Flight Safety Information July 24, 2018 - No. 148 In This Issue Incident: LATAM Brazil A359 near Brasilia on Jul 23rd 2018, fuel leak detection system failure Incident: Wisconsin CRJ2 near Burlington on Jul 22nd 2018, cabin pressure problems Incident: American B738 near Denver on Jul 20th 2018, loss of cabin pressure Incident: France B773 over Germany on Jul 23rd 2018, loss of communication Incident: American B773 at Buenos Aires on Jul 22nd 2018, cabin pressure problems LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. NTSB: Pilot of Citation CJ4 lost control after failing to notice that autopilot wasn't engaged All Denver International Airport flights temporarily suspended due to severe thunderstorm Royal Jordanian Listed Among the Top 20 Safest Airlines in the World Ministry conducts special probe into Asiana Airlines (South Korea) Ravn Selects Top Airline Operations, Safety, and Regulatory Expert to be New Senior Vice President of Flight Operations NTSB Uses 3D Models to Investigate Incident Dean International Flight School in Miami-Dade Closing Following Fatal Crashes THE HEAD-SPINNING CHALLENGE OF TEACHING HELICOPTERS TO FLY THEMSELVES FAA Clarifies Federal Authority Over Drone Rulemaking California Man Pleads to Unlawfully Selling Aviation Data JetBlue's First Female President Wants More Diversity and Higher Profits Vocational courses prepare students for take-off in Hong Kong's aviation industry Boeing foresees a doubling in demand for pilots by 2037, and works on ways to fill it ISASI 2018 2018 CHC SAFETY & QUALITY SUMMIT October 2nd - 4th, 2018 PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - New Online Course - Fall 2018 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 Today's Photo ADVERTISE WITH FLIGHT SAFETY INFORMATION Back to Top Incident: LATAM Brazil A359 near Brasilia on Jul 23rd 2018, fuel leak detection system failure A LATAM Airlines Brazil Airbus A350-900, registration PR-XTC performing flight JJ-8081 (dep Jul 22nd) from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil), was enroute at FL330 about 110nm northnorthwest of Brasilia,DF (Brazil) when the crew decided to divert to Brasilia reporting the failure of the fuel leak detection system. The aircraft landed safely on Brasilia's runway 11R about 35 minutes later. The aircraft, that had departed New York with a delay of 4 hours already, remained on the ground for about 2.5 hours, then continued the flight and reached Sao Paulo with a delay of 6 hours. The aircraft remained on the ground in Sao Paulo for 5 hours before departing for its next scheduled flight. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb7ff1b&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Wisconsin CRJ2 near Burlington on Jul 22nd 2018, cabin pressure problems An Air Wisconsin Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of United, registration N446AW performing flight ZW-4855/UA-4855 from Portland,ME to Washington Dulles,DC (USA) with 55 people on board, was climbing out of Portland when the crew stopped the climb at FL240 due to problems with the cabin pressure. The aircraft subsequently descended to 17,000 feet and finally 11,000 feet and diverted to Burlington,VT (USA) for a safe landing about one hour after departure. A replacement CRJ-200 registration N409AW reached Washington with a delay of 6.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Burlington about 23 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL4855/history/20180722/1850Z/KPWM/KIAD http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb7fc6d&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: American B738 near Denver on Jul 20th 2018, loss of cabin pressure An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N306NY performing flight AA-2615 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Belgrade,MT (USA), was enroute at FL360 about 150nm southeast of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew initiated an emergency descent to FL190 due to the loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft diverted to Denver for a safe landing about 30 minutes later. The FAA reported the passenger oxygen masks were not released. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N920AN reached Belgrade with a delay of 5 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL2615/history/20180720/1355Z/KDFW/KBZN http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb7f81c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: France B773 over Germany on Jul 23rd 2018, loss of communication An Air France Boeing 777-300, registration F-GSQE performing flight AF-267 from Seoul (South Korea) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was enroute at FL360 being handed off from Polish to German Air Traffic Control near Szczecin (Poland) when radio communication with the aircraft was lost. Germany dispatched a pair of Eurofighters to intercept the aircraft at supersonic speed, radio communication with AF-267 was re-established prior to the Eurofighters reaching the Boeing. The Eurofighters continued and established visual and radio contact with the Boeing before returning to their base. The Boeing continued to Paris for a safe landing without further incident. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb7d790&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: American B773 at Buenos Aires on Jul 22nd 2018, cabin pressure problems An American Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration N736AT performing flight AA-900 from Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA (Argentina) to Miami,FL (USA), was climbing through about FL110 out of Buenos Aires when the crew received indication of a problem by the cabin pressurization controllers and descended the aircraft back to FL100. After working the checklists the crew decided to return to Buenos Aires, descended the aircraft further, dumped fuel and landed safely back on Buenos Aires' runway 11 about 80 minutes after departure. The flight is currently making headlines in Argentina because one of the passengers was the head of the International Monetary Fund who was returning to her office after talks with Argentina's government. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb7d1c9&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top NTSB: Pilot of Citation CJ4 lost control after failing to notice that autopilot wasn't engaged Status: Final Date: Thursday 29 December 2016 Time: 22:57 Type: Cessna 525C Citation CJ4 Operator: Superior Beverage Group Registration: N614SB C/n / msn: 525C-0072 First flight: 2012 Total airframe hrs: 861 Engines: 2 Williams International FJ44-4A Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Passengers: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Total: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 3 km (1.9 mls) N off Cleveland-Burke Lakefront Airport, OH (BKL) ( United States of America) Phase: Initial climb (ICL) Nature: Private Departure airport: Cleveland-Burke Lakefront Airport, OH (BKL/KBKL), United States of America Destination airport: Columbus-Ohio State University Airport, OH (OSU/KOSU), United States of America Narrative: A Cessna 525C Citation CJ4 corporate jet, registered to Maverick Air and operated on behalf of the Superior Beverage Group, impacted the waters of Lake Erie shortly after takeoff from Cleveland-Burke Lakefront Airport, Ohio, USA. The pilot and passengers departed Columbus-Ohio State University Airport, Ohio, USA about 17:30 and arrived at Cleveland-Burke Lakefront Airport about 18:00. The pilot and passengers attended a local sporting event before returning to the airport about 22:30. At 22:55 the pilot was cleared for takeoff from runway 24R and the controller instructed him to turn right to a heading of 330 degrees and maintain 2,000 feet msl after departure. The pilot