Flight Safety Information April 18, 2019 - No. 079 In This Issue Canada, Disregarding FAA, Insists on Simulator Training for 737 NTSB investigating American Airlines JFK flight that 'struck an object' at takeoff Incident: Envoy E135 at Toronto on Apr 7th 2019, unsafe gear indication Incident: Aeromexico B789 at Amsterdam on Apr 15th 2019, speed problems Incident: Egypt A306 near Cologne on Apr 15th 2019, smell of smoke in cockpit Accident: American A321 at New York on Apr 10th 2019, wingtip strike and collision with runway sign Airbus A320-232 (WL) - Ground Damage (Kazakhstan) MD Helicopter MD500E (369E) - Loss of Engine Power (Hawaii) THAI rebooks 387 passengers after truck damages jumbo jet wing at De Gaulle Airport Read this before you take an emergency exit row seat Angola's TAAG removed from the European Union's airline "blacklist" Delta to hire 500 aircraft mechanics Air Dolomiti Becomes a Member of IATA IATA signs safety MoU with Singapore U.S. Major Airlines Restart Fight Over Open Skies WHAT DOES AMERICA'S PILOT SHORTAGE REVEAL ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION? 35 additional MC-21 passenger jets for Aeroflot will be equipped with Russian engines NASA says Christina Koch will spend 328 days in space Certificate Courses in Slovenia from SCSI Position: .Director of Training/Pilot Recruitment GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Aircraft Cabin Air Conference Position Available: Deputy Director of Safety Canada, Disregarding FAA, Insists on Simulator Training for 737 By Alan Levin • Transport minister adds new complication to plane review • Boeing's Max models were grounded after second fatal crash The effort to return Boeing Co.'s 737 Max airliners to flight hit another hurdle when Canada's transport minister said he favored requiring new simulator training for pilots. Transport Minister Marc Garneau said on Wednesday that the planes would be grounded "for as long as it takes" and pilots should experience the fixes Boeing is devising in simulators instead of relying only on more basic, computer-based ground training. Key Speakers At The International Economic Forum Of The Americas Conference Of Montreal "I feel very strongly about simulators and I say that for having trained for about 16 years as an astronaut that simulators are the very best way," Garneau said in answer to questions at an unrelated event in Montreal. "From our point of view, it's not going to be a question of pulling out an iPad and spending an hour on it." Garneau's comments stand in contrast to a proposal released by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday that concluded the differences between the 737 Max and the most recent earlier models weren't significant and there wasn't a need for additional simulator time for pilots transitioning from one plane to the other. The report was written by the Flight Standardization Board, a group made up of FAA pilots and industry experts, after a new review was conducted last month following two fatal crashes involving the plane. The 737 Max was grounded on March 13 after the crashes were linked to an automated safety system that mistakenly thought the plane was entering an aerodynamic stall and repeatedly pushed down its nose and confused pilots. The FAA is still waiting for Boeing to formally submit a software fix for the plane, though its engineers have been working closely with the manufacturer. The software fix is designed to prevent any similar accidents from happening again by limiting the ability of the safety system to push down the plane's nose and preventing it from activating repeatedly. It will also rely on two sensors instead of one, making it less likely to activate in a malfunction. Because the plane was built in the U.S., the FAA will be the first agency to decide what new training and software changes are needed. Other nations, including Canada, have the authority to keep the plane grounded in their countries. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-17/canada-disregarding-faa-insists-on-simulator-training-for-737 Back to Top NTSB investigating American Airlines JFK flight that 'struck an object' at takeoff An American Airlines Airbus A321 Federal safety officials are investigating an American Airlines flight that was cut short last week after it took off from New York to Los Angeles and "struck an object." The Associated Press reports the plane tipped in strong wind, and a wingtip hit a runway marker during takeoff from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The plane then returned to JFK. American flight 300, an Airbus A321, took off from JFK at 8:40 p.m. April 10 and landed back at the airport 29 minutes later, American spokesman Ross Feinstein said in a statement to USA TODAY. He noted it taxied to the gate "after the aircraft struck an object upon departure." There were 102 passengers on board along with eight crew members. No injuries were reported. The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday it's investigating the incident with help from the Federal Aviation Administration, American and the union for the airline's pilots. "We are fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation of flight 300," Feinstein noted. On a recording by LiveATC.net, one of the pilots is heard telling air traffic controllers that the plane banked sharply to the left during takeoff, apparently from a strong crosswind. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/04/17/american-airlines-jfk-flight-300-struck-object-ntsb-investigating/3499891002/ Back to Top Incident: Envoy E135 at Toronto on Apr 7th 2019, unsafe gear indication An Envoy Embraer ERJ-135, registration N833AE performing flight MQ-3957/AA-3957 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 42 passengers and 3 crew, was on final approach to Toronto's runway 05 when the crew extended the landing gear and received an abnormal indication. The crew initiated a go around and positioned for a low approach to runway 06R to have the landing gear inspected from the ground. Ground observers reported the gear appeared fully down and in position. The crew positioned for another approach to runway 06R and landed safely. The Canadian TSB reported the landing gear electronic unit LGEU was replaced. The Aviation Herald subsequently learned the "in transit" indications were missing, the indication for up, up locked, down and down locked were okay. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ENY3957/history/20190407/1407Z/KJFK/CYYZ http://avherald.com/h?article=4c6d28e4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aeromexico B789 at Amsterdam on Apr 15th 2019, speed problems An Aeromexico Boeing 787-9, registration XA-ADH performing flight AM-26 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Mexico City (Mexico), was climbing out of Amsterdam when the crew stopped the climb at FL250 and decided to return to Amsterdam reporting they had speed problems. The aircraft returned to Amsterdam for a safe landing on runway 06 about 70 minutes after departure, emergency services were on stand by. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then departed again and reached Mexico City with a delay of 3 hours. The airline reported a warning indication illuminated in the cockpit, the crew was able to resolve the problem however in accordance with Aeromexico safety procedures returned to Amsterdam. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c6d2f8c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Egypt A306 near Cologne on Apr 15th 2019, smell of smoke in cockpit An Egyptair Airbus A300-600 freighter, registration SU-GAS performing flight MS-541 from Cologne (Germany) to Cairo (Egypt), was climbing out of Cologne, when upon levelling off at FL310 the crew decided to return to Cologne reporting the smell of smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft landed safely back on Cologne's runway 14L about 55 minutes after departure. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 3.5 hours, then was able to depart again and reached Cairo with a delay of about 4.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c6d2bfd&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Accident: American A321 at New York on Apr 10th 2019, wingtip strike and collision with runway sign during departure An American Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N114NN performing flight AA-300 from New York JFK,NY to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 101 passengers and 8 crew, departed JFK's runway 31L when the aircraft veered left causing the left wing tip to collide with a runway sign. The aircraft climbed out, at FL200 the crew decided to stop the climb and return to JFK advising ATC that they had encountered a strong roll to the left during departure and wanted to return to JFK. The aircraft returned to JFK for a safe landing on runway 04L about 27 minutes after departure. The leading edge near the left wing tip showed two large dents. A replacement Airbus A321-200 registration N113AN departed JFK for Los Angeles with a delay of about 13 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in New York 13 hours after landing back. The airport authority reported the aircraft was slightly off the center line causing the aircraft to hit a sign adjacent to the runway. According to information The Aviation Herald received on Apr 12th 2019 ground tracks reveal the aircraft was dragging its left wing tip for quite some distance on the ground, the ground tracks even suggest the aircraft came close to ground loop. The aircraft and left wing tip became airborne just ahead of the runway sign, the left wing tip impacted the sign, parts of which became embedded in the left wing tip. The wing also sustained according damage to its underside near the wingtip. In the afternoon the FAA reported: "AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 300 AIRBUS 321 STRUCK RUNWAY SIGN AND AIRPORT LIGHT". The FAA reported no injuries and unknown damage to the aircraft. On Apr 17th 2019 the NTSB advised they have opened an investigation into the occurrence, six investigators have been assigned to the investigation. Related NOTAMs: !JFK 04/160 JFK RWY 13R 9000FT DIST REMAINING SIGN MISSING 1904110725-1905250200 !JFK 04/158 JFK RWY 31L 5000FT DIST REMAINING SIGN MISSING 1904110513-1905250200 Metars: KJFK 110151Z 35015KT 10SM SCT250 09/M02 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP166 T00891022= KJFK 110051Z 36017KT 10SM SCT250 10/M03 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP153 T01001028= KJFK 102351Z 33015KT 10SM FEW070 FEW250 11/M03 A2996 RMK AO2 PK WND 34026/2257 SLP145 T01111028 10161 20111 53034= KJFK 102251Z 34018G26KT 10SM FEW070 FEW250 13/M02 A2992 RMK AO2 PK WND 36026/2244 SLP133 T01281017= KJFK 102151Z 31016G25KT 10SM FEW070 FEW250 14/M02 A2989 RMK AO2 PK WND 33027/2102 SLP120 T01441017= https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL300/history/20190411/0040Z/KJFK/KLAX Passenger photo of the wing tip (Photo: Jeff): http://avherald.com/h?article=4c68c5a8&opt=0 Back to Top Airbus A320-232 (WL) - Ground Damage (Kazakhstan) Date: 17-APR-2019 Time: 10:40 Type: Airbus A320-232 (WL) Owner/operator: Air Astana Registration: P4-KBE C/n / msn: 5968 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: Kostanay Airport - Kazakhstan Phase: Taxi Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Astana International Airport (TSE/UACC) Destination airport: Kostanay-Narimanovka Airport (KSN/UAUU) Narrative: Air Astana flight KC335, an Airbus A320-200, sank through the apron's top layer of asphalt with the left-hand main landing gear. The return flight was canceled. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=224085 Back to Top MD Helicopter MD500E (369E) - Loss of Engine Power (Hawaii) Date: 16-APR-2019 Time: 11:30 Type: MD Helicopter MD500E (369E) Owner/operator: DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) Registration: N593C C/n / msn: 0201E Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Sacred Falls State Park, Hau?ula, Oahu, HI - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Survey Departure airport: Sacred Falls State Park, HI Destination airport: Narrative: Following a loss of engine power, the aircraft experienced an emergency autorotation and subsequent impact with heavily wooded mountainous terrain in Sacred Falls State Park on the island of Oahu. The helicopter came to rest partially inverted, sustaining substantial damage, and the four occupants onboard were not injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=224091 Back to Top THAI rebooks 387 passengers after truck damages jumbo jet wing at De Gaulle Airport A Thai Airways International flight from Paris to Bangkok was cancelled on Wednesday with the 387 scheduled passengers