Flight Safety Information October 12, 2018 - No. 208 In This Issue Incident: Envoy E135 at New York on Oct 10th 2018, disobedient gear Incident: LGW DH8D at Dusseldorf on Oct 11th 2018, smell of burning rubber Accident: Spirit A319 near Fort Lauderdale on Oct 1st 2018, fumes injure passengers and crew EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Indigo A20N at Bangalore on Oct 8th 2018, engine shut down in flight Incident: United A320 at Fort Myers on Oct 10th 2018, engine shut down in flight Boeing 737-800 impacted the localizer antenna and an airport wall on takeoff (India) Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - Substantial Damage on Landing (Alaska) Yakutia Superjet overrun: incorrect runway condition reported to crew American Airlines flight from DFW to China lands safely in Calgary after medical, mechanical issues LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck Pentagon grounds all F-35 fighter jets following crash - latest issue for costly program Pilots warned of jamming threat in Eastern Med Safety officials want faster reporting of aviation incidents Safety in the air starts on the ground FSF Brings Proactive Programs to Bizav Aircraft Analysis Tool Facing the Internet Exposes Airlines to Risks USA axes treaty behind Iranian aviation safety ruling Narita Opens Its Arms to Business Aviation Management shake-up at Alaska Air will bring layoffs AmSafe Highlights New Restraint System for GA Aircraft Qatar Airways Chief Says Airline Is Now Short Of Aircraft, As Growth Resumes Despite Trade Boycott Single Pilot Operations for Air Cargo a Test for Autonomous Flying Jet Airways delays salary payment again Cochise College celebrates 50 years in aviation (Arizona) Russia may delay cargo flight to ISS after accident: space agency GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY 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 '2018 International Aviation Safety and Education Summit HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - Course Incident: Envoy E135 at New York on Oct 10th 2018, disobedient gear An Envoy Embraer ERJ-135, registration N855AE performing flight MQ-3940 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 47 people on board, was climbing out of JFK's runway 22R when the crew stopped the climb at 14,000 feet reporting they had disagreeing gear indications, both systems were showing differently whether the gear was up or down, they could feel the gear cycling up and down. The crew declared emergency, worked the related checklists and decided to return to JFK requesting runway 22R. ATC offered a low pass, the crew queried whether that would make any sense given the low ceiling, ATC agreed due to 200 feet AGL cloud ceiling. Nonetheless, the crew decided to perform a low approach to runway 22R about 70 minutes after departure requesting tower to check the right main gear, they still had conflicting indications on their two indication systems. Tower advised they tried to notice anything, they didn't notice anything abnormal but they didn't see it well. The aircraft landed safely on JFK's runway 22R about 20 minutes after the low approach and about 90 minutes after departure. A replacement Embraer ERJ-135 registration N823AE reached Montreal with a delay of 5:40 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ENY3940/history/20181010/1900Z/KJFK/CYUL Metars: KJFK 102116Z 15010KT 10SM BKN006 BKN023 BKN070 23/23 A3000 RMK AO2 T02330228 $= KJFK 102051Z 15009KT 10SM SCT007 BKN070 23/23 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP161 SCT V BKN T02330228 58021 $= KJFK 101957Z 16006KT 10SM SCT004 BKN050 BKN070 24/23 A3003 RMK AO2 T02390228 $= KJFK 101951Z 16007KT 2 1/2SM BR BKN004 BKN050 BKN070 24/23 A3003 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 6 SLP170 T02390228 $= KJFK 101942Z 17006KT 2 1/2SM BR BKN004 BKN050 BKN070 23/23 A3004 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 4 T02330228 $= KJFK 101851Z 16009KT 5SM BR BKN004 BKN023 BKN060 23/22 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP175 T02330222 $= KJFK 101847Z 17010KT 5SM BR BKN004 BKN023 BKN060 23/22 A3005 RMK AO2 $= KJFK 101751Z 17005KT 8SM FEW008 SCT025 SCT065 24/22 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP182 T02390222 10239 20206 58027 $= KJFK 101723Z VRB05KT 3SM BR SCT006 SCT022 SCT065 SCT250 23/22 A3009 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 6 T02330217 $= KJFK 101707Z 20004KT 2SM BR BKN005 BKN022 22/22 A3010 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 6 T02220222 $= KJFK 101651Z 19003KT 1 1/2SM BR OVC005 22/22 A3011 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 5 SLP195 CIG 003V007 T02170217 $= http://avherald.com/h?article=4bed74ea&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: LGW DH8D at Dusseldorf on Oct 11th 2018, smell of burning rubber A LGW Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter de Havilland Dash 8-400 on behalf of Eurowings, registration D-ABQB performing flight EW-9062 from Dusseldorf to Nuremberg (Germany), was climbing out of Dusseldorf when the crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet due to an odour of burning rubber in the cabin and returned to Dusseldorf for a safe landing about 15 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto other flights. A passenger reported the flight had already been delayed before departure, the captain announced there had been a problem with a de-icing system. Shortly after becoming airborne the air conditioning system became audible, a smell of burning rubber developed in the cabin. The noise from the air conditioning system stopped, the captain announced there had been an odour, the odour dissipated and they were returning to Dusseldorf. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Dusseldorf for about 10.5 hours, then returned to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bed6f0f&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Spirit A319 near Fort Lauderdale on Oct 1st 2018, fumes injure passengers and crew A Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N531NK performing flight NK-1141 from Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) to Guayaquil (Ecuador), was climbing out of Fort Lauderdale when a number of passengers began to complain about feeling sick due to an odour described as rotten smell by some or dirty old socks by others, all three cabin crew began to feel unwell, too. The flight crew was notified of the fumes however decided to continue the flight to Guayaquil. Medlink was called to provide first medical assistance to passengers and cabin crew, the passengers were offered oxygen. Passengers reported nausea, burning eyes, upset stomach and headache. One of the flight attendants began to vomit, another one was shaking and nearly became unconscious, the third complained about nausea and headache with burning eyes. Rashes developed. The aircraft landed in Guayaquil about 4:15 hours after departure. The FAA confirmed: "The crew of Spirit Airlines 1141, an Airbus A319, reported fumes in the aircraft after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport on October 1. The crew continued to its destination and landed safely at the Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport, Guayaquil, Ecuador. The FAA will investigate." At least 6 passengers required medical care after landing in Guayaquil (no further information available about their status), all three flight attendants were taken to the local hospital, two of them remained in stationary hospital care with diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning and were treated with hyperbaric oxygen for at least a week. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NKS1141/history/20181001/2249Z/KFLL/SEGU http://avherald.com/h?article=4bed7aaf&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Indigo A20N at Bangalore on Oct 8th 2018, engine shut down in flight An Indigo Airbus A320-200N, registration VT-IVB performing flight 6E-452 from Bangalore to Ahmedabad (India) with 170 people on board, was climbin out of Bangalore's runway 09 when the crew stopped the climb at 270 and decided to return to Bangalore reporting they had needed to shut the left hand engine (PW1127) down due to the loss of oil pressure. The aircraft landed safely back on Bangalore's runway 09 about 40 minutes after departure. The airline reported the aircraft returned due to the loss of indication of engine #1 oil pressure. A malfunction of the accessory gearbox is being suspected as cause of the loss of engine oil pressure. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bed57a0&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United A320 at Fort Myers on Oct 10th 2018, engine shut down in flight A United Airbus A320-200, registration N443UA performing flight UA-2397 from Fort Myers,FL to Newark,NJ (USA), was climbing out of Ft. Myers' runway 24 when the left hand engine (V2527) emitted a loud bang and streaks of flame prompting the crew to stop the climb at about 13500 feet, shut the engine down and return to Fort Myers for a safe landing on runway 24 about 25 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto later flights. A passenger reported the left hand engine blew, it sounded like a gunshot. Another passenger called it an engine explosion. