Flight Safety Information January 25, 2019 - No. 019 In This Issue Accident: Transat A321 at Quebec City on Jan 24th 2019, passengers become ill during de-icing Incident: Flybe DH8D at Birmingham on Jan 22nd 2019, nose wheel steering problem Incident: American B738 at Dallas on Jan 23rd 2019, hydraulic leak Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D enroute on Jan 17th 2019, door indication Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III - Wire Strike (New Zealand) Eurocopter AS 350B3e Ecureuil -...under-slung firefighting bucket struck the tail rotor Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III - Fatal Accident (Oregon) Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to New York diverted to San Francisco Concern Grows Over Aviation Safety As Government Shutdown Continues "We cannot even calculate the level of risk" during the shutdown, airline workers say Australian survey finds pilots aren't getting enough sleep before entering the cockpit New EASA Rule Provisions Directed At Maintenance Organizations China Bans Smoking by Cabin Crew in Cockpits of Domestic Flights WestJet seeks $65,000 from drunk U.K. passenger who disrupted flight MROs Look To High Schools To Alleviate Mx Tech Shortage Emirates Aviation University to participate in key aviation summit High-flying aviation industry one of Ireland's big successes Airlines Are Failing To Reduce Carbon Pollution NASA Eyes Blockchain Tech to Secure Aircraft Flight Data Surprise! Boeing hands Air Force the keys to not just one, but two KC-46 tanker jets 2019 AIR CHARTER SAFETY SYMPOSIUM Position: Audit Production Manager Position Available Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Accident: Transat A321 at Quebec City on Jan 24th 2019, passengers become ill during de-icing An Air Transat Airbus A321-200, registration C-GEZD performing flight TS-782 from Quebec City,QC (Canada) to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) with about 185 people on board, was preparing for departure. The aircraft was being de-iced when a large number of passenger began to complain about feeling ill. The de-icing was stopped and the passengers disembarked back into the terminal. Local hospitals called code orange (large influx of patients), at least 11 passengers were taken to hospitals. The airport reported the passengers suffered from itchy eyes, dizziness and a number vomitted. 11 were taken to hospitals, their condition was not known to the airport. Emergency services took measurements of the cabin air immediately after being called on scene and found no issue with the cabin air quality. The airline has initiated an investigation into the occurrence, a ventilation problem during the de-icing is being suspected. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c34b4a8&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Flybe DH8D at Birmingham on Jan 22nd 2019, nose wheel steering problem A Flybe de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration G-PRPF performing flight BE-793 from Glasgow,SC to Birmingham,EN (UK), was on final approach to Birmingham's runway 33 when the crew initiated a go around due to a problem with the nose wheel steering. The aircraft climbed back to 8000 feet and entered a hold while the crew were working the related checklists, then positioned for another approach to runway 33. The aircraft landed safely, however, during roll out the nose wheel steering failed. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Birmingham for 34 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c34aadb&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: American B738 at Dallas on Jan 23rd 2019, hydraulic leak An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N909AN performing flight AA-1078 from Tucson,AZ to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), had landed on Fort Worth's runway 36L and was vacating the runway when the crew informed tower they had lost hydraulic fluid, not clear whether on the runway already, assistance was not yet needed. Tower instructed the aircraft to join taxiway Y and subsequently instructed the aircraft to stop and hold position. The crew subsequently advised they had been disabled, have shut down and are waiting for company maintenance. The aircraft was towed to the apron. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Dallas Ft. Worth about 21 hours after landing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1078/history/20190123/2313Z/KTUS/KDFW http://avherald.com/h?article=4c34a7c5&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D enroute on Jan 17th 2019, door indication A Westjet Encore de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-FWEP performing flight WS-3265 from Calgary,AB to Kelowna,BC (Canada), was enroute when the crew received a fuselage door warning indication. While on a 6nm final to Kelowna's runway 16 a loud bang was heard and the cabin lost pressure. The crew declared emergency and continued to Kelowna for a safe landing with emergency services on stand by. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance inspected the aft cargo door and found the door handle in the lateral/open position. The door handle has not been properly secured. A Civil Aviation Safety Inspector reported the aft cargo door modification had been carried out. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/WEN3265/history/20190118/0130Z/CYYC/CYLW http://avherald.com/h?article=4c34a1c2&opt=0 Back to Top Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III - Wire Strike (New Zealand) Date: 25-JAN-2019 Time: 13:50 LT Type: Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III Owner/operator: T & P Williams Limited PO Registration: ZK-ILT C/n / msn: 51574 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: North of Taup? - New Zealand Phase: Nature: Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The helicopter clipped high tension power Lines then crashed near Maroa Road at Atiamuri. The pilot was found walking around conscious with moderate injuries and was transported to the hospital. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has decided not to investigate. