Flight Safety Information May 17, 2019 - No. 100 In This Issue Boeing Completes Software Upgrade for 737 MAX Aircraft 4 Takeaways from Boeing's Congressional Grilling Incident: Transavia B737 near Nice on Mar 15th 2019, fuel leak Incident: EAT A306 enroute on May 2nd 2019, pilot incapacitated Diamond DA62 - Fatal Accident (UAE) F-16...-Accident (California) NTSB has long cautioned Southeast flight operators, cruise lines about flightseeing safety Safety and Education Take Center Stage at RACCA FAA CLAMPS DOWN ON RECREATIONAL DRONING Structural flaws in Sukhoi Superjet 100 airplanes under consideration in Sheremetyevo fire investigation FAA FINALIZES NEW ATP STANDARDS FAA Admin Nominee Dickson Pledges to Investigate MAX, Prioritize Safety US Bans All Flights To & From Venezuela 2019 CHC Safety & Quality Summit Student Grant...Reminder - Deadline for submissions is May 17, 2019 Singapore Airlines' order of 31 Boeing 737 Max jets remains 'intact,' CEO says Rockford Airport to Add 500 Jobs Air Tractor of Olney, Texas, releases 800th aircraft in AT-802 series This Gulfstream Business Jet Just Broke the Speed Record Between Shanghai and Seattle Spirit AeroSystems rolls out voluntary retirement program Watch International Space Station Flybys All Night Long The Steps to Organizational Reliability POSITION AVAILABLE:...AVIATION ADVISOR ISASI - DFW Regional Chapter Meeting GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Boeing Completes Software Upgrade for 737 MAX Aircraft Company working with FAA to return flights to service A Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane takes off on a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle in April 2019. US airlines may be closer to getting their Boeing 737 MAX planes back in the air -- Boeing says they've finished the software update to the plane's anti-stall system. In a statement released on their website, the Chicago-based company said Thursday they're now working to meet the FAA's requirements to end the grounding, including detail on how pilots interact with the airplane controls and displays in different flight scenarios. Once the requests are addressed, Boeing will work with the FAA to schedule its certification test flight and submit final certification documentation. The 737 MAX planes have been grounded for nearly two months since the model was involved in two deadly plane crashes -- Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10. In both crashes, investigators questioned the plane's anti-stall system after both planes suddenly plunged toward the earth and crashed, killing nearly 350 people. The company said Thursday they have flown the updated software on 270 flights for 360 hours. "With safety as our clear priority, we have completed all of the engineering test flights for the software update and are preparing for the final certification flight," said Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg. "We're committed to providing the FAA and global regulators all the information they need, and to getting it right. We're making clear and steady progress and are confident that the 737 MAX with updated MCAS software will be one of the safest airplanes ever to fly. The accidents have only intensified our commitment to our values, including safety, quality and integrity, because we know lives depend on what we do." Thursday's news will directly impact both Fort Worth-based American Airlines and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. Both airlines were forced to ground planes -- 24 for American and 34 for Southwest -- and have cancelled flights involving those planes through August. Boeing said they have also developed enhanced training and education materials currently being reviewed with the FAA, global regulators, and airline customers to support return-to-service and longer-term operations. There is currently no timeline on when the 737 MAX planes will be allowed to fly. https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/Boeing-Completes-Software-Upgrade-for-737-MAX-Aircraft-510031171.html Back to Top 4 Takeaways from Boeing's Congressional Grilling In the first of a series of grillings on Boeing's grounded 737 MAX, Daniel Elwell, acting administrator of the FAA, along with National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt, testified before the House Aviation Subcommittee on Wednesday, the latest in a round of inquiries and investigations surrounding Boeing's 737 MAX. The safety of the aircraft has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of two crashes taking the lives of all 346 people on board. And safety, according to Representative Rick Larsen, a Democrat from Washington and chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, underpins the entire industry: "If the public does not feel safe about flying, then they won't fly. If they don't fly, airlines don't need to buy airplanes. If they don't need to buy airplanes, then airplanes don't need to be built. And if there's no need to build airplanes, we don't need jobs in aviation. Therefore, it is very clear, that the foundation of the U.S. aviation system is safety," he said in his opening statement. The three-hour hearing was held to start producing answers on how the FAA certified the safety of the 737 MAX. So far, requested information from Boeing has not been forthcoming, noted Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Representative Peter DeFazio, a Democrat from Oregon who opened his statement by saying that Boeing has yet to turn over a single document as requested by the committee. Here were the four biggest takeaways: Boeing should have been quicker to report a flaw in the software Earlier this month Boeing revealed to the public that they discovered a software malfunction a year before the Lion Air crash. After review, company experts concluded "the existing functionality was acceptable until the alert and the indicator could be delinked in the next planned display system software update." The FAA wasn't told until after the Lion Air crash. "I am not happy with a 13-month gap between finding that anomaly and us finding out about it," Elwell said. "We are looking into that and we will make sure that software anomalies are reported more quickly." Boeing has been working on an MCAS software update for the 737 MAX that will address the malfunction. Elwell indicated that the application for the update should be forthcoming in the next week or so, which puts Boeing a step closer to getting its planes in the air. Management at Boeing, according to an investor note from Morgan Stanley, have found a "degree of optimism" as talks with customers and regulators proceed around getting the 737 MAX flying again, "which could potentially occur over the coming months." Boeing did a poor job communicating with pilots It seems like a given. But since MCAS was only supposed to kick in during extreme situations, Boeing didn't include it in the pilot manual, and so Lion Air pilots didn't know about it-let alone the possibility of malfunction. It was a fact that surprised Elwell, a former pilot: "I, as a pilot, When I first heard about this, I thought there should have been more text in the manual about MCAS," he said in response to a question from Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Representative Peter DeFazio, a Democrat from Oregon. Boeing will still have plenty of authority in the certification process Elwell faced tough questions around the certification process that critics say delegates too much authority to Boeing. He defended the Organization Designation Authorization program called ODA which allows aircraft manufacturers to designate "authorized representatives" or ARs. These people, on the payroll of the company, can, for instance, approve certain decisions in products. The problem, critics of the system charge, is that ARs can be subject to conflict-of-interest or undue pressure from a company manager. "We've had ODA in one form or another since the beginning of the FAA. We've had delegation of authority since 1927," said Elwell. "Just because it has evolved since 1927 doesn't mean it's evolved to the place where it needs to be or should be," Larsen countered. "And perhaps it's over-evolved in this case." Pilot training must improve Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg has previously mentioned erroneous readings as a link in a "chain of events" that led to the crashes. And during the hearing, Ranking Member Sam Graves, a Republican from Missouri, who expressed concern about tearing down the U.S. system based on what happened in other countries, bolstered that view by raising questions about pilot errors in the crashes and their levels of experience. "The most important safety feature you can have in any aircraft is a well-trained pilot that can fly the aircraft," he said. He added: "For me the accident report reaffirms my belief that pilots trained in the United States would have successfully been able to handle this situation. The reports compound my concerns about quality training standards in other countries." Michel Merluzeau, Aerospace and Defense Analyst with research firm AIR, believes the systems on an aircraft needs to be designed for pilots of all experience levels. With the rise of the middle class in Asia and their desire to travel, there is a need for more pilots, he says. "With the number of new pilots we're getting, especially out of Asia, it is absolutely essential that we do not gauge what needs to be done based on the experience of a given country," he says. "You need to adjust the systems to maintain the levels of very high safety standards that we've had for decades." On the pilot training and error front, NTSB Chairman Sumwalt placed the responsibility firmly on Boeing: "If an aircraft manufacturer is going to sell airplanes all across the globe, then it's important that pilots who are operating those airplanes in those parts of the globe know how to operate them," he said. "Just to say that the U.S. standards are very good and this might be a problem with other parts of the globe, I don't think that's part of the answer. I hate to use this term, but the airplane has to be trained to the lowest common denominator." http://fortune.com/2019/05/16/4-takeaways-from-boeings-congressional-grilling/ Back to Top Incident: Transavia B737 near Nice on Mar 15th 2019, fuel leak A Transavia Boeing 737-700, registration PH-XRY performing flight HV-5640 from Palermo (Italy) to Rotterdam (Netherlands) with 129 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL400 about 120nm eastsoutheast of Nice (France) when the crew decided to divert to Nice reporting a fuel leak at the right hand engine. The aircraft landed safely on Nice's runway 22R about 25 minutes later. Emergency services confirmed leaking fuel from the right hand engine, subsequent actions stopped the fuel leak and the aircraft taxied to the apron. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 27 hours, then positioned to Rotterdam and resumed service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c809dd9&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: EAT A306 enroute on May 2nd 2019, pilot incapacitated An EAT Leopzig Airbus A300-600 on behalf of DHL, registration D-AEAR performing flight QY-3597 from Stockholm (Sweden) to Leipzig (Germany), was enroute when one of the pilots became incapaciated. The aircraft continued to Leipzig for a safe landing on runway 26L. Germany's BFU rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c808d3d&opt=0 Back to Top Diamond DA62 - Fatal Accident (UAE) Date: 16-MAY-2019 Time: 19:30 Type: Diamond DA62 Owner/operator: Flight Calibration Services Ltd/Honeywell Registration: G-MDME * C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: about 3 miles south of Dubai International Airport (DXB/OMDB) - United Arab Emirates Phase: Unknown Nature: Calibration/Inspection Departure airport: Dubai International Airport (DXB) Destination airport: Dubai International Airport (DXB) Narrative: The British-registered aircraft crashed near Dubai International Airport. The aircraft was on a mission to calibrate terrestrial navigation systems at the Dubai International Airport (DXB) sayUAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Three British and one South African national were on board. All four occupants were killed. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/225159 Back to Top F-16 -Accident (California) Date: 16-MAY-2019 Time: 3:45 p.m. Type: F-16 Owner/operator: United States Air Force (USAF) Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near March Air Reserve Base, Riverside County, CA - United States of America Phase: Unknown Nature: Military Departure airport: March Air Reserve Base Destination airport: March Air Reserve Base Narrative: The fighter jet crashed into a warehouse under unknown circumstances near March Air Reserve Base, in Riverside County, California. The aircraft was destroyed and the sole pilot on board survived with unspecified injures after ejecting safely. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/225168 Back to Top NTSB has long cautioned Southeast flight operators, cruise lines about flightseeing safety, infrastructure (Alaska) NTSB said the Mountain Air Services de Havilland plane was found upside down in the water. USCG photo courtesy of Ryan Sinkey. ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - The deaths of four cruise ship passengers in 2007 during a sightseeing flight to Misty Fjords National Monument in southeast Alaska prompted terse words from the National Transportation Safety Board, which demanded safer practices. The agency wanted better weather data, better pilot training, and more rigorous oversight of air tour operators from the FAA. At the time, Alaska's cruise ship industry was on the rise, with an estimated 900,000 cruise ship passengers expected in Ketchikan in 2007. More than a decade later, the industry remains a huge economic driver for the region. Cruise ship passengers account for nearly 95 percent of all visitors to Ketchikan, and nearly 1,010,400 people traveled to Ketchikan by cruise ship in 2017, according to the Ketchikan Visitor's Bureau. Of those, some six percent will select flight seeing as an activity. On July 24, 2017, declining weather conditions, described by one tour pilot as a "wall of weather" -- low clouds, rain and fog -- had hampered visibility 40 miles northeast of Ketchikan, according to an NTSB accident report. They determined that the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and his decision to keep flying under visual flight rules in conditions that required instruments contributed to the crash of the Taquan Air flight. The final accident summary, published in August 2008, found probable cause as "the pilot's decision to continue under visual flight rules into an area of instrument metrological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and the FAA's inadequate surveillance of the commercial air tour operator." The NTSB noted that the FAA had allowed the lapse of an oversight program in which staff flew unidentified as passengers on flight tours, citing in part the loss of inspectors to downsizing. In a safety recommendation published in July 2008, the NTSB wrote "based on the preliminary findings from this investigation, and the findings from four other previous air tour accidents during the past 10 years, the Safety Board is concerned about the lack of weather information, ineffective Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight of air tour operators' adherence to required weather minimums, and inadequate pilot training for commercial air tour operations in Southeast Alaska." The NTSB asked the FAA to "develop a permanent mechanism to provide en route and ground-based observations of air tour flights in Southeast Alaska at least once a month during the tour season to ensure operators are adhering to safe flying practices." In December of 2013, the FAA updated the NTSB on its progress, stating that as of 2010, "en route inspections of air tour operators were permanently added," and that a special surveillance indexing system would be in place for southeast Alaska. A few months later, the NTSB acknowledged the progress, telling the FAA "we are pleased that you have incorporated surveillance activities that are unique and appropriate to the Alaska air tour environment-particularly the remote observations, which we believe sends a message to all air tour operators that the FAA is observing their operations and is not focusing solely on an individual carrier or carriers." Mike Slack, a Texas-based aviation attorney who represents victims of a 2018 Taquan air crash in which several passengers were injured, believes air tourism in southeast Alaska needs continued improvement, citing pressures to generate revenue, get as much as they can out of the summer season, and adhere to cruise ship schedules. "When you're dealing with common carriers that take money and are paid to transport people, whether it's a charter, a schedule airline or an air tour, there is a requisite amount of safety that the public should be able to expect that the air tour operator will exercise regardless of where they do it," Slack told KTUU. "The fact that Alaska has mountains, that Alaska has rapidly changing weather conditions, the fact that Alaska has the challenges of remoteness and radios don't always work very well over the long distances -- those are simply factors the air tour operator ask to be built into the safety matrix to make sure they can do it safely," he said. "We will never put our guests in harm's way and take every precaution necessary to make sure that we are making the most informed decision about flight conditions for that day," Taquan Air told KTUU through a spokesperson Wednesday, responding to Slack's criticism. "Safety is the ultimate priority." Pilots are extensively trained, closely monitor weather conditions, fly with 4 miles of visibility, and the company has voluntarily adopted safety practices beyond those required by federal standards, Taquan said via email, adding "we use the resources available to us through this program to ensure that our pilots have what they need to operate a safe flight from takeoff to landing." The company told KTUU that monitoring systems on its planes would be able to detect nearby aircraft. It referred questions about how a mid-air collision could occur to the NTSB, citing the ongoing investigation. What follows is a list of known crashes departing from or bound for Ketchikan, gathered from NTSB accident records. May 13, 2019: Planes operated by Taquan Air and Mountain Air Services collide mid-air, causing fatalities and serious injuries. The investigation is underway. July 10, 2018: A Taquan Air De Havilland DHC-3 struck mountainous terrain, seriously injuring six passengers. Four passengers experienced minor injuries, the pilot was uninjured. The pilot had turned off the Terrain Awareness and Warning System. June 25, 2015: A De Havilland DHC-3 operated by Promech Air, Inc., collided with mountainous terrain, killing eight passengers and the pilot. The NTSB determined probable cause as "(1) the pilot's decision to continue visual flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his geographic disorientation and controlled flight into terrain; and (2) Promech's company culture, which tacitly endorsed flying in hazardous weather and failed to manage the risks associated with the competitive pressures affecting Ketchikan-area air tour operators; its lack of a formal safety program; and its inadequate operational control of flight releases." July 24, 2013: An engine on a DeHavilland Beaver DHC-2 operated by Promech Air LLC lost power, causing a crash landing, seriously injuring three people. The NTSB determined an equipment problem -- the failure of the linkrod or its bushing -- caused the crash. July 2, 2012: A De Havilland Beaver DHC-2 operated by S&S Aircraft Leasing, Inc. experienced difficulty on takeoff, causing a wing to strike the water. The NTSB determined probable cause to be "the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a step turn on floats." July 24, 2007: A De Havilland DHC-2 operated by Venture Travel LLC (which owns Taquan Air) crashed into steep, tree-covered terrain, killing four passengers and the pilot. The NTSB determined probable cause to be "The pilot's decision to continue under visual flight rules into an area of instrument metrological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and the FAA's inadequate surveillance of the commercial air tour operator." July 28, 2005: A De Havilland DHC-3 operated by Promech Inc.experienced a flash fire in the cockpit, causing an emergency landing. The pilot suffered burns, 10 passengers were uninjured. The NTSB's probable cause finding was "an electrical arc on the exterior of a fuel pressure line that initiated a fuel leak and fire during cruise flight, which resulted in serious injuries to the pilot as he performed an emergency landing on the water. A factor contributing to the accident was an inadequate annual inspection of the airplane by company maintenance personnel." August 19, 2002: Two airplanes operated by ProMech, Inc., collided in mid-air when a plane gaining altitude struck a plane that had established a level path. None of the passengers or pilots were injured. The NTSB found probable cause to be "the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual outlook during cruise climb, which resulted in a midair collision between the two airplanes." June 19, 2002: An idling plane hit another plane at the dock after a dockhand prematurely let go of a