Flight Safety Information January 14, 2019 - No. 010 In This Issue Crash: Saha B703 at Fath on Jan 14th 2019, landed at wrong airport Incident: Travel Service B739 at Moscow on Jan 13th 2019, runway excursion Incident: SAS B738 at Alesund on Jan 13th 2019, tail scrape on departure Incident: Red Wings A320 enroute on Jan 13th 2019, light show with pinball sounds Incident: Brussels A320 at Brussels on Jan 12th 2019, steering failure Incident: Wideroe E290 at Vienna on Jan 11th 2019, cabin did not properly pressurize Incident: Mesa CRJ9 at Columbia on Jan 11th 2019, runway excursion on vacating the runway Incident: Rossiya SLO T214 at Ulyanovsk on Jan 11th 2019, could not retract gear Challenger 601 - Runway Excursion (Texas) Chinese cargo plane strayed dangerously close to departing United jet at O'Hare Airplane Slides Off Taxiway At CVG Airport; No Injuries Reported Indonesia recovers Lion Air jet's cockpit voice recorder EDITORIAL: Studies needed on why many pilots are hitting the bottle Commercial pilots heading towards deep crisis (Pakistan) Two pilots fight before flying plane, grounded, sent for course (India) The age of the missing airliner is coming to an end Air Safety Investigation Professional Education Course TU Delft University Mitre SMS Course - March 2019 LET US BE YOUR SMS MANAGER ! All Past and Present IS-BAO Registered Operators requested to rate IS-BAO Performance High Altitude Flying Course Position Available: Deputy Director of Safety Crash: Saha B703 at Fath on Jan 14th 2019, landed at wrong airport A Saha Airlines Boeing 707-300 freighter, registration EP-CPP performing a freight flight from Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) to Karaj (Iran) with 16 crew and a cargo of meat, was on approach to Karaj's Payam Airport's runway 30 (length 3660 meters/12,000 feet) when the crew descended towards and landed on Fath's airport 31L (length 1000 meters/3300 feet), overran the runway, broke through an airport perimeter wall, crashed into houses past the end of the runway and burst into flames at about 08:30L (03:00Z). So far one survivor (the flight engineer) and 16 bodies have been recovered. A number of houses were damaged. Emergency services reported 16 bodies (15 male, 1 female) have been recovered so far. One survivor was taken to a hospital. Another aircraft had confused the same airports but gone around in time, see Incident: Taban MD88 at Karaj on Nov 16th 2018, went around from very low height at wrong airport. Iran's Air Force confirmed the aircraft belonged to Saha Airlines. The only survivor recovered so far was the flight engineer on board of the aircraft. Metars Karaj: OIIP 140400Z 16010KT 4000 BR FEW025 SCT035 OVC090 00/M01 Q1012 RERA= OIIP 140300Z 12010KT 3000 SN RA FEW025 SCT035 OVC080 M00/M01 Q1012= OIIP 131800Z 14008KT 6000 SCT035 BKN100 M01/M07 Q1014= Scene at Fath Airport later the day: http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2d9613&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Travel Service B739 at Moscow on Jan 13th 2019, runway excursion during line up closes both runways A Travel Service Boeing 737-900 on behalf of Smartwings, registration OK-TSM performing flight QS-1003 from Moscow Sheremetyevo (Russia) to Prague (Czech Republic) with 40 passengers and 7 crew, was taxiing northbound along taxiway 14 between the two runways at about 14:15L (11:15Z) and was about to line up runway 24C when the aircraft went off the runway and became stuck on soft ground between the runways, about 180 meters/590 feet west of taxiway 14 and 31 meters/101 feet south of the southern runway 24C edge, forcing the closure of both runways. There were no injuries. The passengers disembarked onto soft ground and were taken to the terminal. The southern runway was re-opened about one hour after the occurrence. The aircraft was towed off the runway and to the apron about 2:15 hours later. The airport reported the aircraft was taxiing onto the runway when the aircraft rolled out of the runway. The airline reported the incident did not take place during departure or landing, but while taxiing when the aircraft turned onto the runway. The airline later reported the captain rejected takeoff due to asymmetric acceleration of engines. Russian media are reporting, in part quoting the same spokesman by the airport who released the official airport's statement summarized above, that the aircraft was departing and had rolled for 300 meters before exiting the runway. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2d2a95&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: SAS B738 at Alesund on Jan 13th 2019, tail scrape on departure A SAS Scandinavian Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration LN-RRU performing flight SK-1323 from Alesund to Oslo (Norway), departed Alesund's runway 07 when the tail of the aircraft contacted the runway surface. The crew continued takeoff, stopped the climb at about 6500 feet and diverted to Trondheim (Norway) where the aircraft landed safely on runway 27 about 45 minutes after departure. The tail strike was described as soft, consequently the damage to the aircraft is being described as minor. The aircraft is still on the ground in Trondheim about 7.5 hours after landing. Metars: ENAL 131750Z 32017G27KT 9999 -RASN FEW021 BKN031 M00/M06 Q0989= ENAL 131720Z 33020G30KT 9999 FEW021 