Flight Safety Information March 5, 2019 - No. 047 In This Issue Incident: Horizon E175 near Seattle on Mar 2nd 2019, pilot incapacitated Accident: Commutair E145 at Presque Isle on Mar 4th 2019, hard landing, gear collapse and runway excursion Incident: British Airways B772 near Boston on Mar 3rd 2019, odour in aft cabin, smoke on board EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Avianca Brasil A320 at Rio de Janeiro on Mar 3rd 2019, runway excursion on landing Investigators Prepare To Analyze FDR from Atlas Air Wreckage Mid-air scare as loud bang is heard on Qantas flight IHI Engaged in Improper Aircraft Engine Inspections Sikorsky Wants to Make Air Taxis as Safe, Reliable as Elevators Helicopter Industry Boosting Offshore Safety Canada To Decommission Hundreds of VORs, NDBs Hong Kong Airlines looks to consolidate fleet AAR named 'Best Aircraft Components Repair & Maintenance Company 2019' Hundreds of trainee military pilots waiting to start flying (UK) The Hubble Space Telescope Has a New Camera Glitch Angle of Attack - Book Baker Aviation Expands HOT-STOP® 'L' Presence IN South AMERICA Electronic Systems Investigation from SCSI 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 Incident: Horizon E175 near Seattle on Mar 2nd 2019, pilot incapacitated A Horizon Air Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of Alaska Airlines, registration N627QX performing flight QX- 2204/AS-2204 from Portland,OR to Seattle,WA (USA), was enroute when one of the pilots became incapacitated. The other pilot continued the flight for a safe landing in Seattle. The FAA reported the pilot "may have suffered a seizure, the flight landed without further incident". https://de.flightaware.com/live/flight/QXE2204/history/20190302/1710Z/KPDX/KSEA http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4f9c54&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Commutair E145 at Presque Isle on Mar 4th 2019, hard landing, gear collapse and runway excursion A Commutair Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of United, registration N14171 performing flight CS-4933/UA- 4933 from Newark,NJ to Presque Isle,ME (USA) with 28 passengers and 3 crew, was on final approach to Presque Isle's runway 01 when the crew initiated a go around from about 2000 feet MSL. The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 01 and continued for a hard touch down at 12:27L (16:27Z), the aircraft veered right off the runway, all gear collapsed. A pilot and three passengers received minor injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL4933/history/20190304/1440Z/KEWR/KPQI Related NOTAMs: !PQI 03/031 PQI AD AP CLSD 1903041643-1903051642 !PQI 03/032 PQI NAV ILS RWY 01 LOC/GP OUT OF SERVICE 1903041734-1903131900EST Metars: KPQI 041803Z AUTO 03007KT 2SM -SN M01/M04 A2961 RMK AO2 VIS 1 1/4V5 P0000 FZRANO $= KPQI 041756Z AUTO 02005KT 1 1/2SM -SN OVC018 M01/M04 A2961 RMK AO2 VIS 3/4V2 1/2 SLP071 P0000 60005 T10061039 11006 21044 58041 FZRANO= KPQI 041749Z AUTO 06004KT 1 1/4SM -SN FEW009 SCT014 OVC020 M01/M04 A2961 RMK AO2 VIS 3/4V2 1/2 P0000 FZRANO= KPQI 041724Z AUTO 04006KT 2SM -SN SCT009 BKN013 OVC021 M01/M04 A2963 RMK AO2 P0000 FZRANO= KPQI 041710Z AUTO 06003KT 1 1/4SM -SN SCT011 OVC017 M01/M04 A2964 RMK AO2 P0000 FZRANO= KPQI 041656Z AUTO 07006KT 1SM -SN FEW008 BKN013 OVC019 M01/M04 A2965 RMK AO2 SLP085 P0001 T10111039 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041643Z AUTO 07005KT 3/4SM -SN SCT008 OVC013 M01/M04 A2967 RMK AO2 P0001 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041618Z AUTO 06004KT 1/2SM SN FZFG M03/M04 A2968 RMK AO2 P0000 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041556Z AUTO 08006KT 1/2SM SN FZFG OVC013 M02/M04 A2970 RMK AO2 SLP103 P0001 T10221044 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041531Z AUTO 09005KT 1/2SM -SN FZFG BKN011 OVC018 M02/M04 A2971 RMK AO2 P0000 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041456Z AUTO 07005KT 3/4SM -SN BR BKN009 OVC016 M02/M04 A2973 RMK AO2 CIG 006V011 SLP113 P0002 60003 T10221044 58024 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041447Z AUTO 08006KT 3/4SM -SN BR SCT007 OVC016 M02/M04 A2974 RMK AO2 P0002 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041436Z AUTO 09004KT 1/2SM SN FZFG FEW007 OVC014 M02/M04 A2975 RMK AO2 P0002 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041429Z AUTO 08004KT 3/4SM -SN BR FEW007 OVC014 M02/M04 A2975 RMK AO2 P0001 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041422Z AUTO 09004KT 3/4SM -SN BR FEW007 OVC016 M03/M04 A2976 RMK AO2 P0001 FZRANO RVRNO= KPQI 041356Z AUTO 00000KT 3/4SM -SN BR OVC016 M03/M04 A2978 RMK AO2 SLP128 P0001 T10281044 FZRANO RVRNO= The aircraft seen after the accident, main gear at the engine inlet (Photo: Crown of Maine): http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4f9a68&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: British Airways B772 near Boston on Mar 3rd 2019, odour in aft cabin, smoke on board A British Airways Boeing 777-200, registration G-VIIG performing flight BA-238 from Boston,MA (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was climbing out of Boston when the crew requested to level off at FL200 while they were investigating an unusual odour in the aft cabin. A few minutes later the crew advised the odour had disappeared and continued the climb, however, the crew again requested to level off at FL280 now reporting there was smoke on board of the aircraft. The crew decided to return to Boston for a safe landing about 55 minutes after departure. Maintenance identified a faulty air conditioning system as cause of the odour and smoke. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW238/history/20190303/1250Z/KBOS/EGLL http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4fac19&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Avianca Brasil A320 at Rio de Janeiro on Mar 3rd 2019, runway excursion on landing, "grazing aircraft" An Avianca Brasil Airbus A320-200, registration PR-OCW performing flight O6-6227 from Salvador,BA to Rio de Janeiro Galeao,RJ (Brazil), landed on Galeao's runway 15 at 17:31L (20:31Z), it is unclear however, whether the aircraft landed ahead of the runway threshold, at the side of the runway or temporarily went off the runway after landing. The aircraft slowed, returned onto the runway and taxied to the apron. There were no injuries, the aircraft however sustained damage, several parts departed from the aircraft, the aircraft was covered in grass all over all landing gear struts, belly of the fuselage, wings and flaps as well as punctures to the engine cowlings. The Aviation Herald received multiple pointers to the occurrence, each of which provided a different scenario, from landing ahead of the runway threshold, grass cutting action near the runway contaminating the runway, the aircraft touching down with the left main gear in the grass, the aircraft touching down completely aside of the runway with all gear on soft ground, the aircraft veering off the runway after touchdown and returning onto the runway. The airline reported the right hand main gear temporarily departed the runway surface during the landing roll. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c4f72ab&opt=0 Back to Top Investigators Prepare To Analyze FDR from Atlas Air Wreckage Recovery crews located the flight data recorder from Atlas Air Flight 3591 on March 3, two days after they found the airplane's cockpit voice recorder. (Photo: NTSB) Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) awaited the arrival in Washington. D.C., on Monday of the flight data recorder (FDR) from the Atlas Air cargo jet that crashed February 23 while approaching to land at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Search crews located the FDR on March 3, two days after recovering the jet's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the shallow coastal waters of Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas. The NTSB investigators expect information from the two so-called "black boxes" will help them gain insight into the mysterious incident that claimed the lives of two Atlas Air pilots and a jumpseating regional airline pilot. Captain Ricky Blakely, first officer Conrad Jules Aska and Sean Archuleta, a Mesa Airlines captain commuting to Houston, died when their Boeing 767-300ER converted freighter crashed into the muddy bay approximately 40 miles southeast of IAH. Operating a scheduled flight from Miami International Airport (MIA), Atlas Air Flight 3591 was on a seemingly routine approach when the jet suddenly plunged out of approximately 6,000 feet. Archived air traffic control communications indicate the crew tried to navigate around a narrow band of storm activity along their flight path, with no apparent distress or mayday calls transmitted before the jet's dive into the bay. The accident aircraft, converted to freighter use in 2016, entered commercial airline service nearly 27 years ago. It was one of 30 767s operated for Amazon.com's Prime Air subsidiary. A Houston-area television station last week released video footage from a nearby school's security camera of the flight's final seconds, showing the airframe seemingly intact and in a steep, nose-down descent for approximately two seconds before disappearing into dense cloud cover. The footage corroborates online radar and flight tracking data, as well as investigators' statements regarding an earlier, unreleased video obtained by the NTSB. Meanwhile, search crews continue to comb through a debris field largely contained within 100- by 200-yard area in the bay. NTSB video footage from the scene shows remnants of Amazon packages strewn amongst the wreckage showing few readily identifiable aircraft components, including the jet's retracted main landing gear. NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt is among the investigators joined by local officials, regional entities including the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in working to determine the cause of the crash. The latter agency's ongoing presence has raised some questions given the FBI's mission to investigate criminal activity, although the circumstances that brought down the cargo aircraft remain unknown. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2019-03-04/investigators- prepare-analyze-fdr-atlas-air-wreckage Back to Top Mid-air scare as loud bang is heard on Qantas flight Scared passengers have been forced to wear oxygen masks after they heard a loud bang on a flight that made a rapid descent into Melbourne. Frightened passengers donned oxygen masks as their Qantas flight to Canberra was diverted to Melbourne following a depressurisation event this morning. A loud bang could reportedly be heard from the back of the plane before it made a rapid decent to 10,000 feet. The oxygen masks were deployed but passengers were able to breathe normally once the plane reached a lower altitude. QF706 had taken off from Adelaide just after 6.10am today, bound for Canberra. The plane was given priority landing at Melbourne airport where it arrived safely about 8am. Passengers on board were "fairly stressed," said passenger Vikki Denny, a director of nursing with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. "There were a few people around me who were fairly stressed and a baby screaming, but it was all very well controlled," she told the Adelaide Advertiser. Ms Denny said some people slept through the bang even despite it being loud. The pilot on board was calm and "professional" but passengers weren't sure what was happening, she said. "They didn't explain anything as far (as) what was occurring - they said this was an emergency procedure and there was a consistent alert going over the intercom," she told the ABC. "The whole time we were on descent the emergency intercom was going to remain seated, keep oxygen on, this was an emergency." Qantas has confirmed the incident was related to an issue with cabin pressurisation. "Our pilots and cabin crew handled the incident in line with standard operating procedures," Qantas chief technical pilot Captain Alex Passerini said in a statement. "We would like to thank our customers who followed the crew instructions and remained calm during the diversion. "The aircraft is currently being examined by engineers in Melbourne to determine the fault." QF706 made a priority landing in Melbourne en route from Adelaide to Canberra. Picture: Flight Aware Passengers have been transferred to other flights while the aircraft is examined. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was gathering evidence ahead of a possible investigation. "The ATSB can confirm it has been notified of an occurrence this morning where a Boeing 737 on a flight from Adelaide to Canberra diverted to Melbourne due to reported pressurisation issues," it said in a statement. "The ATSB will gather information into the occurrence before making a decision on whether or not to formally investigate." When there is pressure loss in the cabin, it's normal procedure for pilots to start a rapid descent of the plane to a safer altitude, usually no higher than 10,000 feet. Oxygen masks drop from ceilings once the cabin pressure falls below a certain threshold. The loss of cabin pressure can be accompanied by a loud sound resembling a bang. Last month, passengers reported being in pain and one person was bleeding from the ears as a cabin pressure problem forced the emergency landing of a Southwest flight in the United States. In September, passengers suffered nose and ear bleeds after flight crew on a Jet Airways flight reportedly forgot to switch on the cabin pressure system. The Boeing 737 flying from Mumbai to Jaipur, India, stopped climbing at 11,000 feet and turned back to Mumbai. Passengers were given first aid after the plane landed safely. Passenger Satish Nair said the flight was "horrifying and the worst incident of my life." https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/midair-emergency-as-loud-bang-is- heard-on-qantas-flight/news-story/3f18ccea8d14734f2dfb2883c1b06b47 Back to Top IHI Engaged in Improper Aircraft Engine Inspections Tokyo, March 5 (Jiji Press)--Japanese heavy machinery maker IHI Corp. <7013> was engaged in improper inspections of aircraft engine parts at a Tokyo plant, transport minister Keiichi Ishii said Tuesday. The ministry conducted an on-site inspection of the plant in Mizuho, Tokyo, in January under the civil aviation law. The plant, which provides a maintenance service for passenger aircraft engines, wins maintenance orders for some 150 engines a year mainly from low-cost carriers, according to IHI officials. Unauthorized workers conducted inspections in part of the maintenance processes, and hundreds of engines may have been affected, the officials said. But the company has no plans to recall affected products at least for now, as it sees no safety problems that must be dealt with immediately, the officials added. https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2019030500596/ihi-engaged-in-improper-aircraft- engine-inspections.html Back to Top Sikorsky Wants to Make Air Taxis as Safe, Reliable as Elevators Foundational to Sikorsky entrance into the urban air taxi market is its Matrix "optimally piloted" technology that integrated an autonomous co-pilot of sorts into the cockpit. Photo: Sikorsky In Sikorsky's vision of future urban air mobility, people ride helicopters above the din and congestion of modern cities with the same security and piece of mind they have when riding an elevator, a contraption that people once feared but now use without second thought in buildings all over the world. No one wanted to ride an elevator until the invention of the safety elevator by Otis, with which Sikorsky is partnering on its new urban air mobility endeavor. In a video