Flight Safety Information January 23, 2019 - No. 017 In This Issue Incident: KLM B789 at San Francisco on Jan 21st 2019, rejected takeoff on dispatch instruction Incident: Canada B38M at Palm Springs on Jan 13th 2019, rejected takeoff due to door indication Incident: British Airways B744 near Moncton on Jan 21st 2019, smoke in cockpit Incident: British Airways A388 over Atlantic on Jan 21st 2019, LiOn battery suffers thermal runaway EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: American A321 at Tampa on Jan 21st 2019, bird strike Aeroflot Boeing 737-800 makes emergency landing in Russia after hijack attempt Boeing 777 - Bird Strike (Pakistan) 83 NTSB investigations delayed due to shutdown Shutdown Shutters Many U.S. Aviation Safety Activities Major Aviation Organizations to Government: End the Shutdown Helicopter pilot's medical certificate to fly revoked in 2017; insurance company won't pay ExpressJet Airlines Increases Pilot Sign-On Bonus to $22,000 U.S. airlines tap army helicopter pilots to ease shortage Industry Leaders Promote Alternative Jet Fuels 1,500 private jets expected at Davos, where attendees are discussing 'safeguarding our planet' from climate change Boeing and Machinists Union tussle over automation's effect on quality assurance Blue Origin to make 10th flight test of space tourist rocket Position: Audit Production Manager Position Available Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Incident: KLM B789 at San Francisco on Jan 21st 2019, rejected takeoff on dispatch instruction A KLM Boeing 787-9, registration PH-BHH performing flight KL-606 from San Francisco,CA (USA) to Amsterdam (Netherlands), was cleared for takeoff from San Francisco's runway 01R and was accelerating, when tower cancelled the takeoff clearance. The crew rejected takeoff at low speed and vacated the runway, tower explained the company had called to cancel the takeoff clearance, obviously there was a load issue. The crew had been handed incomplete/incorrect cargo data, dispatch sent the correct data, the crew re-computed their takeoff performance and departed about 30 minutes after the rejected takeoff. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c3367a3&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canada B38M at Palm Springs on Jan 13th 2019, rejected takeoff due to door indication An Air Canada Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration C-FSCY performing flight AC-1049 from Palm Springs,CA (USA) to Calgary,AB (Canada) with 164 people on board, was accelerating for takeoff from Palm Springs' runway 31L when the crew received a Master Caution for the forward main door and rejected takeoff at about 110 KIAS. The aircraft stopped on the runway, the crew declared PAN PAN and vacated the runway. Flight attendants confirmed the forward main door appeared to be properly closed. Emergency services checked the hot brakes, the aircraft was subsequently able to return to the apron. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Palm Springs for about 24 hours, then operated flight AC-2049 to Calgary. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c3360a4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: British Airways B744 near Moncton on Jan 21st 2019, smoke in cockpit A British Airways Boeing 747-400, registration G-CIVO performing flight BA-212 from Boston,MA (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was enroute at FL390 about 100nm north of Moncton,NB (Canada) when the crew donned their oxygen masks, declared Mayday reporting smoke in the cockpit and decided to return to Boston. The aircraft descended to FL380 for the return and landed safely on Boston's runway 33L about one hour later, the flight crew was still on oxygen masks until after landing. The aircraft vacated the runway and taxied to the apron. All crew were taken to a hospital for checks. A passenger reported the aircraft returned to Boston due to smoke in the cockpit, they had no lights on the way back to Boston. Initial information received by The Aviation Herald suggested the aircraft allegedly had experienced fumes in cockpit and cabin. All 10 crew were taken to hospitals. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Boston about 21 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW212/history/20190122/0005Z/KBOS/EGLL http://avherald.com/h?article=4c33798e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: British Airways A388 over Atlantic on Jan 21st 2019, LiOn battery suffers thermal runaway A British Airways Airbus A380-800, registration G-XLEK performing flight BA-208 (dep Jan 20th) from Miami,FL (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was enroute over the Atlantic Ocean when a passenger travelling on the upper deck and carrying his mobile phone, a Samsung Note 4, in a pocket of his shirt, felt his smartphone was becoming hot, took it out of the pocket, opened the battery cover and saw the battery catching fire. The passenger dropped smartphone and battery onto the floor, where the battery burned into the carpet. Thick smoke developed. The passenger poured some Coke over the smartphone, cabin crew quickly arrived and put the battery into a bucket of water, then secured it in a secure container. The crew continued to London for a safe landing. The aircraft remained on the ground in London for about 4:50 hours, then departed for flight BA-209 to San Francisco. Two passengers reported independently about the occurrence, each observed different details of the summarizing narrative above. The damaged carpet (Photo: Pa Trick): http://avherald.com/h?article=4c336a9e&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: American A321 at Tampa on Jan 21st 2019, bird strike An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N933AM performing flight AA-2270 from Tampa,FL to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), was climbing out of Tampa's runway 01R when the crew requested to level off, remain on tower frequency and receive vectors advising they had a possible bird strike, they needed to check out things. The crew subsequently advised a bird had impacted the right hand wing at the leading edge while they were climbing through about 400 feet AGL, there was no malfunction, they'd return to Tampa nonetheless and would be landing normally. The aircraft landed safely on Tampa's runway 01L about 25 minutes after departure. A replacement A321-200 registration N139AN reached Dallas with a delay of 8:15 hours. The right hand wing (Photo: Chad