Flight Safety Information February 15, 2019 - No. 034 In This Issue Incident: Lufthansa Cityline CRJ9 at Munich on Feb 13th 2019, fuel pressure problems Accident: Transavia France B738 on Feb 13th 2019, turbulence injures 13 Incident: Jazz DH8D near Vancouver on Feb 4th 2019, hissing sound precedes loss of cabin pressure Accident: Compass E175 near Reno on Feb 13th 2019, severe turbulence injures 8 Accident: Novair A21N at Billund on Feb 8th 2019, hard landing and tail strike Boeing 777-258ER - Ground Collision (Poland) Report: Boeing 737-800 contacts blast fence during pushback at London-Stansted Airport Position:...Head of Group Human Factors IS-BAO Operator Continuous Improvement Roundtable at 2019 NBAA IOC EASA To Ban Halon Fire Extinguishers in Aircraft Taiwan Pilot Strike Shows How Long Hours Raise The Risk Of Accidents Magnetic north moving; Pilots could feel impact Vietnam's Aviation Safety Given U.S. Approval, Key to Expansion Lufthansa Consulting Supports Turkmenistan Airlines to Access Compliance to International Air Safety Drone sighting briefly brings Dubai Airport to a halt CAAi-led consortium to support aviation oversight development in Ukraine USHST Sees Safety Benefits of Integrating UAS and OPA Technology into Helicopter Operations American Airlines needs 700 Phoenix flight attendants to move in the next few years Rolls-Royce secures order to build 140 aircraft engines for Emirates Airbus to Retire the A380, the Superjumbo That Never Quite Took Off NTSB - IA Renewal Safety Seminar High Altitude Flying Course Position: Director of Audit Programs / POSITIONS AVAILABLE: IOSA AUDITORS ONLINE SURVEY REQUEST Incident: Lufthansa Cityline CRJ9 at Munich on Feb 13th 2019, fuel pressure problems A Lufthansa Cityline Canadair CRJ-900, registration D-ACKA performing flight LH-2316 from Munich (Germany) to Luxembourg (Luxembourg), was climbing out of Munich when the crew stopped the climb at FL200 and decided to return to Munich due to a fuel pressure problem. The aircraft landed safely back about 30 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 6 hours, then returned to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c434d0d&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Transavia France B738 on Feb 13th 2019, turbulence injures 13 A Transavia France Boeing 737-800, registration F-GZHM performing flight TO-4898 from Lyon (France) to Tel Aviv (Israel), was enroute at FL370 about 260nm westnorthwest of Tel Aviv when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing injuries to 13 people on board. Two doctors on board provided medical assistance to the injured over the next about 40 minutes to landing in Tel Aviv. The aircraft landed safely on Ben Gurion's runway 12. Ambulances took the injured passengers to hospitals. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for 3.5 hours, then departed for the return flight. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c434b56&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Jazz DH8D near Vancouver on Feb 4th 2019, hissing sound precedes loss of cabin pressure A Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-FSRY performing flight QK-8185 from Vancouver,BC to Fort St. John,BC (Canada) with 62 passengers and 4 crew, was climbing through FL220 out of Vancouver when the crew noticed a hissing sound on the flight deck, a cabin pressure caution indication occurred at the same time. The crew donned their oxygen masks as the cabin altitude increased and initiated an emergency descent. The aircraft returned to Vancouver for a safe landing. The Canadian TSB reported a number of passengers reported ear discomfort, however there were no injuries. Maintenance inspection revealed the belly drain under the cockpit was leaking air. The valve and cabin pressure controller were replaced. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JZA8185/history/20190204/2205Z/CYVR/CYXJ http://avherald.com/h?article=4c434832&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Compass E175 near Reno on Feb 13th 2019, severe turbulence injures 8 A Compass Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N613CZ performing flight DL-5763 from Santa Ana,CA to Seattle,WA (USA), was enroute at FL340 about 100nm south of Reno,NV (USA) just overflying the first mountain range of the Sierra Nevada when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing altitude deviations of about -200 feet and injuries on board of the aircraft, trolleys and everything loose like meal trays were "distributed" across the cabin. The crew decided to divert to Reno where the aircraft landed safely. A flight attendant and 3 passengers were taken to a hospital. The FAA reported a flight attendant and seven passengers were injured when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence enroute. Passengers reported one fellow passenger was in the toilet at the time and came out bleeding from his head. A flight attendant was moving the trolley to provide drink service, trolley and flight attendant lifted up and collided with the cabin ceiling. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL5763/history/20190213/1940Z/KSNA/KSEA Scene on board (Photo: Joe Justice): http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4333e7&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Novair A21N at Billund on Feb 8th 2019, hard landing and tail strike A Novair Airbus A321-200N, registration SE-RKA performing flight 1I-158 from Arrecife,CI (Spain) to Billund (Denmark), landed on Billund's runway 27 in gusting crosswind at 19:08L (18:08Z) but touched down hard and struck its tail onto the runway surface. The aircraft rolled out without further incident. Sweden's Haverikommission (SHK) reported while landing in crosswind conditions the aircraft made a hard landing, the aircraft's rear part hit the runway surface (tail strike). There were no injuries, the aircraft however received structural damage. The occurrence was rated an accident and is being investigated. Metars: EKBI 082020Z AUTO 18019G34KT 150V220 6000 RA OVC009/// 07/06 Q0995= EKBI 081950Z AUTO 19019G34KT 160V220 6000 RA OVC009/// 07/06 Q0995= EKBI 081920Z AUTO 18018G34KT 9000 RA OVC009/// 07/06 Q0996= EKBI 081850Z AUTO 18018G31KT 150V220 7000 -RA OVC008/// 07/06 