Flight Safety Information October 5, 2018 - No. 203 In This Issue Incident: Tunis A320 at Frankfurt on Sep 15th 2018, nearly landed on taxiway Incident: TAROM B733 at Bucharest on Oct 3rd 2018, suspected oil leak MiG 29 Accident (Russia) Cessna 206 Accident (Oklahoma) Eurocopter AS 350B3 ษcureuil Fatal Accident (Russia) LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck Congress to airlines: Stop shrinking seats, dragging passengers and killing pets Working together to keep aviation safe Nepali carriers in limbo over EC flight restriction Delta hopes to add free in-flight Wi-Fi for all passengers FAA And NASA Celebrate The Transfer Of New Technology Rapidly shifting battery technology complicates Zunum's plans for hybrid electric airplane Boeing Has Outlined Its Vision For Space Aircraft And Aerospace Traffic Management Systems HELP WANTED: Pilots and aircraft workers needed to fill Canadian shortage Republic Airline exec: Industry's pilot shortage has wide-ranging implications British Airways celebrates 60 years of jet-powered trans-Atlantic flying Space Station Crew Returns to Earth in 'Hard Landing,' But Astronauts Are Just Fine NTSB Accident Site Photography Course New HFACS workshop...Las Vegas, NV...December 18th & 19th, 2018 Medallion Foundation - PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS MITRE SMS December Courses DTI Training - Workshops Scheduled in Canada and the U.S. '2018 International Aviation Safety and Education Summit Aircraft Accident Investigation from SCSI HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - Course Incident: Tunis A320 at Frankfurt on Sep 15th 2018, nearly landed on taxiway A Tunisair Airbus A320-200, registration TS-IMG performing flight TU-744 from Tunis (Tunisia) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was on approach to Frankfurt's runway 25L when a swing over to runway 25C was offered and accepted. The crew however aligned with taxiway M - the parallel taxiway between runways 25L and 25C - and continued the approach until about 200 feet AGL, then went around at about 11:22L (09:22Z). The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 25C and landed safely about 15 minutes later. On Oct 4th 2018 Germany's DFS (ATC provider) confirmed the incident on Sep 15th 2018, however, advised they were short on staff (Wednesday Oct 3rd was a holiday in Germany) and asked to wait for further details until the following week, e.g. whether the taxiway was occupied at the time of the occurrence or whether ATC instructed a go around or the crew initiated the go around. Germany's BFU have not yet responded to our inquiry. On Oct 1st 2018 The Aviation Herald was notified about an occurrence by a Tunisia registered aircraft some time in the last 2 weeks, that had nearly landed on taxiway M following a swing over. As result all swing over operations in Frankfurt were suspended. With that information The Aviation Herald performed an analysis of all radar data recognizing the word "nearly" (in nearly landed on taxiway M) permitted such an analysis in a timely manner. While scanning back from September 30th we found no such go around until September 15th 2018. Analysis of that flight track revealed the position data off the transponder showed a significant map shift, according to the position data the terminal buildings of Frankfurt had been removed by the landing aircraft. We therefore assumed the aircraft had landed on runway 25C (as the terminal buildings are still there) on their second approach. The first approach showed the aircraft tracking 280 meters to the left of that landing (the position data thus suggesting the aircraft approached the apron just before the terminals) until the aircraft went around from about 200 feet. The distance between center line of taxiway M to the runway center line 25C is 280 meters. We updated our inquiry to the DFS with these analysis data on Oct 3rd 2018 (which we believe permitted the quick note by the DFS today - Oct 4th - following a quick check of the Frankfurt tower log for a first verification). Metars: EDDF 151050Z 24010KT 210V270 CAVOK 20/05 Q1024 NOSIG= EDDF 151020Z 23007KT 180V300 CAVOK 20/06 Q1024 NOSIG= EDDF 150950Z 27008KT 210V300 9999 FEW046 19/06 Q1025 NOSIG= EDDF 150920Z 23005KT 190V290 9999 FEW044 19/07 Q1025 NOSIG= EDDF 150850Z VRB04KT 9999 FEW037 18/08 Q1025 NOSIG= EDDF 150820Z VRB03KT 9999 FEW034 17/09 Q1024 NOSIG= EDDF 150750Z 22005KT 190V260 CAVOK 17/08 Q1024 NOSIG= EDDF 150720Z 21004KT 170V260 9999 FEW030 16/08 Q1024 NOSIG= EDDF 150650Z 23004KT 200V270 9999 FEW023 15/08 Q1024 NOSIG= EDDF 150620Z 24003KT 210V280 9999 FEW020 13/08 Q1024 NOSIG= EDDF 150550Z 22003KT 170V240 9999 FEW020 SCT065 11/07 Q1023 NOSIG= EDDF 150520Z 19002KT CAVOK 10/06 Q1023 NOSIG= EDDF 150450Z VRB03KT CAVOK 11/07 Q1023 NOSIG= http://avherald.com/h?article=4be8b5a8&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: TAROM B733 at Bucharest on Oct 3rd 2018, suspected oil leak A TAROM Boeing 737-300, registration YR-BGA performing flight RO-363 from Bucharest Otopeni (Romania) to Amsterdam (Netherlands), was climbing through FL160 out of Otopeni when the crew stopped the climb advising they had a technical problem but no emergency situation. The aircraft returned to Otopeni for a safe landing about 50 minutes after departure. A passenger reported the crew announced they suspected an oil leak and were returning to Bucharest. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 80 minutes, then departed again and reached Amsterdam with a delay of about 2.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4be8b0a3&opt=0 Back to Top MiG 29 Accident (Russia) Date: 05-OCT-2018 Time: Morning Type: MiG-29 Owner/operator: Russian Air Force* Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: in a forest near Ostrovets, Moscow region - Russia Phase: Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The jet fighter crashed in a forest. Both occupants ejected safely. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216021 Back to Top Cessna 206 Accident (Oklahoma) Date: 04-OCT-2018 Time: -20:10 Type: Cessna 206 Owner/operator: Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: SSW of Hefner-Easley Airport (H68), Wagoner, OK - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Hefner-Easley (H68) Destination airport: Narrative: Following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Hefner-Easley Airport (H68), Wagoner, Oklahoma, the aircraft experienced a force landing to roadway terrain and subsequent nosegear collapse. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received unspecified injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216016 Back to Top Eurocopter AS 350B3 ษcureuil Fatal Accident (Russia) Date: 03-OCT-2018 Time: ~18:25 LT Type: Eurocopter AS 350B3 ษcureuil Owner/operator: Private Registration: RA-07272 C/n / msn: 7704 Fatalities: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Vonyshevo, Kostroma Oblast - Russia Phase: En route Nature: Private Departure airport: Heliport Moscow Destination airport: Ples Narrative: A private helicopter crashed into tree, killing all three on board, including the Deputy Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation. Post crash fire. All four occupants, the pilot and three passengers, died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=215990 Back to Top Back to Top Congress to airlines: Stop shrinking seats, dragging passengers and killing pets Eonomy class seating is shown on a new United Airlines Boeing 787-9.Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press One piece of the FAA reauthorization bill that the House passed would require the agency to set a minimum standard for the size of passenger seats.Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle If you're a frequent coach-class air passenger, you should probably break out the Champagne. Just don't pop the cork yet. On Wednesday, lawmakers in the Senate approved a bill that addresses some of the biggest quality-of-life issues related to air travel, including rules to keep seats from getting smaller, a ban on bumping passengers after they've already boarded the plane, and an overdue rule that clearly bans talking on a cell phone during the flight. The bill, a five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration that the House approved last week, also sets rules that: *Prevent airlines from removing passengers on overbooked flights after they have already boarded. It's a response to the story and video that went viral in 2017 of a passenger who refused to be bumped and was assaulted and dragged off the plane by airport security. Airline rules lower the IQ of 'smart luggage' *Define the term "service animal" and develop standards for how service and emotional support animals are carried while on the plane. This is a response to the uptick in high-profile incidents of passengers attempting to board planes with exotic pets (including snakes, ferrets and at least one peacock), calling them emotional support animals. The bill now goes to the White House. If approved, it will represent one of the biggest strides forward for air passenger rights, and it follows a 2017 rife with viral videos of passenger and crew confrontations - ones that were sometimes violent, most of them mishandled by an airline, and many of them clearly the fault of an airline. But again, keep the Champagne chilling for now, say industry experts. "For sure it's a victory, but it's going to come at a cost," says John E. DiScala, owner of online travel resource JohnnyJet.com. "They will figure out ways to upcharge and make that money back." Shrinking the size of seats (and packing more of them into the same space) has long been the favored move by airlines to increase per-flight profits. "It's technology. They know where they can squeeze things - make the bathroom smaller, they can add another row, add another seat," says DiScala. If passed, the FAA will have a year to issue regulations that "establish minimum dimensions for passenger seats," according to language in the bill, including minimums for seat pitch, width and length. The reasoning isn't about passenger comfort, however, it's about safety and not being able to respond to emergencies if people are jammed into tight spaces. "People are getting larger, the seats are getting smaller, and it's just obvious that you can't evacuate the planes in the requisite time," Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., told the Associated Press last week. Another reason to hold off celebrating? The current situation probably won't get better, it just won't get worse, says Chris McGinnis, founder of TravelSkills.com and a frequent contributor to The Chronicle and SFGate. According to McGinnis, the seats on most major airlines measure 30 to 31 inches of pitch (the distance between one point on a seat and the same point on the next seat forward) and are 17 inches wide. "What will be interesting to see is how the FAA treats ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier, which currently offer a knee-scrunching 28 inches of pitch and seats that don't recline," he says. "Will they force them to add more space? I doubt it, but it will be interesting to watch." While the bill requires airlines to provide the FAA with a "summarized one-page document that describes the rights of passengers," including compensation for flight delays, diversions, cancellations, bumping and lost baggage, little else in the bill focuses on fees. Ancillary fees such as the checked baggage fee and an added cost for being able to pick your seat have become a cash cow for the airlines that they are unlikely to give up anytime soon. (Delta, United and American airlines all raised the $25 checked bag fee to $30 in the past three weeks.) The portions of this bill that apply to passengers focus predominantly on quality-of-life issues - it's easier to dictate to big corporations how they treat customers, especially where safety is concerned, than to dictate how they make money. Regardless, it's welcome and it's overdue. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/travel/departures/article/Lawmakers-to-airlines-Stop-squeezing-13275541.php Back to Top Working together to keep aviation safe The recent crash of AM Flight 2341 is a strong reminder to all involved in aviation that our safety work is never done. Many who have seen photographs of that accident are amazed to learn that there were no fatalities among the 103 passengers and crew on board, although some sustained serious injuries. But in fact, most airplane accidents are survivable. That's a testament to aircraft designers and manufacturers, to safety regulators who work closely with the industry and to flight crew who rise to the occasion in an emergency, doing their utmost to get everyone off the aircraft as quickly and safely as possible. Passengers also have a role to play in keeping safe. Those of us who like to sit in emergency exit rows are familiar with the special responsibilities that come with the extra legroom in the event an evacuation is necessary. But even those who are not asked to directly participate in helping their fellow passengers get out of the aircraft need to be prepared. There are far more passengers on a flight than cabin staff. No matter how good they are, they can't look after every passenger. That means that as passengers we need to do our part as well. Read the safety card and locate the closest emergency exit - and an alternative in case that one is obstructed. Turn your mobile devices to airplane mode when requested. Follow crew instructions. And most important - when told to evacuate, don't stop to grab your carry-on bag from the overhead bin on your way out of the plane. It slows down the evacuation process for everyone, not just yourself. Luggage may also damage the emergency slides. No one wants to be separated from their bag but getting out of a dangerous situation as quickly as possible and doing your part to ensure others get out must take priority. Airline accidents are, of course, extremely rare. Last year, some 4.1bn travellers flew safely on 41.8mn flights. There were 45 accidents, of which six involved loss of life - none of which involved airlines based in the Middle East, by the way. There were 19 fatalities among passengers and crew. None of these six occurred on a passenger jet. If we look at it another way, based on the 2017 safety performance, on average, a person would