acknowledged the clearance. At 22:56:33, the engine power increased for takeoff, and 15 seconds later the airplane became airborne. The airplane entered a right turn shortly after takeoff and proceeded out over a large lake. Dark night visual conditions prevailed at the airport; however, the airplane entered instrument conditions shortly after takeoff. The airplane climb rate exceeded 6,000 fpm during the initial climb and it subsequently continued through the assigned altitude of 2,000 ft mean sea level. The flight director provided alerts before the airplane reached the assigned altitude and again after it had passed through it. The bank angle increased to about 62 degrees and the pitch attitude decreased to about 15 degrees nose down, as the airplane continued through the assigned heading. The bank angle ultimately decreased to about 25 degrees. During the subsequent descent, the airspeed and descent rate reached about 300 knots and 6,000 fpm, respectively. The enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) provided both "bank angle" and "sink rate" alerts to the pilot, followed by seven "pull up" warnings. The aircraft impacted the water at 22:57:58. The Coast Guard reported it suspended the search for possible survivors on December 31. Divers retrieved the cockpit voice recorder and pieces of debris on January 6, 2017. A postaccident examination of the recovered wreckage did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. It is likely that the pilot attempted to engage the autopilot after takeoff as he had been trained. However, based on the flight profile, the autopilot was not engaged. This implied that the pilot failed to confirm autopilot engagement via an indication on the primary flight display (PFD). The PFD annunciation was the only indication of autopilot engagement. Inadequate flight instrument scanning during this time of elevated workload resulted in the pilot allowing the airplane to climb through the assigned altitude, to develop an overly steep bank angle, to continue through the assigned heading, and to ultimately enter a rapid descent without effective corrective action. A belief that the autopilot was engaged may have contributed to his lack of attention. It is also possible that differences between the avionics panel layout on the accident airplane and the airplane he previously flew resulted in mode confusion and contributed to his failure to engage the autopilot. The lack of proximal feedback on the flight guidance panel might have contributed to his failure to notice that the autopilot was not engaged. The pilot likely experienced some level of spatial disorientation due to the dark night lighting conditions, the lack of visual references over the lake, and the encounter with instrument meteorological conditions. It is possible that once the pilot became disoriented, the negative learning transfer due to the differences between the attitude indicator display on the accident airplane and the airplane previously flown by the pilot may have hindered his ability to properly apply corrective control inputs. Available information indicated that the pilot had been awake for nearly 17 hours at the time of the accident. As a result, the pilot was likely fatigued which hindered his ability to manage the high workload environment, maintain an effective instrument scan, provide prompt and accurate control inputs, and to respond to multiple bank angle and descent rate warnings. Probable Cause: PROBABLE CAUSE: "Controlled flight into terrain due to pilot spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was pilot fatigue, mode confusion related to the status of the autopilot, and negative learning transfer due to flight guidance panel and attitude indicator differences from the pilot's previous flight experience." https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20161229-0 Back to Top All Denver International Airport flights temporarily suspended due to severe thunderstorm • Some incoming flights have been diverted to other cities All arriving and departing flights at Denver International Airport were temporarily suspended Monday afternoon because of a severe thunderstorm. The air traffic shutdown happened at about 3:45 p.m., said Emily Williams, a DIA spokeswoman. The extreme measure were implemented out of safety concerns, Williams said. The hold on arriving and departing flights was lifted at about 5:15 p.m., according to authorities. This photo from Jake Asner shows lightning appearing to strike a Southwest plane at @DENAirport. The airport is on a full ground stop due to weather.http://bit.ly/2uJB2uW Some flights were diverted to other cities. People using the airport this evening should call to check on the status of flights. At about 7 p.m., total flight delays in Denver were at 590, according to FlightAware.com. DIA typically has about 1,500 flights daily. On Monday, 91 flights at DIA were canceled, mostly due to the sever weather and the shut down. Airport officials described the storm as an isolated incident and expected the airport to be back to normal Tuesday morning. https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/23/dia-traffic-grounded-by-weather/\ Back to Top Royal Jordanian Listed Among the Top 20 Safest Airlines in the World Royal Jordanian has been constantly awarded the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) and the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA).Royal Jordanian has been constantly awarded the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) and the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA). Royal Jordanian is listed one of the top 20 safest airlines in the world, according to the annual list of the world's safest airlines released by AirlineRatings.com, the Australia-based aviation analysis website. The safety-rating system of this list was developed with the help of the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The top 20 safest carriers were selected from a pool of 409 airlines based on their compliance with international regulators, the age of their fleet of aircraft, fatality record over the past 10 years, their results from IATA's safety audits and whether their countries of origin conform with ICAO's safety parameter. The listing was done in alphabetical order; no winner was selected among the 20 airlines which were Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, Eva Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia. Royal Jordanian has been constantly awarded the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) and the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA), which is carried out at the airline outstations by the civil aviation authorities of the countries where the airline operates. Additionally, Jordan's Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) conducts regular audits of Royal Jordanian operations and flights to ensure they are in full compliance with local and international requirements, in addition to the internal audits carried out by the airline itself. RJ's President/CEO Stefan Pichler said: "We are proud to be rated among the 20 safest air carriers in the whole world. We strictly abide by international rules and regulations of air and ground safety. We also make sure to maintain our high international position, and continue service improvement to increase RJ's competitiveness in the market." This global rating of Royal Jordanian reflects the company's operational effectiveness, its functioning with the highest degree of air safety and its adherence to international practices, which ensure that it offers a distinguished level of air and ground safety, Pichler added. He noted that RJ regularly develops technology, renovates its fleet of aircraft, and works on developing the capacity of the staff and flight crew through extensive