released March 4, Sikorsky announced its partnership with the elevator manufacturer and The Spaceship Company to bring its technologies to bear on the new urban air mobility market. "In our view, urban air mobility and that future solution has the ability to connect destinations in the same way that an elevator first started connecting floors together, allowing builders to look upwards and build skyscrapers and the modern cities we have today," said Jonathan Hartman, disruptive technologies lead for Sikorsky Innovations. "In order to do that, the people who use these systems have to trust them, fundamentally trust them," he added. "While the vehicle is part of that eventual urban air mobility solution, we think a lot of those technologies are already in process and already demonstrated capability. What we're focused on is that broader solution. How do we get to that seamless, integrated transportation experience?" The United Nations estimates about two million people a week will move into major metropolitan areas over the next decade. Rather than develop bespoke air vehicles to address congestion issues in cities, as some of its peers have done, Sikorsky's vision incorporate autonomous and pilot-assist technologies it already is developing together with traditional helicopters to alleviate the hassle of existing ground and public transportation. "Urban air mobility is a topic that is gaining considerable attention and conversation within our community," Hartman said. "The problem of mobility in cities is growing more acute as we have more folks moving into those cities and straining existing transportation infrastructure." Sikorsky doesn't look at the problem of city congestion and the need for rapid mobility in and around it as a new problem. He specifically named the S-76 medium twin as a workhorse of VIP transport, EMS and cargo transport. The company has invested considerable internal research and development funds and time developing the component technologies that will make urban air mobility a reality, Hartman said. "Helicopters are used every day in the congested, dynamic airspaces in and around cities," Hartman said. "We have been a part of that story for a long time. ... We feel very strongly there are some emerging technologies coming out that can help assist and make that mission better and those technologies we have been developing for the last decade." Sikorsky and the Future of Urban Air Mobility Foundational to Sikorsky entrance into the urban air taxi market is its Matrix "optimally piloted" technology that integrated an autonomous co-pilot of sorts into the cockpit. Developed through the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program, Matrix is a drop-in retrofit kit that introduces autonomy into existing aircraft to lighten the workload on human crews. Sikorsky is installing the system on a UH-60 Black Hawk for trials with the U.S. Army and recently demonstrated its capability to a group of non-pilots at Fort Eustis in Virginia. "As part of that demonstration, we were flying folks in the non-piloting community, actually folks who had never been in or around a helicopter before," he said. "With an hour of training in our simulator, they were able to take the MATRIX interface that is in the cockpit, in the right-hand seat and operate that air vehicle on an extended-duration mission." Sikorsky has moved on to thinking about how Matrix and similar technologies can be applied to future urban air mobility. It is also reinvesting in development of electric propulsion technologies, Hartman said. "This set of technologies makes us very excited that we can work to bring a better, safer, more-affordable, more community-acceptable solution to the future urban airspace," Hartman said. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2019/03/04/sikorsky-wants-make-air-taxis-safe- reliable-elevators/ Back to Top Helicopter Industry Boosting Offshore Safety Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (HTAWS) are set to be upgraded to give pilots between 6 and 30 seconds of additional warning of a potential collision with an obstacle, terrain or water, according to HeliOffshore. Plans to implement the upgrades have been formulated as a result of HeliOffshore's collaborative efforts involving aircraft manufacturers, operators, and regulators, the safety-focused association of the offshore helicopter industry said. HeliOffshore's HTAWS work group recently reached an agreement for aircraft manufacturers to focus on implementing Modes 1 through 6 of the enhanced HTAWS software, which between them will deliver an estimated 60 percent of the safety benefits from the proposed upgrade. In discussions that also included the European Aviation Safety Agency, the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), it was further agreed that Mode 7, which would deliver the remaining 40 percent of benefits, will be implemented later after further flight trials are complete. Leonardo Helicopters has committed to implementing the first phase of the upgrade during 2019 for its AW139 and AW189 fleets. Mode 7 is set to be added after further flight testing. Sikorsky has agreed to introduce Modes 1-6 in Revision 11 of its Avionics Management System (AMS-11) for the S-92. In the meantime, it will