tank is then projected onto the "real" tank; this means that engineers can also look into the closed tank from outside, understand the structure in detail, and get step-by-step instructions on how to install a pipe, for instance. What's more, with the help of markings on the ground, the glasses show where to find the required components in the warehouse, the location of which the glasses also recognize thanks to markers that the system has already learned. "We connect the actual work on the tank with locating objects which helps us create an overall concept," says Tesch. Augmented reality helps build aircraft tanks The display in the glasses shows the engineer exact positions and work stages. Credit: Markus Breig, KIT) All calculations required for this concept take place directly in the glasses. Additional information about the tank condition, the work progress or the component stock can be supplied through an external database so that users are always up-to-date. They can operate the AR glasses using gesture and voice control. Researchers are not only developing the system for AR glasses: "Many people today have a smartphone or a tablet; these devices have also found their way into day-to-day work. That's why our software will also work with standard smartphones," says Dr. Antonio Zea who is in charge of developing the software for mobile devices at the Institute of Anthropomatics and Robotics. In the next few years, the hardware for AR applications will probably also continue to be enhanced; AR glasses could get smaller and more affordable, making them even more versatile. https://phys.org/news/2018-06-augmented-reality-aircraft-tanks.html#jCp Back to Top Catch a Ride to the Alaska Range with These Female Pilots If you want to ski outside of Talkeetna, Alaska, chances are your pilot could be one of these rad woman. Alaska is full of surprises. Bipolar weather swings are typically the biggest shocker in the 49th state, followed by chance animal encounters, massive seracs calving onto glacier valley floors, and sunset infernos that make you stop and wonder what planet you're on. Other surprises hit as soon as you return from a few days or weeks of camping, mountaineering, and skiing around Denali National Park when you've long since forgotten how bad you smell. At this point, you don't notice the food stains all over your ski pants, and your sun- and wind-chapped lips have become the leathery norm. Before your air taxi even touches down, you're thinking about the impending burger at Denali Brewing Company, a shower, and a fresh pair of undies. So the last thing you might expect to see is a beautiful, fair-skinned woman in a black tank top and jeans, sauntering across the tarmac in Xtratuf boots with a goddess-like aura, hair blowing in the breeze as she flashes you a warm smile, maybe even a little wave. Then she climbs into the cockpit of a De Havilland Beaver, fires up the engine, and takes off into the sky. It may seem like a divine mirage. But in truth, that could be any one of a handful of badass lady bush pilots in Talkeetna who fly skiers, climbers, flight-seers, or flight students around the vast, open expanse of Alaskan wilderness. Even in the male-dominated world of aviation, female bush pilots are more ubiquitous in Alaska than you might think. Many grew up there with pilot fathers, while others were drawn to the wildness and sense of truth that comes with living a simple life in a rugged environment, where long, dark winters give way to summer bugs and rainstorms. This kind of authentic living attracts the bona fide soul and the fact that inspiring women gravitate here should really be no surprise at all. If you find your own soul drawn to this righteous haven, here are five pilots you might see around: Holly Sheldon Lee Female pilots Alaska Holly Sheldon. Photo: Courtesy of Zach Sheldon Hometown: Talkeetna, AK Age: 52 By age 6, Holly's father, legendary Alaskan bush pilot pioneer Don Sheldon, had her legs tied to the floor of his Super Cub with seatbelts. He'd open the side door and bank the plane for Holly to drop supply caches to off-grid cabins. In high school, Holly washed airplanes and traded other labor for flight time, eventually earning an Aviation Technology degree, followed by her private pilot certificate, instrument rating, and then her commercial pilot certificate by 32. In 2010, she and her husband, David Lee (also a legendary Alaskan bush pilot), started Sheldon Air Service, the last family air service that serves climbers to the Alaska Range. "Flying is the thing that keeps me most grounded," she puns, "but I ended up running the business and continuing the Sheldon legacy that way." As sort of the Talkeetna Fairy Godmother, Holly used to airdrop ice cream and lemon drops down to Denali climbers and still welcomes their return with warm cookies. Leighan Falley Female pilots Alaska Leighan Falley secretly earned her pilot's license at age 24. Photo: Courtesy of Leighan Falley Hometown: Fairbanks, AK Age: 37 Falley worked as a Denali guide for nine years and a heli ski guide in Valdez before she became pregnant with her first daughter, Skye. "I used to look at the planes from the Alaska Range and thought flying would be a nice day