Flight Safety Information January 4, 2019 - No. 004 In This Issue Incident: Aeromexico B738 at Guadalajara on Jan 3rd 2019, ground down main wheels on landing Incident: Frontier A320 at Dallas on Dec 25th 2018, cabin did not pressurize Incident: Royal Brunei A20N enroute on Jan 3rd 2019, powerbank in thermal runaway Incident: American A321 near Phoenix on Jan 2nd 2019, smoke in cabin Incident: Allegiant A319 at Grand Junction on Jan 2nd 2019, smoke in cabin after landing EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Ethiopian B738 at Entebbe on Jan 3rd 2019, overran runway on landing Bombardier CRJ-200ER - Unsafe Gear Indication (North Carolina) Korean Air A220 suffers significant engine damage Unruly passenger forces Jet Blue flight to land at Salt Lake International Airport Aviation system begins to feel stress from the shutdown, union leaders say Pilot's drinking on previous day delays five flights operated by ANA Wings World's safest, and least safe, airlines named in 2019 rankings Aviation Safety: Efforts to Combat Hypoxia Win Top Honor FAA SLIMMING DOWN 'NOTICES TO AIRMEN PUBLICATION' FAA Awards Next-gen WAAS Contract to NovAtel More woe for Hong Kong Airlines as major insurance firm pulls coverage for passengers Rolls-Royce Aims to Build the World's Fastest All-Electric Airplane 'Moxy' And JetBlue Place Firm Orders For 120 Airbus A220 Aircraft Boom' Could Test Supersonic Jet Later This Year High Altitude Flying Course Position Available: Deputy Director of Safety Incident: Aeromexico B738 at Guadalajara on Jan 3rd 2019, ground down main wheels on landing An Aeromexico Boeing 737-800, registration XA-AMV performing flight AM-120 from Mexico City to Guadalajara (Mexico) with 151 people on board, landed on Guadalajara's runway 28 following a seemingly uneventful flight, when smoke and flames appeared from the landing gear. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway with all four main wheels ground down. Emergency services responded and sprayed the landing gear. The passengers disembarked normally. The runway needed to be closed. The airline reported upon landing smoke appeared in the landing gear which was controlled by emergency services. The 151 passengers and crew have disembarked and are well. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c26770e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Frontier A320 at Dallas on Dec 25th 2018, cabin did not pressurize A Frontier Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N232FR performing flight F9-129 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Denver,CO (USA), was climbing out of DFW's runway 16L when the crew stopped the climb at about 10,000 feet requesting to descend to 5000 feet due to problems with the cabin pressurization. The aircraft burned off fuel and returned to Dallas for a safe landing on runway 16C about 65 minutes after departure. Passengers reported the aircraft departed with delay due to maintenance working on a door seal. Shortly after departure most passengers started to complain about headache, a number of passengers began vomitting, babies were crying. After landing back the airline indicated another plane would take them to Denver, after boarding that plane the captain announced they had just discovered an oil leak and needed yet another aircraft. The third aircraft finally managed to take them to Denver with a delay of about 17 hours. The airline reported the crew received indication of a pressurization issue and returned to DFW for maintenance. A replacement aircraft was dispatched. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/FFT129/history/20181225/1949Z/KDFW/KDEN http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2667d8&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Royal Brunei A20N enroute on Jan 3rd 2019, powerbank in thermal runaway A Royal Brunei Airlines Airbus A320-200N, registration V8-RBD performing flight BI-636 from Hong Kong (China) to Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), was enroute when a passenger's powerbank suffered a thermal runaway and emitted smoke. Flight attendants discharged a fire extinguisher onto the battery and put it into a secure container. The flight crew continued the flight to destination for a safe landing. The airline confirmed a power bank incident resulting in no harm to passengers and crew. The occurence aircraft is still on the ground in Brunei about 8.5 hours after landing. Scene on board, flight attendant holding cloth in front of her mouth just discharging the fire extinguisher: http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2662f8&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: American A321 near Phoenix on Jan 2nd 2019, smoke in cabin An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N103NN performing flight AA-10 from Los Angeles,CA to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 97 people on board, was enroute at FL350 about 100nm north of Phoenix,AZ when the crew reported smoke in the cabin and decided to divert to Phoenix. The aircraft landed safely on Phoenix's runway 08 about 25 minutes later. A passenger reported there was a sudden burst of smoke in the cabin shortly followed by an announcement by the crew to prepare for landing, they were diverting to Phoenix. The occurrence aircraft is estimated to continue the journey but so far is still on the ground in Phoenix about 11 hours after landing in Phoenix. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL10/history/20190103/0510Z/KLAX/KJFK http://avherald.com/h?article=4c265e2e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Allegiant A319 at Grand Junction on Jan 2nd 2019, smoke in cabin after landing An Allegiant Airbus A319-100, registration N332NV performing flight G4-14 from Las Vegas,NV to Grand Junction,CO (USA) with 114 passengers, landed on Grand Junction's runway 11 and was taxiing towards the apron when the crew requested emergency services to attend to the aircraft reporting they had a bit of smoke in the cabin after landing and wanted emergency services to check them out. The passengers disembarked safely, two members of the crew were checked by medical services for possible smoke inhalation. The airline reported a thorough inspection found no issue with the aircraft. It was determined the source of the smoke was sand used by the airport to mitigate icing conditions on the runway, the sand was ingested during landing. All 114 passengers disembarked safely, two crew members were checked out for possible smoke inhalation. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY14/history/20190102/1605Z/KLAS/KGJT http://avherald.com/h?article=4c265c0f&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Ethiopian B738 at Entebbe on Jan 3rd 2019, overran runway on landing An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration ET-ATV performing flight ET-338 (dep Jan 2nd) from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) to Entebbe (Uganda) with 139 people on board, landed on Entebbe's runway 17 (length 12,000 feet/3,658 meters) at 00:38L (21:38Z Jan 2nd) but overran the end of the runway and came to a stop about 125 meters/400 feet past the runway end with all gear on soft ground. There were no injuries, the passengers disembarked via stairs onto soft ground and were taken to the terminal. The aircraft sustained minor if any damage. The airline confirmed the incident reporting the aircraft "skidded off the runway by a few meters". All passengers and crew disembarked safely, were taken to the terminal and cleared normally. The aircraft was not damaged. A passenger reported: "ET338 almost crashed into Lake Victoria after running off the runway. All the people came out with mud on their feet." The runway was closed for about 10 hours until the aircraft was towed to the apron. Metars: HUEN 022330Z 00000KT 9999 SCT018 FEW020CB 19/18 Q1017= HUEN 022300Z 00000KT 9999 FEW018 FEW020CB 19/18 Q1017= HUEN 022230Z 36003KT 9999 FEW019 FEW021CB 19/18 Q1017= HUEN 022200Z 36002KT 9999 FEW019 FEW021CB 20/18 Q1017= HUEN 022130Z 00000KT 9999 FEW019 FEW021CB 20/18 Q1016= HUEN 022100Z 00000KT 9999 FEW019 FEW021CB 20/18 Q1017= HUEN 022030Z 00000KT 9999 FEW021 FEW023CB 20/18 Q1017= HUEN 022000Z 31005KT 9999 FEW021 FEW023CB 21/18 Q1017= HUEN 021930Z 29003KT 9999 FEW021 FEW023CB 20/18 Q1017= HUEN 021900Z 00000KT 9999 FEW021 FEW023CB 21/18 Q1017= ET-ATV on soft ground seen the following morning (Photo: Sadab Kitatta): http://avherald.com/h?article=4c26482a&opt=0 Back to Top Bombardier CRJ-200ER - Unsafe Gear Indication (North Carolina) Date: 03-JAN-2019 Time: 14:30 Type: Bombardier CRJ-200ER Owner/operator: PSA Airlines/American Eagle Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 54 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: Mobile Regional Airport (KMOB), Mobile, AL - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Charlotte/Douglas Int'l (KCLT) Destination airport: Mobile Rgnl (KMOB) Narrative: The Bombardier CRJ-200ER operating as PSA Airlines 5142 from Charlotte, North Carolina, received a nosegear not down and locked indication while on approach to Mobile Regional Airport (KMOB), Mobile, Alabama. The flight crew entered a hold to work the required checklists and upon receiving a gear down and locked indication landed without further incident. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=220505 Back to Top Korean Air A220 suffers significant engine damage A Korean Air Airbus A220-300 suffered a failure to its left Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engine on 27 December 2018. In response to FlightGlobal's query, the carrier confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft registered HL8314, was operating as flight KE753 on the Busan-Nagoya route with 64 passengers onboard. On the day the incident happened, the aircraft departed Busan Gimhae International airport at 13.01 hours local time for Nagoya, where the engine failure was detected 25 minutes later. It subsequently made a return for Busan, and safely landed at Gimhae airport 59 minutes after departure. While the airline was unable to comment on the damage suffered by the Pratt & Whitney PW1521G powerplant, a picture circulating on social media purportedly indicates severe damage to the blades of the low pressure turbine. "The aircraft is currently under inspection at our hangar. Korean Air always puts safety as its first priority, and we are working closely with Airbus and Pratt & Whitney for comprehensive assessment," it adds. Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that HL8314 (MSN 55035) is owned by an unspecified entity. It is managed and operated by Korean Air since delivery was made in August 2018. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/korean-air-a220-suffers-significant-engine-damage-454740/ Back to Top Unruly passenger forces Jet Blue flight to land at Salt Lake International Airport A flight from San Francisco had to make an emergency stop at the Salt Lake International Airport Wednesday night. An unruly passenger, later identified as Brian Regan, forced the plane to divert to Utah after they became overly-agitated, airport officials say. The Jet Blue flight was heading to New York. The crew made the decision to land in Salt Lake and the passenger was detained by law enforcement at the gate. Regan walked off the plane when the doors opened, but quickly refused to comply with officers commands, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) reported. He was knocked to the ground and stunned with a taser. While getting into the police vehicle, Regan spit on one of the officer's faces. Witnesses on the plane told police that Regan appeared to be intoxicated and was demanding to be served more alcohol. When the flight attendant refused, he allegedly grabbed her face and called her a "f****** idiot," court documents state. He also was "banging" on TV