Flight Safety Information February 27, 2019 - No. 043 In This Issue Incident: Southwest B737 at Hartford on Feb 25th 2019, wing tip strike on landing Incident: Austrian A319 at Milan on Feb 25th 2019, strange smell in cabin Incident: Easyjet A320 near Birmingham on Feb 25th 2019, burning electrical odour on board Incident: British Airways A20N near London on Feb 25th 2019, cargo smoke indication Incident: Alaska A320 near Seattle on Feb 26th 2019, odour on board Aircraft makes emergency landing in CT after smoke in cabin reported EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Malaysia B738 near Jambi on Feb 25th 2019, low fuel indication Incident: Endeavor CRJ2 at New York on Feb 25th 2019, wing damage possibly by jet blast Eurocopter AS350 B3e - Fatal Accident (Nepal) General Dynamics KF-16D - Accident (South Korea) Report: Aeroméxico ERJ-190 accident at Durango due to windshear; unqualified pilots at the controls Position Available-IBAC is Searching for Candidates to Direct Its Office in Montreal - Director, ICAO Liaison...International Business Aviation Council IS-BAO Operator Continuous Improvement Roundtable at 2019 NBAA IOC Rescuers Still Searching for the Last Crew Member of Doomed Amazon Cargo Flight Atlas Air Criticized by Pilots After 767 Crash Thailand Is Unable To Get Back Its Category 1 FAA Rating Aerion Adds More Leaders to Team Clay Lacy to be Honored with Bob Hoover Trophy Asia's Travel Boom Is in Trouble as a Pilot Shortage Worsens Vietnam greets Trump with $20.9bn worth of Boeing and GE jet deals Boeing unveils unmanned combat jet developed in Australia Jet Airways may be forced to ground 42 aircraft in the next 2 days Aviation Innovations Conference: Cargo Airships...March 14 - 15, 2019...Toronto, Canada ISASI-Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter (MARC) Dinner/Meeting--2 May 2019 ISASI 2019 - Call For Papers GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Incident: Southwest B737 at Hartford on Feb 25th 2019, wing tip strike on landing A Southwest Boeing 737-700, registration N759GS performing flight WN-2169 from Orlando,FL to Hartford,CT (USA), was on approach to Hartford's runway 24 at about 18:42L (23:42Z), winds were reported from 300 degrees at 20 knots gusting 29 knots, when the crew decided to go around and advised tower, they wanted to attempt runway 33 on the next approach, no assistance was needed. The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 33 about 15 minutes later and went around again. The aircraft flew a quick circuit for runway 33, but aborted the third approach as well. The aircraft diverted to Providence,RI for a safe landing about 45 minutes after the first go around. On Feb 26th 2019 the FAA reported the aircraft suffered a wing tip strike while attempting to land in strong winds at 23:42Z. The aircraft sustained unknown damage, there were "unknown" injuries. On Feb 27th 2019 the airline confirmed the right hand wing sustained damage, there were no injuries on board. They are conducting an internal investigation of the occurrence. Passengers reported the aircraft made three approaches in severe turbulence causing a number of passengers to vomit. The first approach was aborted very late into the approach, the second and third were aborted too early for any ground contact. The fourth approach, to Providence, was normal. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 16 hours after landing. Metars: KBDL 260251Z 31017G34KT 10SM BKN055 BKN200 M02/M13 A3006 RMK AO2 PK WND 30039/0158 SLP179 60000 T10221128 53050= KBDL 260151Z 29026G37KT 10SM SCT045 M02/M13 A3000 RMK AO2 PK WND 27048/0102 SNB07E14 SLP159 P0000 T10171128= KBDL 260051Z 29023G38KT 10SM BKN041 M02/M12 A2995 RMK AO2 PK WND 28048/0015 SLP144 T10171117= KBDL 252351Z 29026G35KT 10SM FEW034 M02/M11 A2991 RMK AO2 PK WND 28046/2321 SLP128 4/002 60000 T10171111 10028 21017 53042= KBDL 252251Z 27031G48KT 10SM SCT034 M01/M11 A2986 RMK AO2 PK WND 28052/2232 PRESRR SLP112 VIRGA SW AND NW T10111111= KBDL 252151Z 30029G41KT 10SM SCT042 00/M11 A2982 RMK AO2 PK WND 29055/2117 SLP099 VIRGA NE-E P0000 T00001106= KBDL 252051Z 29032G44KT 10SM BKN065 01/M12 A2978 RMK AO2 PK WND 27048/2028 SLP086 VIRGA NE-E T00111122 53032= https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA2169/history/20190225/2120Z/KMCO/KBDL http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4b77b4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Austrian A319 at Milan on Feb 25th 2019, strange smell in cabin An Austrian Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration OE-LDG performing flight OS-509 from Vienna (Austria) to Milan Malpensa (Italy), was descending towards Milan when the crew reported a strange smell in the cabin. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Malpensa's runway 35R. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Malpensa for about 6 hours, then departed for flight OS- 1472 from Malpensa to Vienna. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4bae1d&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Easyjet A320 near Birmingham on Feb 25th 2019, burning electrical odour on board An Easyjet Airbus A320-200, registration G-EZOI performing flight U2-426 from Edinburgh,SC to Bristol,EN (UK), was enroute at FL330 about 60nm northwest of Birmingham,EN (UK) when the crew decided to divert to Birmingham due to a burning electrical odour. The aircraft landed safely on Birmingham's runway 15 about 30 minutes later. The airline reported the aircraft diverted due to technical fault, the passengers were bussed to Bristol. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Birmingham for about 18 hours, then positioned to London Gatwick,EN (UK) and is still on the ground in Gatwick about 12 hours after landing in Gatwick. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4bab4a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: British Airways A20N near London on Feb 25th 2019, cargo smoke indication A British Airways Airbus A320-200N, registration G-TTNC performing flight BA-706 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Vienna (Austria), was climbing out of Heathrow's runway 09R when the crew stopped the climb at about FL310 due to a cargo smoke indication and decided to turn around and divert to London Stansted,EN (UK), where the aircraft landed safely on runway 22 about 40 minutes after departure. Emergency services found no trace of fire, heat or smoke. A replacement A320-200 registration G-EUUO reached Vienna with a delay of about 5 hours. The occurrence aircraft departed Stansted about 18 hours after landing and positioned to Heathrow. The aircraft is still on the ground in Heathrow about 8 hours after landing in Heathrow. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4ba75f&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Alaska A320 near Seattle on Feb 26th 2019, odour on board An Alaska Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N621VA performing flihgt AS-1506 from Seattle,WA to Santa Ana,CA (USA), was climbing through FL270 out of Seattle when the crew stopped the climb and decided to return to Seattle reporting an unusual odour on board. The aircraft landed safely back in Seattle about 30 minutes after departure. Three cabin crew were taken to a hospital for a precautionary medical checkup. Emergency services did not detect any odours on entering the aircraft after landing. The airline reported the cause of the odour is being investigated, the cabin crew were taken to a hospital for precautionary medical evaluation. The flight was cancelled. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASA1506/history/20190226/1625Z/KSEA/KSNA http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4ba29b&opt=0 Back to Top Aircraft makes emergency landing in CT after smoke in cabin reported An American Airlines passenger jet is shown in this file photo. WINDSOR LOCKS - Smoke reported in the cabin caused a passenger jet to make an emergency landing at Bradley International Airport on Tuesday morning. The smoke in the cabin was reported shortly after takeoff. Recommended Video The plane - with a reported 138 people on board - aboard quickly returned to the airport and landed safety on Runway 33. The aircraft - a Boeing 738 - was American Airlines Flight 2250 bound for Chicago. https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Aircraft-makes-emergency-landing-after-smoke- in-13645818.php Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Malaysia B738 near Jambi on Feb 25th 2019, low fuel indication A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration 9M-MXH performing flight MH-724 from Jakarta (Indonesia) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) with 120 passengers and 7 crew, was enroute at FL380 about 80nm northeast of Jambi (Indonesia) when the crew received a low fuel indication and decided to divert to Jambi advising they had a problem with the low fuel indicator. The aircraft landed safely on Jambi's runway 31 about 30 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 4 hours while repairs were made and continued to Kuala Lumpur landing there with a delay of about 5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4ba9ee&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Endeavor CRJ2 at New York on Feb 25th 2019, wing damage possibly by jet blast of previous departing aircraft An Endeavor Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N819AY performing flight 9E-5336/DL-5336 from New York JFK,NY to Washington Dulles,DC (USA), was cleared to line up runway 31L just after the preceding British Airways Boeing 747-400, registration G-CIVW performing flight BA-116 from JFK (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), had received takeoff clearance from runway 31L. The CRJ taxied into position but received visible damage to one of its wings. The crew requested to vacate the runway and return to the apron, the aircraft vacated the runway via taxiway JB about 175 meters/570 feet further down the runway. The FAA reported the aircraft received visible damage to a wing due to possible jet blast from flight BA-116. The CRJ was able to depart about 75 minutes later and reached Washington with a delay of 73 minutes. The aircraft remained on the ground in Washington for about 7 hours and continued service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4b7ad8&opt=0 Back to Top Eurocopter AS350 B3e - Fatal Accident (Nepal) Date: 27-FEB-2019 Time: Type: Eurocopter AS350 B3e Owner/operator: Air Dynasty Registration: 9N-AMI C/n / msn: 8324 Fatalities: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Pathibhara, Taplejung district - Nepal Phase: En route Nature: Passenger Departure airport: Destination airport: Taplejung Narrative: An Air Dynasty helicopter carrying Nepali Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari has lost its contact. The helicopter was flying to Taplejung. All seven occupants died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=222317 Back to Top General Dynamics KF-16D - Accident (South Korea) Date: 27-FEB-2019 Time: 12:13 Type: General Dynamics KF-16D Owner/operator: Republic of Korea Air Force Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Yellow Sea - South Korea Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Gunsan AB, North Jeolla Province Destination airport: Gunsan AB, North Jeolla Province Narrative: The military fighter jet crashed after a technical malfunction. Both pilots ejected safely. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=222313 Back to Top Report: Aeroméxico ERJ-190 accident at Durango due to windshear; unqualified pilots at the controls Status: Final Date: Tuesday 31 July 2018 Time: 15:22 Type: Embraer ERJ-190AR Operator: Aeroméxico Connect Registration: XA-GAL C/n / msn: 19000173 First flight: 2008 Total airframe hrs: 27257 Cycles: 18200 Engines: 2 General Electric CF34-10E6 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 98 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 103 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Durango-Guadalupe Victoria Airport (DGO) ( Mexico) Phase: Takeoff (TOF) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Durango-Guadalupe Victoria Airport (DGO/MMDO), Mexico Destination airport: Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX/MMMX), Mexico Flightnumber: AM2431 Narrative: Aeroméxico Flight 2431 operated by an Aeroméxico Connect Embraer ERJ-190 impacted airport terrain shortly after commencing takeoff from runway 03 at Guadalupe Victoria International Airport (MMDO), Durango, and a post-impact fire ensued. All 103 occupants survived but 14 suffered serious injuries. The aircraft arrived at Durango from Mexico City as flight 2430 at 14:11 hours local time, 23 minutes ahead of