have to travel by air every day for 6,033 years before experiencing an accident in which at least one passenger gets killed. We're working together to make accidents even rarer. Aviation safety is built on partnerships and global standards and for more than 70 years, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which I have the privilege to lead, has teamed with our airline members, safety regulators, airports, air navigation service providers and others in the global safety community to help reduce accidents. This year we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the world's first globally-recognised operational safety standard. Every member of IATA must pass an IOSA audit and remain on the IOSA registry in good standing. In 2017, the accident rate for airlines on the IOSA registry was nearly four times better than that of non-IOSA airlines. Non-members also recognise the value of IOSA. Of the 435 airlines on the registry, 148 - 34% - are not members of IATA. I call aviation the Business of Freedom because it liberates people to lead better, more fulfilling lives, with virtually none of the risk that long journeys used to entail. We need everyone to do their part to help make the Business of Freedom even safer - and that includes passengers. * Alexandre de Juniac is the Director-General and CEO of the International Air Transport Association. https://www.gulf-times.com/story/608245/Working-together-to-keep-aviation-safe Back to Top Nepali carriers in limbo over EC flight restriction Nepali airlines don't know when they will be removed from the air safety list of the European Commission (EC) allowing them to operate in the region because its technical team has still not arrived to assess their status. The EC had agreed to send a technical team to Nepal in September to evaluate the status of Nepali airlines and their improvement towards safety. The group was expected to prepare a field report and submit it to its technical committee meeting in November to decide whether Nepal should be removed from the air safety list. "The visit was slated for September. It is already October, but there is no word from the EC about when they will be coming," said an official of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). "We had sent all the documents to satisfy the concerns of the EC with evidence regarding the improvements Nepal has made to address air safety deficiencies, but we have not received a reply." This indicates that Nepali airlines will not be removed from the air safety list any time soon, he said. In December 2013, the EC issued a ban against Nepali airlines preventing them from expanding to EU cities after finding regulatory oversight to be inadequate. The airline industry fears that a continuation of the ban will hurt it, as they plan to extend their network to Europe. According to CAAN, the EC has indicated that it is not happy with the Nepal government's lack of progress on making a law to split the regulatory body as envisaged. Currently, CAAN is functioning both as regulator and service provider from the same office, and there is no clear demarcation between its duties and organisational structure. In June, while receiving the Council President Certificate from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) headquarters in Montreal, Civil Aviation Minister Rabindra Adhikari had promised to complete the process of enacting the Integrated Civil Aviation Bill to split CAAN within a year. Although the Cabinet has given the go-ahead to the ministry to prepare a draft of the bill, it is expected to take years to pass the law and split CAAN into two entities, said CAAN officials. The government has been working on the new law for the last nine years. The EC has also raised concern over inducting airline representatives into the CAAN board because it performs regulatory roles to streamline the airline industry, and it would be inappropriate to take inputs from the representatives of the same airlines it has to govern, according to officials. The EC wasn't very happy with Nepal Airlines Corporation's (NAC) operations and Caan's certification process of the Airbus A330 wide-body jets that joined its fleet this year. In July 2017, ICAO removed the significant safety concerns tag it had put on Nepal four years ago. The 2013 audit report, a follow-up to the 2009 audit, had pointed out that Nepal's score of 55.01 percent in effective implementation of critical elements of safety oversight system was way below the global average of 60 percent. The 2017 audit gave Nepal a score of 66 percent for effective implementation of safety standards, following which the government moved to get Nepali airlines unbanned by the EC. http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-10-03/nepali-carriers-in-limbo-over-ec-flight-restriction.html Back to Top Delta hopes to add free in-flight Wi-Fi for all passengers Airplane mode might get a new meaning. Delta Air Lines' CEO Ed Bastian said at a New York forum last week that the airline is working toward providing free in-flight Wi-Fi to all of its passengers, according to Forbes. "I don't know of anywhere else, besides in an airplane, that you can't get free Wi-Fi," Bastian said. "We're going to make it free." No timeline was given for when the free Wi-Fi for all would be available, and in-flight Wi-Fi has long been spotty at best. But Delta has been leading the charge. The airline is currently on its third-generation Wi-Fi system in just a few years and has Wi-Fi capabilities set up on all of its aircrafts larger than 50-seat regional jets. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/10/04/delta-air-lines-free-flight-wi-fi-all-passengers/1518929002/ Back to Top FAA And NASA Celebrate The Transfer Of New Technology Flight Deck Interval Management Will Provide Air Traffic Controllers More Precise Information As They Work To Space Aircraft Coming In On Approach The FAA is optimistic about a NASA-developed technology that promises to increase capacity and reduce delays, fuel burn and emissions. The FAA, NASA and others from the aviation industry today celebrated the transfer of a technology developed by NASA that will be used by the FAA and airlines. The new technology, called Flight Deck Interval Management (FIM), integrates with another technology called Terminal Spacing and Sequencing (TSAS) to improve the use of performance-based procedures - to make it more efficient to land in congested terminal airspace. FIM will provide air traffic controllers more precise information as they work to space aircraft coming in on approach. Controllers receive visual aids on their screens that help them execute clearances and conform to sequencing schedules to help aircraft arrive on time. The controller informs the pilot of the aircraft's trajectory and the pilot enters the information into the FIM system. The information is processed for the pilot through a satellite based navigation tool called Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). With this information, the pilot assesses what speed to fly to enable them to do a performance based procedure into the airport. The combined FIM and TSAS tools will provide numerous benefits. Using performance-based