Flight Safety Information April 25, 2019 - No. 084 In This Issue Incident: Envoy E135 at Montreal on Apr 9th 2019, immediate fuel emergency on first go around Incident: Silver SF34 at Orlando on Apr 23rd 2019, runway excursion on rejected takeoff Accident: Spirit A321 at Baltimore on Apr 24th 2019, odour on board Cessna 551 Citation II gear collapse and fire in landing accident at Siegerland, Germany Boeing 747-406M - Engine Surge (South Korea) Airbus Helicopters H130 (Eurocopter EC 130T2) - Fatal Accident (Philippines) CAE Wants to Help the Pentagon Train Pilots Through Data Analysis Penn State Aerospace Engineering Head Appointed to FAA Aircraft Certification Review Committee Two charged with stealing aviation secrets from GE FAA Broadens Maintenance Schools Proposal EasyJet bans peanuts on all flights Airline seat adjustments mean the decline of the recline: Fewer options for lying back during a flight Frustrated pilots got Navy to stop dismissing UFO sightings CRIME AND INTRIGUE SURROUNDING HONG KONG AIRLINES Military Pilots Aren't Getting the Training Needed to Fight, Watchdog Warns F-35 Fighters Will Cost $22 Billion More Than Expected, Pentagon Says Boeing axes 210 orders after India's Jet stops flying Adams County space port inks deal with Japanese company to be launch site for reusable spacecraft (Colorado) Position Available: Regulatory Compliance Manager - Maintenance Program Call for Nominations For 2019 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ERAU Avionics Short-Course for Professionals Certificate Courses in Slovenia from SCSI Position: Deputy Director of Safety Incident: Envoy E135 at Montreal on Apr 9th 2019, immediate fuel emergency on first go around An Envoy Embraer ERJ-140, registration N826AE performing flight MQ-3386 from New York La Guardia,NY (USA) to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 41 passengers and 3 crew, was on short final to Montreal's runway 06R when ATC instructed the crew to go around due to an aircraft still on the runway. The Envoy crew immediately declared emergency requested landing priority due to being low on fuel and deteriorating weather conditions. The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 06R and landed safely about 11 minutes after the go around. The Canadian TSB reported the runway was slippery, the preceeding landing traffic had not been able to vacate the runway quickly enough. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ENY3368/history/20190409/1511Z/KLGA/CYUL http://avherald.com/h?article=4c71b611&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Silver SF34 at Orlando on Apr 23rd 2019, runway excursion on rejected takeoff A Silver Airways Saab 340B, registration N442XJ performing flight 3M-61 from Orlando,FL to Pensacola,FL (USA) with 31 passengers and 4 crew, was accelerating for takeoff from Orlando's runway 36R when the crew rejected takeoff due to a hydraulic failure. The aircraft veered off the runway into the grass before coming to a stop. There were no injuries, the passengers were bussed back to the terminal. The FAA reported the damage to the aircraft was unknown and stated: "SILVER AIRWAYS FLIGHT 61 ABORTED TAKEOFF, AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS, TOWED TO RAMP WITHOUT INCIDENT" The flight was cancelled. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c71b355&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Spirit A321 at Baltimore on Apr 24th 2019, odour on board A Spirit Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration N679NK performing flight NK-301 from Baltimore,MD to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA), was climbing out of Baltimore when the crew stopped the climb at FL240 and decided to return to Baltimore reporting an unknown odour on board, medical services were needed to meet the aircraft after landing. The aircraft landed safely on Baltimore's runway 33L about 35 minutes after departure. Baltimore Airport reported 7 people were taken to a hospital. The airline confirmed an unknown odour on board, they are not aware of any passengers having been taken to hospitals. The sector was cancelled. A replacement A321-200 registration N668NK performed the second sector of the flight from Fort Lauderdale to San Juan (Puerto Rico) on schedule. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NKS301/history/20190424/1045Z/KBWI/KBWI http://avherald.com/h?article=4c71c290&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Cessna 551 Citation II gear collapse and fire in landing accident at Siegerland, Germany Date: 24-APR-2019 Time: Type: Cessna 551 Citation II/SP Owner/operator: Advance Air Luftfahrt Registration: D-IADV C/n / msn: 551-0552 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Siegerland Airport (SGE/EDGS), Burbach, North Rhine-Westphalia - Germany Phase: Landing Nature: Training Departure airport: Destination airport: Siegen-Siegerland Airport (SGE/EDGS) Narrative: The Cessna 551 Citation II/SP jet was practicing approaches and landings at Siegerland Airport, Germany. According to local authorities, the aircraft touched down short of the runway, causing the main landing gear to collapse. A fuel leak from the left wing caused a fire as the aircraft slid to a stop on the runway. The fire was apparently put out quickly. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=224300 Back to Top Boeing 747-406M - Engine Surge (South Korea) Date: 25-APR-2019 Time: 16:40 UTC Type: Boeing 747-406M Owner/operator: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Registration: PH-BFT C/n / msn: 28459/1112 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 270 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Seoul-Incheon International airport - South Korea Phase: Initial climb Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Seoul-Incheon International airport RKSI Destination airport: EHAM Amsterdam airport schipol Narrative: Engine surge during climbing. it diverts to RKSI https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=224317 Back to Top Airbus Helicopters H130 (Eurocopter EC 130T2) - Fatal Accident (Philippines) Date: 24-APR-2019 Time: 12:47 Type: Airbus Helicopters H130 (Eurocopter EC 130T2) Owner/operator: LGC Air Transport Registration: RP-C8098 C/n / msn: 8366 Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Barangay Anilao, Malolos City, Bulacan - Philippines Phase: En route Nature: Private Departure airport: Manila-Villamor Air Base (MNL/RPLL) Destination airport: San Fernando City, Pampanga Narrative: The helicopter crashed under unknown. Two occupants died, another was taken to a hospital and died later. The helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter crashed into a fish pond. It carried around six persons. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=224313 Back to Top CAE Wants to Help the Pentagon Train Pilots Through Data Analysis A military instructor demonstrates use of CAE Rise, the company's new data analytics platform for aviation training. Canadian simulator and training provider CAE is in talks with the U.S. Navy to add its new high-tech data analysis tool suite, CAE Rise, to existing and future programs, including aircrew training services for the T-44C Pegasus, according to the company. Launched for the civil aviation market in 2017, CAE Rise allows instructors to objectively assess pilot competencies using live data during training sessions, accessible via iPad interface. CAE pitches the system as a means of using big data analysis to reduce subjectivity in pilot assessment, allow instructors to focus more on teaching and help create more efficient training programs. The CAE Rise system can "detect everything for a maneuver, and it's able to tell the instructor what parameter went out of whack, where [the pilot] did not do according to standards," said Terry Constantakis, CAE's director of civil aviation training solutions. "So in terms of key benefits for CAE Rise, we often use the term 'better than the naked eye' in terms of detecting errors and helping the instructor provide assessments," he added. "It also allows the instructor to focus more on soft skills. For example, when we look at things like grading, we noticed that when instructors have RISE they spend more time providing comments on soft skills like teamwork, communication and workload management - things that are not necessarily performance-based or technical skills." CAE Rise has been adopted by a number of airlines in Asia, including a five-year agreement with AirAsia to train its long-haul pilots to fly for affiliate airline AirAsia X on the Airbus A330. More recently, in late 2018, CAE released its RISE data suite for the defense market, with key features like development on Microsoft Azure Government for cloud computing to meet government cybersecurity and compliance requirements. The company is offering CAE Rise to the Pentagon as an enhancement to its current contract for T-44C aircrew training devices, which the company began delivering in 2014. "As far as what branches of the U.S. military have expressed an interest, I will say we have had ongoing discussions with the U.S. Navy," said a company spokesperson. "We have briefed and demonstrated to the Navy how CAE Rise could be used to enhance and improve naval aviator training." "There are no other CAE Rise customers on the defense side that we can disclose currently," the spokesperson added. CAE hopes the platform will, in addition to improving the quality of aviation training services, help address the global civil and military pilot shortage that is expected to worsen in coming decades. The company's analysis on pilot demand published in 2016 estimated a need for 180,000 new captains globally within the next 10 years. Drivers of that shortage differ regionally but include aging populations of pilots reaching retirement, expected growth in air travel and falling supply from universities, business aviation and military training compared to previous decades. https://www.rotorandwing.com/2019/04/24/cae-wants-help-pentagon-train-pilots-high-tech-data-platform/ Back to Top Penn State Aerospace Engineering Head Appointed to FAA Aircraft Certification Review Committee Appointment of Amy R. Pritchett follows recent high-profile Boeing 737 Max crashes Amy Pritchett, professor and head of aerospace engineering at Penn State Newswise - UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Amy R. Pritchett, professor and head of aerospace engineering at Penn State, was recently named one of six experts by U.S Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to serve on a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Special Committee that will review how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifies aircraft. The committee, an independent body formed within the structure of the DOT's Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Committee, was established following the recent crashes of two Boeing 737 Max aircraft. Findings and recommendations by the committee will be presented directly to the secretary and FAA administrator. "Given the explosion in both capability and complexity in modern aircraft, a review of how we assure the safety of these aircraft is coming at a critical time in aviation," said Pritchett. "With my own background in cockpit design and human-autonomy teaming, I'm particularly fascinated to examine how we assess how well highly automated aircraft can support pilots in all conditions, even when something fails that the automation depends on, such as a sensor." Pritchett, who served a two-year term as director of NASA's Aviation Safety Program from 2008-2009, will be joined on the committee by Gretchen Haskins, chief executive of HeliOffshore Ltd, an international expert in aviation safety and a former U.S. Air Force officer; Kenneth Hylander, chief safety officer at Amtrak and a former senior safety executive at Delta and Northwest airlines; and J. David Grizzle, chairman of the board of Republic Airways and a former FAA chief counsel. The committee will be co-chaired by retired Air Force General Darren McDew, former head of the U.S. Transportation Command, and Lee Moak, former president of the Air Line Pilots Association. According to the DOT, whose main priority is safety, the committee will be specifically tasked with reviewing the 737 Max 800 certification process from 2012-2017 and recommending improvements to the certification process. Pritchett has served on similar committees in the past, including as a member of the FAA Research, Engineering and Development Advisory Committee, and as a member or chair of National Research Council committees examining a range of concerns from the future of NASA's astronaut corps to FAA air traffic controller staffing. She is also a licensed pilot of airplanes and sailplanes. "I'm particularly glad to serve on this committee examining aircraft certification," said Pritchett. "Aviation is blessed with new technologies that have so much potential - if we can prove they are safe." Pritchett, who joined the Penn State College of Engineering in August 2017, oversees the Department of Aerospace Engineering, an international leader in aerospace education and research and home to one of only three Vertical Lift Research Centers of Excellence in the United States. The department's faculty are internationally and nationally recognized for cutting-edge developments, particularly in vertical lift, wind energy, computational methods, aeroacoustics, aircraft icing and intelligent systems for manned and unmanned aircraft and for spacecraft. Her research interests include examining the intersection of automated and intelligent technologies, expert human performance and safety-critical operations. This framing particularly applies to modern commercial aviation, but also extends to other areas