Carroll): http://avherald.com/h?article=4c33661d&opt=0 Back to Top Aeroflot Boeing 737-800 makes emergency landing in Russia after hijack attempt Status: Date: Tuesday 22 January 2019 Type: Boeing 737-8LJ (WL) Operator: Aeroflot Russian International Airlines Registration: VP-BRR C/n / msn: 41197/4710 First flight: 2013-11-21 (5 years 2 months) Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-7B26E Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 69 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 76 Aircraft damage: None Location: Khanty-Mansiysk International Airport (HMA) ( Russia) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Surgut Airport (SGC/USRR), Russia Destination airport: Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO/UUEE), Russia Flightnumber: SU1515 Narrative: Aeroflot flight 1515, a Boeing 737-800, made an emergency landing at Khanty-Mansiysk International Airport, Russia, after a passenger attempted to hijack the aircraft. The flight had departed Surgut at 09:55 UTC. While en route to Moscow at FL340, a passenger claiming to be armed ordered the flight crew to divert to Afghanistan. At 10:22 UTC the pilots squawked 7600 (lost communications) on their transponder. The aircraft landed safely at Khanty-Mansiysk at 11:17 UTC. After landing, security forces stormed the plane and detained the man. He was in a state of intoxication; he was not armed. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20190122-0 Back to Top Boeing 777 - Bird Strike (Pakistan) Date: 22-JAN-2019 Time: Type: Boeing 777-2Q8ER Owner/operator: PIA - Pakistan International Airlines Registration: AP-BMH C/n / msn: 32717 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: near Peshawar Airport - Pakistan Phase: Initial climb Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Peshawar-Bacha Khan International Airport (PEW/OPPS) Destination airport: Jeddah-Prince Abdullah Air Base (JED/OEJN) Narrative: PIA flight PK735, a Boeing 777-200ER, experienced a bird strike on climb-out after takeoff from Peshawar Airport resulting in a large dent on the radome. The flight crew elected to divert to Karachi Airport. Repairs were carried out and the aircraft continued the flight after two hours on the ground at Karachi. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=221007 Back to Top Back to Top 83 NTSB investigations delayed due to shutdown JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - There are 83 accidents around the country where a federal investigation is being delayed due to the partial government shutdown. Because most of its staff is furloughed, the National Transportation Safety Board is not beginning new investigations and is not updating cases that were already underway. On NTSB's website, a message reads: "Due to a lapse in appropriations and government shutdown, the website will no longer be updated." An NTSB spokesman told News4Jax that 93 percent of the staff is furloughed and the other 7 percent is working without pay. The NTSB plays a critical role in investigating and determining the probable cause of any incident that results in significant loss of life or physical damage, or that involves civil aviation, railroad, marine or pipeline accidents. The board can issue safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. Federal investigators are not looking into Jan. 3's fiery wreck on Interstate 75 near Gainesville that killed five children from Louisiana headed to Disney World, along with two truck drivers. An example of an NTSB investigation that was completed before the shutdown was the March 2018 Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse in Miami-Dade County that resulted in six deaths. The NTSB determined the collapse was the result of "errors that were made in the design" of the bridge. The NTSB spokesperson told News4Jax that Sunday night's derailment of CSX rail cars into Cedar Creek on Jacksonville's Northside did not fit the criteria for an NTSB investigation, regardless of the shutdown. https://www.news4jax.com/news/74-ntsb-investigations-delayed-due-to-shutdown Back to Top Shutdown Shutters Many U.S. Aviation Safety Activities With the partial U.S. government shutdown now in its fifth week, key safety activities such as the release of most Airworthiness Directives (ADs) remain on hold. In fact, the FAA has issued only one new AD this year, involving high-thrust settings of the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines on the Boeing 787-8. That AD was released on Friday as an interim action ahead of the comment period because the FAA determined that the risk justified the immediate action. Under the DOT guidance plans for the government shutdown, safety workforce at the FAA would be "limited to safety critical staff whose job is to perform urgent continued operational activity to protect life and property." As such, the agency is working operational safety issues to determine whether urgent safety action is necessary, such as the release of emergency ADs. All other ADs, however, have stopped. By this time last year, the agency had already issued some 25 ADs and proposed nearly a dozen more. ADs are only one safety area on hold. The Aviation Safety Action Program-which provides a mechanism for voluntary reporting and mitigating safety issues in a non-threatening" environment-has stalled from the agency's furlough, backlogging event review committee (ERC) meetings and putting new memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on hold. Bryan Burns, president of the Air Charter Safety Foundation, noted that in the ACSF-administered ASAP program, eight ERC meetings in January have been postponed, while a handful of MoUs that establish the programs with operators remain pending. Further, the National Transportation Safety Board has quieted for the most part. One CBS report suggested that nearly 75 ongoing investigations-crossing all modes-have been put on hold. NTSB, however, could launch a major investigation or continue investigatory work involving imminent safety ramifications. