Flight Safety Information October 29, 2018 - No. 219 In This Issue Crash: Lion B38M near Jakarta on Oct 29th 2018, aircraft lost height and crashed into Java Sea Incident: Lufthansa A333 near Ankara on Oct 27th 2018, cracked windshield Accident: Lufthansa A388 near Halifax on Oct 26th 2018, oil fumes on board EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Boeing 737-8KN (WL) - Reject Takeoff Due to Smoke From Undercarriage (Ukraine) AgustaWestland AW169 Accident (UK) Bell OH-58A Kiowa - Wire Strike Accident (Nevada) Cessna T210G Turbo Centurion - Loss of Engine Power - Forced Landing (California) Fuel truck hits wing tip of an American Airlines plane with 172 passengers onboard IS-BAO auditor appeals ARB decision EASA withdraws Conflict Zone Information Bulletin for North Korea EASA extended Conflict Zone Information Bulletin for South Sudan to 26 April 2019 Lion Air crash casts spotlight on Indonesia's aviation safety record Air Niugini to review safety measures after Chuuk crash Girls in Aviation Day 2018 a huge success Mitsubishi Heavy's struggling aircraft unit to gain $2 billion lifeline: NHK Air Force, airlines both facing the same problem: A desperate need for pilots Delta Air Lines Takes Delivery Of New A220 Regional Aircraft 1 Month to Mars! NASA's InSight Lander Nearing Red Planet Touchdown DOCTORAL RESEARCH SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Crash: Lion B38M near Jakarta on Oct 29th 2018, aircraft lost height and crashed into Java Sea A Lionair Boeing 737-800 MAX, registration PK-LQP performing flight JT-610 from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang (Indonesia) with 181 passengers and 7 crew, was climbing out of Jakarta when the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of about 5400 feet, then lost height, radar contact was lost about 35nm northeast of Jakarta over the Java Sea. Rescue services are on their way to the suspected crash site, first ships have reached the crash site and located oil slicks as well as debris from the aircraft including mobile phones and first body parts. Indonesian Authorities reported it is certain the aircraft crashed north of the Karawang area in the waters of the Java Sea. First ships have reached the crash site, water depth at the site is about 30-35 meters. At the surface there were oil slicks as well as debris from the aircraft. No survivors or bodies have been found so far. Indonesia's Ministry of Transport reported a tug boat saw an aircraft crash into the Java sea. Radar contact with the aircraft carrying 178 passengers, 2 babies and one infant as well as two pilots and five flight attendants was lost at position S5.8156 E107.1231. The accident aircraft was registered on Aug 15th 2018 and received its certificate of airworthiness also on Aug 15th 2018. Indonesia's BASARNAS are in charge of the rescue and recovery operation and are sending their units to the suspected crash site. Indonesia's Civil Aviation Authority reported the aircraft requested to return to Jakarta. Basarnas reports there are currently attempts to dive to the aircraft in the waters about 30-35 meters deep. First debris has been collected from the water surface including mobile phones and first body parts. According to ADS-B data transmitted by the aircraft's transponder the aircraft departed Jakarta's runway 25L at 06:21L (23:21Z Oct 28th), never climbed above 5400 feet remaining between 5200 and 5400 feet for about 6 minutes before losing altitude and disappearing from radar about 12 minutes after departure at about 06:33L (23:33Z) about 35nm northeast of Jakarta's International Airport. Metars: WIII 290130Z VRB04KT 8000 SCT020 29/25 Q1011 NOSIG= WIII 290100Z VRB03KT 8000 SCT020 28/25 Q1011 NOSIG= WIII 290030Z VRB03KT 8000 SCT020 27/25 Q1011 NOSIG= WIII 290000Z VRB03KT 8000 SCT020 27/25 Q1011 NOSIG= WIII 282330Z 16003KT 8000 SCT020 27/25 Q1010 NOSIG= WIII 282300Z VRB02KT 8000 BKN022 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG= WIII 282230Z VRB04KT 8000 SCT020 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG= WIII 282200Z VRB04KT 9000 SCT020 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG= WIII 282130Z 17004KT 9000 SCT020 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG= WIII 282100Z 13004KT 9000 SCT020 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG= WIII 282030Z VRB02KT 9000 SCT020 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG= WIII 282000Z 16002KT 9000 SCT020 26/25 Q1009 NOSIG= Flight trajectory (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth): http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf90724&opt=0 *************** Date: Monday 29 October 2018 Time: 06:31 LT Type: Boeing 737 MAX 8 Operator: Lion Air Registration: PK-LQP C/n / msn: 43000/7058 First flight: 2018-07-30 (3 months) Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: / Occupants: 189 Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: N off Jakarta ( Indonesia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK/WIII), Indonesia Destination airport: Pangkal Pinang Airport (PGK/WIKK), Indonesia Flightnumber: JT610 Narrative: Lion Air flight JT610, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta-Soekarno- Hatta International Airport, Indonesia. The flight took off from runway 25L at Soekarno-Hatta Airport at 06:21 hours local time. Weather was fine with light winds, scattered clouds at 2000 feet and a visibility of 8000 m. ADS-B data of the flight, captured by Flightradar24 and Flightaware, show erratic calues. The aircraft made a climbing left hand turn after takeoff. Shortly after passing the ADS-B reported altitude of 2100 feet, data points briefly show a lower altitude of around 1475 feet. Altitude data sent via ADS-B continue to show an erratic pattern, varying roughly between 4500 and 5350 feet, The values then rapidly decline until contact is lost at 06:32 hours. The previous flight of the accident aircraft, JT043 from Denpasar, showed similar erratic values in altitude and airspeed after takeoff. After 8 minutes the values stabilzed. An unverified tech log item for that flight, sent to ASN, remarks "Airspeed unreliable and alt disagree shown after take off.[...] Identified that CAPT instrument was unreliable and handover control to FO." Note: ADS-B reported altitude and speed values may be errorneous instrument indications and not reflect the actual altitude and speed! https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20181029-0 Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa A333 near Ankara on Oct 27th 2018, cracked windshield A Lufthansa Airbus A330-300, registration D-AIKN performing flight LH-764 from Munich (Germany) to Mumbai (India) with 248 people on board, was enroute at FL370 about 130nm northeast of Ankara (Turkey) when the crew decided to return to Munich due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft descended to FL360 for the return and landed safely back in Munich about 3 hours later. A replacement A330-300 registration D-AIKB is estimated to reach Mumbai with a delay of about 7.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf821ec&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Lufthansa A388 near Halifax on Oct 26th 2018, oil fumes on board A Lufthansa Airbus A380-800, registration D-AIMJ performing flight LH-401 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was enroute at FL370 about 220nm northeast of Halifax,NS (Canada) when the crew decided to turn around and divert to Boston,MA (USA) reporting oil fumes on board and the reducing engine oil quantity on the #2 engine (Trent 970, inboard left hand). Cabin crew donned their smoke hoods. The aircraft dumped fuel on the way to Boston. Approaching Boston the flight crew reported one of the flight attendants was not feeling well and requested medical services available on arrival of the aircraft. The aircraft landed safely on Boston's runway 15R about 90 minutes after turning around. The entire crew went to a hospital. Preliminary information received indicates there had been a strong burning odour related to oil fumes as well as visible smoke in the cabin. All cabin crew donned their smoke hoods, the flight crew donned their oxygen masks. Two cabin crew felt very sick. After landing flight and cabin crew went to a hospital, passengers including babies needed medical attention as well. Maintenance determined an oil leak at engine #2. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Boston 19 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DLH401/history/20181026/2020Z/KJFK/EDDF http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf824e9&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Boeing 737-8KN (WL) - Reject Takeoff Due to Smoke From Undercarriage (Ukraine) Date: 27-OCT-2018 Time: 13:06 UTC Type: Boeing 737-8KN (WL) Owner/operator: flydubai Registration: A6-FEU C/n / msn: 40273/5285 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: Odessa-Central Airport (ODS/UKOO) - Ukraine Phase: Take off Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Odessa-Central Airport (ODS/UKOO) Destination airport: Dubai Airport (DXB/OMDB) Narrative: Flydubai flight FZ724 rejected the takeoff from runway 16 at Odessa Airport, Ukraine. Smoke was observed originating from the area of the main undercarriage of the Boeing 737-800. Photos from the scene suggest the ARFF service applied foam to the main gear area. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216757 Back to Top AgustaWestland AW169 Accident (UK) Date: 27-OCT-2018 Time: ca 20:30 LT Type: AgustaWestland AW169 Owner/operator: Foxborough Ltd. Registration: G-VSKP C/n / msn: 69018 Fatalities: Fatalities: / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: King Power Stadium, Leicester - United Kingdom Phase: Initial climb Nature: Private Departure airport: King Power Stadium, Leicester Destination airport: Unknown Narrative: A helicopter used by Leicester City Football Club's owners impacted a car park just outside LCFC's King Power Stadium in Leicester, after taking off from the pitch. The helicopter had climbed to c200ft before transitioning forward when it reportedly yawed and lost height. The helicopter came to rest on its right hand side and a post impact fire occurred. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216767 Back to Top Bell OH-58A Kiowa - Wire Strike Accident (Nevada) Date: 27-OCT-2018 Time: -14:47 Type: Bell OH-58A Kiowa Owner/operator: Washoe County Sheriffs Office Registration: N1032F C/n / msn: 70-15595 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Lakeview, Washoe County NE of Carson City, NV - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: - Departure airport: Destination airport: Carson City, NV Narrative: The on duty Sheriffs Department aircraft experienced an inflight wire strike and subsequent precautionary landing to open brush terrain in Washoe County's Lakeview, Nevada. The helicopter apparently was not damaged and there were no reported injuries to the occupants onboard during the incident. A brush fire resultant of the wire separation was contained without injury. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216780 Back to Top Cessna T210G Turbo Centurion - Loss of Engine Power - Forced Landing (California) Date: 27-OCT-2018 Time: 10:30+ Type: Cessna T210G Turbo Centurion Owner/operator: Private Registration: N6834R C/n / msn: T210-0234 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Santa Paula Airport (KSZP), Santa Paula, CA - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Santa Paula (KSZP) Destination airport: Bakersfield, CA Narrative: Following a loss of engine power, the aircraft force landed to riverbed terrain during an attempted return to the point of departure at Santa Paula Airport (KSZP), Santa Paula, California. The airplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage, and the two occupants onboard received minor injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216770 Back to Top Fuel truck hits wing tip of an American Airlines plane with 172 passengers onboard A fuel truck struck the winglet, or wing tip that extends vertically from the end of the wing, on an American Airlines plane filled with passengers Friday, according to NBC and Fox News. The news sites report the aircraft (Flight 1249) was carrying 172 passengers and preparing to leave from New York's LaGuardia airport in New York for Miami. No injuries have been reported. The airline told Fox News that passengers were moved to a different aircraft as a maintenance team evaluated the damage. "A fuel truck made contact with the winglet of an aircraft that was still at the gate," the statement read. "We moved passengers to a different aircraft [flight is about to depart] as our maintenance team evaluates/fixes the damage." According to the website of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, winglets reduce vortices or turbulence generated by differences in pressure on the upper and lower wing of an aircraft. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2018/10/26/fuel-truck-hits-american-airlines-planes-wing-tip- laguardia/1773537002/ Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top EASA withdraws Conflict Zone Information Bulletin for North Korea The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) withdrew its Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB-2017- 06R2) for the North Korean Pyongyang Flight Information Region on October 26, 2018. Meanwhile, the FAA on 18 September extended their warning to prohibit certain flights in North Korean airspace. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/10/26/easa-withdraws-conflict-zone-information-bulletin-for-north- korea/ Back to Top EASA extended Conflict Zone Information Bulletin for South Sudan to 26 April 2019 26 October 2018 The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) updated and extended the validity of its Conflict Zone Information Bulletins for South Sudan to 26 April 2019. CZIB-2018-03R1: Airspace of South Sudan https://news.aviation-safety.net/2018/10/26/easa-extended-conflict-zone-information-bulletin-for-south- sudan-to-26-april-2019/ Back to Top Lion Air crash casts spotlight on Indonesia's aviation safety record Lion Air, a low-cost Indonesian airline, has been involved in a number of incidents in recent years JAKARTA: Indonesia's aviation safety record has come under the spotlight again after a Lion Air flight with 189 people on board crashed into the sea off Indonesia's island of Java on Monday morning (Oct 29). Flight JT610 was en route to Pangkal Pinang from Jakarta when it lost contact 13 minutes after takeoff. Indonesia, which relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands, has seen several fatal crashes in recent years. Last year the Indonesian air traffic controllers association revealed that the rate of take-off and landings in Jakarta allowed