Flight Safety Information August 10, 2018 - No. 162 In This Issue Incident: Delta B752 near Denver on Aug 5th 2018, loss of cabin pressure Incident: Norwegian B738 near Copenhagen on Aug 9th 2018, radio altimeter failed Incident: Iceland Connect DH8D at Reykjavik on Aug 9th 2018, engine shut down in flight Incident: Lufthansa Cityline CRJ9 at Munich on Aug 8th 2018, could not retract gear Incident: Westjet B738 near Albuquerque on Aug 3rd 2018, liquid smoke Transatlantic jet forced to make emergency landing at Shannon Airport after smoke detected on board EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Argentinas B737 near Resistencia on Aug 8th 2018, engine shut down in flight Boeing 787-8 wingtip rips off APU cover of parked Boeing 777-300 at Istanbul-Atatürk Airport Helicopter with nine aboard crashes in central Japan LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. CASA SEEKS INDUSTRY INPUT FOR NEW GENERAL AVIATION MAINTENANCE RULES (Australia) Senate Poised To Order FAA To Study Safety Of One-Pilot Cargo Flights DGCA suspends licence of pilot whose plane crashed into Sri Ganganagar airport wall (India) Commercial Aircraft Evolution Puts Safety First Keven Moore: Flight attendants are safety professionals in disguise, vital to airline experience How FBOs Can Work Together to Make Ground Handling Safer FAA To Publish Remote Connectivity Guidance German Test Pilot Celebrates 50 Years of Flying Phoenix East Aviation Attracts Brazilian Students New Planes for United Airlines Regional Flights Coming Hybrid Aircraft Earns Embry-Riddle's First-Ever European Patent WORLDWIDE SHORTAGE IN PILOTS; KLM POACHING FROM COMPETITORS: REPORT Airbus's new Zephyr aircraft makes 26-day record maiden flight Fly Girls - Five Daring Women Who Defied All Odds And Made Aviation History Position: Assistant Manager, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) POSITION: SAFETY ANALYST FLIGHT OPERATIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE 2018 DFW ISASI Chapter Dinner ISASI 2018 2018 CHC SAFETY & QUALITY SUMMIT October 2nd - 4th, 2018 AViCON 2018: One Month to Go! PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY T Incident: Delta B752 near Denver on Aug 5th 2018, loss of cabin pressure A Delta Airlines Boeing 757-200, registration N6715C performing flight DL-1261 from Seattle,WA to Atlanta,GA (USA), was enroute at FL370 about 120nm southsouthwest of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew announced an "immediate descent" and initiated a rapid descent to 10,000 feet. The aircraft diverted to Denver for a safe landing on runway 35R about 55 minutes after leaving FL370. A passenger reported the aircraft initiated a rapid descent near Denver. While descending through about 22,000 feet the passenger oxygen masks were released. After levelling off a 10,000 feet the captain announced they just had a partial loss of cabin pressure, the aircraft was fully controllable and operational, they were diverting to Denver for a normal landing. A replacement Boeing 737-900 registration N830DN positioned from Salt Lake City,UT (USA) to Denver, resumed the flight and reached Atlanta with a delay of about 9 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1261/history/20180805/1755Z/KSEA/KATL http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc24812&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Norwegian B738 near Copenhagen on Aug 9th 2018, radio altimeter failed A Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-800, registration LN-NGB performing flight DY-1990 from Oslo (Norway) to Split (Croatia), was enroute at FL390 about 100nm south of Copenhagen (Denmark) when the crew requested to divert to Copenhagen due to a failed radio altimeter explaining the aircraft would become stuck in Split if they continued. The aircraft landed safely on Copenhagen's runway 22L about 25 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground in Copenhagen for about one hour, then departed again and reached Split with a delay of 100 minutes. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc252c2&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Iceland Connect DH8D at Reykjavik on Aug 9th 2018, engine shut down in flight An Air Iceland Connect de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration TF-FXA performing flight NY-336 from Reykjavik to Egilsstadir (Iceland) with 40 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing out of Reykjavik's runway 31 when the crew stopped the climb at 6000 feet, shut the right hand engine (PW150) down and returned to Reykjavik for a safe landing on runway 01 about 25 minutes after departure. The airline reported soon after takeoff the right hand engine failed and was shut down. The aircraft returned safely. A replacement Dash 8-400 registration TF-FXB reached Egilsstadir as flight NY-1336 with a delay of 2 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc254b9&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa Cityline CRJ9 at Munich on Aug 8th 2018, could not retract gear A Lufthansa Cityline Canadair CRJ-900, registration D-ACKD performing flight LH-2130 from Munich to Dresden (Germany), was in the initial climb out of Munich's runway 26R when the crew requested to stop the climb at FL100 due to a technical malfunction, subsequently explained they could not retract the landing gear, the gear was still down. The aircraft levelled off at FL100, entered a hold for about 15 minutes and returned to Munich for a safe landing on runway 26R about 35 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc25164&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Westjet B738 near Albuquerque on Aug 3rd 2018, liquid smoke A Westjet Boeing 737-800, registration C-GKWJ performing flight WS-1100 from Toronto,ON (Canada) to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 174 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute at FL360 about 140nm northwest of Albuquerque,NM (USA) when the crew noticed smoke coming out of the radio control panel, worked the related checklist, consulted with maintenance and decided to divert to Albuquerque. The crew declared PAN PAN and landed safely on Albuquerque's runway 08 about 30 minutes after the decision to divert. The Canadian TSB reported the smoke was caused by an accidental liquid spill on the communication panel. The panel was replaced. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/WJA1100/history/20180803/1405Z/CYYZ/KLAX http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc2432b&opt=0 Back to Top Transatlantic jet forced to make emergency landing at Shannon Airport after smoke detected on board • The Airbus A330-300 jet was about an hour west of Ireland when the crew declared a MayDay A transatlantic flight has made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport this morning after the crew reported they had smoke on board. Virgin Atlantic flight VS-50A was travelling from Orlando, Florida in the US to Gatwick Airport in England at the time. The Airbus A330-300 jet was about an hour west of Ireland when the crew declared a MayDay and requested permission to divert to Shannon. There were over 200 people on board, 196 passengers and 13 staff. In the meantime, authorities at Shannon implemented an emergency plan which involved alerting the local authority fire service, HSE and Gardaí. Fire brigade units from Shannon Town were sent to the airport while two additional appliances from Ennis were mobilised to a designated holding point off the M18 near Dromoland. A number of ambulances and gardai also rushed to the airport. The flight landed safely at 7.21am and taxied to the terminal building accompanied by emergency vehicles. The 196 passengers disembarked and taken to the airport's transit lounge where they will await the arrival of a replacement aircraft which is expected later today. Fire crews later boarded the aircraft to carry out an inspection while engineers were also called to check the jet for the source of the smoke. An airline spokeswoman said: "Our flight diverted to Shannon as a precautionary measure after reports of smoke onboard. "The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority and we're now doing all we can to get our customers to their final destination as quickly as possible. "We'd like to apologise to our customers for the disruption to their journey and thank them for their patience." https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/virgin-atlantic-emergency-landing-shannon-13060163 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Argentinas B737 near Resistencia on Aug 8th 2018, engine shut down in flight An Aerolineas Argentinas Boeing 737-700, registration LV-CAD performing flight AR-1262 from Buenos Aires Aeroparque,BA (Argentina) to Asuncion (Paraguay) with 121 people on board, was enroute at FL330 about 80nm east of Resistancia,CH (Argentina) already in Paraguay's Air Space when the crew decided to divert to Resistencia due to a problem with one of the engines (CFM56). The crew shut the engine down and landed safely in Resistencia about 25 minutes later. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration LV-FUC positioned to Resistencia, completed the remaining 150nm and reached Asuncion with a delay of about 7 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Resistencia about 15 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc2192d&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 787-8 wingtip rips off APU cover of parked Boeing 777-300 at Istanbul-Atatürk Airport Status: Preliminary Date: Thursday 9 August 2018 Time: 17:43 Type: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Operator: Royal Air Maroc - RAM Registration: CN-RGT C/n / msn: 35509/457 First flight: 2016-07-12 (2 years ) Engines: 2 General Electric GEnx-1B Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Istanbul-Atatürk International Airport (IST) ( Turkey) Phase: Taxi (TXI) Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Istanbul-Atatürk International Airport (IST/LTBA), Turkey Destination airport: Casablanca-Mohamed V Airport (CMN/GMMN), Morocco Flightnumber: AT911 Narrative: Royal Air Maroc flight AT911, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (CN-RGT), struck the tail section of a parked Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300 (TC-JJZ) at Istanbul-Atatürk International Airport, Turkey. The Boeing 787-8 was pushed back from gate 226 at 17:37 and subsequently started taxiing on taxiway A towards the departure runway. The right hand wing tip of the aircraft impacted the underside of the tail section of the Boeing 777, ripping away the APU covers. The aircraft was parked at gate 218. The Boeing 777 had arrived from New York-JFK as flight TK12 and arrived at the gate at 17:18 hours. Royal Air Maroc THY uçagina çarpti https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180809-0 Back to Top Helicopter with nine aboard crashes in central Japan This aerial picture shows the site a day after a Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (JSFD) AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed in a residential area in Kanzaki, Saga prefecture on February 6, 2018. One crew member was confirmed dead and another was missing on February 5 after the Japanese military helicopter crashed in a residential area in the southwest of the country, reportedly injuring a local girl and setting a home on fire. JIJI PRESS / AFP (AFP/-) A rescue helicopter with nine people aboard crashed on Friday in a mountainous area in central Japan during a training flight, officials said. Aerial footage broadcast on Japanese TV showed the wreckage of the crashed helicopter surrounded by trees in Gunma prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, and officers in navy uniforms examining the site. "Eight people were found near the site, but we don't know their condition," a defence ministry official told AFP. The Bell 412 helicopter left its base earlier Friday on a two-hour flight to observe climbing routes between Gunma and Nagano prefectures from the air, according to public broadcaster NHK. But the helicopter did not return by its scheduled arrival time and lost contact with air traffic control, said Hiroshi Yoshida, a local official. Passengers included disaster management officials and firefighters, he added. The defence ministry official confirmed that the crashed helicopter in Gunma was the one that went missing. Helicopter accidents are not rare in Japan. In February, two pilots were killed in a military helicopter crash in southern Japan. It went down seven minutes after takeoff, slamming into and setting on fire a house that was completely destroyed in the accident. And last year, nine people aboard a helicopter were killed after it crashed during a mountain rescue drill. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/08/10/helicopter-with-nine-aboard-crashes-in-central-japan.html **************** Date: 10-AUG-2018 Time: ca. 10:00 LT Type: Bell 412EP Owner/operator: Gunma Prefectural Air Rescue Registration: JA200G C/n / msn: 36132 Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 9 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane, Gunma prefecture - Japan Phase: En route Nature: Survey Departure airport: Gunma Heliport Destination airport: Gunma Heliport Narrative: The contact of the rescue helicopter of Gunma prefecture with the ground was lost after 10:01 LT, and was subsequently found crashed near Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane, Gunma prefecture before 15:00 LT. Eight of nine souls on board were found near the wreckage, and two of them were confirmed dead. The status of six have not reported yet. One occupant is still missing. The Bell 412EP named "Haruna" (after Mt. Haruna), was on an inspection flight for a new mountain trail which will be open the next day. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=214287 Back to Top Back to Top CASA SEEKS INDUSTRY INPUT FOR NEW GENERAL AVIATION MAINTENANCE RULES (Australia) Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is seeking industry input on a new set of maintenance regulations for the general aviation sector. The nation's aviation safety watchdog said the new regulations being developed aimed to "minimise the regulatory burden on general aviation, keep compliance costs as low as possible and be based on the best practices of other leading aviation nations". "CASA is currently working to develop a new set of maintenance regulations tailored specifically for general aviation (GA), that will be based on the example of best practices in other leading aviation nations," CASA said on its website. "The new regulations seek to meet an overarching objective of streamlining maintenance requirements, minimising the level of regulatory burden and reducing costs while still maintaining the high aviation safety standards expected by all Australians." The first step in the consultation process, CASA said, was to "invite the general aviation community to tell us about the challenges currently faced and highlight opportunities". "We also want industry to consider the practices of four leading aviation nations and provide us with feedback that will be used to choose the best model on which to base our new maintenance regulations for general aviation," CASA said. "We have shortlisted, the United States, New Zealand, Europe and Canada as leaders in general aviation maintenance and their approaches align with the key principles for this work. All four nations uphold a strong general aviation safety record with simple, less prescriptive regulations in place for general aviation maintenance." The new maintenance rules would cover all flying activity carried out by VH- registered aircraft other than charter and regular public transport (RPT) operations, CASA said. This included flying training, mustering, firefighting and emergency service operations, search and rescue, aerial surveying and photography, towing, and private flying. GENERAL AVIATION NEEDS LIBERATION FROM OVER REGULATION Australia's general aviation sector recently called for changes to the current regulatory stance adopted by CASA. A recent summit in Wagga Wagga that involved more than 30 industry associations agreed to a communique that included a set of reforms aimed to tackle the administrative and financial burden of regulatory compliance that they said had led to the decline of their sector. The communique said current rules were "out of step with contemporary regulatory practice". "The Australian economy has the opportunity to benefit from pilot and engineering training, aircraft and component maintenance and construction services flowing from the world-wide expansion of air travel and aviation activity - especially in Asia," the communique said. "To achieve this, we must be able to respond effectively and be liberated from over regulation." NEW MAINTENANCE REGULATIONS TO BE BASED ON FOUR KEY PRINCIPLES CASA said its Aviation Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), that was established in 2017 and made up of industry representatives, had set out four key principles that would underpin the proposed changes. These included: • minimum regulatory compliance burden consistent with ensuring a level of safety appropriate for the general aviation and aerial work sectors, • any changes are intended to be cost neutral or provide savings for the general aviation and aerial work sectors wherever possible, • a regulatory structure based to the maximum practical extent on an established and appropriate international standard, • compliance with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for general aviation, namely Annex 6 Part II - International General Aviation - Aeroplanes and Annex 6 Part III, Section III - International General Aviation - Helicopters. CASA chief executive and director of aviation safety Shane Carmody said the regulator was not seeking to re-invent the wheel with the new general aviation maintenance regulations. "We know there are tried and tested sets of maintenance regulations used by other leading aviation nations and we want to base our new rules on these as far as is possible," Carmody said in a statement on Friday. "These nations have a strong safety record underpinned by well-regarded safety regulation. "I encourage the general aviation community to provide feedback on maintenance issues and the overseas models so we can move forward as quickly as possible in developing the new rules." Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Michael McCormack said he looked forward to CASA and the aviation community working together to develop the new regulations. "CASA is committed to achieving the minimum regulatory compliance burden consistent with ensuring a level of safety appropriate for the general aviation sector," McCormack said in the CASA statement. The deadline for submissions is August 28 2018. More details can be found on the CASA website. "CASA anticipates the ASAP will establish a technical working group to help review industry input to this consultation and work with CASA to select and develop the most appropriate international model on which to base our proposed new maintenance regulations for general aviation," CASA said. "We aim to have the policy established by the end of this year." https://australianaviation.com.au/2018/08/casa-seeks-industry-input-for-new-general-aviation-maintenance-rules/ Back to Top Senate Poised To Order FAA To Study Safety Of One-Pilot Cargo Flights This photograph taken on August 7, 2018, shows an American Airlines Boeing 767-323 aircraft (REAR) as it takes off at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport, north of Paris. (Photo by JOEL SAGET / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) There's an old pilots joke that goes: "One day airlines will place just one pilot in the cockpit with a dog; the dog's job will be to bite the pilot if he tries to actually fly the plane." Don't look now, but that slightly bitter inside joke among pilots grousing about advancing technology one day soon could morph into a self-fulfilling prophecy - without the part about the dog. Sometime between now and the end of September, the U.S. Senate will vote on a bill reauthorizing (and funding) the Federal Aviation Administration to serve as our aviation safety regulator and the operator of our air traffic control system. There's plenty of history that tells us that such a vote could slip later into the fall, or into next year, or that these specific details could be dropped entirely from the FAA reauthorization legislation. But as currently written, the Senate bill would order the FAA to launch a study of cargo flight operations using a flight crew of one, instead of two pilots. The House in the spring passed its version of the FAA reauthorization bill, and it too included that provision. Now, that doesn't mean that FedEx, UPS and other big cargo operators will soon be laying off half of their pilots because they'll all be rendered redundant upon an affirmative vote by the Senate. The proposed test program would be rather small and limited in scale. And even if it proves that such flights show no signs of safety degradation as a result of being flown by only one human (with the considerable aid of advanced technology that's already installed in their planes today), pilot unions and their contracts will be major barriers to single pilot commercial operations for some years to come. And no one's even talking about expanding the single pilot concept to passenger airlines - at least not seriously, yet. But if history is a guide to the future, the big, serious debate over flying commercial aircraft - cargo or passenger - with just one pilot is coming. And when that debate begins the one question everyone will be asking will be, "can it be done safely?" Truth be known, commercial flights in this country are operated without a human at the controls all the time these days. A very sophisticated and fast computer with built-in redundancy - typically referred to as an FMS, for Flight Management System - sits between the Captain and First Officer on nearly every commercial aircraft in the sky today. And it, not the men or women wearing the epaulets on their uniform shirts, flies the plane during the majority of the time the plane is in the air. In fact, in many -- maybe even most -- commercial jets the FMS is fully capable of flying the plane from the start of its takeoff roll until its wheels touch back down again. Yet, there's a reason that pilots will often repeat the old saw that "flying is 95% boredom and 5% sheer terror." That's because it is true. Keeping a plane at its assigned altitude, pointed in the right direction and flying at an assigned speed is technological child's play these days. Almost since the birth of the jet age in the late 1950s commercial aircraft have had adequate automation tools for doing those things. And it's a good thing, too. Pilots are people, not automatons. Doing the same, relatively easy and routine thing for long stretches of time gets boring. And it's easy for pilots to become complacent, distracted or even sleepy in such situations. If it sounds like what you do when driving on the freeway on a long trip, that's because it's pretty much the same thing. So auto piloting tools are wonderful additions to modern piloting and, yes, aviation safety. They allow the pilot to relax, yet stay mentally engaged, physically fresh, and available for those few moments of terrifying work where they really do earn their handsome paychecks. Getting a 60- to 330-ton piece of metal off the ground at speeds above 120 mph still should be considered a remarkable feat, even though it happens more than 100,000 times every day. It just ain't natural. Any of a hundred different things can go wrong that can keep a plane on the ground too long, forcing it to run off the end of the runway and into a potentially deadly adventure. Airplanes should never be confused with off-road vehicles equipped with four-wheel-drive. Another hundred or so things could go wrong shortly after the plane leaves terra firma that could slam it back down on the ground with all the massive force attending an object that weighs as much or more than the Washington Monument. Then, on the other end of the trip, bringing that same metal tube gently back to the ground with little more than a faint bump and thump is near-miraculous. Landing a plane has been referred to often as a "controlled crash" for good reason. Again, a hundred or so things could go wrong and spoil everyone's day. That it very rarely does is a remarkable fact that is almost universally ignored. Though modern Flight Management Systems can do that job in normal conditions, normal conditions don't exist every day, all the time and at every location. That's why we still have professional pilots sitting up in the pointy end of the plane. The smart people who populate Silicon Valley and other centers of technology have come up with some pretty impressive systems. And who knows what they'll be able to create in the future. But so far they've been unable to come up with anything that can respond to dangerous situations with the speed, accuracy and creativity of well-trained and committed human professionals. That's true in pretty much any field you can think of, and especially in the world of piloting. So the question really isn't weather computers can fly planes as well and as safely as human pilots most of the time? It's can they do that 100 percent of the time, including during the challenging and dangerous takeoff and landing phases of flight and during those times when, in the terminology of NASCAR drivers, "something blows" or a true emergency arises? In those cases is it good to have two human pilots working together, or can one handle it alone? And what if one pilot is incapacitated for some reason? Would the computer "know" and spring into action to do what the human co-pilot would do if one were actually there in the cockpit? There are several well-known stories of a pair, or even three pilots working as a team to save a damaged aircraft and its passengers, and of one pilot having to take control when the other passed out or, in a few rare cases, actually died at the controls. In each case, while it's ultimately impossible to know for sure, the widely-held belief is that without multiple humans working together those aircraft -and all those aboard - would have been lost. But, as seemingly obvious as it is that two pilots are better than one for just such situations, it also is obvious that the question of whether planes can and should be operated by just one pilot eventually will have to be addressed. In the 1960s and 1970s the question of whether two pilots could safely fly commercial planes as well or better than three pilots raged. Improved technology, both in the cockpit and in aircraft mechanical systems (including engines) made the third pilot (or non-flying flight engineer) unnecessary. Jet engines were so reliable and steady that there no longer was a reason for someone in the cockpit to constantly monitor and adjust oil pressure and other engine operating parameters. Boeing, and ultimately the FAA itself did studies that