such as long-duration spaceflight missions. Prior to Penn State, Pritchett was the David S. Lewis Professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and the director of Georgia Tech's Cognitive Engineering Center. https://www.newswise.com/articles/penn-state-aerospace-engineering-head-appointed-to-faa-aircraft-certification-review-committee Back to Top Two charged with stealing aviation secrets from GE A machinist, prepares the General Electric Passport 20 engine, which powers the Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 business jets, for testing. File Photo by Rick Goodfriend/U.S. Air Force April 24 (UPI) -- A former General Electric engineer and a Chinese businessman have been charged with economic espionage, accused of stealing aircraft turbine designs. A 14-count indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses the men of plotting to steal intellectual property from GE and transfer it to China, . Xiooquin Zheng, 56, of New York has been charged with stealing design models, engineering drawings and configuration files related to steam and gas turbine engines. Zheng pleaded not guilty and was released pending trial. He worked at GE Power & Water in Schenectady, N.Y. Zhaoxi Zhang, 47, of Liaoning Province, China, was also charged. He's believed to be in China. Zhang is Zheng's nephew and business partner. The secrets could be worth millions of dollars. "The indictment alleges a textbook example of the Chinese government's strategy to rob American companies of their intellectual property and to replicate their products in Chinese factories, enabling Chinese companies to replace the American company first in the Chinese market and later worldwide," Assistant Attorney General John Demers said. "We will not stand idly by while the world's second-largest economy engages in state-sponsored theft." Michael Wessel, a member of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, said the technology the men were trying to steal goes "to the heart of China's deficit in turbine technology." China hasn't been able to produce jet engines to support its own military and external commercial sales. A few years ago, GE had a joint venture with Chinese-owned AVIC, an aerospace company. AVIC would sell its aviation software in exchange for sales of jet engines. "Now it looks like China came back and stole what they don't want to buy," Wessel said. The indictment accuses Zheng of stealing the secrets and emailing them to Zhang to benefit Liaoning Tianyi Aviation Technology, Nanjing Tianyi Avi Tech and other entities, including research institutes and universities. The two men are accused of receiving financial support from the Chinese companies. "American businesses spend many hours and large amounts of money developing unique technology," FBI Assistant Director John Brown said. "When such technology is stolen, it can be devastating to U.S. businesses and can result in American workers losing their jobs. China continues to support behavior that violates the rule of law. This case demonstrates the FBI will continue to pursue China's efforts to steal American technology." https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/04/24/Two-charged-with-stealing-aviation-secrets-from-GE/3431556111451/ Back to Top FAA Broadens Maintenance Schools Proposal Some three and half years after the FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend the regulations governing the curriculum and operations of certified aviation maintenance technician schools, the agency has issued a supplemental NPRM that would expand the scope of that proposal to allow competency-based training (CBT) and satellite training locations and eliminate the national passing norms specified in the quality of instruction requirements. The modified proposal is based on the FAA's response to the nearly 325 comments submitted on the original proposal published on Oct. 2, 2015, that aimed to modernize and reorganize required curriculum subjects and revise the curriculum requirements to include an option for schools to use a credit-hour curriculum as an alternative to an instructional-hour curriculum. The agency proposed these changes because the existing curricula in some areas are outdated. After analyzing the comments, the FAA agrees with expanding the scope of the proposal. In addition to allowing schools to deliver their approved curricula using a CBT program and to permit satellite training locations for these schools, the agency proposes to replace the current national passing norm requirements with a standard pass rate that would apply to all schools. CBT and satellite training locations would be voluntary provisions. Comments on the SNPRM are due by June 17. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-04-24/faa-broadens-maintenance-schools-proposal Back to Top EasyJet bans peanuts on all flights (CNN) - EasyJet has announced it's banning the sale of peanuts on flights. Not only will the British-based budget airline no longer serve peanuts, passengers are also being asked not to consume products containing nuts in order to protect travelers with allergies. The move comes after mounting consumer pressure, which has seen airlines such as Qantas, Southwest Airlines, Lufthansa and British Airways remove peanuts as snacks from all flights. However, most say they cannot guarantee a "nut-free environment" due to "cross-contamination." This means customers with peanut and peanut-dust allergies still need to indicate their allergies when booking flights and at the airport. EasyJet, which primarily serves European markets, has a specific option on its booking page for such requests. "The safety and welfare of all of our customers and crew is our highest priority so we have a number of procedures in place to assist customers traveling with a nut allergy," a spokesperson for the low-cost airline said in a statement to CNN Travel. New nut policy "We ask that any customers with a nut allergy notify us ahead of travel and we will request that other passengers traveling on the flight do not consume any products containing nuts that they have brought with them onboard. "We have also stopped the sale of peanuts onboard and will be removing the last product from our inflight range which contains nuts in the coming months." While the airline concedes that it's "not possible to ban nuts on all flights," as other passengers may bring them on-board despite being requested not to, it will take action in extreme cases. When a passenger who suffers from a severe nut allergy, which can result in anaphylaxis, is traveling with us we will request that other passengers traveling on the flight do not consume nuts that they have brought with them onboard," the spokesperson added. According to a study by medical journal JAMA Network Open, one in 10 adults in the US have a food allergy, with peanuts and shellfish among the most common. In 2017, a separate