Flight Safety Information September 27, 2018 - No. 197 In This Issue Incident: Easyjet A320 at Berlin on Sep 25th 2018, could not retract landing gear Incident: American B772 near Shannon on Sep 26th 2018, engine fire indication Incident: Qantas A388 near Sydney on Sep 26th 2018, crushed phone and burnt smell on board Smoke incident involving hand held device on Air Transat Airbus A330 near London, U.K. EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Accident: US-Bangla B738 at Chittagong on Sep 26th 2018, landed without nose gear LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck Near-collision of Air Canada jet should be wake-up call on pilot fatigue, union says House passes aviation safety bill prompted by SFO close calls Saracini Aviation Safety Act passes U.S. House, heads to the Senate; act would require new passenger aircraft to have secondary barriers THE GOVERNMENT WANTS AIRLINES TO DELAY YOUR FLIGHT SO THEY CAN SCAN YOUR FACE FAA signs new aviation deals with Brazil and Canada Oman Aviation Academy business identity, website launched Aviation Technician Shortage is a "Gathering Storm" ... with Solutions on Horizon AviationManuals Streamlines ASAP Reporting for Bizav Disappointing inflight WiFi could soon become a thing of the past AIRBUS A330-900 CERTIFIED BY EASA China's Tiangong-2 space lab will fall to Earth in 2019 '2018 International Aviation Safety and Education Summit Aircraft Accident Investigation from SCSI Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) shares news of revision to ICAO Annex 6 Part II Position:...Auditor II, Internal Evaluations Program Position:...Manager Air Investigations Gas Turbine Accident Investigation from SCSI HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - Course 2018 CHC Safety and Quality Summit Incident: Easyjet A320 at Berlin on Sep 25th 2018, could not retract landing gear An Easyjet Airbus A320-200, registration OE-IZU performing flight U2-5831 from Berlin Tegel (Germany) to Tel Aviv (Israel), was in the initial climb out of Tegel's runway 26L when the crew stopped the climb at 3500 feet due to being unable to retract the landing gear. The aircraft returned to Berlin Tegel for a safe landing about 26R about 40 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200 registration OE-IZC reached Tel Aviv with a delay of 6.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Berlin about 39 hours after landing back. A passenger reported shortly after takeoff they perceived abnormal wind rush sounds, then realized they had stopped climbing. After a while the captain announced that they were unable to retract the landing gear and would return to Berlin. A replacement aircraft and crew was flown in from Berlin Schoenefeld (Germany) and reached Tel Aviv with a delay of about 6.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4be339fa&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: American B772 near Shannon on Sep 26th 2018, engine fire indication An American Airlines Boeing 777-200, registration N777AN performing flight AA-101 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 206 passengers and 13 crew, was enroute at FL320 about 20nm southeast of Shannon (Ireland) when the crew reported they needed to divert to their Alternate, they had a left engine (Trent 892) fire. The crew worked the related checklists, shut the engine down and discharged the fire bottle. The aircraft turned around, drifted down and diverted to Dublin (Ireland). ATC asked whether they were able to vacate runway 28 at B7, emergency services would check them at B7, the crew agreed they could do that. On final approach the crew advised in case of a go around they'd climb out straight at runway heading to 2000 feet. The aircraft landed on runway 28 without further incident, vacated the runway at the end at B7 and stopped clear of the runway for an inspection by emergency services. Ground control as well as emergency services reported seeing no smoke from the left engine. Emergency services indicated there was no fire and cleared the aircraft to taxi to the apron. The airline reported the aircraft diverted due to an indication of a possible mechanical issue. The aircraft is still on the ground in Dublin about 10 hours after landing. A replacement Boeing 777-200 registration N785AN positioned from London Heathrow to Dublin and is estimated to continue the flight any time. http://avherald.com/h?article=4be32ebe&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Qantas A388 near Sydney on Sep 26th 2018, crushed phone and burnt smell on board A Qantas Airbus A380-800, registration VH-OQD performing flight QF-94 (dep Sep 24th) from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Melbourne,VI (Australia), was enroute over the Pacific Ocean about 2 hours prior to estimated arrival at Melbourne when a business class passenger dropped his smart phone, which fell into the seat. While trying to retrieve the phone the phone was crushed, an odour of burnt rubber developed. Flight attendants fetched fire extinguishers, the flight crew considered a diversion to Sydney. The flight attendants brought the situation under control quickly and secured the no longer smart phone. The flight continued to Melbourne for a safe landing without further incident. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Agency advises passengers to follow instructions in case a personal electronic device falls into a seat mechanism and not to try retrieve the devices themselves. Lithium batteries can quickly overheat and cause a fire if damaged. http://avherald.com/h?article=4be34073&opt=0 Back to Top Smoke incident involving hand held device on Air Transat Airbus A330 near London, U.K. Date: 17-SEP-2018 Time: 08:42 UTC Type: Airbus A330-243 Owner/operator: Air Transat Registration: C-GUBH C/n / msn: 455 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 303 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Category: Incident Location: near London - United Kingdom Phase: En route Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Vancouver International Airport, BC (YVR/CYVR) Destination airport: Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG/LFPG) Narrative: An Airbus A330-200 aircraft operated by Air Transat, was conducting flight TS708 from Vancouver Intl, BC (CYVR) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, France (LFPG) with 11 crew members and 292 passengers on board. During cruise flight in the vicinity of London, UK, a Hand-Held device used for on-board sales by the cabin crew started to emit smoke. Procedures were followed and the device was secured. The flight continued to the destination and landed without further incident. The cause is being investigated by the air operator. The TSB did not report the origin of the smoke. Probably the 'Hand-Held device' was an electronic device equipped with a battery. Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used on hand-held devices and are known to have overheated in specific cases. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=215675 Back to Top Back to Top Accident: US-Bangla B738 at Chittagong on Sep 26th 2018, landed without nose gear A US-Bangla Boeing 737-800, registration S2-AJA performing flight BS-141 from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) with 164 passengers and 7 crew, was on final approach to Cox's Bazar's runway 17 when the crew went around from about 1500 feet after receiving indication the nose gear had not extended. The aircraft climbed to 3000 feet, the crew worked the related checklists and performed another low approach to Cox's Bazar's runway 17 to have the nose gear checked from the ground which confirmed the nose gear was not down. The crew decided to divert to Chittagong (Bangladesh), about 50nm north of Cox's Bazar, and prepared for a landing without nose gear. The aircraft landed on Chittagong's runway 23 and came to a stop on the runway on the main gear and the aircraft nose. The aircraft was evacuated. No injuries are being reported. The landing (Video: The Skyscraper): US Bangla crash at Chittagong Shah Amanat Intl Airport. US Bangla crash landing at Chittagong Shah Amanat Intl Airport http://avherald.com/h?article=4be3023d&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Near-collision of Air Canada jet should be wake-up call on pilot fatigue, union says The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board concluded that pilot error and fatigue were contributing factors to the July 2017 incident An Air Canada plane prepares to land on a runway at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco.Jeff Chiu/AP, file TORONTO - A near-collision of an Air Canada jet at San Francisco's airport should be a wake-up call for the federal government to adequately address pilot fatigue for overnight flights, the union representing the airline's pilots said Wednesday. "I don't know what else it would take to wake them up that this is a significant concern," said Capt. Matt Hogan, chairman of the Air Canada Pilots Association master elected council. The pilots' group was responding to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, which concluded that pilot error and fatigue were contributing factors to the July 2017 incident. The NTSB issued 19 findings, including that current Canadian regulations don't, in some circumstances, allow for sufficient rest for reserve pilots. The flight's captain had been awake for more than 19 hours while the first officer on the flight from Toronto had been awake 12 hours. "I would suggest that's a very strong message that they should probably take action sooner than later and do it properly," Hogan said in an interview. The pilots were apparently confused because one of two parallel runways was closed and dark before the late-night incident. The crew was seconds from landing their Airbus A320 jet on a taxiway where other planes loaded with passengers were waiting to take off. Transport Minister Marc Garneau says the government agrees that pilot fatigue rules need updating and that he has been working on the issue since coming into office in 2015. "I take the safety or air travellers and the public very seriously, and believe a well-rested pilot is central to this," he said in a statement. But Hogan says Ottawa hasn't gone far enough. He said the flight duty limit for evening and overnight flights should be changed to 8.5 hours, in line with NASA recommendations. The Federal Aviation Administration limits crews to 8 hours at night on flights that aren't ultra long haul. I take the safety or air travellers and the public very seriously Draft proposals by the government are suggesting the threshold drop from almost 14 hours to a maximum of nine hours for night-time flights and up to 13 hours for daytime flights. But the union argues that duty time for flights taking off between 5 p.m. and 9:59 p.m. is still too high under the proposal at 10.5 hours. Flights during overnight hours when crews would normally be asleep can be especially challenging because it coincides with the start of the human circadian low period when alertness and performance are degraded. Although various proposals have been studied since 2010, the minister proposed regulations more than a year ago and has consulted with pilots, industry and passengers. Transport Canada said it is working to have the final regulations that "will be aligned with those of the U.S. and Europe" to be published in the Canada Gazette this year. Air Canada submitted a joint proposal to the government in September 2017 that addressed duty time and fatigue rules, including maximum flight duty periods, reserve crews, rest periods, time zone differences and unforeseen operations. "It should be noted that Air Canada flight time rules are significantly enhanced and more robust than those contained in the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARS)," the airline Wednesday said in an email. "Air Canada's Fatigue Risk Management System is the most advanced in the country." During the NTSB hearing on Tuesday, board staff called Air Canada's safety culture "robust." Air Canada said the two pilots remain out of service. Some Canadian aviation groups have complained that imposing strict limit on flying hours would make it more expensive to operate because additional pilots would be required. A U.S. airline lobby group claimed that these regulations would bankrupt the industry after the government took action following a February 2009 crash in Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 49. "There has been no sort of audit of these regulations and in fact the American airline industry has prospered with record profits since that time," said Hogan. https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/air-canada-pilots-say-near-collision-should-prompt-ottawa- to-address-pilot-fatigue Back to Top House passes aviation safety bill prompted by SFO close calls The NTSB released shocking black-and-white video from a SFO surveillance camera showing the moment when an Air Canada plane last July nearly landed on four fully loaded aircraft lined up on a taxiway. (Courtesy of NTSB) WASHINGTON, D.C. - A day after an unprecedented National Transportation Safety Board hearing led to a slew of air safety recommendations, the House passed an aviation bill that included four amendments geared toward preventing runway accidents following a series of close calls at San Francisco International Airport last year. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, sparked by a series of reports by the Bay Area News Group, included four amendments to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which passed the House by a vote of 398 to 23. "Each of our amendments began with one goal in mind: to make our aviation system safer," DeSaulnier said in a statement. "With such an alarming number of close calls recently due to human errors, we should learn all we can from recent incidents and take action to protect the public now rather than waiting for a catastrophic accident." His four amendments are: * Requiring the Federal Aviation Administration to review ways to improve technology that can alert air traffic controllers when an airplane is improperly aligned before landing. * Assessing the benefits of equipping aircraft with systems that provide an audible alert to pilots on approach, notifying them if they are aligned to somewhere other than their approved runway. * Protecting key airport systems from disruption caused by power outages or other unforeseen circumstances. * Improving the use of data for identifying safety issues and recommending action before accidents occur. Between 2011 and 2017, the U.S. has seen an 83 percent increase in runway incursions, including a series of close calls at SFO. Following a July 2017 near-miss involving an Air Canada plane that nearly landed on four fully-loaded airliners lined up on a taxiway, DeSaulnier began looking at safety issues, including the fact the cockpit voice recorder often gets overwritten following such incidents, deleting critical evidence. This week, the Government Accountability Office agreed to review data on safety incidents and the FAA's framework for responding to such incidents as requested by DeSaulnier. Preliminary work has begun and a report is expected next spring. https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/09/26/house-passes-aviation-safety-bill-prompted-by-sfo- close-calls/ Back to Top Saracini Aviation Safety Act passes U.S. House, heads to the Senate; act would require new passenger aircraft to have secondary barriers Photo by Jeff Goldberg Ellen Saracini of Lower Makefield, widow of Pilot Victor Saracini, addresses a press conference at the Garden of Reflection in August in support of the Saracini Aviation Act. Washington, D.C. - Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) joined the U.S. House on Sept. 26 in advancing legislation requiring the installation of secondary barriers on new passenger aircraft. House and Senate leaders reached a bipartisan final agreement on legislation providing long-term stability and critical reforms to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The agreement, which passed the House on Sept. 26, includes Sec. 336 - "Saracini Aviation Safety Act of 2018," which requires the installation of a secondary cockpit barrier on each new aircraft operating as a passenger air carrier in the United States. "As our nation continues to combat the threat of terrorism, it is crucial that air travel frameworks are enhanced to keep our nation safe. Protecting the cockpits in our nation's airplanes is critical in preventing commercial airliners from hijacking and deterring malicious actors around the globe," said Fitzpatrick. "This bipartisan agreement is a major victory for airline safety. We will continue to fight alongside Ellen Saracini until all current passenger aircraft contain secondary barriers." It is similar to Fitzpatrick's Saracini Aviation Safety Act of 2017 [H.R. 911], which mandates the installation of secondary barriers on all passenger aircraft. These inexpensive, light weight wire-mesh gates would be installed between the passenger cabin and the cockpit door to block access to the flight deck whenever the cockpit door is opened during flight for pilots' meals, restroom use, and other reasons. The legislation is named in honor of pilot Captain Victor J. Saracini of Lower Makefield, who was killed when terrorists hijacked United Flight 175 on September 11, 2001. Saracini's widow, Ellen, is a leading advocate on the issue since her husband's death. "More than 15 years after terrorists breached the cockpit of my husband's airplane on September 11, 2001, our skies are still susceptible to similar acts of terrorism. It is my mission to work with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the flight deck aboard our nation's airliners because, without secondary barriers, we are just as vulnerable today as we were on that fateful day," said Ellen Saracini. "I am pleased that Congressman Fitzpatrick and the House have taken sensible precautions to make our skies safer. Our mission will now expand to ensure that ALL commercial airliners contain secondary barriers. We will not stop fighting until this is achieved." The announced agreement, an amendment to H.R. 302, includes the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018, a three-year reauthorization of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and a four year reauthorization of the National Transportation Safety Board. Also included in H.R. 302 are sports medicine licensure legislation, the BUILD Act of 2018, a requirement for an assessment of the situation in Syria, the Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018, and supplemental appropriations for disaster relief. This bill now heads to the Senate and it is expected to be signed by the President. Last month, Congressmen Fitzpatrick and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) join Ellen Saracini at the Garden of Reflection 9/11 Memorial in Bucks County to demand that Congress pass H.R. 911. "On 9/11, terrorists counted on being able to rush and breach the cockpit knowing that the doors would be opened early in the flight. And they did. And today, the flight deck remains vulnerable when that cockpit has to open," said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) in August. "While we have since deployed fierce and formidable weapons in the fight against terror at home and abroad, Congressman Fitzpatrick and I re-introduced a bipartisan bill, H.R. 911, the Saracini Aviation Safety Act, to make sure that a tragedy like 9/11 never occurs again." "We all