operations, aircraft will spend less time in the air burning fuel and emissions. When aircraft burn less fuel, it saves money for the airlines. Passengers benefit because there's a better chance their flights will arrive on time. The FAA, NASA and industry are working together under a project called Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration 1 or ATD-1 to bring new technologies to market that are designed to improve arrival times. FIM is one of the technologies that stems from that partnership. Boeing, Honeywell and United Airlines participated in the FIM development and flight test which involved two aircraft from Honeywell's flight test fleet as well as a United 737. http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=ca35f20f-51aa-47f1-935b-11a9b38e9ddb Back to Top Rapidly shifting battery technology complicates Zunum's plans for hybrid electric airplane A rendering of Zunum's concept hybrid electric commuter aircraft ZA10, which in the U.S. will carry nine passengers. (Courtesy of Zunum Aero) Bothell-based startup Zunum Aero hasn't nailed down exactly which lithium ion battery technology it will use, complicating the design of the airframe. The planned schedule for commercial service has slipped out a year to 2023. Bothell-based startup Zunum Aero, which is developing hybrid electric airplanes, depends crucially upon the evolution of Tesla-style lithium ion battery technology. Yet the rapid changes to that technology are complicating the effort. Zunum engineers, awaiting the best available battery system that might be available when the plane is ready for passenger service five or more years from now, cannot yet settle upon which batteries will power the first airplane. And they anticipate having to redo the battery certification process multiple times even after that, as the technology improves. Matt Knapp, Zunum's chief technical officer for the propulsion system, said that without a firm battery selection, mechanical engineers are today working on the airframe design without a precise idea of the shape, size or weight of the battery pack that will be fitted inside the wings. "It's driving my mechanical engineers nuts," said Knapp in an interview. "They are having to figure out how to accommodate a changing energy source and size over the lifetime of the aircraft." He said that because battery technology, being developed largely in the auto manufacturing world, is evolving quickly, "We don't have a crystal ball to lock down a (battery) production partner for 2022." That's when Zunum wants to start final Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification of the airplane. And Zunum's engineers expect the state-of-the-art in battery technology to continue to shift, which will mean any improvements developed over the coming years will need to be recertified by the FAA. "This is the blessing and the bane of the business," said Knapp. "As the batteries keep changing they keep getting better. It means we'll be in a perpetual cycle of requalifying the batteries." Knapp said the projected schedule for commercial passenger service has slipped out a year to mid-2023. A helicopter engine backs up the batteries Zunum, which won early funding from Boeing and airline JetBlue, as well as an $800,000 research grant from the state of Washington, has ambitious plans to develop a family of hybrid electric aircraft. And it vows to do final assembly of the aircraft in Washington. The initial, smallest model, designated ZA10, is designed to carry up to a dozen passengers. In practice, it will be restricted to nine passengers in the U.S. because FAA rules would require a second pilot for 10 or more passengers. Aircraft of this size typically are used as air taxis or as commuter planes for business people on high-traffic, short-hop routes such as Silicon Valley to Los Angeles. Delivered bright and early weekday mornings, this email provides a quick overview of top stories and need-to-know news. Zunum has about 70 employees, with another 10 or so part-time consultants. About 35 full-time employees are at the Bothell headquarters. An additional 20 work at Zunum's electrical power facility in Elgin, Ill., near Chicago. About 15 employees work in Indianapolis, developing the plane's ducted fan propulsion system in a partnership with Purdue University. Knapp said Zunum will seek a second round of "more substantial" venture capital funding early next year, which could also affect its timetable. Safety certification of the battery technology by the FAA is critical in light of the problem that caused the grounding of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner fleet in 2013. On the Boeing jet, when individual lithium ion cells within the battery pack overheated, damage spread to adjacent cells and threatened a potential "thermal runaway," which could have engulfed the entire battery pack in fire. Boeing engineers fixed the problem with a redesign that enclosed the battery in a heavy steel box, with a system of exhaust tubes that vent any gases outside the aircraft if the cells overheat. Knapp said the fundamental design requirement for Zunum's battery system is that two or more cells can overheat without spreading to the entire pack and creating a fire. "How to do this is pretty well known," he said. "It's a matter of doing it in a lightweight and consistent manner." Knapp said the hybrid plane's other significant power technology choice has been nailed down: Zunum has chosen a variant of a helicopter engine built by Safran of France to provide the jet-fuel portion of the ZA10's power system. In a long-term contract, Safran will develop a variant of its Ardiden turboshaft engine to integrate into the aircraft's hybrid power system, delivering 500kW of electric power to supplement the battery packs in the wings. Should the battery system go down, that's sufficient power for the plane to cruise and land, Zunum said. Zunum is considering various aerostructures suppliers to design and assemble airframe components, among them Spirit AeroSystems of Wichita, Kan.; Triumph Group, based in Berwyn, Pa.; Daher of France; Aernnova of Spain; and Bombardier Aerostructures in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Knapp said Zunum will make decisions on basic airframe configuration, including the materials to be used and the window size, early next year and then take bids from supplier partners. However, Knapp said, the current plan is that "the extensive systems integration and final assembly will be done in Washington state." Zunum also announced that it has acquired a Rockwell Turbo Commander turboprop aircraft as a flying testbed for the propulsion system, starting next year. Knapp said engineers will progressively modify the Rockwell plane to test each aspect of the system. Knapp acknowledged that "the timeline has moved back a bit" on Zunum's project. Flight tests for certification of the first production aircraft will start in late 2021, he said. https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/rapidly-shifting-battery-technology-complicates-zunums-plans-for-hybrid-electric-airplane/ Back to Top Boeing Has Outlined Its Vision For Space Aircraft And Aerospace Traffic Management Systems