Flight Safety Information January 30, 2019 - No. 022 In This Issue Accident: Ryanair B738 at Frankfurt on Jan 29th 2019, gear strut penetrates wing during retraction Incident: Logan SB20 near Isle of Man on Jan 28th 2019, cracked windshield Accident: India A321 at Tirupati on Jan 29th 2019, foreign object damage during departure Incident: Commut E145 at Greenville on Jan 28th 2019, smoke detector activated EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Europa AT72 at Palma Mallorca on Jan 28th 2019, temporary runway excursion on landing 29-JAN-2019 - Guardian Flight Beechcraft King Air 200 accident (Alaska) Bell 407 - Fatal Accident (Ohio) Unruly passenger forces flight to divert to Salt Lake City International Airport Nearly 550 flights canceled at Chicago airports as temperatures plummet Southwest paid for FAA inspector during shutdown Is The TSA Really Necessary? Ranks of Air Controllers Could Shrink More Because of Shutdown Korean Air's Cho family faces call for outside managers at chaebol Air Vanuatu to acquire 13 new aircraft by 2030 Qantas contractors in Canberra out of work as jobs move to Singapore Want to be a pilot? Degree program at UNO moves closer to fruition Boeing's big decision: Whether to build its first all-new jet design in 15 years Two Chinese private space companies will launch into orbit this year ONLINE SURVEY REQUEST Aircraft Maintenance Investigation from SCSI IATA Safety & Flight Ops Conference - 2-4 April - Barcelona 2019 AIR CHARTER SAFETY SYMPOSIUM Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Accident: Ryanair B738 at Frankfurt on Jan 29th 2019, gear strut penetrates wing during retraction A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-GXG performing flight FR-5214 from Frankfurt Hahn (Germany) to Bari (Italy), was climbing out of Hahn Airport's runway 21 when the crew selected the gear up but did not receive indication the gear came up properly. The crew stopped the climb at FL100 and returned to Frankfurt Hahn for a safe landing on runway 21 about 40 minutes after departure. The left main gear damaged and penetrated the upper wing surface: http://avherald.com/h?article=4c381cd8&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Logan SB20 near Isle of Man on Jan 28th 2019, cracked windshield A Loganair Saab 2000 on behalf of British Airways, registration G-LGNS performing flight BA-3285 from Isle of Man to London City,EN (UK) with 22 passengers and 3 crew, was climbing out of Isle of Man when the crew stopped the climb at about FL240 due to a cracked windshield and returned to Isle of Man for a safe landing about 30 minutes after departure. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c381726&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: India A321 at Tirupati on Jan 29th 2019, foreign object damage during departure An Air India Airbus A321-200, registration VT-PPN performing flight AI-541 from Tirupati to Hyderabad (India), departed Tirupati's runway 26 and continued to Hyderabad, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 09R about one hour after departure. A post flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the underside of the aircraft including penetration of the lower surfaces of the horizontal stabilizers as result of foreign objects impacts believed to have occurred during departure. Another aircraft, an Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, departed Tirupati's runway 26 shortly after AI-541, then the runway was temporarily closed to verify state of the runway, that is currently being re- surfaced during non-operational hours. The runway was closed for about 5 hours, then reopened again. The ATR-72 was able to continue its schedule following departure from Tirupati. Related NOTAM: C1109/18 NOTAMN Q) VOMF/QMRXX/IV/BO/A/000/999/ A) VOTP B) 1901011600 C) 1903300030 D) 1600-0030 E) RWY 08/26 RECARPETING AND STRENGTHENNING WORK WILL BE CARRIED OUT DRG NON OPR HR.ALL SKED AIRLINE OPR SHALL ADHERE TO APV DGCA SKED AND NON-SKED OPR SHALL ADHERE TO WATCH HR The damage: http://avherald.com/h?article=4c3811cc&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Commut E145 at Greenville on Jan 28th 2019, smoke detector activated A Commutair Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of United, registration N14143 performing flight UA-4949 from Greenville,SC to Newark,NJ (USA) with 40 people on board, was climbing out of Greenville when the crew stopped the climb at 6000 feet due to the activation of a smoke detector. The aircraft returned to Greenville for a safe landing about 12 minutes after departure. Attending emergency services did not find any trace of fire, heat or smoke. The aircraft was able to depart again after about 3 hours on the ground and reached Newark with a delay of 2:40 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UCA4949/history/20190128/2350Z/KGSP/KEWR http://avherald.com/h?article=4c3815d0&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Europa AT72 at Palma Mallorca on Jan 28th 2019, temporary runway excursion on landing An Air Europa Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration EC-LYJ performing flight UX-4014 from Valencia,SP to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain), landed on Mallorca's runway 24L at about 17:35L (16:35Z) when the aircraft temporarily veered off the runway colliding with a runway edge light before returning onto the runway. The aircraft rolled out without further incident. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained damage to its right hand main gear fairing. The airport reported the aircraft made a minor temporary runway excursion during landing. The damage to the runway lights was immediately repaired. The airline reported strong gusting winds were affecting Palma Mallorca for days already, they were the cause for the temporary runway excursion. Metars: LEPA 281830Z 32022G33KT 9999 FEW020 14/06 Q1008 NOSIG= LEPA 281800Z 33020KT 9999 FEW020 14/06 Q1008 NOSIG= LEPA 281730Z 32023G35KT 290V350 9999 FEW020 14/05 Q1008 NOSIG= LEPA 281700Z 32024G34KT 9999 FEW020 14/06 Q1007 NOSIG= LEPA 281630Z 32024G34KT 290V350 9999 FEW020 14/06 Q1007 NOSIG= LEPA 281600Z 32026G40KT 9999 FEW020 15/05 Q1006 NOSIG= LEPA 281530Z 31025G36KT 9999 FEW020 15/06 Q1006 NOSIG= LEPA 281500Z 31027G39KT 280V010 9999 FEW020 15/06 Q1006 NOSIG= LEPA 281430Z 31021G33KT 280V340 9999 FEW020 15/05 Q1006 NOSIG= LEPA 281400Z 30016KT 270V340 9999 FEW020 15/05 Q1006 NOSIG= LEPA 281330Z 29016KT 240V320 9999 FEW020 15/06 Q1006 NOSIG= LEPA 281300Z 29016G26KT 250V340 9999 FEW020 16/05 Q1006 NOSIG= The damage: http://avherald.com/h?article=4c37ebc5&opt=0 Back to Top 29-JAN-2019 - Guardian Flight Beechcraft King Air 200 accident (Alaska) Status: Preliminary Date: Tuesday 29 January 2019 Type: Beechcraft King Air 200 Operator: Guardian Flight Registration: registration unknown C/n / msn: First flight: Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: / Occupants: 3 Aircraft damage: Missing Aircraft fate: Presumed damaged beyond repair Location: W off Kake, AK ( United States of America) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Anchorage-Ted Stevens International Airport, AK (ANC/PANC), United States of America Destination airport: Kake Airport, AK (PAFE), United States of America Narrative: The aircraft with three occupants onboard is reported missing west of Kake, Alaska. A UCSG cutter has been deployed. The aircraft was due to land at 18:19. Weather in the area is reported at light rain with overcast skies, 10 miles visibility, 7 mph winds and an air temperature of 36 degrees. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20190129-0 Back to Top Bell 407 - Fatal Accident (Ohio) Date: 29-JAN-2019 Time: 07:20 LT Type: Bell 407 Owner/operator: Survival Flight Inc Registration: N407SF C/n / msn: 53737 Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Lake Hope State Park in McArthur, OH - United States of America Phase: Initial climb Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Mount Carmel Health Heliport (OI61) Destination airport: Holzer Meigs hospital, Pomeroy, OH Narrative: The ambulance helicopter crashed into wooded terrain in southeast Ohio with three persons onboard. Photos from the crash scene show that the helicopter was completely destroyed (fragmented). 3 occupants died. At approximately 10:16 OT, Ohio State Highway Patrol found the wreckage. The aircraft was en route to pick up a patient. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=221281 Back to Top Unruly passenger forces flight to divert to Salt Lake City International Airport A flight from San Francisco made an unexpected landing at the airport in Salt Lake City because of an unruly passenger. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) A flight from San Francisco made an unexpected stop at the airport in Salt Lake City because of an unruly passenger. A statement from Delta Airlines said the customer was being disruptive on board. The plane was on its way to Atlanta when the crew decided to make the unplanned stop at approximately 1:30 a.m. Law enforcement met the plane at the airport, according to Delta's statement. The plane continued its journey to Atlanta shortly after the passenger was removed. https://kutv.com/news/local/unruly-passenger-forces-flight-to-divert-to-salt-lake-city- international-airport Back to Top Back to Top Nearly 550 flights canceled at Chicago airports as temperatures plummet An electronic board shows flight delays and cancellations at O'Hare International Airport after a snowstorm on November 26, 2018. | Scott Olson/Getty Images Snowy conditions from Monday's storm and unrelenting freezing temperatures Tuesday prompted Chicago's two major airports to cancel nearly 550 flights on Tuesday. As of 10:50 p.m., 273 flights were canceled at O'Hare International Airport while 274 were grounded at Midway International Airport, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. At both airports, delays were averaging less than 15 minutes. That's a significant reduction from Monday night, which saw more than 1,300 flights canceled between O'Hare and Midway. Both airports were hit with roughly 3 inches of fresh snow by Monday morning before more flurries moved in overnight and continued through Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures plummeted to dangerous, sub-zero levels Tuesday, the weather service said. The brutal cold snap could force windchill values to drop to 50 degrees below zero in some parts of the Chicago area by Wednesday. As a result, the weather service issued a wind chill warning for northern Illinois and much of northwest Indiana that will remain in effect until noon Thursday. The "dangerously cold" conditions could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes, the weather service warned. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/450-flights-canceled-at-chicago-airports-as- temperatures-plummet/ Back to Top Southwest paid for FAA inspector during shutdown By ANDY PASZTOR Southwest Airlines Co. benefited from an unusual deal with federal aviation regulators during the recent partial government shutdown: The carrier agreed to cover the cost of briefly recalling a furloughed safety inspector to sign off on putting three new jets into service. The arrangement, which hasn't been reported before, called for only a $3,150 payment and three hours of administrative office time, according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman. He also said on Tuesday that the headquarters issued the order after agency managers and lawyers struck the agreement and determined most of the work had been completed before the shutdown, and that the move complied with laws and regulations restricting agency functions while the budget impasse dragged on. But the deal has been criticized by