know where we were on September Eleventh." said Saracini. "We have put on a fortified cockpit door. That door works great, but only when it's closed. The problem is, during flight, it opens multiple times and it's during those times that the same vulnerability exists right now as it did on September Eleventh. We have an easy, low cost solution to make sure what we're doing on our aircraft and for Americans is to make sure that I don't have to look another family member in the eye of terror and say 'I'm sorry, I knew there was an issue and we should have done something about it.' We have representation right here, Brian Fitzpatrick and Josh Gottheimer, who both have been working tirelessly to make sure that Americans are safe when they travel on an airplane." Added Ken Diaz, the President of the Association of Flight Attendants United, representing 24,000 Flight attendants at United Airlines, "AFA is fully committed and has fully supported multi-layered approaches to increased airline safety on board our aircraft. Measures like the secondary barrier are so important for the protection of our crews, and our passengers that we travel with every day." https://www.delcotimes.com/news/state/saracini-aviation-safety-act-passes-u-s-house-heads- to/article_39fcb504-9c35-5a4e-865a-afcb90c0fad5.html Back to Top THE GOVERNMENT WANTS AIRLINES TO DELAY YOUR FLIGHT SO THEY CAN SCAN YOUR FACE OMNIPRESENT FACIAL RECOGNITION has become a golden goose for law enforcement agencies around the world. In the United States, few are as eager as the Department of Homeland Security. American airports are currently being used as laboratories for a new tool that would automatically scan your face - and confirm your identity with U.S. Customs and Border Protection - as you prepare to board a flight, despite the near-unanimous objections from privacy advocates and civil libertarians, who call such scans invasive and pointless. According to a new report on the Biometric Entry-Exit Program by DHS itself, we can add another objection: Your flight could be late. Although the new report, published by Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General, is overwhelmingly supportive in its evaluation of airport-based biometric surveillance - the practice of a computer detecting your face and pairing it with everything else in the system - the agency notes some hurdles from a recent test code-named "Sprint 8." Among them, the report notes with palpable frustration, was that airlines insist on letting their passengers depart on time, rather than subjecting them to a Homeland Security surveillance prototype plagued by technical issues and slowdowns: Demanding flight departure schedules posed other operational problems that significantly hampered biometric matching of passengers during the pilot in 2017. Typically, when incoming flights arrived behind schedule, the time allotted for boarding departing flights was reduced. In these cases, CBP allowed airlines to bypass biometric processing in order to save time. As such, passengers could proceed with presenting their boarding passes to gate agents without being photographed and biometrically matched by CBP first. We observed this scenario at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport when an airline suspended the biometric matching process early to avoid a flight delay. This resulted in approximately 120 passengers boarding the flight without biometric confirmation. "Repeatedly permitting airlines to revert to standard flight-boarding procedures without biometric processing may become a habit that is difficult to break." The report goes on to again bemoan "airlines' recurring tendency to bypass the biometric matching process in favor of boarding flights for an on-time departure." DHS, apparently, is worried that it could be habit-forming for the airlines: "Repeatedly permitting airlines to revert to standard flight- boarding procedures without biometric processing may become a habit that is difficult to break." These concerns, however, are difficult to square with a later assurance that "airline officials we interviewed indicated the processing time was generally acceptable and did not contribute to departure delays." The report ends up concluding that this and other logistical issues "pose significant risks to CBP scaling up the biometric program to process 100 percent of all departing passengers by 2021." And it has some ideas to do something about it, namely "enforcement mechanisms or back-up procedures to prevent airlines from bypassing biometric processing prior to flight boarding." As the success of biometric-reliant line-skipping services - like TSA Pre-Check and Clear - have shown, many flyers are happy to swap their irreplaceable biometrics in the name of convenience. The prospect of missing a connecting flight, however, could bring out the pitchforks. https://theintercept.com/2018/09/26/airport-facial-recognition-flight-delay/ Back to Top FAA signs new aviation deals with Brazil and Canada The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has signed two separate deals with Brazil's Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) and Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) to easily approve their aircraft and aviation products for distributing in their respective markets. The deal with ANAC is a revision of the Implementation Procedures Agreement (IPA) reached between FAA and ANAC in September 2006. Since its signing, the IPA was amended twice, most recently in February 2016. The deal is expected to increase reliance on each country's certification authorities as well as minimise redundant validation activities and resources. It has also bolstered the first IPA by bringing the agreement in line with the bilateral agreements of other partners of the Certification Management Team (CMT), of which Brazil is a member. "The deal is expected to increase reliance on each country's certification authorities as well as minimise redundant validation activities and resources." Other CMT members are the European Union and Canada. The revision has expanded the IPA to include FAA's Part 23 standard on general aviation aircraft as well as facilitated risk based decision criteria for the US and Brazil to validate each other's aviation products. It features a three-month implementation period to provide adequate time to familiarise all stakeholders with the content. In addition, the Shared Surveillance Management Plan between FAA and TCCA highlights the process for recognising each other's surveillance of manufacturers