training sessions in Jordan and overseas. https://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/royal-jordanian-listed-among-top-20-safest-airlines-world-1163690 Back to Top Ministry conducts special probe into Asiana Airlines (South Korea) The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said that it is looking into Asiana Airlines after over 60 flights were delayed from their original schedule since earlier this month. It has been speculated that the company is suffering from a lack of maintenance staff and budget for repair. According to Asiana Airlines, the departures of some 60 flights were delayed for at least one hour since July 15. The company said the delays were due to normal airplane maintenance prior to takeoff, but some staff said there is a lack of maintenance personnel. (Asiana Airlines) On Monday, six domestic flights were canceled at Gimpo Airport as of 6 a.m. To take a close look at Asiana's handling of maintenance personnel, ministry officials said 10 investigators will be dispatched to the airport to conduct a special investigation. "We will firstly find out whether there is a sufficient number of maintenance staff, and also check if Asiana has the intention to improve its management of spare maintenance parts and manuals on how to use it," said Kim Sang-do, a ministry official. The ministry added that it would investigate not only the number of maintenance staff but also their qualifications and experience. Meanwhile, Rep. Shin Chang-hyeon of the ruling Democratic Party on Tuesday revealed data on budget airlines' number of maintenance staff per plane. According to data, Air Seoul and Air Busan, budget airline brands operated by Asiana Airlines, had 3.5 and 8.7 maintenance staff per plane, respectively. Jin Air, Korean Air's low-cost carrier, had seven maintenance staff per plane. The figures are far below the ministry's recommendation of having 12 maintenance staff per plane, with strengthened criteria imposed on LCCs since 2016. Air carriers with inadequate maintenance personnel may receive penalties, but the ministry has not given any penalty so far. T'way, Eastar Air and Jeju Air were the only LCCs which met the ministry's requirement with 13.8, 13.4 and 12.6 maintenance staff, respectively. Earlier this month, the country's No. 2 full-service carrier was mired in a series of scandals including its poor management of inflight meals after a caterer failed to deliver food on time. Criticism has continued over Asiana, after a video clip showed Asiana cabin attendants singing a song in praise of Chairman Park Sam-koo. The company was also accused of having appointed a foreigner -- a close friend of Chairman Park -- to its board of directors from 2004 to 2010, which goes against Korean aviation law. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20180724000628 Back to Top Ravn Selects Top Airline Operations, Safety, and Regulatory Expert to be New Senior Vice President of Flight Operations ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dave Pflieger, President & CEO of Ravn Air Group ("Ravn"), Alaska's largest regional airline, today announced that Deke Abbott, an airline operations, safety, and regulatory expert, will be joining Ravn Air Group's new world-class leadership team. This final addition will complete the Ravn executive team reorganization that began under Mr. Pflieger's direction last September. "We are thrilled to have Deke join our airline," said President & CEO, Dave Pflieger. "Operating with a 'one Ravn' mindset, Deke will be responsible for Flight Operations across both Ravn Alaska and Ravn Connect. Under his leadership, we will continue to drive a strong safety and compliance culture, and take our company to even greater heights." An experienced airline pilot, flight instructor and regulator, Abbott joins Ravn from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), where over nearly the past decade, he was responsible for the operational oversight of FAR part 135 airlines as well as setting operating policy for the FAR part 121 carriers. Prior to joining Ravn, Deke was the acting FAA Deputy Regional Administrator for Alaska, based in Anchorage. Prior to that role, Abbott was the FAA's Manager of the Polaris Certificate Management Office (CMO), which is responsible for the direct oversight of all operational and maintenance aspects of seven different FAR Part 135 commercial carriers in the state of Alaska. Before his time in Alaska, Abbott also served as Branch Manager, AFS-220 in Washington D.C., responsible for setting operating policy for all FAR Part 121 airlines in the U.S. "Under Dave's leadership, I've been extremely impressed with Ravn's new "safety-first" focus and commitment to full compliance, transparency, and cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, FAA, and the NTSB, and the company's desire to far exceed all regulatory requirements," said Abbott. "I very much look forward to joining the company and continuing the great work being done to make Ravn the industry-leading airline serving our great state." "With Deke's experience at the FAA, and intimate knowledge of flying in this state, it's an enormous compliment and vote of confidence that he has chosen to join our company," Pflieger said. "His expertise and experience will further accelerate our safety and regulatory efforts, and our goal to be the safety leader in Alaska commercial aviation." About Deke Abbott A highly experienced airline Captain/Chief Pilot, flight instructor, and government manager, Deke joins Ravn from the FAA, where over nearly the last decade, he was responsible for operational oversight of Part 135 carriers and setting operating policies for U.S. Part 121 airlines. While at the FAA, Deke was the acting Deputy Regional Administrator for Alaska. Prior to that, among other assignments, Deke was the FAA's Manager of the Polaris Certificate Management Office (CMO), which is responsible for the direct oversight of seven different FAR Part 135 commercial carriers, including the largest FAR Part 135 commercial carrier in the state of Alaska. Additionally, while at the FAA, he also held positions as acting Flight Standards Deputy Division Manager for Alaska; Branch Manager, AFS-220, responsible for setting operating policy for U.S. FAR Part 121 airlines; and Aviation Safety Inspector, AFS-220. Abbott is an FAA licensed multi-engine airline transport pilot, commercial pilot and certified flight instructor. Prior to his tenure at the FAA, he was a Captain and Chief Pilot for Comair, Inc., a FAR Part 121 air carrier. A decorated United States Marine, Deke was a member of 2nd ANGLICO (Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company) and served as a Firepower Control Team Chief. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a Member of the Royal Air Force Club in London, England. Deke holds a BA from Brown University and an MBA from the University of New Hampshire. About Ravn Air Group Ravn Air Group is proud to be Alaska's largest regional airline. Headquartered in Anchorage and supported by over 1,000 employees, Ravn operates a highly reliable fleet of almost 70 aircraft on more than 400 flights per day (almost 3,000 flights a week) from hubs in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Bethel, Aniak, St. Mary's, Nome, Kotzebue, Unalakleet, Barrow, and Galena. Recently, Ravn also announced service to Dillingham and King Salmon. The airline provides passenger, mail, freight, and charter customers with air transportation and logistics services to more than 115 destinations throughout Alaska. Ravn also has interline airline agreements with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines to carry their passengers across the state. Passengers may participate in Ravn Alaska's FlyAway Rewards program for all Ravn Alaska or Ravn Connect flights or accrue Alaska Airlines miles on select Ravn flights. For more information on how to buy tickets or reserve charter flights visit flyravn.com, flyravn.com/charter-a-flight, or call 800-866-8394. SOURCE Ravn Air Group Related Links https://www.flyravn.com https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ravn-selects-top-airline-operations-safety-and-regulatory-expert-to-be-new-senior-vice-president-of-flight-operations-300685079.html Back to Top NTSB Uses 3D Models to Investigate Incident In the process of investigating a Feb. 2018 accident involving an air tour helicopter colliding with terrain while landing at Quartermaster landing zone in the Grand Canyon, the engineers with the National Transportation Safety Board required a 3-D digital model of the accident site and surrounding terrain. The main effort involved using a FARO laser scanner, but the NTSB small unmanned aircrafts systems (sUAS) team also supported the investigation with their ability to collect imagery via sUAS and photogrammetry, according to an NTSB blog post. The NTSB has used drones to create orthomosaic maps of accident sites and 3D digital models of terrain and vehicles for investigators to use, and the drone team has worked on a variety of incidents, including rail accidents, highway crashes, and aviation accidents. The Grand Canyon mission, however, presented new challenges, such as obtaining permission for drone operations from various entities and planning for flight based on battery power and no wireless Internet connection. The mission was successful, though, and in just over an hour of drone flight time, the team was able to create a detailed 3-D model of the canyon and its terrain, with data that are currently being analyzed by staff on the investigation team. The NTSB sUAS team continues to explore the applications of the sUAS imagery collection method as related to the agency's mission. https://ohsonline.com/articles/2018/07/24/ntsb-uses-3d-models-to-investigate-grand-canyon-accident.aspx?admgarea=news Back to Top Dean International Flight School in Miami-Dade Closing Following Fatal Crashes Four people were killed in a mid-air collision last week involving two Dean International planes Dean International Flight School, which has endured a number of fatal crashes in recent years including the midair collision that killed four people, is closing its doors. NBC 6's Stephanie Bertini reports. Dean International Flight School is closing its doors after more than 20 years in business in Miami-Dade The news comes after four people were killed in a mid-air collision last week involving two Dean International planes A South Florida flight school that has endured a number of deadly crashes in recent years including last week's mid-air collision that killed four people has told its students that it will be closing its doors. "Today is a very difficult day for us. The doors to our business will close permanently," Dean International Flight School said in a letter to students Monday. "We regret this decision and apologize for not being able to complete the training to the students currently enrolled in our school." The school, which has been open since 1995 and operated out of Miami Executive Airport in West Kendall, cited the plane crashes and lower student attendance as factors in the closing. "We pride ourselves on the maintenance of our fleet and the training of our students. Unfortunately, accidents do happen and up to now all the fatal ones have been due to pilot error," the letter read. "These accidents have placed us under a microscope by the FAA and under scrutiny by news media, costing us millions of dollars in expenses." The decision to shut down comes less than a week after four people - 72-year-old Ralph Knight, 22-year-old Jorge Sanchez, 19-year-old Nisha Sejwal and 22-year-old Carlos Scarpati - were killed when two of the school's planes collided in the air over the Florida Everglades. The crash was just the latest involving Dean International planes. In May, two people were hospitalized after their small plane crashed in the Everglades. Prior to that May 2018 crash, NBC 6 obtained reports from both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration detailing a series of accidents or incidents involving the company - 29 in total before the latest two crashes. Flight School Has Spotty Record[MI] Flight School Has Spotty Record As investigators probe into the deadly plane collision over the Everglades, the flight school that both aircrafts belonged to is again under scrutiny.(Published Tuesday, July 17, 2018) In all, five people were killed in the incidents prior to last Tuesday's crash. After two crashes in 2017 - one where a pilot was killed after crashing in the Everglades and another where two people were not injured following a crash landing in Key Biscayne - nearly 80 percent of the company's 50 planes were taken out of service to deal with issues ranging from routine maintenance to faulty beaks, loose and missing screws and more. The flight school, which says it has trained thousands of pilots, say foreign students who make up 80 percent of their clientele aren't getting through U.S. embassy screening, which is affecting attendance. At a memorial for the four victims of last week's crash, students said they were told about the closing Monday morning. Many students are waiting to see if they'll get their tuition money back. "They said 'we are sorry and that's it and you will get your money in three to six months,'" student Nawaf Nojahed said. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Dean-International-Flight-School-in-Miami-Dade-Closing-Following-Fatal-Crashes-488934161.html Back to Top THE HEAD-SPINNING CHALLENGE OF TEACHING HELICOPTERS TO FLY THEMSELVES Sikorsky has been testing its self-flying helicopter since 2013, part of a long-term effort to let these flying workhorses handle human cargo without human pilots.LOCKHEED MARTIN IN THE EARLY hours of January 11, 2000, US Coast Guard helicopter pilot Mark Ward responded to a distress call from a ship taking on water, caught in a Nor'easter off the North Carolina coast. Battling 70-mph winds and 30-foot seas, Ward struggled to keep the chopper steady as he and his crew pulled all five fishermen to safety. Ward recalls the mission as one of the most harrowing is the 22 years he spent as a search-and-rescue pilot. And now, he's got a gig ensuring his successors won't face the same dangers: He's the chief test pilot in Sikorsky's autonomous helicopter program. "Even a modest degree of autonomy, your workload goes way down and your stress and apprehension disappears," he says. "The system sees things you can't, and it processes information and reacts in a way you may not be able to." Even in a world where planes spend most of their time on autopilot and robo-cars are roaming cities all over the world, teaching a helicopter to fly itself is a gnarly problem. These workhorses must be able to hover over ships bobbing up and down on rough seas, and descend onto oil rigs in gusting winds. They have to dodge power lines and cell towers that may not show up on navigation charts, and balance single skids on sheer cliffs in order to rescue injured climbers. "Helicopters have very high crew workloads and obstacle-rich environments," says Chris Van Buiten, vice president of Sikorsky Innovations, the division of the Lockheed Martin-owned company that's pursuing autonomous flight. A robo-chopper needs a lot more computation than a self-flying plane, he says, especially since the flights they take on don't involve cruising between well-regulated airports. "You're usually not called out to a sinking ship on a sunny day, but rather off the coast of Alaska at night in the rain," The aviation industry is already deep into the challenge. In May, Boeing-owned