union officials for two main reasons. They complained that they weren't consulted as required, and that the arrangement appeared to represent favorable treatment for Southwest at the expense of competitors. Some other airlines tried similar arguments to those used by Southwest while FAA employees were furloughed, but failed to persuade the FAA to authorize quickly adding more aircraft to their officially designated fleets, according to industry and labor officials familiar with the details. During the furloughs that ended this week, FAA inspectors recalled to their jobs without pay were supposed to conduct almost exclusively oversight and other functions directly related to the agency's core safety responsibilities. "The FAA and Southwest entered into a reimbursable agreement to provide minimal time to complete aircraft certification services," the agency spokesman said in an email. "These services were completed only after meeting immediate operational safety needs." The agency's statement also said the agreement was reached before the partial government shutdown began. In an email Tuesday, a Southwest spokesman confirmed the carrier started discussions with the FAA as the shutdown loomed in order to add planes "so we could serve the public during the busy holiday season." The airline agreed to reimburse the agency for administrative costs while the government was partially closed, according to the statement, but so far it hasn't received an invoice. The statement also said Southwest doesn't know what other airlines requested from the agency. The episode underscores how a big company with savvy lawyers and good agency connections was able to negotiate an agreement -- before the furloughs kicked in -- and shielded itself from the fallout of the partial shutdown. That occurred as individuals and many government contractors scrambled to cope with delayed paychecks or missing payments. Southwest, however, ended up having to wait until the partial shutdown ended to have FAA experts resume work on the carrier's longstanding request to begin service to Hawaii from the West Coast. Such extended overwater routes require special FAA approvals and test flights, which haven't yet taken place. The Hawaii routes provide Southwest's top growth prospects, but regular service now isn't expected to start until April at the earliest, according to people tracking the process. The inspector picked by local FAA managers to add the three Boeing Co. 737 MAX jets to Southwest's operating fleet of more than 700 jets was worried about his instructions and asked the union, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, for guidance, according to union officials. An internal union memo reviewed by The Wall Street Journal confirmed one plane was added effective Dec. 27, several days into the partial agency shutdown, and the direction originated elsewhere in the FAA, not in the Dallas- area office overseeing Southwest. "I have never heard of anything like that before," said Ray Morgan, a veteran FAA inspector and manager who serves as a union representative. The agreement between Southwest and high-level agency officials allowed the budget carrier "to get an advantage over the rest of the industry," according to Mr. Morgan. The FAA has a multitude of reimbursement agreements with companies, covering everything from airport upgrades to overseeing pilot-training schools to monitoring repair facilities overseas. But the latest Southwest activity was highly unusual because it was prompted by senior agency officials and came at a time when local FAA managers nationwide were warning inspectors to restrict their work to core safety matters. Adding the three jets to its official fleet -- after the inspector certified they were properly equipped -- was intended to allow Southwest to start using them to fly passengers. Otherwise, the aircraft, each valued at roughly $60 million, would have sat idle until the budget stalemate ended some three weeks later. Delta Air Lines Inc. postponed until Feb. 7 the debut of four new Airbus SE A220 aircraft because FAA inspectors weren't available to officially add them to the carrier's fleet, the company said. Agency officials had determined the extent of that effort would have exceeded the simple work performed for Southwest, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Delta postponement came as airline officials explored whether they could find a way to fund the FAA inspectors' work but the carrier ultimately didn't pursue the option because it entailed legal and regulatory questions, a person familiar with the matter said. On Tuesday, the FAA said it turned down requests from other carriers due to the initial lack of personnel, but as more employees were called back to work, some inspectors were able to perform certain lower-priority work for some of those carriers when time permitted. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/southwest-paid-for-faa-inspector-during- shutdown-2019-01-29 Back to Top Is The TSA Really Necessary? By: Ellis Talton and Remington Tonar Contributor We cover issues and innovations impacting infrastructure and industry. A TSA worker checks an identification card, Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle. Yielding to mounting pressure and growing disruption, President Donald Trump and congressional leaders on Friday reached a short-term deal to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiations continue over the president's demands for money to build his long-promised wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)ASSOCIATED PRESS As the U.S. government shutdown enters a three-week intermission, many are taking a moment to assess the political impact of the longest shutdown in the country's history. Beyond the political and social ramifications, however, the hiatus also provides an opportunity to look at how our infrastructure and