monitors, witnesses recalled. Regan was booked into jail for assault on a police officer interfering with an arresting officer, disorderly conduct and intoxication, court documents state. https://kutv.com/news/local/unruly-passenger-forces-jet-blue-flight-to-land-at-salt-lake-international-airport Back to Top Back to Top Aviation system begins to feel stress from the shutdown, union leaders say Traffic management specialists monitor airline traffic at the Air Traffic Control System Command Center on Nov. 16, 2018, in Warrenton, Va. The facility balances air traffic demand with system capacity in the National Airspace System and is a part of the Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control system. (Pete Marovich/For The Washington Post) The U.S. aviation system safely delivered 46 million passengers over the holiday season, but union leaders say cracks are showing as 3,000 support workers have been furloughed and about 10,500 air traffic controllers continue to work without pay due to the government shutdown. As the partial federal shutdown that began Dec. 22 continued Thursday, Paul M. Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, warned Congress that his controllers work in "a system that has no room for error." "Right now, we are asking our controllers to maintain the safety and efficiency of the system without the necessary contribution of 3,000 safety professionals," Rinaldi said in a letter to House and Senate leaders. "We wouldn't ask a surgeon to perform an operation without the assistance of a support team, and we shouldn't be asking air traffic controllers to continue working without support staff." Federal Aviation Administration workers on Thursday articulated Rinaldi's fears. They said about 6,300 projects, many of them safety-related, have been stalled by the shutdown. Workers who supply technical expertise in support of day-to-day controller operations also have been furloughed. The shutdown also means the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have had to prioritize their crash investigations. Small-plane crashes in Florida and South Dakota and two crashes in Michigan that killed a total of five people have not received NTSB scrutiny. Nor have vehicle crashes that killed seven people in New Jersey and Oxon Hill, Md. And three fatal rail accidents in New York City and Kansas that killed three people have yet to come under NTSB investigation. But the most notable of the union's fears - and the one that ultimately could slow air traffic - is the supply of certified air traffic controllers. A pivotal moment in aviation history came in 1981, when President Ronald Reagan fired 11,345 striking air traffic controllers. The modern-day consequence of that moment is that thousands of young controllers were hired after that date and have now reached the mandatory retirement age of 56. More than 21,000 of them - twice the current controller workforce - had reached that age by 2017, making the turnover rate probably higher than at any other federal agency. And 1,842 were eligible for retirement as of Dec. 31. "We shut down the [air traffic control] academy, we lose the pipeline of new controllers coming into the system," Dean Iacopelli, Rinaldi's chief of staff, said in an interview. "The whole staffing pipeline is built on hiring people, getting them into the system, getting them trained in the facilities." Iacopelli said, "a shutdown of one month will take about five to six months to get back up and running." And he said it influences people who have reached retirement age. [Government shutdown stalls FAA investigations into plane crashes] "It makes those closer to retirement throw their hands up in the air and say, 'I'm not going to work for free. Despite their frustration, he said, those workers are in "limbo" because the people who would receive that retirement paperwork have been furloughed. The nation's aviation system appeared to behave normally during the busy holiday season as FAA controllers and workers at the security checkpoints staffed by the Transportation Security Administration stayed on the job, but the shutdown has cut off their paychecks. "The controllers who are on the job now, much as other similarly situated employees, they're working without knowing when they're going to get paid," Iacopelli said. Controllers are paid every two weeks, and their next paycheck is due on Jan. 14. If the government doesn't reopen by Jan. 11, there won't be time to process their pay. "That's weighing very heavily on people who should not have to deal with that," Iacopelli said. He said he's unsure when or how the confrontation over a border wall with Mexico that pits House Democrats against the White House will end. "We have our folks out in the Capitol trying to find out, but in this case it's very eerie," he said. "We have no idea. We're watching this unfold as anyone else is." https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/aviation-system-begins-to-feel-stress-from-the-shutdown-union-leaders-say/2019/01/03/468d86ea-0f7f-11e9-84fc-d58c33d6c8c7_story.html?utm_term=.426d27bb6a32 Back to Top Pilot's drinking on previous day delays five flights operated by ANA Wings All Nippon Airways, the core unit of ANA Holdings Inc., said Thursday that five flights operated by group company ANA Wings had been delayed earlier in the day after a pilot in his 40s failed a breath test. The pilot had drunk alcohol the previous day, according to ANA. The airline said it will deal with the incident strictly in line with company rules. The ANA Wings pilot, on loan from ANA, was scheduled to board a flight from Osaka's Itami Airport to Miyazaki Airport on Thursday morning. The pilot failed the breath test after arriving at Itami Airport early Thursday. He had drunk two 350-milliliter cans of whiskey and soda at a hotel in Osaka the previous day. He was replaced on the flight and five flights were delayed as a result by a maximum of one hour and 44 minutes. The delays affected a total of 677 passengers. Last October, a male ANA Wings pilot was unable to perform his duties a day after he drank alcoholic beverages while on Ishigaki Island, in Okinawa Prefecture. The transport ministry issued strict warnings to ANA Wings and ANA in December over the incident. ANA said it is taking the latest drinking incident seriously. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/01/04/national/pilots-drinking-previous-day-delays-five-flights-operated-ana-wings/#.XC8q9VVKiUk Back to Top World's safest, and least safe, airlines named in 2019 rankings Qantas has been named the world's safest airline in new rankings. Photo: Supplied Qantas has been named the world's safest airline in the annual rankings from AirlinesRatings.com. The website, which rates the safety and quality of 405 airlines around the world, put Qantas at number one in its top 20 safest airlines. "It is extraordinary that Qantas has been the lead airline in virtually every major operational safety advancement over the past 60 years and has not had a fatality in the jet era," said Mr Geoffrey Thomas, AirlineRatings' editor-in-chief. The website uses numerous factors to determine its ratings, including audits from aviation's governing bodies and lead associations; government audits; airline's crash and serious incident record, fleet age and profitability. AirlineRatings' top 20 list does not put the airlines in any particular order, but ranks them all as the world's safest with each getting a perfect seven out of seven score. This year's top 20 list in alphabetical order is: Air New Zealand Alaska Airlines All Nippon Airways American Airlines Austrian Airlines British Airways Cathay Pacific Airways Emirates EVA Air Finnair Hawaiian Airlines KLM Lufthansa Qantas Qatar Airways Scandinavian Airline System (SAS) Singapore Airlines Swiss United Airlines Virgin group of airlines (Atlantic and Australia). The website also named the five lowest ranked airlines for safety. These were: Ariana Afghan Airlines (Afghanistan) Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname) Kam Air (Afghanistan) Tara Air (Nepal) Trigana Air Service (Indonesia) The fatality rate on passenger jet aircraft worldwide jumped in 2018 after airlines recorded zero accident deaths on passenger jets in the prior year, according to a Dutch consulting firm and an aviation safety group. Dutch aviation consulting firm To70 and the Aviation Safety Network both reported on Tuesday there were more than 500 deaths stemming from passenger airline crashes in 2018, but emphasised that fatal crashes remain rare. To70 estimated that the fatal accident rate for large commercial passenger flights at 0.36 per million flights, or one fatal accident for every 3 million flights. That is up from 2017's 0.06 per million flight rate and above the most recent five-year average of 0.24 per million flights. There were 13 deaths in 2017 in two fatal crashes worldwide, but both were on regional turboprop aircraft. Over the last two decades, aviation deaths around the world have been falling. As recently as 2005, there were 1,015 deaths aboard commercial passenger flights worldwide, the Aviation Safety Network said. Despite the increase, 2018 was still the third safest year ever in terms of the number of fatal accidents and the ninth safest measured by deaths, the Aviation Safety Network said. "If the accident rate had remained the same as ten years ago, there would have been 39 fatal accidents last year," Aviation Safety Network's chief executive, Harro Ranter, said in a statement. "This shows the enormous progress in terms of safety in the past two decades." On Oct. 29, a Lion Air-operated Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed into the Java Sea after takeoff from Jakarta, killing 189. In May, a Cubana flight of a Boeing 737-201 crashed just outside Havana airport, killing 112 people. In March, 51 of 71 on board died after a US-Bangla Airlines plane crashed on landing at Nepal's international airport. In February, a plane operated by Saratov Airlines crashed in Russia after taking off from Stepanovskoye, killing all 71 people aboard, while the same month an Aseman Airlines flight crashed into a mountain in Iran, killing 66 people onboard. The United States suffered its first accident death involving a U.S. airline since 2009 in April, when a fan blade on a Southwest Airlines Co Boeing 737's jet engine broke apart in flight, shattering a window and nearly sucking a woman out of the plane. http://www.traveller.com.au/worlds-safest-and-least-safe-airlines-named-in-2019-rankings-h19pt7#ixzz5bdB2Gv7h Back to Top Aviation Safety: Efforts to Combat Hypoxia Win Top Honor Inside Embry-Riddle's High-Altitude Laboratory, Joshua Swain took part in pilot hypoxia training, answering questions about his symptoms as he flew a simulated instrument approach, monitored by faculty member Michael Coman. Swain graduated in 2017 and now works as a Geospatial Analyst, specializing in Aeronautical Safety of Navigation for the U.S. Department of Defense. Helping pilots swiftly recognize and respond to the first signs of deadly oxygen deficiency, or hypoxia, is the focus of two Embry-Riddle research projects that contributed to a U.S. Navy project that won a 2018 Innovation Award from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCTSD). Separate projects led by Assistant Professor of Aeronautical Science Janet K. Marnane and Associate Professor of Human Factors Joseph R. Keebler are designed to better understand, prevent and even predict hypoxia among pilots in flight. The projects are part of the university's programs in Aeronautical Science as well as Human Factors, on the Daytona Beach Campus. The Navy's Hypoxia Training Research and Development projects, supported by Embry Riddle, are setting the stage for "innovative training solutions to better equip the fleet in dealing with