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL2397/history/20181010/1630Z/KRSW/KEWR http://avherald.com/h?article=4bed6c35&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 737-800 impacted the localizer antenna and an airport wall on takeoff (India) Date: 12-OCT-2018 Time: 01:18 LT Type: Boeing 737-8HG (WL) Owner/operator: Air India Express Registration: VT-AYD C/n / msn: 36340/3122 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 136 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Tiruchirappalli International Airport (TRZ/VOTR) - India Phase: Take off Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Tiruchirappalli International Airport (TRZ/VOTR) Destination airport: Dubai Airport (DXB) Narrative: Air India Express flight IX611, a Boeing 737-800, impacted the localizer antenna and an airport wall on takeoff from Tiruchirappalli International Airport, India. The aircraft took off from runway 27 at 01:18 local time. Past the end of the runway, the underside of the fuselage hit the localizer antenna and a brick wall, causing severe damage. The aircraft climbed to FL360 and proceeded towards Dubai. According to a statement from Air India Express the crew reported that all systems were normal. After learning from Tiruchirappalli that they might have hit a wall, the flight crew decided to divert to Mumbai. At that time the flight was well over the Arabian Sea. The aircraft landed safely at 05:38 local time. Notam following the accident: A2770/18 NOTAMR A2769/18 Q) VOMF/QISXX/IV/NBO/A/000/999/ A) VOTR B) 1810120023 C) 1901121000 EST E) ILS RWY 27 NOT AVBL DUE LLZ ANTENNA BROKEN BY ACFT HIT CREATED: 12 Oct 2018 00:28:00 SOURCE: VOMMYNYX Weather about the time of the accident (1948Z, Oct 11): VOTR 112000Z 00000KT 5000 BR FEW018 SCT100 27/24 Q1007 NOSIG VOTR 111930Z 00000KT 5000 BR FEW018 SCT100 27/24 Q1008 NOSIG https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216197 Back to Top Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - Substantial Damage on Landing (Alaska) Date: 11-OCT-2018 Time: 13:00 LT Type: Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Owner/operator: US Air Force (USAF), 3rd Wing Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (PAED), Anchorage, AK - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Military Departure airport: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (PAED) Destination airport: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (PAED) Narrative: The F-22 made an emergency landing with a landing gear issue. The aircraft suffered of substantial damage when a wing touched the ground. There were no injuries reported. Elmendorf AFB public affairs statement: "An F-22 Raptor assigned to JBER's 3rd Wing made an emergency landing on JBER's active runway at approximately 1 p.m. local time today. The pilot was able to egress the aircraft safely. The incident is under investigation, more details may be released as they become available. " https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216198 Back to Top Yakutia Superjet overrun: incorrect runway condition reported to crew The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) reported that the runway friction coefficient at Yakutsk Airport, Russia, was less than reported in the recent Sukhoi Superjet overrun accident. On October 10, Yakutia Airlines flight 414, a Sukhoi Superjet, suffered a collapse of the main landing gear and a fuel leak when overrunning the runway into a construction area after a landing at Yakutsk. Rosaviatsiya states that a runway friction coefficient of 0.45 was communicated to the flight during the approach After the accident new measurements were performed, showing friction coefficients of 0.25, 0.32, and 0.25 and the presence of ice on the runway. The aircraft was dispatched with a deactivated thrust reverser on engine no.2. According to the limitations of the minimum equipment list (MEL), landing with deactivated engine reversers is allowed at a friction coefficient of not less than 0.4. ICAO Doc 9137 (Airport Services Manual) - Part 2 (Pavement Surface Conditions), states that the braking action with a friction coefficient > 0.4 can be described as 'good'. While the braking action for 0.25 as 'poor' and 0.32 as 'medium'. ???????????????? ? ?????? https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/10/11/yakutia-superjet-overrun-incorrect-runway-condition-reported-to-crew/ Back to Top American Airlines flight from DFW to China lands safely in Calgary after medical, mechanical issues Updated 6:40 p.m.: Revised to reflect the flight has landed. An American Airlines flight from Dallas to Beijing was forced to land in Canada on Thursday evening because of an ill passenger and mechanical issues. The mechanical issue indication came after the crew diverted for an ill passenger, American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein said. The plane had flown over 700 miles north of the U.S.-Canada border when it turned southwest shortly after 3:45 p.m. and began looping around Edmonton and then Calgary, according to Flight Aware data. The aircraft did not climb above 10,000 feet and had not gone faster than 400 mph since before 5 p.m. Crew members originally said they'd be landing in Edmonton but switched to Calgary for a longer runway, passenger Gurmeet Singh said. The Boeing 787-8 touched down in Calgary just before 7 p.m. The airline's maintenance team will determine the mechanical issue, according to Feinstein. The airline sent a replacement plane to Calgary to take passengers to Beijing in the morning, Feinstein said. All passengers are safe, including the one who fell ill. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/american-airlines/2018/10/11/aa-dallas-beijing-flight-diverts-canada-sick-passenger-mechanical-issues Back to Top Back to Top Pentagon grounds all F-35 fighter jets following crash - latest issue for costly program "We will take every measure to ensure safe operations while we deliver, sustain and modernize the F-35 for the warfighter and our defense partners," a spokesman said. Image: FILE: F-35 U.S. Military Plane Crashes In South Carolina The F-35 Lightning II Is Put Through Its Paces At MCAS Beaufort The F-35B Lightning II fifth generation multi role combat aircraft showing the vertical lift fan, at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in Beaufort, South Carolina on March 8, 2016.Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images file The U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marines - as well as 11 international partners who participated in the program - grounded all F-35 fighters on Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into a jet that crashed in Beaufort, South Carolina, late last month. A Navy aircraft mishap board is charged with overseeing the investigation, and they will be conducting a fleet-wide inspection of a fuel tube inside the engine of the F-35 aircraft, according to military officials. "The primary goal following any mishap is the prevention of future incidents," Joe Dellavedova, the director of public affairs for the F-35 program, said in a statement. "We will take every measure to ensure safe operations while we deliver, sustain and modernize the F-35 for the warfighter and our defense partners." Dellavedova said that they will remove and replace any fuel tubes they suspect might be problematic. Those planes that don't have the problem will be cleared to fly, he said, and they hope to have the inspections completed within 24 to 48 hours. This is the only latest turbulence for a long troubled flight program that began in October 2001. A Government Accountability Office report to Congress in June 2018 showed that the fighter grew increasingly expensive and regularly missed its deadlines, forcing the program to completely restructure in 2010 after moving its financial goal posts multiple times. The office recommended in its June report that the Department of Defense "resolve all critical deficiencies before full-rate production." The United States has spent over $320 billion so far to develop and acquire more than 2,400 fighter jets, according to the GAO report. Dr. Michael Gilmore, the director of Operational Test and Evaluation at the Department of Defense until 2017, also provided a fairly searing depiction of the F-35 program in his FY 2015 Annual Report. He wrote that it would be problematic to make any commitment to a block purchase of the F-35 before November 2021 because of the technical challenges the program faced, but he did not identify fuel tubes as a specific issue. "Is it prudent to further increase substantially the number of aircraft bought that may need modifications to reach full combat capability and service life?" Gilmore wrote in the report, questioning the decision to commit to a block purchase. "As the program manager has noted, essentially every aircraft bought to date requires modifications prior to use in combat." Gilmore, who left the office in 2017, and his successor, Robert Behler, could not be immediately reached for comment about the decision to ground the F-35 on Thursday. Dellavedova told NBC News that this latest issue would not impact the Pentagon's decision to pursue a bulk purchase of the fighter from Lockheed Martin, noting that they were able to negotiate a 5.4 percent price decrease with the defense contractor to bring it to just under $90 million per aircraft. "The F-35 is combat proven aircraft," he argued. "It was just last month the Marine Corps used the F-35 to conduct combat operations in Afghanistan." https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pentagon-grounds-all-f-35-fighter-jets-following-crash-latest-n919311 Back to Top Pilots warned of jamming threat in Eastern Med A Krasukha-4 electronic warfare