Aurora Flight Sciences's unmanned cargo delivery system, installed in an old Bell UH-1H helicopter, completed the first autonomous mission, bringing gas, water, and medical supplies to Marines in California. Lockheed Martin has been developing its K-MAX unmanned helicopter since 2007, beginning with remote-controlled and semi-autonomous versions that made supply deliveries in Afghanistan between 2011 and 2014. Sikorsky's version is the Matrix Technology system, which it's been testing since 2013 aboard the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA) testbed that Ward pilots, an adapted version of the company's S-76 commercial helicopter. Its most basic functionality includes flying traffic patterns around airports and tracking moving objects on the water for approaches and landings. More impressively, SARA has completed a 30-mile autonomous flight with takeoff, cruise, and landing-including landing-site evaluation and selection-all done by computer. That was enough to get it to the final phase of Darpa's Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program, which seeks a system that will reduce crew requirements for existing aircraft. The company is also in the process of modifying two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters with Matrix, to offer the Army "optionally-piloted" options for the aircraft. It will demonstrate these over the coming year. Edging Toward Autonomy The end-game for most of the companies pursuing helicopter autonomy is fully hands-off flight with human passengers, not just cargo. This will be key to the nascent air-taxi industry, and for military and commercial operators who may be facing pilot shortages. But it's also the most demanding possibility, given the challenges of validating and certifying such systems to actually carry people on board. "When we decided to go after this, the problem became reliability and safety," says Igor Cherepinsky, Sikorsky's director of autonomy programs. "We decided that if we're going to do this, it needs to be just as safe as our other aircraft. That's our guiding principle." That led to some counterintuitive strategies, like minimizing the role of artificial intelligence. "High-end artificial intelligence and deep learning are higher-order functions," says Van Buiten. "Higher-order functions are difficult to certify. Until we know how to do so, we want to use more deterministic methods." That means using systems that don't rely on interpretation or guesswork-which AI is essentially an advanced form of-but on defined and predictable behaviors. Cherepinsky adds that this is true across the board, from developing responses for when things go "off plan," to applying computer vision data from the optical sensors. "Even our pattern recognition is done in a different algorithmic way. It's very reliable and very flyable," he says. And where self-driving cars rely on high-definition maps of any environment they'll explore, Sikorsky skipped the cartography and trained its aircraft to fly using only their real-time sensors."There have been quite a few accidents where aircraft hit things that weren't on their maps," Cherepinsky says. "Companies are notorious for throwing up cell towers without notifying anyone, for example." Evaluating how all these elements and algorithms function in the air falls to Ward. On test flights, he evaluates the system's decision-making to help fine-tune the flying, and streamlining the user experience (and stays ready to take control if needed). "We want a few taps on the tablet to replace ten minutes of playing around with the flight management system of a conventional helicopter," he says. On that rescue mission in 2000, once Ward got the helicopter in position to hover over the endangered boat, he had to keep working the stick, levers, and pedals to hold its position against the wind. With the Matrix's level of automation, it's a matter monitoring the system, making alterations such as position adjustments via slight nudges on a virtual joystick on the tablet. Sikorsky's decision to develop the tech in-house speeds up the development process, allowing Ward to make recommendations about things like the placement or prominence of the tablet controls-and see the changes a few days, or even minutes, later. The Human Touch Full autonomy-the kind where no human pilot is required-will take longer to achieve, but these interim stages could pay huge dividends by simplifying a pilot's work. "Just tracking alongside a vessel in a storm at sea is intensely challenging, but an autonomous system locks on, managing your airspeed, altitude and position even in the worst conditions," Ward says, adding that many accidents result from pilots being overloaded during such scenarios and losing situational awareness. "When your stress level goes down, your situational awareness goes up, and you're better able to focus on your crew and the mission." Indeed, full autonomy may not be appropriate for many of the missions helicopters fly. "There are lots of discussions about autonomy versus automation," Cherepinsky notes. Humans can always use help, but it may not be wise to replace them altogether. "A machine cannot find its own mission. Creative humans do that-they plan them, decide what the machines do, choose who gets priority in rescues, and so on. Think of the Starship Enterprise. Five or six people on the bridge are making the decisions, but the machine actually takes the ship from point A to point B." And if you ever find yourself stranded at sea, you'll probably be far happier to see the fully focused equivalent of Captain Kirk managing the situation when the helo arrives, with Scotty cheerfully beaming you up. Let the computer deal with the wind. https://www.wired.com/story/sikorsky-self-flying-helicopter-sara/ Back to Top FAA Clarifies Federal Authority Over Drone Rulemaking A hot topic for some time has been the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) authority over navigable airspace and, thus, the confusion surrounding federal preemption for state and local unmanned aircraft system (UAS) laws. Now, the FAA has issued a statement coming straight from the horse's mouth on where things stand on federal vs. local drone rulemaking authority: "Congress has provided the FAA with exclusive authority to regulate aviation safety, the efficiency of the navigable airspace and air traffic control, among other things. State and local governments are not permitted to regulate any type of aircraft operations, such as flight paths or altitudes, or the navigable airspace," the agency says. "However, these powers are not the same as regulation of aircraft landing sites, which involves local control of land and zoning. Laws traditionally related to state and local police power - including land use, zoning, privacy and law enforcement operations - generally are not subject to federal regulation." The FAA adds, "Cities and municipalities are not permitted to have their own rules or regulations governing the operation of aircraft. However, as indicated, they may generally determine the location of aircraft landing sites through their land use powers." For example, earlier this month, Lake Sidney Lanier, a recreational area built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Georgia, set in place new rules for UAS operators. USACE clarified that because the FAA has jurisdiction over airspace, the new policy covers taking off and landing on the property. In December 2015, the FAA laid out a fact sheet to reiterate its regulatory authority. It was designed to provide information for states and municipalities considering their own drone laws or regulations. Notably, in 2015, California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill that would have created a no-fly zone for drones 350 feet or fewer above private property in