Flight Safety Information January 9, 2019 - No. 007 In This Issue Incident: Delta MD88 near Knoxville on Jan 7th 2019, aircraft handling problems Incident: Sriwijaya B738 at Dili on Dec 15th 2018, compressor stalls on departure Incident: TAAG B773 at Sao Paulo on Jan 6th 2019, bird strike Incident: Fly540 DH8C at Eldoret on Dec 29th 2018, main wheel separated on landing Cessna 210 Centurion - Fatal Accident (Costa Rica) Aerospatiale AS 350B Écureuil - Fatal Accident (France) London's Heathrow Airport briefly halts flights after 'drone sighting' Man, 21, arrested after cargo pallet catches fire at Hong Kong airport while awaiting loading Would You Fly on a Plane Without a Human Pilot? India to issue new safety rules for A320neos Investigations of fatal accidents are on hold because of the government shutdown What Honeywell's Ecommerce Platform Means For Blockchain In Aviation SkyWest joins in collaboration to expand pilot training Boeing unveils jet concept with ultra-thin wings Boeing sets record for delivered jetliners Develop your skills at Cranfield University All Past and Present IS-BAO Registered Operators requested to rate IS-BAO Performance High Altitude Flying Course Position Available: Deputy Director of Safety Incident: Delta MD88 near Knoxville on Jan 7th 2019, aircraft handling problems A Delta Airlines McDonnel Douglas MD-88, registration N950DL performing flight DL-326 from Atlanta,GA to Buffalo,NY (USA) with 80 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing through FL240 out of Atlanta when the crew decided to divert to Knoxville,TN reporting they had experienced an airborne windshear resulting in aircraft handling issues. The aircraft landed safely on Knoxville's runway 23L about 16 minutes later. A replacement MD-90 registration N912DN reached Buffalo with a delay of 4.5 hours. Passengers reported the aircraft suffered a big jolt and shuddered, then the captain announced they would divert to Knoxville and land in about 15 minutes. Emergency services received the aircraft and inspected the tail area of the aircraft. The airline reported the aircraft diverted due to a possible engine (JT8D) issue. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c29f343&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Sriwijaya B738 at Dili on Dec 15th 2018, compressor stalls on departure A Sriwijaya Boeing 737-800, registration PK-CRE performing flight SJ-271 from Dili (East Timor) to Denpasar (Indonesia), was climbing out of Dili's runway 26 when the right hand engine (CFM56) emitted a loud bang and streaks of flame, about 10 seconds later another bang and streaks of flame and another 10 seconds later a third bang associated with streaks of flame. The crew worked the related checklists, the engine stabilized, the crew continued the flight to Denpasar climbing the aircraft to cruise level 340 and landed safely in Denpasar about 90 minutes after departure. East Timor's Civil Aviation Authority (AACTL) reported they received a preliminary report from the airline suggesting there was a problem with the airflow in the compressor. The crew worked the related checklists and recovered the engine. The aircraft continued to destination. The AACTL asked the airline to not use the aircraft on flights to Dili until the report, all inspections and checks are completed. Two passengers reported independently that there were three bangs from the right hand engine in intervals of about 10 seconds each associated with flames from the engine exhaust, shouts of "FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!" occurred (one passenger believed this to be an automatic fire alarm, the other reported a flight attendant was shouting), flight attendants were rushing through the aisles carrying fire extinguishers, announcements were made the passengers should retrieve and put on their life jackets. The aircraft stopped climbing for some time. About 45 minutes later the passengers were instructed to remove the lift jackets and the flight continued to Denpasar. No explanation but "engine problem" was provided. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Denpasar for about 30 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c29ea18&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: TAAG B773 at Sao Paulo on Jan 6th 2019, bird strike A TAAG Angolan Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration D2-TEH performing flight DT-747 (dep Jan 5th) from Luanda (Angola) to Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil), was on approach to Sao Paulo's runway 09R when an engine (GE90) ingested a bird and failed. The crew continued for a safe landing on runway 09R. A replacemnet Boeing 777-200 registration D2-TED, having arrived as the next day's flight DT-747, performed the return flight DT-748 departing about 4 hours after landing and reached Luanda with a delay of 12.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 39 hours, then departed as flight DT-748 of Jan 7th 2019. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c29e6fb&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Fly540 DH8C at Eldoret on Dec 29th 2018, main wheel separated on landing A Fly540 de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration 5Y-CGH performing flight 5H-427 from Nairobi to Eldoret (Kenya) with about 50 people on board, landed on Eldoret's runway when a loud bang was heard, ground observers saw debris flying off the landing gear and smoke. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and stopped about half way down the runway (length 3475 meters/11400 feet). There were no injuries, the outboard left main wheel was missing from the airframe however. Metars: HKEL 290600Z 13008KT 9999 FEW020 SCT260 19/10 Q1026= HKEL 290500Z 16006KT 9999 FEW018 SCT250 16/11 Q1025= HKEL 290400Z 13009KT CAVOK 13/11 Q1025= HKEL 290330Z 13010KT CAVOK 13/11 Q1025= HKEL 290300Z 13008KT CAVOK 13/11 Q1024= HKEL 290200Z 13008KT CAVOK 13/11 Q1024= HKEL 290100Z 12010KT CAVOK 13/10 Q1023= The missing wheel (Photos: Saddique Shaban): http://avherald.com/h?article=4c29e455&opt=0 Back to Top Cessna 210 Centurion - Fatal Accident (Costa Rica) Date: 08-JAN-2019 Time: 03:10 Type: Cessna 210 Centurion Owner/operator: Private Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Lomas de Sierpe, Pococi, Limon - Costa Rica Phase: En route Nature: Illegal Flight Departure airport: Mexico Destination airport: Narrative: The plane crashed under unknown circumstances. It had been used for transporting drugs. According to reports there is at least one fatality. The plane was destroyed by fire. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=220643 Back to Top Aerospatiale AS 350B Écureuil - Fatal Accident (France) Date: 07-JAN-2019 Time: 14:00 LT Type: Aerospatiale AS 350B Écureuil Owner/operator: Air Plus Hélicoptère / Cdc Group Registration: F-GKMQ C/n / msn: 4847 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Puylaurens, Tarn - France Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The helicopter crashed in woodland while trying to install a telephone communication mast. The pilot died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=220611 Back to Top Back to Top London's Heathrow Airport briefly halts flights after 'drone sighting' * Flights into Europe's busiest airport were delayed after reports of a drone sighting. * Disruption comes less than a month after reports of drone sightings crippled London Gatwick. An airliner comes in to land at Heathrow Airport, London. London's Heathrow Airport briefly halted departures Tuesday after a report of a drone sighting, less than a month after a similar event crippled operations at another major U.K. airport. London's Metropolitan Police said it received reports of a drone sighting "in the vicinity of Heathrow airport" shortly after 5 p.m. local time. The airport said it resumed flights in the early evening after grounding planes following the report. "We continue to work closely with the Met Police to respond to reports of drones at Heathrow," a spokesperson for the airport said in a statement. "Based on standard operating procedures, working with Air Traffic Control and the Met Police, we have resumed departures out of Heathrow following a short suspension. We continue to monitor this situation and apologise to any passengers that were affected by this disruption." The incident shows how quickly even a report of a sighted drone can disrupt air travel. Officials are struggling with how to keep drones away from aircraft as the devices become more popular with consumers and businesses. The suspension of departures at Heathrow came less than a month after reports of drone sightings halted air travel at London Gatwick Airport, stranding thousands of travelers during a peak holiday travel period. Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport and serves an average of more than 213,000 passengers a day. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/08/londons-heathrow-airport-halts-departures-after- drone-sighting.html Back to Top Man, 21, arrested after cargo pallet catches fire at Hong Kong airport while awaiting loading for flight to Taipei The fire is being treated as arson, police say. Flames were seen rising from the shipment around 2.30pm. Firefighters promptly put out the fire No passengers were on board plane that cargo was meant for Police arrested one man in connection with a fire at Hong Kong Airport on Tuesday afternoon, in an incident that is being treated as arson. A 21-year-old non-Chinese man was arrested in the early evening. According to preliminary inquiries, the cause of the fire was "suspicious", the police added. A cargo pallet awaiting loading onto a Hong Kong Airlines plane caught fire shortly before a flight to Taipei was due to take off on Tuesday. In pictures of the incident posted on social media, firefighters could be seen tackling the fire with flames and smoke rising from the cargo, with at least one firefighter climbing on top of the pallet. "We received a call at 2.26pm and we arrived four minutes later. The case [concluded] at 2:55pm," a Fire Services Department spokeswoman said. Photo from a Hong Kong Aviation Discussion Board group. Flames on a cargo pallet as it awaited loading onto a Hong Kong Airlines plane bound for Taipei. Source: Facebook An airport source near the scene shared a photo which showed stacks of boxes on crates marked with the Supermicro computer logo. The