of the jumbo Aribus 380 aircraft "handled according to standard procedures," the company confirmed in a statement release on Thursday. Flight TG931 from Paris-Bangkok was cancelled after a Servair catering truck hit the aircraft's right wing while it was parked at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. There were no passengers on board during the accident but for passenger safety, it was necessary to cancel the flight concerned and all passengers were handled according to standard procedures, according to a company statement. Flight Lieutenant Pratana Patanasiri, THAI vice president for the aviation safety, security and standards department, said the Airbus A380 aircraft was scheduled to depart at 13.40 hours (local time) on April 17 and to arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 05.55 hours the next day. The plane was at the aircraft parking bay with no passengers on board when a Servair catering truck hit and damaged its right wing while loading in-flight meals. The flight was cancelled for passenger safety and THAI's Technical Department coordinated with Airbus to conduct aircraft repairs. THAI provided assistance to passengers according to standard procedures, transferring passengers to flights operated by other carriers, and providing hotel accommodation for the remaining passengers. There were 387 passengers scheduled to depart on the original flight. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367892 Back to Top Read this before you take an emergency exit row seat As space shrinks on planes, emergency exit row seats are becoming more coveted. (iStock) As personal space on planes continues to shrink, all eyes are falling on the last place where you can still enjoy a small amount of dignity: the emergency exit row. The rows leading to the "overwing" emergency exits usually still have the humane 36 inches of space necessary for quick egress during an evacuation. They also are often occupied by experienced air travelers who mind their own business. If you're not in a special class or in one of the bulkhead seats - those in the first row of the cabin, which also have more legroom - the emergency exit row is the next best place to sit. But, as many air travelers are discovering, these coveted seats come with their own rules - and not just the written ones laid out in the Code of Federal Regulations and clearly disclosed when you get the seat assignment. There are unwritten rules, too, which can trip up even experienced passengers. Let's start with the written rules. The Federal Aviation Administration has numerous regulations that govern who can, and can't, sit in an emergency exit row. You have to be at least 15 years old. You must have sufficient mobility, strength and dexterity in both arms, hands and legs to assist in an evacuation. Possible duties include operating the emergency exit and exit-slide mechanisms, and removing obstacles between you and the emergency exit. Also, you have to be able to hear and see well enough to help during an evacuation. Most important, you must understand the crew's instructions and be able to follow them. In other words, the FAA considers emergency row seating a safety issue. Unfortunately, the airlines, in their efforts to monetize everything on the plane, have designated the exit row seats as "premium" because of the extra legroom. Most economy- class seats only have between 30 and 32 inches of "pitch" - an industry term for the distance between rows - and the air carriers figured correctly that passengers would be willing to pay more for the exit row. The result is that they've blurred an important line between safety and amenity. To further complicate things, whether a person belongs in the exit row is largely a matter of self-assessment. Flight attendants don't have the time to test your strength, vision, hearing and comprehension before the flight, so they rely on you to evaluate yourself. "Oftentimes people opt to pay for the emergency exit row but are not capable of operating the exit," says Brett Manders, an international airline pilot and author of the book "Behind the Flight Deck Door." Still, they believe that because they've paid for the seats, they should be able to sit in them. Ricki Cytryn, an analyst from Potomac, Md., remembers a flight attendant asking her and two other passengers in an emergency exit row whether they could lift the 45 -pound door. They nodded yes, and the flight attendant walked away. The woman on the aisle said, I hope you can lift that door, because I cannot. Emergency exit door weights vary, according to the FAA. Some doors, such as those on an Airbus A320, weigh only 32 pounds. Almost all the Boeing 737's emergency doors open automatically, so there's no need to lift anything. Besides whether you can help in an emergency, there are other things to consider about exit rows, according to Manders and others. On some international flights, for example, you must stow your luggage in the overhead compartment instead of under your seat. Also, the seats in front of the exit row generally don't recline. Now for the unwritten rules: Several travelers and experts tell me that although airlines will serve alcohol to passengers in the exit row, it is considered good etiquette to abstain. After all, even the most capable passenger can be incapacitated by one drink too many, which could put lives at risk. They also note that it's unwise to sleep in the emergency exit row. Because, well, it's the emergency exit row. Another unwritten no-no: XL fliers. Thomas Snitch, a frequent air traveler who works for Bowling Green State University in Ohio, recalls a recent flight from Washington to San Diego. "There was a gentleman in the exit row window seat," he says. "He weighed about 400 pounds. The issue was raised with the flight attendant, who asked him, Can you help in an emergency? He said, Yes, I am not moving. Snitch doubts that the passenger could have helped during an evacuation and believes that the attendant should have moved him. But in a way, you can't blame the passenger for coveting the exit row. After all, there's a reasonable amount of legroom with the seats. Who wouldn't want to be there? If you worry about forgetting some of the rules, you might take comfort from this: Airlines love to seat "deadheading" crew members - who are traveling between airports for work - in the exit rows. If that's the case, there will be someone to ensure that you observe exit row etiquette. It would be easy to remedy the exit-row safety situation . Airlines could just move the rest of the seats in economy class further apart, to 36 inches of pitch, taking away the incentive to sit in critical exit row seats. If that's not feasible, then they should at least stop charging extra for sitting in them. Being asked to pay a premium for the exit row gives travelers the impression that it's simply a privilege. But it's not - it's also a responsibility. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/read-this-before-you-take-an-emergency-exit-row-seat/2019/04/17/f43c0162-5af3-11e9-a00e-050dc7b82693_story.html?utm_term=.79d48037cc66 Back to Top Angola's TAAG removed from the European Union's airline "blacklist" Angolan airline TAAG has been removed from the EU's aviation "blacklist" can now fly again without restrictions in the European airspace, which has not happened since 2007, the European Commission announced on Tuesday in Brussels. The Commission said in a statement there was positive news for Angola, "as its national airline TAAG Angola Airlines, as well as Heli Malongo, which have operated with restrictions since November 2008, have been removed from the list." The decision was taken on the basis of the unanimous opinion of the Member States' security experts who met from 2 to 4 April at the headquarters of the Air Safety Committee, chaired by the European Commission with the support of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), according to the statement. TAAG was included in the EU's "blacklist" in July 2007, and in late 2008 it was again allowed to fly to Europe but under operational restrictions, and was only allowed to fly to Portugal in the first phase and only three aircraft of its fleet were "validated" by Brussels, and the restrictions have changed slightly over the successive updates of the list since then. Until Tuesday's update, TAAG continued to have restrictions on part of its fleet, only being able to fly in European airspace with its Boeing B737-700, Boeing B777-200 and Boeing B777-300 aircraft. (Macauhub) https://macauhub.com.mo/2019/04/17/pt-angolana-taag-retirada-da-lista-negra-da-uniao-europeia/ Back to Top Delta to hire 500 aircraft mechanics Delta Air Lines plans to hire 500 aviation maintenance technicians this year, during a period when aircraft mechanics are in high demand. Atlanta-based Delta runs the largest airline maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operation in North America, and expects to double the size of its TechOps business over the next five years to $2 billion in revenue.Many of the job openings will be at its largest hub in Atlanta, where Delta has its largest TechOps facilities. https://www.ajc.com/blog/airport/delta-hire-500-aircraft-mechanics/sHMA7UdeCkeHdRc3HZ7drM/ Back to Top Air Dolomiti Becomes a Member of IATA Air Dolomiti, the Italian airline of the Lufthansa Group, is officially becoming IATA Member. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which brings together and represents around 290 airlines in 120 countries around the world, is acquiring a new affiliate. The news was made official in a ceremony which took place at the Air Dolomiti headquarters with the presentation of a certificate. IATA, founded in 1945 with the aim of representing, leading and serving the airline industry, has become the global mouthpiece of its members thanks to an international perspective, supporting the economic and social value that air travel has to offer. Air Dolomiti, in the interests of following a path of growth and renewal, has decided to join the Association, thereby starting to benefit from the wealth of resources made available by IATA. In particular, the Association helps its members to meet industry standards in terms of safety; guides aviation to reducing its environmental impact; helps to contain costs, improve cash flow and maximise the effectiveness of investments. It also offers training programmes which consolidate the skills of the professionals in the aeronautics industry. "We are pleased to be joining IATA, which has always striven to protect and promote the industry. We recently announced the launch of an ambitious plan for growth, and in the coming years, we aim to extend our network and our fleet. I am sure that the Association will be able to support us on this path and that the partnership will prove fruitful," said Joerg Eberhart, CEO of Air Dolomiti. https://aviationtribune.com/airlines/europe/air-dolomiti-becomes-a-member-of-iata/ Back to Top IATA signs safety MoU with Singapore The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on safety oversight. Singapore The MoU will see the two organizations develop a framework for the use of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) by CAAS to supplement its regulatory oversight of airlines operating in Singapore. "A key objective is to reduce the number of duplicate audits foreign carriers need to undergo when they operate to or from Singapore, while still maintaining a high level of safety oversight through adherence to global standards and recommended practices," said Blair Cowles, IATA's Regional Director for Safety and Flight Operations, Asia-Pacific. Singapore is the third country in Asia-Pacific to use IOSA as part of its safety oversight of carriers. In June 2018, Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority signed an MoU with IATA to expand the use of IOSA audit information for oversight of Australian registered airlines in addition to foreign carriers operating to, from and within Australia. While in December 2018, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand agreed with IATA to incorporate IOSA in Thailand's safety oversight framework of foreign carriers. This latest MoU was signed by Kevin Shum, CAAS Director General, and Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO, in Singapore on April 9, 2019. https://airlines.iata.org/news/iata-signs-safety-mou-with-singapore Back to Top U.S. Major Airlines Restart Fight Over Open Skies Skift Take A long-simmering fight over Open Skies is boiling over again and is dividing the U.S. airline industry. The U.S. major carriers say Air Italy is a Trojan horse for Qatar Airways to expand in the U.S. JetBlue and the cargo carriers argue changing the rules of the game now would invite