showed that planes operated by two pilots not only could be operated as safely as those with three pilots - that the so-called "third set of eyes" in the cockpit added nothing of value in terms of safety - but that there was a slight statistical improvement of safety performance without the third person in the cockpit. The assumption was that the combination of automated monitoring systems and the elimination of the engineer's position reduced the amount of unnecessary information flowing to the pilot in command during a crisis. That freed him or her to concentrate more on the basic task of flying the plane instead of having to think through too much information. The pilot unions of that day, predictably, objected and fought hard to keep all their members employed. And, sure enough, all of the unions representing pilots today are opposed to even testing the single pilot concept. (Airline managers are being suspiciously quiet about the subject, but they obviously could see labor costs greatly reduced by removing a second well-paid pilot from all their cockpits.) But just because they're protecting their members' jobs and career advancement paths - that's why unions exist, ultimately - doesn't mean the pilot unions' safety concerns should be dismissed as mere feather-nesting. They may well overplay the "safety card," or say the "Sky Is Falling" so much that the ultimate decision makers eventually tune them out. But the safety question remains a very serious and legitimate one. Whether the single pilot study plan now in line to be approved by the Senate is the right way to do it is not clear, but the concept does need to be given serious consideration. Perhaps such a test will tell us that we should stick with two pilots in the cockpit - for a number of reasons (including the value of having veteran pilots mentor and train less experienced pilots), or for human redundancy reasons alone. I hope, and I suspect that will be the result of any such study conducted in the next decade or two - or until auto-piloting tools can be made to think as fast and creatively as a well-trained human pilot equipped with the best possible motivation for avoiding a crashs (the self-preservation instinct). Still, there may come a day when the technology aspect of commercial aviation becomes so good and reliable that we really will be able to go safely to a one-pilot system, or, eventually, even to a fully-automated no-pilot system. Until then, however, if I find out the plane I'm about to step aboard has only one pilot up front, I'm turning around, marching back to the agent's desk, and asking for my money back. And I suspect the line that forms behind me will be quite long. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielreed/2018/08/09/flying-solo-senate-poised-to-order-the-faa-to-study-the-safety-of-one-pilot-cargo-flights/#2d70c60940fc Back to Top DGCA suspends licence of pilot whose plane crashed into Sri Ganganagar airport wall (India) NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the flying licence of the commander of a Cessna which had crashed into the boundary wall of Sri Ganganagar airport in Rajasthan while landing, this Tuesday. Belonging to Supreme Transport, the turboprop had seven passengers and two pilots. None of them had reportedly suffered injuries. "During landing at Lalgarh (Sri Ganganagar's airport), the aircraft overshot the runway and hit the boundary wall of airstrip. The safety of aircraft and its occupants was jeopardized... (I) hereby suspend in public interest, the privileges of the pilot license held by the captain pending investigation," a DGCA order issued by its director of air safety J M Singh says. In a statement, Supreme Airlines president and CEO Ammeet K Agarwal said: "As the chief of flight safety, I shall be submitting my report which concludes (the captain) is responsible for this incident. His bad judgment to land after 2,000 feet instead of going around, led to this incident...." The accident had happened on Tuesday when the Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft overshot the runway on landing at Lalgarh airport, breaking the boundary wall. "Flight 503 Jaipur to Sri Ganganagar with seven passengers and two pilots on board overshot the runway at Lalgarh. Since runway length is only 3,000 feet, after overshooting (runway) aircraft hit the boundary wall," Supreme Airlines president and CEO Ammeet K Agarwal had said in a statement after the accident. He added no person on the aircraft was hurt. He had said pilots of the Cessna reported they overshot the runway due to presence of birds on the airstrip. The Cessna had taken off from Jaipur for Sri Ganganagar. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/dgca-suspends-licence-of-pilot-whose-plane-crashed-into-sri-ganganagar-airport-wall/articleshow/65342848.cms Back to Top Commercial Aircraft Evolution Puts Safety First When you board a commercial aircraft, stow your carry-on luggage and buckle in, you generally assume that your jet will taxi and take off safely, keep you comfortable during the flight and deliver you to your destination. This comfort with commercial air travel is no accident. Since 1914, which Space.com marked as the beginning of scheduled airline passenger service, passenger safety has been central to commercial aircraft evolution. According to the Air Safety Network (ASN), 2017 was the safest year in commercial aviation history, with just 10 fatal airline accidents and 44 airline fatalities worldwide. The New York Times reported that the April 2018 death of a passenger aboard a Southwest Airlines jet marked the first passenger fatality on a U.S. commercial airliner in more than nine years. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reveals that during that time, more than 7 billion passengers took off and landed safely. Teamwork in Innovation So what's behind this remarkable safety record? It begins with a singular focus on passenger safety by commercial airlines and organizations like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - the overseer of U.S. civil aviation - and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the U.S. government agency that investigates civil transportation accidents. It plays out as new aerospace technologies and processes that beef up safety in the design, operation and maintenance of commercial aircraft. "When there is an accident, it's our responsibility to get to the bottom of it in an unbiased, fully transparent fashion," said John DeLisi, director of aviation safety for the NTSB. "Our main goal is to learn the lessons from every accident and make recommendations to prevent their recurrence." DeLisi points to improved avionics, a better understanding of fuel tank dynamics, more rigorous aircraft maintenance processes and enhancements to cabin safety as examples of lessons learned from aircraft accidents. Safety From the Ground Up No commercial aircraft would fly today, for example, without something like Honeywell's ground proximity warning system, an aerospace technology that helps jets avoid unplanned Controlled Flights into Terrain. "This is a great example of a safety system that has helped eliminate a complete category of accidents," said DeLisi. According to Becky Sidelinger, vice president of safety systems, Honeywell Aerospace, traffic collision avoidance systems (TCAS), detailed by the National Business Aviation Association, have largely eliminated mid-air collisions between airliners. A TCAS "creates pilot awareness of all other nearby aircraft and sends directives to him on how to avoid any collisions," she explained. Increasingly a TCAS receives its positional data from GPS satellites, which enhances precision and passenger safety. Another example of aerospace technology making the skies safer, added Sidelinger, is Honeywell's smart landing systems, which notify pilots if they are flying too low, too fast or even in the wrong direction as they prepare to land. "These systems are designed to prevent aircraft from overshooting or undershooting a runway, as Asiana Airlines (Flight 214) did in July 2013 on final approach to San Francisco International Airport," she said. You Can't Win if You Don't Exit Passenger lives can also be at risk even if a jet never leaves the tarmac. A fire that erupts in the cabin prior to takeoff can be just as dangerous as a mid-air collision. That's why commercial aircraft evolution has included a variety of NTSB-recommended upgrades to cabin safety requirements. "Getting survivors out of a cabin quickly is an important aspect of any emergency situation," explained DeLisi. "The biggest changes in cabin safety have come from the introduction and use of fire retardant materials on seats and internal structures such as overhead baggage compartments, walls, ceilings and cabin partitions," he added. Other examples of FAA-motivated safety features found in commercial cabins today include floor proximity emergency escape path lighting, lavatory smoke detectors and seats that protect passengers from injury when exposed to dynamic forces of up to 