aeromedical issues," said Beth F. Wheeler Atkinson, senior research psychologist with the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD). University President P. Barry Butler said: "Embry-Riddle is making contributions toward solving some of the U.S. Navy's most critical problems, including dangerous in-flight physiological episodes among pilots. Hypoxia-response research and training is one of many ways that Embry-Riddle is working to improve aviation safety as well as pilots' well-being." Combating a Dangerous Problem Over the past decade, Marnane noted, the Navy has become increasingly concerned about an increase in hypoxic events (also called "physiological episodes") suffered by pilots flying at high altitudes, particularly in F/A-18, T-45 and EA-18G aircraft. In September this year, the Navy and the Air Force announced a tandem effort - the Joint Physiological Episodes Action Team - to stop hypoxia and hypoxia-like episodes among pilots. At altitudes above 10,000 feet, where the air is less dense, hypoxia can strike pilots as the body absorbs less oxygen. Symptoms range from headaches and tunnel vision to tingling fingers and toes, a feeling of suffocation or "air hunger," turning blue (cyanosis) and loss of consciousness. In Embry-Riddle's High-Altitude Normobaric Chamber, 30 research subjects have so far participated in simulated flights with ascents from sea level to as high as 30,000 feet, at different rates of climb. Symptoms of hypoxia were self-reported by the subjects and by an observer in the chamber. In addition, the subjects' oxygen saturation levels and heart rates were recorded to correlate the onset of symptoms with actual physiological responses. The goal of Marnane's project is to assess the impacts of a special On-Demand Mask-On Hypoxia-Training device developed by Lynntech, Inc., a Texas-based technology development company that develops unique solutions for defense, medicine and energy applications. While most hypoxia-training devices deliver a continuous flow of air, the Lynntech device delivers pressure-on-demand air without exposing the human subject to air starvation when breathing becomes heavier, Marnane explained. This on-demand oxygen flow more closely mimics the air delivery methods of aircraft systems. Using the on-demand hypoxia training device, flight training could be more realistic, allowing pilots to more accurately identify hypoxia at the earliest possible stage. With traditional continuous-flow training systems, Marnane pointed out, subjects who experience air hunger may be less likely to recognize other signs of hypoxia. Although further research is needed, preliminary results suggest that the Lynntech device "shows promise in reducing the symptom of air hunger." In Search Of Hypoxia Risk Factors For his project, Keebler is looking at the relationship between symptoms of hypoxia, demographic variables, and lifestyle factors among pilots - from their body-mass-index and flight hours to their caffeine and alcohol consumption as well as whether or not they have previously experienced hypoxia. Graduate students including Richard Simonson, Emily Anania, and Christopher Rarick have played a key role in the research, Keebler said. They have visited various Naval bases to collect data on some 100 pilots who performed tasks inside hypoxia training facilities. The goal of Keebler's project is to determine how closely factors such as prior hypoxic events track with the risk of experiencing hypoxia. Someday, Keebler said, it might be possible to develop a personalized warning system to alert pilots who are at high risk of experiencing hypoxia, before it strikes. "At the end of the day," Keebler said, "this work is intended to prevent situations where a pilot is hypoxic while flying a plane. It's all about making aviation safer for everyone." https://news.erau.edu/headlines/aviation-safety-efforts-to-combat-hypoxia-win-top-honor/ Back to Top FAA SLIMMING DOWN 'NOTICES TO AIRMEN PUBLICATION' The FAA has started to streamline one of its core flight information publications in response to safety-minded recommendations from the aviation community. The Federal Aviation Administration is one of the many government agencies that have influence over general aviation. Photo by David Tulis. Beginning with the Feb. 28, 2019, edition, the Notices to Airmen Publication (NTAP)-repository of copious quantities of critical and permanent air traffic system and airport-specific notams-will become a pared-down volume with the elimination of its Part 1, a listing of hundreds of flight data center (FDC) notams. The slimming down of the NTAP, which is reissued every 28 days, will continue in succeeding issues, said Rune Duke, AOPA senior director of airspace, air traffic, and aviation security. Duke represented AOPA in the NTAP review that the FAA initiated to examine the publication's role in the era of expanding digital information resources. The FAA publicized the impending change in a foreword to the Jan. 3, 2019, edition of the NTAP, noting, "Part 1, FDC NOTAMs, will be removed from the Notices to Airmen Publication effective February 28, 2019. These NOTAMs will still be considered on request items when obtaining a briefing from Flight Service Stations (FSS)." The decision to cut Part 1 from the NTAP for starters was a response to AOPA's urging and to recommendations made by the technical-guidance advisory organization RTCA, Duke said. Two safety panels were convened in 2017 and 2018, with the decision to cut Part 1 emerging from the first and a review of the other portions of the NTAP taking place during the second panel. AOPA provided examples of pilot concerns about the NTAP, including complaints filed with the Aviation Safety Reporting System that highlighted the need to "make information available to pilots in a modern way," he said. To illustrate the effect of streamlining the NTAP, the 477-page current edition would have only