BKN031 M00/M05 Q0989= ENAL 131650Z 31014KT 9999 FEW005 SCT012 BKN022 M01/M03 Q0989= COR ENAL 131620Z 31021KT 4000 SHSN FEW010 SCT026 BKN036 M00/M05 Q0989= ENAL 131550Z 31017KT 9999 VCSH FEW009 SCT019TCU BKN028 M00/M05 Q0989= ENAL 131520Z 32015KT 9999 VCSH FEW009 SCT019 BKN028 M00/M04 Q0989 RESHSG= ENAL 131450Z 32015KT 9999 SCT030 BKN035 00/M07 Q0989= ENAL 131420Z 33011KT 290V010 9999 FEW023 SCT074 01/M05 Q0988= ENAL 131350Z 32014KT 290V350 9999 FEW023 SCT046 BKN068 00/M04 Q0988= ENAL 131250Z 33013G25KT 300V360 9999 -SHSNRA SCT014TCU BKN023 00/M02 Q0988 http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2d59f4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Red Wings A320 enroute on Jan 13th 2019, light show with pinball sounds A Red Wings Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration VP-BWY performing flight WZ-703 from St. Petersburg to Sochi (Russia), was enroute about 30 minutes into the flight when the cabin lighting began to turn off and on on their own and unusual noises occurred. The crew continued the flight to destination for a safe landing about 2:45 hours after departure. Passengers commented their heart beat rate increased over the disco light show. The airline commented the electronics needs to be checked by technicians. Scenes on board (Video: Anastasiya Aladina): ??????? ???-????, Red Wings. ?? ?? ????? http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2d4ded&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Brussels A320 at Brussels on Jan 12th 2019, steering failure A Brussels Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration OO-SNA performing flight SN-2094 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Brussels (Belgium), landed on Brussels' runway 25L and slowed safely. When the aircraft attempted to turn off the runway, the aircraft became disabled on the runway due to the failure of nose wheel steering. A ground observer reported he believed a bolt in the nose gear detached but wasn't too sure. The runway was closed, the passengers disembarked onto the runway and were bussed to the terminal. The aircraft was towed off the runway, the runway remained closed for at least 30 minutes. Another ground observer reported the flight was uneventful until into the low speed roll out, then the nose gear turned by 90 degrees, which disabled the aircraft on the runway. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2c963c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Wideroe E290 at Vienna on Jan 11th 2019, cabin did not properly pressurize A Wideroe Embraer ERJ-190-E2 on behalf of Finnair, registration LN-WEC performing flight AY-1472 from Vienna (Austria) to Helsinki (Finland), was climbing out of Vienna when the crew stopped the climb at FL150 due to the cabin not pressurizing properly. The aircraft returned to Vienna for a safe landing about 35 minutes after departure. A passenger reported the captain announced that due to low cabin pressure they were returning to Vienna. The passenger was rebooked onto the next flight AY-1476, that aircraft however was also unable to fly to Helsinki after flames came out of the left engine prior to boarding. AY-1476 was to be operated by GetJet A320-200 registration LY-FOX, which returned to service about 25 hours after landing in Vienna. LN-WEC remained on the ground in Vienna for about 24 hours, then positioned to Bergen (Norway) and is still on the ground in Bergen about 7.5 hours later. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2c9035&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Mesa CRJ9 at Columbia on Jan 11th 2019, runway excursion on vacating the runway A Mesa Airlines Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N920FJ performing flight AA-5766 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Columbia,MO (USA) with 80 people on board, performed an ILS approach to Columbia's runway 02 at 14:23L (20:23Z). Approach Control advised the crew that the previous landing, another Regional Jet landing about 15 minutes earlier, had reported the braking action on the runway was mostly good however the braking action on taxiway B was practically nil. The runway had been continuously being worked upon, current braking action was reported at 3/3/3. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 02. While turning off onto taxiway B the aircraft skidded off runway and taxiway and came to a stop with nose and right main gear off the paved surface. The next approach was instructed to go around, the airport closed both runways. The passengers disembarked onto the runway and were bussed to the terminal. The return flight was cancelled. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Columbia about 22 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2c7f4b&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Rossiya SLO T214 at Ulyanovsk on Jan 11th 2019, could not retract gear A Rossiya SLO Tupolev TU-214, registration RA-64522 performing positioning flight RSD-82 from Ulyanovsk to Moscow (Russia) with 6 crew, was climbing out of Ulyanovsk when the crew was unable to retract the landing gear, stopped the climb at 600 meters and returned to Ulyanovsk for a safe landing about 30 minutes after departure. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Ulyanovsk about 14 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c2bef25&opt=0 Back to Top Challenger 601 - Runway Excursion (Texas) Date: 13-JAN-2019 Time: noon Type: Challenger 601 Owner/operator: TW 601-C INVESTMENT LLCESTMENT LLC Registration: N813WT C/n / msn: 3016 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Ox Ranch Airport, Uvalde, TX * - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Destination airport: Ox Ranch airport Narrative: The aircraft experienced a runway excursion following a landing gear failure after landing at Ox Ranch Airport, in Uvalde, Texas. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and all 9 occupants escaped with minor injures (6 passengers, 2 pilots and 1 flight attendant). https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=220797 Back to Top Chinese cargo plane strayed dangerously close to departing United jet at O'Hare A China Southern Airlines jet was preparing to leave a cargo zone at O'Hare Airport in September when the pilots were told to sit tight and wait for instructions before taxiing across the busy airfield. Instead, the crew left the cargo area, throttling along a taxiway "without authorization," and, after other foul-ups, came dangerously close to a departing United Airlines jetliner, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show. It was among a series of runway incidents at O'Hare in 2018 that also included: * Employees of the Chicago Department of Aviation - the city agency that runs O'Hare and also Midway Airport - driving onto active runways, in one case, records show, when a city worker used the airstrip as a "short cut." * A Delta Air Lines plane accidentally crossing a "hold" line near a runway where another aircraft was about to land. That happened in a section of O'Hare designated as a safety "hot spot" while the Delta plane was being towed for maintenance by a contracted tug driver who said the airfield markings were obscured. Nobody was injured in any of the incidents. The Federal Aviation Administration investigated all of them and gave the aviation department a "warning letter" over the safety violations by city workers. "The FAA is concerned regarding the increasing number of runway incursions" at O'Hare, according to the November letter. "Vehicle operators on a complex, ever- changing airfield environment face risks that have the opportunity, if not mitigated, to have catastrophic results when an incursion occurs." There were 22 runway incursions at O'Hare in 2017 and 23 in 2018, according to the aviation department. A China Southern Airlines cargo jet lands at O'Hare Airport. The incursion involving the China Southern cargo plane didn't involve city employees and appeared to be the fault of not only the crew but also air-traffic controllers, records show. After the massive Boeing aircraft was on the move without clearance in the Sept. 19 incident, a controller, identifying runways and taxiways by their designations, radioed the pilot to "taxi to Runway 10L at Delta Delta via Mike, left on Delta, Papa Papa, hold short of Runway 9R," records show. The China Southern plane - taxiing to get into position to depart O'Hare - was headed south toward the far east end of Runway 9R, an east-west strip just north of O'Hare's main terminals. Another aircraft also was north of Runway 9R, on the far west end, waiting to cross. As a United passenger jet rumbled west to east on Runway 9R, gaining speed so it could lift off for Hartford, Conn., the other waiting plane was cleared by a controller to cross once the United plane passed by. The China Southern crew members, apparently thinking they were given that permission, "read back the clearance" to controllers, records show, as did the crew of the plane that actually had been cleared. Air-traffic controllers "did not catch the wrong aircraft reading it back," records show. The China Southern plane then "crossed the hold line at the departure end of the runway" while the United aircraft "was accelerating on takeoff roll" on Runway 9R. The hold line is 230 feet from the edge of the runway and 305 feet from its centerline. The China Southern plane "continued rolling" toward the strip "and was 164 feet from the runway edge" when the United plane, an Airbus A319, "climbing through 289 feet, passed the intersection" at around 160 miles an hour. The Chinese plane entered the runway several seconds later. A controller radioed the plane, "China Southern 434 heavy, were you instructed to cross 9 Right?" A pilot responded, "We are clear of 9 Right ..." The controller said, "Roger, you were never instructed to cross that runway." The area at O'Hare Airport where a China Southern Airlines cargo plane rolled without authorization in September as a United Airlines passenger jet was taking off. The area at O'Hare Airport where a China Southern Airlines cargo plane rolled without authorization in September as a United Airlines passenger jet was taking off. | Chicago Department of Aviation Officials from the airline - which the Chinese government has an ownership stake in and is one of the largest carriers in the world - didn't respond to requests for comment. The carrier has eight or nine arrivals each week at O'Hare and the same number of departures, most of them direct flights between Chicago and Shanghai. Foreign carriers have been involved in other runway mishaps at O'Hare, including one in 1999 in which a departing Korean Air jetliner with hundreds of people on board narrowly averted an Air China aircraft that had blundered onto the runway. FAA records show no current U.S. flying restrictions on that Air China pilot. A city electrician who was blamed for driving a city vehicle onto a runway in May as a "short cut" has had his airfield driving privileges revoked, according to interviews and records. City officials initially told the FAA they planned to fire him, but he didn't end up losing his job. His base pay in 2017 was $100,568, but, with $33,410 in overtime, he was paid $133,978. Records show he was involved in another runway incursion in 2016, when he "entered and exited" an active runway four times. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/ohare-airport-runway-incidents-close-calls-china- southern-airlines-cargo-jet-chicago-aviation-department/ Back to Top Airplane Slides Off Taxiway At CVG Airport; No Injuries Reported BOONE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) - Authorities at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, also known as CVG Airport, said an airplane slid off a taxiway Sunday morning but no injuries were reported. Airport is currently responding to aircraft that slid off pavement. No reported injuries. Airport is still open. We'll share more here on Twitter as we receive details. Airport officials said Delta flight 1708 from Las Vegas landed safely about 5:30 a.m. but left the pavement during ground transit toward the terminal. Officials said 126 people, including crew members, were aboard the airplane at the time. Authorities said all of the passengers were taken to the terminal via ground transportation. Officials said an emergency was not declared because of the incident and that the airport remains operational. It was not immediately clear what caused the aircraft to leave the pavement. https://lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/2019/01/13/airport-slides-off-pavement-at- cvg-airport-no-injuries-reported/ Back to Top Indonesia recovers Lion Air jet's cockpit voice recorder Indonesian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Yudo Margin shows the recovered cockpit voice recorder of Lion Air flight 610 that crashed into the sea in October during a press conference on board of the navy ship KRI Spica in the waters off Tanjung Karawang, Indonesia, Monday, Jan. 14, 2019. Navy divers have recovered the cockpit voice recorder in a possible boost to the accident investigation. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Navy divers have recovered the cockpit voice recorder of a Lion Air jet that crashed into the Java Sea in October, Indonesian officials said Monday, in a possible boost to the accident investigation. Ridwan Djamaluddin, a deputy maritime minister, told reporters that remains of some of the 189 people who died in the crash were also discovered at the seabed location. A spokesman for the Indonesian navy's western fleet, Lt. Col. Agung Nugroho, said divers using high-tech "ping locator" equipment started a new search effort on Friday and found the voice recorder beneath 8 meters (26 feet) of seabed mud. The plane crashed in waters 30 meters (98 feet) deep. The device was transported to a port in Jakarta, where it will be handed over to the transportation safety committee, which is overseeing the accident investigation. "This is good news, especially for us who lost our loved ones," said Irianto, the father of Rio Nanda Pratama, a doctor who died in the crash. "Even though we don't yet know the contents of the CVR, this is some relief from our despair," he said. The 2-month-old Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet plunged into the Java Sea just minutes after taking off from Jakarta on Oct. 29, killing everyone on board. The cockpit data recorder was recovered three days after the crash and showed that the jet's airspeed indicator had malfunctioned on its last four flights. If the voice recorder is undamaged, it could provide valuable additional information to investigators. Rear Adm. Harjo Susmoro, head of the navy's Center for Hydrography and Oceanography, said the voice recorder was found just 50 meters (164 feet) from where the data recorder was located. He said the voice recorder's signal, designed to last 90 days following a crash, would have stopped in about 15 days. The Lion Air crash was the worst airline disaster in Indonesia since 1997, when 234 people died on a Garuda flight near Medan. In December 2014, an AirAsia flight from Surabaya to Singapore plunged into the sea, killing all 162 people on board. Lion Air is one of Indonesia's youngest airlines but has grown rapidly, flying to dozens of domestic and international destinations. It has been expanding aggressively in Southeast Asia, a fast-growing region of more than 600 million people. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/indonesia-official-lion-air-jet-voice-recorder- found-034157965.html Back to Top Back to Top EDITORIAL: Studies needed on why many pilots are hitting the bottle Japan Airlines Co. President Yuji Akasaka receives a business improvement advisory on Jan. 11 after a cabin attendant was caught drinking champagne on duty. (Hideki Kitami) There seems to be no let-up in incidents involving pilots who imbibe too much alcohol before flights. A Japan Airlines Co. co-pilot was arrested by London police last fall after attempting to board his aircraft in a state of extreme intoxication. It was followed by a succession of revelations that pilots had been found with body alcohol levels in excess of limits during voluntary pre-flight tests by airlines. Some misdeeds were beyond the pale. In one case, a pilot had a colleague back up his story when he lied about how much and when he had consumed alcohol. In another, a pilot got a colleague to take the test for him instead. A pilot needs reflex reactions to an emergency situation. Any residual alcohol could impair a pilot's ability to control the aircraft, thereby jeopardizing the lives and physical safety of passengers. Clearly, such a situation must never be allowed to happen. The transport ministry plans to legally require pilots to be tested for alcohol by using precise breathalyzers. As of now, government rules only prohibit pilots from drinking alcohol within eight hours of boarding. Major airlines have in-house rules that call for 12 hours from bottle to throttle. But the time it takes for alcohol to dissipate in the body varies, depending on the amount consumed and the constitutional characteristics of the individual. Bus and taxi drivers are already required to take alcohol tests. The ministry has rightly decided to extend that obligation to cover pilots. Specifically, a general limit, which is as stringent as in Britain, will be introduced. It will call for the alcohol content to be less than 0.09 milligram per liter of breath. An additional rule will be set to prohibit pilots working for domestic airlines from navigating passenger and cargo flights if even a trace of alcohol has been detected. Some workers on the front lines are bewildered at the plan. Some fear pilots could still come to grief because of breathalyzer errors or alcohol content in food or mouthwash. Others argue that the rule could prompt pilots to turn to sleeping pills instead of a nightcap, with unintended effects on their ability to perform. There is a grain of truth in these arguments. The best course would lie in having the new rules in place for a while to judge if they will work as intended. Besides cracking down harder on errant pilots, there is a need to take a closer look at background factors behind excessive drinking habits. Pilots, after all, have irregular work patterns, which makes it difficult for them to care properly for their health. There is also a serious shortage of pilots globally, which means pilots often work demanding shifts, according to Hiroyuki Kobayashi, an aviation critic who previously served as an aircraft captain. In Japan's case, there are more late-night and early-morning flights, partly because Tokyo's Haneda Airport now operates around the clock. According to Kobayashi, pilots in active service say there are fewer opportunities for extended downtime at overseas destinations on long hauls, making it more difficult to adjust to jet lag. There is no hope of solving this problem unless comprehensive steps are taken to accommodate these and other changes in the aviation industry. The management of pilots' health and the development of human resources are responsibilities shared by airlines and the government. They should not content themselves with simply regulating drinking. They need to listen to a broad range of views and hold in-depth discussions on numerous issues, including the irregular work patterns that pilots must put up with and the setup of support to be provided to them by medical practitioners. Doing so will help enhance aviation safety. http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201901140034.html Back to Top Commercial pilots heading towards deep crisis (Pakistan) KARACHI: Commercial pilots holding green passports are heading towards a serious crisis due to a low number of airlines in Pakistan. The aviation policy introduced by the former government was plagued with unnecessary legal complexities like tough licencing procedures for new airlines, extraordinary taxes and difficult process for obtaining permits, which blocked the way for new airlines in Pakistan. The gap between demand and supply for aircraft is also reflecting as a burden on consumer expenditures. The total number of aircraft, including charter planes and the ones held by PIA and the private sector companies, is only 70. People associated with the aviation industry are seeing dark clouds and are worried about their employment. Where would Pakistan find its place in this fast-paced aviation industry of the world? According to aviation experts, the number of aircraft by the public and private sector, including charter planes, can be counted on fingers as against the fleet of planes held by India. If comparative analysis includes other countries, we find the situation is better in Iran and Bangladesh. In addition to state-run airlines, these countries have an immense number of privately managed airliners but the situation in Pakistan is a dismal one as it has not been able to grow for years now. According to experts, Pakistan does not have a friendly aviation policy. During the tenure of the previous government, the country saw a new policy named Aviation Policy 20016 but it contained so many complexities that those striving to launch their operations in Pakistan shied away. According to sources, it takes about three to four