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-01-22/shutdown-shutters-many-us-aviation-safety-activities Back to Top Major Aviation Organizations to Government: End the Shutdown AIA, AOPA, ATCA, AUVSI, FAA, GAMA, government shutdown, HAI, IATA, NATCA, NBAA, shutdown U.S. Capitol The U.S. Capitol building in winter, seen down Delaware Ave. (Phil Roeder, CC) An alphabet soup of nearly every major association, union and advocacy group in the aviation industry has come together to urge end the partial government shutdown that has furloughed government workers for 32 days as of Wednesday. AIA, AOPA, GAMA, NBAA, NATCA, HAI, IATA, AUVSI and ATCA. If you are familiar with the aviation industry, those acronyms* are likely familiar to you. Those nine and 25 additional aviation groups signed a letter addressed to the president and leaders of both houses of Congress. A stalemate between President Trump and Congressional Democrats over funding for the former's planned border wall between the U.S. and Mexico led to the shutdown, and the president has pledged not to let it end until he gets what he wants. In the meantime, the aviation industry is experiencing delays and lost revenue, with halted projects leading to major setbacks. The National Air Traffic Controller's Association (NATCA) and the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents Transportation Security Administration (TSA), both sued the federal government over worker treatment and lost wages. More recently, legislative and executive leadership passed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, guaranteeing back pay to affected employees. That assuaged many of the unions' concerns but does not address the gap in pay employees are currently experiencing, which the groups allege have led workers to quit the field and find other jobs - a problem since the industry is already experiencing shortages in both fields as air travel expands. The letter claims the shutdown is "hampering [the industry's] ability to function effectively," explaining to the recipients how workers across the industry, from pilots to mechanics to government officials, are being affected by the shutdown. The lack of a fully-functioning FAA keeps commercial and even military organizations from progressing on their planned timelines with certifications, delaying expensive projects; has prevented the training and licensing of new air traffic controllers and pilots, exacerbating the work shortage; and prevents airlines from adding new aircraft to their fleets. The lack of updated materials, certifications and approvals ripples throughout the rest of the industry and, according to the letter, hamstrings everyone else. The letter also alleges that safety is currently compromised on multiple fronts. Infrastructure is being inspected and maintained by only "a minimal team of engineers working without pay." TSA and Customs and Border Patrol are both working without pay and short-staffed. That can have a negative impact on both safety and the quality of air travel. "With fewer [safety officers] available to screen travelers at security checkpoints, wait times will grow and larger crowds will be forced to congregate in public areas of airports," the letter reads. "In some cases, checkpoints may have to be closed as a result of the shutdown. Some airports are already struggling to keep up with a record number of travelers, and reduced staffing levels will exacerbate problems in the nearterm [sic] and into the busy spring and summer travel seasons." Aviation industry insiders stress that each day projects are halted has an exponentially longer and more costly impact down the line, and the organizations who signed the letter are concerned that it will take a long time to recover from any setback in the industry's efforts to bolster staffing. There have been some talks between party leadership on compromises, but, to date, nothing promising that would lead to an end to the shutdown in the immediate future. *The groups are: The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), Airlines Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Helicopters Association International (HAI), International Air Transport Association (IATA), Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and The Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA). https://www.aviationtoday.com/2019/01/22/major-aviation-organizations-end-shutdown/ Back to Top Helicopter pilot's medical certificate to fly revoked in 2017; insurance company won't pay A retired Army officer, Henry Schwarz was president of the Virginia Helicopter Association. In this 2015 photograph, Schwarz stood in front of the Robinson R44 Raven II he later crashed in. (Heather Bridges / The Virginia Gazette) Before the fiery crash that left two people dead and dozens displaced, the pilot who crashed his helicopter into Bristol Commons in July had his medical certificate to fly revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration. In a letter to homeowners denying an insurance payout for the destruction at the Williamsburg complex, pilot Henry "Hank" Schwarz's insurance company said Schwarz flew illegally. "Based on our investigation ... that insurance coverage ... including all claims for injuries damages, and losses related thereto that are or may be asserted by your client and/or by any third parties, is hereby denied," the letter obtained by The Virginia Gazette said. Schwarz's caretaker said he had health problems, including Parkinson's Disease, which would have required the FAA to decide whether he was fit to fly. On July 8, 2018, a Robinson R44 helicopter piloted by Schwarz plummeted into a 10-unit residential complex killing Schwarz and 91-year-old resident Jean Lonchak Danylko. The crash and the ensuing inferno destroyed the building. On Monday, Bristol Commons homeowners submitted an architectural building plan to Williamsburg city planners. Those plans will be kept under wraps until they are approved by the Planning Department. Bristol Commons Owners' Association board member Paul Leslie said in an address to homeowners at a Tuesday night meeting that Nationwide Insurance will soon give the organization about $1.5 million for the rebuild. Bristol Commons On Monday, the City of Williamsburg received building plans for a new Bristol Commons complex to replace the destroyed one. (Steve Roberts Jr/Virginia Gazette) However, he also said there's no set date for the end of the demolition of the burned out remains of the building. Unfit to fly The insurance letter from Pathfinder Indemnity Company Limited indicates the FAA reviewed and revoked Schwarz's medical certificate on May 30, 2017 - more than a year before the crash. That certificate would have validated his Class 2 pilot's license with medical limitations; without it, Schwarz flew illegally. "A careful review of medical information provided by your treating physician dated September 16, 2016, discloses that you do not meet the medical standards ... by virtue of your diagnosis of (REDACTED)..." the insurance letter said of the FAA review. The FAA demanded Schwarz turn over his medical certificate due to the agency's findings within 14 days or face punishment, according to the letter. It's unclear whether or not Schwarz turned in his certificate. According to Schwarz's caretaker, Theresa Monroe, that diagnosis was Parkinson's Disease, which he was diagnoised with five years ago. Both Schwarz and his wife needed a neurologist to tend to their degenerative neurological conditions: his Parkinson's, her dementia, Monroe said. Monroe married Schwarz's widowed son-in-law after Schwarz's daughter died from cancer several years earlier. Monroe helped Schwarz find a neurologist in Alexandria so he and his wife could receive treatment. Monroe drove the Schwarzes to and from most medical appointments, she said. Once, while sitting in on a doctor's visit with the pair, Monroe said the doctor told Schwarz "When it's your turn for the appointment, we'll talk about your Parkinson's." Parkinson's Disease is the second most common degenerative neurological disease in the United States. It occurs as parts of the brain, which control movement, selectively die off, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As symptoms become more aggressive, tremors, body shakes, difficulty walking and cognitive decline can occur. As late as April 12, 2018, Schwarz lobbied the FAA to restore his medical certification to fly, according to the insurance letter. When the FAA reconsidered the revocation they told him, "We have again reviewed your complete file and regret that we have no alternative except to sustain our previous denial dated May 30, 2017 due to your aeromedically significant (REDACTED)," the letter said. Schwarz ignored that ruling and flew anyway. On July 8, he drove from his home in a Washington, D.C., suburb to the Stafford Regional Airport outside Fredericksburg. He flew out of the airport in his Robinson R44 helicopter. After a meeting with the Virginia Helicopters Association at the Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport, Schwarz took off at 4:26 p.m. after topping off both gas tanks. Less than 10 minutes later and headed for Stafford, Schwarz crashed his helicopter into a 10-unit residential complex in Williamsburg, killing himself and 91-year-old Danylko. The National Transportation Safety Board has released no new information to the public about the crash since a July 20 preliminary report. The FAA denied an October Freedom of Information Act request for Schwarz's health records. In another request made in October and clarified in November, the FAA provided airman records and Schwarz's death certificate. A third request is pending, but it remains unclear whether or not it will be processed in a timely manner due to the partial federal government shutdown. FAA offices in New York City and Richmond were shuttered Friday. Schwarz's death was an accident, according to his death certificate. He died of blunt force trauma across his entire body. The record does not mention any ailments he may have suffered before he died. By land and air In the years before the crash, Schwarz's family was leery of flying with him. Theresa Monroe said she and her husband Ned refused to allow their son Harry - Schwarz's biological grandson - to fly with Schwarz in the last few years. From flying to driving, Schwarz struggled to get around, according to residents in his Fairfax County neighborhood, county fire department records and Monroe. On June 11 and July 10, 2017, Schwarz crashed his car into his garage. The first crash was severe, records indicate: Schwarz drove his late-model Chrysler 300 sedan through a brick partition that divided the two-car garage. When the fire department arrived after neighbors called 911, firefighters discovered Schwarz's vehicle at rest on top of the partition in the middle of the two car garage. The Fairfax County Fire Department report indicates there was significant structural damage to the building. Neighbors photographed the incident. Seventeen years before those crashes, Schwarz crashed a hand-built experimental airplane into a cornfield outside of Fredericksburg's Shannon Airport, according to archived NTSB reports. He suffered minor injuries and the plane was a loss. Schwarz, a long-time resident of Fairfax County's Southwood neighborhood outside Mt. Vernon, was a retired Vietnam War combat pilot with several thousand hours of flight time, according to friends, neighbors and NTSB reports. He first obtained airman certification on Christmas Eve 1957. Friends, neighbors and fellow aircraft enthusiasts called Schwarz a mixture of meticulous, stubborn and dedicated to flying. "What he did with his life, I could have another 80 years to my life and I'll never be able to (do)," Schwarz's friend DJ Shelton of King George County said. "In Vietnam, he orchestrated the rescue and destruction of POW camps." The stubborn side of Schwarz showed itself in Shelton's last ride with him, just months before the July 8 crash, he said. "I was watching Henry take a drink of his water, his hands were shaking pretty good. I made the fatal mistake of asking Henry if he was OK (immediately before takeoff). He dipped the nose of that helicopter and took off ... he scared the bejeebus out of me." Shelton had no idea Schwarz was found unfit to fly by the FAA, he said. Both he and Schwarz had grown apart during the past five years. From fights with neighbors over how the entrance sign to the neighborhood should be landscaped, to neighbors' reactions when he painted the shutters on his home bubblegum pink, Schwarz did not like to have his opinions discounted, according to his neighbors. As he got older, Schwarz became even more stubborn in some respects. And he fought to remain independent, Monroe said. "We begged him to stop. I don't know why he kept flying." Monroe paused. "He loved it." https://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-schwarz-bristol-commons-insurance-0111-story.html Back to Top ExpressJet Airlines Increases Pilot Sign-On Bonus to $22,000 Offers an additional $5,000 with eligible type rating ATLANTA, Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ExpressJet Airlines today announced that it is increasing its pilot sign-on bonus to $22,000. Pilots with an eligible type rating will receive an additional $5,000. The increase makes ExpressJet pilots some of the most highly compensated among regional airline pilots. ExpressJet plans