continue to flight test Mode 7 and hopes to be able to add this to the upgrade at the same time. Airbus Helicopters is also continuing to test all the modes and intends to implement the upgrade of mode 1 through 6 for the H175 models in 2021 and on the H160 in the same year. The mode 7 upgrade requires additional design work and flight testing before implementation in the HTAWS or flight control system. Bell has agreed to implement enhanced capabilities in its new Bell 525 aircraft. The manufacturer is considering implementation options including embedding these functions within the aircraft's avionics suite or fly-by-wire flight control system. The plans agreed through HeliOffshore's HTAWS work group call for equipment to be enhanced by modifying alert envelopes on existing aircraft types, beginning with those equipped with Honeywell's EGPWS MK XXII HTAWS. This will give earlier notifications that increase the time available for pilots to recognise the unsafe condition and respond. "Effective collision avoidance is fundamental to helicopter safety, and data now shows us that by upgrading HTAWS we can significantly strengthen the ability of pilots to do that. That's why it's so important that we achieve implementation right across the offshore helicopter fleet," said HeliOffshore CEO Gretchen Haskins. https://www.offshorewind.biz/2019/03/04/helicopter-industry-boosting-offshore-safety/ Back to Top Canada To Decommission Hundreds of VORs, NDBs Nav Canada, the country's provider of civil air navigation services, has finished a study of navigation aids and concluded that "given the comprehensive radar surveillance coverage, and the propensity of area navigation (Rnav) with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) equipped aircraft, many VOR and NDB navigation aids (navaids) are no longer required and should be decommissioned." The decommissioning process will be done in 15 phases over the next seven years. Where a current navaid identified in the study serves as an instrument approach aid or anchors an airway segment, Nav Canada said it will "ensure that a Rnav/GNSS instrument approach procedures or Rnav airway segments are published, where required, before removal of the identified navaid." Aeronautical information circulars (AICs) will be published for each upcoming phase, Nav Canada said. The first phase, consisting of decommissioning some 20 navaids deemed nonessential, will start on April 25. Corresponding aeronautical charts will also be amended. Nav Canada's action follows the FAA's decommissioning of legacy navaids that started in 2012. Under the U.S. agency's planned schedule, a minimum operational network of VORs and an "optimized network" of DMEs would be retained, and this drawdown would be complete by January 1 next year. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-03-04/canada- decommission-hundreds-vors-ndbs Back to Top Hong Kong Airlines looks to consolidate fleet Hong Kong Airlines says it is working to consolidate and optimise its network and fleet, in response to reports that it could cut a third of its aircraft as it faces mounting financial pressures. "Hong Kong Airlines aims to improve our structure to boost revenue, manage costs and achieve higher productivity," it tells FlightGlobal. "We are working on consolidating and optimising our network and fleet. We will deploy our resources to routes with higher demand. At the same time, we will continue to explore opportunities to launch new destinations in various markets." The South China Morning Post had reported that the cash-strapped airline is studying plans to transfer some of its aircraft to main shareholders HNA Group, return them to lessors, or to scrap them. The restructuring could see it cut its fleet from 38 to 28, largely through the removal of Airbus A330-200s. Cirium's Fleets Analyzer shows that HKA has 21 A330s, 11 A320s and six A350s in service, while three A350s are in storage. It also has a further 27 aircraft on order - 11 A350-900s, nine A330-300s, one A320 and six Boeing 777 Freighters. Last week, Hong Kong's Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) said that it is "gravely concerned" about claims against the airline for recovery of arrears in court, and requested that HKA "explain the situation". "ATLA would consider the information to be submitted by HKA and would continue to keep in view the development and take necessary follow-up action(s) on the matter," it added. This came after reports that lessor AerCap and trust provider Wilmington Trust are seeking to recover close to HK$150 million ($19.1 million) from the airline in unpaid lease rentals for a combined eight aircraft. There have also been reports that Cathay Pacific is studying the possibility of taking minority stakes in HKA and Hong Kong Express, although Cathay has since only confirmed discussions with HKE. "Hong Kong Airlines is here to stay and committed to sustaining our long-term growth. We have and will remain open to discussions with strong strategic investors," says the airline. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/hong-kong-airlines-looks-to-consolidate- fleet-456297/ Back to Top AAR named 'Best Aircraft Components Repair & Maintenance Company 2019' WOOD DALE, Ill., March 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AAR (NYSE-AIR), an independent provider of aviation aftermarket services, has been recognized as the "Best Aircraft Components Repair & Maintenance Company 2019" in a worldwide poll conducted by International Transport News. Readers of International Transport News evaluated and selected which air transport companies have excelled in their field and expertise, naming AAR the best in the category of aircraft components repair and maintenance. "AAR is honored to be recognized as the top performer for aircraft component repair in a very competitive global market," said Brian Sartain, AAR SVP, Repair & Engineering. "Our team of experts analyzes each customer's needs and performance goals in order to implement the most reliable, cost-effective and on-time solutions." For more information on AAR's Aircraft services and parts supply, please click here. About AAR AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include parts supply; OEM solutions; integrated solutions; maintenance, repair, overhaul; and engineering. AAR's Expeditionary Services include mobility systems and composite manufacturing operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com. This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled "Risk Factors", included in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company's control. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included in AAR's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SOURCE AAR Related Links http://www.aarcorp.com https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aar-named-best-aircraft-components- repair--maintenance-company-2019-300805883.html Back to Top Hundreds of trainee military pilots waiting to start flying (UK) Hundreds of trainee military pilots are not flying because of long delays in the Ministry of Defence's privately contracted training programme. The backlog in the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) has doubled over the past year. Three hundred and fifty pilots, including helicopter and fast-jet pilots, are waiting to fly because of a shortage of planes and instructors. The MoD says there are enough trained air crew for current front-line needs. The BBC has been told training which should take three years is taking six or seven, with trainee pilots spending their time doing office jobs rather than flying. The multi-billion-pound training contract is run by Ascent, a partnership between Babcock International and Lockheed Martin. "It's a huge contract and it's fundamentally failing," said one source. "There are so many elements that aren't working. It's not doing justice to the young trainee pilots. They do initial officer training and then everything stops for at least a couple of years." More than doubled The BBC's File on 4 programme has been given exclusive figures, via a Freedom of Information request, that show in one year the number of trainees waiting to start their first course, elementary flying training, has more than doubled - from 85 in February 2018 to 190 in January this year. In the summer of 2016, there were just 11 people on hold. When officers waiting for more advanced courses are included - such as fast-jet or helicopter pilots - the number 'on hold' is now 350, more than twice as many as this time last year. The figures also show the estimated time for an RAF fast-jet pilot to complete the MFTS programme is now seven and a half years. 'Unable to fly over water' Some of the problems date back to the Strategic Defence Review of 2015 which brought in new plans for enhanced military capacity, and an associated demand for more aircrew. But sources say there's a lack of planes for these pilots to be trained on, and instructors to train them - with some new aircraft requiring costly modifications before they can fly. The sources, who wish to remain anonymous, claim that US trainer jets bought for training at RAF Valley on the island of Anglesey cannot be flown over water, while Hawk T1 jets from the 1970s are being drafted in to fill gaps in training. Defence journalist Tim Ripley said the MoD had not invested in enough in planes and instructors, despite a boost to spending in the most recent defence review. "The 2015 defence review did not make a corresponding increase in the budget available to the MFTS to buy or lease extra planes, extra simulators and employ extra instructors. Therefore there's not enough room on the courses for the pilots," he said. 'Unacceptable and ridiculous' Some former officers like Matt Kitson have left the armed forces altogether rather than wait years to complete their training and gain their wings. "The most frustrating part was to be sent to a squadron with no set date of when you're starting," he said. "It was just 'oh, it will be in six months', then that six months became maybe nine months and then that became a year. So with no set date you've got a lot of highly motivated guys. It's frustrating." Matt Kitson and a Yak 52 aerobatic plane After spending two years in jobs such as being a careers adviser, he gave up his own military career to become a commercial airline pilot. Conservative MP Dr Julian Lewis, chair of the Commons Defence Committee, said he would write to the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson for an explanation in the light of the BBC's findings. "The idea that somebody might be waiting until their late 20s until they graduate as a fully-fledged RAF fast-jet pilot is clearly ridiculous, unacceptable and will have to be resolved speedily," he said. 