by state-run air navigation company AirNav was more than the airport could handle, increasing the chance of accidents. The country's carriers have also in the past faced years-long bans from entering European Union and US airspace over their safety records. Recently, a 12-year-old boy was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed eight people in mountainous eastern Indonesia in August. In August 2015, a commercial passenger aircraft operated by Indonesian carrier Trigana crashed in Papua due to bad weather, killing all 54 people on board. In 2014, an AirAsia plane crashed with the loss of 162 lives. Indonesian investigators' final report showed a chronically faulty component in a rudder control system, poor maintenance and the pilots' inadequate response were major factors in what was supposed to be a routine flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. PAST LION AIR INCIDENTS Privately owned budget carrier Lion Air was founded in 1999 and its only fatal accident to date was when a MD-82 crashed upon landing at Solo City in 2004. Two dozen people were killed when the flight from Jakarta skidded off a rain-slicked runway after landing. However, six other Lion Air jets, including one that crash-landed in the water short of the runway at Bali in 2013, were damaged beyond repair in various accidents, according to Aviation Safety Network. In June, Lion was among three major Indonesian airlines that had their safety ranking upgraded to seven stars by global rating agency AirlineRatings.com. Last year one of its Boeing jets collided with a Wings Air plane as it landed at Kualanamu airport on the island of Sumatra, although no one was injured. In May 2016, two Lion Air planes collided at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport, while a month earlier a plane operated by Batik Air - part of the Lion Group - clipped a TransNusa plane. In 2013, a Lion Air jet with a rookie pilot at the controls undershot the runway and crashed into the sea in Bali, splitting the plane in two. Several people were injured in the crash, although no one was killed. In 2004, two dozen people were killed when a Lion Air flight from Jakarta skidded off a rain-slicked runway after landing in the Central Java city of Solo. "The industry has grown very quickly and keeping pace with that growth is challenging in keeping the safety culture intact," said Greg Waldron, the Asia managing editor of industry publication FlightGlobal, which keeps an accident database. If all on board prove to have died on Monday's crash, it would rank as Indonesia's second-worst air disaster, after a Garuda Indonesia A300 crash in Medan that killed 214 people in 1997, he said. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/lion-air-crash-casts-spotlight-on-indonesia-s-aviation-safety- 10874772 Back to Top Air Niugini to review safety measures after Chuuk crash Air Niugini says it's reviewing safety measures for all airports it operates in after the fatal crash in the Federated States of Micronesia last month. The Air Niugini plane in the lagoon off Weno airport in Chuuk.The Air Niugini plane in the lagoon off Weno airport in Chuuk. On Friday the carrier released its preliminary report into the crash at the Chuuk International Airport, in which one person died and six were injured. The report said last week Air Niugini tightened its safety measures for landing at the airport and nearby Pohnpei airport. It said other airports in Air Niugini's network are being reviewed and may also be re-categorised. The report's findings have been reserved for the release of the final report. https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/369686/air-niugini-to-review-safety-measures-after- chuuk-crash Back to Top Girls in Aviation Day 2018 a huge success Women in Aviation International (WAI)'s chapters have been surveyed, and the results show that Girls in Aviation Day 2018 accomplished its goal of introducing a record number of girls ages eight to 17 to the career and lifestyle possibilities in the aviation world. Women in Aviation International (WAI) estimates that more than 15,000 girls participated in Girls in Aviation Day 2018. WAI Photo As in past years, Girls in Aviation Day was hosted by WAI chapters (including several located on college/university campuses) with additional participation by WAI corporate members including airlines, fixed- base operators (FBOs), aviation museums and flight schools. On Oct. 13, 2018, 105 chapters and corporate members held 99 separate Girls in Aviation Day events including nine international chapters, 25 corporate member events, and 23 collegiate chapters. International events were held in 15 countries including Australia, Botswana, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Spain, United States, and Zambia. Drawing from the local communities including Girl Scouts, church groups, and outreach to schools, WAI estimates that more than 15,000 girls participated