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=221096 Back to Top Eurocopter AS 350B3e Ecureuil - under-slung firefighting bucket struck the tail rotor Date: 24-JAN-2019 Time: afternoon Type: Eurocopter AS 350B3e Ecureuil Owner/operator: SNC Jaspe/Helilagon Helicopters Registration: F-OFML C/n / msn: 7984 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Grand-Brûlé, Sainte-Rose - Reunion Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) Nature: Fire fighting Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The under-slung firefighting bucket struck the tail rotor. The pilot was uninjured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=221065 Back to Top Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III - Fatal Accident (Oregon) Date: 23-JAN-2019 Time: 09:00 LT Type: Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III Owner/operator: Erickson Inc Registration: N8227J C/n / msn: 51313 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Jackson County, Siskiyou Summit SE of Ashland, OR - United States of America Phase: Nature: Departure airport: Medford-Rogue Valley International, OR (MFR/KMFR) Destination airport: Medford-Rogue Valley International, OR (MFR/KMFR) Narrative: The helicopter went missing shortly after taking off on what was described as a "routine training flight". Wreckage was located about six hours later heavily wooded area near exit 6 of Interstate 5. The pilot was fatally injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=221084 Back to Top Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to New York diverted to San Francisco A Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to New York was diverted to San Francisco on Thursday when a flight attendent suffered a fatal medical incident. Friends confirmed that the male attendent, who had more than 30 years of service, was stricken as the flight was over the Pacific, prompting the emergency diversion. Hawaiian Airlines Flight 50 departed Honolulu at 4:20 p.m. HST. The flight continued from San Francisco to New York at 11:45 p.m. PT. https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/01/24/breaking-news/hawaiian-airlines-flight- from-honolulu-to-new-york-diverted-to-san-francisco/ Back to Top Back to Top Concern Grows Over Aviation Safety As Government Shutdown Continues Aviation industry leaders are worried. The federal government's partial shutdown is now well into its second month, and yesterday the presidents of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Air Line Pilots Association and Association of Flight Attendants issued a joint statement that reads in part "We cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break." Demonstrators rally against a partial government shutdown at a protest hosted by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019. While U.S. air-traffic controllers and airport security officers are at work without pay and flight operations have continued with minimal disruptions, many other normally routine transactions in the highly regulated aviation sector have ceased as thousands of Federal Aviation Administration employees stay home. Photographer: Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg© 2019 BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP The leaders note that "major airports are already seeing security checkpoint closures, with many more potentially to follow," and the Transportation Security Administration has reported work outages of up to 10 percent because employees cannot afford to work without their normal bi-weekly paychecks; back pay has been promised at the end of the shutdown, but there's no end in sight and agents cannot wait that long. As T.S.A. agents have called out sick, wait times at certain T.S.A. checkpoints have spiked to as much as 90 minutes over the last month. Yesterday, the agency reported, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport topped the list at a punishing 78 minutes, exacerbated by a major winter storm. "Every day that goes by puts us a day or an hour closer to a potential bad thing happening," John Pistole, former T.S.A. head told the New York Times. Air Line Pilots Association president Capt. Joe DePete offered some reassurance, at least for now. "At this point, despite the shutdown, flying remains safe," he said "because no ALPA member or airline pilot would ever take off if there's any reason to be concerned about safety." That said, DePete is concerned that the prolonged shutdown could weaken "some of the programs and processes that help us maintain aviation safety and monitor the system's integrity," from checkpoint slowdowns to "the training of new controllers and security screeners." The statement from the three unions also decried the potential lack of data gathering and analysis "due to reduced F.A.A. resources." This analysis, they say, is key "to identify and implement corrective actions in order to reduce risks and prevent accidents." As if on cue, today the T.S.A.'s website reads "Due to the Lapse in Federal Funding, This Website Will Not Be Actively Managed." For its part, on January 11th, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association filed a lawsuit in a federal court in D.C. on behalf of three of its members, against President Donald Trump and heads of the Federal Aviation Administration and other government agencies. The suit stated in part that "air traffic controllers at the F.A.A. form the backbone of the world's safest, most complex, and most efficient aerospace system" and the job of air traffic controller is "so demanding and requires such rare skills that the F.A.A. struggles to maintain a full complement of certified Air Traffic Controllers, even under normal circumstances." The shutdown, the lawsuit implied, is stretching those resources even thinner. https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbender/2019/01/24/concern-grows-over-aviation- safety-as-government-shutdown-continues/#10aeb8186ad9 Back to Top "We cannot even calculate the level of risk" during the shutdown, airline workers say There's little room for error when it comes to protecting the 2.6 million airline passengers that zip across the sky each day. But five weeks into the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, and pilots are saying that critical resources and security measures are strained. "We have a growing concern for the safety and security of our members, our airlines, and the traveling public due to the government shutdown," the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Air Line Pilots Association, and Association of Flight Attendants said in a joint statement Wednesday. "This is already the longest government shutdown in the history of the United States, and there is no end in sight. In our risk averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented." The Federal Aviation Administration, which is impacted by the partial government shutdown, employs nearly 14,000 air traffic controllers, many of whom have been deemed essential and have showed up to work without pay. Even before President Donald Trump failed to sign a spending bill that didn't include $5.7 billion for his border wall on Dec. 22, staffing in air-traffic control facilities was already at a 30-year low, according to the news release. The Transportation Security Administration - the agency responsible for getting airline passengers through security - is also sending essential employees to work without pay because of the government shutdown. The same goes for safety inspectors, air marshals, and many law enforcement officers that staff airports, the organizations said in Wednesday's news release. It's illegal for those federal employees to strike. But 800,000 federal workers and countless government contractors are about to miss their second paycheck since the government shutdown began. So the president of the Association of Flight Attendants, Sara Nelson, advocated for private sector workers to strike on Monday, in solidarity with those unable to