job when I didn't feel like being a guide anymore," she says. Having secretly earned her pilot's license at age 24 without telling her cargo jet pilot father, she got her commercial license when Skye was 3 months old. Now she flies glacier planes, including the Turbo Otter, a powerful 19-passenger workhorse that's good for getting out of deep snow and up high quickly, even on short runways. "Pilots up here can go ski powder after work and get back home to their warm bed and family and nice food," she says. "Some people were lucky enough to be born into their own perfect paradise and I think I'm one of them." Danial Doty Female pilots Alaska Danial Doty has been flying planes since she was a child. Photo: Courtesy of Talkeetna Air Taxi Hometown: Lakewood, CO Age: 49 Doty can't remember a time when she didn't want to be a pilot. She was taking off and landing planes by age 11 and got her license the year she graduated high school in Colorado. In 2001, she flew her own plane up to Talkeetna, camped next to the runway until she got a job, and never left. She can operate just about anything with an engine, including helicopters and a Baldwin 406 steam locomotive, and she can fix them all, too, as Talkeetna Air Taxi's Chief Pilot and Head Mechanic. "I often just think, 'God, I can't believe this is my life,'" says the mother of a 3-year-old. "Especially in spring. Sometimes we'll run airplane shuttles with four pilots. Three of us will get dropped off on a small pocket glacier, ski down to the bottom, and a different pilot will run everyone else back up as we rotate runs with all pilots skiing together." Brooke Roman Female pilots Alaska Originally from the Midwest, Brooke Roman says Alaska "woke me up to the dreams I never knew I had." Photo: Courtesy of Leonardo Correa Luna Hometown: Nixa, Missouri Age: 26 As a junior in Kansas State University's Aviation program, Roman was on track to be an airline pilot until she learned of the Seaplane Pilots Association's scholarship at an air show. She applied on the back of some scratch paper, got it, and chose to complete her training in Alaska. "It woke me up to dreams I never knew I had," she says. Within three years, she was the Chief Flight Instructor at a local operation in Talkeetna, teaching float and ski glacier landings. Not all of her students are keen on taking instruction from a young female. "I may be soft-spoken, but if you think you can do something better than me because of your gender, I'm going to put you in your place," she says. The military had no problem recruiting her to fly drones for the Department of Defense, a job that would pay over four times what she was making. "I went down there to check it out and realized I just wasn't ready to leave Alaska," she says. "Now I know I'll never be ready to leave." Emma Apitsch Female pilots Alaska Emma Apitzsch was flying planes in Alaska by the time she was 16. Photo: Courtesy of Emma Apitzsch Hometown: Centerville, Texas; Talkeetna, AK Age: 18 Apitsch grew up homesteading in Texas with a bunch of animals and a giant garden, but by the time her family moved to Talkeetna when she was 14, she was already gung-ho on learning to fly and fix airplanes. By 16, she was flying. "When it occurred to me that normal people like myself could crawl into airplanes and go wherever they wanted, see things that are impossible to see otherwise and come back with a new experience every time, I knew this was it," she says. "I took my first lesson and fell in love." She's currently studying to become a certified aircraft mechanic at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks and can't wait to move back to Talkeetna. "It's a very accepting town and the people want nothing more than to help and see you succeed," she says. "It's my second family and the women definitely have a special bond." https://www.adventuresportsnetwork.com/sport/skiing/catch-a-ride-to-the-alaska-range-with-one-of- these-five-female-pilots/ Back to Top Why U.S. Regional Airlines May Not Be Able to Fly Embraer's Newest Jet Skift Take In three years, Embraer will be able to deliver new regional jets to U.S. airlines that could significantly reduce their fuel bill. But U.S. airlines may not be able to take them because of restrictions in collective bargaining agreements with pilots. It's easy to blame pilots for their stance. But they have leverage. Why shouldn't they use it? Within three years, a popular aircraft manufacturer will produce an updated version of a workhorse North American jet that's more fuel efficient, quieter and passenger friendly than today's model. Yet, no U.S. airline is expected to fly it, at least at first. The aircraft is the Embraer 175, and most regular travelers in the United States have probably flown on one. Usually configured with 76 seats, the jets are branded as American Eagle, United Express, Delta Connection and Alaska Airlines, but they're operated by separate, regional airlines, who pay pilots and flight attendants less than major carriers. That's important because the airplanes are more expensive to operate, on a per-seat basis, than a typical Airbus or Boeing jet. Interested in more stories like this? Subscribe to the Skift Airline Innovation Report to stay