the state. In 2016, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein proposed a measure to that year's FAA Reauthorization Act to ensure that "states and local governments retain significant authority to protect their communities," given that "reckless drone use varies significantly in different states and even within a state," she claimed. However, the FAA notes in its latest statement that the U.S. Department of Transportation's current UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) will "provide the FAA with insight on how to best involve local jurisdictions in the integration of UAS into the airspace in a way that also alleviates their concerns." In May, the DOT chose 10 state/local/tribal governments to participate in the IPP along with several private-sector stakeholders. https://unmanned-aerial.com/faa-clarifies-federal-authority-over-drone-rulemaking Back to Top California Man Pleads to Unlawfully Selling Aviation Data Federal prosecutors say a California man has admitted to unlawfully selling copyrighted aviation data updates. KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say a California man has admitted to unlawfully selling copyrighted aviation data updates. The U.S. attorney's office in Kansas said in a news release that 51-year-old Craig M. Vincent of Stockton, California pleaded guilty to one count of criminal infringement of a copyright. In his plea agreement, Vincent acknowledged he used eBay to resell aviation navigational database updates in violation of the licensing agreement for a trademarked product called NavData produced by Jeppesen, a subsidiary of Boeing. The data included airport information, runway characteristics, arrival and departure routes, terminal procedures and other information needed to navigate an airplane to its final destination. Prosecutors say that while doing business as Merlin Enterprises, Vincent unlawfully sold the sold NavData cards. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california/articles/2018-07-23/california-man-pleads-to-unlawfully-selling-aviation-data Back to Top JetBlue's First Female President Wants More Diversity and Higher Profits Airlines need more diversity at the senior leadership levels. But new JetBlue President and COO Joanna Geraghty would prefer to be known for more than her gender. That seems like a fair request, no? Let's see if she can fix the airline's on-time performance. After Joanna Geraghty became the second-highest ranking executive at JetBlue Airways in May, she monitored how others responded. "I started keeping notes on people's reaction when I tell them I'm president and chief operating officer because in some cases I think it's very unique," she said. "It's definitely a reaction that might be different than if I were a man." Most responses are positive, she said, especially from JetBlue's crew members, men and women, who often say they've shared the news with their daughters. Geraghty hadn't prepared for others to treat her as a trailblazer, but that's what happens in an industry in which women occupy so few few top roles she's sometimes the only woman in meetings. "I didn't realize necessarily what this move would do in terms of connecting with a future generation of women that want to go into the industry," she said. "I didn't think it was that big a deal when I stepped into the role because I am somebody who believes gender shouldn't make a difference in these positions." Geraghty is believed to be the first female president at a larger U.S. airline since Colleen Barrett at Southwest Airlines from 2001 to 2008. Former Federal Aviation Administration chief Jane Garvey is chairman of United Airlines, but it is a non-executive role and she is not running the company, day-to-day. Joanna Geraghty is the only woman president of a larger U.S. airline. Elsewhere, the situation is similar. Among the world's top 100 airlines, just two - VietJet Air and Air Europa - have female CEOs, according to analysis earlier this month from trade magazine Flight Global. The most high-profile female CEO in recent years, EasyJet's Carolyn McCall, left late last year to run the British media company, ITV. And while many men running major airlines say they're committed to gender equality, a few, including Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, aren't so sure. In June, he told reporters Qatar Airways could only be led by a man, and while the remark caused controversy, Al Baker remains chairman of the IATA's Board of Governors, the global airline lobbying group. "It is very clear that there there are fewer women than there should be," said Samuel Engel, vice president and aviation practice leader at ICF, a consultancy. "It has been fixed in other industries. But you have to want to fix it." UNUSUAL PATH Geraghty, who joined JetBlue 13 years ago, didn't take the usual path to the top. Generally, senior leaders have a revenue or operational background, and often they've worked for airlines since their 20s. But Geraghty, was a late-comer, joining JetBlue after almost a decade at two major law firms, handling aviation litigation and other cases. She joined JetBlue in 2005 as a mid-level attorney, then worked her way up through the legal department and later led the company's human resources team. In 2014, she switched to head JetBlue's customer experience division, a key job at an airline that takes passenger happiness more seriously than most low-cost-carriers. As executive vice president for customer experience, she was in charge of 15,000 employees, she said, including flight attendants and reservations agents. One of her priorities was consistency, ensuring customers received similar service, whether on the phone, at the airport, or on the aircraft. In that job, she became a trusted confidant of CEO Robin Hayes. "What really impresses me about Joanna is her focus on execution," Hayes said. "She has demonstrated in her time running customer experience that she can get things done." While she lacks the resume of most airline COOs, Hayes said Geraghty has what it takes to run North America's seventh-largest airline. He said he is not concerned Geraghty doesn't have the hefty resume of her predecessor as operations chief, Jeff Martin, an Air Force veteran and former Southwest Airlines pilot with deep technical knowledge and decades of operational experience. Martin was not, however, JetBlue's president, and he had a more narrow focus than Geraghty, who not only heads operations, but also leads the carrier's network, brand and marketing and revenue management divisions. It's a role Hayes held until recently. He was named JetBlue's president in early 2014, and kept the title when he was became CEO a year later. He now focuses more on the airline's long-term strategy, trusting Geraghty to keep the airline running. "When you recruit a team, you've got to hire people who are good at the things that you're not too good at," Hayes said. "And I think Joanna and I are a very strong combination in that she has got distinct strengths to complement mine." This includes fashion, Hayes joked. Hayes laughed while explaining Geraghty once came into his office and told him he didn't look like a chief executive, sartorially speaking. "She said, 'You're not really looking the part. We have to get you some new shoes,"' Hayes said. "She took me shoe shopping. That's a humorous story, but it just proves the warmth of our personal relationship and also her ability to deliver direct messages and feedback." DIFFICULT JOB Now, Geraghty has among the more challenging jobs in the U.S. airline industry. ( In fact, after Skift interviewed Geraghty, the company announced July 20 it would be cutting an unspecified number of jobs as part of an overall $300 million cost savings program.) Still, JetBlue earn high marks from passengers, particularly in