Q0996= EKBI 081820Z AUTO 19019G32KT 9999 -RA OVC008/// 07/06 Q0997= EKBI 081750Z AUTO 19018G30KT 9999 -RA OVC007/// 07/06 Q0997= EKBI 081720Z AUTO 19019G32KT 9000 -RA OVC008/// 07/06 Q0998= EKBI 081650Z AUTO 19016G28KT 7000 -RA OVC007/// 06/06 Q0998= EKBI 081620Z AUTO 19016G30KT 160V220 6000 -RA OVC007/// 06/06 Q0998= EKBI 081550Z AUTO 19016G30KT 160V220 6000 -RA OVC007/// 06/06 Q0999= EKBI 081520Z AUTO 19016KT 160V220 4500 -RA OVC006/// 06/05 Q0999= http://avherald.com/h?article=4c431676&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 777-258ER - Ground Collision (Poland) Date: 14-FEB-2019 Time: Type: Boeing 777-258ER Owner/operator: El AL Registration: 4X-ECC C/n / msn: 30833/335 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Warsaw International Airport - Poland Phase: Pushback / towing Nature: International Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Warsaw International Airport Destination airport: Israλl Narrative: A pushback tractor crashed into the plane, causing a tire to explode. There were no personal injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=221849 Back to Top Report: Boeing 737-800 contacts blast fence during pushback at London-Stansted Airport Status: Final Date: Monday 30 April 2018 Time: 10:35 UTC Type: Boeing 737-8AS (WL) Operator: Ryanair Registration: EI-GDZ C/n / msn: 44820/6809 First flight: 2018-02-01 (3 months) Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-7B26E Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 170 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 177 Aircraft damage: Substantial Aircraft fate: Repaired Location: London-Stansted Airport (STN) ( United Kingdom) Phase: Pushback / towing (PBT) Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: London-Stansted Airport (STN/EGSS), United Kingdom Destination airport: Athens-Elefthιrios Venizιlos International Airport (ATH/LGAV), Greece Narrative: The aircraft was parked on Stand 43L at Stansted Airport, and because it was unable to make a Calculated Take Off Time (CTOT) of 08:45 hrs a new CTOT of 10:05 hrs was allocated. The crew requested to "push and hold" which was granted by the ground controller who added, "push across to the east line, abeam stand 50R. do not start engines". These instructions were repeated to the groundcrew. During the pushback, ATC informed the crew of a new CTOT, very close to the present time. The crew informed the groundcrew and advised them that they would start engines after the pushback. Approaching the end of the pushback, the flight crew felt the tug stop abruptly. The commander asked the groundcrew if everything was alright and the groundcrew responded that they had pushed the aircraft too close to the blast fence and were going to pull it forward. The Senior Cabin Crew member called the flight deck on the interphone and informed them that she and the cabin crew seated at the rear of the aircraft felt that the tail of the aircraft had struck something. The commander checked with the groundcrew, who thought it hadn't, but the commander contacted engineering who sent out an engineer. On inspection, damage was found to the trailing edge of the left elevator. The commander called the ground controller and informed them of the collision. The Fire Service attended and, following an inspection, determined that there was no immediate danger to the aircraft or passengers, which was also confirmed by the engineer. The aircraft was towed to Stand 50L and the passengers disembarked using the air stairs. Probable Cause: Discussion The clearance was to carry out a pushback of the aircraft to abeam Stand 50R and the headset operator believed this would be when the pilot's window was in line with the stand. The pushback continued until the elevator struck the blast fence but the relative positions of the pilot's window and the stand were not determined at this point. The poor weather, light and poor clarity of the taxi line as seen by the tug driver meant that all his attention was focussed on his task. This and his restricted viewpoint from the nose of the aircraft prevented him from monitoring the actions of the headset operator and being aware of the proximity of the tail to the blast fence. Accident investigation: Investigating agency: AAIB Status: Investigation completed Duration: 290 days (10 months) Accident number: EW/G2018/04/18 Download report: Final report https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180430-0 Back to Top Back to Top Position: Head of Group Human Factors Reports to: General Manager GSORM Department: Group Safety & Operational Risk Management Human factors is an interdisciplinary area of psychology that focuses on a range of different topics including ergonomics, human error, product & system design, workplace safety, human capability, and human-hardware-software interaction. Human factors is devoted to understanding how people interact with their environments and the products and objects in those environments. The Head of Group Human Factors (HGHF) is responsible for establishing and maintaining a HF program as part of the Group Airlines (CX/KA) Safety Management System (SMS). The position requires that the incumbent is a technical specialist in HF and System Safety, and has the appropriate qualifications and experience to carry out the required duties. The role scope covers all aspects of CX/KA aviation operations, and includes the provision of HF expertise to operational issues and changes, as well as accident/incident investigations. The primary customer of the role is Flight Operations, and in particular the provision of HF expertise into the design and development of the annual Crew Resource Management (CRM) program. Key Responsibilities • Minimise risk exposure for CX and KA. • Establish and maintain a comprehensive HF program that will enhance the system safety performance of CX/KA, and thus improve both safety outcomes for operations and the wellbeing of employees. • Conduct studies into organisational and operational issues where workplace ergonomics and human error are concerned. • Apply modern systems thinking ('Safety-II') and system safety principles to all HF activities. • Drive the organisation to adopt human-centred design principles in the development and implementation