schedule. As the ERJ-190 was prepared for the return flight there was a broken layer of cumulonimbus clouds at 2500 feet. Airport weather information shows that a thunderstorm had developed by 15:18 hours local time and the temperature had dropped from 28°C to 20°C over the previous hour. In the flight crew on board flight AM2431 consisted of a captain, co-pilot and an observer. The observer was a licensed commercial pilot with type rating for Beech King Air planes. He was in the process of obtaining a type rating for Embraer jets and had accumulated 64 hours of simulator time. The captain allowed the obverver to take the right hand seat and the co-pilot occupied the jump seat. He also allowed the observer to act as Pilot Flying. The aircraft commenced the takeoff roll on runway 03 at 15:22 hours local time (planned departure time was 15:09 hours). During the takeoff roll there were notable variations in airspeed and wind direction. At 15:22:42 hours, the aircraft was accelerating through an airspeed of 146 knots. Wind at that time was 47 degrees (from the right-hand side) at 33 knots. Eight seconds later the aircraft had rotated and was climbing through 8 feet radio altitude at an airspeed of 145 knots. By that time the wind had shifted to a crosswind: 103 degrees at 11 knots. The aircraft reached a highest altitude of about 30 feet. At 15:22:56 hours, the aircraft had descended to 19 feet and was caught in a 22-knot tailwind of 30 degrees. The aircraft then hit the ground to the left of the runway, left wing first. Both engines broke away during the subsequent ground slide. The aircraft came to rest about 380 meters past the runway threshold and 320 meters past the paved end of the runway, slightly to the left of the extended centreline. The length of runway 03 is 2900 m (9514 ft). Probable Cause: Probable cause: "Impact against the runway caused by loss of control of the aircraft in the final phase of the take-off run by low altitude windshear that caused a loss of speed and lift". CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Crew: (a) Decrease in situational awareness of the SLI2431 flight crew when the commander was performing unauthorized instructional tasks without being qualified to provide flight instruction and to assign co-pilot and Pilot Flying duties to a an uncertified and unlicensed pilot. (b) Failure to detect variations in the indicator displayed by the airspeed indicator on the PFD during the take-off run. (c) Lack of adherence to sterile cabin procedures and operational procedures (TVC; Changes of runway and/or take off conditions after door closings; Take off in adverse windshear conditions) established in the Flight Operations Manual, the Dispatch Manual and the Standard Operating Procedures of Aerolitoral, S. A. de C. V. Navigation Services in the Mexican Air Space: a) Lack of adherence to procedure 7.18 "Cizalleo a baja altura" published in the Manual de Gestión de Tránsito Aéreo de México, Ed.2018. b) Lack of adherence to the stipulated in point 7.4.1.2 Aerodrome and meteorological information, subsection 7.4.1.2.1 and 7.4.1.2.2 of the Manual de Gestión de Transito Aéreo de México, Ed. 2018, to provide information on important variations in wind direction and speed, value of visibility existing at the time of takeoff and significant meteorological conditions. c) Lack of supervisory personnel in TWR DGO. Accident investigation: Investigating agency: DGCA Mexico Status: Investigation completed Duration: 208 days (7 months) Accident number: ACCDTAFA034/2018MMDO Download report: Final report https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180731-0 Back to Top Back to Top Director, ICAO Liaison International Business Aviation Council Work Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) is searching for a Director to lead its principal office at the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. IBAC is an international, non-profit trade association representing the interests of business aircraft operators at the global level. IBAC is an official observer organization at ICAO, supports member organizations around the world, and promotes safety through international best-practices standards for the business aviation community. The office in Montreal coordinates and leads IBAC's contributions to the work of ICAO on standards for international aviation safety, security, environment, facilitation and air navigation as they affect business aviation. Ideally, the selected candidate will be an energetic professional with knowledge of and direct experience at ICAO, with technical knowledge of and experience in business aviation, and with demonstrated experience in helping to lead and manage change. Duties and Responsibilities * Provides day-to-day management of the IBAC office and staff in Montreal, guides the work of IBAC technical representatives at ICAO meetings, and provides routine business aviation information to and coordination with the ICAO Secretariat; * Represents IBAC on the ICAO Air Navigation Commission and serves on various ICAO panels and working groups at the request of the Director General; * Advises the Director General and IBAC governing bodies; * Assists the Director General to develop IBAC's strategies, business plans, and policy approaches; * Drafts and coordinates correspondence and communications with and technical working papers for ICAO; * Serves as a resource to IBAC member associations around the world; and * Supports and provides guidance to IBAC programmes, including the Air Crew Card, International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations and International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling. The Director, ICAO Liaison, is expected to undertake a moderate (up to 25 percent) amount of international travel on an annual basis. Supervisory Responsibilities * Supervises office staff of two persons Required Education and Experience * Accredited university bachelor's degree * Minimum of fifteen years of work experience in technical aviation fields, such as safety and air navigation * Holder of pilot qualification * Five years of management experience in a technical aviation field with demonstrated evidence of achieving results with a team of people * Demonstrated ability to work, thrive, and achieve results in international contexts * Demonstrated knowledge