system has already been seen in Syria. Source: Russian Ministry of Defence The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has raised the possibility that Russian electronic warfare systems in Syria could disrupt commercial flights. The FAA posted a notice to airmen (NOTAM) on 9 October warning them to "be aware of possible loss of GNSS [global navigation satellite system] signal within Beirut FIR [flight information region] due to unforeseen reason". It recommended pilots use standard terminal arrival route (STARS) procedures when landing at Beirut's international airport. The NOTAM was posted after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on 2 October that additional electronic warfare systems had been deployed to Syria and switched on. NBC News reported in April that Russian electronic warfare systems were being used to jam the GPS receivers on smaller unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that the US military is using in eastern Syria. Shoigu also said that S-300 strategic air defence systems had been delivered to Syria. He did not identify the specific variant or numbers involved, but indicated that they will be operated by Russian crews when he said that it would take three months to train Syrian personnel. The Tass news agency reported on 8 October that three S-300PM systems had been given to Syria free of charge. "On 1 October three battalion sets of S-300PM systems of eight launchers each were delivered to Syria," it quoted a military-diplomatic source as saying. "These systems were previously deployed at one of the Russian Aerospace Forces' regiments, which now use the S-400 Triumf system. The S-300 systems underwent capital repairs at Russian defence enterprises, are in good condition, and are capable of performing combat tasks." The source added that the deliveries included more than 100 missiles for each battalion. The deployment of additional air defences was Russia's response to the Syrian military shooting down one of its Il-20M intelligence-gathering aircraft on 17 September, a loss it blamed on the presence of Israeli strike jets. https://www.janes.com/article/83748/pilots-warned-of-jamming-threat-in-eastern-med Back to Top Safety officials want faster reporting of aviation incidents FILE - In this Oct. 24, 2107 file photo, the air traffic control tower is in sight as a plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco. Aviation-safety officials say a close call last year highlights the need for faster reporting of dangerous incidents before evidence is lost. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a final report Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 on the July 2017 close call in which an Air Canada jet nearly crashed into planes lined up on the ground at San Francisco International Airport. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) Safety officials say a near collision of airliners in San Francisco last year was a few feet from becoming the worst crash in aviation history and underscores the need for faster reporting of dangerous incidents before evidence is lost. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a final report Thursday on the incident in which an Air Canada jet nearly crashed into planes lined up on the ground at San Francisco International Airport. The pilots were slow to report the incident to superiors. By the time they did, the plane had made another flight and the cockpit voice recording of the close call was recorded over. The NTSB says the recording could have helped investigators understand why the Air Canada pilots missed the runway and were about to land on a taxiway where four other planes were idling before they aborted their landing. The Air Canada jet swooped to just 60 feet above the ground while passing over other planes packed with passengers waiting to take off shortly before midnight on July 7, 2017. "Only a few feet of separation prevented this from possibly becoming the worst aviation accident in history," NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said in a statement accompanying the report. Another board member, Earl Weener, said the Air Canada plane came within feet of hitting another plane and colliding with several others. "Over 1,000 people were at imminent risk of serious injury or death," he said. The deadliest aviation accident occurred in 1977, when two Boeing 747 jets collided on a runway in Tenerife on the Canary Islands, leaving 583 people dead. The Air Canada captain, identified in NTSB documents as Dimitrios Kisses, was supposed to report the San Francisco incident to the airline as soon as possible but didn't because he was "very tired" and it was late. He waited until the next day. By that time, the plane was used for another flight, and the audio loop on the cockpit voice recorder was taped over. The NTSB did not allege that Kisses and co-pilot Matthew Dampier deliberately delayed reporting the incident, but it did say that investigators could have gained a better understanding of what the crew was doing before the close call. The NTSB is considering recommending that cockpit recorders capture the last 25 hours of flying time, up from two hours under current rules. Board member Weener also criticized the airline industry's reliance on self-reporting of safety issues, saying the industry and the Federal Aviation Administration should consider stronger measures to intervene after a dangerous situation. Weener noted that other pilots were alert enough to turn on lights to warn the off-course Air Canada jet. Yet once the danger passed, he said, they took no action to prompt "an intervention and evaluation of the Air Canada crew." The five-member board determined last month that the incident was caused by the Air Canada pilots being confused because one of two parallel runways was closed that night. The closure was noted in a briefing to the pilots, and nine other planes had made routine landings after the runway was shut down. The safety board also criticized the FAA for having just one controller on duty at the time of the incident, and recommended better lighting to tell pilots when a runway is closed at night. "It is noteworthy that the NTSB's recommendations were not directed at Air Canada specifically and address many areas for improvement," said Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick. Air Canada told the NTSB it has taken steps to increase safety since the event, including emphasizing proper procedures for landing approaches and specific training to familiarize pilots with the San Francisco airport. The NTSB recommended development of technology to better warn pilots and air traffic controllers when a plane appears to be off-course for a runway. https://www.saratogian.com/news/national/safety-officials-want-faster-reporting-of-aviation-incidents/article_3aacf687-3214-5e09-aa70-f45340bddda4.html Back to Top Safety in the air starts on the ground IATA, together with industry groups, works to drive efficiency in all areas of cargo operations through the development and implementation of global cargo standards, addressing all aspects of cargo acceptance and handling. Cargo handling is performed at thousands of airports all over the world by hundreds of companies, big and small. This poses a high potential risk for deviations in quality of handling. IATA actively drives the development of ground handling operations standards, best-practice processes and procedures and promotes global consistency and harmonisation. IATA, together with industry stakeholders, works to drive efficiency in all areas of air cargo operations through the development and implementation of global cargo standards, addressing all aspects of cargo acceptance and handling. The IATA Cargo Standards are the industry reference for air cargo shipping and handling. Updated every year, these standards are presented in the form of a comprehensive range of manuals, providing the ultimate information source to ensure cargo shipments and operations are safe, efficient and compliant with international and local regulations. Timely and industry-recognised guidance: • Whatever the cargo commodity - live animals, perishable cargo, pharmaceutical products, or dangerous goods; • For the complete end-to-end air cargo handling operations, based on consolidated information from all individual carrier cargo handling manuals; • On all aspects - technical, operational and regulatory - of your ULD operations; • On overall standards and procedures pertaining to cargo facilities, connectivity and data exchange, as well as roles and responsibilities in cargo relationships. Many important changes and updates have been made to the 2019 Air Cargo Standards, including the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). Many important changes and updates have been made to the 2019 Air Cargo Standards, including the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). Here is a brief overview of some of the notable changes, effective 1 January 2019: Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) 60th edition: • The 60th edition of the DGR incorporates all amendments made by the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel in developing the content of the 2019-2020 edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions, as well as changes adopted by the IATA Dangerous Goods Board. • The new edition's notable changes encompass new requirements for lithium batteries, as well as significant changes to the provisions for the classification of corrosive substances and in particular the methods to assign packing groups to mixtures. Review the summary of the main changes here. Live Animal Regulations (LAR) 45th edition: • Includes new recurrent training requirements: o Training is paramount to effective implementation, therefore the 45th edition of the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR) is introducing recurrent training that must be provided within 36 months of previous training. This new requirement will come into force on 1st January 2019. A 12-month transitional period, ending 31st December 2020, will be established to allow the industry to implement, execute and comply with the requirements. • Emphasises greatly on the venomous and/or poisonous species: • Enhances significantly the container requirements for the transport of cats and dogs including for animals travelling in the aircraft cabin with non-rigid travelling containers. • Provides new requirements for the overall container requirements: CRs 1, 2, 11-23, 12, 13, 15, 18, 31, 41-47, 41, 44, 45, 50-60, 51, 53, 55, 57, 61, 62, 63, 67, 72, 73, 74, 79, 81, 82, 83. • Includes the latest government and carrier requirements, updated documentation requirements as well as enhanced handling procedures for horses. Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR) 18th edition: • Reinstates the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system as a systematic approach to the identification, evaluation, and control of food safety hazards. • Provides revisions in line with comments received by the industry and supply chain stakeholders: the PCR will continue to be reviewed over the next years with the aim of enhancing the content further in order to incorporate current industry requirements and recent operational and technological developments. Temperature Control Regulations (TCR) 7th edition: • Provides revisions in line with comments received by the industry and supply chain stakeholders such as the reviews of the transport temperature ranges. • Includes changes on the temperature mapping of storage areas as well as new considerations on temperature mapping of aircraft cargo holds. • Includes amendments and updates to the IATA's CEIV Pharma Guidelines and Audit Checklist. Unit Load Device Regulations (ULDR) 7th edition, features updates, such as: • Section 2: guidance on marking of revised ULD tare weight after its repair. • Clarification on ULD external volume, internal volume and notional volume. • Clarification on flammability requirements for plastic sheet. • Addition of ULD weighing and marking guidance. • Guidance on ULD tare weight allowance. • Addition of more specific ULD related job functions to the checklist. IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM) 3rd edition contains: • Amendments to better align with the IATA industry MOP (for cargo and mail). • The handover process (handshake) between Cargo and Ramp (ICHM and IGOM manuals). • The Competency Based Training elements and performance criteria for Cargo Build-Up. • The standards for the new IATA Smart Facility Operational Capacity (SFOC) Audit. Cargo Services Conference Resolutions Manual (CSCRM) 39th edition features: • Amended AWB and eAWB provisions to make eAWB the default process in air cargo. • New recommended practice on piece level tracking in air cargo. • New recommended practice on electronic consignment security declarations in air cargo. • Removal of the reference to ULD Tare Weight Allowances, aligning the AWB completion to the ULD Regulations. Explore the full range of the IATA Cargo Standards 2019 and select the titles and formats relevant to your business at: www.iata.org/cargo-standards http://www.airport-business.com/2018/10/advertising-feature-safety-air-starts-ground/ Back to Top FSF Brings Proactive Programs to Bizav FlightSafety classroom Flight Safety Foundation programs have always offered a lot for business aviation, and nowhere are these offerings highlighted more than at NBAA-BACE. This year is no exception. The Foundation continues taking the study of risk data and making it useful to business aviation professionals who are managing real-time operations. For example, the FSF is pushing the industry toward more collaborative data-sharing arrangements and making risk-mitigation plans more effective. "Our Global Safety Information Project [GSIP] has produced a series of toolkits [available on our website] to describe current best practices and some that may be on the horizon," officials told AIN. The first phase of the foundation's GSIP, which ran for three years, was completed last fall and focused on how stakeholders in the Pan America and Asia-Pacific regions are using aviation safety data. This year, efforts have focused on a new safety performance survey, which asks operators to share how and what they measure for safety across broad high-risk accident categories, and anything else they measure to manage the success of their efforts against safety performance objectives and targets. "Once the survey closes later this year, we will analyze the results and begin work on a Safety Performance Monitoring Handbook, which will provide guidance and best practices for safety performance monitoring as detailed in ICAO Annex 19, Safety Management." Meanwhile, the Foundation completed a "go-around decision making and execution project," and a final report was published in March 2017. Since then "we have been working with [analytical firm] Presage Group to spread the word about the recommendations through workshops and other venues." A number of operators have begun their own studies of the report's recommendations and started to implement them on at least a limited basis, according to the Foundation. STUDENTS NOW HAVE ACCESS The Foundation recently restructured its Academic membership category to better serve students interested in aviation careers. Previously, membership benefits in the Academic category applied only to faculty, but under the revised structure, membership benefits will be extended to students at member schools and training organizations. Now, students and faculty will have instant access to key safety articles, Foundation news, seminar proceedings, and projects that will be useful to them in their academic teachings and studies. "Flight Safety Foundation is committed to inspiring and educating the next generation of aviation professionals," said Jon Beatty, president and CEO of the Foundation. "With our newly enhanced Academic membership, we can provide access to a breadth of aviation information, safety guidelines, and tools and resources. This not only prepares students for a career in aviation, but it also allows them to connect and network with other industry professionals." Since last October, the Foundation has added 25 new member companies, and three organizations-Aer Lingus, GE Aviation, and Pulsar Informatics-have upgraded their memberships to Benefactor status. Eighty individuals also have joined as members. During the same time, the Foundation Board of Governors has continued to evolve. In the past 12 months, four new members have been elected to the Board: Holger Paulmann, CEO of Santiago, Chile-based SKY Airline; Marco Tulio Grassi, v-p, engineering/product ntegrity, Embraer; Peggy Gilligan, FAA associate administrator for aviation safety (retired); and Cesar V. Arroyo, deputy supply chain director, UN World Food Program. NBAA-BACE attendees here this week may sign up at the FSF Booth 881 for the Foundation's 64th Business Aviation Safety Summit, which is produced in partnership with NBAA and is scheduled for May 2 and 3 in Denver. Soon after NBAA-BACE wraps up, the FSF will host its 71st annual International Air Safety Summit, from November 12 to 14 in Seattle. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-10-10/fsf-brings-proactive-programs-bizav Back to Top Aircraft Analysis Tool Facing the Internet Exposes Airlines to Risks Security researchers discovered that more than two dozen systems used by airlines to analyze data from airplane sensors were available online and could be used to pivot into datacenter systems and servers vulnerable to legacy security issues. In early June, security researcher HackerPom initially found up to 38 systems connected to the public internet running AirFASE software, a post-flight data analysis tool developed by Teledyne Controls and Airbus. AirFASE stands for Aircraft Flight Analysis and Safety Explore and its purpose is to interpret information from various sensors aboard an aircraft to help determine operational issues, identify possible risks and take corrective actions. In a conversation with BleepingComputer, the researcher says that the final number of exposed systems was 35, and most of them appeared to connect to data centers handled by Teledyne. This would make sense since the company also provides its customers with the infrastructure to collect data from the aircraft and deliver it to the back-office for analysis using AirFASE. An assortment of vulnerabilities to exploit Analyzing the AirFASE web panel, the researchers noticed multiple security issues that could give an attacker sufficient details to mount an attack and breach the system running the utility. Apart from accepting sensitive traffic over HTTP, which would allow anyone sniffing the network to intercept credentials when operators log in, RagSec says that "the portal itself is fundamentally insecure, from the way it handles incorrect logins to parsing login information." The messages returned by the software when submitting invalid credentials