Taiwanese-American company makes computer processing units. Investigators are still trying to establish what was in the box that caught fire. Hong Kong police issue baggage warning after spate of in-flight thefts Initially, the source said the fire could have been the result of a lithium-ion battery that overheated. Such batteries are no longer permitted in the hold on passenger or cargo aircraft, and most major airlines, including Cathay Pacific Airways, forbid them. However the battery is allowed in carry-on luggage depending on how powerful it is. The fire services spokeswoman could not confirm however if a battery was involved in the fire. "We found there were stock samples on fire. We have no information on the cause that a battery caught fire. We just know the stock sample got burned and it was made of wood," the spokeswoman said. A cargo pallet unwrapped after the fire at Hong Kong International Airport was put out. Source: Facebook A spokeswoman for Hong Kong Airlines said: "Fire services were immediately notified to put out the fire and there are no reports of injuries. Safety is our priority. We have suspended the concerned shipment and are working with authorities to investigate the incident." The airline is in the midst of intense financial scrutiny, as the government, among others, probes the health of the carrier. Passenger anger after video shows airport staff throwing luggage The fire happened outside the airport's midfield terminal, where Hong Kong Airlines' operations are located. "No one was injured and airport operations were not affected," the Airport Authority said in a statement. Hong Kong International Airport is the world's busiest hub for cargo traffic. It handled more than 5 million tonnes of cargo and airmail in 2017, the first such airport in the world to achieve the feat. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/2181221/cargo-pallet- catches-fire-hong-kong-airport-while-awaiting Back to Top Would You Fly on a Plane Without a Human Pilot? Stephen Rice Contributor Commercial aviation faces a severe global pilot shortage, yet many passengers remain mostly unaware of the crisis. With ticket prices reasonably affordable for most middle- and even lower-income Americans, demand for air travel continues to increase dramatically. The Federal Aviation Administration reported around 609,000 active certified pilots in 2017 in the United States, down from 827,000 in 1980. Aviation companies around the world keep warning of an imminent pilot shortage, given the projected need for at least 600,000 new pilots over the next 20 years. Could autonomous, or pilotless airplanes fill that void? Many airlines favor using autonomous commercial flights, in part so they can fill the void that the pilot shortage has created. By removing one, or even two, pilots from the cockpit, the pilot shortage could be eliminated. At the same time, the development of automated technologies clearly reduces accidents and incidents caused by human error; some airlines have gone so far as to require their pilots to use the autopilot feature during cruise flight because it performs more efficiently. In fact, a survey of Airbus and Boeing pilots found that they only manually fly about 3-6 minutes per flight, while the rest of the flight is in autopilot mode. Proponents of autonomous commercial flight include airline companies. For them, autonomous technologies can help reduce pilot salary costs. There are also proponents among airline manufacturers, who want to design new aircraft without having to worry about cockpit configurations. This redesign could lead to improved aerodynamics and a smoother ride, particularly for supersonic flight -- the reason why the Concorde required its nose to come down during landings was that the pilots could not otherwise see the runway. The concept of autonomous commercial flight also draws opposition from groups such as pilot unions. A human pilot remains essential in case of an emergency or autopilot failure, they say. Captain Sullenberger's incredible landing in the Hudson River is commonly cited as proof that we're not ready for pilotless flight decks. It would also leave them without jobs. Even a reduction to one pilot in the cockpit would eliminate half of the pilots and would turn a pilot shortage into a pilot surplus. How do consumers feel about self-flying commercial flight? The answer depends on who you ask. Studies coming out of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the Florida Institute of Technology have repeatedly shown that most of the public is not in favor of fully autonomous flight. A percentage of survey respondents are okay with the idea, however - particularly if they're promised cheaper tickets as a result. Typically, men are more willing to fly in autonomous commercial airplanes, compared to women. People of Asian heritage are more willing to fly without a human pilot, compared to Americans. Younger adults are more willing compared to the elderly. People who are more knowledgeable about automation are also more willing compared to those who know little about it. These early adopters will need to convince the rest of the public to agree before airlines start routing autonomous