been 152 pages without Part 1, he said. The change will not delete any NTAP information not available through other FAA sources. "The outcome in summary is that redundant and outdated information is being removed and there is now a more effective quality assurance system in place," Duke said. Guidance on using the NTAP and on notams in general will soon be published in the Aeronautical Information Manual. Duke reiterated the importance of pilots-especially those planning instrument flights-requesting airway and procedural notams, and notams the FAA describes as "general in nature and not tied to a specific airport/facility (for example, flight advisories and restrictions, open duration special security instructions, and special flight rules area)," during preflight briefings. The FAA's online Notam Search site also provides these notices. "We appreciate the FAA acting on our concerns and continuing their modernization effort of the delivery of notam information," he said. "The number of obscure resources and publications pilots are expected to review before flight is confusing and is a well-documented frustration, as well as a hazard. AOPA will continue to work with the FAA on consolidating preflight resources and making them digitally available to pilots." https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/january/02/faa-slimming-down-notices-to-airmen-publication Back to Top FAA Awards Next-gen WAAS Contract to NovAtel NovAtel has secured a contract from the FAA to design and manufacture 40 next-generation ground uplink station (GUS) signal generators to support the agency's WAAS navigation service. The contract also includes engineering support services for NovAtel's portfolio of satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) products deployed by the FAA, including the WAAS G-III reference receiver platform. Developed by the FAA, the WAAS network is a safety-critical supplemental navigation aid that allows aircraft to use the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) for all phases of flight. Since WAAS became operational in July 2003, NovAtel has provided the FAA with technology that delivers high-precision GPS receiver measurements and navigation information from WAAS reference stations and the GUS infrastructure, allowing aircraft to perform precision approaches using GPS/WAAS. Under this latest contract, NovAtel will modernize the WAAS network by upgrading and extending support for the network's GUS infrastructure. According to NovAtel, the next generation of GUS signal generators will include independent L1 and L5 signal paths to precisely control the frequency and phase of L1 and L5 code and carrier for dual-frequency SBAS. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-01-03/faa-awards-next-gen-waas-contract-novatel Back to Top More woe for Hong Kong Airlines as major insurance firm pulls coverage for passengers in event carrier folds Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited advises business partners of move, which takes effect on Monday (170601) -- HONG KONG, June 1, 2017 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong International Airport is seen in Hong Kong, south China, June 16, 2014. July 1, 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. (Xinhua/Li Peng) (zhs) Passengers flying with Hong Kong Airlines run the risk of losing out in the event the city's third-largest carrier folds, after an international travel insurance company said it would partially suspend coverage for customers from Monday. Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance Limited notified its business partners on Thursday that next week, customers travelling with the airline would not be able to enjoy the special allowance the insurer offers if the airline winds up "in view of the news of the airline published by media recently", according to a notice seen by the Post. In response, Hong Kong Airlines said it did not have a business relationship with Blue Cross. "We are operating as normal and remain committed to offering our best service to customers," a spokesman said. A travel agent with Morning Star approached by the Post confirmed the news, and said his company had received the notice from Blue Cross. But, he said it should not have a significant impact on their travel tours as the airline was not their major partner. The troubled airline has endured a torrid time of late, and recently suffered an exodus of senior executives and rumours about a poor financial status. According to Blue Cross' website, clients would normally be compensated up to HK$2,000 in the event an airline folds. Insurance sector lawmaker Chan Kin-por said it was rare for an insurer to remove airlines from such coverage. Yet, he said it was common for insurance companies to review the conditions of their coverage by adding or removing terms after evaluating any potential risk. "The coverage itself is rare. Only a small number of insurance companies offer coverage if airlines wind up," Chan said, adding that the Bank of China also offered these terms. A spokeswoman from the Bank of China (Hong Kong) told the Post it had not received any notice from Bank of China Group Insurance Company to change the terms of its coverage. Dr Law Cheung-kwok, director of policy at the Aviation Policy and Research Centre at Chinese University, said: "This news will definitely affect confidence in consumers and travellers booking with the airline." Call for Hong Kong Airlines to explain its finances, despite 'here to stay' vow But despite the financial problems, Minh Tran, who works in the education sector and has enjoyed flying with the airline before, said he "wouldn't think twice" about booking with the firm. However, he said he would pay with his credit card to ensure he could recoup his airfare if the carrier closed suddenly. Although Blue Cross collaborates with a significant number of travel agencies across the city, Chan said