The aviation company wants to be at the forefront of the changes that are happening in the aviation sector, particularly with the impending changes in how we define personal, commercial and space aircraft. Artist concept of a Boeing CST-100 Starliner in Earth orbit. (Image: Boeing) Boeing, best known as an aircraft company, has no intention of changing its positioning. That is what Dennis A. Muilenburg, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Boeing Company, is at pains to explain. However, he believes that the way we define airplanes, and what they are capable of, could change significantly. At the Geekwire Summit in Seattle, Muilenburg explained his vision of aviation, that doesn't involve looking at commercial aircrafts and space rockets in isolation. And in the pursuit of that vision, 2019 is set to be a big year for the aviation company. According to Muilenburg, the entire ecosystem will comprise more of blurred lines between personal-sized air taxis, followed by traditional aircraft and eventually hypersonic transports. Boeing wants to be involved in the evolution, manufacturing and development of all these domains. "Within a decade, you're going to see low-Earth-orbit space travel become much more commonplace. Not only going to the International Space Station, as we will today, but also other destinations in space. Space tourism, space factories, that whole ecosystem is evolving, and we'll be deeply involved in the transportation system that will enable access," said Muilenburg. Being has laid out the key initiatives, which will probably see test flights next year. The most ambitious of the initiatives is the space taxi, which would see Boeing develop spacecraft for missions to the International Space Station. This means the first Boeing CST-100 Starliner will see its first un-crewed flight test early next year, and the first crewed mission could happen in the second half of 2019. Boeing is one of the thirteen companies doing studies for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), expected to be submitted in December, and will lay out the plans for commercial low-earth-orbit operations expected to be operational by the year 2025, outposts in space and the role of the international space station. Apart from Boeing, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space venture, Lockheed Martin and Virgin Orbit will be submitting their proposals to NASA. Boeing is also working on a traffic management system for commercial airplanes in the dense urban aviation environments of the future, and is relying heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology. Texas based AI company SparkCognition is readying a platform that uses cognitive computing methods and blockchain for drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles as well. Just recently, tech giant Intel also announced that it was working on a technology as a part of the Open Drone ID project which uses wireless communication standards to let each drone know about the other's presence while in the air. https://www.news18.com/news/tech/boeing-has-outlined-its-vision-for-space-aircraft-and-aerospace-traffic-management-systems-1897905.html Back to Top HELP WANTED: Pilots and aircraft workers needed to fill Canadian shortage Cree spirit name bestowed upon Mayor Iveson as part of reconciliation Air Canada Captain Rod Graham, left, and first officer Christine Lyon, right, run though a demonstration of simulator training near Pearson Airport in Toronto, in December 2012.J.P. MOCZULSKI / J.P. MOCZULSKI Canada faces a shortage of 3,000 pilots and 55,000 workers overall in the aviation industry by 2025 - caused by retirements, industry growth and barriers to recruiting new workers. The labour shortage is so severe that a national strategy is in the works to address it. But there are many problems, industry and Transport Canada officials heard at a forum Tuesday in Ottawa. Flight school costs at least $75,000 to reach an employable level. These schools may require students to live long distances from home. Women and Indigenous people are under-represented at all levels. And younger pilots have to "pay their dues" at low-paying jobs for rural and northern airlines until they can move on to bigger aircraft. "We're flying more and more and we will continue to fly more and more," Transport Minister Marc Garneau told the group Tuesday. "We cannot afford to have labour shortages in the aviation industry." The missing workers span a wide range of careers - as pilots but also in aircraft manufacturing and maintenance. The sector today employs 154,000. "If we don't have the workers, the jobs are going offshore and we won't get them back," Robert Donald warned the forum. He is the executive director of the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace, a research organization supported by the industry. "Air travel - it's going to double. And you need people to fly those planes and to maintain those planes," said Theresa Davis-Woodhouse, CCAA's director of project management. By 2025 Canada will need 7,300 new pilots, she said. But there are fewer than 1,200 new pilots graduating each year, and nearly half of these are foreign students. As well, only 70 per cent of graduating pilots go on to work in the industry. That will create a "critical shortage" of 3,000 pilots by 2025, she said. And if new rules that limit flying hours to reduce pilots' fatigue are passed, the shortage will be higher. "There's (also) aircraft maintenance technicians, there's avionics technicians, composite fabricators, there's engineers" who are in short supply, she said. "Welders, painters - we have 30 trades," Donald added. "It's in making the airplanes, fixing the airplanes and flying the airplanes. And there is explosive growth in India and Asia, as their middle class starts to fly. That is creating a global demand for skilled workers," and foreign airlines are recruiting workers from Canada. This makes it harder for Canadian companies to find workers. A big issue is that young people leaving school aren't aware of the career opportunities. "Not enough of them know," Davis-Woodhouse said. There are some high school programs in aviation maintenance "but generally they are not aware of the career path they could take. "Guidance counsellors don't promote it enough." "Industry needs to do more to get the message out that there are high-skill, exciting, high-paying jobs available immediately for graduates" in aviation fields, Donald said. A Transport Canada discussion paper distributed at the forum says that "there is heightened competition with other sectors that offer higher wages, as well as a lack of visibility for careers in the aviation industry due to limited post-secondary institutions offering aviation programs. "There has also been a decreased interest in piloting as a career path, where the costs and time necessary for training can be prohibitive. Government student loans are not available for required flight training hours, resulting in significant financial burden to obtain a license." A second paper adds that in the past it used to take 10 years for a pilot to find a job on a national airline. "While the current labour shortage has dramatically