transportation systems fared. Airports have seen the brunt of the disruption. Last Friday, January 25, the FAA issued ground stops at a handful of major airports due to a sharp increase in air traffic controllers calling in sick amid shutdown-induced financial strain. For example, nearly half of the controllers for one Washington-area zone called in sick on Friday, leaving the high-volume Washington center short-handed. The Transportation Security Administration has also seen an increase in unscheduled absences, which have more than doubled year over year during the shutdown. Unlike the shortage of air traffic controllers, however, the lack of TSA personnel has not led to abnormal delays. Over Martin Luther King Jr. day weekend, for instance, one in 10 TSA employees (who are not being paid through the government shutdown) took the day off, crediting financial strain caused by the shutdown. Despite this 10% reduction in TSA officers, security screening wait times did not exceeded normal lengths at most airports. The efficiency and security of our air transportation infrastructure is of paramount importance to the economic and social wellbeing of our nation. Air travel is still the only truly global transportation network that can connect people and places regardless of whether they live in a port city or a small town. In the U.S. alone there are nearly 16 million flights a year, transporting nearly 1 billion passengers and 42 billion pounds of freight annually. These activities account for over 5% of the nation's GDP and nearly 11 million jobs. Air transit is mission-critical, and keeping our airports and airlines safe and orderly isn't an indulgence, it's a necessity. Yet, if significant portions of TSA officers can no-show without compromising efficiency or safety, is the TSA still necessary to ensure aviation security? In 2017, Homeland Security inspectors were able to transport facsimile firearms, explosives and knives through TSA checkpoints an appalling 70 percent of the time. This is not only unacceptable, but calls into question the effectiveness of the TSA. Many experts, in fact, have long criticized the TSA as "security theater," noting that body scanners are largely ineffective at detecting common explosive materials. Further, there's been very little evidence that measures such as the liquid ban are in any way essential or effective, and even the European Union has been trying to eliminate liquid restrictions for years. Numerous studies have found that the TSA has consistently mismanaged security investments and that private screeners perform as good or better than TSA screeners. With a nearly $8 billion annual budget, the TSA hardly seems like a good investment, especially when 10 percent of its workforce can call in sick without dramatically impacting efficiency or security (at least thus far). While we shouldn't put a price on human life, there's also an opportunity cost that needs to be considered. Yes, we need to protect the safety of our airports, airplanes, air cargo and air passengers, but the current tactics employed by the TSA aren't our only options. There are more effective ways to deter, prevent and impede would-be hijackers and terrorists. First, on-board safety measures like reinforced cockpit doors are widely seen as one of the simplest, yet most effective ways of thwarting hijackers. They're also relatively affordable. Investing in specific structural measures like more secure cockpits can add undeniable value without adding another layer of inefficiency or inconvenience to the travel experience. Second, programs like CLEAR are demonstrating how new technologies can handle identity verification while making the screening process more efficient. CLEAR uses biometrics to scan your fingerprints and irises to ensure you are who you say you are, allowing you to bypass the TSA ID checker. Tech-enabled programs like CLEAR can go a long way in enhancing the accuracy of identity screening while making it faster and cheaper. Third, and perhaps most importantly, the use of big data and data analytics have allowed government agencies and contractors to add an entirely new layer of security. Much of the action in the fight against terrorism takes place upstream, that is, long before a potential threat ever enters a U.S. airport. Data analytics packages like those offered by Palantir, which counts the Department of Defense and many of the three- letter agencies (e.g. CIA, NSA, FBI) as customers, let officials extract insights from dense, seemingly unrelated and previously unusable data sets to identify threats before an attack. As a result, much of the terrorism prevention in the era of big data occurs far away from the TSA officers in the terminal. Palantir CEO Alex Karp even said recently that he hears about a thwarted terror attack once a week. The TSA officers we know and respect are not, in most cases, on the front-lines of the war on terror. The real war is taking place in cyberspace in real-time. Investing in preemption rather than cumbersome point-of-departure security systems is not only likely to be more effective, but less intrusive and disruptive as well. The safety and security of our air transportation infrastructure is vital to the well-being and growth of our nation. While some have argued that agencies such as the FAA should be privatized, air traffic controllers are undoubtedly necessary to the safe operation of our aviation network. Conversely, the absence rates the TSA has faced during the shutdown emphasize how non-critical the agency and a sizable percentage of its workforce has become. The TSA was important after 9/11 to provide both physical and psychological security. Today, new technologies may allow us to start reclaiming our airports from our blue- shirted compatriots. The TSA was only ever a means to an end and, today, there are better means. It's important we use the shutdown to identify where improvements can be made to the TSA-and all federal agencies. Our country needs a working government, but we also have to recognize that it's not always working even when it is. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellistalton/2019/01/28/is-the-tsa-really- necessary/#11c1f9ab25e0 Back to Top Ranks of Air Controllers Could Shrink More Because of Shutdown By Alan Levin * Upgrade for satellite-based NextGen could also be delayed * Controllers' union chief speaks at Washington aviation event The 35-day partial government shutdown could spur early retirements among the already thin ranks of air-traffic controllers and may postpone adoption of critical satellite-based aircraft navigation, a union official warned. It will take years to recover from the disruptions that resulted from people being kept off the job while safety-critical employees like controllers had to work without pay, Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said in a speech on Tuesday in Washington. "This shutdown cut us deep," Rinaldi said. "It cut government employees deep. It cut our aviation industry deep. We're just starting to stitch it back up. We're not even sure what the damage really is." Air-traffic staffing is at a 30-year low and more and more retirements could cause periodic slowdowns in the aviation system, Rinaldi said. In recent days, he added, he's heard reports of at least a handful of people opting to leave earlier than anticipated as a result of the shutdown. "We know we have lost some," he said. Computer Upgrade The shutdown also halted work on a computer upgrade needed so controllers can track planes using so-called ADS-B instead of radar. The upgrade is an important foundation of the modernization effort known as NextGen that's designed to make flight paths more efficient and safer. Airlines and other aircraft operators are spending billions of dollars to equip their planes with the satellite technology before the end of the year. The Federal Aviation Administration has said it's setting priorities after the shutdown as it attempts to resume normal operations. "We will do our best to keep ADS-B on track and on schedule," the agency said in a statement after Rinaldi's speech. The nation's controllers, who were forced to work without pay for 35 days during the funding impasse, seemed to be a catalyst to bringing the standoff to an end on Friday. When six controllers out of 13 called in sick at a Virginia air-traffic facility, the agency couldn't handle the normal flight volume along the East Coast and began holding planes on the ground. The flight delays that cascaded to New York's LaGuardia Airport and other airports were never officially linked to the shutdown and, according to the union, overall controller absentee rates had been lower than average. But the delays nevertheless became emblematic of the growing dysfunction in government and prompted widespread news coverage. By Friday afternoon, a temporary impasse had been reached allowing lawmakers and President Donald Trump until Feb. 15 to reach agreement on government funding. Starting Dec. 22, funds had been halted for more than a dozen major agencies and departments in a dispute over Trump's demand that Congress approve $5.7 billion for a wall on the Mexico border. Democratic lawmakers objected to the wall. Rinaldi said he had begun hearing reports of his members making errors during the shutdown as a result of the stress from working without pay. While the errors didn't directly jeopardize safety, it was a sign that things were getting worse. As a result of the shutdown, the FAA halted training for new controllers, postponed work on multiple new technology systems and stopped monitoring routine safety reports, Rinaldi said. While the FAA hopes to resume training new controllers at its academy in Oklahoma City, it was closed for weeks and the contract employees who help with training may never get the back pay that Congress has already guaranteed for federal employees, he said. One of the frustrating aspects of the shutdown is that the FAA's Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which is funded by taxes and fees mainly paid by aircraft flying in the air- traffic system, couldn't be used to pay for normal government operations, Rinaldi said. It has a surplus of more than $6 billion and should be used to ensure that future shutdowns don't hit the air-traffic system, he said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-29/shutdown-may-delay-nextgen- aviation-upgrade-union-chief-warns Back to Top Korean Air's Cho family faces call for outside managers at chaebol Activist fund pushes for asset sales and debt reduction at Hanjin Korean Air Lines Chairman Cho Yang-ho arrives at a court in Seoul in July last year. © Reuters SEOUL -- A South Korean activist fund is taking on the scandal-ridden Cho family, which controls Korean Air, with calls for the parent company to set up an independent committee to appoint top management. Korea Corporate Governance Improvement is also pushing the Hanjin Group to sell its underperforming hotel chain and cut debt in a bid to drive value for investors. The fund late last year became the first South Korean activist to challenge the country's powerful chaebol, the family-owned conglomerates that control vast tracts of the country's economy, when it took a significant stake in Hanjin KAL, the holding entity that owns the airline. The fund has now requested the formation of a committee of independent directors to elect the CEO and other executives. Hanjin KAL's management is dominated by the Cho family. "We believe that professional executives with expertise and integrity should push for cleaning up the group, to avoid repetition of the owning family's illegal and abusive practices," the fund said in a statement, The Cho family hit global headlines in 2014 when Cho Hyun-ah, the