revealed database names that paint a good picture of the data available. Although none of the researchers tested this theory, HackerPom said that this could mean that SQL injection attacks were possible. He added that login attempts did not seem to be limited in any way, which would clear the way for bruteforcing the login. "Had we been hired to test the systems or we were more nefarious I have no doubts we could've got in," the researcher told us. In a blog post that went live yesterday, RagSec explains that they found the AirFASE web console on test servers and data center devices from Teledyne, major international airlines, flight schools, and software development companies. Some of them were vulnerable to both recent and legacy security issues. For instance, they found many of the servers had port 445 port open for SMBv1 file sharing, which has been the target of the EternalBlue exploit used by WannaCry last year, and still used this year. "[...]Teledyne hosted systems had port 139 open and giving a signature for Windows 98 NetBIOS-SSN. When it comes to Win98 NetBIOS-ssn vulnerabilities just a google search will reveal many. The general consensus for stuff like that is to just leave it closed as you don't need it," RagSec writes. Some of the devices exposed through the AirFASE utility had unsecured MySQL databases that store the info retrieved directly from the aircraft. The service was hosted via Apache Tomcat, which is exploitable in an automated way, via a Metasploit module. According to information from Teledyne, though, the data from the aircraft is first compressed and then sent in an encrypted form to the data centers. Another security issue discovered on Teledyne systems was Java-RMI, a Java remote invocation method that creates procedure calls and is vulnerable since 2011. One machine allowed anonymous connection to the FTP service, which exposed directories containing flight data. Scan results indicating vulnerable services Identifying the owners and damage control Searching for the organizations that had the AirFASE systems exposed online and disclosing the issues in a responsible way was no easy task for the researchers. They were able to identify about 20 airlines, airports, and organizations, and after finding their contact details and sharing the results of the research, the trio heard back from just three organizations. In an effort to do things responsibly, they turned to A-ISAC, the Information Sharing and Analysis Center in the avionics industry, who informed the affected parties of the security risks. This move yielded some results, as it caused systems to be taken offline, especially those operated by Teledyne. RagSec says that they were unsuccessful in communicating directly with Teledyne and were told by airlines that Teledyne did not want their contact information provided. "One thing we noticed was that while the AirFASE login portals had been taken offline, services like SMB and MySQL DB where the AirFASE data was stored were still online so that information was also included in the email to the A-ISAC," RagSec notes. AirFASE machines are better offline Considering the sensitive information it makes available, it is unusual that AirFASE systems would be be facing the Internet directly. There is also no apparent reason to have them online, since the purpose of the software is to analyze the data points from a landed aircraft and help operators determine if and when technical inspections and maintenance work is necessary; this task should not be done remotely. The researchers could not find whether manipulation of data is possible from AirFASE, but even if it weren't, an attacker could still use the technical details collected from the airplane. "The information itself would be useful intelligence for a motivated attacker maybe looking to target a specific aircraft. Safety information especially flight path deviation is always going to be valuable intel," Stuart Peck said in a conversation with BleepingComputer. Apart from this, the potential security issues in the machines running AirFASE pose a risk of intrusion and breach. Three months after reporting the issues to A-ISAC, some of the systems are still facing the internet and vulnerable. The organization estimates that 90% of them have been taken offline. BleepingComputer has contacted Teledyne for comment, but had not heard back at the time of this publication. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/aircraft-analysis-tool-facing-the-internet-exposes-airlines-to-risks/ Back to Top USA axes treaty behind Iranian aviation safety ruling US government officials are terminating a 1955 treaty with Iran which had formed the basis of a bid by Iranian officials to lift US sanctions on the country. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo disclosed the decision following the ruling by the International Court of Justice that the US government should lift sanctions preventing the export of equipment and services for maintaining civil aviation safety, as well as medicines. Pompeo says the decision to end the treaty is "overdue" by 39 years, a reference to the 1979 Iranian revolution. He describes the International Court of Justice case as "meritless" and that the Iranian government has been using the court for "political and propaganda purposes". Pompeo points out that individual licensing options are already in place to handle potential humanitarian issues. "Existing exceptions, authorisations, and licensing policies for humanitarian-related transactions and safety of flight will remain in effect," he stresses. "We're working closely with the Department of the Treasury to ensure that certain humanitarian-related transactions involving Iran can and will continue." Pompeo says Iran has "hypocritically" and "groundlessly" taken advantage of the court to attack the USA and, in response, the 1955 treaty - known as the Treaty of Amity - is being "terminated". The government is also to review all international treaties which might leave the USA exposed to similar dispute resolutions in the International Court of Justice. National security advisor John Bolton stresses that the US government's dispute has "never been with the people of Iran", adding: "We only wish they had the ability to control their own government." He says: "Our policy is not regime change, but we do expect substantial change in their behaviour." Sanctions on civil aviation were restored after the US government pulled out of a multinational agreement, negotiated alongside European partners, to address Iran's nuclear programme. While the European states have remained engaged to the agreement, Bolton believes this situation is changing. "First you have denial, then you have anger," he says. "Eventually, you get to acceptance. And I think that's the direction the Europeans are moving in." https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usa-axes-treaty-behind-iranian-aviation-safety-rulin-452434/ Back to Top Narita Opens Its Arms to Business Aviation With 18 dedicated business aviation parking stands, Narita Airport is reaching out to bizav. In 2016, Japan received a total of about 13,000 business flights, of which Tokyo-Narita International Airport claimed a share of approximately 10 percent. China currently places first in terms of bizjet arrivals followed by those from the U.S., with 100 of 500 movements at Narita originating from America. Seeing the importance of the market, Narita Airport Corporation (NAA, Booth 4760), hopes to boost arrivals from America by showcasing the airport's business jet terminal and its initiatives for attracting corporate jets. "We are also participating in a Japan pavilion that will highlight all the different corporate jet programs around the country," said Keiju Nishime, Narita Premier Gate, Passenger Terminal Management Department, NAA. NAA hopes to promote business aviation as a country-wide effort, rather than competing with other suburban airports in the region. "We are working together with the other airports in Greater Tokyo to steadily increase demand by promoting Japan as an attractive destination and emphasizing the convenience of the corporate jet terminal," Nishime told AIN. "However, we do present our strengths, which include 18 dedicated business aviation stands, relatively low landing fees, and a VIP lounge." The Narita Premier Lounge is situated at the airport's Terminal 2, with the parking stands located closer to the maintenance area, about eight minutes by car. Currently, there are nine ground-handling companies providing services for business aviation at Narita. Landing and parking fees (for less than six hours) range around U.S.$467 and U.S.$41 for a Bombardier Challenger 600, or around U.S.$1,349 and $146, respectively, for a Boeing BBJ. Unlike most international hubs, Narita has no slots dedicated exclusively to corporate jets and allocates them on a first-come, first served basis. "There is congestion during the peak hours from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., so it is necessary to secure those slots well in advance. Outside those hours, we tend to have extra slots and they are relatively easy to obtain," he said. Like the rest of Tokyo, NAA is expecting increased movements in 2020, during the periods of the Olympics. Japan's busiest international airport is already carrying out extensive renovation and upgrading to improve passenger experience and has also announced the construction of a temporary terminal to cope with the influx. "We expect higher-than-normal corporate jet movements during the Tokyo Olympics, including both Olympic-related personnel and tourists. To meet the demand, we are considering increasing the number of stands and adding a temporary terminal for the exclusive use of corporate aircraft," Nishime added. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-10-11/narita-opens-its-arms-business-aviation Back to Top Management shake-up at Alaska Air will bring layoffs Alaska Airlines is cutting its management ranks, a spokeswoman acknowledged Thursday. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times) Facing tough competition from Delta and Southwest, Alaska has also been challenged by the integration of Virgin America airplanes and employees following the acquisition of the California-based airline almost two years ago. A management shake-up is underway at Alaska Air, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and regional carrier Horizon Air. One manager, who asked not to be identified, said employees learned in an internal company webcast on Tuesday that the re-organization will result in about 100 job cuts, including layoffs. This was confirmed in an email sent to employees Thursday by Alaska Air vice president Andy Schneider, who heads human resources. "We need to make some difficult, but necessary, management reductions to more efficiently support our frontline employees and better align our costs with our current revenue realities," Schneider wrote. "We expect that we will reduce our staffing by approximately 100 management positions through a combination of position eliminations, restructuring and not filling open roles." Employees were told that it will take some three weeks to work out the details and individuals won't know if they are affected until then. "This leaves you in limbo, not knowing what is going to happen," the manager said. "This three-week limbo is totally wrong." The manager added that employees are also upset that the company isn't considering other options such as across-the-board pay cuts, or the offering of voluntary separation packages. "Cost cutting is important but are the company's top officers taking a cut?" the manager asked. Alaska Air spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said via email that "These will not be easy steps to take, but they are necessary to reset how management supports our frontline employees in a competitive environment." Egan added that the company will prioritize "the respectful and compassionate treatment of affected people." No frontline employees will be laid off, Egan said. That includes pilots, cabin crew, gate agents, aircraft mechanics and engineers, operations center staff and employees working at call centers or airport lounges. Facing tough competition from Delta and Southwest, Alaska has also been challenged by the integration of Virgin America airplanes and employees following the acquisition of the California-based airline almost two years ago. Last year, a cost-cutting campaign drew employee and passenger complaints. This year, Alaska slowed the planned growth of its fleet and shifted some planes from unprofitable routes. In July, while Alaska reported progress in the integration of Virgin America, profits were sharply down from a year earlier. Since the summer, the price of oil has risen to $80 a barrel from just over $70, increasing jet fuel prices and financial pressure on airlines. Schneider's email to employees offers some detail on the financial squeeze. "While our network has gotten bigger, our costs have been increasing for the last two years, but revenues have not kept pace," she wrote. "Our average cost to carry one customer on a journey has increased by $25 compared to two years ago. During the same time, our average ticket price has declined by about $2." "A low fare environment and fuel prices are largely out of our control. We can, however, focus on keeping our costs flat," Schneider added. "We are planning to have a 2019 wage and non-wage budget that will be effectively flat year-over-year." She said that because of the harsh competitive environment, "our business realities require hard choices." In the company's second quarter earnings call that month, Alaska Air Chief Operating Officer Ben Minicucci said that to cut costs "we're going to attack overhead," and he identified three areas for cost reductions: "healthcare, crew hotel costs and management headcounts." A former manager who retired this summer said he isn't surprised at the layoffs. "They were so heavy at the top, even before they got together with Virgin," the former manager said. "A blind man could have seen it coming." https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/management-shake-up-at-alaska-air-will-bring-layoffs/ Back to Top AmSafe Highlights New Restraint System for GA Aircraft AmSafe, manufacturer of passenger and crew restraint systems for corporate and GA aircraft, arrives at NBAA on the heels of July's FAA approval of its state-of-the-art restraint system (SOARS) STC covering retrofit installations on 541 models of GA aircraft. The universal seatbelt system is available in two- and three-point harnesses, with protection provided by a lap belt airbag that deploys within 50 milliseconds after detecting longitudinal deceleration of 9gs lasting consistently for 40 to 50 milliseconds. SOARS can be installed on Part 23 (excluding Part 23.562) aircraft and as a retrofit on experimental aircraft now using two- and three-point harnesses, according to Jim Crupi, business development and technical support manager at AmSafe (Booth 1973). Introduced at Florida's Sun 'n' Fun fly-in in April, the universal restraint system has an introductory price of $2,580. As a universal system, SOARS is not customizable by color or cable length, as are the model-specific restraints made by the Phoenix, Arizona company. The kit comes with a body block to ensure proper alignment and installation, and an electronic module that performs self-diagnostics. An A&P can install the restraint system, and paperwork consists of completing an FAA Form 337 (not required for installation on experimental aircraft). AmSafe airbag seat belts have also been installed in AOPA's Sweepstakes Super Cub, the latest annual aircraft giveaway from the GA pilots' organization. Airbags deploy from each of the restraint's two shoulder harnesses. The electronics module assembly containing the system's electronics and power is mounted in the fuselage. "Hard landings, vibration, or turbulence" won't trip and deploy the system, according to AmSafe. Immediately after deployment, the airbag will deflate to ease egress from the seat belt and aircraft. AmSafe restraints come standard on some new aircraft, including Cessna singles and the Cirrus, Diamond, and Mooney brands. Having electronics, power, and an inflator mechanism, the restraint systems require maintenance. An annual inspection and functional testing are among the mandated servicing requirements, and some components must be returned to the factory for refurbishment, and ultimately disposal. AmSafe also makes TSO-C114 traditional business jet seatbelt restraints for forward- and aft-facing passenger seats, side-facing divans, attendant seats, and berthing or sleeper seats for Boeing Business Jets, Bombardier Aerospace, Cessna Citation, Dassault Falcon Jet, Gulfstream Aerospace and Hawker Beechcraft models. Buckle choices for the business jet restraints include teardrop, classic square, and push button, with more than 150 webbing colors and multiple hardware plating possibilities. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-10-10/amsafe-highlights-new-restraint-system-ga-aircraft Back to Top Qatar Airways Chief Says Airline Is Now Short Of Aircraft, As Growth Resumes Despite Trade Boycott More aircraft orders and more international investments could be on the cards as Qatar Airways tries to put its toughest year behind it. But could further losses be on the way too? Last month, Qatar Airways revealed a $69 million loss in the 12 months to the end of March 2018. That was a radical reversal from the $770 million profit it made during the previous year - a change the airline said was due to the travel and trade boycott imposed in June 2017 by four of its neighbors, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Speaking in Doha on October 8, the airline's chief executive Akbar Al Baker said the situation has stabilised this year, with growth resuming in terms of both passenger numbers and its route network. However, it remains to be seen if the group can translate such trends into profits. Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker stands in the doorway of a Gulfstream G500 jet at the Farnborough Airshow near London on July 16, 2018. (Photo: BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) When the boycott first struck, Qatar Airways found itself forced to abandon 18 regional routes, leaving it with more aircraft than it needed. It meant it was able to lend some of its aircraft and crew to British Airways (BA) to help the latter deal with strike action last summer and to cope with additional maintenance checks on BA's Boeing 787s earlier this year. With 24 new routes added since June last year, that situation has now been reversed and Al Baker said the problem of having too many planes in its fleet is now a thing of the past. "We don't have any excess aircraft. As a matter of fact we are short of aircraft," he said, on the sidelines of the IPEC conference in the Qatari capital. However, the airline continues to feel the pain of the boycott, not least in having to taking longer routes around the airspace of the boycotting countries which it is now barred from. The load factors on some routes to Africa and South America have been dropping as a result, because the airline is now forced to use bigger aircraft to carry the additional fuel needed on these longer journeys. "They are narrow-bodied markets and we are operating with wide-bodied aircraft to carry additional fuel to reach those destinations," he said. Despite its difficulties, Qatar Airways is still eyeing up more potential investments. The airline has built up a 20% shareholding in BA's parent company, International Airline Group, along with stakes in a number of other airlines including Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, Air Italy and the LATAM Airlines Group of South America. Al Baker said more deals may follow. "If there is an opportunity, we will make investments," he said. The airline does not appear to be discouraged by the troubles at nearby rival Etihad Airways, which until recently also had a strategy of taking minority stakes in other airline groups. It proved to be a disastrous policy for the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, which has been forced into a fundamental restructuring of its business model. However, Al Baker insists that his group's approach is different. "Their strategy failed," he said. "I don't need to take any lessons because actually I will teach them lessons." And notwithstanding the fact that his airline needs all the planes in its fleet, Al Baker said he was prepared to lend some aircraft to the partner airlines if needed. "If they require airplanes, we can always adjust our schedule to help them," he said. "We don't know what is the future in store for airlines in which we have stakes but if they require we will always be there to help them, though I want to stress I have no spare aircraft capacity at the moment." Alongside the geopolitical problems in its neighborhood, the airline is also facing the challenge of high oil prices, something which may mean it introduces a fuel surcharge on its passengers. While higher fuel costs affect all airlines, Qatar Airways is arguably more exposed than many of its rivals, given the more circuitous routes its planes sometimes have to follow. Whether the airline's current strategy will prove good enough to allow it to climb out of the red and back into profit this year remains to be seen. Having been very public about the likelihood of posting a loss last year, Al Baker is being far more circumspect about the commercial performance of his airline this year. "I don't aim to make a loss but I don't know," he said. "This time I don't want to say I will make a loss. As an airline CEO I would always in normal circumstances want to make a profit." https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominicdudley/2018/10/11/qatar-airways-short-of-aircraft/#1345e2fa46c6 Back to Top Single Pilot Operations for Air Cargo a Test for Autonomous Flying Aerospace and innovation have gone hand-in-hand since the days of Orville and Wilbur Wright. Airplanes were once simple metal tubes powered by propellers. Long-haul flying meant four engines and at least three pilots on the flight deck at all times. Today, aircraft only require two pilots and are built mostly of carbon composites. Even on the longest routes-more than 17 hours-regulators permit airlines to fly with only two engines. Given the inexorable nature of technological evolution, it seems logical to expect that soon only a single pilot will be required. And beyond that, given the advent of driverless technology on the ground and unmanned aircraft above, could pilotless commercial airliners be far off? A range of companies, from aerospace giants like Boeing Co. and Airbus SE to tiny startups, are working on various aspects of a difficult puzzle: How to create the next generation of air travel-the one where pilots are far less ubiquitous and an array of new flying vehicles communicate with each other. And more importantly, how to make that world as safe as the one we have now. "It is not as complicated as it sounds and it is not as dangerous as it sounds," says Elpert Hodge, executive vice president of M2C Aerospace Inc., a New England start-up working to build a flight system for single-pilot commercial aircraft operations. The start-up hopes to meet airlines' desire to cut costs and address a pilot shortage that's already curtailed air service in some regions. The technology to achieve this is likely to be available soon. The comfort level of regulators and average citizens will almost certainly lag behind. "How do we maintain levels of safety that we enjoy today ... when you've got an artificial intelligence-based system in the cockpit?" Greg Hyslop, Boeing's chief technology officer, said in September at a conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "How do you show and certify that to be safe to the point where the flying public would say, 'Yes, I trust that.'" Airlines are reluctant to even broach the topic, given how passengers may react to being one stricken pilot away from an empty cockpit. Even less so when it comes to fully automatic aircraft: "It's certainly not anything that American is working on or trying to make happen," Doug Parker, chief executive of the world's largest airline, American Airlines Group Inc., said of autonomous aircraft at an industry forum Sept. 12. "The comfort [pilots] provide is not something that most consumers are going to want to forego." But for the air-cargo industry, where package containers don't require safety assurances, the prospect of single-pilot operations-and eventually autonomous flight-holds a definite appeal, especially in areas where air cargo growth may outpace pilot supply. "Clearly for transporting cargo, you could see autonomous aircraft," Hyslop said. "It's going to be much longer, if ever, if we'd see that for passenger travel though." That doesn't matter to Wall Street, though. Airline analysts are already counting the billions of dollars in savings airlines could reap by culling humans. "Long-haul commercial flights could see reduced cockpit crews from 2023, shortly after cargo planes," analysts at UBS Group AG wrote in an extensive July report. They estimated a profit potential of $15 billion for flying with a single pilot and $35 billion if airplanes were to fly themselves. None of this is as far-fetched as it might seem. Adoption of new technology in aviation has risen significantly over the past few years, according to the UBS report. The analysts conceded, though, that they expect "consumer acceptance to be a challenge." Surveys by the bank found 63 percent of people oppose flying in a pilotless aircraft while only 52 percent were averse to single-pilot planes. But then again, what did people think of autonomous cars just a few years ago? A key component of airline automation will be AI. As the technology spreads into more areas, from cars to factories to electronics, more consumers are apt to grow comfortable with it. "There is a percentage of millennials who have no problem with that," says Hodge, a former pilot. "So as much as you can demonstrate the safety of it, that's what brings the public along." Throw in some cost savings, and safety concerns begin to dissipate: The same UBS survey found that 50 percent more people would fly in a single-pilot aircraft if it offered a ticket discount. The topic has garnered interest in Washington as well. The House version of a budget bill this year funding the Federal Aviation Administration included language that would start a "research and development program in support of single-piloted cargo aircraft assisted with remote piloting and computer piloting." The measure, which was stripped from the compromise bill signed into law Oct. 5, was introduced by Texas Republican Lamar Smith, chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. He sought to address concerns with major Chinese investments into AI and autonomous flight, according to a committee staffer. The Cargo Airline Association, which represents carriers such as FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc., wasn't involved in the House bill, said Steve Alterman, the association's president. While the CAA doesn't have a position on the idea, pilot associations do: They're aghast. "Having anything less than two [pilots] is inviting catastrophe," said Lee Collins, president of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations, which represents more than 30,000 pilots, including those at American Airlines Group Inc. and UPS. "This technology is neither mature nor proven yet to the extent that it can ensure safety," Collins said, adding that autonomous piloting systems are "a terrorist hijacker's absolute dream come true." Tim Cannoll, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, the largest U.S. pilot union, echoed his concerns in a recent column: "Single-piloted operations should be totally unacceptable to the American public because they are unsafe." Pilots argue that aviation requires human judgment in the cockpit to respond to the myriad unexpected events that can befall a flight. And while pilots and their unions have a vested interest in maintaining the two-pilot system, they have ready examples to drive home their point. Several pointed to the engine explosion aboard a Dallas-bound Southwest Airlines Co. flight in April that killed a passenger. It left a hole in the side of the Boeing 