protest in the public sector. "Federal sector unions have their hands full caring for the 800,000 federal workers who are at the tip of the spear. Some would say the answer is for them to walk off the job," Nelson said during a speech at an award ceremony honoring Martin Luther King Jr. "I say, 'What are you willing to do? Their destiny is tied up with our destiny - and they don't even have time to ask us for help. Don't wait for an invitation. Get engaged, join or plan a rally, get on a picket line, organize sit-ins at lawmakers' offices.' " With Feb. 1 coming up, the lack of income is squeezing federal workers that have to make rent and make car payments. "Those are the things that I'm thinking about when I'm sitting in front of a radar scope, controlling thousands of lives throughout the sky," Sam Baldasano, an air traffic controller based in Knoxville, Tennessee, told VICE News. Plus, some airport and airline employees are beginning to call in sick, since they can't afford to come into work. On Sunday, a whopping 3,000 TSA screeners called out of work. And nearly 20 percent of the government's air traffic controllers are eligible to retire, as the unions noted in Wednesday's statement. Should they lose faith in their employer and walk off the job en-masse, the whole system "will be crippled." "As union leaders, we find it unconscionable that aviation professionals are being asked to work without pay and in an air safety environment that is deteriorating by the day," the groups said in the press release. "To avoid disruption to our aviation system, we urge Congress and the White House to take all necessary steps to end this shutdown immediately." https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/zmav48/we-cannot-even-calculate-the-level-of- risk-during-the-shutdown-airline-workers-say Back to Top Australian survey finds pilots aren't getting enough sleep before entering the cockpit Passengers need to know the pilots in control of their flight are up to the task. But a new Aussie survey reveals that might not always be the case. What your Pilot really does on a flight One in four pilots are getting less than five hours sleep the day before entering the cockpit for long-haul flights, a worrying Australian report on pilot fatigue has found. A survey of 625 pilots by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) focused on how much rest pilots got before controlling domestic, international, charter and aeromedical flights. It found while most pilots got enough rest, many did not - and sleep of less than five hours could be linked to impaired performance on the flight. About 10 per cent of pilots said they got less than five hours of sleep in the day before the flight, and 17 per cent said they slept for less than 12 hours over the previous two days. "These sleep thresholds have been shown to be associated with impaired performance," the report said. An Australian report has examined the issue of pilot fatigue. The report found less sleep on duty was more of an issue among international and domestic pilots. About a third said they got about as much sleep on duty as they did at home, while around 15 per cent of international pilots said they had "no rest" during their last international flight. Domestic pilots reported they felt rest periods were too short and time on duty was too long. They also said access to food while on duty could be more difficult compared to other pilots. Also concerning was about one in three pilots said they had removed themselves from duty at least once in the past year, mostly between one and three days, as a result of fatigue - but felt that action had left a negative impression with management, and they didn't feel comfortable doing it. One in four pilots are getting less than five hours sleep the day before entering the cockpit for long-haul flights. Picture: iStock The report said the responsibility of managing the risk of fatigue was shared between the pilot and their employer. "It is important for operators to implement policies to reduce the likelihood of fatigue- related issues through rostering practices and by providing an organisational culture where crew can report fatigue in a supportive environment," the ATSB said. "The results of this research suggest that operating in circumstances conducive to fatigue is an ongoing challenge for a proportion of Australian air transport pilots." The survey overlooked an important question - how many pilots had fallen asleep mid- flight, Australian and International Pilots Association safety and technical director Shane Loney told The Australian. There have been instances where pilots have unintentionally fallen asleep on the flight, a pilot safety expert said. Picture: iStock "I've seen that asked live to a group of 250 to 300 pilots and it is almost shocking when you see how many people put their hand up," he said. "What is worse is the odd occasion when you have two pilots who have unintentionally fallen asleep. "It happens a lot more often than we'd like to imagine." But with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in the process of drawing up new fatigue risk management rules, Mr Loney said the survey results came at a good time. "When you've got 30 per cent of long-haul pilots reporting less than 12 hours of sleep in 48 hours, that's quite a sleep debt you're building up," he told The Australian. "It demonstrates to CASA this is real. It's not something dreamt up by pilots out of some industrial gambit." https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/australian-survey-finds-pilots-arent- getting-enough-sleep-before-entering-the-cockpit/news- story/a05450b0412f98165d326a59784e2a8e Back to Top New EASA Rule Provisions Directed At Maintenance Organizations An amendment to a European Aviation Safety Agency rule could require repair stations to amend their manuals. Maintenance organizations with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval take heed: A new revision could necessitate changes to your approved repair station manual procedures. Regulation (EU) 2018/1142 amends the rule governing continuing airworthiness organizations, certifying staff and aeronautical products, parts and appliances. In addition to creating new categories of general aviation maintenance licensing and modifying maintenance training organization privileges, the mandate requires MRO providers to ensure that receiving-inspection procedures incorporate new component category classifications. For EASA Part 147 maintenance training organizations, the revision limits their ability to conduct stand-alone examinations outside a basic-training course. EASA says the amendment will curtail fraudulent practices that result in the unqualified certifiation of staff, without negatively affecting the training community. The regulation still allows maintenance training organizations to facilitate examinations for individuals who did not take its basic-training course, but it places restrictions on an examination's location and the training organization's ability to select the test questions. This portion