daughter of chairman Cho Yang-ho and a vice president of Korean Air, forced a plane to return to its departure gate because she was upset at the way her nuts had been served. She was later charged with obstructing aviation safety and jailed. More recently, family members, including the chairman, have been caught up in scandals involving allegations of bribery, embezzlement and smuggling. Founded only last year, KCGI is run by former credit analyst and corporate governance advocate Kang Sung-Bu, previously the CEO of Korean asset manager LK Investment Partners. It claims to have invested some 160 billion won ($142 million), although it does not disclose the source of its funds. KCGI on Jan. 21 asked Hanjin KAL to consider selling its loss-making hotel business, which includes the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles and the Waikiki Resort Hotel in Hawaii. Hanjin KAL is the holding company of Hanjin Group, and controls Korean Air, Jin Air, Hanjin Transportation and KAL Hotel Network. "Excessive expansion of the hotel business worsened the company's profitability and financial soundness. It will face more serious financial problems if it does not improve its poor risk management system," KCGI's statement read. The statement comes two months after KCGI announced that it had become Hanjin KAL's second-largest shareholder, with a 9% stake. The fund later expanded its holding to 10.81% and bought an 8.03% stake in Hanjin Transportation. The Cho family is the largest shareholder with 28.95% in Hanjin KAL. People take part in a protest against the abuse of power by Korean Air Lines' chairman and relatives in Seoul last May. © Reuters KCGI also warned that Korean Air's high debt ratio raised liquidity risks. The company's debt to equity ratio reached 559% last year, eclipsing those of Asian peers Singapore Airlines, with 88%, and Cathay Pacific, with 207%. "Korean Air could face a liquidity crisis if oil prices rise and foreign exchange rates change drastically. That could lead to crisis at Hanjin Group," said KCGI. Hanjin shareholders are beginning voice concerns about the Cho family's management of the company. Chairman Cho Yang-ho was last year indicted on a charge of allegedly embezzling corporate funds, while his daughter Cho Hyun-min was investigated for verbally abusing an employee of an advertising agency. More recently, the chairman's wife and daughters have been investigated by customs officials for allegedly smuggling luxury goods. The family denies all the allegations. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Korean-Air-s-Cho-family-faces-call-for- outside-managers-at-chaebol Back to Top Air Vanuatu to acquire 13 new aircraft by 2030 Air Vanuatu has announced it is expecting eight new aircraft to service its international sector and five Cessna planes for its domestic routes by 2030. Air Vanuatu CEO Derek Nice made the announcement on a local radio station. Currently the airline has only one aircraft for its international route. The Daily Post newspaper reports the latest announcement is part of Prime Minister Charlot Salwai's Shared Vision 2030 for Aviation and Tourism. It also marks the first time the company has announced a major development since it brought domestic carrier Vanair under its wing some years ago. https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/381234/air-vanuatu-to-acquire- 13-new-aircraft-by-2030 Back to Top Qantas contractors in Canberra out of work as jobs move to Singapore Qantas will move heavy maintenance operations for its Boeing 717 fleet to Singapore, leaving 40 contractors in Canberra out of work. The airline's Canberra hangar, which opened in 2015, will still be used for day-to-day maintenance of the aircraft by about 25 Qantas staff. But Singapore-based ST Aerospace would take over the heavy maintenance of the planes, which is required for each plane every 18 months. Qantas awarded the contract to ST Aerospace, which already services Qantas, Jetstar and Qantas Freight aircraft, from July 2019. The initial four-year contract with Newcastle-based Korr Aviation is set to expire in April. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/qantas-contractors-in-canberra-out-of- work-as-jobs-move-to-singapore-20190130-p50ugl.html Back to Top Want to be a pilot? Degree program at UNO moves closer to fruition Students on campus at the University of New Orleans on the first day of classes of the fall 2018 semester on Aug. 20, 2018. (University of New Orleans) The University of New Orleans this year has moved one step closer to offering a new degree program that will prepare students for a career in the field of aviation. The Louisiana Board of Regents, the state's top higher education board, last month approved a new professional pilot bachelor of science program at UNO, according to a university news release on Monday (Jan. 28). UNO will be allowed to begin accepting applications for the degree program only after the program is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which is UNO's regional accrediting body. The new program will be located within UNO's College of Business Administration, UNO stated. In a statement, John Williams, dean of the Business Administration college, said the program will extend the vision of UNO as "an engine of economic development of the region." "Our professional pilot program will provide a diverse air space system environment that will expose our students to a wide variety of real world challenges, resulting in highly sought-after graduates," Williams stated. UNO wants to guarantee admission to eligible transfer students from Delgado UNO wants to guarantee admission to eligible transfer students from Delgado The agreement will also offer students new financial aid opportunities at UNO and Delgado. The mean annual salary for commercial pilots in 2016 was more than $86,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even