to hire more than 600 pilots in 2019 as it adds 25 new Embraer E175 aircraft to its fleet and exercises options to grow its existing fleet of Embraer ERJ145 aircraft. Pilots who sign on with ExpressJet can expect an immediate class date and to complete training and begin flying within approximately three months. "Now is the time to join ExpressJet," said Vice President of Flight Operations Greg Wooley. "Our significant growth in 2019 makes ExpressJet the airline of choice for pilots who want top-tier compensation and work rules as well as the most robust path to United Airlines through the United Career Path Program." The United Career Path Program allows ExpressJet pilots to secure a career with United while flying for ExpressJet. Since November 2016, over 250 ExpressJet pilots have progressed to United through the program. ExpressJet hosts new-hire pilot training classes twice per month. After applying, pilots can be placed in class within as little as four business days. Pilots interested in joining ExpressJet should visit www.expressjet.com/pilots to apply. About ExpressJet Airlines ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The airline flies more than 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houston and Newark. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and work rules as well as a direct path to a career at United Airlines. ExpressJet is owned by ManaAir, LLC, a company in which United Airlines has a minority interest. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com. SOURCE ExpressJet Airlines Related Links https://www.expressjet.com https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/expressjet-airlines-increases-pilot-sign-on-bonus-to-22-000--300782360.html Back to Top U.S. airlines tap army helicopter pilots to ease shortage CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. Army pilot Shaun Perez spent ten hours flying an Apache helicopter over Afghanistan, providing gun cover for Special Forces soldiers on the ground as they hunted for high-value targets, guns and weapons. Returning to his base at dawn, he donned a fresh uniform before shutting himself into a small room to secure the next stage of his career - as a commercial airline pilot. He would win the job in a video interview that day in August 2017, joining hundreds of other U.S. military helicopter pilots who have taken attractive offers from domestic airlines trying ease a global pilot shortage. Perez took advantage of one of the tightest labor markets in the United States, created by years of slow hiring, a wave of pending retirements at major U.S. airlines, and Federal Aviation Administration rules that in 2013 increased the number of required training hours from 250 to 1,500. The industry's aggressive recruitment of military helicopter pilots is one of the most striking examples yet of the contortions required to quickly train new commercial aviators since the FAA increased the minimum flying requirement. The pilot shortage threatens the industry's growth just as travel demand booms. Airlines have been forced to more than double starting salaries to $54,000, excluding bonuses, in 2018 from $21,000 a decade ago, according to aviation consultant Kit Darby. Perez, 38, now flies under the banner of United Express, the regional branch of United Airlines, at a strong starting salary with his training costs covered. Ten U.S. regional carriers are offering helicopter pilots like Perez up to $50,000 to pay for commercial airplane training, and in some cases additional signing bonuses, according to a survey by Reuters. "This is the first time that the industry is committing direct funds, basically a subsidy, to get that training quickly," said Bryan Simmons, president of Coast Flight Training, which pioneered the so-called rotor transition program for helicopter pilots with American Airlines Group Inc's regional subsidiary, Envoy, in San Diego. Perez was offered $38,000 by Trans State Airlines for training that cost him $20,000. He got to keep the difference, and within months of leaving Afghanistan, was flying a 50-seater regional passenger jet. He said he is taking home about $3,200 a month with the prospect of earning far more once he moves up to a large U.S. carrier. "Even if you had to pay $100,000 for training, you're going into a field where you know you're going to make that money back and more," Perez said. Regional airlines' helicopter transition programs offer flow-through agreements with mainline carriers, providing new pilots an interview - and in some cases, a job - with a major within a few years. To fly a multi-engine passenger jet - which can travel about five times faster than helicopters and has more complex control panels - helicopter veterans need to complete fixed-wing FAA ratings and required flight time. The transition feels natural to Perez. "We took multiple ground fire; we had hard missions," he said. "But once we step into that (airline) cockpit, we're humble and we work hard." A key reason airlines are chasing military pilots is because the new FAA training rules only require them to have 750 hours of additional training, half the 1,500 required of civilians seeking a commercial pilot license. Military helicopter pilots from the military only need additional training in flying fixed-wing aircraft, which takes about 90 days. For civilians, obtaining a commercial pilot license can take years and cost more than $100,000. "We've stumbled upon the quickest solution to the pilot shortage," said Erik Sabiston, an Army veteran turned commercial pilot who founded Rotary to Airline Group in Dec. 2017 to help helicopter, or rotor, pilots make the transition to passenger jets. The not-for-profit group, with more than 7,000 pilots and mechanics, also assists airlines in designing rotor transition programs. American Airlines' regional carrier Envoy said more than a quarter of its 701 new pilots in 2018 came from military helicopters, compared with 11 percent in 2017 and 5 percent in 2016. It plans to hire 626 pilots in 2019, with about a quarter of those expected to come through its rotor program. "It's an untapped pool of pilots that hadn't been brought to anyone's attention before," Envoy pilot recruiter Megan Liotta said. Former military helicopter pilots generally adapt quickly to the differences in a jet's speed and controls and have a higher success rate in landing jobs than other aspiring aviators, recruiters said. Top court allows Trump's transgender troop ban - for now "They come