of the amendment went into effect in September 2018. EASA-approved maintenance organizations should review receiving-inspection procedures by March 5 to ensure compliance with revised regulations. For MRO providers, the amendment clarifies requirements for acceptance, installation and segregation of components, parts or material; establishes component classifications (satisfactory, unserviceable or unsalvageable, a standard part or a raw or consumable material); and streamlines language requiring proper segregation for unserviceable and unsalvageable components. While addressed in previous iterations, the amendment specifically mandates organizations to adopt procedures to ensure components, standard parts and materials are in a satisfactory condition for installation when received and are accompanied by appropriate documentation. In its opinion, the Rulemaking Directorate Opinion acknowledges the ongoing discussions regarding the acceptance of components without an EASA Form 1 and that future rulemakings addressing that issue may necessitate further amendment. The maintenance organization provision requiring the procedures goes into effect March 2019. https://www.mro-network.com/safety-regulatory/new-easa-rule-provisions-directed- maintenance-organizations Back to Top China Bans Smoking by Cabin Crew in Cockpits of Domestic Flights * Move follows recent incidents that spurred safety concerns * Penalties include suspension for as long as three years Pilots and other cabin crew can no longer smoke in the cockpits of domestic flights in China. The Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a notice this week to enforce the ban on in-flight smoking with immediate effect, the China Daily reported Friday. First-time violators, including those who smoke electronic cigarettes, will be suspended for 12 months and repeat offenders will be barred for 36 months. Airlines must carry out routine inspections, the regulator said. China's government had outlawed in-flight smoking in October 2017, but individual airlines were given two more years before the cockpit ban was to take effect. The latest order, which scraps the extra time the carriers got, follows recent incidents that have triggered safety concerns. In July, an Air China Ltd. pilot mistakenly switched off the cabin air-conditioner, when he actually wanted to turn off a circulation fan to prevent smoke from reaching the cabin, causing the Boeing Co. 737 aircraft to descend rapidly and oxygen masks to drop during a flight to Dalian from Hong Kong. Cabin crew who fail to stop other members from smoking in the cockpit will also be suspended for six months, the regulator said. Penalties could be more severe should smoking result in serious consequences, it said. The International Civil Aviation Organization prohibited smoking on all international flights more than two decades ago due to growing health concerns, and most airlines around the world have complied with the ICAO rule. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-25/china-bans-smoking-by-cabin- crew-in-cockpits-of-domestic-flights Back to Top WestJet seeks $65,000 from drunk U.K. passenger who disrupted flight The drunken and unruly passenger who forced a London-bound WestJet flight to return to Calgary may have to pay dearly for his antics. Crown lawyer Lori Ibrus on Thursday said WestJet is seeking nearly $65,000 in compensation from David Stephen Young after he delayed a flight for four hours. Young pleaded guilty to two charges, one under the Aeronautics Act of failing to comply with safety instructions from airline staff and a Criminal Code charge of resisting arrest when he was removed from the plane. Ibrus told provincial court Judge Brian Stevenson that Young, 44, disrupted a Jan. 4, flight from Calgary to Gatwick Airport shortly after takeoff. Reading from a statement of agreed facts signed by Young and his lawyer, Michelle Parhar, Ibrus said a 6:15 p.m. flight had just departed Calgary when Young tried to access a lavatory. "The passengers were required to remain seated and buckled in," Ibrus said. "Right after takeoff, the accused insisted on getting up from his seat to use the lavatory," she said. Ibrus said Young was told he would have to sit down for safety reasons and initially he complied. But he got up shortly afterward and again tried to push his way into the locked washroom, becoming aggressive toward a passenger who tried to intervene and swore at her. "The accused was non-compliant with the flight attendant's safety instructions and forced his way into the lavatory to use it." When he exited, he began to verbally berate the other passenger, Karen Ambler, and staff had to get in between them to prevent a physical altercation, the prosecutor said. Eventually Young sat back down, but the crew and Ambler were "left shaken and threatened" by Young, and the decision was made to return the flight to Calgary. However, to reduce the airplane's weight for landing, Capt. Rodney Booth had to dump 20,000 pounds of fuel and then fly around first at 10,000 feet and then 8,000 feet to burn off more fuel. "The fuel burn took approximately 45 minutes," Ibrus said. When the flight got back to the gate, Const. Conrad Yue arrested Young, but he repeatedly resisted the officer and Canada Border Services Agency officers who tried to lead him to an airport cell. The entire flight was delayed four hours, as was a return flight from London. Both Ibrus and Parhar agreed the seven days Young spent behind bars after his arrest was sufficient punishment. But Parhar argued against the compensation order being sought by WestJet of $64,769.26 for fuel costs, some meal vouchers and passenger compensation, and hotel costs for putting up 18 returning passengers who missed connecting flights. Ibrus said WestJet's total costs could exceed $200,000, but the final figure won't be known for some time. Parhar suggested a compensation order of $5,000 to $8,000 would sufficiently act as a deterrent, but not bankrupt the Brit. She said the alcoholic Young had been on the wagon for six months, but the stress of returning to the U.K. after a Christmas visit with his recently widowed mother on Vancouver Island caused him to consume five drinks pre-flight. She also said the embarrassment of media coverage here and in the U.K. is a significant mitigating factor. Stevenson will sentence Young next week. https://calgarysun.com/news/crime/westjet-seeks-65000-from-drunk-u-k-passenger- who-disrupted-flight Back to Top MROs Look To High Schools To Alleviate Mx Tech Shortage workers performing engine maintenance An upcoming surge in retirements and fewer students in the classroom has the MRO industry concerned about a prolonged shortage of A&Ps. (Photo: C&L Aerospace) Brian Youngers is looking to hire an A&P for his rural Kansas company and expects it to be a challenge. Youngers, operations director for Southwind Global Aviation, an aircraft delivery and services company, thinks Southwind's rural location-42 miles north of Wichita-and an industry-wide shortage of mechanics could make filling the vacancy