flights through major cities. Interestingly, most Americans are in favor of allowing autonomous cargo flights. They say that if they're not on the actual airplane, they don't have a problem with shipping a birthday present to Grandma via an autonomous cargo flight. So, what would it take to get more people on board with the idea of pilotless commercial flights? Research into driverless ground transportation tells us there are two effective ways to convince the public to go along with the concept of autonomous transportation. The first is education. Studies show that when consumers know more about the autopiloting system, and particularly if the information is positive, they are more willing to ride in an autonomous vehicle. The second route is to demonstrate a consistent safety record. Semi-autonomous cars, which leverage a shared responsibility between the human driver and autopilot, have been on the road for years now, and while there have been a few accidents resulting in death, the overall safety record is reasonably strong. If the aviation industry were to run autonomous cargo planes for 5 years in a remote part of the country, the public would learn quickly that this is a safe method of travel -- assuming, of course, that there are no serious accidents. All bets are off if there is a major accident due to the autopilot, or one that the autopilot was not able to handle. We already know from the accidents involving semi-autonomous Tesla and Uber cars that the public views these incidents very seriously. If an autonomous airplane falls out of the sky, we can be assured this will result in a huge news cycle and put the timeline of autonomous commercial flight back a decade. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenrice1/2019/01/07/would-you-fly-on-a-plane- without-a-human-pilot/#5419e7592518 Back to Top India to issue new safety rules for A320neos - aviation secretary NEW DELHI, Jan 8 (Reuters) - India will issue new safety protocols for airlines operating Airbus A320neo aircraft fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines, the civil aviation secretary said, after temporary grounding orders affected the planes last year. Indian low-cost airlines IndiGo and GoAir were forced to ground A320neo aircraft on several occasions due to issues related to their engines. IndiGo, GoAir, aircraft manufacturer Airbus and engine maker Pratt & Whitney met Indian civil aviation ministry officials on Tuesday to discuss the engine issues. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would issue safety rules for airlines in one week, civil aviation secretary R. N. Choubey told Reuters. But he said his ministry had no plans to tell IndiGo, India's biggest carrier by market share, and GoAir to take A320neos jets out of service or stop taking new deliveries. IndiGo declined to comment when asked about the meeting. GoAir did not immediately respond to a request for comment. IndiGo, owned by InterGlobe Aviation, is Airbus' biggest customer for the A320neo, all of which are fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines. IndiGo and GoAir together have more than 500 such planes on order. IndiGo said last month it would retrofit its A320neo fleet with a new software upgrade from Pratt & Whitney after one of its planes was forced to make an emergency landing due to smoke in the cabin. Pratt & Whitney made a presentation at Tuesday's meeting related to its engines, two sources aware of the meeting said. Choubey said the ministry and DGCA had identified five main issues with the engines and Pratt & Whitney had taken corrective action on four of them and was working on the last one. In February, the U.S. aviation regulator said the Pratt & Whitney engines posed a shutdown risk, following similar action by European regulators that month. Airbus said in July that Pratt & Whitney was catching up on delays that had caused a backlog of A320neos sitting on the ground outside factories without engines and there would be an improvement especially in the second half of 2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/india-airlines-prattwhitney/rpt-update-1-india-to- issue-new-safety-rules-for-a320neos-aviation-secretary-idUSL3N1Z928P Back to Top Investigations of fatal accidents are on hold because of the government shutdown (CNN)A fiery crash that killed five children on their way to Disney World and a fatal small plane crash in Michigan are just a few of the incidents that have not yet been fully investigated due to the government shutdown. Hundreds of National Transportation Safety Board workers and thousands of Federal Aviation Administration employees who investigate significant vehicle, plane and rail crashes have been on furlough since the partial federal shutdown began on December 22, leaving new and ongoing investigations on hold. Three girls and two boys riding in a church van were killed last week when several vehicles collided on the busy Interstate 75 near Gainesville, Florida. A tractor trailer and a car collided with each other and then hit the van, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The NTSB has looked into similar highway crashes in the past, but it's unclear whether the agency will