from an environment that has trained them to think on their feet and be very adaptable," said David Tatum, director of pilot recruitment for American. For former military pilots, the surge in interest from airlines helps replace the shrinking number of jobs flying helicopters to offshore oil rigs. A Envoy pilot hired today makes about $60,000 or more in their first year as a first officer. They can expect to upgrade to captain, at a higher pay scale, within two years before moving on to No. 1 U.S. carrier American within six years, the company said. Top-end salaries at American surpass $300,000. RISING SALARIES, COSTS As regional airlines pay more to attract and retain pilots, their services are becoming more expensive for major national airlines that have increasingly used the regionals for domestic routes to cut costs. Under those contracts, called capacity purchase agreements, labor costs are factored into the prices that the mainline carriers pay the regionals for their service. "Their cost saving method is losing a bit of steam," said Andrew Watterson, chief revenue officer for Southwest Airlines Co, which does not partner with regional carriers. Aviation consultant Samuel Engel said a 50 percent increase in pilot costs at the regional carriers would amount to a 7.7 percent increase in overall costs per seat-mile on a 70-seater, erasing some of the cost advantage of regional aircraft on a per-seat-mile basis. So far, airlines have succeeded in passing on rising costs to passengers, often through extra charges for luggage or preferred seating. But analysts have questioned their ability to continue raising fees. Boeing Co estimates a need for 790,000 new pilots in the commercial aviation, business aviation, and civil helicopter industries over the next two decades. "The problem is," Darby said, "we're still not creating enough pilots ... to meet the need." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-aviation-shortage-insight/u-s-airlines-tap-army-helicopter-pilots-to-ease-shortage-idUSKCN1PH0CO Back to Top Industry Leaders Promote Alternative Jet Fuels Presentations, workshops and demonstration flights bring light to the benefits of green fuels. Demonstration flights from the Van Nuys Airport powered by alternative jet fuels aimed to prove the benefits of green fuels in business aviation. As southern California was getting pummeled by heavy winter rains last week, leaders of business aviation alphabet groups, including GAMA, NBAA, NATA and IBAC, gathered at the Van Nuys Airport to promote the adoption of sustainable alternative jet fuels (SAJF). Presentations, workshops and demonstration flights during the Business Jets Fuel Green: A Step Toward Sustainability event brought a deeper understanding of the benefits of these fuels. "This first-ever event focused on business aviation use of SAJF demonstrates the industry's strong interest in reducing its environmental impacts, particularly its carbon emissions," said Kurt Edwards, director general of International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). "SAJF represents a critical measure to help meet the sector's global commitment to halve carbon emissions by 2050 relative to 2005 levels." At the event, Avfuel delivered its first truckload of sustainable jet fuel to a business aviation airport after partnering with biofuels company Gevo last summer. "In our production process, not only do we produce renewable jet fuel, we also can produce large quantities of protein for the food chain and even sequester carbon in the soil," said Gevo's CEO, Patrick Gruber. "In fact, for every barrel of bio jet fuel produced by Gevo, we could produce approximately 420 pounds of protein and sequester up to 60 pounds of carbon back into the soil." Gevo plans to expand its Luverne, Minnesota-factory to increase its production capability to 10 million gallons per year. Also represented at the event was World Fuel Services, which has produced sustainable fuels since 2016 in partnership with Paramount, California-based World Energy. "World Energy's SAJF has been independently certified to reduce GHG emissions in excess of 60 percent relative to petroleum Jet-A," said Bryan Sherbacow, COO of World Energy. "Importantly, turbine criteria pollutants are significantly lowered in a flight's life-cycle, primarily upon takeoff and landing, providing local solutions to airport communities such as Van Nuys." To prove that the new fuels are safe, the event included demonstration flights with business jets from Embraer, Gulfstream and Bombardier. The aim of these flight was also to show business aviation's commitment to reducing aircraft carbon emissions and to prove that SAJF don't impact aircraft performance, but rather benefit the airport and surrounding communities by reducing particulate matter. "Our industry is uniquely poised to make a huge, positive difference in the fight against climate change - not by changing how much we fly, but by changing how we fuel," said Bombardier Business Aircraft's president David Coleal, who is also the chair of GAMA's Environmental Committee. "SAJF will enable a future of clean, efficient propulsion in business aviation: their advantages are real and current - we can benefit from the regular use of SAJF not just in our lifetime, but immediately, starting today." https://www.flyingmag.com/industry-leaders-promote-alternative-jet-fuels Back to Top 1,500 private jets expected at Davos, where attendees are discussing 'safeguarding our planet' from climate change Owning a private jet might become too expensive, even for the ultra-wealthy Some 1,500 private jets are expected this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. As the number of extremely wealthy people worldwide has grown, so too has the market for private flights. Despite global warming being one of the major issues discussed at Davos every year, some 1,500 private jets are expected this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to an estimate from Air Charter Service, up from 1,300 last year. "We have had bookings from as far as our operations in Hong Kong, India and the U.S.," Andy Christie, private jets director at ACS, said in a statement. "No other event has the same global appeal." "There appears to be a trend towards larger aircraft, with expensive heavy jets the aircraft of choice," Christie said. "This is at least in part due to some of the long distances travelled, but also possibly due to business rivals not wanting to be seen to be outdone by one