tough. "I do think we're going to have a hard time finding someone," Youngers told AIN. When he called in mid-January to post Southwind's job opening at schools in Kansas that train A&Ps, he was told by one that nearly all of its graduating students had already found employment. "We've got to get in there now if we even want to have a shot," Youngers said. His experience is a familiar one to MRO owners, directors, and aircraft manufacturers across the country. With a 3.9 percent U.S. unemployment rate and a strong economy, finding qualified talent is difficult for a lot of industries. But for aviation, the mechanic pool is only expected to get tighter as 30 percent of them are at or near retirement age, according to the Aviation Technician Education Council's December 2018 Pipeline Report. The report also projects the aircraft mechanic population will shrink 5 percent in the next 15 years. What's more, in its 20-year Technician Outlook published in October 2018, Boeing projected North America alone will need 189,000 new technicians by 2037 (120,000 in commercial aviation; 55,000 in business aviation; and 14,000 in civil helicopters). Worldwide, Boeing's projections said the industry will need 2.43 million new technicians in the next two decades (622,000 commercial; 89,000 business; and 43,000 helicopter). The shortage didn't happen overnight and it likely won't be quickly solved, industry officials said. It's a function of a rash of anticipated retirements, increased demand for aircraft maintenance, competition from outside the industry, and a broader lack of awareness of the need for mechanics outside of aviation, they said. Stay on the leading edge of the business jet industry with AIN's free daily newsletter. ATTRACTING NEW TALENT According to ATEC, the shortage is not a training capacity issue. In its report, ATEC said only one of every two seats available is filled in a technical school offering A&P training. That means even without expansion, there's capacity for 17,000 additional students. ATEC executive director Crystal Maguire said that schools are increasing their recruiting activities and expect enrollment to increase. "But there is still significant opportunity for industry employers to help define career paths and attract more students into the pipeline-students that they will need as technicians in the coming years," she said. What could also help fill those seats is progress on a five-year pilot program providing annual grants of up to $500,000 to partnerships between businesses, unions, schools, and governments to recruit and retain new aviation maintenance technicians. The program was contained in the FAA authorization passed by Congress in October 2018. But the program hasn't yet been funded. "An authorization is an important step," Aeronautical Repair Station Association v-p of operations Brett Levanto told AIN. "Now we need an appropriation." For officials on the frontlines of the shortage, most said they are fighting every day to attract and retain mechanics. "I would say we continue to struggle to fill our A&P jobs," Maggie Topping, Textron Aviation senior v-p of human resources and communications, told AIN. "We hire them on a global basis, so yes, absolutely there's a shortage." The biggest struggle for the Wichita-based Cessna and Beechcraft airframer is competition from commercial airlines, Topping said, as well as companies outside the aviation industry such as amusement parks, wind farms, utility companies, and heavy machinery manufacturers and dealers. "With an A&P license, you can work in a multitude of industries, so then we compete on that, and then (applicants) have to decide on us versus United or us versus Delta," she said. C&L Aerospace's Phil Miholovich told AIN he once attended an aviation job fair where one of the recruiting companies was Bobcat, a construction equipment manufacturer. "Some of these other industries can afford to pay more by the nature of what they do," said Miholovich, director of maintenance for Bangor, Maine-based C&L. The ATEC report said of the students graduating from A&P programs participating in its survey, 13 percent took a job outside aviation. ATEC said that's down from 25 percent in 2015 and 2016, and 20 percent in 2017. But competition from outside the industry remains a concern for MRO companies. "This industry could be better" in terms of compensation, Jim Hansen, owner of Western Jet Aviation in Van Nuys, California, told AIN. Hansen, whose company employs about 40 A&Ps, said he can recall a time not too long ago when an aircraft mechanic could "get a job at a local garage paying pretty good" wages. Hansen said this year Western Jet has been able to raise its pay at or above market rate for mechanics. "We have also put more money in their pockets through health benefits," he said, by Western Jet taking on more of the costs of employee health insurance. ATEC said that schools responding to its survey reported an average starting hourly wage of $19.70, up 40 cents an hour from its 2017 survey. That's almost in line with where Miholovich expected it to be, considering inflation over the past 30 years. He said when he started as an A&P in 1988, he was making $9.50 an hour. Adjusted for inflation, that would be $20.29 in 2018. "That's stayed fairly constant," Miholovich said. "I just question if the younger generation expects more." According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for aircraft mechanics and service technicians was $29.34, based on its latest data from May 2017. RAISING AWARENESS Miholovich and others think there are ways to increase the ranks of A&Ps. One of those is through apprenticeships, which C&L started about four years ago. So far, Miholovich said the company has trained 20 of its A&Ps that way. The attraction, he said, is the company is paying them to learn the trade. "We're basically hiring kids who have mechanical aptitude and are willing to learn," Miholovich said. "That's proven to be quite successful." But the downside is a company has to have the resources to be able to train and pay someone with no experience, he said. It also has to have experienced A&Ps willing to mentor apprentices, Miholovich added. "I think one of the biggest solutions is awareness, and that's lacking," he said. "Awareness is huge. I think that's something the industry needs to focus on." That awareness, said Textron's Topping, begins at the high school level. "It's a volume game of how many can we attract and retain, because it's very competitive. I think that's why we need to work on the high schools." That's just what Textron is doing. In May 2018, Textron along with Wichita Public Schools and Wichita State University Tech unveiled a program called Aviation Pathways, which is being piloted by four Wichita high schools with plans to expand it across Kansas. The aim of the program is to promote skilled careers in aviation to high school students. It takes it a step further from mere promotion by allowing students to take classes at WSU Tech that can satisfy their high school graduation requirements, while