up-to-date on the business of airline innovation. Unlike a competitor made by Bombardier, the CRJ900, these regional aircraft feel like a much bigger airplane, with roomy overhead bins and high ceilings. Major airlines often use them to shuttle passengers from midsize cities into their hubs, though they're sometimes dispatched on popular business routes, such as Chicago to New York, where business travelers demand frequency but airlines don't need that many seats. After American Airlines said it would add 15 last month, bringing its fleet to 89 by next year, Embraer said it had sold more than 400 E175s to North American airlines since 2013, representing more than 80 percent of all orders for 76-seat jets. With fuel prices rising, regional U.S. airlines would seem like excellent candidates for the next-generation jet, called the E175 E2. But they're not, not because they don't want them, but because they can't fly them for major airlines. Most big airlines have collective bargaining contracts with pilots that bar regional airlines from flying them. This is the case even though the jet is nearly identical to its predecessor, just with more advanced (and heavier) engines. This restriction is a problem, as it means regional U.S. airlines may not be able to capitalize on advances in aircraft technology without help from labor. "It should offer the best costs ever for its size class," said Richard Aboulafia, vice president for analysis at Teal Group Corp. "It has new engines and the latest and best aerodynamics." PROTECTING JOBS Big airline unions often eye the E175 warily, and many have contractual protections to ensure major carriers don't rely too heavily on them, taking jobs from pilots who fly larger jets at higher wages. Seat count has always been a concern. While E175s can fit more seats, they're usually capped at 76, so most have big first class cabins. Moreover, some union contracts limit on how many of the jets the big airlines can fly. But the problem with the E175 isn't seat counts or fleet caps. Instead, it's maximum takeoff weight. Major airline pilot union contracts usually restrict the maximum takeoff weight of jets flown by regional airlines. And the E2, with a maximum takeoff weight of about 99,000 pounds, is considerably bulkier than the current generation airplane and about 13,000 pounds heavier than is generally permitted. Weight is an outdated way to measure what is a regional aircraft, Arjan Meijer, chief commercial officer for Embraer Commercial Aviation, said in an interview earlier this month in Sydney. He called it a "paper limitation" selected years ago, before anyone had thought about an updated E175 with new Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines. "Even though we can now deliver an aircraft which is more efficient, more economical and also better for the environment and with no change in the number of seats, we can't deliver it to the American regionals because there's an limitation on max takeoff weight," Meijer said. NO SOLUTION For years, both Embraer and Mitsubishi, a competitor with a similar problem, argued major airlines would renegotiate contracts with pilot unions to remove the takeoff weight clause. Meijer said Embraer is still optimistic, but it's not clear anything will change soon. Every airline is different, but for the most part, pilots finally have leverage with management, and they seem to have little interest in giving up protections. "You would think there would be an easy place for compromise between unions and management, but historically it has been very hard," Aboulafia said. In an email, American Airlines pilot union spokesman Gregg Overman said if American wants next- generation E175s, it can buy them for its own operation, rather than assign them to a regional airline. (An American spokesman declined to comment.) "It can be flown today by mainline pilots here," Overman said. "The Allied Pilots Association has no intention of relaxing the scope language in our contract." There's little chance of that happening, considering American is jettisoning its current generation Embraer E190s - a larger version of the E175 - next year because it doesn't need a 100-seat aircraft under a mainline cost structure. UNUSUAL APPROACH TO MAINTAIN SHARE Manufacturers generally don't like producing two aircraft at once. But after 2021, Embraer plans to produce both old and new models, as the United States is too important of a market to walk away from. This will help regional airlines like SkyWest, which operates E175s for United, Delta and Alaska. Five years ago, SkyWest placed an order for 100 E175 E2s, and while the order is still on the books, the airline will take older models if necessary, spokeswoman Marissa Snow said. "We announced an agreement with Embraer for the E2 back in 2013, pending major partner flying agreements," she said. "The objective is to maintain fleet flexibility and our ability to respond to partner needs, and we are well positioned to do so as necessary." Still, Meijer said he is hopeful that once the aircraft is available, something will change. "I think from from a rational perspective, we should only allow these aircraft to come to the market because it's better for fuel burn," he