reduced that time, the path to getting to a national airline remains uncertain and this is a barrier for many considering aviation as a career choice." It adds: "The pilot shortage is even more acute across the Middle East and Asia, resulting in airlines from these regions offering higher levels of compensation to attract crews. Average wages for pilots of medium sized airliners in Asia and the Middle East are 12 and 14 per cent higher respectively than wages in the western hemisphere, as well as a greater possibility for job advancement." Finally there's the issue of a schedule that takes pilots away from home for overnights and weekends. The paper notes that "the willingness of prospective pilots to embrace this lifestyle may be diminishing." https://edmontonsun.com/news/local-news/canada-faces-severe-shortage-of-pilots-and-aircraft-workers/wcm/cd8e76ae-0864-4042-9be6-2910594a6e20 Back to Top Republic Airline exec: Industry's pilot shortage has wide-ranging implications The ongoing shortage of commercial pilots is an area of "critical urgency" whose effects reach far beyond the airline industry, a Republic Airline Inc. executive said Thursday. "This is a real challenge that's affecting economies across the country," said Matt Koscal, chief administrative officer for the Indianapolis-based carrier. Koscal was among several speakers at the Aerospace & Defense in Indiana breakfast, an industry event presented by IBJ, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and Conexus Indiana. In recent years, Koscal said, airlines have switched to fleets with bigger planes, in part because there aren't enough pilots to fly a greater number of smaller planes. When airlines have fewer planes in their fleets, they can't cover as many routes. As a result, he said, over the past five years more than 100 airports have lost a third of their air service. Another 20 have lost air service altogether. And a cutback in air service can significantly affect a city's larger economy. As an example, Koscal cited the case of heavy-equipment maker Caterpillar Inc., which announced last year that it would move its corporate headquarters from Peoria, Illinois, to the Chicago suburb of Deerfield. In making the announcement, Caterpillar specifically noted that its new offices would be minutes away from O'Hare International Airport. The shortage has numerous causes. The existing pilot workforce is aging, and federal law requires commercial airline pilots to retire at age 65. The number of pilot retirements is predicted to peak in 2023, Koscal said. At the same time, the airline industry is growing worldwide. And tougher training standards implemented in 2013 for U.S. pilots make it more time-consuming-and costly-to become an airline pilot. Republic's own pilot shortage grew so acute in recent years that the regional airline didn't have enough pilots to fly its contracted routes for American Airlines Group Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. or United Airlines Inc. The situation led Republic to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2016. New pilots for Republic typically fly for a few years before moving to a job with one of the major carriers. This creates a constant need for Republic to recruit new talent, because the airline loses about a third of its pilots each year, Koscal said. Republic emerged from bankruptcy in April 2017, and it has taken numerous steps to beef up its hiring pipeline. The airline has formed partnerships with 50 aviation schools around the country, and this year it established an in-house aviation training school. The program, called Leadership in Flight Training Academy, or LIFT Academy for short, started its first training class last month. The solution to the industry's pilot shortage needs to be multi-pronged, Koscal said, because the current educational infrastructure isn't large enough to supply industry demand. "We need 100 solutions like LIFT Academy in every sector of the industry, and we need them all across the country," Koscal said. Republic is an example of how employers and schools can work together, said fellow speaker Danny Lopez, chairman of the Governor's Workforce Cabinet, created this year by the Indiana Legislature to assess and realign development programs and services. In order to meet the great demand for workers-especially in science, technology, engineering and math fields-employers must partner with schools so that students come out of school with relevant skills for today's jobs. "That has to happen. That is the new model," Lopez said. Several speakers also highlighted the importance of attracting a more diverse pool of talent. Eric Fanning, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, said white males are disproportionately represented in the aerospace and defense industries. A recently released Aerospace Industries Association survey revealed that women make up less than 25 percent of the nation's aerospace and defense workforce, Fanning said. Asians make up 10 percent of the industry's workforce, while African Americans make up 7 percent, and Hispanics or Latinos make up 8 percent. As a comparison, U.S. Census Bureau figures show that 6 percent of the nation's population is Asian; 13 percent is African American; and 18 percent is Hispanic or Latino. "We need to tap into the best of all of the country," Fanning said. https://www.ibj.com/articles/70766-republic-airline-exec-industrys-pilot-shortage-has-wide-ranging-implications Back to Top British Airways celebrates 60 years of jet-powered trans-Atlantic flying Peggy Thorne (center) at the British Airways Global Learning Academy with Sophie Picton (left) and Nadine Wood (right). British Airways LONDON -- Over the course of Oct. 4, several thousand people will hop aboard an airplane and make the hours-long trip between New York City and London. Few, however, are likely to notice that their flight coincides with the 60th anniversary of jet-powered flight across the Atlantic. British Airways marked the occasion on Wednesday, at a small gathering at their headquarters outside of London's Heathrow International Airport. The airline, then known as BOAC - or British Overseas Airways Corporation - piloted two de Havilland Comet 4s across the ocean on Oct. 4, 1958. One flew New York to London nonstop, while the other flew London to New York, with a stop in Newfoundland to refuel. The British-built airplane flew at speeds of over 500 mph, a full 150 mph faster than the next fastest airplane of its day. "It was so exciting," recalled former BOAC Comet 4 flight attendant Peggy Thorne of the first flight. Mrs. Thorne was hand-picked to work the very first Comet flight between New York and London. Overnight, flight times across the Atlantic dropped dramatically. Ocean crossings in even the fastest piston aircraft of the time, such as the Douglas DC-7 and Lockheed Super Constellation, typically took well over 15 hours. Other aircraft, such as Boeing's Stratocruiser, took even longer. "On the Stratocruiser it had taken us 20 hours to get across the Atlantic," said Mrs. Thorne. "Then all of a sudden there was somebody saying our flight time would be approximately six hours and 10 minutes. It was incredible," she said. Even