study published by in the World Allergy Organization Journal found that around 2.2% of onboard medical emergencies were caused by allergic reactions. Still, not everyone supports removing certain foods from the friendly skies. Last year, Southwest's decision to remove peanuts from its flights caused some pushback, with the National Peanut Board, a peanut industry group, vehemently disagreeing with the airline's decision. "We were disappointed to learn about Southwest's decision to stop serving peanuts, which even the airline considers an iconic part of its history and DNA," the board said in a statement. "It is an unnecessary step that will disappoint many of Southwest's customers. It is also out of sync with the latest science, which shows education and preparation -- such as allowing passengers to pre-board flights to wipe down their seats -- do the most to benefit the one percent of Americans with a peanut allergy." https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/easyjet-nut-ban/index.html Back to Top Airline seat adjustments mean the decline of the recline: Fewer options for lying back during a flight Space between seats on airlines has steadily been reduced over the years. So has the ability to recline. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune) When you're settling in for a long flight, every inch counts - including the ones you can lose when the passenger in front of you reclines their seat. American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines already limit coach passengers to a 2-inch recline on most domestic flights, and some budget carriers have switched to "pre-reclined" seats that don't lean back at all. Now holdout Delta Air Lines is testing whether flyers are willing to accept seats with less reclining capability. It's a change that cuts both ways for travelers, who lose the ability to recline but also gain the assurance that no one else is invading their personal space. Seats on Delta's Airbus A320 aircraft that once reclined 5.4 inches in first class and 4 inches in coach will now recline 3.5 and 2 inches, respectively. Some see the shift away from La-Z-Boy-like seats as the result of a long-running effort to find the best way to smush more passengers into the same amount of space. Over the years, airlines have determinedly reduced the space from the beginning of one seat to the beginning of the one behind it - called the pitch - to as low as 30 inches today, or even 28 on some budget carriers. But travelers like Austin Fortner prefer to accentuate the positive - he cheered Delta's announcement, tweeting that passengers who recline as much as possible are "the literal worst." "I just feel it's rude," said Fortner, 26, who works as a business analyst in Northfield and flies about once a month. He rarely reclines, but said other travelers aren't so considerate. "It's nice to have an airline step in and restrict how far back they can go," he said. Delta seems to think most passengers feel the same, especially on the shorter flights where it uses the A320. The seat adjustments will be made over the next two months, and Chicagoans might encounter them on Delta flights between O'Hare International Airport and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. In a statement, Delta struck a reassuring tone. "Delta has no plans to add seats or reduce space between rows with this test. It's all about protecting customers' personal space and minimizing disruptions to multitasking in-flight." At Allegiant Air, the Las Vegas-based discount carrier, doing away with reclining seats was about keeping costs and fares down, said Allegiant spokeswoman Sonya Padgett. The mechanisms that let passengers control a seat's angle weigh about three pounds, which adds to fuel costs, she said. They can also break, requiring maintenance. Traditional carriers have avoided scrapping reclining seats altogether but say travelers don't seem to mind when they trim the range. At United, economy seats generally recline about 2 inches on domestic flights, though the A320 offers 3 inches. American moved from a 4-inch recline to 2 inches on most domestic flights in coach about three years ago. The carrier noticed passengers saying the four-inch recline in coach "was a lot when you were the one being reclined into," said spokeswoman Leslie Scott. Feedback since American made the change has been positive, she said. Reclining might not be so contentious if cabins hadn't grown tighter. Airlines have tried to make seats feel more spacious with changes like skinnier backrests, but travelers say they still feel the squeeze. Patrick Allen, 35, of Lakeview, said he prefers having the option to lean back. He feels bad about bothering the person behind him but said the extra inches can make flying a lot more comfortable since he's over six feet tall and suffers from lower back pain. He understands when the person in front of him chooses to recline, even when the seat bangs into his laptop. "They bought a seat, and the seat reclines, so who I am to tell them they can't use a feature on the plane that they paid for," he said. Daniel Post Senning, author and spokesman for the Emily Post Institute, agrees that passengers have the right to recline, but said it's a right that comes with responsibilities. "It's not just about what you can do and are entitled to do, but what that means for the people around you," he said. Post Senning said he doesn't mind seeing airlines reduce the extent to which seats recline if it removes a potential source of conflict. But Chris Buccafusco, law professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, didn't mince words when asked about Delta's solution: "Not helpful at all." Restricting recline limits the benefit to the person leaning back without getting rid of the controversy, he said. "The right answer is to try to allow people to sort it out and get to the best outcome without being jerks about it," he said. Care about every inch of airline legroom? Do your homework. In 2014, Buccafusco and a colleague conducted online surveys attempting to settle a debate over whether the pleasure passengers got from leaning back outweighed the aggravation to those behind them. It was around the time a squabble over a Knee Defender - a gadget that blocks an airline seat from reclining - forced a United Airlines flight to make an unscheduled landing in Chicago. Among their results: About 78 percent of people who responded were willing to forgo reclining on a six-hour flight if the person behind them offered to buy them a snack or drink. But only 36 percent of people surveyed said they'd be willing to make the offer. Post Senning said he would be hesitant to make such a request. "It's easier to take a look at yourself and manage what you can control: how you treat others and manage your reactions and responses, especially when others don't treat you as well as you'd like," he said. But