so, Williams stated "a looming shortage of pilots" is expected due to a combination of predicted global growth in aviation and a decrease in the number of both civilian and military trainees. Pilot retirements and turnover in Louisiana, for instance, will contribute to a 10-year growth projection for commercial pilots at 320 jobs, with an annual total of 80 openings per year from jobs in the occupation, UNO stated. UNO's professional pilot program will be accredited by the Federal Aviation Administration. UNO stated students during the 120 credit-hour program will engage in both technology-enhanced classrooms and actual flight training. Students who complete the program will meet FAA commercial and private pilot standards, UNO added. UNO plans to conduct the new program in collaboration with the New Orleans Aerial Tours & Flight Training school located at the Lakefront Airport, which is a five-minute drive from the UNO campus. The university plans to certify the faculty while the flight school provides the technical instruction. https://www.nola.com/education/2019/01/want-to-be-a-pilot-degree-program-at-uno- moves-closer-to-fruition.html Back to Top Boeing's big decision: Whether to build its first all-new jet design in 15 years Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg has been meeting monthly with a team working on the company's first all-new jetliner since 2004. (T.J. Kirkpatrick / Getty Images) Boeing Co. executives are closing in on one of their most important decisions of the decade: whether to plow an estimated $15 billion into a new jetliner family. The aircraft nicknamed the 797 would feature Boeing's first all-new design since the 787 Dreamliner's unveiling in 2004, while shoring up its product line against recent Airbus SE advances. The European plane-maker's incoming boss, Guillaume Faury, says he's waiting for Boeing to tip its hand before revealing counter moves. That sets up a likely showdown at the Paris Air Show in June. Designed for economical flying on mid-range routes, the Boeing jet would have the potential to transform air travel by spawning a new breed of longer-distance budget carriers - think new flights from Chicago to Berlin, or more economical hops from New York to Los Angeles. But the decision on whether to move forward hasn't been easy. A misfire would cannibalize sales of the 787 Dreamliner and endanger the cash bounty that has made Boeing a darling of Wall Street. "Every single other Boeing jet has been pretty much a guaranteed home run, even if it wasn't clear at the time," said aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia. "This is different. They've got to be careful with this." Boeing's board is expected to review the case for the new program by the end of March, according to people briefed on the matter. For now, the team spearheading the concept, led by former 787 program head Mark Jenks, has been meeting monthly with Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg and Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith. Boeing's design features a slightly oval-shaped fuselage that saves weight and fuel by devoting more space to passengers and less to freight in the plane's belly. A smaller version would seat 220 travelers, while a larger model would seat up to 270 people, with trip costs that are about 40% lower than today's wide-body aircraft. Airline entrepreneur David Neeleman is impressed by how Boeing designers "innovatively turned the fuselage, so you aren't carrying all that structure from cargo. They claim they're going to get the seat-mile costs of a narrow-body and have two aisles, which would be sweet if they can pull it off." With some planes, the technology is the 'moonshot'; with this, it's the business case. The sales force has been fine-tuning the design with airlines for at least five years, creating a "will it or won't it?" drama around the decision on whether to make the plane, known internally at Boeing as the NMA, for new, middle-of-market airplane. "With some planes, the technology is the 'moonshot'; with this, it's the business case," Aboulafia said. The word "moonshot" is the term Boeing uses for quixotic gambles that it has vowed to avoid after loading the 787 Dreamliner with groundbreaking technology and an unproven production system - then losing money on the first 500 or so planes after extensive delays. For Boeing and Airbus, committing to an all-new aircraft is a once-in-a-decade event. Costs are prohibitive, delays are the norm and payoff can take years to materialize. Boeing could easily spend more than $15 billion on the NMA, according to Ken Herbert, analyst with Canaccord Genuity, and Airbus may be forced into a clean-sheet design if sales take off. Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airways and Azul in Brazil, underscores the potential rewards, and risk, for Boeing. The NMA seems tailor-made for the networks he is weaving together between the Americas and Europe with affordable, yet comfortable flights that skip congested hubs. "I had a briefing from Boeing and I thought it was great," Neeleman said during a recent visit to Chicago to tout Portugal's TAP airline, one of his holdings. That's noteworthy, coming from an executive who has mostly favored Airbus jets at start-ups such as JetBlue, Azul and Moxy, the code name for his latest U.S. project. Unfortunately for Boeing, Neeleman is also impatient for Airbus to speed up a cheaper alternative. "They should be at a lot bigger head start," he said of the Toulouse, France- based aerospace giant. It's a hint of the dynamics that can spoil aircraft bets that sprawl over decades. The sales appeal for a plane family overlapping Boeing's largest single-aisle, the 737 Max 10, and smallest wide-body, the 787-8, is just one question mark. Another is how much savings the company can reap from a new manufacturing system. Muilenburg is increasingly confident Boeing can shave time and money from development and final assembly through new digital tools that anticipate and track how the plane is built, and then monitor how it is flown. The plane-maker's new military training jet hints at the breakthrough it sees for the NMA. For Boeing's Super Hornet fighter, factory workers in St. Louis need 1½ days to rivet together the two main fuselage sections. On the new T-X trainer, the components are joined in less than an hour, said Leanne Caret, Boeing's defense chief. If Boeing hesitates, Airbus will woo its customers with capable, if not cutting-edge, jet upgrades. Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc., for example, need to replace hundreds of the aging Boeing 757 and 767 jetliners that once dominated mid- range flying. The Airbus plane that sparked Neeleman's interest is a relatively simple upgrade of the A321LR jet that would be ready by 2023, two years ahead of the NMA. Redesigned fuel tanks would give it the longest range of any Airbus single-aisle jet. Faury, who is slated to become Airbus' CEO in April, won't say if a decision on the so-called A321XLR is imminent - or even if it's the likeliest response. "We don't feel under pressure to react, even before Boeing has moved," he said earlier this month. "Market share for the A321 is very big because there's no real competition, and we'll keep improving this product to serve the low end of the middle-of-market space." Boeing usually staggers the release of variants within an aircraft family by a year or two. But the manufacturer has mulled certifying the NMA models concurrently to avoid missing the replacement opportunity, according to people familiar with the matter. The 797 will need to be priced somewhere between Airbus's offerings to be competitive. The A321LR goes for about $60 million with all the bells and whistles, while a wide-body A330-800 is typically priced at about $100 million, said George Dimitroff, head of valuations for Flight Ascend Consultancy. "I have no doubt there will be demand for the aircraft," Dimitroff said, pointing to "new opportunities for low-cost, long-haul service. I think the NMA will take that a step further." https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-boeing797-jetliner-20190129-story.html Back to Top Two Chinese private space companies will launch into orbit this year These firms are eyeing the first half of 2019 to push the Chinese space industry to the next level. An illustration of OneSpace's OS-M rocket that they hope to use to successfully complete an orbital launch this year. Chinese Space Launch Two Chinese private space companies are on the verge of attempting their first orbital launches, according to the space industry newssite SpaceNews. Companies OneSpace and iSpace aim to successfully complete orbital launches within the first half of 2019. The success of these launches would solidify the progress made by China's growing private space sector. Beijing-based OneSpace plans to launch their 62-foot-tall (19 meters) OS-M rocket as soon as late March. The four-stage rocket will carry a 452-pound (205 kilograms) payload to low-Earth orbit and a 161-pound (73 kg) payload to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) - a nearly polar orbit in which the payload is constantly illuminated by the Sun. The rocket's payload contents have not been disclosed. If OneSpace successfully launches this rocket, it would be the first-ever successful orbital launch from a private Chinese company. However, this will not be the first attempt - another Chinese company, Landspace, attempted an orbital launch in October, but the rocket's third stage failed its payload ended up falling into the Indian Ocean. Landspace has plans to launch again in 2020 with a larger, two-stage rocket. Big Plans for 2019 Both iSpace and OneSpace successfully completed suborbital launches this past September. On September 5, iSpace launched their Hyperbola-1Z rocket at 1:00 A.M. EST from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia. This was the company's second suborbital launch. Two days later, on September 7, OneSpace successfully completed its first suborbital launch with the OS-X1 solid rocket. Alongside OneSpace, iSpace also has big plans for 2019. iSpace plans to launch its Hyperbola-1 rocket sometime in the first half of 2019. The Hyperbola-1 has three solid stages and a fourth liquid stage. The rocket stands at 66 feet (20 m) tall with a diameter of 4.6 feet (1.4 m). With a takeoff mass of 31 metric tons, it can deliver a 331-pound (150 kg) payload into SSO at an altitude of 435 miles (700 km). These companies, alongside others in China's commercial spaceflight sector, are supported by private funding in addition to funding from the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND), a government body that oversees space activities in China. The China National Space Administration's primary space contractor, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, is both supporting China's emerging private space companies as well as developing its own commercial launchers. http://www.astronomy.com/news/2019/01/two-chinese-private-space-companies-will- launch-into-orbit-this-year Back to Top ONLINE SURVEY REQUEST Dear Participant, You are being asked to participate in a research study to evaluate pilot decision-making. This study is expected to take approximately 5 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be at least 18 years old and currently employed as a professional pilot. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be destroyed. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://goo.gl/forms/9ITjTgICot9o9Jjp1 For more information, please contact: Dr. Stephen Rice scrice@outlook.com We appreciate your interest and participation! Back to Top Back to Top 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