another." Over the past five years, most private jets have come from or are going to Germany, France, U.K., U.S., Russia and United Arab Emirates, he added. PrivateFly.com, a private jet service, expects between 1,200 and 1,500 private jets in and out of local airports around Davos, double the average daily volume of flight traffic to the area. "The primary airport used by private jet customers flying to Davos is Zurich Airport. This is 148 kilometers away, or 1 hour 45 minutes by road. So some visitors will also charter a helicopter for a faster transfer time," the company said. Air travel comes with a hefty carbon footprint, generating greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Davos attendees will have an opportunity to discuss that issue in depth, with "Safeguarding our Planet" the title of one of the panel sessions scheduled for Tuesday. "The World Economic Forum Climate Initiative provides a global platform to help raise ambition and accelerate climate action," according to the WEF. "Public- and private-sector collaboration is essential to create a marketplace that will enable dramatic reductions in emissions and build resilience." In an interview with Prince William, 36, who is second in line to the British throne, the 92-year-old naturalist Sir David Attenborough told attendees at the forum on Tuesday, "There is more power in this room than any gathering anywhere. The people here need to do something about the natural world." In a separate speech on Monday, Attenborough said, "The Garden of Eden is no more." He added, "What we do in the next few years will profoundly affect the next few thousand years." Many rich people take shares in private jets The world's most elite aren't necessarily fueling demand for private jets. The lion's share of growth in private aviation is not due to people buying their own planes, according to a 2018 report from VistaJet, a private jet charter company, and Wealth-X, a firm that specializes in researching ultra-high net worth individuals. Instead, rich people are turning to more economical means of private air travel such as fractional ownership of planes (where you split the costs and title to the aircraft with a small group of other users almost like a timeshare), jet card membership programs (where travelers typically pre-purchase a package of flight hours on a specific model of plane to be used by a certain date), and on-demand chartering (think an Uber-style service for private planes where you can book one on short notice). In the U.S., the number of flights by fractionally-owned aircraft increased 4.7% between 2016 and 2017, but the number of on-demand charter flights and flights through jet card memberships rose 9.2% over that same period, according to ARGUS International, an aviation technology firm. Luxury travel expert Doug Gollan, who is also editor of travel website Private Jet Card Comparisons, estimates that 25,000 to 30,000 people hold jet card memberships, versus 8,000 to 10,000 people who are fractional owners of private jets. "Jet card memberships are the sweet spot of the private aviation market with the number of providers and programs having more than doubled in the past decade against a backdrop of lower deliveries of new aircraft and a static market for fractional ownership," he said. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/1500-private-jets-expected-at-davos-despite-global-warming-being-a-major-concern-2019-01-22 Back to Top Boeing and Machinists Union tussle over automation's effect on quality assurance A worker keeps watch on a riveting robot inside the mid-body fuselage of a 777 jet. (Boeing Photo) Boeing's moves to automate its manufacturing processes and streamline the quality assurance process for its airplanes has sparked discussions with union officials over the effect on jobs. The controversy came to light in the current issue of Aero Mechanic - the newspaper published by the International Association of Machinists' District 751, which represents Boeing assembly workers - and in The Seattle Times. Union leaders are concerned about a Boeing campaign known as "Quality Transformation," which relies on automated processes such as robotic riveting and precision machining to cut down on manufacturing defects. Boeing says such processes make airplane assembly more "mistake-proof." Aero Mechanic said Boeing laid out its plans and their potential effect on quality-assurance jobs in November. "Per the PowerPoint Boeing presented to our union, Boeing estimates their plan will impact 451 QA jobs next year and potentially a similar amount in 2020," the newspaper reported. "This will not only place a heavier burden on our mechanics but will also eliminate the second set of eyes on thousands of work packages." Boeing currently has more than 3,000 quality inspectors, The Seattle Times said. Mechanic and Machine: Boeing's Advanced Manufacturing Improves 777 Assembly During a series of meetings last month, Machinists Union District 751 asked its members to document occasions when they were discouraged from reporting problems on the assembly floor. "The company is taking advantage of QA and manufacturing working together essentially masking defects and coming back later with a 'risk assessment process' to eliminate inspections where there were no documented defects," the Aero Mechanic report claimed. The union calls its counter-campaign "Not OK to Cut QA." In an email to GeekWire, Paul Bergman, a spokesman for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said he couldn't confirm employment figures but sent along a statement laying out Boeing's perspective on the Quality Transformation drive: "Our highest priority is the quality and safety of our products. "Boeing has strict methods which ensure our final products comply with design and regulatory requirements. "We are strengthening our approach to quality and putting resources in place to bolster our focus on preventing defects throughout our production system. Built-in quality helps us mistake-proof our processes. "A small fraction of our evolution includes streamlining redundant inspections for processes which are proven to be stable. This gives team members capacity to focus on preventing defects. Mechanics performing the actual job will always verify and ensure the work meets certification standards. These are instances where a quality inspector is a second set of eyes for a consistently stable process already verified by the mechanic. Reducing this second-layer process allows mechanics