said. "It's better for the environment. And from our collective responsibility, we should be able to bring that aircraft into the market." Embraer is also trying to sell outside the United States. Generally, regional jets have not sold as well elsewhere, with airlines on other continents preferring larger jets, including the Embraer E190 and E195, which seat about 100 passengers. While non-U.S. airlines also contract with regional airlines to provide service on smaller aircraft, nowhere is the scope of the operation as large as in North America. Nonetheless, Meijer said it is possible airlines in Asia, Europe and elsewhere will want the newest E175, in addition to updated versions of the E190 and E195. The E190-E2 is already flying for Widerøe, a Norwegian airline. "Whatever happens in the U.S., there's also demand for the segment elsewhere in the world," Meijer said. Embraer may soon have a major ally its effort to sell more jets. The manufacturer is reportedly in the final stages of negotiating a joint venture with Boeing that could help Embraer reduce its costs and improve its market position. If the deal happens, the two companies would combine their marketing, manufacturing and engineering teams for commericial aircraft, with Boeing taking the lead. https://skift.com/2018/06/20/why-u-s-regional-airlines-may-not-be-able-to-fly-embraers-newest-jet/ Back to Top China appears to be preparing to deorbit its Tiangong-2 space lab Rendering of a Shenzhou spacecraft (left) docked with a Tiangong module (fore). Credit: CMSE. HELSINKI, Finland - China has lowered the orbit of its Tiangong-2 space lab, likely in preparation for deorbiting the orbital facility and thus averting a similar scenario to the uncontrolled re-entry of Tiangong-1 earlier this year. Tiangong-2 was launched in September 2016 to test advanced life support and refueling and resupply capabilities via the crewed Shenzhou-11 and uncrewed Tianzhou-1 cargo missions, in preparation for constructing a large, modular space station in low Earth orbit. Orbital information published by the U.S. Strategic Command's Joint Force Space Component Command, through the Joint Space Operations Center, indicates that Tiangong-2 has moved from an altitude of around 380 by 386 kilometers down to 292 by 297 kilometers. No announcement regarding the status of the Tiangong-2 space lab has been made. The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSE), which manages China's human spaceflight and space station related missions, did not respond to a SpaceNews request for comment. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told SpaceNews that, "it seems likely that the lowering of Tiangong-2's orbit is the first step in safely disposing of it." McDowell says the orbit of Tiangong-2 was most likely lowered through two burns early June 13. Tiangong-2 is a more advanced version of the Tiangong-1 space lab launched in 2011. Both were designed as stepping stones for developing and verifying technologies for larger 20-metric-ton modules for the planned Chinese Space Station, a long-term ambition laid out in 1992. Phil Clark, a long-time observer of China's space activities and author of numerous articles for the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, has been tracking Tiangong-2's orbit since launch. He noted a recent relative absence of burns to raise its orbit, which has been followed by last week's activity. "In part China doesn't want a repeat of Tiangong-1 going rogue," Clark told SpaceNews. Tiangong-1 suffered an anomaly in early 2016, apparently ending contact with the ground. Atmospheric drag saw the spacecraft's orbit gradually decay, with a high-profile uncontrolled re-entry eventually occurring April 2. Most of the space lab burned up, with remaining debris landing in the Pacific Ocean. Clark adds that the missions have already demonstrated that Tiangong modules and Tianzhou cargo can operate in orbit for requisite periods of time. There is currently no indication of what the next move will be or when it could come. From Tiangong to space station The 8.6-metric-ton Tiangong-2 spacecraft is 10.4 meters long with a maximum width of 3.35 meters. In late 2016 Tiangong-2 docked with Shenzhou-11 and hosted two astronauts for 30 days in what was China's longest human spaceflight mission so far. It was visited by the Tianzhou-1 cargo spacecraft in 2017 to test and verify refuelling capabilities in microgravity - a capability crucial to China's plans to maintain a future space station in low Earth orbit. It also carried a range of science payloads. POLAR, a gamma-ray burst detector developed by an international collaboration including Swiss, Chinese and Polish institutes, stopped functioning fully April 1, 2017 due to power failure. According to principal investigator Nicolas Produit, the astroparticle experiment collected excellent data during six months of operations, with science results to be published shortly. China is aiming to launch the first module of the space station proper, named Tianhe, around 2020. This mission first requires the nominal return-to-flight of the heavy lift Long March 5 launch vehicle late this year after a failure last July, followed by a successful debut of the Long