of new policies, procedures, technologies and systems of work. • Develop programs and initiatives to understand the difference between work-as-imagined and work-as-done, and make recommendations to improve safety through better work design. • Provide HF analysis, expertise and support to safety risk assessments and/or changes to policies, procedures and work. • Provide HF analysis, expertise and support to safety investigations in which HF has been identified as an area of interest. • Provide HF analysis, expertise and support to the ongoing administration of FOP programs required by quality systems and regulatory authorities (e.g. LOSA, CRM) to ensure the integrity of CX/KA Air Operator's Certificates. • Deliver HF training to GSORM Safety and operational management teams to enhance HF knowledge, skills and awareness for use in their day-to-day work (e.g. procedural design). • Manage the tracking of regulatory changes and their impact on HF program implementation. • Maintain the development and efficient delivery of HF initial and recurrent training programmes in compliance with regulatory requirements for all frontline operational staff. • Establish documented HF policies and procedures in accordance with quality system requirements for the purpose of supporting efficient, effective and systematic program implementation. • Ensure all HF-related programmes implemented are aligned with industry good practice, keeping abreast of the latest research and development. • Ensure definition and content of all HF programs shall be developed in close liaison with operational management personnel. • Carry out HF-related projects and studies as assigned by GMGSORM. Requirements Skills • Broad operational knowledge and experience in the functions of the organisation (e.g. training design/management, flight operations, cabin operations, air traffic management, aerodrome operations, and maintenance organisation management.) • Sound knowledge of modern safety management principles and practices, including Systems Thinking and Safety-II. • Sound knowledge of aviation principles, aerodynamics and modern flight decks. • Display a high standard of written and verbal communication skills. • Ability to implement projects and programmes with minimal supervision, and to work independently and under pressure. • Computer literacy. • Excellent analytical skills. • Excellent presentation, facilitation and training delivery skills. • Ability to relate to all levels, both inside and outside the organisation. • A self-motivated team player and confident leader with excellent people management skills. • Ability to represent the company in a positive manner at conferences, seminars and meetings where the focus is human factors. • Worthy of respect from peers and management. • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to interact with people at all levels. • Strong managerial, coaching and mentoring skills as well the ability to work dynamically against tight deadlines. Knowledge • Bachelor's degree in relevant aviation, engineering, psychology or technical discipline required. • Masters or PhD in Human Factors or related discipline, such as Psychology or System Safety, highly desirable. • SMS qualification is highly desirable. • Strong knowledge of modern safety management principles and practices, such as Systems Thinking and Safety-II. Experience • Minimum 10-15 years relevant work experience in an airline or related industry. • Minimum 7 years in management role. • A minimum of 5 years employment in an aviation human factors or related role. APPLY HERE Back to Top Back to Top EASA To Ban Halon Fire Extinguishers in Aircraft Manufacturers and operators of newly built EASA-certified large airplanes and large helicopters are now required to phase out Halon as a fire extinguishing agent in both portable and lavatory built-in systems. Halon is very effective at extinguishing fire, but it is also considered a pollutant by climate experts. According to EASA, the aim is to gradually mitigate the environmental impact that Halon extinguishing agents in firefighting equipment have on the ozone and climate, and to progressively achieve a "Halon-free aviation, which balances the environmental concerns with safety-enhancing and cost-efficient rules." Under this requirement-new EASA Part 26.170 and 26.400-operators of large airplanes and large helicopters for which the first individual certificate of airworthiness is issued on or after Feb. 18, 2020, shall ensure that the built-in lavatory fire extinguisher does not use Halon. The Halon ban applies to portable extinguishers on aircraft newly certified on or after May 18, 2019. Although EASA has taken the lead on this ICAO-recommended standard, many other national aviation regulatory authorities have not yet moved to ban Halon. In fact, the FAA requires the use of Halon 1211, or its equivalent, in the passenger cabins of large airplanes. There is no specific extinguishing agent described by the FAA for large helicopters. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-02-14/easa-ban-halon-fire-extinguishers-aircraft Back to Top Taiwan Pilot Strike Shows How Long Hours Raise The Risk Of Accidents An Airbus A330-302 passenger plane belonging to China Airlines takes off at Hong Kong International Airport in August 2018. (Photo: Marcio Rodrigo Machado/S3studioGetty Images)GETTY Last year, a China Airlines pilot flew 63 hours over a 12-day stretch that allowed him to rest for only two of those days. The long hours combined with the time-zone changes left him feeling so sick that he couldn't make it to his next shift, according to a Chinese-language story by Taiwan news website The Reporter. At least he didn't cause an accident, which is the obvious risk. But because of cases like this one, among others, 600 pilots of Taiwan-based China Airlines pilots went on strike from February 8. Their bargaining unit, the Pilots Union Taoyuan, has been negotiating all the while with the airline and reached a tentative deal Thursday. Taiwan is know for having a work culture that sees employees labor not only all day but long into the night as well. Some companies actually require the extra hours although they never clearly stipulate it in written form. Other workers