retaliation. After simmering on a back burner for more than a year, the fight between the U.S. major carriers and the Persian Gulf airlines is heating up again, this time over Air Italy's new routes to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Milan. But why should Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines care about a European airline flying from Italy to the U.S.? After all, the U.S. has an Open Skies agreement with the EU, which allows any U.S. airline to fly anywhere in Europe, and any European airline to fly anywhere in the U.S. The U.S. airlines and their unions, through their lobbying group the Partnership for Open and Fair Skies, claim Air Italy is a proxy for Qatar Airways' expansion in the U.S. and is not legitimately a European carrier. Qatar Airways owns a 49 percent stake in Air Italy. Qatar vehemently denies the claim that Air Italy is its proxy, stating its investment in Air Italy predates the 2018 agreement and is compliant with the terms of the deal. And several U.S. carriers agree with Qatar. A coalition led by JetBlue Airways, cargo operator Atlas Air, and FedEx - which operates a large cargo hub in Dubai - say Air Italy is a "legally certified European carrier" and therefore has every right to expand in the U.S. In 2015, the U.S. carriers launched a multi-pronged lobbying and public relations effort arguing that Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar benefit from illegal subsidies from the governments of the UAE and Qatar and were dumping flights on the U.S. market, making it impossible to compete. Then, like now, the fight began when a Gulf carrier started flying between Europe and the U.S., in that case Emirates' Milan-New York flights. These flights, called "fifth freedom" flights for the way they're defined in the UN treaty that governs all international flights, are permitted in Open Skies agreements. The U.S. majors pushed the Obama administration to freeze new flights by the three Gulf airlines and to amend the Open Skies agreements. This would have abrogated Open Skies, the Gulf carriers and their U.S. allies said. The Obama administration did not act on the matter. But last year, the UAE and Qatar governments signed deals with the U.S. promising more financial transparency from their carriers and, in side notes, not to launch new fifth freedom flights. The Trump administration has signaled that it will listen to the complaints of the U.S. major carriers, but other than the deals signed last year, it has not pushed for more change. The Partnership for Open and Fair Skies applauded the administration's stance and the new understandings with the UAE and Qatar governments. But Air Italy's new routes were a march too far. In a letter published as a full-page ad in The New York Times and the New York Post - two newspapers President Donald J. Trump is known to read - the CEOs of American, Delta, and United said Qatar is "ignoring the 2018 agreement your administration signed by using massive government subsidies to launch new routes to the United States through its stake in Air Italy." "Simply put, Qatar Airways represents a grave threat to American jobs and the health of the airline industry," American CEO Doug Parker, Delta CEO Edward Bastian, and United CEO Oscar Munoz said in their letter. "We respectfully encourage your administration to hold Qatar accountable for violating its agreement with the United States and affirm that we will not tolerate these continued infractions." This is nonsense, argue JetBlue, Atlas, and FedEx. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Robin Hayes, William Flynn, and Frederick Smith - chief executives of JetBlue, Atlas, and FedEx, respectively - note that both the Italian Civil Aviation Authority and the European Commission have certified Air Italy as a European carrier. Therefore, its new flights to the U.S. are perfectly legal per the U.S.-EU Open Skies agreement. And the three CEOs accuse their counterparts at Delta, American, and United of hypocrisy. Delta owns a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic. Does that mean Virgin Atlantic's London-Dubai flight is similarly a proxy for Delta to serve Dubai from Europe, they ask? Delta, American, and United have many such investments and joint ventures around the world, including in China and Latin America in addition to Europe, and therefore their objections to Air Italy's expansion are "illogical and would turn aviation law on its head," JetBlue and the cargo carriers argue in their letter. The three CEOs raise a point brought up in 2015 when the Open Skies fight first began: that the U.S. abrogating its agreements could result in retaliatory measures by governments worldwide. Should this scenario occur, consumers would suffer, as competition would decrease and fares would rise. JetBlue's recently announced intention to fly to London could be imperiled if the EU retaliates against the U.S. by refusing to approve the service. The Trump administration has not yet suggested which way it will lean on this matter other than to say it's studying the issue. But Hayes, Smith, and Flynn have a stark warning for the U.S. government. "Should the U.S. breach the U.S.-Qatar agreement by restricting Qatar Airways' rights into the U.S., or the U.S-EU agreement by restricting Air Italy flights, we can expect to see a rapid unraveling of hard-fought aviation rights around the world when other governments take similar action to shield their state-owned airlines from competition." https://skift.com/2019/04/17/u-s-major-airlines-restart-fight-over-open-skies/ Back to Top WHAT DOES AMERICA'S PILOT SHORTAGE REVEAL ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION? The United States is the only country in the world with major airlines that require four-year degrees in order to be a pilot. A commercial airliner flies across the sky. Google the phrase "pilot shortage" and you'll find a barrage of headlines, even from this past year alone, that augur doom for the United States' airline workforce. "Facing a Critical Pilot Shortage, Airlines Scramble to Hire New Pilots," the Wall Street Journal said in August 2018. "Airlines are 'desperate' for new pilots, and the shortage is contributing to canceled routes," Business Insider wrote in September of the same year. And, just in January, ABC News reported, "Pilots worry national shortage putting airline passengers