also receiving training in an aviation manufacturing trade or as an aircraft mechanic. Topping said for those students pursuing an A&P, Aviation Pathways won't give them all the courses in high school that they need to complete their training, but it gives them a big head start. "It accelerates their path," she said. "Our hope for that program is that we'll start in the high schools exposing students to what does an A&P mean, what does avionics mean?" Topping said. "That's a huge step for us in regard to exposure for the future workforce and pipeline. I think at the end of the day it's exposure for students and understanding what job opportunities the industry provides." Western Jet's Hansen said he's watched the growth in recent years of a Los Angeles Unified School District program that exposes students to aviation careers. He thinks that's helping to restock the population of A&Ps in his area, who he said are either retiring or moving out of state. "Things are looking better," he said. "We try to hire ex- military, trainees, everything we can to try to help. But we've still got a long way to go." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-01-23/mros-look- high-schools-alleviate-mx-tech-shortage Back to Top Emirates Aviation University to participate in key aviation summit Emirates Aviation University is scheduled to participate in the first edition of the Global Investment in Aviation Summit, slated to take place from January 27-29 at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City. The summit is organised by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and carries the theme "Linking Developed and Emerging Markets through Attractive Aviation Investment Opportunities", with a focus on the aviation, air transport and air logistics sectors - which actively contribute close a third of Dubai's total GDP output. "Emirates Aviation University supports the growth of the UAE's aviation ecosystem through its carefully designed programmes and initiatives so students are ready to meet the demands of the evolving transportation industry. EAU regularly works with industry stakeholders to introduce new educational platforms, partnerships and academic projects that provide a pathway from university to industry for future graduates. Our participation in the Global Investment in Aviation Summit underscores our commitment to supporting the sector with well-trained and educated aviation professionals," said Dr Ahmad Al Ali, vice-chancellor of Emirates Aviation University. The university offers an extensive range of educational opportunities designed to provide students with the best aviation-related specializations. Students can choose from vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that combine the highest academic standards with the latest developments in the field of aviation spanning Aviation Management, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Aviation Safety, Aviation Security, Unmanned Aerospace Systems Design, Aerospace Engineering, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering amongst others. EAU will also participate at a number of other UAE events in 2019, including the upcoming International Education Show on January 30 at Expo Centre Sharjah. The show is a platform for educational institutions from across the region and world to interact with talent pursuing higher studies. The university will showcase its course offerings at the show until February 1. - TradeArabia News Service http://tradearabia.com/news/TTN_350183.html Back to Top High-flying aviation industry one of Ireland's big successes Employment rose four-fold from 2007 to 2016, with orders for over 17,000 new aircraft planned Aviation leasing employs about 1,500 people and there are estimated to be another 3,500 jobs created in the broader economy Aviation leasing is one of Ireland's major success stories, starting in the 1970s with the launch of Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA) by Tony Ryan, who went on to co-found Ryanair. The sector employs approximately 1,500 people and there are estimated to be another 3,500 jobs created in the broader economy. Employment has also almost quadrupled from 2007 to 2016. More than 1,700 new aircraft were delivered by Boeing and Airbus in one year and there are orders for over 17,000 new aircraft over the next 10 years. This is due to the projected increase in passenger numbers which are due to double by the year 2030 to more than 73 million, driven mainly by the Asian market. Ireland is now recognised globally as a centre of excellence for the industry and the top four global lessors are located here. The continuing successes and developments in the industry have significantly contributed to Ireland's economy - approximately $660 million each year. This is through tax collected on employee salaries, irrecoverable VAT, fees paid to professional services firms based here as well as other Irish based suppliers. Then there is the spend by the companies and employees in the economy more generally and the trickle-down effect this has. Many of the major players currently in the industry evolved from or came directly out of GPA, according to Anne Flood, head of capital markets at Intertrust. Tony Ryan "It goes back to Tony Ryan in the late 1970s, when he founded GPA and it became very successful over the 1980s. It went on to float in 1992, but as a result of turmoil in the global market, that flotation failed and it was bought out by GE Capital. A lot of people who worked in GPA moved on and either set up aviation leasing companies themselves or went into law firms or the 'big four'," she says. The industry is now comprised of leasing companies, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies. A good example of one of these is FL Technics, which employs some 1,000 people in Limerick and Dublin. "The industry employs around 5000 people - through the leasing companies themselves, the MROs but also the huge service industry that goes alongside that as well. We at Intertrust provide corporate services to the aviation sector, and a lot of our clients are aviation leasing companies or financial institutions that provide finance to aviation leasing companies. Then there's the law firms, tax advisers, and auditors, who all provide advisory services to the industry, providing direct and indirect employment," she says. Recent successes include a number of significant transactions that underpin the continued expansion of the aircraft leasing industry. Standout examples, says Rob Murphy, co-chair of Aviation Group Arthur Cox, include the formation and development of Avolon into a top three lessor, with close to 1,000 aircraft and the purchase by AerCap of ILFC and the location of AerCap's international headquarters in Dublin. Economy "The benefits of this to the economy are clear and evident, especially through the creation of high-end jobs, both direct and indirect. Recently formed industry body Aircraft Leasing Ireland gives continuing focus to the importance of the industry to the economy. The body will work with the