have been known to stay on the job until mid-evening to show their dedication to their superiors. But overwork has been attributed to causing early death in some cases. But when this trend hits an airline, it can literally lead to disaster. "It's common sense that when you're stressed out when flying or driving a car it raises the risk of an accident," says Eric Lin, aviation analyst with the investment bank UBS in Hong Kong. Strike after history of accidents Safety was an issue for China Airlines after it experienced 26 crashes and other mishaps between 1966 and 2016. The 60-year-old airline has changed the way it hires and trains pilots, but the strike indicates it may still need to go further. The "established" airlines in Asia are keen to keep pilots attentive, for safety reasons, Lin says. "Given they have gone through the typical development of an emerging market, safety is given top priority," he says. China Airlines and the union representing about 900 of its 1,350-plus pilots had discussed workloads since 2017 without reaching a deal, hence the strike. An airline publicist would not say whether China Airlines believes its pilots are overworked, but the company acknowledged the issue in a statement Monday. Staffing seven-hour flights with three people would require hiring 90 additional pilots every year at their normal $160,000 annual full-time salary, increasing operational costs by $14.6 million a year, the airline says as reported by government-run Central News Agency. "We're not optimistic," says union board director Chen Pei-pei. "We've been talking to the company since 2017 when we first asked for adjustments. The company never made a deal." Airline, union talk at odd hours To draw attention to the hours that pilots work, the union called for a negotiation time of 1 a.m. Wednesday. Two other rounds of talks broke down during the strike, which had caused the cancellation of 174 flights as of Wednesday and handed China Airlines $123 million in losses. Taiwan's transportation ministry, also the mediator, owns the biggest share in the listed airline, and former deputy minister Ho Nuan-hsuan has chaired it since 2016. China Airlines normally operates about 1,400 flights weekly to more than 100 cities and moves about 7 million passengers per year. In the 1990s, it ranked among the five most profitable carriers in the world, taking a $125 million profit on revenue of $1.7 billion in 1993. In 2017, the company reported a $71 million after-tax net profit and $4.5 billion in operating revenue. The union asked China Airlines this week to ease on-the-job fatigue by allowing crews of four people on all flights of more than 12 hours, and three people for all seven-hour journeys, Chen says. Airline spokesman Jason Liu said Tuesday the company was open to those ideas, and during 11 hours of talks Wednesday it agreed to add crew on five of 10 routes where the union believes pilots are at risk of fatigue. The final deal reached Thursday needs just a final legal review, then pilots will return to work. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphjennings/2019/02/14/taiwan-pilot-strike-shows-how-long-hours-raise-the-risk-of-accidents/#3748548445ba Back to Top Magnetic north moving; Pilots could feel impact Most people know that the North Pole is at the most northern geographic point on the planet. But the point compasses use to determine north is a magnetic pole over Canada, and it is moving faster than expected. According to the British Geological Survey, magnetic north hasn't moved much in human history, but is now currently traveling around 30 kilometers a year toward Russia. Since most navigational systems use the magnetic heading along with global positioning systems, a change in the position of magnetic north could affect how routes that people use when traveling are determined. David Jefferey, professor of geology at Marietta College, said the core of the planet not only generates the magnetic field around the Earth, but is probably affecting the location of its pole. "The densest particles are in the core that's made of iron and nickel," he said. Jefferey said the core is made up of two parts, a liquid outer core and a solid inner core. He said as the Earth spins, currents form in the outer core that produce the magnetic charge keeping radiation in space away from the planet's surface. He also said the shifting of magnetic north could be attributed to a changing flow inside the core. According to gizmodo.com, the website of a cellphone innovation company, every person's cell phone could be affected, if only slightly, by the shift of magnetic north. According to their website, each phone has a magnetometer installed that can read the level of magnetism around it. But if magnetic north has moved farther than expected, it will skew the data, giving a false location of the pole. That may not affect someone walking or driving to a huge degree, but for planes it's a different story. "If you're one degree off, you're one mile off course every 60 miles you travel," said Bob Coulter, air traffic manager at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport. Coulter said that every airport in the country has a set deviation to compensate for the magnetic poles and it varies depending on where you are located. He said the deviation is determined by the National Flight Data Center. Coulter is also a pilot that gives lessons at the airport, and said that all pilots are trained on how to accurately make adjustments to their course based on the deviation determined by the NFDC. Jefferey said another potential cause of the shift could be a naturally occurring phenomenon in the planet that switches the magnetic poles. "We might be in the middle of a flip," he said. According to Jefferey, the last time the poles flipped was around 800,000 years ago. Even though the flip could cause some immediate navigational problems, Jefferey said people need not worry about any other harm coming to them or their family. "It does not seem to affect biological life in any way," he said. At a glance *What: Magnetic north pole moving faster than expected. *Affects: Navigational issues associated with compasses in cell phones, cars and aircraft. *Potential causes: Changing flow in