'Phantom' courses File on 4 has also discovered the MoD is paying Ascent for "phantom" courses, which never actually take place, because the contract says courses must be completed on time. At the same time, millions of pounds are being spent sending pilots to private flying schools to do their helicopter and multi-engine aircraft training. A spokesperson for the MoD says there are reasons when it's decided not to run a course. If these are attributable to Ascent then they are not paid, the spokesperson said. However, "should the reasons be related to the MoD, then it is designated as 'zero loaded' and Ascent are paid as if the course had run as normal". The MoD admitted the number of holding officers is greater than they would expect, but said it was normal for people to be put 'on hold' before flying training, and insisted all aircrew fulfilled essential roles to expand their skills in other areas of the job. "The Military Flying Training System is the biggest transformation of UK military aircrew training in a generation that, when fully complete, will deliver a world-class training system across pilot and aircrew pipelines," a spokesman said. "The transition to the MFTS is well underway, with student aircrew beginning training and throughput increasing as the new aircraft, simulators and other state of the art training aids bed in." https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47420698 Back to Top The Hubble Space Telescope Has a New Camera Glitch The glitchy camera is 17 years old. Astronauts upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope in 1999 in this NASA image. The iconic space telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys suffered a glitch on Feb. 28, 2019.Astronauts upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope in 1999 in this NASA image. The iconic space telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys suffered a glitch on Feb. 28, 2019.(Image: © NASA/JSC) One of the most prolific camera eyes on the Hubble Space Telescope has gone dark, and scientists are scrambling to understand why. Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys instrument suffered a glitch late Thursday (Feb. 28) when an error popped up during what was supposed to be a routine computer procedure, according to a NASA status update. "The error indicated that software inside the camera had not loaded correctly," NASA officials wrote in the update late Friday (March 1), adding that a team of Hubble engineers, software experts and flight controllers are studying the malfunction. "This team is currently working to identify the root cause and then to construct a recovery plan." To be clear, the Hubble telescope is still able to study the universe. The nearly 29-year- old observatory has three other science instruments that are all in working order and performing operations. They include Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3, its Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and its Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, NASA officials wrote. Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys is a visible-light instrument that has taken some of the space telescope's most dazzling images of the universe. The camera was installed on Hubble in March 2002 by astronauts on a servicing mission. An electrical short knocked the camera offline in 2007, but it was repaired by another crew of astronauts in 2009 during NASA's STS-125 mission, the final servicing flight to Hubble. The camera malfunction is the latest in a series of glitches for Hubble in recent months. In January, Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 took itself offline after onboard software detected abnormal voltage readings. The voltage levels were actually fine, with the glitch tracked to a telemetry issue, NASA officials said. Last year, a problem with a vital gyroscope used for pointing Hubble stalled science operations for much of October. The Hubble Spate Telescope is a joint mission by NASA and the European Space Agency. It launched in April 1990 on a planned 15-year mission and has lasted nearly twice that long. https://www.space.com/hubble-space-telescope-new-camera-glitch.html Back to Top Back to Top Baker Aviation Expands HOT-STOP® 'L' Presence IN South AMERICA Jaguar Aviation of Fort Lauderdale and Aero Consulting of Brazil Named Product Representatives March 4, 2019 - Fort Worth, Texas - Baker Aviation, the master distributor for the HOT- STOP® 'L' Fire Containment Kits, recently named Jaguar Aviation of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aero Consulting of São Paulo, Brazil, as its new product representatives in South America. "We look forward to working with Jaguar Aviation and Aero Consulting to provide this region with our proven HOT-STOP 'L' fire containment solution," stated Ray Goyco, Jr., President, and COO for Baker Aviation Maintenance. "Both Ruben Primak and Tulio Brandao have fostered extensive relationships over the years within their aviation communities, and