in the opposite direction, flying into the wind between London and New York, the jet made the trip in a comparatively fast 10 hours. The achievement would later earn it a nickname as the Concorde of its day, referring to the iconic supersonic airliner that would halve Comet's record-setting speed only a decade later. For the flight crews, that suddenly shorter flight time often meant making some adjustments to their usual in-flight routines. "We hadn't finished serving the food!," said Mrs. Thorne of the first Comet flight. "Breakfast ran into morning refreshments, which ran into lunch, and by that time we were on the ground in London. They ate and drank from when they got on board until the time they got off," she said. British Airways and Austin went all-out with destination-themed cakes to make the occasion. British Airways and Austin went all-out with destination-themed cakes to make the occasion. The cakes, provided by the W Austin's executive pastry chef, were offered to fliers on BA's inaugural Austin departure. City of Austin While flight crews might have found themselves strapped for time, passengers found themselves strapped in for a luxury experience the likes of which the world hadn't seen before. "It was such a novelty," said Mrs. Thorne. The jets sat a whopping 48 passengers at first, split between first-class and deluxe-class cabins. Menus included cocktails and canapes, five-course lunches, petit fours and an entire afternoon tea service. Besides the stellar service and astonishing speed, jets provided a substantially smoother ride than their piston predecessors. For one, the Comet could fly much higher at 40,000 feet, often well above the weather that other aircraft had to fly through. The engines themselves ran much more smoothly, without any of the hiccups and jostling common in piston airplanes. The ticket cost flew about as high as the jet itself. British Airways said the first tickets cost in excess of $10,000 in today's U.S. dollars (consider that an average U.S.-to-London ticket today is closer to $500), making air travel an enclave of only the very wealthiest of people. "We had such a wonderful passenger load. They all wanted to be on the first jet service," said Mrs. Thorne. Not everyone, however, was quite so thrilled. "Pan American was not very impressed with this," said former BOAC Comet navigator and pilot Hugh Dibley. The iconic American airline, anticipating the arrival of Comet's early rival, the Boeing 707, had been heavily advertising itself as the first jet service across the pond for weeks. "The airport authorities at Idlewild (now New York JFK) just needed noise clearance tests on takeoff," said Mrs. Thorne. "They were playing cat and mouse with us and Pan Am, who wanted to get ahead." In a surprising last-minute move, officials in New York unexpectedly cleared the Comet for service on Oct. 3. BOAC wasted no time, launching the flights the very next day. When the first flight arrived in New York from London, onlookers reportedly booed the passengers and crew as they left the jet. The Comet's first commercial trans-Atlantic flight was also a victory for its maker, de Havilland. The British aircraft manufacturer had pioneered the Comet 1 some six years earlier, in 1952, making it the very first commercially produced passenger jetliner in the world. Initially it flew routes from Europe to Africa or what was then described as the Far East, hop-scotching across continents on flights typically under five hours. Even still, the Comet cut airborne travel times down from a week to a few days. But the Comet's reign came to an abrupt end after a series of mid-air explosions grounded the jets worldwide after only two years of service. Investigators discovered that the airplane's unusually thin fuselage skin and square windows were no match for the intense demands of high-altitude pressurization. Cracks, whose roots traced back to the manufacturing itself, grew until the airplanes literally fell apart mid-flight. Committed to a comeback, engineers were forced to completely redesign the Comet. They churned through a handful of paper iterations before settling on the rounded windows, much more powerful engines, and thicker skin of the Comet 4. For airlines looking to buy, the changes would not prove enough. During the four-year gap between grounding and the introduction of the Comet 4, U.S.-based manufacturers Boeing and Douglas had had ample time to catch up. Boeing unveiled the 707 in 1957, a jet that would go on to define the early jet age, while Douglas rolled out the venerable DC-8, which first flew in May of 1958. The two went on to handily crush the Comet, in terms of sales. Both jets "could carry more passengers, had more range, and flew faster at an economical speed," said Dibley. "There was no doubt," he said, that the Comet just couldn't compete. Even the Comet's reign as the only passenger jet across the Atlantic was short-lived. Pan Am launched the Boeing 707 only three weeks later, between New York City and Paris. BOAC itself retired the Comet from its fleet in the mid-1960s, replacing it with - you guessed it - the 707. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/10/04/british-airways-trans-atlantic-flights-comet-jet/1520966002/ Back to Top Space Station Crew Returns to Earth in 'Hard Landing,' But Astronauts Are Just Fine A Russian space capsule with three astronauts aboard safely returned to Earth Thursday in a desolate patch of Kazakhstan, despite a last-minute emergency maneuver that gave their landing the intensity of a "minor traffic accident," according to NASA. The Soyuz MS-08 carried Russia's Oleg Artemyev and NASA's Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold. The three men gave thumbs-up signs as they were pulled from their cramped module and wrapped in warm blankets. They had spent the last six months aboard the International Space Station. The Americans completed three space walks during their 197-day stay, performing maintenance on the orbiting laboratory. Their landing was a jarring one, with rockets slowing the touchdown, which is the aerospace equivalent of slamming on the brakes, NASA said. The astronauts were not hurt. All three made satellite phone calls to friends and family. Artemyev was given fresh fruit, including a cantaloupe. Their return journey began four hours earlier, when they unlocked from the station and traveled a partial loop around the lab so Feustel could take photographs to commemorate the upcoming 20th anniversary of the module's maiden launch in November 1998. The space lab has been continually staffed by international astronaut crews since October 2000. As Feustel snapped images, someone on the space-to-ground audio link exclaimed, "This is great!" A Russian speaker chimed in, "Drew, good job." After landing, Artemyev reported, "We're feeling just fine. In the mood to celebrate." https://www.yahoo.com/news/space-station-crew-returns-earth-230711333.html Back to Top NTSB Accident Site Photography Course Title Accident Site Photography Description Three courses in one training event - two days of photography instruction and practical exercises in addition to one day of digital image processing. Day One - Technical