liquid portion of the planet's core. *Root cause: Could be a flip in the Earth's magnetic poles. Source: Times research. http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/local-news/2019/02/magnetic-north-moving-pilots-could-feel-impact/ Back to Top Vietnam's Aviation Safety Given U.S. Approval, Key to Expansion By Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen and Alan Levin • Category 1 rating from FAA will open U.S. market to Vietnam • Vietnam Airlines has long planned flights to U.S. West Coast The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday gave its approval to Vietnam's air-safety system, which will allow the Southeast Asian country's airlines to fly to the U.S. as it seeks to bolster tourism. Vietnam's national carrier is planning flights to California. The FAA gave Vietnam a Category 1 rating, meaning U.S. reviewers found that the country adheres to United Nations standards for licensing pilots and overseeing airline operations and safety, the agency said in a press release. "The Category 1 status announced today is based on an August 2018 FAA assessment of the safety oversight provided by the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam," the FAA said in its statement. The FAA hadn't previously assessed Vietnam's aviation regulation system. Vietnam Airlines JSC for years has planned flights to the U.S. West Coast, home to a large population of Vietnamese-Americans. The carrier is considering a Ho Chi Minh City-San Francisco flight to be its first U.S. route, Chief Executive Duong Tri Thanh said in May. President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un are planning on meeting in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, on Feb. 27 and 28 for their second summit. Not only can a Vietnamese airline now apply to fly to the U.S., but carriers can also enter into so-called code-share agreements with other airlines to book passengers on each other's flights. A Vietnam-U.S. route, which could provide a marketing bonanza for the nation's tourism industry, would probably be a money-loser for Vietnam Airlines or any other local airline because of fiercely competitive routes linking the two countries. "Having flights to the U.S. is symbolic, prestigious," said Brendan Sobie, a Singapore-based analyst at CAPA Centre for Aviation. "It's being pushed by the government. But it's very hard to make that route profitable. It's a license to lose money." Still, gaining a Category 1 ranking is a sign of Vietnam's maturing aviation market. The nation's economy, expanding at about 7 percent, is giving Vietnamese more disposable income to fly. Vietnam's airports handled 106 million passengers in 2018, an increase of about 13 percent over the previous year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Vietnamese carriers flew more than 50 million passengers last year, up 14 percent from 2017. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-15/vietnam-s-aviation-safety-given-u-s-approval-key-to-expansion Back to Top Lufthansa Consulting Supports Turkmenistan Airlines to Access Compliance to International Air Safety Standards Turkmenistan's flag carrier pushes action to raise safety standards to meet EASA requirements ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan and FRANKFURT, Germany, Feb. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Turkmenistan's national airline Turkmenistan Airlines has commissioned Lufthansa Consulting to help them to raise their performance in terms of the Third Country Operators (TCO) EU Safety Authorizations for foreign air operators - EASA TCO. The airline recently experienced difficulties in satisfying relevant EASA requirements and is taking matters in this regard very seriously. The Operator is aware of the need for immediate action and has therefore decided to cooperate with the German aviation experts to review the existing situation and develop a corrective action plan. Lufthansa Consulting has extensive experience and competence in the aviation industry, not least with the issues of flight safety. In this project, the consultants will evaluate the current status within the airline towards EASA requirements. Furthermore, they will develop an overall customized and effective action scheme in line with the analyzed EASA TCO requirements and findings. Turkmenistan Airlines is the flag carrier of Turkmenistan, headquartered in the country's capital Ashgabat. It operates domestic and international passenger and cargo services mainly from its hub at Ashgabat International Airport. The airline transports more than 5,000 passengers daily within the country and nearly three million passengers annually on the international and domestic routes together. The fleet consists of modern Western aircraft (such as Boeing 737, 757, 777) and a cargo fleet of IL 76. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lufthansa-consulting-supports-turkmenistan-airlines-to-access-compliance-to-international-air-safety-standards-300795990.html Back to Top Drone sighting briefly brings Dubai Airport to a halt DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest airport for international travel, has briefly halted flights over an alleged drone sighting. The airport says it halted flights from 10:13 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on Friday over "suspected drone activity." It says flights were later resumed. Alleged drone sightings have previously disrupted flights into the airport, which is the base of the long-haul carrier Emirates. Drone owners are now required to register with the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority. Authorities also ban hobbyists from putting cameras or lasers on their drones and flying in certain areas. https://nypost.com/2019/02/15/drone-sighting-briefly-brings-dubai-airport-to-a-halt/ Back to Top CAAi-led consortium to support aviation oversight development in Ukraine CAA International (CAAi), the technical cooperation arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), is to lead a consortium appointed by the European Union, to support the sustainable development of civil aviation and the civil aviation administration system in Ukraine. The programme aims to harmonise Ukraine's aviation regulatory framework with EU