16Gs. Window Into the Future So how will future jetliners compare to the 787s and A380s ferrying us around the world today? DeLisi expects to see us flying in totally autonomous commercial aircraft in a cocoon of safety, precision and great fuel economy. The new jets might be powered by electric or hybrid engines, and include more modular seating and entertainment options, but don't look for larger windows or standing seats. "The recent Southwest Airlines incident will (remind) us that a window is just a transparent piece of the fuselage designed to hold in the cabin pressure we need to breathe comfortably," DeLisi said. "It's not likely that manufacturers will be eager to sacrifice a significantly larger portion of that structure by installing large windows." And there's one more pesky, unavoidable aspect of commercial air travel: turbulence. "As smart as we are about the weather, we still want to be able to go through it and not let it disrupt our travel plans," claimed DeLisi. "Standing up is no way to experience turbulence." http://now.northropgrumman.com/commercial-aircraft-evolution-puts-safety-first/ Back to Top Keven Moore: Flight attendants are safety professionals in disguise, vital to airline experience Working as a flight attendant has its perks. You get to travel the world, live where you want and set your own schedule. To some, this appears to be glamorous and fun, a well-traveled restaurant server with a suitcase. But they are really safety professionals in disguise. I have never worked as a flight attendant, but I have stayed in my fair share of distant Holiday Inns over the years. And as a risk management and safety professional, I have always respected their position and the duties that they have to perform or be prepared to perform on a daily basis. The term flight attendant is a bit of a misnomer in perception, and their job title has changed over the years from stewards/stewardesses, air hosts/hostesses to cabin attendants. In my book, they should instead be called safety attendants or safety officers to receive the respect they deserve. A misnomer is a name or term that suggests an idea that is known to be wrong. Misnomers often arise because something was named long before its correct nature was known, or because the nature of an earlier form is no longer the norm. The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar positions on passenger ships or passenger trains, but it has more direct involvement with passengers because of the confined quarters on the aircraft. Additionally, the job of a flight attendant revolves around safety to a much greater extent than those of similar staff on other forms of transportation. Origins of the word "steward" in transportation are reflected in the term "chief steward" as used in maritime transport terminology. The first female flight attendant was a 25-year-old registered nurse named Ellen Church hired by United Airlines in 1930, and she also first envisioned nurses on aircraft. Other airlines followed suit, hiring nurses to serve as flight attendants, then called "stewardesses" or "air hostesses" on most of their flights. In the United States, the job was one of only a few in the 1930s to permit women to work, which, coupled with the Great Depression, led to large numbers of applicants for the few positions available. Today, they are part of the cabin crew for the plane, a team of personnel who operate a commercial, business, or even military aircraft while traveling domestically or internationally. Flight attendants are specially trained for the aircraft in which they work, and passenger safety is their foremost concern. Flight attendants have to be prepared for just about anything from fires, emergency landings, hijackings, and serious medical events to unruly and violent passengers. They are the eyes and ears of the aircraft, and their primary duty is to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers during an airline flight. Once a flight attendant is hired, airlines provide their initial training, ranging from three to six weeks, and they are then required to complete two or three days of recurrent training every year. If you speak to any seasoned flight attendant, they will all tell you that they are also a housekeeper, anger management counselor, fear counselor, police officer, bouncer, janitor, personal assistant, child entertainer, bartender, fight-referee, EMT, boo-boo fixer, family therapist, waste manager, re-ordering specialist, and in some cases if you work for Southwest Airlines, you may also become an occasional singer or comedian. Most hold a Ph.D. in reverse psychology and/or patience, and sometimes they are also known as MacGyver. According to a job description on www.sokanu.com, many will work 12-hour days and the law of probability suggests that they are delayed in airports more frequently than any other human alive. Almost all of the flight attendant's duties are safety-related, and it begins an hour before each flight when attendants are briefed by their captain. They review weather conditions, possible turbulence, flight duration, and other factors that may affect the upcoming flight. They are also briefed on safety details and emergency equipment supplies relevant to the aircraft they will be flying. After the briefing, flight attendants inspect the aircraft, ensuring the safety equipment is in place and working properly. If a piece of equipment, such as a fire extinguisher, is found unserviceable, flight attendants must replace the item prior to takeoff. Once passengers are called to board, flight attendants assist with the boarding process. They aid any special needs passengers, children, or VIPs to ensure they receive the proper care while boarding. Tickets and seating positions are verified, and attendants check for both accuracy and possible fraudulent or stolen tickets. Attendants also monitor passengers; they are trained to detect suspicious behavior and evidence of malicious intent, to prevent hijacking or terrorism. In addition, they help passengers load carry-on baggage, checking that each adheres to aircraft or airline size and weight restrictions. Flight attendants are also responsible for briefing the passengers on safety standards specific to the aircraft in a safety demonstration. Passengers are made aware of how to locate their nearest emergency exit, how to properly buckle their safety belts, what to do in the event of turbulence, how to operate safety vests or flotation devices, and how to use the drop-down oxygen masks. After the safety demonstration, attendants secure the cabin, making sure electronic devices and cell phones are turned off, carry-ons are stowed correctly, seats are in an upright position, and tray tables are stowed. The entire procedure, from boarding to takeoff, is the airline's pre-flight service. After the plane is safely in the air, flight attendants will then check for passenger comfort. In addition to serving the customers, flight attendants must conduct regular safety checks and listen for unusual noises. Once the plane begins its descent, attendants must ensure all trash has been removed from the cabin and seats are in their correct positions before performing a final safety check. After landing, attendants assist passengers in safely deplaning. Flight attendants will all tell you that most flights are uneventful and pleasant. But every flight attendant can list multiple horror stories if they have any seniority whatsoever. Those stories include passengers with severe body odor, medical emergencies, allergic reactions, heart attacks, mid-air fistfights, and passengers urinating on the floor. They will also list horror stories including sexual groping, Ambien-induced sleepwalking, and that passenger who couldn't stop the bleeding after clipping a toenail too close. They put up with just about every situation you can imagine, while trying to keep a smile on their faces. But they also are empowered to enforce safety on the plane, and flight attendants have the power to kick anybody off the plane - for any reason they see fit as it relates to the safety of the airplane. Yes, some flight attendants can become a bit irritated from time to time, just like any other customer service or public safety job. But always remember they are your go-to superhero at 30,000 feet if anything goes wrong. They are always going to be the last ones off a burning plane in order to get you home safely. So be kind and polite to them the next time you have the pleasure of riding on their airplane. Keven Moore works in risk management services and is an expert witness. He has a bachelor's degree from University of Kentucky, a master's from Eastern Kentucky University and 25-plus years of experience in the safety and insurance profession. He lives in Lexington with his family and works out of both the Lexington and Northern Kentucky offices. Keven can be reached at kmoore@roeding.com. https://www.nkytribune.com/2018/08/keven-moore-flight-attendants-are-safety-professionals-in-disguise-vital-to-airline-experience/ Back to Top How FBOs