and their suppliers in the US and Canada. The plan is designed to ensure that manufacturers, certificate holders, production approval holders and suppliers abide by the regulatory requirements of both the countries. It has also mandated the aviation manufacturers to conform to an approved quality system and ensure their subcontractors and suppliers to meet the applicable requirements and quality. Furthermore, the agreement is set to reduce the periods of travel for FAA and TCCA aviation inspectors to visit to each other's facilities to conduct surveillance. https://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/faa-signs-new-aviation-deals-brazil-canada/ Back to Top Oman Aviation Academy business identity, website launched The launch of the Oman Aviation Academy's identity, in addition to the website, coincided with the reception of the second batch of trainee students at the Academy. -ONA Oman Aviation Academy business identity, website launched Muscat: Oman Aviation Academy launched its business identity and website under the patronage of Rashid bin Saif Al Saadi, Chairman of Oman Aviation Academy. Al Saadi explained that the launching of the Oman Aviation Academy's identity, in addition to the website coincided with the reception of the second batch of trainee students at the Academy and hope that the new identity will contribute to the Academy's strategy of providing the highest standards of training in the civil aviation sector, participate in the course of the academy's marketing strategy and its emergence at the local and international level, so that the Sultanate be the first destination for neighboring and regional countries to benefit from training and educational services in the field of aviation. It is worth mentioning that the identity of the Academy has been designed in cooperation with a small and medium enterprises in the Sultanate, which reflects the policy and interest of the Academy since its inception in support of small and medium enterprises and Omani cadres with competence and experience. https://timesofoman.com/article/159771/Oman/Oman-Aviation-Academy-business-identity- website-launched Back to Top Aviation Technician Shortage is a "Gathering Storm" ... with Solutions on Horizon WASHINGTON - A shortage of maintenance technicians is hurting small aviation companies, the aerospace sector and the entire U.S. economy, Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) Vice President of Communications Brett Levanto told Congress. Levanto's comments came during a Sept. 26 House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce hearing entitled, "Troubled Skies: The Aviation Workforce Shortage's Impact on Small Businesses." ARSA is the international trade association for repair stations, maintenance facilities certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other civil aviation authorities. Its membership also includes manufacturers, parts producers, operators and other aviation stakeholders around the world. "Recruiting and retaining the next generation of aviation professionals is the most pressing strategic challenge facing the aviation maintenance community," Levanto said. "For aviation businesses - large and small - the development, production, operation and maintenance of the world's safest transportation system depends on a skilled, dedicated and knowledgeable workforce that is personally invested for the long term." Levanto emphasized that while the popular perception is that the aviation industry is dominated by big companies, "small businesses are the rule, rather than the exception" and of the 4,900 aviation maintenance firms worldwide, 81 percent are small and medium sized companies. The workforce data Levanto presented during his testimony paint a picture of a gathering storm: Eighty-two percent of respondents to a recent ARSA survey have had difficulty finding technicians and ARSA projects its members have as many as 2,500 unfilled technical positions. The association projected in 2017 that unfilled positions cost U.S. maintenance companies $1.95 billion in lost opportunity and foregone revenue each year. Levanto said that because of technician shortage ARSA members are taking longer to complete work for customers, declining to add new capabilities, turning down work and electing against facility expansion. Those impacts, in turn, make the nation's aviation system less efficient and slow economic growth, both nationally and in communities across the country where repair stations are located. The technician shortage could get much worse. Boeing projects the need for 189,000 new technicians in North America over the next two decades and a mass of retirements (27 percent of FAA certificated mechanics are older than 63) will leave a daunting bigger hole to fill. But the news isn't all bad. Levanto told the subcommittee that Congress has woken up to problem and the FAA reauthorization bill expected to be approved shortly by the House and Senate contains an entire aviation workforce development title, including a new grant program to help attract and retain the aerospace technicians. Highlighting the "shared responsibility to grow the next generation of aviation professionals," Levanto encouraged the subcommittee's members: "By voting for the FAA bill, you will be doing just that." He also suggested that Congress could mobilize the Small Business Administration (SBA) in the effort. "Small aviation businesses have limited size and reach, tight margins and heavy regulatory burdens; they need assistance developing relationships and resources in order to obtain and maintain a technical workforce capable of harnessing sustained economic growth," Levanto said. By providing points of connection through the SBA between technical education institutions, supportive industry groups and other stakeholders, Congress can provide venues for growth, lessons learned and career development between and among repair stations and other aviation businesses." https://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12431546/aviation-technician-shortage-is-a- gathering-storm-with-solutions-on-horizon Back to Top AviationManuals Streamlines ASAP Reporting for Bizav AviationManuals has gone live with its Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) offering for business aviation operators in cooperation with the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) ASAP, the company announced today. This effort combines the FAA/ACSF ASAP with AviationManuals safety management system (SMS) software for one-stop reporting. "This offering seamlessly integrates the ACSF ASAP and our SMS platform, creating a streamlined reporting channel," said AviationManuals CEO Mark Baier. "Business aviation operators can submit ASAP reports via our cloud-based ARC SMS software and iPad app. This data is then reviewed directly by ACSF's ASAP team." The ACSF ASAP allows U.S. Part 91 and 135 operators to participate in a voluntary safety reporting agreement with the FAA to help improve safety. ACSF aggregates the data to track safety trends and then relay that data to operators for action. "Our mission is clear: to promote the highest level of aviation safety," said ACSF president Bryan Burns. "With all the flight reporting required by business and charter operators, streamlining processes where you can is a win-win scenario for the industry. Now ASAP submissions can be made directly through AviationManuals' SMS software, eliminating the need for double entries." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-09-26/aviationmanuals- streamlines-asap-reporting-bizav Back to Top Disappointing inflight WiFi could soon become a thing of the past How airplane wifi works two different ways wifi works on airplanes How wifi works on planes. Samantha Lee/Business Insider * Inflight WiFi has been a recent and increasingly important development in air travel. * Aircraft-based WiFi has gone through several generations of technology over the past decade. * WiFi tech has gone from low-bandwidth satellite-based systems to ground-based systems, and now back to high capacity satellite-based tech such as GX Aviation, Gogo 2Ku, and Viasat. As the society's need to be constantly connected increases, so has the pressure to have inflight WiFi systems on the world's airlines. Incredibly, inflight WiFi is a relatively recent development. For instance, Boeing didn't get into the business until 2001, while Airbus didn't enter the market until 2005. Gogo, one of the biggest names in the business didn't come online until 2008. A decade ago, the industry was built on low-bandwidth satellite-based systems to transmit data to connect the aircraft with the internet. These systems really couldn't handle a whole lot of traffic. "Ten years ago, at best, you'd get your Blackberry to work and you'd get basic text email," Honeywell senior director of connectivity services, John Peterson told Business Insider in an interview. Next came the ground-based systems. To get higher data rates, in the United States, they went to ground-based systems," Peterson said. "And these systems got you into what you would call 3G cellular type speeds." This speed allowed passengers to have web browsing capabilities and the use of smartphone apps. However, these systems depend on ground-based transmitters, which means they only work overland. Unfortunately, the experience for many travelers has been expensive and somewhat disappointing. The limited bandwidth of the ground-based system has not been able to keep up with the speed at which technology and data needs have increased. This is because inflight wifi systems are incredibly expensive and have longer lifecycles than your everyday consumer electronics. "When was the last time you replaced your phone? A year? Maybe Two years ago? Inflight wifi systems are expected to last five or ten years before they are upgraded," Peterson told us. However, there looks to be light at the end of the tunnel. According to Honeywell, its hardware helps GX Aviation use Inmarsat's Global Xpress network of Ka-band satellites to achieve speeds of up to 50 Mbps to the plane. Gogo's 2Ku service promises 100Mbps to the plane and 15Mbps of speed to each passenger while Viasat can deliver up to 12 Mbps per passenger and 200 Mbps to the plane. With next generations inflight wifi systems, "passengers are going to get an experience closer to what they are used to getting in their living rooms," Peterson said. https://www.thisisinsider.com/how-airplane-wifi-works-2018-9 Back to Top AIRBUS A330-900 CERTIFIED BY EASA Airbus A330-900 EASA certification The Airbus A330-900 has received its type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency ahead of the delivery of the first aircraft to TAP Air Portugal in coming weeks. TAP's aircraft served as a demonstrator during a global tour and joined two flight test aircraft in a certification program involving about 1400 flight test hours since the type first flew on October 17, 2017. Airbus expects the corresponding certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration to follow soon. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, Airbus claims the A330-900 has the lowest seat-mile cost in the 300-seater range. The European manufacturer says the efficient Trent 7000s, a new optimized wing with new sharklets and the use of lighter composite materials bring a reduction in fuel consumption of 25 percent compared with older generation aircraft of similar size. It also benefits from a common pilot rating with the A350 XWB and new data connectivity features aimed at helping operators predict potential issues before they become a problem. The TAP aircraft will feature the Airspace by Airbus cabin with newly designed sidewalls and fixtures, larger overhead storage, advanced cabin mood lighting and the latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity. Launched in July 2014, the neo is a refinement of the popular A330 in service since 1994. Airbus has offered A330neo in two versions with 99 percent commonality, the A330-800, due to make its first flight in coming weeks, and A330-900. The manufacturer has 224 firm orders for the -900 but the future of the A330-800 is in doubt after its sole customer, Hawaiian Airlines, canceled its order for six aircraft in favor of Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner. Airbus also lost a campaign to sell the A330neo to American Airlines after it was unwilling to match the price Boeing offered. However, AirAsia reconfirmed its commitment to 66 of the A330neo at this year's Farnborough Air Show and placed an order for an additional 34, rounding up to an even 100. first flight of Airbus A330neo / A330neoFF Former Airbus chief commercial officer Eric Schulz conceded on the sidelines of June's International Air Transport Association conference in Sydney that the route proving was when the rubber hit the road. "And so far we are extremely satisfied with the performance of the plane .. after the first phase of flight tests," he said. "In terms of delivery, we are working very closely with TAP but we are within the last delivery