in Girls in Aviation Day 2018. Pilots of all categories, including military, general aviation, and airline pilots, served as role models for the girls. Girls in Aviation Day is not just about becoming a pilot, however. Girls were introduced to many aspects of aviation including engineering, air traffic control, rotary flight, medevac operations, flight operations, airport safety, avionics, and aircraft maintenance. One A&P taught the girls how to inspect an airplane part. At another event, the girls were shown an airplane engine on a stand, the magneto was pulled, and then the girls were shown the engine in a real airplane. "The girls had an 'aha moment,' " it was reported. One volunteer said that the highlight of her day was when a nine-year old girl explained perfectly how a glider could stay up in the air after she visited the four forces of flight activity station. Asked to describe the day in one word, volunteers said: amazing, fantastic, wonderful, impactful, diverse, exciting, and spectacular among other superlatives. "The girls were full of curiosity with one participant asking the speaker why, not how, airplanes fly," said WAI outreach director Molly Martin. "Her answer was, 'If you had wings, wouldn't you fly, too?' " The survey of the WAI chapters that participated in the Girls in Aviation Day indicated that the majority of Girls in Aviation Day events took place at an airport with the remainder taking place at either a school or a museum. "Sometimes I wonder whether our volunteers or our girls enjoy the day more," says WAI president Dr. Peggy Chabrian. "We know our girls leave the day having learned much and having had fun as well. As one girl said, 'This was the best day of my life,' and you can't do better than that." The next Girls in Aviation Day is Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. For further information, click here. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/girls-in-aviation-day-2018-a-huge-success/ Back to Top Mitsubishi Heavy's struggling aircraft unit to gain $2 billion lifeline: NHK TOKYO (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T) is arranging 220 billion yen ($2 billion) in financial support for its aircraft unit, which has struggled to deliver its first passenger plane, national broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday. Mitsubishi Heavy said in a statement that it was considering ways to resolve excess liabilities at the unit, but added it had not yet made any decisions. Mitsubishi's regional jet program, Japan's first passenger plane since the 1960s, has been delayed by several years, with first customer ANA Holdings Inc (9202.T) now expecting its delivery in 2020 rather than 2013 as originally planned. The 90-seat MRJ was long seen as Japan's great hope to revive a dormant commercial aviation industry. Japan was banned from manufacturing aircraft for nearly a decade after World War Two. According to NHK, Mitsubishi's aircraft unit will issue shares worth 170 billion yen as part of a debt-to-equity swap, while Mitsubishi Heavy will forgive 50 billion yen of debt. The aircraft unit's debts exceeded assets by about 100 billion yen at the end of March, the broadcaster also said. Mitsubishi Heavy CEO Shunichi Miyanaga told a press conference in May that the company would increase Mitsubishi Aircraft's capitalization this fiscal year "to enable it to emerge from insolvency". Analysts said there were still questions over whether the jet project could deliver. "This support will, of course, improve Mitsubishi Aircraft's balance sheet. But that doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as accelerating the jet's development," said Kentaro Maekawa, a senior analyst of Nomura Securities. The news comes on the heels of Canada's Bombardier Inc's (BBDb.TO) decision to sue Mitsubishi's aircraft unit, saying former Bombardier employees passed on trade secrets to help Mitsubishi's jet project. Mitsubishi Heavy's shares were down 2.7 percent in afternoon trade, slightly underperforming the broader market. Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp is 64 percent-owned by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T), with Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T) each holding a 10 percent stake. Other shareholders include state- owned Development Bank of Japan, Sumitomo Corp (8053.T) and Mitsui & Co (8031.T). https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mitsubishi-jet/mitsubishi-heavys-struggling-aircraft-unit-to-gain-2-billion- lifeline-nhk-idUSKCN1MX09L Back to Top Air Force, airlines both facing the same problem: A desperate need for pilots The Air Force and civilian airlines compete for pilots A shortage of pilots caused by a surge in retirements, national security needs and demand for air travel continues to hamper the Air Force. This usually happens when the economy is strong and commercial airlines are hiring. But this time is different. This