Photography The principles of digital imaging will be explained and demonstrated. Participants will create images to apply techniques discussed in class. Participants should be familiar with the operation of their digital camera prior to attending the course. Day Two - Advanced Accident Site Photography Participants learn how to capture the most important and useful images to document any accident site. Through the use of methods described in this course, participants will expose their own images in various photographic disciplines and then share in critique sessions offering constructive observations for improvement. This session will include interactive instruction and demonstration, as well as practical exercises. Day Three -Digital Image Processing Processing and storing of images for current and archival use in a variety of electronic formats will be discussed. Generally accepted protocols for processing of images to enhance image clarity will be presented, as well as information for retaining authenticity crucial for use as documentary evidence. ID Code IM300S Dates and Tuition November 6 - 8, 2018 $1,198 early registration by October 6, 2018 $1,248 late registration between October 7, 2018 and November 1, 2018. Times Day 1 & 3: 8am - 4:30pm Day 2: 8am-1pm and 5pm - 8pm (night documentation exercise) Location NTSB Training Center * 45065 Riverside Parkway * Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Status OPEN. Applications are now being accepted. Apply to Attend SIGN UP FOR THIS COURSE HERE CEUs 1.8 Program Agenda Day One - Technical Photography • Digital photography - how a digital image is formed, processed and stored; digital vs. analog imaging; adjusting resolution & file sizes for particular purposes • Camera usage and care - holding, focusing, light metering, batteries, moisture and cleaning • Elements of exposure - shutter speeds, lens apertures, depth-of-field and exposure vs. noise • Lighting: sources and techniques • Close-up and macro-photography - use of flash, filtration and polarization • Troubleshooting - Resolving difficulties by understanding the basics of digital hardware • Photographer safety and camera care • Digital imaging media, techniques and cautions Day Two - Advanced Accident Site Photography • Project environment - preparing for assignments under any conditions • Documenting the scene - protocols for documentation of any type of accident/incident site • Size, color and positional references - GPS capabilities and animation • Storytelling - capturing images to maximize informational content • Quantitative scene data - virtual reality, photomontage • Authenticity - ensuring image authenticity through use of specific procedures • Photo Reality - taking advantage of contrast, perspective, proper lens focal length and color reproduction • Exercise: Documentation of simulated aircraft accident site Day Three -Digital Image Processing • Workflow process - from image capture to archival storage • Scanning - converting traditional prints into digital images • File types - determining optimal file formats for various image types and usages • Image size - Guidelines for best file sizes for a range of storage and electronic transmission considerations • Compression - balancing the benefits and drawbacks of various modes of image compression • Image Correction - using imaging programs to correct for deficiencies in overall image quality: o Enhancing detail o Adjusting luminosity o Cropping out distracting/irrelevant elements o Correcting distorted color o Improving contrast Authenticity protocols - practices and procedures to ensure that the integrity and accuracy of the documentary digital image is not compromised at any point in the workflow process Equipment In addition, it is recommended and encouraged that you bring to class all equipment and accessories that you may use on the job, such as scales, mirrors, memory, and tripods. Students should be prepared to photograph at a simulated scene outdoors. Please be prepared for local weather and outdoor working conditions. Who May Attend • NTSB investigators • Federal, state & local investigators, including those outside the field of transportation, who would like to build or enhance photographic skills • Potential participants in an NTSB investigation • Law Enforcement Officers • Safety and Private Investigators • Enforcement Inspectors • Others who would like to build or enhance photographic skills Accommodations Area hotels and restaurants Airports Washington Dulles International (IAD): 10 miles Washington Ronald Reagan National (DCA): 30 miles Baltimore/Washington International (BWI): 60 miles More Information Email StudentServices@ntsb.gov or call (571) 223-3900 Courses, forums and symposia are added to the schedule throughout the year. Subscribe to the e-newsletter to learn about upcoming events and new programs: https://app.ntsb.gov/trainingcenter/list/list_mw020207.htm Back to Top New HFACS workshop Las Vegas, NV December 18th & 19th, 2018 HFACS, Inc. offers professional development training on our innovative HFACS/HFIX methodologies. Our intensive, two-day workshops teach updated cutting-edge techniques to help your organization identify the causes of errors and develop preventative measures to lower your risk and improve performance. You have been included in our new email database as we begin using this important tool for communication on upcoming workshops as well as being the first to hear about any special offers. Please forward this to any interested co-workers so they may also stay connected. How to register: To register email dnlmccnn@gmail.com, or info@hfacs.com or call 800-320-0833 or visit hfacs.com Attendees of the workshop will learn how to: • Integrate human factors and system safety concepts into the root cause analysis (RCA) process • Utilize the Human Factors Analysis & Classification System (HFACSฎ) to identify systemic causes of human error during accidents, incidents, and/or near misses. • Integrate HFACS into traditional RCA tools like the fishbone diagram, fault trees, and link analysis using HFACS • Implement the Human Factors Intervention matriX (HFIXฎ) to develop innovative corrective action programs Develop a human error database and tracking system for monitoring and evaluating performance improvement efforts All attendees of the workshop will receive: • HFACS Textbook • HFACS-RCA Handbook (including HFACS Interview Guide & HFACS/HFIX Checklists) • Complimentary Associate HFACS Professional (AHP) Certification • Opportunity to join the largest Listserv catering to human factors accident investigation and error management Already attended a 2-day workshop? Don't miss out on our special offers! • Our workshops have been updated to feature the newest information • If you have already attended our 2-day HFACS course, don't miss out on the opportunity to attend another workshop as a "refresher" for a discounted rate of $200 • Or bring a full-paying customer with you and receive free refresher course registration For any additional questions and information, contact dnlmccnn@gmail.com, or info@hfacs.com or call 800-320-0833 HURRY AND SAVE THE DATE SEATS GO FAST Register Here Phone: (231)720-0930 (9-6 EST) Curt Lewis