I am confident they will be successful at educating operators about the threat of lithium battery fires and how our revolutionary fireproof solution will help them eliminate this threat." Jaguar Aviation has been in existence since 1997 with the purpose of supporting rotary and fixed wing aircraft in multiple South American countries, and they are dedicated to providing spare parts, rental, and sales services of various aircraft and engines to the aviation market. Jaguar Aviation will represent the HOT-STOP 'L' lithium battery fire containment product line in Argentina, Columbia, Peru, Chile, and Paraguay. Jaguar Aviation President, Mr. Ruben Primak commented, "Ray and the Baker Aviation team are pioneers in this market, and they have done a fantastic job at bringing awareness to the industry about the dangerous risk of lithium battery fires existing on business and commercial jets today. We are excited about the opportunity of providing a superior safety containment solution to the South American aviation community." Principal and founder of Aero Consulting in Brazil, Mr. Tulio S. Brandao is an executive business developer with over 45 years of aerospace industry experience in sales, marketing, and managing programs for local and international businesses. Mr. Brandao's extensive background includes leadership roles with Embraer, TAM, Bell Helicopter, and Lider Aviation, among others. Mr. Brandao remarked, "I am excited to be representing such a highly regarded and proven safety product to the Brazilian aviation market and look forward to providing this fire containment solution to commercial and business aviation operators throughout the region." Both companies will work to promote and equip aircraft operators with HOT-STOP 'L' fire containment kits that are a light-weight solution which quickly eliminates the risk of personal electronic device (PED) battery fires and contains 100% of toxic smoke, associated gas emissions, and potential explosions onboard aircraft. Proven and tested by a FAA-Registered laboratory to be FIREPROOF as defined by Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR 1.1), HOT-STOP successfully demonstrated this with the FAA (AC20-135) test procedure that includes 2000°F powerplant fire penetration for 15 minutes. HOT-STOP® 'L' products are manufactured by Industrial Energy Products (IEP) in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania in the USA. For more information about HOT-STOP 'L' Fire Containment Kits, operators in Brazil should contact Mr. Tulio Brandao, Principal at Aero Consulting at +55 11 98350.8279 or email tulio@aeroconsulting.com.br. Aviation operations in Argentina, Columbia, Peru, Chile, and Paraguay should contact Mr. Ruben Primak at Jaguar Aviation at +1-954-484-4224 or email rprimak@jaguar-aviation.com. For HOT-STOP 'L' product details, videos of the latest test results, or to sign up for the monthly newsletter, go to www.HOT-STOPL.com. About HOT-STOP® 'L' The HOT-STOP® 'L' bags are made up of multiple durable fabrics with a felt inner core that has a 3200ºF melting point which is sandwiched between two outer layers that have a 2080ºF melting point and are proven to absorb energy and fire while eliminating the escape of smoke, sparks, and flames. Multiple sizes are available to fit various devices up to the large 27" x 26" vessel designed to contain defibrillators and oversized all-in-one computers. Custom solutions are available. Larger kits include a carry/stowage sling, and optional accessories comprise of an exterior carry bag with zipper and Velcro wall mounting kit. The HOT-STOP® 'L' EVO series was introduced to the airlines that are looking for containment solutions that will minimize the risk of unknown devices being brought onboard, including portable charger/battery packs, e-cigarettes, and internal equipment, such as defibrillators, and electronic flight bags that are carried inside the cockpit. The added zipper technology offers an additional layer of security with its zero tolerance, airtight closure that is designed to contain a device in full thermal runaway until it has burned out. It can be deployed in five to six simple steps. About Baker Aviation Baker Aviation is a full-service aircraft maintenance, management, and charter company, licensed to provide professional aviation services worldwide. ARG/US Platinum-Rated and IS-BAO registered, Baker Aviation is headquartered at Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas. FAA Part 145 maintenance services are also provided at KFTW with expertise in airframe maintenance for Hawker, King Air, Beechjet, Citation, Learjet, Falcon, Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft. Baker expanded its offerings as a stocking distributor of PMA Parts from Omega Aircraft Articles and established a dealership for LED Lighting with Aircraft Lighting International. Baker Aviation is also the exclusive master distributor of the HOT-STOP® 'L' Fire Containment Kit product line. To learn more or to schedule service, please visit baker-aviation.com or call 972-248-0457. Back to Top Back to Top Aviation Innovations Conference: Cargo Airships March 14 - 15, 2019 Toronto, Canada www.aviationinnovationsconference.com https://www.facebook.com/events/1842427552533870/ Curt Lewis