standards and lay the foundation for a safe, efficient and secure air transport system. The consortium brings together technical expertise from the UK CAA, and two Spanish organisations, AESA (Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency), the Spanish National Aviation Authority (NAA), and FIIAPP; the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies. This consortium will support the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine (SAAU) in developing new regulatory frameworks for Air Operations and Flight Crew Licensing. The project will cover the drafting and implementation of EU compliant regulations, new procedures, checklists, forms and guidance material. The consortium will provide training and competency development to SAAU staff to ensure the proper understanding of the EASA compliance and with industry in Ukraine to build knowledge and awareness of EU-based regulations and practices. Funded by the European Union, the project is expected to play a key role in facilitating preparations for the implementation of provisions stemming from the Common Aviation Area agreement between the EU and Ukraine. Maria Rueda, Managing Director for CAAi said, "We are delighted to have been appointed by the European Commission to lead this important project and work alongside two excellent European organisations - AESA and FIIAPP from Spain. Working with the EU and our regulatory counterparts in Ukraine, the consortium is fully committed to developing Ukraine's aviation oversight and reforming Ukraine's air transport sector, that will play a key strategic role in future EU-Ukraine economic cooperation." The project is expected to start in March 2019, and last 36 months. https://caainternational.com/ Back to Top USHST Sees Safety Benefits of Integrating UAS and OPA Technology into Helicopter Operations WASHINGTON DC - As part of its commitment to drive down the civil helicopter fatal accident rate, the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org) has issued a report identifying how Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Optionally Piloted Aircraft (OPA) technology can reduce fatalities in high-risk operations. The study by the USHST is part of a larger effort to implement data-driven safety enhancements that will slash the number of fatal helicopter accidents involving low-altitude flying, unintended flight into IMC, and loss of control-inflight issues. In 10 of 52 fatal accidents thoroughly analyzed by the USHST, the support of UAS or OPA technology could have mitigated the risks that emerged during the operation. Accordingly, the USHST recommended that industry and the FAA look toward opportunities to increase the use and integration of UAS and OPA to supplement and support manned operations in high-risk environments. The full report on integrating UAS and OPA technologies, with all of the team's recommendations, can be found on the USHST web site (http://www.ushst.org/Reports). Listed below are three key recommendations focused on improving safety within high-risk helicopter operations. ? Develop and use helicopters that incorporate or integrate UAS or OPA technology. With helicopters that could be flown remotely or by a pilot, operators who take on low-altitude jobs could reduce pilot workload, increase the accuracy of specific tasks, and improve productivity. As part of its analysis, the USHST studied five fatal accidents involving cattle mustering, frost protection, cherry orchard drying, and low-altitude law enforcement search operations. These missions are often low-level, grimy and monotonous. Fatigue and boredom can become significant risk factors for the pilot with results that are fatal. Using helicopters with integrated UAS/OPA technology as a supplement to these operations would reduce the risks. ? Integrate Sense-and-Avoid technology into helicopters. As Sense-and-Avoid technology is perfected for UAS and OPA, it will also be the next logical safety step for existing helicopters and would have an immediate beneficial effect on reducing fatal accidents in manned operations. This is especially true in the aerial application industry where low altitude flying and fatigue play a role in fatal crashes. ? Introduce UAS and OPA in specific high-risk operations. USHST analysis shows that UAS and OPA can save lives in operational areas that entail high-risk flights. In areas such as transmission line inspection, utility data collection, pipeline patrol and wind turbine inspections, UAS and OPA operations should be integrated with manned helicopter operations. Additional recommendations such as STEM education programs, pilot skills assessments, ID tracking, unmanned traffic management, and issues involving state and local laws can be found in the full report. http://www.ushst.org/ Back to Top American Airlines needs 700 Phoenix flight attendants to move in the next few years American Airlines says it will need to move more than 700 Phoenix-based flight attendants to other hub airports now that it has integrated the systems used to manage flight-attendant scheduling after the airline's merger with US Airways. The airlines merged in 2013, but the flight-attendant management systems did not. The two systems could not intermingle, and flight attendants could only be assigned to planes associated with their respective legacy airlines. Former US Airways flight attendants could only serve on US Airways aircraft, and American Airlines flight attendants could not serve on an aircraft that had belonged to US Airways. If American moved a US Airways plane to Los Angeles, it would need to staff that aircraft with former US Airways crews from Phoenix, not American Airlines crews at LAX. "That's not particularly efficient," said Chuck Schubert, American Airlines vice president of crew operations and performance. The lack of integration between the two systems also restricted flight attendants from applying for transfers to other hubs. Now that the systems are fully integrated, the airline has greater flexibility but also a staffing imbalance. LAX and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport each needs 700 more flight attendants, while Phoenix needs 700 fewer. With 13 airports where American can base flight attendants, it can