to complete the task, verify it and move on to new jobs with greater efficiency and productivity. It also creates more capacity for team members to focus on defect prevention. "We will always keep redundant inspections in critical safety operations." "As we identify and reduce second-layer inspections for stable processes, Quality Assurance professionals will be redeployed and take on new roles such as leading and supporting efforts to prevent defects and rework. Many team members are already performing this important and valuable work. "We are evaluating the work that will be impacted, and have not yet established the number of job transitions affected as part of this evolving process. We do not anticipate that these changes will result in the loss of jobs, in fact we are hiring at this time. We are actively engaged in discussions with the union to address potential impacts to our employees' work statement." Update for 10 p.m. PT Jan. 21: Connie Kelliher, a spokeswoman for Machinists Union District 751, sent along this statement via email: "To date, Boeing has not shared with us what procedures they have implemented to ensure a manufacturing process is stable and defect-free before removing inspections. It would only make sense to remove inspections and assign workers to other roles after extensive studies prove by a specific, definitive and consistent standard that there are extremely low defects. "We will continue to ask questions in an effort to better understand the methods used to determine whether a manufacturing process is stable enough to remove inspections. Again, Boeing has not shown us any specific studies or changes to their processes that justify removing inspections. "Removing thousands of inspections per airplane will negatively impact the manufacturing process and push defects down line, causing additional out-of-sequence work, increased costs, more rework, higher injury rates to our members, more work at the end of the manufacturing process and potentially late deliveries. "Our members have a vested interest in this company's success, and we are trying to prevent them from making decisions that negatively impact production and could potentially cost our members their livelihoods. "We are asking our members to provide information to the union to help prove why this is a short-sighted idea that will ultimately jeopardize the manufacturing process our members have worked so hard to perfect." https://www.yahoo.com/tech/boeing-machinists-union-tussle-over-223245244.html Back to Top Blue Origin to make 10th flight test of space tourist rocket Blue Origin, the rocket company headed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is poised to launch the 10th test flight of its unmanned New Shepard rocket on Wednesday as it competes with Virgin Galactic to become the first to carry tourists on brief visits to space. The liftoff is scheduled for 8:50 am Central time (1450 GMT) from a Texas launchpad. The rocket will be carrying several science experiments for NASA. The small rocket crossed the frontier of space last year, which is internationally agreed to be 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth, known as the Karman Line. New Shepard reached a height of 66 miles (107 km) in April 2018. The spacecraft is designed to one day carry up to six passengers for a journey lasting a total of 11 minutes. Virgin Galactic, headed by British billionaire Richard Branson, is also working on a vessel of its own to carry tourists to space. On December 13, 2018, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, VSS Unity, flew higher than it ever had before, surpassing what the US Air Force considers the boundary of space, and marking the first manned flight to space from US soil since 2011. The spaceship made it to a peak height of 51.4 miles (82.7 kilometers). The US Air Force considers the space boundary to be at 50 miles. The brief, suborbital flight-with two pilots on board-was a key milestone for the company which is striving to send tourists to space at a cost of $250,000 per seat. Neither Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic is ready to board their first paying passengers, but both are targeting the first such flights this year. Blue Origin has not yet announced the ticket price to ride on its New Shepard spaceflights. https://phys.org/news/2019-01-blue-10th-flight-space-tourist.html Back to Top Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course presented by N. Albert Moussa, PhD, PE July 9 to 11, 2019 BlazeTech Corporation 29 B Montvale Ave, Woburn MA 01801 USA. Dear Colleague, While commercial air transport is very safe, the advent of new technologies poses fire safety challenges that will be treated in this course. This offering draws upon Dr. Moussa's work in this area since 1971 as well as related courses that BlazeTech has been teaching since 1998. Lectures will include Li and Li-ion battery fires, flammability of carbon fiber and glass fiber composites, emerging aviation fluids, engine fires, fuel tank fire/explosion, fire extinguishment methods, protection methods, aircraft accident investigation, and fire/explosion pattern recognition. Recent accidents are continuously added to the course. For each type of fire, this course will provide a cohesive integrated presentation of fundamentals, small- and large-scale testing, computer modeling, standards and specifications, and real accident investigation - as outlined in the course brochure. This integrated approach will enable you to address safety issues related to current and new systems and circumstances, and to investigate one of a kind fire and explosion accidents. The course will benefit professionals who are responsible for commercial aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles including design, equipment selection, test, operation, maintenance, safety management system, hazard/risk assessment, and accident investigation. View Brochure for course content and registration form (also embedded below). View Testmonials of previous attendees and their Companies. View some of the technical references discussed in this course. We also offer this course at the client site as well as customized courses on fire and explosion in other areas. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Albert Moussa, Ph.D., P.E. BlazeTech Corporation 29B Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801-7021 781-759-0700 x200 781-759-0703 fax www.blazetech.com firecourse@blazetech.com LinkedIn Curt Lewis