mooring rope. The NTSB found probable cause to be "The failure of a ground handler to follow company procedures/directives, and his premature release of a mooring line. Factors associated with the accident were the congested operations area, and the operator's failure to provide adequate safe zones for the airplanes." Dec. 12, 1996: A Taquan Air De Havilland DHC-2 crashed into the water, killing the pilot. The NTSB determined "the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with terrain (water). A factor associated with the accident was the gusty wind condition." June 8, 1994: The wing of a Taquan Air Cessna 185 struck rough water in Kassan Bay. The NTSB determined probable cause as "the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind." June 4, 1992: Rivets failed on a Taquan Air De Havilland DHC-3, causing the airplane's control yoke to vibrate and the nose to pitch down. https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Air-Crashes-in-Ketchikan-1992---Present-509998391.html Back to Top Safety and Education Take Center Stage at RACCA Officials from the FAA, NTSB, and Cargo Airline Association all provided key insights into government policy, regulations, and safety protocols for the airline and cargo industries at the 17th annual Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) Spring Conference held in Scottsdale, Arizona, in April. The three-day conference featured more than 60 exhibitors, 15 general and breakout sessions, static displays at Scottsdale Airport, and a silent auction that raised $20,000 for RACCA's scholarship program with matching grants from members. NTSB vice chairman Bruce Landsburg kicked off the general sessions by citing a 2017 incident where an Air Canada Airbus A320 on final approach to San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) at night mistakenly lined up to land on a taxiway and missed colliding with other airliners by an estimated 14 to 29 feet upon go-around. The near-miss involving up to 1,000 people prompted the NTSB to launch a full investigation. "There is no question the [Air Canada] crew was badly fatigued," Landsburg said. "The captain had been up for 19 hours. It was 3 in the morning according to their circadian rhythm time. A lot of cargo runs are at night, and there are ways to cope with this, but it is something we have to be cognizant of." Landsburg said that as part of that incident, the NTSB made a recommendation to Transport Canada to revise flight crew fatigue regulations, which were "not as restrictive as those in the U.S." The new regulations were issued in December 2018. Citing the May 2014 crash on takeoff of a Gulfstream G-IV at Hanscom Field, Massachusetts, where the crew failed to turn off the gust locks and the interlock failed, Landsburg advocated the use of cameras in cockpits to ensure checklists are being followed, noting that human behavior changes when people know they are being observed. "As a general rule of thumb, we're not monitoring cockpits because we trust our people to do the right thing," Landsburg said. He then referred to an NBAA survey conducted after the Hanscom accident. "The NBAA survey measured whether the crews on business aircraft were checking the flight controls before takeoff. About a quarter of those crews did not check to make sure the flight controls were free. This is not a recipe for success." 1,500-HOUR REQUIREMENT Following Landsburg, Jerome Randolph "Randy" Babbitt, FAA Administrator from March 2009 to December 2011, spoke about the 1,500-hour flight officer requirement established after the Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident in February 2009 as "first on the list of mandates [from the accident] that are proving to be not very helpful." A former Eastern Airlines captain, Babbitt began his FAA tenure just weeks after the accident and testified against the 1,500-hour requirement, emphasizing that hours in the air do not necessarily equate to greater experience. "If you take a pilot who has just graduated with an accredited [aviation] degree with 500 flight hours and test them, they are going to do really well," Babbitt said. "At this level, they have a lot more training background, especially in the academic side. Then you make them go fly for another thousand hours dusting crops, flying banners, instructing, and test them two to three years later, they test worse. They haven't practiced anything, haven't received any guidance or instruction." Babbitt noted that ICAO currently caps simulator time toward the ATP at 100 hours compared with the FAA's 25-hour allowance, and that ICAO is considering increasing simulator allowance up to 200 hours toward the ATP. "Allowing someone to get into a situation that they can't get out of in the simulator, that's a learning experience," Babbitt said. "The simulator techniques that we have today and the quality of the simulation is unparalleled. The old joke used to be that the simulator flies like the airplane. Now pilots go on the line and they say the airplane flies just like the simulator." James Viola, director of the FAA's Office of General Aviation Safety Assurance, discussed NTSB recommendations concerning Part 135, including safety management systems (SMS), controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) training and technology, and adopting flight operations quality assurance (FOQA). Viola stressed that despite the NTSB's recommendations, the FAA is not planning to "take the Part 121 standard and apply it across all of general aviation." "The FAA is still in the process of developing our response to the NTSB's 2019-2020 'want' list," said Viola. "While obviously we find any unnecessary injury, loss of life, or damage to aircraft unacceptable, we take a tiered approach in which requirements for Part 121 are more stringent than requirements for Part 135." Viola said that while the FAA intends to evaluate its current guidance, regulations, and policy for Part 135 operators to determine potential options to satisfy the NTSB's recommendations, the FAA's resources for additional SMS, CFIT, or FOQA changes are limited. "We have been advocating and approving voluntary programs and providing information such as CFIT avoidance recommendations to operators regardless of whether their operation requires this equipage." Viola also mentioned a new aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) directed by the 2018 Reauthorization Bill to review Part 117 Flight and Duty Limitations and Rest Requirements for application to Part 135 operators. Viola said the ARC will include up to 20 members from the air carrier community to include operators of various size and representatives from organizations such as RACCA. EDUCATING LEGISLATORS Stephen Alterman, president of the Cargo Airline Association and chair of the Management Advisory Council to the FAA, discussed politics from a Washington, D.C. perspective. He opened with the impact of the five-week FAA shutdown that occurred earlier this year, advocating support of H.R. 1108 Aviation Funding Stability Act introduced in February to use the aviation trust fund surplus to keep the FAA open during future funding gaps. "[The FAA] can't really make long-term capital investment decisions when they must be funded from Congress every year," said Alterman. "But the [aviation] taxes are enough to fund the FAA and there is currently a $7 billion surplus in the trust fund that the FAA cannot spend because the money hasn't been appropriated." Alterman noted with amusement that a portion of the recent FAA reauthorization bill-Section 744-that was removed due to "extensive lobbying by the pilot community" would have authorized an FAA research and development program in support of single-pilot all-cargo operations. "We thought it was a cool idea, but it doesn't matter whether there's a study because we're going to get down to one pilot, and down to none eventually. That's just the way the world is heading," Alterman said. "Private industry is moving at a faster pace than any government agency can respond. We need to trust each other and work together on safety and security because the government can't be expected to do it alone." Alterman said one way the air cargo industry is working with Congress is by holding caucuses to help inform Congressional members about the day-to-day workings of the industry outside of specific issues. "The aviation industry is good about conveying concerns to Congress, but doesn't do well at educating Congressional members about aviation when there isn't a specific concern," Alterman said. He described the first air cargo caucus held in March, which attracted about 40 Congressional representatives mainly from districts that "touch" air freight. "We're not the largest caucus, but we now have a body of people who say they are interested in air cargo within the U.S. Congress." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2019-05-16/safety-and-education-take-center-stage-racca Back to Top FAA CLAMPS DOWN ON RECREATIONAL DRONING AGENCY NOTICE CREATES CONFUSION The FAA issued a notice to be published May 17 in the Federal Register that dramatically changes the rules for noncommercial use of unmanned aircraft, though it is not legally binding-and contains contradictions that raise concern. AOPA obtained an advance copy of the document, and expressed several concerns. The 11-page notice is the first official FAA action to limit recreational drone use since Congress empowered the agency to regulate hobbyists in October. While the notice itself does not have the force of law or regulation, and is not subject to public comment, its language suggests that recreational operators of unmanned aircraft could be subject to enforcement action for flying in places permitted prior to the publication of the document. "The guidance provided in this notice is not legally binding in its own right and will not be relied upon by the Department or the FAA as a separate basis for affirmative enforcement action or other administrative penalty," the FAA states in the notice. "Regardless of whether you rely on the guidance in this document, you are independently required to comply with all existing laws applicable to the operation of unmanned aircraft systems. Conforming your actions with the guidance in this notice does not excuse or mitigate noncompliance with other applicable legal requirements." The FAA noted that it retains broad discretion to penalize persons who conduct "careless and reckless" operations of any aircraft. The notice details eight conditions that recreational drone pilots must comply with, based on the 2018 law, including a prohibition on flying for commercial purposes. In addition, recreational drones are to be flown "in accordance with or within the programming of a community-based organization's set of safety guidelines that are