Buccafusco said he doesn't think travelers need to be so cautious. On a dozen or so flights, he has offered to buy the person in front of him a drink if they agree to keep their seat upright, explaining that he plans to work in-flight. It generally works, he said, and he's only had to buy the drink once. https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-airlines-limit-reclining-seats-delta-20190419-story.html Back to Top Frustrated pilots got Navy to stop dismissing UFO sightings A recent uptick in sightings of unidentified flying objects - or as the military calls them, "unexplained aerial phenomena" - prompted the U.S. Navy to draft formal procedures for pilots to document encounters, a corrective measure that former officials say is long overdue. "Since 2014, these intrusions have been happening on a regular basis," Joseph Gradisher, spokesman for the deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare, told The Washington Post on Wednesday. Recently, unidentified aircraft entered military-designated airspace as often as multiple times per month. "We want to get to the bottom of this. We need to determine who's doing it, where it's coming from and what their intent is. We need to try to find ways to prevent it from happening again." Citing safety and security concerns, Gradisher vowed to "investigate each and every report." Luis Elizondo, a former senior intelligence officer, told The Post that the new Navy guidelines formalized the reporting process, facilitating data-driven analysis while removing the stigma from talking about UFOs, calling it "the single greatest decision the Navy has made in decades." Chris Mellon, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for intelligence and a staffer on the Senate Intelligence Committee, was less laudatory. "I don't believe in safety through ignorance," he said, scolding the intelligence community for its lack of "curiosity and courage" and "failure to react" to a strong pattern of sightings. In some cases, pilots - many of whom are engineers and academy graduates - say they observed small spherical objects flying in formation. Others say they've seen white, Tic-Tac-shaped vehicles. Aside from drones, all engines rely on burning fuel to generate power, but these vehicles all had no air intake, no wind and no exhaust. "It's very mysterious, and they still seem to exceed our aircraft in speed," he said, calling it a "truly radical technology." According to Mellon, awestruck and baffled pilots, concerned that reporting unidentified flying aircraft would adversely affect their careers, tended not to speak up. And when they did, he said there was little interest in investigating their reports. "Imagine you see highly advanced vehicles, they appear on radar systems, they look bizarre, no one knows where they're from. This happens on a recurring basis, and no one does anything," said Mellon, who now works with UFODATA, a private organization. Because agencies don't share this type of information, it's difficult to know the full extent of activity. Still, he estimated that dozens of incidents were witnessed by naval officers in a single year, enough to force the service to address the issue. "Pilots are upset, and they're trying to help wake up a slumbering system," he told The Post. Lawmakers' growing curiosity and concern also appeared to coax action out of the Navy. In 2017, the Pentagon first confirmed the existence of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, a government operation launched in 2007 to collect and analyze "anomalous aerospace threats." As The Post's Joby Warrick reported, the investigation ranged from "advanced aircraft fielded by traditional U.S. adversaries to commercial drones to possible alien encounters." According to former Pentagon officials and documents previously seen by The Post, program funding, which totaled at least $22 million, was suspended in 2012. Gradisher, the Navy spokesman, said that "in response to requests for information from congressional members and staff, officials have provided a series of briefings by senior Naval Intelligence officials as well as aviators who reported hazards to aviation safety." Elizondo, who also ran AATIP, said the newly drafted guidelines were a culmination of many things. Most notably: that the Navy had enough credible evidence - including eyewitness accounts and corroborating radar information - to "know this is occurring." "If I came to you and said, 'There are these things that can fly over our country with impunity, defying the laws of physics, and within moments could deploy a nuclear device at will' - that would be a matter of national security." With the number of U.S. military people in the Air Force and Navy who described the same observations, the noise level could not be ignored. "This type of activity is very alarming," Elizondo said, "and people are recognizing there are things in our aerospace that lie beyond our understanding." https://www.thetimesnews.com/news/20190425/frustrated-pilots-got-navy-to-stop-dismissing-ufo-sightings Back to Top CRIME AND INTRIGUE SURROUNDING HONG KONG AIRLINES Two factions are fighting for control of the airline and one side has made an explosive claim of break-in and theft. Now a court has ordered the airline to publicly choose a leader. Welcome to the drama of Hong Kong Airlines. In one corner is Zhong Guosong, the self-proclaimed chairman of Hong Kong Airlines (HKA). He asserted control of Hong Kong Airlines after meeting with shareholders. Less than 24 hours later, though, Hou Wei asserted that he was still in charge as chairman. In the other corner, Chinese conglomerate HNA Group, which holds a plurality of shares in the troubled airline. Guosong and representatives from HNA Group were scheduled to sit down last Thursday to discuss the future of the airline. Instead, Guosong lodged accusations that HNA staff had broken into the headquarters of Hong Kong Airlines and stolen financial documents. HKA's controlling shareholders confirm the reports that HNA Group representatives stormed HKA's office this morning, and it is believed that financial information was taken away or destroyed in the process. For its part, HKA officially denies this claim. It added: As a private company, Hong Kong Airlines does not comment on its shareholding structure. However, we believe that our stakeholders will solve the issue in a professional and impartial manner. That "private company" line has been used as a continuing excuse to essentially keep the public in the dark as to what is really going on at beleaguered HKA. Why would financial documents be stolen? That's precisely the problem. We don't know. HKA has been cutting routes while threatening to sue those who question its financial health. All of this intrigue diminishes public confidence in Hong Kong's #3 airline. A New Twist And today, a new twist. Guosong secured an injunction from a Hong