investigate the crash or when it will do it. In Michigan, the wreckage of a small plane crash remained untouched for several days before NTSB investigators arrived, CNN affiliate WNEM reported. The body of the 83-year-old pilot was removed soon after the crash, but sheriff's deputies had to guard the wreckage, Saginaw County Sheriff Bill Federspiel told CNN affiliate WJRT. NTSB representatives could not be reached for comment. When CNN called the agency's public affairs office on Tuesday, a recorded message indicated that no employees would respond until the shutdown ends. Ongoing investigations into earlier incidents would also have been put on hold, said Peter Goelz, a former managing director for NTSB who now works as senior vice president for a consulting firm in Washington, DC. That includes the investigations of last year's New York limo crash that killed 20 people, and the pedestrian bridge collapse in South Florida. Peter Goelz, a former managing director for NTSB who now works as senior vice president for a consulting firm in Washington, DC, said that if a major incident takes place, the agency would "undoubtedly call people from their forced leave to go back to work." For most new incidents, Goelz said, investigators will base their initial findings on reports filed by local law enforcement and emergency responders. "It's not as thorough as it could be," Goelz said. The agency has also postponed the announcement of its "most wanted list of transportation safety improvements" until February. The event was initially scheduled for Wednesday. Dozens of NTSB investigations were also delayed in 2013 when the government shut down for 16 days and the agency's employees were out of duty. During the 2013 shutdown, there were 59 aviation incidents and other events, including a deadly motorcoach crash, a significant pipeline leak and a house explosion caused by a natural gas leak. The agency only launched investigations into two of them when "it was determined that there was an imminent threat to life or property," the NTSB said at the time. https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/08/us/ntsb-government-shutdown-impact/index.html Back to Top What Honeywell's Ecommerce Platform Means For Blockchain In Aviation Honeywell recently announced the launch of its online buying and selling platform for new and used aircraft parts. Not only are online transactions in this space extremely rare, but Honeywell is also doing something even more uncommon: using blockchain technology. According to Lisa Butters, who leads the Honeywell Aerospace venture, "Currently, less than 2.5 percent of all transactions in this space are done online." She continues: "We are the first marketplace to enable customized seller storefronts, and we are the first to leverage blockchain technology to build trust between the buyer and seller." The Honeywell booth at the National Business Aviation Association conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada, U.S., on Wednesday, October 23, 2013. The show attracts more than 25,000 visitors and showcases private planes. Photographer: Jacob Kepler/Bloomberg © 2013 BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP Why blockchain was adopted Honeywell believes the success of their platform depends on the blockchain factor-or as mentioned in the e-commerce platform: trust. Customers need a way to ensure the parts they are receiving are authentic, that they are getting the best prices and that they are safe from scams and potential problems. With blockchain, they are able to precisely track the parts, ensure they are accompanied by images and quality documents and that they are immediately available for sale and shipping. It seems like now that Honeywell has decided to try the new platform, they want to do it right. A valid concern According to Deloitte, the maintenance of an aircraft is a process that uses cumbersome databases at best and a paper-based system at worst. A commercial aircraft can be in use for up to 30 years and change five or six owners. Thus, tracking information (especially maintenance documents) and passing it to other parties becomes a tough and error-prone process. Blockchain creates an immutable record of the maintenance history of an aircraft, detailing and timestamping who performed what inspection and when. This also has another, equally important side effect. In 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration accused the American Airlines of committing maintenance fraud. The issue was reported by mechanics working in American Airlines who noticed "aircraft maintenance discrepancies in accordance with required manuals, procedures and the Federal Aviation Regulations." If a blockchain technology was adopted, chances for such deviations could be minimal (if not eliminated). Not a silver bullet While blockchain could solve some of the aforementioned problems, it has certain strength and weaknesses. According to Artem Orange, CEO of Aeron: "In aviation, there is a great variety of guidelines that leave little room for possible violations, so we can say the entire aviation industry is quite effective and safe even without the blockchain technology. This means that is quite