the effect on customers would not be large because the compensation involved was relatively small, and the company had notified people in advance. However, the move may have a bigger impact on the airline, whose parent company is debt-laden mainland aviation conglomerate HNA Group. The conglomerate has sued a firm owned by a former director of Hong Kong Airlines, for about HK$854 million in unpaid debt, just two weeks after news surfaced of the exodus of top executives. Local media also reported that the airline must repay HK$4.5 billion (US$575 million) in bonds by January 20, a task believed to be challenging for the carrier. But senior management at the carrier have vowed it is "here to stay" and that it remains committed to long-term growth. A spokeswoman for Blue Cross on Friday afternoon confirmed the new arrangement and said it was "solely made based on our commercial considerations". "We have already notified our authorised agents and insurance brokers who will communicate with their customers in regard to this new arrangement," she said. The company would post an announcement on its website and provide guidance to customers, she added. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/2180595/more-woe-hong-kong-airlines-major-insurance-firm-pulls Back to Top Rolls-Royce Aims to Build the World's Fastest All-Electric Airplane Rolls-Royce is already a leader when it comes to high-tech cars and soon, ships. Now, the company has its eye on creating the world's fastest all-electric airplane. On Thursday, Rolls-Royce in a press release said it's designing the ACCEL, a zero-emissions plane that's expected to reach a speed of 300 mph and be the speediest all-electric aircraft in history. A team of British designers, engineers, and data specialists recruited from Rolls-Royce and other companies are working on the plane, which is predicted to make its debut in 2020. The airplane is part of Accelerating the Electrification of Flight (ACCEL), a Rolls-Royce initiative that supports advanced aviation. ACCEL, which is partially supported by the U.K. government and involves partners including YASA, an electric motor manufacturer, and Electroflight, a aviation startup, aims to make flights more seamless, safe, and speedier for customers in the future. "This plane will be powered by a state-of-the-art electrical system and the most powerful battery ever built for flight," Matheu Parr, ACCEL project manager for Rolls-Royce, said in the press release. "In the year ahead, we're going to demonstrate its abilities in demanding test environments before going for gold in 2020 from a landing strip on the Welsh coastline." Developing this all-electric aircraft isn't an easy task. The team will need to build a huge battery that can beat performance and speed records, isn't too bulky for flights, and stable enough to prevent overheating. To move past these challenges, the team is currently monitoring 20,000 data points per second, including measuring battery voltage, powertrain health, and temperature. There are some cool features to note with ACCEL plane. It has the most energy-dense battery pack that provides enough power to fly 200 miles on a single charge. To prevent overheating, an advanced cooling system can withstand high-current demands during flight time. The propeller, which is operated by three high-power electric motors, generates more than 500 horsepower for rides. Plus, the all-electric powertrain cuts back on energy use: It delivers 90 percent energy efficiency. Rolls-Royce's ACCEL plane announcement follows another major autonomous milestone. In December, the company confirmed that it completed a pilot run of the world's first fully autonomous ship that can navigate and engage in other ship tasks by itself. https://www.geek.com/tech/rolls-royce-aims-to-build-the-worlds-fastest-all-electric-airplane-1768262/ Back to Top 'Moxy' And JetBlue Place Firm Orders For 120 Airbus A220 Aircraft The latest airline venture from JetBlue founder David Neeleman, provisionally named Moxy, has signed a fixed order for 60 A220-300 aircraft, Airbus has announced. At the same time, JetBlue has placed firm orders for 60 A220-300 aircraft. Airbus A220-300 aircraft in flight. This choice of aircraft will give the airlines flexibility to cover under-served regional markets and launch new low-cost short-haul shuttle services. Both orders were completed at the end of December, according to the aircraft manufacturer. Airbus will produce these 120 A220-300 planes at a new U.S. assembly facility in Mobile, Alabama. That new construction, which will break ground later this month, is adjacent to the existing Airbus A320 assembly facility. The plans for Moxy were revealed at the Farnborough Air Show last July. Neelam has defined the brand's positioning as high tech and the A220, as a high-tech aircraft, fits the bill. With this aircraft, Moxy could introduce profitable city pairs in underserved regional and short to mid-haul markets, in the U.S. and beyond. The A220-300 would also be suitable to introduce new frequent shuttle services between cities with high business passenger demand, where schedule flexibility might be attractive to passengers. The airline selected the Airbus A220-300 model (formerly the Bombardier C-Series 300) because of its operational efficiencies and overall passenger comfort. This aircraft offers passengers a flying experience similar to flying on an A350XWB or a Boeing Dreamliner while traveling on a small plane for shorter distances. The A220 is designed expressly for the 100-150 seat market offering airlines optimum fuel efficiency and giving passengers an experience comparable to flying on modern widebody aircraft. The A220 operates with Pratt & Whitney's latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines, which claim 20% lower fuel burn than previous generation aircraft. It has a range of up to 3,200 nm (5020 km), which allows Moxy to introduce a broad mix of city pairs in both regular and seasonal service. "The A220-300 is the right airplane for a new airline that will be focused on passenger service and satisfaction," said Neeleman. "With a low cost of operation and spacious cabin, the A220 will allow us to provide passengers with lower fares and a high quality, comfortable flying experience. The A220's ability to operate profitably in thin, underserved markets across a broad spectrum of ranges is unique". Neeleman favors Airbus aircraft as reflected by the fleet mix at his other projects JetBlue, Azul Brazilian Airlines and TAP Air Portugal. But the choice of the new A220 reflects a strategy to right-size planes for routes where seat load factors would be lower than A320-family aircraft. Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, said of the order: "We believe the A220 really is the future of this segment of the market, and the flying public will know from the minute they set foot onboard that they're experiencing the best our industry has to offer." Delta Air Lines was the first U.S. carrier to commit to the A220 aircraft, back when the jet was still the Bombardier C-Series. JetBlue announced its plans to acquire A220 planes shortly after last year's Farnborough Air Show. "As we approach our 20th anniversary, the impressive range and economics of the highly efficient A220, combined with the outstanding performance of our existing fleet of Airbus A321 and restyled A320 aircraft, will help ensure we deliver the best onboard experience to customers and meet our long-term financial targets as we continue disciplined growth into the future," said Robin Hayes, Chief Executive Officer, JetBlue, said on firming-up the order. These new orders bring the A220 order book to more than 500 aircraft to date. Airbus estimates that the 100- to 150-seat aircraft market will require at least 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years. https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisagarcia/2019/01/03/moxy-and-jetblue-place-firm-orders-for-120-airbus-a220-aircraft/#7b4de45e7744 Back to Top 'Boom' Could Test Supersonic Jet Later This Year ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- One Colorado business is hoping to have its dream jet take off this year. Boom has created a supersonic jet. According to BusinessDen.com two pilots will test the commercial aircraft that will break the speed of sound later this year. Boom is located in Englewood. The four-year-old startup doubled its workforce to 90 employees last year. https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/01/03/boom-supersonic-jet-englewood/ Back to Top Click here to sign up for the next session with Captain Shem Malmquist beginning in late January. Or call us at 231 720-0930 (EST). High Altitude Flying Overview Back to Top Helicopter Association International (HAI) is dedicated to providing its members with services that directly benefit their operations, and to advancing the international helicopter community by providing programs that enhance safety, encourage professionalism and economic viability while promoting the unique contributions vertical flight offers society. HAI has more than 3,800 member organizations and annually produces HAI HELI-EXPO®, the world's largest trade show and exposition dedicated to helicopters. Position: Deputy Director of Safety Overview: The Deputy Director of Safety is responsible for supporting the association's existing aviation safety programs and developing new safety initiatives to benefit HAI's membership. Essential Functions of the Position Include, but Are Not Limited To: • Providing auxiliary support to the Director of Safety • Serving as the HAI safety representative on various industry, government, and international boards, task forces, and meetings • Providing feedback for the association's response to proposed safety-related regulations and legislative initiatives • Collecting, researching, and analyzing safety and accident data for subsequent statistical reporting • Developing and implementing new HAI industry safety initiatives • Routinely interacting with aviation related agencies and organizations in support of the rotorcraft industry • Supporting all aspects of HAI's accreditation programs (IS-BAO & HAI APS) that assist helicopter operators in reducing incidents and accidents, while improving industry safety culture • Providing safety supervision for flight activities at the association's annual trade show and exposition, HAI HELI-EXPO® • Responding to requests for rotorcraft safety assistance from HAI members and the general public • Serving as staff liaison for assigned HAI committees • Contributing content for use in HAI's printed and electronic publications • Making safety presentations on behalf of HAI as necessary • Other duties as assigned The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Desired Qualifications for the Position Include: • College or advanced degree related to aviation safety and/or management • Five or more years of related helicopter safety background, training, and experience • Certificated helicopter pilot and/or maintenance technician • Previous experience with helicopter or other aviation-related organization • Prior international experience preferred • Experience with auditing protocols and accreditation programs • A passionate commitment to the promotion of helicopter safety • Highly motivated, able to work independently and in a team environment • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with prior experience in creating and delivering written proposals and public presentations • Research, data analysis, and report writing experience • Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite • Detail oriented, self-starter, with strong organizational and time management skills • Ability to travel The above qualifications are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position. Curt Lewis