Kong court prohibiting Wei and his board members from exercising decisionmaking authority. In fact, the injunction bans them from setting foot on the HKA campus. The Hong Kong government has given Hong Kong Airlines until the end of the day today to confirm who is in charge. Meanwhile, a mysterious entity called Grand City Investment Capital (GCIC) has claimed it acquired a 34% stake in HKA and blasted Guosong for his meddling. As Danny Lee of the South China Morning Post reports, virtually nothing is known about this new entity. But if the purchase is confirmed, Guosong will lose control. CONCLUSION The mystery of HKA remains. We know there is in-fighting. We know there have been losses. But we don't what is going on behind closed doors other than a prolific power struggle. We don't know if the 34% acquisition by GCIC is legitimate or not. But now the Hong Kong government is threatening to revoke HKA's flying license unless this matter is resolved. One way or another, we will likely soon have a resolution. https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2019/04/24/hong-kong-airline-power-struggle/ Back to Top Military Pilots Aren't Getting the Training Needed to Fight, Watchdog Warns Two U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, fly behind a KC-135 Stratotanker from Kadena Air Base, Japan, over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex during RED FLAG-Alaska 13-3 Aug. 14, 2013. (U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Zachary Perras) The U.S. military's aviation training ranges are outdated and underfunded, leaving pilots operating in the Asia-Pacific region ill-prepared to deal with modern-day threats, a Defense Department investigation found. Eighteen years of combat missions in the Middle East and the congressional gridlock that has delayed federal budgets have negatively impacted the DoD's aviation range modernization efforts. That has left aviators in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command training on ranges designed for World War II or Cold War-era threats, according to a once-secret 69-page Defense Department Inspector General report released this week. "Training ranges and airspace we reviewed did not have the capability or capacity to support aviation readiness for the units assigned to USINDOPACOM," the report states. "Specifically, the training land, airspace, impact areas, and electronic warfare systems were more limited than what was required for training with ordnance used by the aircraft and the aircrafts' capabilities." The investigation, which focused on helicopters, planes and unmanned aircraft with offensive air support that can attack enemy assets, looked at training ranges in Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and Alaska. It found capability and capacity gaps at the ranges, which can affect aviation readiness. "For example, at the Fallon Range Training Complex [in Nevada], the size of the range limited the use of weapons," the report states. "In another example, the range at the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex lacked modern electronic warfare systems, which limited training that pilots received." Navy and Marine Corps weapons and tactics instructors who've flown combat missions in Iraq and Syria told investigators that several factors at Fallon Range Training Complex make it "too restrictive to use the preferred standoff weapons that are required to defeat a near-peer threat." Electronic warfare systems there also don't represent current threats, according to the report. Even the newer electronic-warfare systems are low fidelity and don't adequately reproduce sounds and pictures. Training ranges also aren't big enough to support new state-of-the-art aircraft. Pilots training at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona, for example, can't shoot standoff weapons during normal exercises, or fly in fighting formation. They're also limited in where they can train with live ordnance, according to the report. "The F-35 pilot stated that he could not achieve five of nine mission-essential tasks at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma due to a lack of airspace," it adds. "As a result of the lack of airspace, the pilot stated that F-35 pilots trained in simulators, which could be linked so that the pilots could fly in their four aircraft fighting formation." Other pilots cited ordnance shortages during training. A Marine AV-8 Harrier pilot said the last time members of Marine Aircraft Group 13 trained with the Joint Direct Attack Munition, a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs into precision-guided "smart" munitions, was in 2016 since they're always needed downrange. "He stated that, as a result, there was a good chance that Marines would arrive in a combat environment never having trained with the JDAM," the investigator wrote. "He stated that the simulators cannot replicate the missile well enough to provide effective or realistic training." Soldiers and Marines training in Hawaii also had trouble meeting readiness requirements. Availability and accessibility are limited at the Multipurpose Range Complex at Schofield Barracks on Oahu and the Pohakuloa Training Area on the island of Hawaii. Apache helicopter pilots training in Alaska said their training area is too narrow to allow for different approaches and that their targets -- dumpsters -- were poor quality. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor pilots also said their aircraft are too sophisticated to recognize the old Soviet-era electronic-warfare systems used at the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. One example is a Soviet surface-to-air missile system, which represents a 1980s threat, the report states. Troops training at ranges overseas shared by allies in Japan and South Korea also reported challenges. There are space constraints, outdated electronic-warfare systems and scheduling conflicts. Pilots training in South Korea are concerned about dropping ordnance, for example, because the range is small and surrounded by heavy vegetation. DoD's inspector general made several recommendations to fix the training problems, including addressing the need for more airspace to train with advanced aircraft and weapons, such as the F-35. The individual services should also review their live and virtual training, according to the report. The deputy assistant secretary of defense for force education and training concurred with the IG's recommendations. "We will close the recommendation when we verify ... a plan to field and sustain DoD-wide solutions to address training gaps, including the airspace and impact area needs of advanced aircraft and weapons, such as the F-35; and the need to join neighboring airspace on a continuing basis," the report states. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/04/24/military-pilots-arent-getting-training-needed-fight-watchdog-warns.html Back to Top F-35 Fighters Will Cost $22 Billion More Than Expected, Pentagon Says (Bloomberg) - Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 jet, the world's costliest weapons program, just got even costlier. The estimated total price for research and procurement has increased by $22 billion in current dollars adjusted for inflation, according to the Pentagon's latest annual cost assessment of major projects. The estimate for operating and supporting the fleet of fighters over more than six decades grew by almost $73 billion to $1.196 trillion. The increase to $428.4 billion from $406.2 billion in acquisition costs, about a 5.5 percent increase, isn't due to poor performance, delays or excessive costs for labor or materials, according to the Defense Department's latest Selected Acquisition Report sent to Congress last week and obtained by Bloomberg News. Instead, the increase reflects for the first time the current cost estimates for a major set of upgrades planned in coming "Block 4" modifications, according to the report. "Ensuring our Block 4 efforts are captured in our acquisition baseline and now in our SAR help us to provide full transparency and status on our F-35 modernization progress," the Pentagon's F-35 program office said in an emailed statement. "The F-35 program remains within all cost, schedule and performance thresholds and continues to make steady progress," the program office said in its statement. The office "is committed to the delivery of cost-effective warfighting capability across all areas of the program." But the long-range cost estimate for operating the fleet from 2011 to 2077 was problematic even before the latest independent Pentagon cost projection of an increase to $1.196 trillion. By contrast, the F-35 program office's latest estimate declined by about $8.5 billion to $1 trillion. Scrutiny Expected The projected increase is likely to be scrutinized by lawmakers, Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord and Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan because they have been pushing the program office and Lockheed to reduce projected operations and support costs. As a potential sign of concern, the Pentagon's fiscal 2021 proposed budget calls for 17 fewer F-35s than planned - 81, according to the Selected Acquisition Report. "At current estimates, the projected F-35 sustainment outlays based upon given planned fleet growth will strain future service operations and support budgets," the report said. Lockheed also "must embrace much-needed supply chain management affordability initiatives, optimize priorities across the supply chain for spare and new production parts" and share the data rights to certain F-35 software with the Pentagon. Lockheed's View Carolyn Nelson, a spokeswoman for Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed, said in an email that the contractor "is taking aggressive action to build supply chain capacity, reduce supply chain costs and improve parts availability to help drive sustainment costs down while enhancing readiness." She said the actions by the No. 1 U.S. defense contractor include supply chain competitions, restructuring supplier contracts, synchronizing spare buys, improving parts reliability and accelerating modifications to earlier aircraft. Likewise, the company has "reduced our portion of 'cost per aircraft' per year by 15 percent since 2015 and we continue to look for ways to reduce costs," she said. The U.S. still plans to buy 2,456 total of the jets in its variations: 1,763 for the Air Force, 420 for the Marines and 273 for the Navy. The totals don't include more than 700 potential foreign military sales. http://time.com/5575608/lockheed-martin-f-35-jet-cost/ Back to Top Boeing axes 210 orders after India's Jet stops flying (Reuters) - Boeing Co removed 210 aircraft from its order backlog and took an impairment charge over customer financing losses on Wednesday following the near-collapse of India's Jet Airways. The adjustment pushed the world's largest planemaker behind European rival Airbus in the race for business this year as both companies grappled with cancellations that outweighed new orders in the first quarter. Under recent changes in accounting rules, Boeing hives off orders that no longer meet its criteria for recognizing revenue into a separate category, while defending contractual claims. As a result, Boeing net orders for the first quarter slid into negative territory, with a total of minus 119 net orders after cancellations, despite a slew of new wide-body sales. Airbus posted a negative total of 58 net orders over the same period. Boeing finance director Greg Smith confirmed the adjustment was related to financial problems at Jet Airways, which halted all flight operations indefinitely on April 17 after its lenders rejected a plea for emergency funds. Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday that Boeing's order adjustment, which initially emerged on a routine web page for orders and deliveries, came after Jet Airways stopped flying. Boeing also posted a first-quarter operational loss of $707 million in a specific category grouping together certain unallocated items, compared with a loss of $326 million a year earlier. Overall, it posted a $2.35 billion operating profit. "The change in earnings from other unallocated items and eliminations is primarily due to a customer financing impairment, higher deferred compensation expense and increased enterprise research and development investment," Boeing said. Industry sources say customer finance arm Boeing Capital is carrying 75 narrow-body orders on behalf of Jet in addition to 125 that the airline ordered directly from Boeing Commercial Airplanes. There have also been doubts over a 10-year-old order of 10 wide-body 787s. At least one of Jet's 787s has already been built, according to recent visitors to Boeing factories. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-results-jet/boeing-axes-210-orders-after-indias-jet-stops-flying-idUSKCN1S01WA Back to Top Adams County space port inks deal with Japanese company to be launch site for reusable spacecraft (Colorado) PD Aerospace developing vehicle to be used for space tourism Adams County's Colorado Air and Space Port signed a letter of intent on Tuesday to be a launch site for a Japanese-based aerospace company that plans to send commercial travelers into space one day. A rendering of the proposed Spaceport Colorado at Front Range Airport in Adams County. The aerospace company, PD AeroSpace, is developing reusable spacecraft that one day could be used for space tourism, gravity testing and point-to-point transportation, according to a news release. The spaceport near Denver International Airport, formerly called Front Range Airport, will serve as a launch facility with spaceplanes potentially heading into space taking off and landing similarly to airplanes. Colorado has a robust aerospace industry, second only to California. With more than 190,000 Coloradans employed in space-related jobs, the state has become a hub for the industry, said Jim Siedlecki, an Adams County spokesperson. What sealed the deal for PD and Adams County was the license the spaceport obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration for horizontal space take off in August. The licenses matched the specifications for PD AeroSpace's designs and the state's aerospace infrastructure and customer base helped sweeten the deal, Siedlecki said. The new deal gets the state even closer to space travel jumping from science fiction to science reality. "Colorado has been coined 'Aerospace Alley,' and partnerships like this ensure it will remain a major destination for this industry," Dave Ruppel , the director of Colorado Air and Space Port, said in a news release. PD AeroSpace spacecraft uses a patented propulsion system with dual jet and rocket technology to achieve sub-orbital flight, according to the release. "This effort will contribute to a vibrant commercial space industry in Colorado, serving the needs of government, science, commercial and industrial applications," said Raymond Gonzales, Adams County manager. https://www.denverpost.com/2019/04/24/adams-county-space-port-japanese-pd/ Back to Top Regulatory Compliance Manager - Maintenance Program POSITION PURPOSE: Continuously reviews Republic Airways policies and procedures for regulatory compliance and system safety, working with local FAA to satisfy compliance questions and issues. ESSENTIAL DUTIES : To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 1. Collaborates with appropriate management to ensure compliance or implement global improvement correction action when instances of non-compliance or identification of needed improvement areas. 2. Develops and maintains database for tracking compliance with regulations. 3. Analyzes airline industry regulations in anticipation of changes that may affect policies and procedures. 4. Uses independent judgment to evaluate revisions to policies and procedures for regulatory compliance and system safety prior to submittal to the FAA for acceptance/approval. 5. Researches Code of Federal Regulations for the Company to ensure that any new operations are FAA compliant. 6. Works closely with the FAA and participate in teamed inspections. 7. Assists and conducts internal audits as needed. 8. Travels to all maintenance bases and contract vendor facilities to conduct audits as needed. 9. Provides administrative assistance maintaining legal filings by assisting regulatory agencies. 10. Provides assistance during inspections conducted by outside agencies (IOSA, DoD, etc.) 11. Acts as liaison with the FAA to investigate, correct and finalize regulatory issues. 12. Participates in Maintenance ASAP ERC meetings as needed. 13. Fosters the Company's core values and culture throughout the work environment. 14. Performs various other duties as required. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform this job. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE. • Bachelor's degree or equivalent with at least 3 years of previous Internal Evaluation or Quality Assurance experience. • A&P Certificate • Knowledge of the Code of Federal Regulations and FAA Advisory circulars. • Strong experience in Microsoft Office applications is a must. PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE • Bachelor's degree in Aviation or related field with at least 5 years of previous experience. Previous supervisory experience. • Dispatcher License and/or Pilot Certificate. • Auditor Certification and Training; CQA, ISO, CASE and IOSA Auditor. LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors. REASONING/PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. DECISION MAKING Makes decisions daily use of resources, performance and budgets. Decisions could require additional expenditure of resources if not sound decisions. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Able to move about the work environment. Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Outdoor weather conditions up to 35% of the time. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS Ability to travel up to 25% of the time, including overnight and weekend travel APPLY HERE Back to Top Call for Nominations For 2019 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2019 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, honoring a leader in global aviation safety. The Award will be presented during the 72nd Annual International Air Safety Summit, taking place Nov 4-6 in Taipei, Taiwan. Presented since 1956, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recognizes notable achievement in the field of civil or military aviation safety in method, design, invention, study or other improvement. The Award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." Mechanics, engineers and others outside of top administrative or research positions should be especially considered. The contribution need not be recent, especially if the nominee has not received adequate recognition. Nominations that were not selected as past winners of the Award can be submitted one additional time for consideration. Please note that self-nominations will not be considered. The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award's story dates back 74 years. On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In the years following, her husband, Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Clifford E. Barbour, Jr., established the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in her honor. The Award Board, composed of leaders in the field of aviation, meets each year to conduct a final review of nominees and selection of the current year's recipient. Please help us honor this year's most deserving recipient. Nominations, including a 1-2-page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website at http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/. Nominations will be accepted until May 10, 2019. For more information, including a complete history of Award recipients, see www.ltbaward.org. ABOUT THE LAURA TABER BARBOUR AIR SAFETY AWARD: The Award was established in 1956 through early association with the Flight Safety Foundation and from its founding has enjoyed a rich history of Award Board members, nominees and Award recipients. In 2013, the non-profit Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed from members of the Award Board, the aviation community and the Barbour family. As the foundation plans to broaden the scope of its intent, with great purpose, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to spotlight those champions who pioneer breakthroughs in flight safety. CONTACT: Philip Barbour, 205-939-1700, 205-617-9007 Back to Top Back to Top 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