challenging to find a valuable application for the new solutions based on the blockchain technologies." He continues: "However, the examples of Aeron and Honeywell show that there are certain applications out there, where the blockchain is effective and provides solutions to the real issues." What blockchain can do for aviation The aviation industry has huge potential for blockchain disruption due to the many players involved, who are often from different countries. According to Kevin O'Sullivan, lead engineer at SITA Lab, each flight involves two airports and one airline, each operating their own separate databases. As such, the blockchain technology offers the ideal trustless and decentralized solution to connect and coordinate all parties. In fact, an Accenture report predicts that more than 85% of aerospace and defense companies will be using blockchain by 2021. On July 16, Accenture announced a partnership with Thales to use blockchain technology to bring a single, shared view of the supply chain for partnering suppliers, manufacturers and operators. The next day, Boeing announced a partnership with SparkCognition to "use artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies to track unmanned air vehicles in flight and allocate traffic corridors and routes to ensure safe, secure transportation." In the same month, Singapore Airlines became the world's first carrier to launch a blockchain-based airline loyalty system. With this system, loyalty points will no longer pile up as passengers can redeem them on smaller and local providers. Prior to that, Air New Zealand teamed up with Winding Tree to use blockchain to improve booking and baggage tracking services, and Lufthansa partnered with software giant SAP for flight booking, loyalty programs and supply chains. It comes without saying that using blockchain significantly reduces the costs, as the intermediaries who sometimes charged up to 25% are removed. Banks are also removed which not only reduces the associated costs but also speeds up the procedure and makes instant payments and commissions available. Finally, blockchain can be used for security and identity, where not only does it offer a unified way to verify passenger identity, but also offers a very secure system where the users can control who has access to their data, and to what extent. Aeron has an interesting use-case-they apply this feature not on the passengers, but on the pilots. Aeron's app logs pilot flight hours on the blockchain, and the system aims to track global data on aircraft and flight schools, which otherwise could be easily forged. Considering fatal incidents where pilots flew without having a license, this is a valid concern. The trends for 2019 Blockchain had its downtimes in 2018, but it is still progressing-slowly but safely. In the words of Artem Orange, "Aviation is one of the most regulated areas of human activity; therefore the introduction of new technologies requires long review and approval cycles." It might be hard for blockchain to enter the aviation industry but it is a field the shared ledger can radically disrupt-for both the passengers and pilots, as well as the corporations. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidpetersson/2019/01/07/what-honeywells- ecommerce-platform-means-for-blockchain-in-aviation/#7024588620bc Back to Top SkyWest joins in collaboration to expand pilot training Students enrolled in a pilot training offered by Colorado Mesa University and Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction have gained access to the SkyWest Airlines Pilot Pathway Program. The partnership provides a career pathway for students who want to work as pilots for a commercial airline. Students in the Pilot Pathway Program will receive mentorship by SkyWest pilots, enhanced company seniority, guaranteed final first officer interviews and seniority in ground school. "SkyWest has a longtime presence in Grand Junction, which helped us turn their local presence into a new partnership," said CMU President Tim Foster. "SkyWest is a large company whose potential future investments in our students will be beneficial to their work force and the quality of our pilot program." Brigitte Sundermann, vice president of community college affairs, said the partnership could lead to expanded pilot training. "As a division of CMU, WCCC shares in an entrepreneurial culture that exists on all CMU campuses. We work at being nimble and responsive when it comes to filling work force needs wherever we find them - on the ground or in the air," Sundermann said. "We will spend the next several years working to grow the pilot program and strengthen our partnership with SkyWest." Angela Padalecki, executive director of the Grand Junction Regional Airport, helped CMU in forming the partnership and said she's excited about the collaboration. "Working collaboratively to build aviation capacity in Western Colorado is important and may contribute to future partnerships we may not even contemplate today," Padalecki said. "Hosting SkyWest representatives alongside CMU was a good opportunity to explore how the aviation community can work with CMU to expand the aviation work force moving forward." Under