Boston and New York, for its comfortable seating, free WiFi and television and relatively friendly customer service. But on several other important metrics, it lags competitors. One problem recently has been on-time performance. In April, the most recent month for which data is available, JetBlue finished last among the largest 17 U.S. airlines for on-time arrivals, with only about two-thirds of flights arriving within 14 minutes of their scheduled time. JetBlue was also last in March, with a slightly worse rate. Geraghty said JetBlue suffers because its two biggest focus cities cities are in the Northeast, plagued by poor weather and air traffic control delays. "We fly into some tough airspace so we've got to execute better than everybody else," she said. "I think the customers that we fly out of New York and Boston know this. They know these are congested airports and they're savvy enough to understand that in many cases the operational disruptions are ... outside of our control." But the airline is still trying to improve, she said. "We're making certain investments to reduce our controllable delays, [such as] adding some buffers on our redeye flights, but our focus is really looking at it on an airport-by-airport basis and making sure that each performs well, given the constraints they have," she said. She's also leads JetBlue's commericial team, guiding strategy as the airline tries to match profit margins of larger airlines. While JetBlue has considerable scale in Boston and New York, it is far smaller overall than American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and even Alaska Airlines, which acquired Virgin America in 2016. In an age in which American, United and Delta, along with their partners, can take passengers nearly everywhere, JetBlue lacks the size to give customers as much breadth. It's one reason JetBlue is considering launching flights from New York and Boston to Europe. In both markets, JetBlue would prefer its best customers not fly other airlines on key transatlantic routes. Geraghty's team also will evaluate whether JetBlue should match no-frills basic economy fares sold by United, Delta and American. So far, JetBlue has not followed, but it's a competitive business, and sometimes airlines must respond to the market, even when they would prefer not to. (In 2015, JetBlue was one of the last U.S. airlines to charge for a first checked bag, matching competition when Wall Street demanded it.) And while it's not her main charge, she said she seeks bring diversity to the airline. She notes fewer than 5 percent of pilots are women, and less than 3 percent of technicians - both numbers she'd like to increase. For flight attendants and airport agents, the numbers are better, but at headquarters, women remain underrepresented, she said. "It's discouraging when you sit around a table and you look and you realize there aren't more women in the room or people of color, without quite understanding why, because you look around and there's nothing in that room that a woman couldn't do as well as a man," she said. https://skift.com/2018/07/23/jetblues-first-female-president-wants-more-diversity-and-higher-profits/ Back to Top Vocational courses prepare students for take-off in Hong Kong's aviation industry Vocational Training Council offers two-year, part-time paid foundation studies while HKU Space Community College has a two-year, full-time higher diploma in industry basics The Vocational Training Council (VTC) is partnering the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy of the Airport Authority Hong Kong and private companies to launch a part-time diploma programme that is free of charge, offers paid on-the-job training, and provides a government allowance for all participants. The two-year, part-time course, Diploma of Foundation Studies (Aviation) (DFS-Aviation), is open to applications from all Secondary 6 graduates. Students who apply for the programme through the VTC will be interviewed by prospective industry employers. Accepted candidates will get an apprenticeship in which they receive on-the-job training while they study at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) for one to one and a half days a week. Thousands of Hong Kong students flock to grab last VTC diploma or degree places after receiving DSE results The curriculum covers introductions to aviation, air cargo handling and technology; airport and airline management structure, and ground service equipment handling and technology. Tuition fees will be fully funded by the employers, who are also obliged to pay the students HK$30,800 over the course's two years, while the government will also provide a living allowance of HK$42,000. As the students will receive a guaranteed monthly salary of no less than HK$8,000 throughout the course, each will have a monthly income of more than HK$10,000 during the two years. "It is a very attractive proposition for young people: they receive technical training, enjoy a stable income, and have a foothold into the aviation industry," says Iu King-fung, assistant executive director, Headquarters (Industry Partnership) at the VTC. "In fact, the VTC Earn & Learn scheme [was] launched several years ago to integrate classroom learning with paid, on-the-job training. Other industries under the scheme include electrical and mechanical engineering and construction, medical centre operations, and food technology and safety. Many graduates stay in the industry, and some [stick] with the firms where they [did] their apprenticeships." Upon their completion of the course, graduates can smoothly enter the aviation industry, and work in various positions such as cargo officer, passenger officer and ramp control officer in airlines and companies specialising in ground operations and air transport. Graduates may also proceed to study programmes such as the Higher Diploma in Aviation and Higher Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering offered at IVE, and then pursue top-up degree programmes in aviation. The HKU SPACE Community College is also offering a two-year, full-time higher diploma in aviation studies. Costing HK$57,000 per year, the course provides a foundation on aviation operations and management knowledge, and covers airline business development and management; airport operations; risk and safety management; air cargo, ground services and flight dispatch. Private sector's early childhood learning offers alternative to government-funded universities for early childhood learning Students may apply for internship programmes with various local and international companies and organisations including Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy, Jardine Aviation Services, and the Incheon International Airport Corporation. These companies will also participate in major aviation industry events such as the Singapore Airshow, the Zhuhai Airshow, the Apats (Asia-Pacific Airline Training Symposium) Aviation Education and Training Symposium at Incheon and the Junior Airport Management Course at the Incheon Airport Aviation Academy. Career-seeking graduates currently work for local and overseas aviation organisations as sector business analysts, cadet pilots, flight attendants, flight dispatch officers, flight operations officers, air cargo service officers, ground services and customer services officers. The programme is also recognised by universities such as the University of New South Wales and Coventry University, where students will be granted credits from their HKU SPACE training when they progress to the institutions' relevant degree studies. Aviation-minded students in Hong Kong can apply for degree studies with government-funded universities, or apply for full-time degree programmes offered by HKU SPACE International College in collaboration with Melbourne-based Swinburne