in danger." Many observers declare that this is because flight school is too expensive for a career that doesn't promise much pay without working for a major airline-which you can't do without accepting low pay and long hours from a regional airline first. And because of the pilot shortage, regional pilots have historically suffered the heavy workload, assuming too many hours and wobbly work-life balance. This makes the approximately $75,000 necessary to obtain a pilot license seem largely out of reach for people with dreams of flying. The problem, though, is even bigger, because what's more expensive than flight school? Flight school plus a four-year bachelor's degree, which, combined, can easily cost someone up to $200,000 in the U.S. (Try telling young people who need to work to make ends meet that they need to pay thousands of dollars while spending years in college and flight school, only to end up in an industry that doesn't even use those four years of expensive efforts and also overworks them due to a workforce shortage.) More jarring still, what many may not realize is this: The U.S. is the only country in the world with major airlines that require four-year degrees in order to be a pilot. And that requirement is proving to be not only unnecessary for successful flying-but also unfair for low-income Americans in particular. Let's pause for a moment to sketch out how obsessed U.S. society is with four-year degrees, and why that's a problem. British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Avianca, Air New Zealand, Turkish Airlines-none of these carriers requires its pilots to have a four-year degree. Not one. What they require is English proficiency, a valid medical license (procured through a single doctor's appointment), and 1,000 to 2,500 hours of flight experience before someone can join their ranks. Meanwhile, back in the U.S., Southwest, United, and even the smaller Spirit Airlines all require the extra four years of expensive work for a degree that can have absolutely nothing to do with aviation-yet somehow, apparently, make someone more qualified to fly than an experienced pilot without a degree. Even if you want to fly for a cargo airline such as with FedEx or UPS, you'd need that pricey piece of paper with a university seal on it. Germany's equivalent cargo airline DHL, by contrast? Nope. Just flight experience. Indeed, you could have a four-year degree in art and still be considered more prepared to take on the technical skill of flying an aircraft than, say, a pilot who has flown for Air New Zealand for years with over 3,000 hours of flying experience but who only has a flight license and high school diploma. The latter individual would be rejected by all major U.S. airlines despite being plenty capable of flying and despite being in high-demand globally. Here, it feels important to say that removing the bachelor's requirement shouldn't make anyone wary of the competency of pilots. Given the millions of pilots worldwide who have flown safely for years and even decades without a bachelor's degree, the evidence is clear that pilots can be perfectly competent and well-trained without spending four years in college. While four-year degrees make sense in many industries, aviation is, conclusively, not one of them. Importantly, this degree fixation is harmful from an equity standpoint. For one, it isn't news that the four-year degree pathway mostly benefits the wealthy, as the recent college admissions scandal makes clear. We also know that, while the economic perils of burdensome student loan debt are severe for all young folks, they're especially so for those from low-income backgrounds. This means that the four-year degree minimum requirement closes doors for thousands of potential pilots who could possibly work for regional airlines while they work their way up to the major U.S. airlines. They have to worry, rightfully, about repaying hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to pay off not only flight school, but also their four-year degree. A senior representative at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, who works on flight recruitment and training programs, says: "There used to be an overabundance of pilots, so major airlines could be picky about who they hired. But now, we're not even creating 6,000 pilots a year, which is nowhere near the projections of what's needed to meet the demand." While most airlines and industry experts have pushed higher pay for pilots as being the main solution, there's also a much simpler option: Drop the out-of-touch four-year degree requirement. That's because if we stop forcing prospective pilots to unnecessarily pay exorbitant amounts of time and money to become qualified, but not even trained, then perhaps more would be willing to work their way into the spots that are being vacated every day by exiting pilots who reach the mandatory retirement age of 65. In other skilled industries where a four-year degree isn't required-such as the culinary industry-we see a great example of a workforce where the American Dream is meaningfully realized via well-paying, stable careers, and without the mandate of going to college in addition to acquiring certain skills. If we were to start forcing chefs to get a four-year degree on top of culinary school in order to be allowed to work in a restaurant, imagine what that would likely do to the workforce, and who would no longer be a part of it. Notably, this isn't a partisan issue. Many industries have heeded calls to adopt more effective and practical approaches to job-training, including calls from Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida). In an article he recently wrote in The Atlantic, Rubio said, "The old consensus, which made a college degree a requirement for success, has harmed young Americans and their dignity, shoving them ... into the complicated world of ambiguous skills and unambiguous debt." Furthermore, he proposes that "families and students need a system that embraces the new ways people can learn and acquire skills without having to go the traditional four-year-college-degree track." Similarly, Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) has said, "It's time we shed old ways of thinking, and build a modernized education system that embraces different approaches and focuses on innovation and student success, rather than inputs and process." In