time, even commercial airlines are struggling to find pilots at the same time the Air Force is fighting to fill cockpits. The Air Force has about 18,000 of the roughly 20,000 pilots it needs. In 2017, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein said the problem worries them. "With 2,000 pilots short, it'll break the force," Wilson said in 2017. "It will break it." "It's almost worse now, because not only is the Air Force having problems, but the airlines are having problems," said William "Jay" Jabour, a prior Air Force fighter and test pilot and retired vice commander of the former Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base The problem is serious across the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, said Col. John Robinson, commander of the 445th Operations Group, based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. "We're in pretty good shape right now," Robinson said about Wright-Patt, but added that Air Force-wide many see the situation as a crisis, and there is keen competition between the military and the airlines. Commercial airlines are hiring everybody and anybody they can, Robinson said. Weary of long deployments away from family and interested in better-paying opportunities, military pilots are drawn to airlines or other civilian jobs. Said Robinson, "It's not going to go away any time soon. And part of it is that since 9/11, forces have been flown a lot." Commercial pilots for smaller carriers such as Dayton-based PSA Airlines also feel the same draw to bigger, better-paying airlines. "Pilots want to be with Delta and American and all that," Jabour said. "The smaller regional airlines, like PSA, they have a real challenge getting people in the entry level of the pilot field." PSA has aggressively offered recruitment bonuses. And just this spring, the airline launched a "cadet academy" program offering qualified candidates a chance to train at one of American Airline's partner flight schools. A PSA spokeswoman declined to make PSA President Dion Flannery available for comment. Pilot retirements and airline growth compound the problem, said ABX Air Captain Rick Ziebart. "The pipeline is so thin to fill those slots." And pilot requirements are time-consuming. Federal law requires experience of 1,500 flight hours to be an airline transport pilot. "We prefer not to water down the requirements," Ziebart said. A recurring problem The overall problem is clearly cyclical, Jabour and others said. Lt. Col. Brett Manger, C-17 aircraft commander (left) and co-pilot Richard M. Smith prepare to land the jet at Homestead "When I a young guy back in the '70s, we had the same kind of thing happen," Jabour said. "Airlines were hiring, the Air Force was stable or decreasing in size." Will the problem ease when the economy weakens? Not necessarily, said Michael Mattock, a senior economist with Rand Corp. think tank which has close ties to the Air Force. "The commercial demand for pilots is driven largely by needing to replace retiring pilots," Mattock said. "A weakening economy may reduce airline demand for pilots somewhat, but they will still need to replace many retiring pilots." Jeff Lane is a former Air Force pilot who now works for Riverside's SP Global Inc., as a principal software engineer. The 54-year-old was active in the Air Force for eight years. Then he flew for the West Virginia Air National Guard for 14 years. He flew the OV-10 Bronco and the F-16 in active duty and the C130 in the Reserve. And he loved it. But it wasn't an easy life. "I was moving around a lot," Lane said. "I moved seven times in five years, something like that. I wanted a little more control over my life." He added: "Some of the ground work wasn't thrilling me." "Pilots are sitting in the Air Force saying, 'What's my lifestyle like now? What's my pay? What are the demands on my family?'" said Clay Pittman, chair of the Aviation Technology Department at Sinclair Community College and a former Air Force pilot. Limited options Addressing the issue will be challenging for either side. There are no quick solutions. A large forklift is driven off a Wright-Patt C-17 cargo jet at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. on Sept. 12, 2017. "For the next 10 to 15 years, the shortage will not let up any," Robinson said. "I think there are limited options," Pittman said. "The Air Force can redouble efforts to make pilot careers in the Air Force more appealing by, for example, reducing the additional administrative duties expected of pilots," Mattock said. And "the Air Force can lobby Congress for an increase in the maximum AvB (aviation bonus pay) available to pilots." A survey of Air Force crews presented on the blog "War on the Rocks," suggests that freeing pilots of administrative duties may be an idea whose time has come. Some pilots are warming to the idea of a career track that focuses on flying and less on administrative tasks, according to blog authors Jesse