dates we made public before so there is no change. "If anything the program is doing quite well now." On the question of demand, Schulz acknowledged Airbus had suffered two defeats in a row with Hawaiian and American and the losses were unfortunate. "In this particular case, I am not particularly anxious about the future of the 330neo," he said. "Just here over the last three days I've seen many, many customers very interested about the neo and we have deals in process. "I am quite hopeful that we will continue to find our place in the market." https://www.airlineratings.com/news/airbus-a330-900-certified-easa/ Back to Top China's Tiangong-2 space lab will fall to Earth in 2019 Lab has performed 14 projects over 2 years (CNN) - China's second space lab will return to Earth in July 2019 in a controlled destruction, the country's space agency said Wednesday. The announcement comes just six months after the country's first space lab, named Tiangong-1, made international news when it infamously plummeted out of orbit in an uncontrolled descent. It fell into the South Pacific Ocean in April, mostly burning up in the atmosphere before it reached the ocean. The second space lab, Tiangong-2, which has been in orbit for two years, was launched in 2016. According to state media, it performed 14 projects and carried a 600 kg load. "Tiangong-2 has fulfilled its mission during the two-year time, and all the loads are now in good condition," said Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, according to state media. "It will be in orbit until July 2019, and then will be controlled to deorbit." In 2016, two astronauts spent a month inside Tiangong-2 as part of China's longest-ever crewed space mission. According to state media, they conducted experiments related to medicine, physics and biology. It will have lasted barely half the time that its predecessor spent in orbit. Tiangong-1 was launched in September 2011 and spent at least five years in operation before it "ceased functioning" in March 2016, according to the Chinese space agency officials. It was not revealed why it had suddenly stopped working. The Tiangong program (Tiangong means "Heavenly Palace" in English) is intended as the initial steps toward China's ultimate space goal: launching a permanent space station around 2022. But a space station is just one part of the Chinese government's wide-ranging ambitions when it comes to its space program. In August, Beijing unveiled the rover it was planning to send to explore the "dark side" of the moon later in 2018, while the launch of the country's first Mars probe is planned for 2020. "Our overall goal is that, by around 2030, China will be among the major space powers of the world," Wu Yanhua, deputy chief of China's national space agency, told reporters in 2016. https://www.keyt.com/news/national-world/chinas-tiangong2-space-lab-will-fall-to-earth-in- 2019/799992125 Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) shares news of revision to ICAO Annex 6 Part II Standardization Board Member Amanda Zeigler briefed the Consortium regarding the newly revised guidance from ICAO. (Revision 10, July 23, 2018) On September 13, 2018, during the Business Aviation Safety Consortium (BASC) quarterly Continuing Education/Safety Round Table, Standardization Board Member and Quality Control Lead Amanda Ziegler of Quality Resources, briefed BASC membership regarding the new changes to the ICAO document, which must be complied with by November 8, 2018. Zeigler stressed the most pertinent changes likely to affect Business Aviation operators were changes in Flight Recorder requirements, performance data, and documents required onboard the aircraft. Quality Resources is researching applicability and will provide feedback shortly. The Founder and President of BASC, Rick Malczynski, commented that Quality Resources notified him several months prior that a revision would be forthcoming. He shared, "I cannot tell you how proud I am of this team. I have yet to hear anyone else in our industry addressing these changes, yet our members, and now through this release, many more business aviation professionals are aware. The cool thing about BASC is that you don't just find out about a change when you get a new audit checklist. The last thing anyone wants is to find out about something after the fact, and then scramble to comply. Our team keeps everyone informed in a timely manner. Expert and thoughtful analysis is preformed, and then suggestions and recommendations are provided, to insure compliance. We are very sensitive to the personnel issues in Business Aviation, and we thrive on hardworking, professional organizations that have the confidence to lean on us and let us be that twelfth person on the field for them." ### About the Business Aviation Safety Consortium (AviationConsortium.com, LLC or BASC): Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, BASC serves as a logical partner for SMS, regulatory, and operational excellence verification for high performing business aviation organizations. BASC was founded in 2016 and accepted the first member in January of 2017. For more information, visit http://www.aviationconsortium.com Back to Top Position: Auditor II, Internal Evaluations Program Job Details Description What are some of the daily duties of an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * Performs scheduled and special evaluations, including identifying and defining issues, reviewing and analyzing evidence, and documenting findings and concerns * Collects objective evidence necessary to substantiate findings or concerns * Prepares evaluation reports * Recommends solutions to findings or concerns * Monitors the development and implementation of corrective action plans * Maintains and updates internal evaluation files * Verifies the implementation of solutions and corrective action plans * Focal point for AirSMS input and deliverables * Assists in recruiting and training qualified IEP personnel * Assists in conducting interviews, reviewing documents and administering surveys regarding the IEP process * Represents IEP on organizational project teams, at management meetings, with executive leadership, and with external organizations What are the minimum requirements to be an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * ATP pilot certificate, A & P certificate, or dispatch certificate required * Minimum 3 years of IEP or auditing experience required * Certified Quality Auditor preferred * Work experience in 14 CFR Part 121 air carrier operations: stations, training, quality control, maintenance, operations, safety or a combination thereof required * Working knowledge of SMS, DOD principles and the FAA SAS DCTs required. * Previous experience maintaining and enhancing corporate safety standards and safe operation practices required * Advanced verbal, written, and presentation communication skills * Proficient in database and spreadsheet programs * Bachelor's degree in related field required / or experience in lieu of What other skills, knowledge, and qualifications are needed to be an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * Must pass a background check and pre-employment drug screen * Must have authorization to work in the U.S. as defined in the Immigrations Act of 1986 What are the physical requirements of an Internal Evaluation Program Auditor? * Office environment Allegiant is an equal opportunity employer and will not unlawfully discriminate against qualified applicants or Team Members with respect to any terms or conditions of employment based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, marital status, military service status, union/non-union activity, citizenship status, or other characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. This includes compliance with all federal, state and local laws providing for nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all aspects of the employment process and the requirement to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with those laws. APPLY HERE Back to Top Position: Manager Air Investigations Utilise your leadership, investigation communication and interpersonal skills Demonstrate credibility with your air transport experience Medically & physically fit, current passport and driver's licence essential. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC New Zealand) investigates significant aviation, rail and marine accidents and incidents with a view to avoiding similar occurrences in the future. The commission has set a visionary goal of "No Repeat Accidents - Ever!" Thorough investigation skills are pivotal to the Commission's successful performance. To enhance capability and capacity to respond to accidents, TAIC is currently recruiting the Manager of Air Investigations. The successful applicant will have relevant air transport experience, leadership and investigative skills and professional or technical qualifications eg: air pilot; aircraft, electrical engineer or avionics specialist, etc. As the Manager, you will effectively lead those who provide high quality and timely air transport accident investigation services.. Key competencies and experience include: * Leadership and business skills and experience. * Investigative and QA experience and skills. * Ability to anticipate and identify risks/issues and identify possible solutions. * Communication skills, written, verbal and interpersonal. * Understanding of quasi-judicial processes, particularly the rules and requirements applicable to a Commission of Inquiry. * Emotional and psychological maturity to handle stressful and emotionally difficult situations. * Medically and physically fit, with a valid passport and current driver's licence. I look forward to hearing from those interested in progressing their career within this pivotal organisation based in central Wellington, New Zealand. Applications close at 5pm on Wednesday, 3 October 2018 or sooner if a suitable applicant is identified. If you are interested in the position please visit our website www.peopleandco.nz. All applications will be acknowledged electronically. For further information contact Michele Walls on +64 21 858 364 quoting job number 18723. Only people with the right to work in New Zealand may apply for this position. For advice on obtaining a New Zealand work or residence visa visit www.immigration.govt.nz Back to Top Back to Top Register Here Phone: (231)720-0930 (9-6 EST) Back to Top In less than a month, delegates and speakers from across the aviation, safety, energy, insurance and legal will gather in Texas to discuss the latest in safety best practices and knowledge at the 14th CHC Safety & Quality Summit. The Summit will take place October 2-4 at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center More than 40 invited speakers will deliver presentations and lead approximately 80 concurrent sessions between October 2 and October 4 on this year's theme "Building Safety at Every Level: Does this start at the top or with front line employees?" While the Summit is less than a month away, there is still time for interested attendees to register and make arrangements to join industry colleagues at this premiere aviation safety event. Attendees can register at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com. For those who have already registered and plan on attending, be sure to log in and sign up for your sessions before they fill up. Most sessions are offered multiple times to ensure everyone has the opportunity to attend those they would like to. Those attending the Summit will also have the opportunity to sign up to participate in pre- and post-Summit courses this year as well. The pre and post courses include Accident/Incident Investigation Analysis, A Practitioners' Guide to Building a Safety Case, HFACS Training and BowTie XP. Detailed descriptions and additional information are available on the Summit website here. "We look forward to what promises to be another great Summit," said Duncan Trapp, VP, Safety & Quality, CHC. "Bringing together all these professionals each year, from our speakers and invited guests to our delegates and sponsors, is always a beneficial and valuable experience. We're ready to get going next month, and hope that everyone attending has a productive three days with us." About CHC For more than 70 years, CHC Helicopter has provided safe, reliable, cost-effective helicopter service in some of the most remote and challenging environments around the world. With extensive experience transporting customers in the oil and gas industry, supporting search-and-rescue and EMS contracts, and providing maintenance, repair and overhaul services, our dedication to safety and reputation for quality and innovation help our customers reach beyond what they thought possible. Visit www.chcheli.com for information. Contact Information MEDIA Cameron Meyer Communications Specialist CHC Helicopter +1 214.262.7391 Cameron.Meyer@chcheli.com Summit Contact Irina Sakgaev Safety & Quality Applications Specialist CHC Helicopter +1 604.232.7302 summit@chcheli.com Curt Lewis