light of the recent events surrounding the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. House Transportation ranking member Sam Graves (R-Missouri) is looking into leading an investigation into pilot training. It's clear that sitting in an expensive college classroom for four years isn't likely to improve pilot training concerns, given that the skills necessary for operating an aircraft aren't taught in our colleges. On the other hand, improving flight instruction, skills training, and the quantity and quality of flight instructors in flight schools would likely get at training concerns. The AOPA senior representative explained that "airlines are sucking certified flight instructors up" in their struggle to meet pilot demand, but that this is leaving flight schools scrambling to find quality instructors and maintain consistent instruction for their students. Greater attention ought to be paid to improving flight schools, on top of encouraging a new wave of pilots and instructors by removing barriers like the four-year degree mandate. All of which is to say: U.S. airlines could significantly chip away at the dire pilot shortage by leading a cultural shift away from often unnecessary degrees and toward relevant, practical job-training pathways. And the airlines aren't the only ones who would benefit from this move-every young American with dreams of taking to the skies would too. https://psmag.com/education/what-an-pilot-shortage-reveals-about-higher-education Back to Top 35 additional MC-21 passenger jets for Aeroflot will be equipped with Russian engines On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said that Aeroflot plans to lease 35 MC-21 jets in addition to 50 aircraft it had already ordered MC-21 jet MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. The 35 MC-21 Russian passenger jets, Aeroflot air carrier plans to lease in addition to 50 MC-21 jets it ordered earlier, will be equipped with the Russian PD-14 engines, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Oleg Bocharov told journalists. "We are still working on all this (contract with Aeroflot - TASS.) These are 35 jets with PD-14 engines," he said. Serial production of MC-21 jet to start in 2021 - deputy PM On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said that Aeroflot plans to lease 35 MC-21 jets in addition to 50 aircraft it had already ordered. In February, Borisov said that Russian passenger jet MC-21 can change foreign engines to domestically produced. The MC-21 jet currently undergoes flight tests with engines by Pratt&Whitney. The Russian engine PD-14 received the type approval at the turn of 2019 and first serial specimen tests are underway. MC-21 is a medium-haul passenger jet being developed by the United Aircraft Corporation. It may come in two configurations - MC-21-200 (seating 132 to 165) and MC-21-300 (163 to 211). Another configuration, MC-21-400 with up to 250 seats, is also planned. Currently the MC-21-300 plane is under development. The aircraft performed its maiden flight at the end of May 2017. http://tass.com/economy/1054100 Back to Top NASA says Christina Koch will spend 328 days in space "It feels awesome," the newest extended-stay astronaut said. There will be a lot of pizza nights for Christina Koch, NASA's newest extended-stay astronaut. On Wednesday morning, NASA announced that Christina Koch, who is already living on board the International Space Station, will extend her mission to 328 days. By doing so, she will become the space agency's second astronaut to spend nearly a year inside the orbiting laboratory. "It feels awesome," Koch said in a video interview from the station. "I have known that this is a possibility for a long time, and it's truly a dream come true to know that I can continue to work on the program that I have valued so highly my whole life, to continue to contribute to that, to give my best to that for as long as possible is a true honor and a dream come true." Koch launched to the station on March 14, along with Aleksey Ovchinin and Nick Hague. As a result of the schedule adjustment, she is now expected to remain in orbit until February 2020, when she returns in a Soyuz spacecraft with NASA astronaut Luca Parmitano and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov. By doing so, Koch will set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, surpassing the 288 days NASA's Peggy Whitson spent in space from 2017 to 2018. Her mission will almost match the duration of NASA's Scott Kelly, who spent 340 days in space from March 2015 to March 2016. Although this was not 365 days, it was long enough for NASA to market Kelly's flight as a "One-Year Mission." By contrast, Koch's flight is being characterized as an "extended" stay on board the station, where increments typically last about six months. Another NASA astronaut, Andrew Morgan, will also spend about nine months on the station, from July 2019 through next spring. Health effects Whatever it's called, Koch's stay in space should be long enough for NASA to collect additional data about the threats of long-duration flights on astronaut health and performance. An exhaustive study of Kelly and his twin Mark, who remained on Earth, raised some troubling concerns about DNA damage and cognitive decline during the long-term flight. With a third and fourth US mission extending beyond 250 days, NASA scientists have said they hope to better understand these threats and how the human body can adapt and respond to the challenges of microgravity. Researchers also hope to devise counter-measures to the effects of weightlessness so that astronauts visiting other worlds, such as Mars, are healthy when they reach the surface. These concerns have led some spaceflight experts to say NASA should find better or faster ways to send humans to Mars, instead of the current six- to nine-month trip using existing technology. Some have posited that NASA should devise spacecraft that can produce artificial gravity, although the agency currently has no projects in this area. Others have said the journey must go faster, with better propulsion. To that end, NASA has recently restarted a nuclear-thermal propulsion program at its Marshall Space Flight Center. A faster trip would mean less time in space and exposed to weightlessness and deep-space radiation, as well as healthier astronauts both for their exploration activities