Friedel and Matt Cancian in a September 2018 "War on the Rocks" post. "The Air Force should strongly consider establishing a technical fly-only track in the long term, while in the short-term increasing airman and contractor support for administrative functions," Freidel and Cancian wrote. (Col. Friedel is identified as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and an F-16 pilot. Cancian served as a Marine captain from 2009-2013, the blog says.) A "flying-only track would probably keep some pilots on the active force from leaving," Robinson said. Pittman lived the problem - he is a six-year Air Force veteran who flew for 27 years in the Reserve. One attraction that kept him serving was: He could stay in the cockpit. "I had many jobs (in the Reserve)," Pittman said. "But all those positions still involved flying. It was a still a flying billet, a flying slot." In time, Air Force officers who rise through the ranks fly less and less. It's unavoidable, according to those who have served. "The Air Force is a service where historically the pilots have been commanders; they run the Air Force," Lane said. "They need that career-broadening experience." Pittman called it the "up or out career model." 'Real opportunities' Pittman pointed to pay, saying the Air Force has historically resorted to bonuses to keep pilots on board. "They pay very, very large bonuses," he said. Typically, the bonuses could reach six-figures, spread out over the length of a pilot's renewed commitment, he added. U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, is chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces. The issue of pilot retention has been on the subcommittee's radar, he said. Turner said he understands the current shortage is about 1,800-plus pilots. The committee asked the Air Force to perform a "real analysis" of the gap. A report to the committee is due Dec. 7. The committee is also looking at demands on pilots. Today, only officers can control UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). A question committee members are asking is: Can enlisted airmen or warrant officers undertake the flying of UAVs, as well as others, "that can free up pilots for flying planes," Turner said. And Turner believes education should be considered and perhaps pushed. "There was a time when people would dream of being a pilot," Turner said. "And today, they have real opportunities to get training." https://www.mydaytondailynews.com/business/the-fight-for-flyers/iuOpMOMI7z30dZRvX1jO0L/ Back to Top Delta Air Lines Takes Delivery Of New A220 Regional Aircraft Ed Bastian and employees at the Airbus A220 event in Mirabel, Quebec It was only earlier this month that Delta Air Lines, Airbus and Bombardier were in the process of testing a new aircraft headed into service at the carrier early next year. Now, Delta has officially taken ownership of its first Airbus A220-100, an aircraft that will significantly change the way that carrier operates regional domestic flights. The handover happened at a facility in Mirabel, Quebec, where the aircraft was assembled. In prepared remarks, Delta's CEO Ed Bastian lauded the aircraft, saying that "the innovation, creativity and remarkable engineering skills that went into the design and production of this aircraft is simply breathtaking." In taking delivery of the new aircraft, Delta will be the first legacy domestic air carrier to adopt the new Airbus A220 into its mainline fleet. Developed in collaboration with Bombardier, the Airbus A220 is an extension of the former C-series of aircraft that Bombardier once made. With updated cabins and a more fuel-efficient design than its younger siblings, however, the A220 is well-prepared to be a workhorse for the next generation of regional operators - much like the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350 have taken the thrones as the more efficient long haul aircraft. Delta Air Lines currently has 75 A220s on order that are largely meant to replace the carrier's aging regional fleet of smaller aircraft. According to a release from the carrier, the purchase is part of a larger campaign to replace up to 20% of older, less-efficient aircraft by 2020, though it's not clear how many of the outgoing aircraft are regionally configured. Many used to traveling on the retiring regional aircraft may find the upgrades a relief though; with 2-3 seating and larger headroom, the Delta configuration of the A220-100 is quite larger than a typical regional jet. After the handover ceremony in Mirabel, the A220 left Canada for delivery down to Delta's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. There, Delta crew members will spend the next three months training and acclimating to the aircraft before it ultimately enters service in late January. At that point, the first Delta A220s will enter service in New York City and Boston, two strongholds out of which Delta operates a multitude of regional flights. Delta remains