of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices and their relevance to business aviation * Demonstrated direct experience with and knowledge of ICAO bodies and procedures * Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally * English fluency required, as English is the working language of IBAC Desired Education and Experience * Graduate degree * Work experience in a business aviation context * Commercial pilot's license * Fluency in or good working knowledge of a second language, preferably French, Compensation and Term * Competitive salary * Three-year renewable contract * Four weeks paid vacation Employment in Canada of non-Canadian residents will be subject to the issue of a work permit and this could affect the start date. Contact Please send by 22 March 2019 a cover letter, including desired salary range, and resume, each not to exceed two pages, to DILpost@ibac.org or to IBAC, 999 Robert Bourassa Boulevard, Suite 16.33, Montreal, QC H3C 5J9. Back to Top Back to Top Rescuers Still Searching for the Last Crew Member of Doomed Amazon Cargo Flight This image taken from video provided by KRIV FOX 26 shows the scene of a cargo plane crash on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019 in Trinity Bay, just north of Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. (ANAHUAC, Texas) - Authorities scoured the shallow waters of a southeast Texas bay Monday for clues about what led to the sudden crash of a Boeing 767 cargo plane carrying Amazon packages, and for the body of one of the three people aboard. A north wind has aided searchers by exposing more of the three-quarter-mile debris field left Saturday when Houston-bound Flight 3591, which Atlas was operating for Amazon, disintegrated on impact with Trinity Bay, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) east of the city, an area sheriff said Sunday night. But the National Transportation Safety Board said on Twitter that it would not be releasing more information on the search Monday. NTSB - Accident Field White chunks of fuselage could still be seen Monday sticking out of the bay's long grass as airboats skimmed the low water around the crash site. None of the three people on the jumbo jet survived the crash, according to authorities and the plane's owner, Atlas Air. Emergency workers recovered a body on Saturday and another on Sunday from the costal bay. They were sent to a medical examiner's office for autopsies. Sheriff's deputies and investigators from the FBI and NTSB are searching for the remaining body and the plane's black box, which records flight data and voices in the cockpit. Crews are searching the area with boats and helicopters, but the muddy landscape has made the process "painstaking," NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwal said Sunday. The only person aboard the flight from Miami to be officially identified was a pilot for another airline who had been riding in a passenger seat on the cargo plane. Mesa Airlines Capt. Sean Archuleta had been getting a lift back to his home in the Houston area, his friend told the Houston Chronicle. The 36-year-old was a new father and weeks away from starting his "dream" job flying for United Airlines, Don Dalton, Archuleta's roommate, told the paper. Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne confirmed Monday the identities of Archuleta and First Officer Conrad Aska, the 44-year-old co-pilot whose body was found Saturday. Archuleta's wife lives in Colombia and was "devastated" by the news of his death, Dalton said. Atlas Air said in a Sunday statement that it has established a program to support the families of the dead and that it has a team, including CEO Bill Flynn, at the crash site to assist investigators. Before Saturday, the most recent crash involving a large cargo plane in the United States was in 2016, according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman. The non-fatal incident began when the landing gear of a FedEx flight collapsed soon after it touched down on a runway at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The left wing of the McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10F caught fire and the plane was badly damaged in the crash, but the two crew members were able to evacuate, the spokesman said. http://time.com/5537577/amazon-flight-crash-bodies/ Back to Top Atlas Air Criticized by Pilots After 767 Crash Atlas Air, which was operating the Boeing 767-300 contracted to Amazon Air that crashed on approach to Houston over the weekend, has come under fire by some of its pilots claiming high workload and low pay. According to a report in Business Insider, "Thirteen pilots from the airlines that Amazon Air contracts with have told Business Insider that their pay and benefits are below industry standards." In addition, BI reports that "All but one of the pilots said that means those who work with Amazon Air tend to be less experienced. Most of these pilots have asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution." Captain Robert Kirchner, Atlas pilot and executive council chairman of Teamsters Local 1224, speaking to BI said bluntly that "It's a ticking time bomb. They don't recognize pilot fatigue...we're able to prove to them that this is a fatiguing schedule." Since the accident, Atlas has set up a Family Assistance Center to assist the families of the crew members killed in the crash. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected," said Bill Flynn, Atlas Air Chief Executive Officer. "This is a sad time for all of us. Our team continues to work closely with the NTSB, the FAA and local authorities on the ground in Houston. We would like to commend the efforts of all of the first responders. We sincerely appreciate their efforts and support in the investigation." Amazon, in an attempt to increase its ability to deliver within one or two days to most American addresses, been moving from a dependency on established fright carriers with its own airline, and has expanded its fleet to 29 Boeing 767s, a large number of them retired from American Airlines as that carrier upgraded to the Boeing 787. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Atlas-Air-Criticized-by-Pilots-After-767- Crash-232343-1.html Back to Top Thailand Is Unable To Get Back Its Category 1 FAA Rating Unfortunately, Thailand failed an FAA audit this month and is unable to regain its Category 1 FAA rating at this time. Thailand lost its Category 1 FAA safety rating in 2015 and is trying to get it back. What is the FAA safety rating? The FAA safety rating is issued as part of the agency's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program. This program assesses "a country's ability, not the ability of individual air carriers, to adhere to international aviation safety standards and recommended practices" established by ICAO. The safety rating is important for Thailand. After all, without a Category 1 rating, Thai airlines cannot fly to the United States or enter codeshare agreements with U.S. air carriers. Thai Airways Boeing 747 Thai Airways used to serve destinations in the United States. Photo: Wikimedia. Why is Thailand not able to regain its Category 1 FAA Rating? The FAA conducted an International Aviation Safety Assessment audit in Thailand from February 11 to 15. This audit revealed as many as 26 findings. Reportedly, Thai authorities have indicated that they are working on addressing the findings hoping that they will finally get back the rating after the next inspection. Nonetheless, 26 findings are quite a bit, especially since Thailand is trying to regain its Category 1 rating. Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport is the busiest airport in Thailand. Photo: Wikipedia. In 2015, an audit conducted by ICAO revealed numerous safety concerns. At this time, ICAO red-flagged Thailand. Shortly thereafter, the FAA updated Thailand's status to Category 2 due to the same issues. Consequently, Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation split into two separate agencies forming the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand and the Department of Airports. In 2017, ICAO removed Thailand's red flag. The FAA, however, kept Thailand's Category 2 status. Which other countries have a Category 2 rating? In addition to Thailand, there are only three countries that do not have a Category 1 rating. According to information provided by the FAA, they are Bangladesh, Curacao, and Ghana. (The list only includes countries that have provided flights to the United States or had code-share agreements with U.S. air carriers within the last four years or had "significant interaction with the FAA.") The FAA just granted the Category 1 rating to Vietnam earlier this month. Nonetheless, three Vietnamese airlines, Bamboo Airways, VietJet, and Vietnam Airlines, have already expressed interest in offering flights to the United States. As a matter of fact, Bamboo Airways is planning on launching flights to the United States as early as late this year or early next year. Overall We are not sure if Thai Airways would actually like to offer flights to the United States in the near future, or if Thailand just wants to regain the safety rating. Thai Airways has mentioned in the past that it would like to fly to the United States again. Anyhow, it looks like Thailand has quite a bit of work to do before it will pass the FAA assessment and regain its Category 1 safety rating. https://simpleflying.com/thailand-faa-rating-failure/ Back to Top Aerion Adds More Leaders to Team Aerion continues to recruit executives and engineers, as well as refine its board of directors, as it prepares to bring the AS2 supersonic business jet to market. "We are absolutely dedicated to being a magnet for the world's greatest talent," said Aerion chairman, president, and CEO Tom Vice. Cathy Rice has been appointed v-p of business management at the Reno, Nevada-based company, where she will lead contracts, pricing, and cost schedule management, as well as facilitate business and program management processes. She is the retired v-p of contract, pricing, and program business operations for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. Former Embraer Executive Jets senior v-p of customer support and services Scott Kalister has joined Aerion as v-p of worldwide support and logistics. In his new role, he will establish a global support network for the AS2. Gene Holloway is now Aerion's v-p of boomless cruise and environmental responsibility, where he will lead efforts to develop and certify the system that will allow the AS2 to cruise at speeds up to Mach 1.2 without a sonic boom reaching the ground, as well as explore and incorporate technologies for greater fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. He previously was a program manager/project lead at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Aerion also promoted Andrew Hellen to v-p of cockpit and subsystems. He has served as an electrical and avionics engineer on a number of programs, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Gulfstream G650, Bombardier Learjet 85, and Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo. Meanwhile, Bryan Barrett has been added to Aerion's five-person board. He is the CFO and v-p of Keystone Group, an affiliate of Aerion Partners, the lead investor in Aerion. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-02-26/aerion-adds- more-leaders-team Back to Top Clay Lacy to be Honored with Bob Hoover Trophy * Legendary aviator and businessman will be the fourth recipient of the award. A legendary aviator, Clay Lacy started his business in Van Nuys more than 50 years ago. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has announced the winner of its R. A. "Bob" Hoover Trophy. Legendary actor and passionate aviator Harrison Ford, who received the award last year, will present the trophy to Clay Lacy at an event on March 20. Lacy's legacy in aviation is not likely to be matched. He has flown more than 300 aircraft types and logged more than 50,000 hours during his lifelong aviation career. He has flown as a flight instructor, military pilot, United Airlines captain, experimental test pilot, air racer, aerial cinematographer and business aviation entrepreneur. Lacy has set 29 world speed records. Clay founded Clay Lacy Aviation more than five decades ago. The company, which provides FBO services, aircraft management, maintenance, sales and charter services, operates 107 jet airplanes and employs about 500 people. Clay Lacy Aviation operates two FBOs at the Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), in the Los Angeles area and Boeing Field (KBFI) in Seattle. This month, the company opened a new 24/7 MRO facility at KVNY, which is capable of