years to get a licence for a new airline from the aviation division. During this time, the airline applicant also faces great problems in terms of legal requirements comprising of a long list of things. Furthermore, a hefty fee is demanded to allow permit for a new airline due to which many applicants turn down proposals. According to the sources, many regional players, including Dubai, Iran and even countries from Europe, want to enter the Pakistan's aviation industry but cannot do due to impeding difficulties and bottlenecks. According to experts, a high number of airlines in any country gives way to a healthy competition and reflects in reduced tariff for the passengers. At present, passengers in Pakistan do not even have a lot of options for even travelling from one city to another. With more airlines, more people will be employed in the aviation industry. Due to restricted number of aircraft, intercity air travel in Pakistan is not an easy deal for the passengers. On the other side, the airports regulator chief the Civil Aviation Authority has proved to be a silent spectator and remains unmoved in controlling unscrupulous flight fares. Airline operators, including PIA and others determine, their fares based on an automated system that ascertains prices based on demand and supply of the flights. As per the flawed policy, price for a ticket booked for Rs12,000 a week ago reaches to a whopping Rs36,000 just a day or two before the day of the flight. The whole responsibility for this lies on the CAA as it is responsible to ensure that the airfares are reasonable and balanced. In recent days, the second biggest airline of the country Shaheen Air had its operation suspended, taking away a fleet of 18 airplanes in a blink of an eye. According to sources, the closure has brought unemployment to around 180 captains and 900 cabin crew members, including air hostesses. Counting in other departments of the airline, about 3,200 people in all have become jobless. After Shaheen Air was shut down, the air traffic was shifted to PIA and other two private airlines of the country. Consequently, the airlines have not been able to provide enough space for even domestic flights. According to experts, a mega airport at a project cost in excess of Rs100 billion is being constructed in the federal capital. The new airport is being built with the vision to host air travel needs for the next 50 years and is laced with all modern facilities, including gigantic airplanes such as Airbus 380. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1887653/1-commercial-pilots-heading-towards-deep- crisis/ Back to Top Two pilots fight before flying plane, grounded, sent for course (India) NEW DELHI: A catfight between two pilots at an airport going to operate a flight together got so intense that the airline had to ground both and give them a refresher on "crew resource management" (CRM) before letting them fly again. This episode happened recently between two commanders of a leading Indian carrier's Airbus A320 fleet who were heading to an aircraft to operate a flight. While officials of this airline confirmed the catfight, they did not give details. "This happened some days back. They were put off roster (not given flying duties) and given corrective CRM and simulator CRM line oriented flight training (LOFT) corrective training," said an official. Sources say the fight had happened at an Indian airport when the two commanders were going to operate a domestic flight. Aviation website SKYbrary describes CRM as "the effective use of all available resources for flight crew personnel to assure a safe and efficient operation, reducing error, avoiding stress and increasing efficiency." LOFT "is carried out in a flight simulator as part of initial or recurrent flight crew training... special emphasis on abnormal situations which involve communications, management and leadership," the website says. According to DGCA circulars, the "overall objective of LOFT is to improve total flight crew performance, thereby preventing incidents and accidents during operational flying. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/two-pilots-fight-before-flying-plane- grounded-sent-for-course/articleshow/67518775.cms Back to Top The age of the missing airliner is coming to an end Eighty years after her disappearance, many still wonder what happened to Amelia Earhart when she vanished somewhere in the Pacific Ocean on her fateful round-the- world flight. Yet, though air travel is safer than it has ever been, the intervening time has not provided an enormous upgrade of our ability to track aircraft far from land-based radar. In 2009, an Air France flight over the south Atlantic was lost beyond radar range, and though wreckage was recovered from the ocean surface days later, it took two years to find the flight data recorders, often known as "black boxes." In 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared over the Indian Ocean, and has never been found (paywall). In 2016, an Indian Air Force plane was lost for good over the Bay of Bengal. Indeed, over international waters, air traffic controllers have no real-time knowledge of where planes are-they rely on flight plans, radio contact with pilots, and a system called ACARS that provides what is effectively text-message communication between planes and ground