the only legacy domestic carrier to have the A220 on order. Republic airways, a regional operator that provides regional service for American, Delta and United also has 40 configurations of the A220 on order, but hasn't revealed the carrier for which it will eventually fly the planes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2018/10/28/delta-air-lines-takes-delivery-of-new-a220-regional- aircraft/#f1229ee7e425 Back to Top 1 Month to Mars! NASA's InSight Lander Nearing Red Planet Touchdown One month from today, Mars will welcome a new robotic resident that seeks to probe the planet's innards. NASA's InSight lander is scheduled to touch down just north of the Martian equator on the afternoon of Nov. 26, bringing a nearly seven-month space trek to an end. InSight launched, along with the two tiny Mars Cube One (MarCO) cubesats, atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base on May 5. Watch How NASA's InSight Will Plumb the Depths of Mars InSight's entry, descent and landing sequence will be harrowing, as all Red Planet touchdown attempts are. Artist's illustration of NASA's InSight lander at work on the Martian surface. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech The solar-powered spacecraft will barrel into the Martian atmosphere at 14,100 mph (22,700 km/h), then deploy a big parachute to slow its descent. As the lander nears the surface, it will pop free of its back shell and parachute, touching down softly with the aid of 12 descent engines about 6 minutes after getting its first taste of Mars' air. That touchdown will come on a high-elevation equatorial plain called Elysium Planitia, a mere 370 miles (600 kilometers) from Gale Crater, where NASA's car-size Curiosity rover landed in August 2012. Elysium Planitia is "as flat and boring a spot as any on Mars," NASA officials wrote in a statement Wednesday (Oct. 24). And that's why the InSight team chose to land there - for safety's sake. At Elysium, "there's less to crash into, fewer rocks to land on and lots of sunlight to power the spacecraft," NASA officials added. "The fact that InSight doesn't use much power and should have plenty of sunlight at Mars' equator means it can provide lots of data for scientists to study." InSight won't be investigating surface features, so the "boring" part is no drawback. The lander totes a burrowing heat probe and a suite of superprecise seismometers; observations by both instruments should reveal a great deal about the Red Planet's internal structure and composition, mission team members have said. In addition, InSight (whose name is short for "Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport") will perform a radio-science experiment using its communications gear. This work will track the tiny wobbles of Mars' rotational axis, revealing details about the size and composition of the planet's core. The various data gathered by the $850 million InSight mission over its roughly two Earth-years of operation should help scientists better understand how rocky planets form and evolve, NASA officials have said. NASA's InSight lander will touch down Nov. 26, 2018, on Elysium Planitia, just north of Mars' equator. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech And about the MarCO twins: Those briefcase-size spacecraft are embarked on a demonstration mission, which aims to show that cubesats can indeed explore deep space. Things are going well so far. One of the twins recently beamed home a photo of Mars - the first Red Planet image ever captured by a cubesat. The MarCO craft will also attempt to beam home to Earth data from InSight during the lander's touchdown attempt on Nov. 26. But this is not a crucial responsibility for the duo; other NASA spacecraft, such as the venerable Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, will do this relay work as well. https://www.space.com/42260-mars-insight-landing-one-month-away.html Back to Top DOCTORAL RESEARCH SURVEY My name is Robert Lee. I am a doctoral candidate at Northcentral University. I am conducting a study on employee safety climate in the FBO industry. The purpose of the study is to examine how manager turnover affects safety climate. To be eligible to participate you must be at least 18 years old and be currently employed as a line services professional. The survey should take 10 to 15 minutes to complete. All responses will be confidential and anonymous. Your name and company will not be requested nor linked to you. If you would like to participate, please click on the provided Survey Monkey web link, complete the online informed consent form, and proceed with the questionnaire. SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6WVY9ZN Your participation is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Robert Lee Doctoral Candidate - Organizational Leadership Northcentral University 352.284.6989 R.Lee2968@o365.ncu.edu 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 ) Curt Lewis