accommodating 15 large-cabin business jets. The R.A. "Bob" Hoover trophy has been awarded three times: the first to Hoover himself before his death in 2017, the second to aerobatic performer Sean D. Tucker, and the third to Harrison Ford. Two additional awards will be handed out during the March 20 event. Foreflight's Tyson Weihs and Jason Miller will receive the General Aviation Safety Award, Kansas' State Senator Jerry Moran will receive AOPA's Hartranft Award and Hawaii's State Senator Kai Kahele will receive AOPA's Sharples award. https://www.flyingmag.com/clay-lacy-to-be-honored-with-bob-hoover-trophy Back to Top Asia's Travel Boom Is in Trouble as a Pilot Shortage Worsens * Dearth of skilled cockpit crew acute in India, Southeast Asia * Harder for newer airlines to hire pilots, CAPA's Harbison says Passengers disembark a Bamboo Airways airplane at Phu Cat Airport in Qui Nhon, Vietnam. An unprecedented travel boom in Asia has spawned new budget carriers and millions of first-time fliers, but a shortage of pilots is threatening to choke that demand. Bamboo Airways Co. in Vietnam was the latest low-cost carrier to start services this year and more are expected to join the race. In Southeast Asia alone, low cost carriers have about 1,400 aircraft on order, compared with fewer than 400 for full-service carriers, according to CAPA Centre for Aviation. With the supply of pilots lagging behind, the airlines will struggle to find skilled cockpit crew. "There's a real crunch coming," Peter Harbison, executive chairman of Sydney-based CAPA said in Singapore. "For new airlines, it's much, much harder and it's going to be a real struggle." Global traffic is set to double in the next two decades with the biggest increase expected in the Asia-Pacific region, where almost 4 billion passenger journeys are expected, according to the International Air Transport Association. Boeing Co. forecasts the region needs 16,930 new planes and about 261,000 pilots through 2037. That means the current fleets and the number of pilots will need to double during that period, according to the planemaker. The strain is already showing. IndiGo, Asia's biggest budget carrier by market value, last month decided to scrap dozens of flights every day through March after many of its pilots exhausted their annual limit on flying hours. Taiwan's China Airlines Ltd. averted a crisis this month by agreeing to improve working conditions at an annual cost of almost $4 million after the pilots union, citing fatigue among other complaints, went on a seven-day strike. Even some outside Asia are running into problems: Emirates, the world's biggest long- haul airline, said in April that a shortage of pilots forced it to cut flights. "Complex training of pilots requires time, so the rate of supply growth doesn't meet market demand," said Dang Tat Thang, chief executive officer of Bamboo Airways. "The difficulty for us is in recruiting skilled, experienced pilots for the routes that we will continue to open in the near future." To avoid a squeeze, some airlines have set up their own academies to build a pool of pilots they can tap into. Jeju Air Co., South Korea's biggest budget carrier, AirAsia Group Bhd., Southeast Asia's largest by fleet, IndiGo and Indonesia's Lion Air are among the airlines that have set up training schools. Angkasa Training Center Lion Air's Boeing 737-900ER pilot simulation training at the Angkasa Training Center Bandara Mas in Jakarta.Photographer: Dimas Ardian/Bloomberg "If I think back to five to 10 years, we weren't seeing any training academies set by airlines," said Wendy Sowers, director of commercial marketing at Boeing. "The supply- demand dynamics are coming into play. You are seeing the system respond." Some airlines are also "quietly" cutting the minimum hours required for pilots to be qualified as captains as they struggle to fill positions quite quickly, said Steven Greenway, president of Swoop, an ultra-low-cost-carrier that's part of WestJet Airlines Ltd. in Canada. The problem of pilot shortage has been around for a while, but has become more serious in recent years, a Jeju Air spokesman said. CAPA's Harbison says Southeast Asia and India are likely to face the brunt of the shortfall, with the most impact felt by four carriers -- AirAsia, IndiGo, Lion Air and VietJet, the Vietnamese airline that has embarked on one of the biggest international expansions by a budget carrier in the region. Benyamin Bin Ismail, chief executive officer of AirAsia X Bhd., said the issue at the group isn't as bad as the other airlines, and having its own academy "helps keep the flow of talent we need." Lion Air said it doesn't see an issue for the next three years as Indonesia's flight schools produce enough graduates. IndiGo said it's "confident that the airline won't face a pilot shortage" and it has "all the requirements for a self-sustained growth of its pilot numbers." VietJet didn't respond to requests for comments. In the meantime, their fleets have been expanding rapidly. For instance, IndiGo, operated by India's InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., is likely to add at least 40 more aircraft in the year ending March 31, 2020, after inducting about 62 in the current year, according to CAPA. The airline, which also operates smaller ATR aircraft on regional routes, has 430 Airbus A320-family jets on order, on top of a previous deal to buy 100 narrow-body jets. AirAsia has 375 on order for single-aisle planes, while VietJet has 216, according to the websites of Airbus SE and Boeing. One possible solution to ease the crunch is to have one pilot on short-haul flights instead of two, although pilot unions may oppose any such move, said Harbison. "If you can have driverless cars, you can have airplanes that have only one pilot," he said. "It's a matter of shutting down an industry or seriously constraining growth." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-26/asia-s-travel-boom-in-trouble- as-pilot-shortage-worsens Back to Top Vietnam greets Trump with $20.9bn worth of Boeing and GE jet deals Orders for US aircraft and engines help Hanoi address trade imbalance Vietjet aims to capture more of Vietnam's burgeoning air travel market by purchasing 100 Boeing planes. © Reuters HANOI -- Two Vietnamese budget airlines signed $20.9 billion worth of deals on Wednesday to purchase planes from Boeing and engines from General Electric, helping their government address trade pressure from one of its high-profile guests this week -- U.S. President Donald Trump. The agreements were signed at a Presidential Palace in Hanoi right after Trump met with Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong. Trump is in the capital for his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, starting later in the day. Vietjet Aviation agreed to buy 100 737 Max airplanes from Boeing for $12.7 billion. The deal includes 20 Max 8s and 80 of the new, larger Max 10 variant. The Southeast Asian country's biggest budget carrier also struck a $5.3 billion deal with GE for aircraft engines and maintenance services. For Vietjet, the purchase is "an important move to keep up with our international flight network expansion plan with a higher capacity," chief executive Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao said. The airline serves nearly 100 routes in Southeast and Northeast Asia, and is looking at new destinations in Australia and India as it attempts to grow in the Asia- Pacific region and beyond. Meanwhile, Bamboo Airways, a new carrier launched in January, also signed a contract to buy Boeing 787s worth more than $2.9 billion. Hanoi has been taking heat from the Trump administration, which is on a mission to reduce America's large trade deficits and create more jobs on U.S. soil. The purchases were known to be in the works, but by having the deals signed in Trump's presence, Vietnam apparently hopes to placate the president. "We are going to be signing some very big trade deals, buying a lot of different products from the United States, which we appreciate," Trump said at the beginning of his meeting with Trong. "We are reducing the deficit very substantially, as are many countries, but I very much appreciate the hospitality. Really something special." Vietnam is a blossoming market for air travel, with its economy growing more than 6% a year. Over 100 million passengers used the country's airports in 2018, up 13% from a year ago. "The economic expansion in Hanoi and across Vietnam is impressive," said Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes in a news release. "Vietjet and the country's burgeoning aviation sector are clearly enablers, helping to stimulate travel within Vietnam and connecting Vietnam with the rest of Asia." Vietnam Airlines is also thinking about buying 50 to 100 Boeing 737 Max jets this year to replace its old Airbus fleet, Duong Tri Thanh, the state-owned carrier's chief executive, told Bloomberg. The airline is also looking at purchasing long-range jets to prepare for flights between the Southeast Asian country and California. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Vietnam-greets-Trump-with-20.9bn- worth-of-Boeing-and-GE-jet-deals Back to Top Boeing unveils unmanned combat jet developed in Australia * The aircraft will cost a "fraction" of the cost of a manned fighter, the company says. * The multi-role model is 38 feet long, has a 2,000 nautical mile range, and can be customized to customers' needs. * It can also perform electronic warfare and surveillance missions. Boeing Co on Wednesday unveiled an unmanned, fighter-like jet developed in Australia and designed to fly alongside crewed aircraft in combat for a fraction of the cost. The U.S. manufacturer hopes to sell the multi-role aircraft, which is 38 feet long (11.6 meters) and has a 2,000 nautical mile (3,704 kilometer) range, to customers around the world, modifying it as requested. The prototype is Australia's first domestically developed combat aircraft since World War II and Boeing's biggest investment in unmanned systems outside the United States, although the company declined to specify the dollar amount. The Australian government is investing A$40 million ($28.75 million) in the prototype program due to its "enormous capability for exports," Minister for Defense Christopher Pyne told reporters at the Australian International Airshow. Defense contractors are investing increasingly in autonomous technology as militaries around the world look for a cheaper and safer way to maximize their resources. Boeing rivals like Lockheed Martin Corp and Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc are also investing in such aircraft. Four to six of the new aircraft, called the Boeing Airpower Teaming System, can fly alongside a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, said Shane Arnott, director of Boeing research and prototype arm Phantom Works International. "To bring that extra component and the advantage of unmanned capability, you can accept a higher level of risk," he said. "It is better for one of these to take a hit than for a manned platform." The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in the United States said last year that the U.S. Air Force should explore pairing crewed and uncrewed aircraft to expand its fleet and complement a limited number of "exquisite, expensive, but highly potent fifth- generation aircraft" like the F-35. "Human performance factors are a major driver behind current aerial combat practices," the policy paper said. "Humans can only pull a certain number of G's, fly for a certain number of hours, or process a certain amount of information at a given time." Multi-mission capabilities In addition to performing like a fighter jet, other roles for the Boeing system include electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance alongside aircraft like the P-8 Poseidon and E-7 Wedgetail, said Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems. "It is operationally very flexible, modular, multi-mission," she said. "It is a very disruptive price point. Fighter-like capability at a fraction of the cost." Robertson declined to comment on the cost, saying that it would depend on the configuration chosen by individual customers. The jet is powered by a derivative of a commercially available engine, uses standard runways for take-off and landing, and can be modified for carrier operations at sea, Robertson said. She declined to specify whether it could reach supersonic speeds, common for modern fighter aircraft. Its first flight is expected in 2020, with Boeing and the Australian government producing a concept demonstrator to pave the way for full production. "I would say we are some years away from exports, we are probably years away from it being in operation here in Australia," Pyne said. "It is designed to be a cheaper platform, a shield if you like around the more expensive platforms, to protect our servicemen and women who might be on a Poseidon or a Wedgetail or a F-35A." Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, is home to Boeing's largest footprint outside the United States and has vast airspace with relatively low traffic for flight testing. The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will be manufactured in Australia, but production lines could be set up in other countries depending on sales, Arnott said. The United States, which has the world's biggest military budget, would be among the natural customers for the product. The U.S. Air Force 2030 project foresees the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter working together with stealthy combat drones, called the "Loyal Wingman" concept, said Derrick Maple, principal analyst for unmanned systems at IHS Markit. "The U.S. has more specific plans for the wingman concept, but Western Europe will likely develop their requirements in parallel, to abate the capabilities of China and the Russian Federation and other potential threats," he said. Robertson declined to name potential customers and would not comment on potential stealth properties, but said the aircraft had the potential to sell globally. "We didn't design this as a point solution but a very flexible solution that we could outfit with payloads, sensors, different mission sets to complement whatever their fleet is," she said. "Don't think of it as a specific product that is tailored to do only one mission." https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/27/boeing-unveils-unmanned-combat-jet-developed- in-australia.html Back to Top Jet Airways may be forced to ground 42 aircraft in the next 2 days * Many of the aircraft will be grounded for want of spare parts. Even as the wait continues for the banks-led resolution plan to ease its liquidity crunch, operational headaches are increasing for Jet Airways. The airline may be forced to ground 42 of its aircraft, almost one-third of its fleet of 123 planes, by the end of month. Sources told Moneycontrol that 28 aircraft have already been taken off service. By the end of February, 14 more aircraft will be grounded, said an executive from the industry. "Many of the 14 aircraft are grounded due to lack of spare parts," said the source. Another executive added that the company may ground more of its Max aircraft by February 27. The airline's fleet includes 18 ATRs, 5 Boeing 737 Max and 71 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The grounding comes even as State Bank of India is set to meet Jet Airways promoter Naresh Goyal and top executives of Etihad Airways in Mumbai on Wednesday. Etihad owns 24 percent in the Indian airline. Plans stuck Jet Airways had tried to lease or sell some of its owned aircraft to raise money that could help pare its over Rs 8,000-crore debt. But the plans, including a wet leasing deal with TruJet for its ATRs, got stuck. Many of the aircraft have also been grounded due to non-payments of dues to the lessors. On February 23, Jet Airways announced that an additional two aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment, apart from the four that the company had already disclosed. But industry executives said that the actual number was far higher. Responding to Moneyontrol's questions, a Jet Airways spokesperson disputed the number of aircraft grounded, and reiterated that some of the ATRs and Max aircraft continue to operate. But the spokesperson didn't specify how many of the planes were grounded. "Jet Airways also continues to be actively engaged with all its aircraft lessors, providing them regular updates on its efforts to improve liquidity. Our aircraft lessors have been supportive of the Company's efforts in this regard," said the spokesperson. He added that the airline is taking "proactive steps to minimise inconvenience to its guests and avoid disruption to its network." The airline, he said, is "undertaking suitable adjustments to its schedule, as required, and informing its guests well-in-time with appropriate choices of re-accommodation on alternate flights in line with established regulations. Nonetheless, the airline does apologise to its guests for the inconvenience that these interim adjustments may cause to some of them." The airline added that it continues to work towards the finalisation of the provisional resolution plan, along with partner Etihad Airways. The plan was approved by the Board of Directors of Jet Airways on February 14, and was later cleared by shareholders at the extraordinary general meeting held on February 21. Shareholding of both promoter Naresh Goyal (51 percent) and Etihad (24 percent) will dilute, and the lenders will get control of the company. Crucially, all the three stakeholders are expected to pump in more money, important for the airline's survival. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/companies/exclusive-jet-airways-may- be-forced-to-ground-42-aircraft-in-the-next-2-days-3584921.html Back to Top Aviation Innovations Conference: Cargo Airships March 14 - 15, 2019 Toronto, Canada www.aviationinnovationsconference.com https://www.facebook.com/events/1842427552533870/ Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Dear Participants, My name is Sabrina Woods, and I am a researcher working towards my Doctorate in Aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University under the guidance of my adviser, Dr. Scott Winter. My research focuses on how different general aviation pilots approach cross-country flying. To support my research project, I have created an online questionnaire to gather information directly from the GA population. In order to participate you must: * be at least 18 years old * hold a private, sport, commercial, ATP or recreational certificate, and * be willing to volunteer your time. Participation is voluntary and anonymous, and you may opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be destroyed. The survey will take about 10 minutes or less of your time to complete. Thank you in advance for your help. Please click on the link below to access the questionnaire. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WoodsStudy Curt Lewis