developed in coordination with the FAA." The FAA acknowledges that it has not yet formally recognized any such "community-based organization," though the agency opted not to delay publication of the notice. "Accordingly, to facilitate continued recreational unmanned aircraft operations during the implementation process, the FAA finds that operations conducted in accordance with existing safety guidelines of an aeromodelling organization satisfy this condition, provided those guidelines do not conflict with the other statutory conditions of section 44809(a)," the notice states, apparently avoiding the effect of immediately grounding all of the radio-controlled model aircraft flown at fields across the country by members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics. For those who are not AMA members, another carve-out: Recreational drone flights may continue under guidelines published online including a 400-foot altitude limit and exclusion from controlled airspace. The FAA has otherwise closed the door on drone operations in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, and E) pending changes to the low altitude authorization and notification system (LAANC) used by Part 107 remote pilots that will eventually accommodate hobbyists: "The FAA currently is upgrading LAANC to enable recreational flyers to obtain automated authorization to controlled airspace. The FAA is committed to quickly implementing LAANC for recreational flyers. The FAA also is exploring upgrades to DroneZone to enable access for recreational flyers." Another change announced in this notice is that the notification to air traffic control when flying within five miles of the airport will no longer be accepted as the law requires specific authorization, which cannot be done over the phone. Air traffic controllers will refer recreational pilots to the FAA's online resources and inform them that the rules have changed. Additional recreational drone requirements detailed in the notice include a requirement to fly the drone within the operator's line of sight, to give way to any manned aircraft, and to pass an aeronautical knowledge test. Again, the FAA acknowledged in the May 17 notice that no such test exists, yet: "For the reasons discussed earlier in this document, the FAA has determined this condition will apply only after the FAA develops and makes available the knowledge and safety test. Accordingly, during this interim period, recreational flyers who adhere to the other seven conditions under section 44809(a), may use the exception for limited recreational unmanned aircraft operations." Recreational pilots also are now required to steer clear of airspace restricted to protect infrastructure, military facilities, and other sensitive areas, though clear guidance on those locations can be difficult to find for users unfamiliar with navigating the various FAA documents posted here. AOPA Senior Director of Airspace, Air Traffic, and Aviation Security Rune Duke, among the association staff deeply involved in past and present rulemaking and regulatory efforts, said the May 17 notice created many potential problems and challenges for responsible operators trying to fly by the rules. "These rules are intended to help place parameters around recreational drone operations, but we are concerned that the manner in which the FAA is rolling out these changes will create confusion for recreational pilots and not further our shared goal of informed operators," Duke said. "Announcing a large change in policy the same day the policy goes into effect leaves no time for pilot education and outreach. As implementation of improvements to LAANC and the availability of an aeronautical knowledge and safety test are still some time away, it would have been preferable for the FAA to defer other changes so the law could have been implemented comprehensively at one time this summer, and with plenty of advanced warning. "This notice is not making anything easier, or clearer, for recreational pilots who may not have an aviation background" Duke said. AOPA represents tens of thousands of pilots who fly unmanned aircraft, many of them strictly for recreational use, and is among the world's largest organizations representing drone pilots, if not the largest. Duke noted that it may take months for the FAA to develop the knowledge test for recreational operators, and to open LAANC access to those who do not currently hold a remote pilot certificate under Part 107. "Implementing all aspects of the new statute simultaneously would have been better for the FAA, associations, and the public as this interim period should be short and it creates unnecessary confusion," Duke said. AOPA has been deeply involved in supporting safe integration of unmanned aircraft for years, and participates actively in a range of committees, advisory groups, and collaborative efforts with industry. The May 17 notice was not provided in advance to the committees in position to assist with educating the public about safe drone use. Duke noted that the recreational UAS industry is hustling to decipher the document and educate airspace users, though the timing of the notice creates a huge challenge for anyone seeking to comply. Complicating the requirements for recreational operators will likely only exacerbate the aviation industry's challenge to increase compliance and operator awareness of the rules. "Had the FAA just deferred a couple of months, we would have had a much smoother rollout and a clearer indication of the rules," Duke said. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/may/16/faa-clamps-down-on-recreational-droning Back to Top Structural flaws in Sukhoi Superjet 100 airplanes under consideration in Sheremetyevo fire investigation: reports A source close to the investigation of the May 5 airplane fire in Moscow told RIA Novosti that structural flaws in the Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 airplane model are being considered a possible cause of the disaster. Similar reports have emerged that pin at least part of the responsibility for the fire on electrical problems following a lightning strike in the air and on the actions of the pilots. He said a miscalculation in the design could have caused a breakage in the plane's landing gear and an ignition in its fuel tanks. "During the SSJ's landing at Sheremetyevo, the broken landing gear caused harm to the fuel tanks, which was followed by a kerosene leak that ignited. This might be due to a miscalculation in the design of the airplane," the source explained. https://meduza.io/en/news/2019/05/16/structural-flaws-in-sukhoi-superjet-100-airplanes-under-consideration-in-sheremetyevo-fire-investigation-reports Back to Top FAA FINALIZES NEW ATP STANDARDS REVISIONS EFFECTIVE JUNE 28 The FAA and industry partners took another step toward improving the pilot certification process with the publication of revised standards for airline transport pilot certification and type rating issuance that more closely align with the knowledge pilots must have to fly safely. Solid flying skills, aviation education, and flight experience can lead to a career in aviation. The new ATP Airman Certification Standards (ACS) have been published online with an effective date of June 28, the culmination of a larger effort undertaken over the past several years to overhaul certification standards for all pilots. With new standards for private and commercial pilot-airplane certificates already in place, the new ATP standards represent the most recent component of the comprehensive overhaul to take effect. AOPA Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs David Oord served as chair of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee's Airman Certification System Working Group that worked with the FAA to develop new holistic and integrated certification standards that ensure pilots are trained and tested on all of the elements needed to operate safely in the National Airspace System. In a forward to the new standards, the FAA noted that the new ACS is part of a collaborative approach to aviation safety. "The FAA developed this ACS along with associated guidance and updated reference material in collaboration with a diverse group of aviation training experts. The goal is to drive a systematic approach to all components of the airman certification system, including knowledge test question development and conduct of the practical test," the agency wrote. "The FAA acknowledges and appreciates the many hours that these aviation experts have contributed toward this goal. This level of collaboration, a hallmark of a robust safety culture, strengthens and enhances aviation safety at every level of the airman certification system." Oord noted that the new ATP ACS consolidated some overlapping tasks, reorganized the areas of operations and tasks to more closely align with the existing airplane ACS standards, and defined the aeronautical knowledge standards by adding tasks that are reflective of the regulations. The draft standards were published in October, and the FAA considered 94 comments submitted before publishing the final version. The new standards include "specific, observable behaviors for risk management and aeronautical decision-making." Oord encouraged flight schools and pilots to review the new standards in detail and incorporate the revisions into their training and certification programs. Current standards for all certificate levels are available online. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/may/15/faa-finalizes-new-atp-standards Back to Top FAA Admin Nominee Dickson Pledges to Investigate MAX, Prioritize Safety Stephen Dickson (Delta Air Lines) Restoring trust in the FAA will be a big job for the agency's next administrator, and Congress wants nominee Stephen Dickson to know it. Appearing before the Senate's Commerce Committee, which oversees aviation, President Trump's pick to head the FAA was asked to assure lawmakers that he understood the magnitude of the two crashed Boeing 737 MAX jets and the loss of faith in the regulator that certified them. "If you're confirmed, the easiest thing to do will be nothing," said Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) "Bureaucratic inertia is powerful and the instincts of any agency is to protect itself, protect the status quo and admit no wrongdoing. "And so, what I'm asking you to do, if you're confirmed, is be pissed off that 346 people died. That is not a small matter, 346 lives snuffed out, and at least the early evidence suggests that was preventable." Dickson resisted Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal's requests that he pledge to abolish the organization designation authorization (ODA) "to the extent that it has been done excessively" and refrained from placing any blame on the FAA or its acting administrator, Dan Elwell, whom he called a friend. Instead, he repeated promises to work with the special committee and other assembled groups to review the processes involved in certifying the 737 MAX. "I will never personally or professionally abdicate my responsibility and my devotion to safety leading the FAA," Dickson said. "I would never certify an airplane that I would not put my own family on... Whatever corrective actions need to be taken or process changes need to be put in place, I can guarantee you those will be accomplished." He said, though, that "it's hard to tell" what went wrong "without being inside the agency and privy to the data that the agency has." Dickson last year retired as senior vice president of flight operations at Delta Air Lines, following a 27-year career as an executive and pilot for the operator. He is also an Air Force Academy graduate and former Air Force officer, in which capacity he flew an F-15. In the 200os, he chaired the NextGen Mid-Term Implementation Task Force set up by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics. With a background in flight operations rather than aircraft certification or engineering, Dickson said that he doesn't have specific insight into the ODA process, but he has found that other delegations in pilot certification have "made the FAA a much better regulator and it's made the air carriers much safer and improved the quality of pilots that are being certified." On the aircraft front, he said it is likely the same. "Even if you could throw enough resources at it, I think working with the private sector - with the proper controls and protocols - is going to let the regulator be a lot more effective and safer," he said. He also said, though, that he would be the "captain" of the FAA, he would be willing to ask tough questions, and the agency under him would not be captive to industry. "There are a lot of good people [at the FAA] and they need leadership and they need to be supported," Dickson said, adding that the installation of a permanent administrator would, in his view, help instill confidence in the organization. One concern Dickson addressed, which he thinks could help aviation safety in the face of increased automation, is changes to pilot training to emphasize manual flying skills. "I believe it's one of the most important issues facing us today," Dickson said at the hearing. He said that while the increased automation in the "interface between pilot and machine" provides benefits in workload management, it also can create risks that need mitigation, pointing to pilot comfort with manual flying and situational awareness transitioning between various levels of automation. "I think the focus on flight plan management rather than automation itself is a more holistic way to look at it because it encompasses not only the manual flying skills but also the various levels of automation that a pilot may encounter during a flight," he said. The mention of a holistic approach seemed to score Dickson some points with Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who said that the committee's failure to look at the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion holistically slowed the investigation down as nobody thought that an O-ring could be the culprit. To accomplish the goals of keeping pilot skills sharp, Dickson advocated different simulator training - perhaps introducing variability in flight simulation, compared to "what can be a bit of a canned scenario." Associations including the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) have come out in support of Dickson's nomination, citing his work with NextGen. Dickson has in recent years opposed the privatization of air traffic control in the U.S., a stance also opposed by AOPA. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2019/05/15/faa-administrator-hearing-dickson-senate/ Back to Top US Bans All Flights To & From Venezuela Over the past several months we've seen a huge decrease in the number of nonstop flights between the US and Venezuela. The situation in Venezuela is simply awful, and airlines have largely pulled out of the country both due to safety concerns and also due to the volatility of Venezuela's currency, and the inability to take money out of the country. American Airlines was the last remaining US airline to fly to Venezuela, and the airline finally suspended their flights to Venezuela as of March 2019. While up until now airlines have mostly elected not to fly to Venezuela, the government is now ordering an end to such flights. The US Department of Transportation has ordered the suspension of all flights between the United States and Venezuela. This includes both passenger and cargo flights. This comes after the Department of Homeland Security has determined that "conditions in Venezuela threaten the safety and security of passengers, aircraft, and crew traveling to or from that country." This decision was made based on a variety of factors, including reports of civil unrest and violence in and around airports, the inability of the TSA to gain access to Venezuelan airports to conduct required security assessments, the risk of the Maduro regime taking action against Americans, and more. While the suspension makes sense on the surface, some are concerned about the implications this has on sending cargo with basic supplies to the country. So, which airlines are actually impacted by this? As far as I know, the only airline flying nonstop between Venezuela and the US recently was Avior, which operated flights from Miami to Caracas and Barcelona. https://onemileatatime.com/venezuela-flight-ban/ Back to Top 2019 CHC Safety & Quality Summit Student Grant Reminder - Deadline for submissions is May 17, 2019 CHC Helicopter and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, have announced the opportunity for aviation students to apply for two grants to attend the 2019 CHC Safety & Quality Summit in Dallas this October. This partnership will support students with fully funded travel and entrance to both the renowned industry safety event and one of the leading Human Factors training courses in aviation. The Peter Gardiner Grant, named after the late Dr. Peter Gardiner, a major figure in establishing and shaping the Summit in its early days, is provided by CHC in collaboration with Dr. Scott Shappell and Dr. Doug Wiegmann, co-developers of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). Sikorsky, a key sponsor and long-time supporter of the Safety & Quality Summit, will award the Sikorsky Safety Scholarship to a deserving aviation student. This will be the third year Sikorsky has awarded the student grant on behalf of the Summit. Students interested in being considered for either of these grant opportunities must currently be engaged in an aviation-related educational program and will need to submit an application, along with a 500 word essay related to this year's theme for the Summit: "Shining a Light on Safety: Are We Looking in the Right Places?" Detailed information and the application form are available on the event's website. Applications are due by May 17, 2019. The 2019 CHC Safety & Quality Summit will take place at the Omni Dallas Hotel on October 1-3. More information is available at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com. Back to Top Singapore Airlines' order of 31 Boeing 737 Max jets remains 'intact,' CEO says • Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said Friday that an order for 31 Boeing 737 Max jets remains "intact" despite the aircraft's two deadly crashes. • However, the grounding of the jets by its regional affiliate SilkAir adds "some complications" to the planned merger between the two airlines, Goh told CNBC's Sri Jegarajah on Friday. • Regardless, Goh said Singapore Airlines believes it will have solutions. SIA chief on the impact of grounding SilkAir's 737 Max jets Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong told reporters and analysts on Friday that an order for 31 Boeing 737 Max jets remains "intact" despite the aircraft model's two deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. That comes after Singapore Airlines' regional affiliate SilkAir grounded six Boeing 737 Max jets in March. However, Goh told CNBC's Sri Jegarajah that the grounding adds "some complications" to the planned merger between Singapore Airlines and SilkAir. With the 737 Max jets - originally planned to be part of the restructuring program - grounded, SilkAir will have to retain its older 737 NG aircrafts which were set to be moved to Scoot, a low-cost carrier owned by Singapore Airlines, he explained. That means that the airline will have to decide on whether or not to carry out cabin upgrades on the old 737 NG aircrafts instead, Goh said. This also has a "consequential impact" on Scoot, which will now have to "look at growth without the 737 NG," he added "In both cases, we're looking at solutions. We believe we will have them," Goh told CNBC. In March, a 737 Max 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed minutes after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board. That accident came less than five months after the same model plane operated by Indonesia's Lion Air crashed shortly after taking off from Jakarta, killing all 189 on board. Singapore Airlines on Thursday reported its highest-ever annual revenue, driven by high passenger demand. Higher fuel costs, however, took a big chunk out of the airline's profits, which nearly halved to about S$682.7 million. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/17/singapore-airlines-order-of-31-boeing-737-max-jets-remains-intact-ceo.html Back to Top Rockford Airport to Add 500 Jobs Planes at Chicago Rockford International Airport Chicago Rockford International Airport ROCKFORD, Ill. - A $9 million federal grant will pay for expanded parking for cargo jets at Chicago Rockford International Airport, where the nation's 22nd-busiest airfreight hub soon will add 500 jobs. The grant, announced May 15 by U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Cheri Bustos, comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation and may only be a taste of what's to come, airport Director Mike Dunn said. The airport has asked the Department of Transportation for $35 million to orchestrate a massive, 15-acre expansion of the airport's cargo apron that would allow many more cargo jets to park at RFD. Pinnacle Logistics separately announced cargo-related job growth, saying it plans to add 500 jobs at the airport, where it employs 235 people who provide ground services and supply chain management for Amazon's Prime Air cargo fleet. The new Pinnacle jobs include seasonal and permanent positions with pay starting at $14 an hour plus a $1 premium for night and weekend shifts. The company will hire workers for entry-level positions, leads, supervisors and managers on duty, as well as dock workers, forklift drivers, and ramp and cargo warehouse handling agents. Pinnacle will send 15 human resources professionals to Rockford in coming weeks to oversee the recruitment, interview and hiring process. The peak period for Prime Air cargo activity begins in October and runs through the Christmas holiday season, which may create enough demand for cargo work that Pinnacle would need to hire even more than the 500 positions announced May 15, said Peter Weir, Pinnacle's vice president of operations. "There is so much opportunity for this growth here in Rockford," Weir said. Smooth operator Pinnacle has found success in Rockford, Weir said, because airport officials make it easy to do business here. Obtaining employee security badges and work permits is among the company's most arduous tasks given the myriad federal security regulations involved in the operation of U.S. airports. But at Rockford's airport, Weir said, "These guys are on the ball, and they do their background checks very quickly and they work with us all the time." It's that kind of can-do attitude that has brought tremendous business and job growth to the city's airport, Mayor Tom McNamara said. The airport is wrapping up a $10 million, 120,000-square-foot expansion of its 72,000-square-foot international cargo terminal, which will be ready for occupancy July 1. Last year, about 1,000 jobs were created on the airport campus, including seasonal and full-time positions and construction jobs related to various airport expansion projects. "To hear firsthand from a company that doing business is easy in Rockford, and specifically at this airport, that's exciting to hear," McNamara said. "It means we're on the right track,and we're doing the right things." Rockford is part of the national hub-and-spoke cargo distribution system that Amazon is building as it learns how to operate its own air cargo network. Pinnacle also is working hand in glove with Prime Air operations at regional airports in Minneapolis, Baltimore, Dallas, San Antonio, Allentown, Pa., and Windsor Locks, Conn. Cargo cash The grant announced May 15 is the first installment from the feds, Dunn said, adding that "we're hoping for two or three installments" in all. The cargo apron must grow, Dunn said, because UPS Inc. is expected to expand its footprint at the airport in the near future. UPS made waves last year when it announced a $15 million investment into its Rockford Air Hub, the freight carrier's second-largest air cargo operation in the country behind its Louisville, Ky., cargo hub. About $2 million to $3 million of the airport's $35 million federal funding request would pay for expansion of two retention ponds at the airport where glycol - the chemical used to de-ice planes - is held while it is treated and cleaned. The clean water is then returned to the Rock River. The airport typically uses about 250,000 gallons of glycol a year to de-ice planes that fly in and out of Rockford. Glycol usage easily could swell to 400,000 gallons a year once the UPS expansion unfolds, Dunn said. The cargo apron expansion will be a two-year construction project, Dunn said. The city's airport plays a vital role in the economy of the Rockford region, Bustos said in a news release. The airport brings "good-paying jobs and business back home to our community, and I'm excited by their outstanding work and continued growth," she said. In March, Bustos founded the Air Cargo Caucus to spur collaboration in Congress on cargo-related issues. Since 2015, Durbin, Duckworth and Bustos have secured more than $33 million in federal funding for improvements at the Rockford airport, including $5 million announced in July 2017 for the construction of a 30,000-square-yard cargo apron to provide additional aircraft parking. About 10 cargo jets a day are flying in and out of Rockford's airport, and Dunn said he expects those numbers to grow. The city's airport, now the nation's 22nd-busiest airport in terms of cargo volume, should move up "somewhere between 15th and 20th" place when the Federal Aviation Administration releases new airport cargo volume figures in July. https://www.ttnews.com/articles/rockford-airport-add-500-jobs Back to Top Air Tractor of Olney, Texas, releases 800th aircraft in AT-802 series Aircraft manufacturer Air Tractor, of Olney, Texas, recently delivered the 800th aircraft in the AT-802 series. Michael Hutchins, second from left, recently became the owner of the 800th AT-802 aircraft released by manufacturer Air Tractor of Olney, Texas. Pictured with Hutchins, left, Air Tractor Sales Coordinator Chris Lockhart; second from right, Logan Lane of Lane Aviation; and Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch. The 800-gallon capacity airplane, Air Tractor's largest, headed toward Arkansas to work as a single engine air tanker. The airplane sale, according to Air Tractor, was facilitated by longtime dealer, Lane Aviation. Michael Hutchins of Custom Air, Inc. in Roe, Arkansas owns the new of 802A-800. Hutchins already operates four other Air Tractor 802 aircraft, two to fight wildfires and two for agricultural application. Michael Hutchins, owner of a new AT-802 aircraft manufactured by Air Tractor of Olney, Texas, departs Air Tractor on his return trip to Roe, Arkansas. 800th aircraft in the AT-802 series. The 800-gallon capacity airplane, Air Tractor's largest, can be adapted for agricultural application, firefighting operations, as well as other specialty uses. "The first AT-802 I purchased went to work in 2010, I still own it, and its serial number is 102," Hutchins said in a press release. "So, purchasing the 800th AT-802 definitely attests to the durability and longevity of the aircraft. The AT-802 gives me the perfect balance to accomplish anything I need to do, from fighting fires to working in rice country." According to Air Tractor, the 802 series is versatile and efficient, adaptable for agricultural application, firefighting operations, as well as other specialty uses. The AT-802 can operate from small airports and relatively short runways in the most rural or remote locations. Production of AT-802 series aircraft began in 1993, with two models: the AT-802, 2-seat single engine air tanker for aerial firefighting, and the AT-802A, a single-seat airplane for high production agricultural spraying. "We are always excited when we hit a major production milestone," Jim Hirsch, president of Air Tractor, said. "The 800gallon capacity AT-802 series has become one of Air Tractor's best-selling airplanes. Since it was introduced 26 years ago, the airplane has established itself as the most productive and reliable platform for many uses." At its Olney Texas manufacturing facilities, Air Tractor produces a line of aircraft that includes 400, 500, 600 and 800-gallon capacity airplanes powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engines. The airplanes are used for agricultural aerial application, firefighting, narcotic crop eradication, fuel hauling, fighting locust plagues, and cleaning oil spills in coastal waters. https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2019/05/17/air-tractor-olney-texas-releases-800th-aircraft-802-series/3695311002/ Back to Top This Gulfstream Business Jet Just Broke the Speed Record Between Shanghai and Seattle Gulfstream's G550 long-range aircraft broke another speed record. Yesterday, Savannah, Georgia-based Gulfstream Aerospace announced that its G550 business jet broke another city-pair speed record. This time, the aircraft flew from Shanghai to Seattle in 10 hours and 29 minutes, elevating the jet's total records to 55. Other city-pair speed records include London to Tokyo in just over 11 hours and Beijing to New York in just under 14. In April, the G550 aircraft took off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 2:09 p.m. local time and landed at Seattle's King County International Airport-Boeing Field at 9:38 a.m. local time. The jet made the 5,123 nm flight at an average speed of Mach 0.85. The Shanghai-to-Seattle city-pair time will be sent to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in Switzerland for recognition as a world record once it has been approved by the US National Aeronautic Association. "The G550 never fails to impress as it continues to break records and uphold its lasting reputation," says Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream. Gulfstream's G550 is considered one of the top longest-range business jets available, and it has been in service since 2004. Powered by two Rolls-Royce engines, the G550 has a maximum range of 6,750 nm at its long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.80 carrying eight passengers and four crew on board. With a cabin length of 43 feet, 11 inches, the aircraft seats up to 19 passengers and sleeps up to eight in its four cabin zones. The G550 can sleep eight. Photo: Courtesy of Gulfstream The four areas could include a private stateroom, a conference room, entertainment space and a dedicated crew rest area. For those who count on working in the air, a wireless network, satellite communication, Iridium phone and a fax/printer are standard on all G550 jets. More than 450 Gulfstream G550 business jets are in service and together have flown more than 1 million hours. The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has given the aircraft a reliability rating of 99.9 percent based on those numbers. https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/gulfstreams-g550-business-jet-flew-from-shanghai-to-seattle-in-10-5-hours-2850852/ Back to Top Spirit AeroSystems rolls out voluntary retirement program Spirit AeroSystems Inc. in Wichita this has informed employees of a voluntary retirement program that would have selected workers departing the company by the end of July. As it continues an about-face from rapid growth to cutting costs amid the grounding of the Boeing Co.'s 737 MAX, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. has rolled out a voluntary retirement offer to some of its salaried workforce. According to an internal company notice of the plan obtained by the WBJ, willing and eligible workers selected for the program will be notified June 7. Their subsequent retirement date will be on or before July 31. Criteria for potentially eligible employees are listed as: * "Day 1" executive, management or salaried personnel (including those represented by a union) at its facilities in Wichita; Tulsa; McAlester, Okla.; and Kinston, N.C. That excludes those employed as material review engineers. * Be at least 55 by July 1, though some have to be 62 depending on the specific program they work on. * Have a pension plan that transferred from Boeing to Spirit following the spinoff of the local company in 2005. "As shared