the new partnership, SkyWest will send aviation professionals and company experts to consult with the pilot training program on an ongoing basis. https://thebusinesstimes.com/skywest-joins-in-collaboration-to-expand-pilot-training/ Back to Top Boeing unveils jet concept with ultra-thin wings Airplane manufacturer Boeing shows a new iteration of an airplane wing system at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in San Diego, California, US. [Photo: Reuters] SAN DIEGO- Boeing Co unveiled a speedier and higher-flying version of a concept plane on Tuesday aimed at sharply reducing fuel use thanks to its elongated ultra-light wings. The so-called Transonic Truss-Braced Wing aircraft boasts a 170-foot (52 meter) wingspan that sits atop the fuselage and is braced from underneath by a truss in a design reminiscent of biplanes from the early years of aviation. The world's largest planemaker and US space agency NASA have been studying the concept plane for nearly a decade as part of the Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research program. Boeing unveiled a reconfigured model or prototype and artist's rendering at an aerospace conference in San Diego. Chicago-based Boeing said it tweaked the plane's designs with an optimized truss and a modified wing sweep that allow it to fly at speeds of March 8, or about 600 miles (965 km) per hour, slightly faster than previous designs but on par with current passenger jetliners. SEE ALSO :Struggling airline opts for discussions with stakeholders Boeing said the jet ideally would reduce fuel burn by 60 percent compared to an aircraft in 2005, but said it did not have final data to compare the fuel savings to present-day aircraft. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001308814/boeing-introduces-jet-idea-with- ultra-thin-wings Back to Top Boeing sets record for delivered jetliners The Boeing Co. is coming off a bustling 2018. The Chicago-based airplane manufacturing delivered 69 737 airplanes in December and set a annual record of 806 deliveries in 2018, surpassing its previous record of 763 deliveries in 2017. Even as Boeing delivered more jetliners, the company also boosted its order book with 893 net orders, including 203 airplane sales in December. "Boeing raised the bar again in 2018 thanks to our teammates' incredible focus on meeting customer commitments, and continuously improving quality and productivity," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister. "In a dynamic year, our production discipline and our supplier partners helped us build and deliver more airplanes than ever before to satisfy the strong demand for air travel across the globe." With a seven-year order backlog, Boeing increased production of the popular 737 in the middle of 2018 to 52 airplanes per month. Nearly half of the year's 580 737 deliveries were from the more fuel-efficient and longer-range MAX family, including the first MAX 9 airplanes. Strong sales from Boeing carries good news to the Dayton region as the company has a significant impact on Ohio. The Buckeye State is the No. 1 supplier to Boeing, which spends $10.5 billion with 392 suppliers in the state, including many in the Dayton region, and supports 34,000 jobs in Ohio through its spending with suppliers. Related: See how much money top defense firms are getting from the Air Force Boeing also continued to build the 787 Dreamliner at the highest production rate for a twin-aisle airplane to support high demand for the jet. The Dreamliner program finished with 145 deliveries for the year. Deliveries of various 777, 767 and 747-8 models rounded out the total of 806 airplanes for the year. 767 deliveries include the transfer of 10 767-2C aircraft to Boeing Defense, Space & Security for the U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker program. On the orders front, Boeing achieved sales success across its airplane portfolio with 893 net orders valued at $143.7 billion according to list prices. While growing the order backlog for nearly every program, the company showed particular strength in the twin- aisle category with 218 widebody orders last year. The 787 Dreamliner extended its status as the fastest-selling twin-aisle jet in history with 109 orders last year or about 1,400 since the program launched. The 777 family continued its steady sales momentum with 51 net orders in 2018, driven by sales of the 777 Freighter to DHL Express, FedEx Express, ANA Cargo, Qatar Airways and other major freight operators. With additional sales in December, the 777 program exceeded 2,000 orders since its launch. The 737 MAX family also achieved a major sales milestone in December, surpassing 5,000 net orders with 181 new sales during December. For the full year, the 737 program achieved 675 net orders, including sales to 13 new customers. "...Another year of healthy jet orders continues to support our long-term forecast for robust global demand that will see the commercial airplane fleet double in 20 years," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales & Marketing for Boeing. Boeing has said the overall aviation industry will require more than 42,000 new airplanes by 2037, which if accurate, means the demand won't be