deploy flight crews more efficiently if some employees are transferred out of Phoenix. Wednesday morning, the airline notified Phoenix-based flight attendants to watch vacancies at other bases and consider opportunities to transfer. The airline hopes to naturally reduce the number of Phoenix staff over the next few years through attrition and transfers. American reaffirms commitment to Phoenix American said the move would not result in fewer jobs company-wide as it anticipates needing to hire several hundred flight attendants this year. It also anticipates no changes in the number of flights serving Phoenix. "What this means for our levels of flying in Phoenix in terms of our commitment to Phoenix as a vibrant hub in the American Airlines system is unchanged," Schubert said. Vasu Raja, the airline's vice president of network and schedule planning, echoed Schubert in an emailed statement: "We remain committed to keeping the Valley of the Sun connected to the world. We recognize the unique value of Phoenix as a hub for American Airlines. More than 250 daily flights are important to our team members, customers and our business. We are here to stay." The news comes just a week after American announced it was expanding its soon-to-launch daily service to London's Heathrow Airport from seasonal to year round. In an emailed statement, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport spokeswoman Julie Rodriguez pointed to that expansion as proof that American's commitment is stronger than ever, with the airline serving 90 destinations from Phoenix. Rodriguez said prior to the merger, American and US Airways together served 77 destinations. "As American completes a final phase of forming the world's largest airline, we are pleased that the company has announced that no Phoenix-based flight attendants will lose their jobs or be forced to relocate," Rodriguez said. Schubert said the situation is similar to when American Airlines integrated its pilots system in the fall of 2016 and needed to adjust staff accordingly. Still, the news is likely to be concerning to the city of Phoenix, which stands to lose 700 residents. The Arizona Republic reached out to the mayor's office for comment on the move and will update this story when a response is received. American Airlines has 27,000 flight attendants distributed across 13 airports. Sky Harbor is home to 2,360 of those flight attendants. https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/airlines/2019/02/14/american-airlines-needs-700-phoenix-flight-attendants-move/2861610002/ Back to Top Rolls-Royce secures order to build 140 aircraft engines for Emirates Engine maker Rolls-Royce employs 55,000 people in 50 countries (Source: Getty) Engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has been tasked with building engines for 70 new aircraft after airline Emirates penned an order from Airbus. The order includes building 80 engines to power 40 Airbus A330neo models, and 60 engines to power 30 A350 planes. Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce president of civil aerospace, said: "We welcome the news that Emirates is further extending its relationship with Airbus and Rolls-Royce. "The addition of Airbus A330-900 and Airbus A350-900 aircraft to the Emirates fleet will make the airline one of the largest users of Trent engines in the world and we look forward to continuing to support them and their customers." The engine maker also said it would provide engines for a further 14 Airbus A380 planes, as the European plane manufacturer announced it was to cut production of the flagship airliner. Cholerton added: "The A380 is a world class feat of engineering, much loved by passengers, and we are obviously saddened that deliveries will come to an end. "We are very proud to have supported the aircraft with our Trent 900 engine. We look forward to supporting the fleet, as the A380 continues to delight travellers, for many years to come." A source close to Rolls-Royce said the cut in production to the superjumbo jet is "unlikely" to result in job losses, but did not rule out the possibility. "We assemble the engines in Derby but we make fewer than one-per-week. In terms of the impact on jobs in the UK, it's a small programme and we can reallocate people to other engine programmes so it's unlikely there will be any." http://www.cityam.com/273247/rolls-royce-secures-order-build-140-aircraft-engines Back to Top Airbus to Retire the A380, the Superjumbo That Never Quite Took Off After billions of dollars of investment, Airbus is retiring a plane it had hoped would supplant Boeing's 747 An Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft comes into land at Heathrow Airport in west London. PHOTO: JUSTIN TALLIS/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES Airbus SE is halting production of the A380 superjumbo plane, abandoning the $16 billion project after airlines around the world flocked to smaller, nimbler jets for long-range travel. The A380 was the European company's answer to Boeing Co.'s 747, which brought long-haul travel to the masses and was the undisputed queen of the skies for decades. The Airbus superjumbo, which first went into service in 2007, represented a future for long-distance commercial aviation based on big jets, shuttling between major hubs. Passengers came to love the plane for its spacious, quiet cabins. Most airlines, though, were less enamored, turning instead to a new breed of fuel-efficient smaller jets that gave them the flexibility to serve less popular routes. A380 sales lost momentum early. Airbus never turned a profit on its flagship plane, and write-offs related to the program weighed on the company for years. Airbus executives long maintained that demand would take off, but more recently displayed doubt as big orders eluded them. On Thursday, Dubai-based Emirates Airline, the A380's biggest customer by far, cut sharply its plans to buy more of them. Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders said the airline's decision and its effect on backlog for the plane left the company with "no basis to sustain production." Airbus said it would make its last A380 in 2021. The program's termination could lead to as many as 3,500 job cuts or reassignments over the next three years, the company said. The plane is made mostly in France and Germany. While not a huge surprise inside the industry, the decision by Airbus to stop production comes at a particularly awkward time for the plane maker. The company celebrates its 50th birthday this year, and Mr. Enders, who presided over the program's stall-out, is turning over the reins as CEO amid a broad management transition. In 2000, Airbus unveiled its superjumbo program, saying it would spend $10 billion to build a 555-seat jet in an effort to supplant its U.S. rival's 747, which first flew 50 years ago. But development delays and $6 billion in cost overruns set the project back early. Emirates and a few other airlines were enthusiastic customers. Others were put off by its size and the need to sell so many seats to cover costs. Smaller long-haul aircraft, like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus's own A350, proved more versatile and cost-efficient. Emirates said Thursday it would buy more of Airbus's smaller planes, including the A350 and the A330neo, to replace its canceled A380 orders. Airbus shares rose 2.7% on Thursday. Apart from the A380 news, the company reported strong earnings on soaring demand for its other new jets. Boeing's 747 has also fallen out of favor, but more gradually. The aircraft is now made mainly to haul cargo, and Boeing has indicated its manufacture could end around 2022. Airbus once planned to build more than 40 A380s a year. Production briefly reached 30 aircraft on an annual basis, but was destined for a sharp falloff. A dozen A380s were assembled last year. American carriers never bought the A380, while customers such as Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Air France-KLM SA and Qantas Airways Ltd. have trimmed orders. Qantas said last week it had formally canceled an order, placed in 2006, for eight more A380s. Plane lessor Amedeo on Thursday said it had decided against taking the 20 A380s it had ordered. Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., an early buyer, backed out before taking even an initial delivery. Singapore Airlines Ltd., the first airline to operate the superjumbo, has retired its first two A380s. The aircraft, now parked in France, are being sold for scrap. Emirates, the world's largest airline by international traffic, will take 14 more A380s before production ends and said it would keep the planes in operation past 2030. Emirates will have bought 123 of the planes, or about half of the total that Airbus has sold. Airbus, which is based in Toulouse, France, said in its earnings report Thursday that it would deliver 880 to 890 passenger jets this year, up from 800 in 2018. Demand for new planes is being fueled by record air-passenger growth. The International Air Transport Association forecasts a 6% increase in passenger numbers to 4.6 billion this year. Airbus said its net profit last year rose nearly 30% to €3.1 billion ($3.5 billion) on €64 billion in sales. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes rose to €4.8 billion from €2.4 billion, and the company expects further growth of about 15% this year. Airbus said profit growth would be driven in part by sales of its A350 plane, a program expected to break even this year. The company also committed to boosting A320 output to 63 a month around 2021, from 60 a month this year. https://www.wsj.com/articles/airbus-will-stop-building-its-a380-superjumbo-jet-11550121699 Back to Top Back to Top Click here to sign up for the next session with Captain Shem Malmquist beginning in April. Or call us at 231 720-0930 (EST). High Altitude Flying Overview Second session sold out. The new April course is filling up fast. Book now to reserve your place. ***************** "I think the course is great." Erika Armstrong Director of Instructional Design Air Crew Academy Back to Top Apply Now! - Director of Audit Programs mba is seeking an experienced individual to manage its audit programs with respect to IATA's (International Air Transport Association) IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) program. The candidate must meet the following requirements, be a self-starter and a leader within the organization. • Must obtain and maintain qualification as an IOSA Auditor; including qualification as an Auditor in at least one specific discipline • Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint • Be willing to travel globally without restriction to perform audits and attend meetings Duties and Responsibilities: • Manage and develop new opportunities for mba in areas of auditing and training, globally • Manage and lead a team of experienced individuals in the performance of aviation safety focused audits • IOSA(IATA Operation Safety Audit) o Maintain and improve IOSA Administrative management system o Responsible for obtaining and maintaining mba's accreditation as an Audit Organization (AO) in accordance with (IPM Section 1); and mba ITO program manual o Ensure that mba is in conformity with all IOSA Program requirements so long as it is an accredited AO. o Responsible for IOSA Records System o Develop and revise, as necessary, IOSA policies and procedures and ensure that these policies and procedures are available to all IOSA Program personnel o Manage all IOSA Auditing Activity o Responsible for auditor and support staffing for IOSA operations o Maintain listing of approved auditors, verify auditor qualifications, and coordinate auditor accreditation with IATA o Responsible for control and surveillance of Audit Activities and Auditor Performance o For each IOSA, designate team members and schedule audit in accordance with Auditee and Auditor requirements and availability o Develop and instruct Auditor Recurrent Training o Perform the functions of Lead Auditor APPLY HERE ************** POSITIONS AVAILABLE: IOSA AUDITORS mba is currently seeking IOSA Auditors! Do you have over 5 years of aviation experience, 2 years' experience in at least 1 IOSA Discipline, and have completed Auditor Training? Then submit your resume to mba@mba.aero for an opportunity to join our IOSA Audit Team! *IOSA is a registered trademark of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). 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 Curt Lewis