University of Technology, which lead to a Bachelor of Aviation Management. https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/news/hong-kong/education/article/2156549/vocational-courses-prepare-students-take Back to Top Boeing foresees a doubling in demand for pilots by 2037, and works on ways to fill it Virtual co-pilot program Boeing and the University of Central Florida's Institute for Simulation and Training have developed a pilot training program that makes use of a virtual-reality co-pilot avatar. (Boeing Photo) If Boeing is projecting a doubling in the global commercial airplane fleet over the next 20 years, it only makes sense that the pilot workforce may have to double as well. That's the conclusion that Boeing reaches in its 2018 Pilot & Technician Outlook, released today. The upshot? There'll be a demand for 790,000 pilots over the next 20 years, representing "the most significant demand in the outlook's nine-year history," Boeing says. "Despite strong global air traffic growth, the aviation industry continues to face a pilot labor supply challenge, raising concern about the existence of a global pilot shortage in the near term," Keith Cooper, vice president of training and professional services at Boeing Global Services, said in today's news release. "An emphasis on developing the next generation of pilots is key to help mitigate this." Last year's acute pilot shortage at Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Seattle-based Alaska Air Group, illustrated the complexity and potential repercussions of the supply-vs.-demand challenge. Horizon's flight schedule had to be sharply curtailed, due to bottlenecks and workplace issues that had been building up for years. If the demand for pilots rises as Boeing anticipates, that will only add to the existing challenges. Cooper said Boeing is addressing the challenges by partnering with customers, governments and educational institutions on pilot training programs. The centerpiece of Boeing's effort is its Pilot Development Program, which is aimed at guiding future pilots for the very start of their training through type training as a first officer. Technological and cultural innovations figure into Boeing's response to the challenge. For example, Boeing and its research partners at the University of Central Florida and other institutions have developed virtual-reality and augmented-reality tools to streamline pilot training programs - in some cases, using Microsoft's HoloLens mixed-reality headset. "The growing diversity and mobility of aviation personnel will also require instructors to have cross-cultural, cross-generational and multilingual skills to engage with tomorrow's workforce," Boeing said. The outlook says the highest demand for pilots in the 2018-2037 time frame is likely to be in the Asia-Pacific region, where air traffic is expected to rise dramatically. Here are the breakdowns by region and by aircraft type: New pilot demand, 2018-2037 Boeing projects that 261,000 pilots will be needed for the Asia-Pacific region, with North America No. 2 on the list with 206,000 pilots needed. Most of the demand will relate to commercial jets, with lesser numbers needed for business jets and helicopters. Click on the image for a larger version. (Boeing Graphic) The potential for future pilot shortages is one of the factors behind Boeing's interest in autonomous flight systems. Next year, as part of its ecoDemonstrator flight test research program, the company is planning to try out new technologies for auto-takeoff, auto-taxi and collision avoidance using a modified 787 Dreamliner jet. Such tests could eventually open the way for the wider use of artificial intelligence in flight control, which could conceivably lead to changes in pilot staffing policies. Autonomous flight could have an early impact on emerging air-taxi services as well as cargo delivery. Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing subsidiary, is already working on an autonomous air vehicle that Uber may use for taxi-style transport. And at last week's Farnborough Air Show, Boeing showed off the latest design concept for an autonomous Cargo Air Vehicle that could deliver shipments as heavy as 500 pounds. Mike Sinnett, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' vice president of product development, told journalists last year that aviation trends are pointing toward putting more automation in the cockpit. "There's going to be a transition away from the requirement to have a skilled aviator operating the airplane tactically, to having a system that operates the vehicle autonomously - if we can do that at the same levels of safety, integrity and availability that we have today," Mike Sinnett, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' vice president of product development, told journalists last year. But Sinnett stressed that if an autonomous flight control system doesn't meet the current safety standards for human pilots, that system just won't fly with Boeing. "I would be perfectly happy if what came out of this whole study is that we need more pilots, and we're going to commit to training and ensuring that we have the right levels of experience and competence," he said. In other market segments: Boeing projects a demand for 622,000 new maintenance technicians for commercial airplanes over the next 20 years. That's slightly lower than past forecasts, primarily due to longer maintenance intervals for new aircraft. The industry is projected to need 89,000 new technicians for business jets, and 43,000 for helicopters, Boeing said. The demand outlook raised expectations slightly for new cabin crew members, from 839,000 to 858,000 new employees for commercial airliners. The increase is due to expected changes in fleet mix, regulatory requirements, denser seat configurations and passenger service enhancements. Another 32,000 new cabin crew will be required to support business aviation, Boeing said. https://www.geekwire.com/2018/boeing-foresees-doubling-demand-pilots-2037-works-ways-fill/ Back to Top ISASI 2018 Intercontinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai. 30 October to 1 November, 2018 "The Future of Aircraft Accident Investigation" ISASI is pleased to announce that the preliminary Technical Program for ISASI 2018 is now posted. It is, of course, subject to change between now and the end of October. All up to date information, including registration forms for the seminar and a reservation link for the hotel can be found at http://isasiannualseminar.com/ We look forward to seeing all of you in Dubai. Back to Top Back to Top 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 Dear pilots, My name is Michail Karyotakis, F-16 Fighter Pilot and postgraduate student 'Air Safety 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 'Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the 21st century. On attaining safer UAS flights based on current and future challenges and considerations.', aims to determine how UAS flights can become safe enough, so manned and unmanned air operations could be conducted simultaneously without compromising the safe performance of the entire aviation industry. To support my project research 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 (if desired by the participant). The survey will take about 12 minutes of your time to complete and is open for participation until 13 August 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 or air force you are working for. Please click the link below to enter the survey: SURVEY WEB LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LC6RXZN Thank you in advance for your time and patience. Your participation is highly appreciated. Kind regards, Michail Karyotakis • Mobile phone number: +30 6983514058 • Student email: michail.karyotakis@city.ac.uk Curt Lewis