737-700's fuselage, but the pilot was able to land in Philadelphia with no further injuries. Air travel, goes the common refrain, is the safest form of transport. Over the past 12 years, technological advances have been accompanied by a remarkable increase in safety all while traffic volume doubled. Globally, carriers will fly an estimated 4.4 billion passengers this year, according to the International Air Transport Association. Crashes are rare. In the U.S., there were no airline fatalities from 2009 to 2018-a period of time during which there were almost 100 million flights. In many respects, modern aircraft are already automated to a degree where pilots spend a lot of time monitoring instruments while the plane flies automatically. But you'd be mistaken if you assumed this made them superfluous. It's true that a Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 offers tools a pilot from the 1980s could only dream about. It's also true that the world's airspace is more congested and complex than it's ever been. American, for example, requires that each plane in its fleet conduct an autopilot-approach and automated landing at least once every 60 days. The policy doesn't apply to American's Boeing 737s, which operate with a different system. The aircraft flies the approach based on the path programmed into the flight management system (FMS), following all speed and altitude restrictions and optimizing the descent. Instruments guide the aircraft to touchdown and braking. The autopilot disengages once the aircraft slows to taxi speed. The typical use of these systems is when visibility is extremely limited and weather is unfavorable. As a passenger, you'll probably never know when your aircraft lands itself as pilots rarely announce the occasions. This technology, which is employed with two pilots monitoring its performance, increases an airline's ability to operate in conditions where a human would be less capable. People get to their destinations, fewer flights are canceled, and the nation's economy avoids the costs of delays. But, and this is the key point pilots make, they can intervene at any time overriding the machine's decisions during the approach and landing. Hodge's company, M2C Aerospace, is located about 40 miles west of Boston in the town of Milford, Mass. It wants to become a market leader in devising a flight management system (FMS) for commercial aircraft that doesn't require two pilots, he said. M2C plans to begin simulator testing early next year, followed by test flights with an ATR turboprop aircraft flying from Antigua, his home country and where the government is among M2C's investors. "My thinking is to get the FAA on board is being able to demonstrate safety for two years, no mishaps," said Hodge, a former pilot and entrepreneur who founded cargo carrier Elan Air, and later sold it to DHL Express. M2C is also working to raise $15 million to fund its FMS project, which Hodge predicts will see sales of $500 million in two years and $1 billion within five years. Memphis-based FedEx has expressed interest in purchasing space on an eventual Caribbean single-pilot cargo operation, Hodge said. A FedEx spokeswoman declined to comment. "Aviation is getting there," he said. "It's not if, it's when." https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2018/10/11/504089.htm Back to Top Jet Airways delays salary payment again NEW DELHI: Jet Airways delayed the payment of salaries due on Thursday to its senior employees, a problem that has been recurring for the last two months. In September, Jet announced that the airline will pay its employees salary in two equal installments - 50% on 11th and the remainder on 27th of every month till November. In a statement the carrier said it is committed to overcome the exogenous circumstances plaguing the aviation sector due to the continuing rise of Brent fuel prices as well as the depreciating rupee. "While the company has been diligent in running its payroll as per schedule for all employees, it is only in the last couple of months that the schedule has been impacted due to unavoidable reasons. Despite these challenges, the company has ensured that 85% of its employees are paid salaries on time while those of the leadership, pilots and engineers have been delayed," the company said. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/jet-airways-delays-salary-payment-again/articleshow/66172796.cms Back to Top Cochise College celebrates 50 years in aviation (Arizona) There was much to celebrate at Cochise College on Saturday, as students, faculty and alums reflected on 50 years of aviation. After college leaders invested in the growing aerospace industry, on Sept. 24, 1968, Gilbert Moya Jr. became the first Cochise College student to fly a plane through the developing aviation program. Student Wesley James Cook reached the same milestone this past weekend as he took his first solo flight, the first in the next 50 years as noted by College President J.D. Rottweiler. Flight Instructor, Jorge Oroz ceremonially took scissors to Cook's shirt as a tradition amongst learning pilots. "It's a pretty big deal when you do your first solo," said Oroz. "For Wesley, I think it's impressive that he got to do it on the 50th anniversary of the aviation department. It's normally a tradition that we cut their shirt. It goes back to when they were learning how to fly and they didn't have vet sets to talk to their students so they would yank on the shirt of their student to turn left, right, go up or down. So today I want to cut Wesley's shirt and he will be set free as he has gone solo." Dozens of pilots flew in for the event, including alumni, Air and Marine Operations units from Customs and Border Protection, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office and more. Rottweiler thanked those who joined in on the celebration as well as the program's partners. "Our partners really help us in fulfilling our important mission of enhancing the quality of life for our communities and producing the next generation of aviators," Rottweiler said. "We'd like to thank Northrop Grumman for their continued support. We've had the pleasure of having them on campus for more than 20 years." An opening ceremony was presented with the colors by the Tombstone JROTC, and National Anthe, by the Bisbee High School Band. A performance was also made by the Douglas High School Band. During the event, guests enjoyed history and resource information in the college's hanger, with a cross-wind simulator tournament, pancake breakfast, and discovery flights throughout the day. The culminating event was an interactive murder-mystery dinner. Over the last seven years, Cochise College has invested more dollars in its aviation program than at any point in history. "We're committed to training the next generation of pilots, the industry is in dire need," said Rottweiler. "One thing has never changed over the last 50 years and that has been the college's commitment to safety and quality flight instruction." https://www.douglasdispatch.com/news/cochise-college-celebrates-years-in-aviation/article_d3749d0e-cd6d-11e8-8979-0fd749607470.html Back to Top Russia may delay cargo flight to ISS after accident: space agency MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia may delay a planned unmanned cargo shipment to the International Space Station (ISS) after the failure of a manned flight the previous day, Sergei Krikalev, a senior official from Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Friday. Specialists and rescuers gather near the Soyuz capsule transporting U.S. astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin, after it made an emergency landing following a failure of its booster rockets, near the city of Zhezkazgan in central Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. Federal Air Transport Agency "Rosaviation"/Handout via REUTERS The space station's next re-supply mission had been scheduled for late October, but the unmanned Progress spacecraft - which carries food and other supplies to the ISS - uses the same rocket system as the Soyuz spacecraft involved in Thursday's incident. Krikalev, whose comments were broadcast on state TV, confirmed that all launches of Soyuz rockets will be suspended until investigators establish what went wrong on Thursday when one of the rockets failed in mid-air. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-launch-russia-progress/russia-may-delay-cargo-flight-to-iss-after-accident-space-agency-idUSKCN1MM0T6 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY I am a grad student at City University of London and am completing work on my Masters in Aviation Safety. In my thesis I am trying to determine what the competencies are for being an airline Captain. This is to complement the 9 competencies That ICAO identifies for training pilots. My ultimate goal is to identify the relevant competencies and determine if they are trainable from a flight education standpoint. The first step is to determine the state of Captain/Command training in the United States. The link provided for a survey via survey monkey that hopefully will help me establish a baseline of where we are at in the industry in the US. Thank you for your consideration. Regards, Captain Jeff Kilmer FDX 901-651-6070 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/58SMR3B 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 (HFACS®) 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 (HFIX®) 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