stations. How is that possible in the age of GPS receivers and non-stop connectivity? "You're looking at the seat-back map on the airplane, and you know where you are, and the pilot knows," Don Thoma, the CEO of a plane-tracking company called Aireon, tells Quartz. "But air traffic control has no idea." Thoma says that "aha moment" came to him and his team in 2009, the year Uber was founded to leverage the location-finding power of GPS in mobile phones to link up drivers and passengers. Airlines and air traffic controllers were also realizing that satellite navigation could play a major role in their work. In 2010, the FAA mandated that all US aircraft would need to use a system called ADS- B, which means "Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast." Essentially, by 2020, aircraft are required to broadcast their location, derived from GPS, each second. A network of ground stations across the country collects this information and feeds it to air traffic controllers, who now use it to gain real-time knowledge of where planes are flying. If you've used the service FlightAware, you've seen ADS-B data. Oceans of uncertainty However, ground receivers need to be within about 172 miles (277 km) of the aircraft to collect ADS-B signals. Out over the ocean, there's still a knowledge gap between the planes and the air traffic controllers they can't reach. The solution Thoma had in mind when Aireon was founded in 2011: more satellites. Specifically, Aireon has installed payloads on 75 Iridium satellites that have been launched over the past two years, with the final installment reaching orbit in a SpaceX rocket on Jan. 11. These payloads are designed to detect ADS-B signals wherever they are broadcast, whether over the open ocean or a mountain range, finally providing continuous tracking of aircraft anywhere on Earth. The satellites are already processing more than 13 billion ADS-B messages each month. Aireon is a unique company: Its ownership includes Iridium, where Thoma had previously been an executive, and a group of national air traffic control authorities that are organized as public-private entities, allowing them to invest in companies like Aireon. Among them are AirNavCanada and the United Kingdom's National Air Traffic Services. Those two invested in part because they are responsible for the North Atlantic air corridor, which sees about 1,500 flights a day. Currently, the regulators have difficulty meeting their safety standards, and real-time tracking will help them to do it. In the next six months, the Aireon system will go through a series of test and validation efforts with air traffic controllers in the US, Canada, and Europe. If all goes well the company will be certified for operations over land and water, and recognized by the European Aviation Safety Agency as an official air traffic control surveillance provider. For airlines themselves, the benefits will include using that real-time traffic management to fly faster, in part because they will be able to fly more closely to other planes, which will cut fuel costs (and emissions). The speed will presumably please passengers, as will the added flexibility to dodge bad weather. But will it make mysterious airline disappearances a thing of the past? Thoma thinks so. Real-time tracking should give investigators a far better starting point to hunt for lost aircraft than triangulating final radio transmissions sent an indeterminate time before the loss of the aircraft. There are still humans in the loop, however, which is one source of trouble: Investigators believe that MH370's radar transponder was turned off, either by a malfunction or by a pilot bent on disaster. ADS-B, like all avionics, can be disabled to deal with an emergency. But even then, Thoma says, "we'd know exactly when that transponder was turned off, a big improvement." And in part because of MH370, a new international standard will go into effect in 2021, requiring airlines to be able to track their planes in the event of an emergency once per minute. Now, 80 years after Earhart, we may finally be finished losing our airplanes. https://qz.com/1521455/the-age-of-the-missing-airliner-is-coming-to-an-end/ Back to Top Air Safety Investigation Professional Education Course TU Delft University Are you interested in understanding the process behind an air safety investigation? Join TU Delft's professional education course and learn more about the challenges faced during an investigation. With a focus on the legal framework behind air safety investigations world-wide and the generic procedures followed during aviation occurrence, this course is intended for both technical and non-technical professionals. With the Air Safety Investigation course, you will have the opportunity to experience the accident investigation process and throughout a variety of learning activities you will be able to enhance your observation skills, fact-finding skills and analytical skills. This 6- week online course will start on February 11th, register now and join us! For a quick look inside the course, you can watch our course sample video or visit our website for more information. Back to Top Back to Top 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-EXPOŽ, 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-EXPOŽ * 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