Can Work Together to Make Ground Handling Safer Following the success of its inaugural Ground Handling Safety Symposium (GHSS), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is preparing to host the second annual event this September in the Washington, D.C., area. The two-day event will be held Sept. 11 and 12 at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Va., and NATA organizers are looking to build off the foundation laid by last year's symposium. Mike France, NATA's managing director - safety and training, says attendees of last year's GHSS offered feedback saying they benefited from the Open Discussion Forums held during the program. "The major comment we heard was, 'We need more of that,'" France says. The GHSS will still offer traditional presentations covering key topics like just culture and accountability; fatigue management in ground handling; people skills and leadership, and its impact on safety; and Safety Management Systems (SMS). "Then we're going to do two of the Open Forum Discussions, facilitated by our committee. So we'll do one each day, instead of doing one at the end. That way, people can discuss what we've been talking about throughout the day," France explains. "Then the Case Studies are the new component that we're going to add. It gives another opportunity for frank and open discussion about safety. We have several companies willing to come in and talk about incidents. "Hopefully that spurs some discussion as well, giving everybody a chance to learn from each other." More than 40 people attended the first ever GHSS last year. France says those attendees were even more prepared to discuss key topics than NATA organizers expected. He hopes an increase in attendance this year will lead to even more conversations about safety within general aviation, whether during the program or as part of networking opportunities. "The networking breaks occur throughout the show, giving attendees an opportunity to continue discussions that may start during a presentation, or during an Open Forum or Case Study," France says. "And we're going to do our evening networking event, as we did last year, at Topgolf. We thought that was a great opportunity for all the attendees to get together, relax a little bit and get to know each other." France says the biggest benefit of the GHSS is it allows NATA to drive collaboration down to the operational level at FBOs to promote safety initiatives. "It's that spirit of collaboration. It's the creation of a network of professionals across the industry that all have the same goal - and that is reducing incidents, reducing accidents and reducing injuries in general aviation ground handling," France says, noting this can be achieved best through cooperation rather than competition. "Let's all work together on safety. There's plenty of other areas where we can compete." https://www.aviationpros.com/article/12424342/how-fbos-can-work-together-to-make-ground-handling-safer Back to Top FAA To Publish Remote Connectivity Guidance The FAA said that it is working to finalize an Advisory Circular (AC) related to the use of connectivity technologies in a letter to the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) on Tuesday. The AC is designed to provide guidance on using technologies such as video and live streaming for remote witnessing, allowing certain oversight activities, tests and inspections needed for FAA compliance to be conducted without individuals needing to be physically present. A draft of the AC, titled "Guidance for Using Remote Connectivity Technology and Tools," (PDF) was submitted by the ARSA and 15 other aviation organizations last May. Its development was coordinated with the FAA. According to the agency, "The Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) and Flight Standards (FS) are working together to finalize the draft of the AC and begin the publication process." The FAA says the AC will likely be published in October 2019. In the interim, the letter (PDF) goes on to say that AIR plans to publish a policy statement on remote connectivity in the next few months that "will align with the guidance in the AC" and "allow [the] industry to begin using remote connectivity upon its publication." Currently, the FAA says that "FS policy and guidance do not prohibit the use of remote connectivity" and that FS will address questions and support remote connectivity requests until the AC is published. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAA-to-Publish-Remote-Connectivity-Guidance-231358-1.html Back to Top German Test Pilot Celebrates 50 Years of Flying German test pilot Captain Peter Weger recently capped a 50-year aviation career by marking his commemorative last flight aboard a Dornier 328 during a 328 Support Services positioning flight from TAG Farnborough Airport to Germany's Oberpfaffenhöfen Airport. Over his career, he earned type ratings in 50 aircraft and logged 13,000 hours total time. Weger has also been recognized as the first pilot to fly the Eurofighter 2000 and Dornier 328. Weger graduated from the Empire Test Pilot School and later acquired his aeronautical engineering degree from the Hochschule der DW. While flying for the German Air Force, Weger flew the F-4 Phantom and F-104. Weger later contributed to Eurofighter and Tornado development as a chief test pilot at Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm. He additionally became involved with the Fairchild Dornier 728, Cirrus Airlines 328, and Grob Aerospace G180 programs. Weger was the first German to be awarded the Kincheloe award given by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots for his outstanding achievements in the field. "We would like to thank Peter for his outstanding accomplishments not just on the 328 programs, but for his significant contribution to flying in Germany," said 328 Support Services CEO Dave Jackson. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-08-09/german-test-pilot-celebrates-50-years-flying Back to Top Phoenix East Aviation Attracts Brazilian Students Some of the incoming Phoenix East Aviation students from Brazil have some level of initial pilot training, but many come in without any experience. Brazil has become a country of great interest to U.S.-based Phoenix East Aviation (PEA) as Brazilians continue to seek educational opportunities abroad. Despite a challenging economic situation in Brazil, PEA said students remain interested in learning how to fly under the FAA curriculum. PEA has multiple campus locations and currently serves around 400 students, up from an estimated 130 students 18 months ago as of this July. John Bingham, president and CEO of PEA, noted ongoing market growth in Brazil and anticipates continuing to provide students with an aviation education in the U.S. "We find the market continues to grow for us. We also have quite a large alumni base in Brazil. For us it's a market that we constantly look to expand and grow from," said Bingham. PEA has been adding new campus locations and Brazilian students contribute directly to filling shops and classrooms. "Irrespective of the economic situation in Brazil, getting an education abroad is especially prevalent amongst those that want to learn to fly under FAA curriculum," said Bingham. PEA has placed graduates at companies in Brazil. "We have people at Azul and many other Brazilian airlines that have trained with us and then returned to Brazil or elsewhere in the world. We have also taken on Brazilian staff members as part of our management team." According to Bingham, some of the incoming students from Brazil have some level of initial pilot training, but many come in without any experience. "We are looking to work with various institutions, companies, and universities that have aviation programs because we have the ability to take a good number of students," said Bingham. "One of the attractions for a lot of people in Brazil is that they can see we are aggressively focused on getting students through our program and on to achieve their careers. They're able to come to us, learn everything they want to do, and then continue with the career they have their heart set on." This marks PEA's third year to exhibit at LABACE to recruit students. PEA plans to invite alumni based in Brazil or current students to LABACE to allow attendees to, "understand firsthand exactly what's involved in getting up and moving to another country to learn how to fly," said Bingham. "It's a great show, but now it's a very meaningful show and very good ground to recruit students to join the PEA program." Bingham explained that PEA features students representing around 70 different nationalities. At PEA, instructors work with students from other nations. "For instance, we never have a Brazilian work with a Brazilian student. We feel it creates the best foundation for them in what is really a multicultural and diversified industry. The common bond that drives all the students together is they all want to fly and love to fly," said Bingham. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-08-09/phoenix-east-aviation-attracts-brazilian-students Back to Top New Planes for United Airlines Regional Flights Coming United Airlines made an announcement for all those who've ever flown regionally with the carrier. If you have, you're likely familiar with the older aircraft used on these routes, often small, cramped and outdated, with few amenities. Well, it looks like that experience may become a thing of the past. United Airlines recently announced it will be adding new planes to its regional routes, providing added comfort and new amenities to its short-haul flights. It's purchasing 25 new Embraer E-175 aircraft, which will be delivered in 2019. These 25 new planes will replace 25 of the current CRJ-700 aircraft that are flown by United Express partners. What's the difference and what can you expect as a flyer? Difference Between Embraer E-175 and CRJ-700 Aircraft The Embraer E-175 offers several perks that the CRJ-700 aircraft does not, namely more room for carry-on bags and roomier seating overall. The E-175 is quieter than the CRJ-700 and offers a smoother ride. If you've yet to fly on either, things to expect on an Embraer E-175 include no middle seats (great if you're traveling with a partner, because you don't have to worry about having a stranger in your aisle); there are occasionally seats in a 1-2 configuration, in the so-called first class; and bigger windows than you'd see on some other regional jets. Now, you need to realize that while these are new planes and better planes, the fact still remains that they're regional jets. You'll still have some level of noisiness and, obviously, not really a first or business class (even if the airline tries to tell you there is), but the experience is still, overall, better. Additionally, United Airlines is adding some larger aircraft as well, as part of its efforts to replace some of its older widebody fleet. It ordered four new Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which will be delivered in 2020. The 787-9 is the longest-range version of the aircraft, while also using 20 percent less fuel than older aircraft. These widebody jets will provide United's new posh Polaris business class. If you've yet to have the joy of flying the new Polaris class, it's an experience you should try sooner rather than later. The redesigned experience from check-in to landing is entirely a step above other business classes, giving you all the comforts you need for a successful trip, highly reducing travel stress through much-appreciated amenities such as luxury bedding, high-qualifying dining, sleep amenity kits and more. The Polaris lounges (newly opened at Chicago O'Hare, Houston Intercontinental, Newark and San Francisco, with an expected opening at LAX later this year) further extend the perks. If you have any United award miles using them for business class travel is a great redemption. "These new 787 aircraft are another step in our widebody replacement strategy, and we will continue to roll out new announcements in the future as we implement our comprehensive fleet plan," said Gerry Laderman, United's senior vice president of finance and acting chief financial officer. "The new E-175 aircraft will provide our customers with a superior product that offers the latest in onboard amenities and comfort and will be a terrific addition to our fleet." https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnnyjet/2018/08/09/new-planes-for-united-airlines-regional-flights-coming/#204f7f4cf513 Back to Top Hybrid Aircraft Earns Embry-Riddle's First-Ever European Patent Dr. Stephanie Miller, executive director of technology transfer and research park initiatives, and Dr. Pat Anderson, director of the Eagle Flight Research Center, celebrate Embry-Riddle's first-ever European patent. (Credit: Daryl LaBello) Detailed plans for an eco-friendly hybrid aircraft capable of switching back and forth between an electric motor and a traditional internal combustion engine has earned Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University its first-ever patent from the European Patent Office (EPO). The invention, a "hybrid aircraft and method for in-flight operation," developed by inventors with Embry-Riddle's Eagle Flight Research Center (EFRC), had previously received two U.S. patents. "Embry-Riddle has dozens of active, approved or pending U.S. patents, but this is the first time we've received a European patent," reported Dr. Stephanie A. Miller, executive director of technology transfer and research park initiatives. "It's a significant milestone, reflecting the effectiveness of our applied research enterprise." Under European patent number 2-964-524, the EFRC's hybrid gasoline-electric propulsion system will be protected across Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The invention encompasses a parallel hybrid aircraft propulsion system. "With this design, an internal combustion engine allows a propeller-driven aircraft to climb to a cruising altitude before an electric motor takes over," said Richard "Pat" Anderson, lead inventor and EFRC Director. "A hybrid clutch assembly interconnects the internal combustion engine propeller flange to the propeller driveshaft, which makes it possible to transfer power smoothly from one system to another." Inventors named on the patent are Anderson, Embry-Riddle graduates Lori Costello, Charles N. Eastlake and Matt Gonitzke, and Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering Glenn P. Greiner. In the future, hybrid gasoline-electric aircraft would dramatically reduce petroleum fuel consumption as well as carbon dioxide emissions. "The future of flight should include cleaner, quieter options for human mobility," Anderson said. "Our patented concept for a hybrid aircraft will support that vision." https://news.erau.edu/headlines/hybrid-aircraft-earns-embry-riddles-first-ever-european-patent/ Back to Top WORLDWIDE SHORTAGE IN PILOTS; KLM POACHING FROM COMPETITORS: REPORT There is a worldwide shortage in pilots. Boeing estimates that 790 thousand pilots will be needed in the next 20 years. KLM is poaching pilots from competitors TUI and Corendon, sources from within KLM told the Telegraaf. "It is a fact that there is more demand for pilots than supply in the market at the moment", a TUI spokesperson said to the newspaper. According to him, TUI pilots that are quitting are mainly pilots of planes used for international destinations. Corendon also said that their pilots are being hired away by KLM, according to the newspaper. The labor market for pilots reversed itself very quickly. A few years ago there was a surplus of pilots, to the extent that some could not find work. Boeing called the current and increasing demand for pilots "unprecedented", according to the Telegraaf. https://nltimes.nl/2018/08/09/worldwide-shortage-pilots-klm-poaching-competitors-report Back to Top Airbus's new Zephyr aircraft makes 26-day record maiden flight Airbus's latest edition of Zephyr, a solar-powered aircraft-come-satellite that operates in the stratosphere, has completed a maiden flight just short of 26 days, according to theengineer.co.uk. Taking off on 11th July in Arizona, USA, the unmanned Zephyr S HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite) was airborne for 25 days, 23 hours and 57 minutes, a duration Airbus hopes to have confirmed as a world record in the coming days. Zephyr employs a 25m wingspan covered in solar panels to power its flight and charge its lithium-sulphur batteries, allowing it to cruise in the stratosphere for extreme lengths of time. The previous record was achieved by an earlier prototype in the Zephyr programme - the Zephyr 7 - achieving over 14 days of continuous flight. "This very successful maiden flight represents a new significant milestone in the Zephyr programme, adding a new stratospheric flight endurance record which we hope will be formalised very shortly," said Jana Rosenmann, head of Unmanned Aerial Systems at Airbus. "We will in the coming days check all engineering data and outputs and start the preparation of additional flights planned for the second half of this year from our new operating site at the Wyndham airfield in Western Australia." According to Airbus, the current version of the aircraft weighs just 75kg and is manufactured from carbon fibres thinner than a human hair. Zephyr's extended flight capabilities make it a unique proposition for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions, and three aircraft are already in service with the RAF. The programme was initially started by Qinetiq back in 2003, with demonstration flights carried out for the US military in 2008. In 2013, the programme was sold to EADS Astrium, which would go on to become part of Airbus Defence and Space. https://azertag.az/en/xeber/Airbuss_new_Zephyr_aircraft_makes_26_day_record_maiden_flight-1185759 Back to Top Five Daring Women Who Defied All Odds And Made Aviation History Book Cover - Fly Girls Between the world wars no sport was more popular or more dangerous than airplane racing. Thousands of fans flocked to multi-day