March 5B, a variant used for low Earth orbit launches, in mid-2019. The 60-100-metric-ton Chinese Space Station is expected to be completed with the addition of two experiment modules around 2022 and will be capable of hosting three astronauts for long durations and up to six during crew turnover. It will be joined by a co-orbiting Hubble-class space telescope that can dock for propellant supply, maintenance and repairs. http://spacenews.com/china-appears-to-be-preparing-to-deorbit-its-tiangong-2-space-lab/ Back to Top Spots are filling up fast for IEEE's first-ever Try Engineering Summer Camp. Don't miss out on registering your 12-17 year old for this unique experience! During the two-week session, students will learn how to think like engineers while building critical analytical, communications and collaboration skills, all while getting a taste of college life, exploring potential career paths, meeting new friends and having FUN! Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, New York, NY * Session 1 (July 1 to July 14) * Session 2 (July 17 to July 28) Get all the details, including tuition fees, at tryengineeringcamps.ieee.org. IEEE family and friends qualify for discounted tuition. Don't wait! Register your student today, before all our camper slots are filled! Back to Top SUMMER MEETING OF ISASI's PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL CHAPTER (PNRC) WHEN: Wednesday, June 27th, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. WHERE: The Museum of Flight - Lockwood Boardroom, 2nd Floor Use elevator behind Admission Desk LUNCH: Purchase lunch at Museum's Cafe and bring it to the Lockwood Boardroom Museum admission is not required to access the Lobby, Cafe or Boardroom We have an outstanding program planned featuring Mr. Richard Anderson, Boeing's Senior Accident Investigator, with 20+ years of experience in accident investigation and industry involvement in accident prevention, probable cause and advanced investigative techniques. Richard is particularly well versed on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 on 8 March 2014. Hear about the latest theories and ask questions of Boeing's lead investigator on the case. Richard will also provide an interesting 'year in review' as it involves incidents / accidents throughout the world. The program will also include: PNRC Secretary-Treasurer's report on the state of our Chapter - and an opportunity to solicit interest in filling the President's position going forward. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 27th for an excellent program! If you are not presently a MOF member, free admission can be arranged, allowing time to visit the Museum after the meeting. Please RSVP on your being able to attend. John W. Purvis Acting President ISASI Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter jwpurvis@earthlink.net Back to Top 64th Air Safety Forum - Join Us! safetyforum.alpa.org July 30 - August 2, 2018 | Washington, DC CONFIRMED KEYNOTES INCLUDE * Senator Tammy Duckworth * Capt. Tim Canoll - President, Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l * The Honorable Dan Elwell - Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration * The Honorable Howard "Skip" Elliott - Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) * Mr. Paul Rinaldi - President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association PANELS INCLUDE(visit safetyforum.alpa.org for panel descriptions) * Fire In The Hold: Anticipating/Preventing Fires from Passenger Checked Baggage * Meet the Doctors * Pilot Peer Support: The Next Phase In ALPA's Approach to Pilot Wellness * Disruptive Passengers: Keeping Problems Off the Airplane * Data Mining for Safer Skies * Flight Deck Access in the Post 9/11 Age * Pilots & Controllers -- Managing Change in an Evolving NAS AGENDA AT A GLANCE (visit safetyforum.alpa.org for agenda details) MONDAY, JULY 30 (all Monday sessions are invite only) 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. General Session (Open only to ALPA Members) 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. ASO Workshops, Council Meetings, Trainings, Jumpseat Forum & Aviation Security Forum TUESDAY, JULY 31 (all Tuesday sessions are invite only) 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. - ASO Workshops, Council Meetings, Trainings, Jumpseat Forum & Aviation Security Forum WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. - Jumpseat Council Meeting (ALPA members only) 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Ask Your ASO (ALPA members only) 12:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Air Safety Forum (open to the public) THURSDAY, AUGUST 2 (open to the public) 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Air Safety Forum 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - ALPA Air Safety Forum Awards Reception 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. - ALPA Air Safety Forum Awards Banquet THANK YOU SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS! Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities available. Email airsafetyforum@alpa.org for more information. 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 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