previously, Spirit is taking steps to mitigate any potential impact of the MAX grounding," Spirit spokesperson Keturah Austin says. "We are always looking for ways to both benefit employees and meet the needs of the business." She also notes that Spirit has offered the voluntary retirement packages several times in the past, most recently in 2016 and 2017. "There are a limited number of employees who are eligible for the VRP (voluntary retirement program) and we do not know how many of the eligible employees may take advantage of the opportunity." Spirit (NYSE: SPR), which had added thousands of new local employees in the last two years to meet increasing demand largely tied to planned rate increases on the 737, now finds itself in something of a holding pattern on the program. While it continues to build the fuselages and other components of the jet at the rate of 52 aircraft per month, it is holding excess work in inventory for Boeing as it builds at the rate of 42 per month in the wake of the grounding and its halt of deliveries of the MAX to airline customers. Fuselages stacking up at Spirit AeroSystems amid 737 MAX grounding Spirit AeroSystems 737 fuselages for the Boeing Co., like this one from the delivery of the 10,000 such structure last year, are becoming increasingly visible around the company's southeast Wichita campus. Spirit had planned to be at the previously announced rate of 57 per month by the middle of this year, but will now stay at 52 even after Boeing eventually surpasses that level until it burns off the excess inventory now building up. Spirit CEO Tom Gentile said earlier this month following the company's first-quarter earnings report that the staggered production plan also included the cost-cutting measures of cutting overtime, decreasing contract workers and reducing its hiring activity. The company has not yet had to announce any local layoffs, which Gentile said were not planned as of early May. Spirit is Wichita's largest employer with more than 12,500 workers. While Spirit is still being paid by Boeing (NYSE: BA) for its excess 737 work - the program accounts for around half of its annual sales - the company did suspend its financial guidance for 2019 until it receives more detailed information on the timing of the 737 MAX's return to service. Not all of the 737s still being built are the MAX variant, though the newer model was expected to account for around 90 percent of 737 deliveries this year. Boeing continues to work with regulators on software upgrades for the MAX, which has been grounded since the middle of March following two deadly crashes of the jet in just over five months. https://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/news/2019/05/16/spirit-aerosystems-rolls-out-voluntary-retirement.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo Back to Top Watch International Space Station Flybys All Night Long The annual International Space Station marathon viewing season begins later this week, when skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere can watch up to five ISS passes in one night. Brightest artificial night light The International Space Station (ISS) slices across Perseus and Taurus in a time exposure made on August 11, 2011. At times reaching magnitude -3.9, the ISS rivals Venus in brightness. I've seen the International Space Station (ISS) pass over my house a hundred times yet never tire of the sight. Inside that bright light, a crew of several astronauts looks earthward with the same sense of wonder. Now in its 21st year in orbit, the ISS is the brightest, most recognizable satellite in the sky. Few naked-eye sky sights elicit more wows at public star parties than the Venus-bright "star" speeding through the constellations. Thanks to the steep 51.6° inclination of its orbit, the station passes overhead for anyone living between latitudes 51.6°N and 51.6°S. It's visible at least 10° above the horizon between 63°N and 63°S as well, guaranteeing that nearly every person on Earth has a chance to see it. ISS "viewing seasons" are cyclic, with each lasting several weeks. You might first spot it in the evening sky, very low in the south, as it makes a single pass a night. The altitude and number of passes increases nightly and then tapers off, to be followed by a period of daytime-only passes until it reappears at dawn. From dawn the station transitions back to the evening sky to begin a new cycle. Touched by light Backlit by the Sun, solar arrays provide power to the space station. Their gold color comes from Kapton-based insulation material that also gives the station its yellow tint. The ISS spans 109 meters, equal to the length of an American football field. Some mornings or evenings we see only a single appearance, but if you're diligent you can often catch two: a long, bright pass preceded or followed by a fainter partial pass. "Partials" occur when the space station glides into in the cover of Earth's shadow and fades from view. Like the Moon does on occasion, the ISS passes into eclipse, but does so routinely because our planet's shadow covers much more sky at the station's 406-km altitude. The ship's orbital period is also more than 400 times shorter than the Moon's, so it's in and out of shadow 16 times a day. Sunset in space As the Sun sets on the ISS the station glows red, a sight visible in binoculars. Watching the ISS move into eclipse makes for exciting viewing. Have a pair of binoculars at the ready to watch the ship fade and redden as it slides into Earth's shadow. From the perspective of the astronauts, the Sun is setting at the station, so the ISS takes on a sunset hue for a few seconds as it races into shadow. Favorable orbital circumstances This diagram shows the Earth in late May when the space station's orbital track is closely aligned with the day-night terminator. The astronauts see the Sun 24 hours a day (midnight Sun effect) while Earth-bound skywatchers watch the satellite pass by every 93 minutes from dusk till dawn. Each year within a few weeks of summer solstice in either hemisphere, the space station's orbit and Earth's day-night terminator nearly align. For a few days and nights the Sun never sets on the ISS. Like seeing the "midnight Sun" at the Arctic Circle on the first day of summer, astronauts and their craft bask in sunlight 24/7. The Northern Hemisphere season happens between May and July; southern observers get their turn between November and January. This year's brief season begins on Friday, May 17th, and wraps up on the 20th. Sunrise and Sunset around Summer Solstice In late May-early June near the summer solstice, the Sun doesn't set on the International Space Station Depending on your location you may see up to five successive passes of the ISS during that time. Go out at dusk to catch the easy early ones and stay up till dawn for the rest. Someone should really be giving out certificates to anyone who achieves this sleep-defying feat. Maybe something for the Astronomical League to consider? Some places get six passes during a 24-hour period: 3-4 in the early morning followed by 2–3 appearances that evening. Midnight Sun bonanza Seattleites will see five successive space station passes the night of May 18-19. The times noted are when the ISS first appears (at ~10° altitude) in the west. Click for a high resolution version. Chris Peat / Heavens Above Of course you'll need to know exactly when and where to look. You can find the space station and get a map showing its path for your location at Heavens Above. Click the link, select your city, and then tap the ISS link for a list of passes in the coming nights. Click on a date to see a map and timeline. Or go to NASA's Spot the Station site for times, where you can also sign up to get e-mail or text alerts whenever there's a favorable pass for your city. Apps are great, too, especially when they're free. Try ISS Spotter for iPhone and ISS Detector for Android. What to Anticipate ISS Pass The ISS "rises" in the west and reaches a peak altitude before it's either eclipsed by Earth's shadow and disappears or continues along until setting in the east. NASA / Spot the Station The ISS orbits the Earth from west to east to take advantage of the planet's rotation, so it always rises in the west and tracks east. When low, the ISS is fainter than when overhead because of the added line-of-sight distance. It shines brightest east of the zenith, when the station is both close and also nearly opposite the Sun and lit up like a little full Moon. Here are some cool things to watch for in addition to the aforementioned sunsets and sunrises: • Flares - Occasionally, sunlight will strike the arrays or an area on the station at just the right angle to reflect back to your eyes, causing the ISS to briefly flare in brightness. • Jerky Movements - If you watch the ISS or any satellite closely it will appear to move jerkily as it crosses the sky. What you're really seeing are your own jerky eye movements transposed on the sky. Our peepers are not well-oiled machines. • Conjunctions - At Heavens Above you can get a map of any pass and note when the station crosses in front of or passes very close to a bright star or planet. Jupiter's a favorite and now gleams in the southeast around 10 p.m. local time. • Beautiful Dumps - Astronauts have to occasionally dump wastewater outside the station which immediately crystallizes and expands into a cloud. If you ever look up to discover the ISS has a tail like a comet, you're witnessing a dump. • Telescopic Revelations - With only a little practice you can center and follow the ISS in a low-power telescope. I anticipate its path while looking through my finderscope then quickly move to the eyepiece to track it. Once held in view, the solar arrays are easy to see at 60×, and you can even make out shapes in the station proper. • Shareworthy Photos - You'll need a tripod and the ability to take a 15-second or longer exposure. Get a map from Heavens Above so you know where to point the camera. Set your lens and exposure to manual (M). Pre-focus on a bright star using the camera's Live View feature. If you don't know how to use it, click here for a great tutorial. Next, set the ISO for 800 or 1600 and open your lens up to f/2.8 or f/4. Most cameras cut off at 30 seconds of exposure, so you'll only get a segment of the ISS's complete path. For exposures longer than 30 seconds, either carefully hold down the shutter button or use a remote release that will keep the shutter open with a simple click. When using the release, don't forget to turn your shutter speed knob to "B," which allows for unlimited time exposures. Do a test exposure in advance to check the result. Even if you get hit with cloudy weather this week, the space station will continue to make passes through early June. The next series of 24/7 sunlit passes