events, and cities vied with one another to host them. The pilots themselves were hailed as dashing heroes who cheerfully stared death in the face. Well, the men were hailed. Female pilots were more often ridiculed than praised for what the press portrayed as silly efforts to horn in on a manly, and deadly, pursuit. Keith O'Brien's book, "Fly Girls," recounts how a cadre of women banded together to break the original glass ceiling: the entrenched prejudice that conspired to keep them out of the sky. Keith O'Brien is an award-winning journalist, a former reporter for the Boston Globe, a regular contributor to National Public Radio and Politico, and a critically acclaimed author of books about dreams, Americana, and where the two meet. He has written for the New York Times Magazine and reported stories for This American Life. He was a 2017 finalist for the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing. http://www.wamc.org/post/five-daring-women-who-defied-all-odds-and-made-aviation-history Back to Top Assistant Manager, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) Main purpose of the Job: Support the Manager, Safety Management Systems with the development, implementation and maintenance of the Safety Management Systems (SMS) in flight and cabin operations. Directly responsible to: • Manager, Safety Management System (MSMS) Directly responsible for: • Supervisor, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) • Officer, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) Main Areas of Responsibility: • Responsible for routine review and processing of safety reports submitted to Quality, Safety & Security Department. • Responsible for conducting investigations (in conjunction with the FOQA specialist) into accidents, incidents and/or irregularities affecting the safety of operations. Conduct investigation interviews and debriefing accordingly to include the use of FOQA data. Produce investigation reports and make recommendations to prevent recurrence. • Support the MSMS in managing the day-to-day activities of the Safety Management Systems in flight and cabin operations. • Assist MSMS in the maintenance and development of the electronic safety reporting system. • Support the MSMS in maintaining the currency and relevance of the Safety Management System Manual by proposing and drafting amendments. • Conduct inspections / surveys / assessment / analysis as and when directed by the MSMS and produce reports to ascertain operational safety is achieved. • Communicate and interface with appropriate departments to track the safety actions arising from investigations / Safety Action Group (SAG) / routine safety assessments and ensure they are implemented in a timely and appropriate manner. • Responsible for production and dissemination of safety promotion material through company intranet, notice board, newsletter and any other suitable media. • Assist the MSMS in conducting SMS related trainings and briefings to company employees. • Participate in IOSA program as and when directed by the MSMS. • Participate in various safety meetings and provide administrative support as required. • Assist in performing safety risk assessment and change management as required. Qualifications / Requirements: • Minimum 5 years relevant working experience in the airline industry, preferably in flight or cabin operations. • Aviation safety investigation qualification or equivalent experience. • Comprehensive knowledge and experience with Safety Management System. • Bachelor's degree required, preferably in a technical, aviation or engineering discipline. • Flying experience desirable. • Strong analytical capabilities. • Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills. • Proven command of spoken and written English. Knowledge in Chinese (Cantonese and Putonghua) is an added advantage. • Good computer literacy. APPLY HERE Back to Top POSITION: SAFETY ANALYST FLIGHT OPERATIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE POSITION PURPOSE Processes day-to-day raw data using Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) and program Ground Data Replay Analysis System (GDRAS) and routine data analysis. Creates weekly and monthly deliverables in addition to working with Gatekeepers and other members of FOQA and FOQA Management Team (FMT). ESSENTIAL DUTIES 1. Supports the FOQA Program Manager with daily administration of the FOQA efforts to ensure analysis of flight data for improved flight safety. 2. Oversees data collection process of aircraft fleet in conjunction with Maintenance and Engineering. 3. Performs data analysis, root cause analysis and determine corrective actions of digital flight data to determine adverse events, trends in flight and maintenance operations. 4. Coordinates, develops, verifies and validates aircraft specific event definitions. 5. Prepares flight operations trending analysis charts and reports. 6. Compiles and presents FOQA data summaries for use by senior management, regulators, pilots and union officials. 7. Performs specialized studies and fulfills special data requests. 8. Creates safety and FOQA department publications. 9. Prepares reports, presentations, and statistical data required to keep the FOQA community informed of the status and programs of the FOQA information. 10. Reviews corrective action responses to inspections and internal evaluations findings for adequacy. 11. Maintains FOQA database, write database queries, program new FOQA events, and manage documentation supporting these functions. 12. Coordinates with other airlines FOQA departments, governmental and academic institutions regarding FOQA. 13. Performs others duties as assigned. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform this job. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE • Bachelor's degree in aviation, flight technology, engineering, or related area or a combination of education and experience. • FAA Commercial Pilot License. • Previous work experience, preferably in 14CFR Part 121 air carrier operations; quality control, maintenance, operations, safety or a combination of these areas. • Previous experience maintaining and enhancing corporate safety standards and safe operation practices. • Understands turbine-aircraft systems and knowledge regarding Part 121 operations. • Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office Programs, including spreadsheet and database applications. • Strong work ethic, ability to work in a fast-paced environment and a positive attitude toward teamwork. PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE • At least 3 years related experience. • Additional certifications: Dispatch, Airframe and Powerplant and/or ATP license. • Basic computer programming and statistical methods experience preferred. • Prior experience with Sagem AGS or equivalent GDRAS platforms is preferred. LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. REASONING/PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Proven project management and analytical skills. Ability to handle numerous projects at one time and meet deadlines. Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision in support of the Safety Department. DECISION MAKING Makes day to day decisions used to support strategic direction. Decisions often require some thought and are somewhat structured. Decisions tend to be short term and usually moderate cost. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Able to move about the work environment. Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Typically not exposed to extreme environmental conditions. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS Travel up to 10% of the time, including overnight stays. APPLY HERE Company Overview: At Republic Airline, our mission is to provide a safe, clean and reliable flying experience. We believe this is best accomplished by focusing on our vision, "With the BEST people, products, and performance, we will be America's Regional Airline of choice." Republic Airline is a regional airline headquartered in Indianapolis, operating fixed-fee flights for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. The Company's fleet consists of nearly 190 Embraer 170/175s, offering approximately 950 flights daily to 100 cities in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Central America. Our crew bases include Chicago, IL (ORD), Columbus, OH (CMH), Indianapolis, IN (IND), Kansas City, MO (MCI), Miami, FL (MIA), Newark, NJ (EWR), New York, NY (LGA), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). We have 10 maintenance bases: Charlotte, NC (CLT), Chicago, IL (ORD), Columbus, OH (CMH), Indianapolis, IN (IND), Louisville, KY (SDF), Newark, NJ (EWR), New York, NY (LGA), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). With more than 5,500 talented aviation professionals, Republic Airline is a great place to get your career off the runway! For more information, please visit our website at www.rjet.com. Back to Top 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 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