slowing anytime soon. Large suppliers to Boeing in the region include GE Aviation, which has three area plants with 1,300 employees combined; UTC Aerospace Landing Systems in Troy, which has 700 employees; Projects Unlimited Inc., which has about 165 workers; Centerville- based SelectTech Services, which provides support in structural engineering; Troy- based Dare Electronics, which supplies devices that monitor voltage or perform sensing or control functions; as well as Honeywell Aerospace in Urbana that provides lighting for jets. However, last year Boeing acquired aerospace parts maker KLX Inc. for $4.25 billion. The acquisition put some suppliers on edge wondering if the deal would hinder or put pressure on their dealings with Boeing. https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2019/01/08/boeing-sets-record-for- delivered-jetliners.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo Back to Top Develop your skills at Cranfield University Here at Cranfield, our Safety and Accident Investigation Centre (CSAIC) is helping to improve safety and shape the future of the transport industry. If you're working in the air, marine or rail transport industry and are looking to further your experience - look no further - we have some exciting short courses coming up this year that focus on improving the core skills needed to progress on your chosen career path. By choosing to study with us, you'll be joining a university with an international reputation for award-winning teaching, research and consultancy in transportation safety management, human factors, airworthiness and incident/accident investigation. Find out more and register your place: Applied Aircraft Accident Investigation: 4 - 22 February 2019 Interviewing Techniques for Accident Investigators: 4 - 8 March 2019 Work and Job Design: 4 - 8 March 2019 Flight Data Monitoring and Flight Operational Quality Assurance in Commercial Aviation: 11 - 14 March 2019 Safety Management Systems in Aviation: 8 - 12 April 2019 Fundamentals of Accident Investigation: 13 - 31 May 2019 Last year, we launched our Safety and Accident Investigation blog which gives information, insights and thoughts from our Cranfield Safety and Accident Investigation Centre team. In our latest blog, Linda Tavlin, author of 'Aviation Communication: Strategy and Messages for Ensuring Success and Preventing Failures' and instructor at Cranfield University for Crisis Management and Business Continuity, writes about choosing a spokesperson for your company on the back of a crisis situation - in this instance - an aircraft accident. Sign up here Please take a look and subscribe, to ensure you're the first to receive our latest content. We'd love to hear your feedback too. Contact us on: E: shortcourse@cranfield.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1234 754189 Back to Top posted on January 9, 2019 08:00 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE All Past and Present IS-BAO Registered Operators requested to rate IS-BAO Performance Has the IS-BAO registration fulfilled the promise of universal recognition among all ICAO countries and "lighter" SAFA and ramp inspections outside of the USA? Business aviation professionals operating outside the United States are subject to the European Aviation Safety Agency's (EASA) Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) inspection program. This program has undoubtedly required considerable effort and preparation to achieve compliance. However, many professional flight organizations have almost made this a routine event, as a recent poll revealed that the two most critical elements of a "successful SAFA inspection" where primarily preparation, and secondly, the demeanor of the Inspector. In an article published in a major aviation industry news source on 11/21/18 (https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-11-21/ibac-hopes- promote-bao-bah-asia-regulators), the Director General of IBAC, Kurt Edwards, made the following statement, "In Europe, where ramp inspection processes are very structured, IBAC sees IS-BAO operators usually have a 'lighter' ramp inspection versus those who are not registered." When asked to provide data/evidence/examples of his statement, he was unable or refused. What has been your actual operator experience? Has IBAC/IS-BAO made good on this claim? Please share what you have found to usually occur via the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SG7CCL7 The Business Aviation Safety Consortium sponsored survey is designed to capture actual data, as well as, comments and personal experiences, to ultimately share timely information in an effort to aid the industry in the successful navigation of the SAFA process. ### About the Business Aviation Safety Consortium (AviationConsortium.com, LLC or BASC): Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, BASC serves as a logical partner for SMS, regulatory, and operational excellence verification for high performing business aviation organizations. BASC was founded in 2016 and accepted the first member in January of 2017. For more information, visit http://www.aviationconsortium.com Back to Top 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