Government to spearhead initiatives in order to continue the progress," he says. The tax infrastructure continues to make Ireland very attractive, including the comparative rate of corporate tax but most importantly, the double taxation treaty network, which is better than most other countries. There is also attractive tax depreciation on aircraft assets. However, there are competing jurisdictions coming to the fore, including Hong Kong and Singapore, Flood says. "They are really setting up to actively compete with us and go after the buoyant Asia sector, where a lot of the demand is coming from, so it's great to see Aircraft Leasing Ireland, the new government industry body set up by Ibec last year. This will corral the industry and represent the major players and continue to promote Ireland as a centre of excellence," she says. In terms of growing this industry into the future, there is a strong focus on education and the need for investment on that side, Murphy says. "That is already coming through with the success of the UCD masters in aviation finance, launched in 2016. There is also a need to expand Ireland's double tax treaty network so that we stay at the cutting edge of growth in the industry," he adds. Brexit In terms of Brexit, how is this likely to impact on the industry in Ireland, both positively and negatively? "Brexit's impact is really focused on airlines operations, access to traffic rights and related ownership rule compliance. So there is no adverse impact on the overall outlook for the leasing and financing industry," Murphy says. Flood agrees, saying the global industry will be least impacted by Brexit but it will have an impact on the airlines. Unless there is agreement regarding international air travel, "that's a headache for the airlines" she says. Tom Woods, head of aviation finance and leasing at KPMG in Ireland says employee pay has grown by 500 per cent in the industry, which as of 2016 averages at €165,000 a year per the Central Statistics Office. "This is likely to continue into the future as the industry grows and Ireland's share of it grows. The ability to deliver on this growth is predicated on Ireland remaining attractive as a location for aircraft leasing. Much of this will hinge on the ability to attract and retain top talent here. In this regard, ensuring we have availability of housing, international school education, work visas for family members as well as an attractive income tax regime will be key," he says. https://www.irishtimes.com/special-reports/aviation-finance/high-flying-aviation- industry-one-of-ireland-s-big-successes-1.3760055 Back to Top Airlines Are Failing To Reduce Carbon Pollution NASA worked with industry partners to develop this more efficient blended-wing aircraft design.NASA Airlines and aircraft manufacturers are not on track to meet their own climate goals, according to an analysis released today by the Rocky Mountain Institute, which calls for a global forum where industry leaders can tackle their emission problem free from competitive dynamics. "Aviation needs a radical new plan to achieve its climate goals," according to an RMI report released this morning. "Industry emissions are growing faster than original forecasts and long-term solutions are nowhere in sight." The airlines could halve their fuel use and prevent seven billion tons of carbon emissions by adopting revolutionary new aircraft designs with blended-wing technology and other breakthrough features, according to Adam Klauber, a principal, and Isaac Toussie, a senior associate, in the think tank's Industries Program. But the industry has not brought these designs closer to takeoff, RMI says: "There is no clear path nor timeline for revolutionary designs in commercial aircraft." Boeing has been testing a blended-wing design, but widespread production reportedly remains distant. Manufacturers would have to invest massively to tool up for the new designs, and airlines would have to change how they do business, the analysts say. "Existing practices offer cost-effective aircraft-size options for airlines with changes limited to the length of the cabin; blended-wing models would disrupt this advantage," they say, and "Airlines prefer uniformity in their fleets to maximize flexibility for pilot changes and simplify maintenance." Airports would have to widen taxiways. Nonetheless, innovative designs have been integral to industry promises to reduce emissions 50 percent by 2050. Over the last three years, RMI says, airlines have increased efficiency by less than 1 percent per year. Airlines have been slow to improve efficiency because they have already optimized passenger load, so they have few seats to fill, RMI says. The airlines are also flying more aircraft to meet growing demand, prompted by low fuel prices, and they may be retaining aging aircraft longer. Speaking before the release of the RMI report, and not in response to it, Etihad's sustainability manager attributed the industry's performance to a late start. "I think it's safe to say that aviation was rather late in the game compared to ground transport," she said at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Forum this month in Abu Dhabi. "We had rather strict requirements. We didn't want to have to modify our aircraft. We can't have the luxury of some aircraft needing one type of fuel and other aircraft needing another. Can you imagine the terrible situation you'd end up in with aircraft not being able to fly to certain places because biofuel wasn't available?" Nonetheless, she said, the industry's late start means it can learn from the mistakes of others. She added that the industry doesn't get credit for some accomplishments, such as a 70 percent increase in the efficiency of jet fuels, because "We just weren't good at getting our message out. "Across the industry we're very well aware of sustainability," she said. "It's got to be very high on the agenda." The aviation industry has proposed shifting to sustainable aviation fuel, but according to RMI, sustainable fuel makes up less than 0.01 percent of global consumption. Sustainable fuel is produced at only one dedicated production refinery in the world, and it costs two to three times what airlines pay for fossil fuel. The International Civil Aviation Organization estimates that 140 new commercial production facilities are needed each year between now and 2050 to move the industry to cleaner fuels. Electric aircraft could prove to be part of the solution, RMI says, but they are not likely to have an impact until after 2030. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2019/01/25/airlines-are-failing-at- reducing-carbon-pollution/#550743a765c7 Back to Top NASA Eyes Blockchain Tech to Secure Aircraft Flight Data NASA - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - is examining blockchain technology as a means to ensure the privacy and security of aircraft flight data. Ronald Reisman, an aero-computer engineer at NASA Ames Research Center, published a paper on Monday, suggesting that blockchain networks and smart contracts can help mitigate some security issues. Starting Jan. 1, 2020, the U.S. has been mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use a new surveillance system - Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) - which will publicly broadcast aircrafts' identity, position and other information. That has raised security concerns among stakeholders, Reisman said in his paper, explaining that the ADS-B system "does not include provisions for maintaining these same aircraft-privacy options, nor does it address the potential for spoofing, denial of service, and other well-documented risk factors." Civil aircraft companies would prefer to keep some data private, he writes, for example, to counter tracking executives as part of corporate espionage operations. Military aircraft traffic data, meanwhile, is defined by the Department of Defense as "Information that, if disclosed, would reveal vulnerabilities in the DoD critical infrastructure and, if exploited, would likely result in the significant disruption, destruction, or damage of or to DoD operations, property, or facilities." Considering the sensitivity of related air traffic data, the military need for confidentiality "is likely to remain decisive in their adoption and use of ADS-B," Reisman writes. To address these and other issues, the researcher presents a prototype in the paper, dubbed the Aviation Blockchain Infrastructure (ABI), based on Hyperledger Fabric and smart contracts, which allows control over what data is shared publicly or privately with authorized entities. For instance, aircraft "state information," such as altitude, indicated airspeed, heading, etc., could be kept secure via a private channel, while flight-plan information, such as aircraft type, origin, destination, filed route, etc., can be published on a public channel for access to approved members. Reisman says: "We propose to use a 'lightly permissioned' blockchain framework to enable the ADS-B systems to meet or exceed the same levels of privacy and security currently provided by radar-based systems in the NAS [National Airspace System]." This is not the first time that the NASA has set out to explore blockchain seeking technological improvements. Back in February, the agency granted $330,000 to a professor at the University of Akron, to support research on ethereum blockchain technology to automatically detect floating debris. https://www.coindesk.com/nasa-eyes-blockchain-tech-to-secure-aircraft-flight-data Back to Top Surprise! Boeing hands Air Force the keys to not just one, but two KC-46 tanker jets Tanker handover ceremony Boeing employees, military personnel and VIPs gather at Boeing's assembly plant in Everett, Wash., for the handover of the first KC-46 refueling airplane. (Boeing via LiveStream) Boeing executives today added an extra twist to what was expected to be a cut-and- dried ceremony to hand over its first KC-46 tanker aircraft to the U.S. Air Force. Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, sprung the surprise in front of the hundreds of employees, Air Force personnel and VIPs gathered at the company's assembly plant in Everett, Wash., where the heavily modified 767 jets have taken shape. "I am delighted to be with you all today to celebrate the delivery of the first KC-46 tanker from Boeing to the United States Air Force," she said. "Wait a minute! I'm sorry, I have made a mistake. I think I had that wrong. I believe I am delivering two KC-46 aircraft to the United States Air Force! Two!" Caret announced that officials from Boeing and the Air Force signed the acceptance forms for a second KC-46, following up on the paperwork that was approved earlier this month for the first jet. She and other Boeing executives made sure that two ceremonial keys were handed over to Air Force Gen. Maryanne Miller, commander of the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. Miller was filling in for Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, whose plane was reportedly diverted to Hill Air Force Base in Utah due to smoke in the cockpit. "Of course, not a Boeing aircraft," Miller quipped. The first KC-46A Pegasus jets are to be flown to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas for another round of delivery ceremonies on Friday. Miller said the airplane, which is designed to refuel a wide variety of military planes in midflight, will add "another arrow in our quiver of capabilities, as we provide rapid global mobility for our nation." Boeing's KC-46 planes will replace the Air Force's oldest KC-135 Stratotanker planes, which were built by Boeing more than a half-century ago. The KC-46 project has been a source of controversy for well more than a decade. After a back-and-forth over the contract award process, Boeing won the Air Force's nod to build the first tanker in 2011. But the contract capped development costs for the first four tankers at $4.9 billion, and Boeing had to absorb all the costs over that amount. Pre-tax cost overruns mounted to well over $3 billion, due largely to snags that were encountered during the longer-than-expected development and test program. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg referred to the difficulties today during his remarks to the Everett crowd. "I think we all know the journey over the last several years, it hasn't been easy," he said. "In fact, it's been hard. But this team stuck to it. This team worked together, and it reminds me again of what the amazing people of this company and our teammates can accomplish when we work together as one Boeing, and in this case, work together as a One Boeing, One Air Force team." The journey isn't over yet. In addition to the two jets already accepted, eight other KC- 46 planes are undergoing customer acceptance testing, and scores more are being built. Boeing is currently on contract for 52 of what's expected to be 179 tankers for the Air Force. The total acquisition cost is projected to exceed $44 billion. "We're going to be building and supporting these tankers for our U.S. Air Force customer for decades, decades to come," Muilenburg said. Boeing is still on the hook to fix deficiencies that the Air Force identified in the KC-46's remote vision system, which lets the flight crew know how the refueling process is going. The deficiencies have to do with glare or shadows that can obscure the operator's view under certain lighting conditions. The Air Force has said it "has mechanisms in place to ensure Boeing meets its contractual obligations while we continue with initial operational testing and evaluation." Up to $28 million could be withheld from the final payment on each aircraft until the fixes are made, the Air Force says. Another issue has to do with wing-mounted refueling pods that make it possible to refuel two aircraft simultaneously. This week, Bloomberg News reported that Cobham, a British-based Boeing subcontractor, hasn't met its specified schedule for certification and delivery of the pods. https://www.yahoo.com/news/surprise-boeing-hands-air-force-000822037.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