and later in life after they return to Earth. https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/04/nasa-says-christina-koch-will-spend-328-days-in-space/ Back to Top Back to Top Position: Director of Training/Pilot Recruitment Posted:2019-04-17 Company:Nicholas Air Location:Oxford, Mississippi USA Company Info:- Requirements:Education and ExperienceBachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum of two years in a related positionExperience with FAA Part 91 & 135 operationsShall be familiar with and have a full understanding of the following:(a) Aviation safety standards and safe operating practices(b) Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations(c) The Company's Operations Specifications(d) Applicable Company manuals Apply Here Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Aviation Colleague, My name is Catherine Troyer, and I am a graduate student in aviation management working with graduate student Alyssa Harvey and Professor Brian Dillman at the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology at Purdue University. We are seeking your input on reference usage for studying flight maneuvers in this survey. Loss of control in flight is one of the main causes of aviation accidents. This survey is part of a research project which explores the connection between the flight training process and preventing loss of control accidents. We expect that the results obtained from this study will be used to advise the FAA of possible changes to the Commercial Airmen Certification Standards and other training resources and improve the safety of general aviation for future generations. The first part of the survey asks demographic questions, most of which are optional. The second part of the survey asks questions pertaining to the use of references when learning or teaching flight maneuvers. Please consider taking this survey if you are working towards or have already obtained your FAA Commercial Pilot's Certificate, are a Certified Flight Instructor of commercial students under the Federal Aviation Administration, develop training resources for a flight school, or help write government publications. The survey should take under 15 minutes to complete and consists of 12 to 15 questions. Once you begin the survey, you can stop at any point and continue where you left off later. We will report results in aggregate. This survey is part of a Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability (PEGASAS) Center of Excellence research project evaluating resources for flight certification preparation. You are under no obligation to participate in this survey. If you do participate you may stop at any time and for any reason. Your answers on the survey are anonymous and cannot be used in any way for identification. Any results we report will be in aggregate. You must be at least 18 years old to participate in this survey. Thank you for your time and cooperation. Your responses are greatly appreciated and will help contribute to general aviation safety. If you have any questions regarding the survey, feel free to contact the researchers troyer5@purdue.edu, amharvey@purdue.edu, or dillman@purdue.edu. Survey Link: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_a3qMKc22QbSnWHH Back to Top Helicopter Association International (HAI) is dedicated to providing its members with services that directly benefit their operations, and to advancing the international helicopter community by providing programs that enhance safety, encourage professionalism and economic viability while promoting the unique contributions vertical flight offers society. HAI has more than 3,800 member organizations and annually produces HAI HELI-EXPO®, the world's largest trade show and exposition dedicated to helicopters. Position: Deputy Director of Safety Overview: The Deputy Director of Safety is responsible for supporting the association's existing aviation safety programs and developing new safety initiatives to benefit HAI's membership. Essential Functions of the Position Include, but Are Not Limited To: • Providing auxiliary support to the Director of Safety • Serving as the HAI safety representative on various industry, government, and international boards, task forces, and meetings • Providing feedback for the association's response to proposed safety-related regulations and legislative initiatives • Collecting, researching, and analyzing safety and accident data for subsequent statistical reporting • Developing and implementing new HAI industry safety initiatives • Routinely interacting with aviation related agencies and organizations in support of the rotorcraft industry • Supporting all aspects of HAI's accreditation programs (IS-BAO & HAI APS) that assist helicopter operators in reducing incidents and accidents, while improving industry safety culture • Providing safety supervision for flight activities at the association's annual trade show and exposition, HAI HELI-EXPO® • Responding to requests for rotorcraft safety assistance from HAI members and the general public • Serving as staff liaison for assigned HAI committees • Contributing content for use in HAI's printed and electronic publications • Making safety presentations on behalf of HAI as necessary • Other duties as assigned The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Desired Qualifications for the Position Include: • College or advanced degree related to aviation safety and/or management • Five or more years of related helicopter safety background, training, and experience • Certificated helicopter pilot and/or maintenance technician • Previous experience with helicopter or other aviation-related organization • Prior international experience preferred • Experience with auditing protocols and accreditation programs • A passionate commitment to the promotion of helicopter safety • Highly motivated, able to work independently and in a team environment • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with prior experience in creating and delivering written proposals and public presentations • Research, data analysis, and report writing experience • Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite • Detail oriented, self-starter, with strong organizational and time management skills • Ability to travel The above qualifications are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position. APPLY HERE Curt Lewis