begins in mid-July. https://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/watch-international-space-station/ Back to Top The Steps to Organizational Reliability Reliable Organizational Performance Does regulatory oversight & compliance alone make an organization reliable? The answer is No. Organizations can be reliable today, and for variety of reasons, be less reliable tomorrow. While regulatory compliance programs satisfy an important function, high reliability requires sustained high performance - at the system, individual, and organizational levels. And this goes well beyond regulatory compliance. Simply put, reliability equals performance over time. There's a pattern to how bad things happen, and a science to preventing them. SG Collaborative Solutions shows you how to become sustainably reliable as an organization. The Steps to Organizational Reliability Whether your organization is an airline, manufacturer, Part 135, MRO, ATO, regulator, or other aviation company, there are five steps to organizational reliability, each one a crucial component of success. There are no shortcuts. The steps are: 1. Prepare - Schedule an introductory session and learn the Hidden Science 2. Commit - Engage leadership and train Transformation Advisors 3. Develop - Select and train a Reliability Management Team 4. Sustain - Build and refine a Reliability Management System 5. Qualify - Achieve ongoing Enterprise Leadership Qualification Click here To learn more about the steps. Once you've reviewed the information and are interested to learn more, click on the SCHEDULE AN INTRODUCTORY SESSION button under the first step to contact us for details. What Is the Sequence of Reliability™? The Sequence of Reliability is our proven approach to sustainable high performance: 1. First see and understand risk 2. Manage reliability in this order: a. System performance b. Human performance c. Organizational performance Why is this sequence important? Because successful results depend on it. There's a pattern to how bad things happen, and a science to preventing them. Our approach is guided by that science, and how it can help you get better results for your organization and in your everyday life. It's the hidden science of reliability. And it's been hiding in plain view. Why? Because it evolved in a crooked line, coming from diverse areas of expertise, segregated by specialties. The hidden science synthesizes engineering, behavioral psychology, neuroscience, ethics and the legal system. Harmonizing these specialties solves a fundamental problem: how to achieve sustainable reliability in a complex world. Engineers know system design but don't always understand human behavior because they don't think like typical humans. Psychologists and neuroscientists understand how people think and act, but don't always know how systems work because they don't think like engineers. And lawyers think differently than all of us. SG Collaborative Solutions combines all of these disciplines into a cohesive, connect-the-dots strategy for success. Contact Us to Learn More SG Collaborative Solutions, LLC Email: info@sg-collaborative.com Office Phone: 682-237-2340 Fax: 888-223-5405 Website: https://sgcpartners.com -------------------------------- CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient and may contain information that is confidential, protected and/or privileged under state and Federal privacy laws. If you received this e-mail in error, be aware that any unauthorized use; disclosure, copying, or distribution is prohibited. Please contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of this message. -------------------------------- Back to Top POSITION AVAILABLE: AVIATION ADVISOR Job Description A unique opportunity to bring your aviation expertise and management skills to help Shell drive its operational excellence. Join a team of subject matter experts, applying your aviation expertise, to jointly develop, implement and audit the best safety standards in close collaboration with our worldwide Shell business units. Where you fit in The Shell Aircraft Air Safety and Advisory Group gives advice to 35 Shell Business Units in 30 countries and audits up to 100 aircraft operators on their behalf. This results in substantial financial savings and major improvements in safety and quality. Shell exposure to flying, at 85,000 flying hours per year, equates to the activity of a moderate size airline. The Air Safety & Advisory Group is staffed by a team of Aviation Advisers and is part of Shell Aircraft International which also includes the Corporate Fleet department. At Shell our commitment is to satisfy the world's need for energy with economically, socially and environmentally responsible solutions. We seek a high standard of performance and understand that great ideas can change the world. If you want to work with a group of safety conscious, ambitious and committed professionals then you should consider Shell. We will provide you with the resources to put your ideas into action, possible worldwide opportunities to advance your career, and outstanding benefits and rewards. Join us and let's make a difference together. What's the role? As Aviation Advisor, you're going to be playing a vital role in maintaining and improving our operational excellence. Providing expert advice on the safe and efficient use of aircraft and air transport services in support of the Shell Business Unit aviation strategy. In practice that means you'll be running operational and technical audits of contractors and logistics teams; producing reports in accordance with Shell Aircraft processes and procedures; and making sure any audit recommendations are actioned by aviation management. You can also expect to be involved with air safety accident and incident investigations. Naturally, you'll need to have a strong safety drive for achieving excellence, as well as being skilled at juggling a challenging workload, often with competing business targets. Along with advising on general aviation safety, you'll also lead on specific areas of expertise, which means keeping your technical knowledge up-to-date and relevant. Company Description Shell Nederland BV is a platform for international collaboration, with Shell offering direct employment to around ten thousand people in the Netherlands alone, including roughly 2,800 non-Dutch employees from around 80 countries. Diversity is key at Shell Nederland, and our employees reflect the innovation that stems from a diverse workforce. By joining Shell Nederland, you will benefit from an unrivalled industry-leading development programme that will see you tap into a pool of expert knowledge that will help propel your career. Shell Nederland is the holding company of most Shell companies operating in the Netherlands. Shell Nederland also has an advisory and coordinating role in numerous areas. Requirements You are holder of a valid professional Pilot fixed or rotary wing license (ATPL or equivalent). You have a strong track record in all aspects (incl. management) of aircraft operations and support, as well as an understanding of the commercial and legislative aspects of aviation. The relevant experience in the aviation industry may be gained within an aircraft operating company or equivalent military organization. Extensive knowledge of aviation quality & safety management systems, aviation legislation and their application is required. The ability to write and brief all levels of management succinctly on complex aviation issues is also essential. Shell's aviation professionals are required to travel extensively in support of our work and as such, must be able to travel anywhere in the world. This position is based in The Netherlands on local terms, therefore the applicant must be able to work and live in The Netherlands. Our values Shell is a company with shared values. Honesty, integrity, and respect aren't simply a strapline: they are a part of everything we do. What's more, Shell is an equal opportunities company, and we place the highest possible value on the diversity of our people and our inclusive approach. Join us and you'll belong to a world where you can feel pride in your achievements and propel your career with global opportunities Women's perspective We care deeply about fostering a truly diverse workplace. We believe in doing everything we can to make Shell as flexible, appealing and supportive a place for women to work as possible. We help with things like our formal (and informal) flexible working. Like our global and transparent pay policies, backed by a leadership team fully supportive of our diversity ambitions. And we'll foster your career through our Women's Career Development programme. People with an impairment At Shell, we're all about top talent. End of story. We encourage anyone who may face an impairment to see Shell as a place where you'll be fully supported to grow and develop your career. It's as simple as that. If you'd like to apply, just let us know about your circumstances. We can support you throughout the process: from application, to interview, to your first day of a rewarding career with us. Interested? Please apply via the 'Apply' button. APPLY Back to Top Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Aviation Professionals, My name is Marta Delbecchi. I am an MSc student in Organisational Psychiatry and Psychology from King's College London, andas part of my degree requirements I am conducting a research study entitled: The wellbeing of air, marine and rail accident investigators. I am carrying out this research study with the support of Cranfield University's Safety and Accident Investigation Centre. I am looking for current or retired civil air accident investigator to complete an online survey. The purpose of the survey is to learn more about the health and wellbeing of personnel who investigate the causes of accidents and serious incidents in the air, marine, and rail transportation modes. Your participation would be a very important contribution to the current paucity of scientific literature and understanding concerning the psychological and emotional wellbeing of accident investigators. Completing the survey should take no more than 35 minutes of your time and participation in this research study is entirely voluntary and anonymous. All your responses will be treated in the strictest confidence, and you will be able to withdraw from the survey at any time. If you are able to assist by completing the online survey then please email me directly at marta.delbecchi@kcl.ac.uk and I will forward you an information sheet and a link to the survey. Thank you for your kind consideration, Marta Delbecchi Department of Psychosis Studies, PO63 Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience King's College London De Crespigny Park London SE5 8AF Curt Lewis