Flight Safety Information May 29, 2019 - No. 108 In This Issue Boeing Tells Key Max Buyer That Jet Will Be Back in Air by July Long Before Boeing 737 Max Crash, Ethiopian Air Pilot Warned of Dangers Incident: Oriental Bridge DH8B at Nagasaki on May 27th 2019, three failures, one diversion, two returns Incident: Air Austral B738 at Reunion on May 27th 2019, could not retract the landing gear Incident: Sunwing B738 at Miami on May 18th 2019, overspeed while flaps moving Australian Navy Pilots Were Hit With Lasers on the South China Sea EU Signals Caution on Max Return With No Rubber Stamp of FAA EASA Releases Proposal For Safety Management Systems KLM Invests in 75,000 Metric Tons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Per Year Honeywell Brings Blockchain to Used Aircraft Parts Market Japan's aviation watchdog urges Hong Kong Airlines to prevent potential damage after alarming wave of missing parts Hypersonic passenger jet aims to fly from New York to London in 90 minutes Aviation Leaders Assemble in Seoul for IATA's 75th Annual General Meeting SpaceX's internet satellites could be a problem for astronomers Welcome to the Campaign to Rename Oakland International Airport! Position Available: Safety Specialist Latest 2019 RTCA Global Aviation Symposium Line-Up...June 5 Bombardier Safety Standdown Award 2019 - Nominations are open! Senior Manager, Advanced Qualification Program Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation...Course ICAEA Industry Survey ISASI - DFW Regional Chapter Meeting Boeing Tells Key Max Buyer That Jet Will Be Back in Air by July • SpiceJet expects to take as many as 25 Max planes this year • U.S. and European authorities have signaled more checks on jet Boeing Co. has told one of the biggest 737 Max buyers, Indian budget carrier SpiceJet Ltd., that the grounded jet should be back in the air by July, signaling a quicker return for the plane than many in the industry expect. "The timeline that's been communicated to us based on their experience is July -- end of June basically," SpiceJet's Chief Financial Officer Kiran Koteshwar said in an interview. "We are expecting it to be July." That's a more bullish timeline than most regulators and airlines have predicted after the best-selling jet was grounded worldwide in March following crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. European regulators assessing proposed changes to the Max are planning to scrutinize the jet's entire flight-control system before a return to the skies can be approved, while U.S. aviation regulators said they won't rush the matter. Regulators in Indonesia, one of the biggest markets for the plane, has signaled it may keep the jet parked until next year. "All the other regulators will also have to be happy with them," Koteshwar said. But he said Boeing is "pretty confident" it will get all approvals by July. Representatives for Boeing in India didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Compensation Talks Officials from China, Canada and the European Union have signaled they intend to independently review changes to the Boeing planes before allowing flights to resume. South Korean authorities are also said to be making their own decision, after closely monitoring steps taken by regulators in Europe and China. SpiceJet has been in talks with Boeing for compensation although hasn't yet received any, Koteshwar said. The amount will depend on how long the plane stays on the ground, he said. The Indian carrier, which had taken delivery of 13 Max jets before the model was grounded, still expects to receive as many as 25 more in the current financial year. It has as many as 205 of those aircraft on order, including options. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-29/boeing-tells-key-max-buyer-that-jet-will-be-back-in-air-by-july Back to Top Long Before Boeing 737 Max Crash, Ethiopian Air Pilot Warned of Dangers • He called for more communication to 737 crews after Lion Air • In email to airline managers, he cited need for more training An Ethiopian Airlines pilot told senior managers at the carrier months before one of its Boeing Co. 737 Max jets crashed that more training and better communication to crew members was needed to avert a repeat of a similar disaster involving a Lion Air flight. According to emails and documents reviewed by Bloomberg News, the pilot in December urged his superiors to bolster training on a 737 Max flight-control feature so crews would be better prepared for what the Lion Air pilots encountered in October before plunging into the Java Sea, killing all aboard. "It will be a crash for sure," if pilots struggling with a malfunction of Boeing's flight-control system on the 737 Max also encountered, for example, a cockpit warning that they were flying too close to the ground, the pilot, Bernd Kai von Hoesslin, wrote in a Dec. 13 email. On March 10, an Ethiopian Airlines plane operated by two other pilots crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing 157. While the crash played out differently from how von Hoesslin described, he accurately foresaw the chaos and peril of multiple cockpit warnings that pilots dealt with during the March crash. Von Hoesslin's communications add another layer to the competing narratives that have shaped the public's view of the 737 Max crisis -- and of who's most responsible for what went wrong. In 418 pages of previously unreported correspondence and documents he sent to airline managers, von Hoesslin cited a number of concerns he said needed to be addressed relating to maintenance, pilot rest and operational procedures. His concerns bring fresh attention to the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines jet, which prompted a worldwide grounding of Boeing's top-selling passenger jet and the company's most significant crisis in decades. Von Hoesslin declined to comment for this story. The documents seen by Bloomberg came from another person who asked not to be identified. Ethiopian Airlines spokesman Biniam Demssie said by phone: "I can't comment on anything right now." The airline has said its pilots have completed all the training that Boeing and the FAA recommended. It's unclear whether von Hoesslin's suggestions for training would have made a difference, said Jeffrey Guzzetti, the former director of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Accident Investigation Division, noting that crash investigators, regulators and airlines are still evaluating the extent of additional training needed. "I bet there were numerous other similar discussions within other 737 Max airlines following the Lion Air accident, and I bet considerations were made in some fashion with most of those airlines," he said. Debris recovered from Lion Air flight JT 610 in Jakarta in November 2018.Photographer: Bay Ismoyo/AFP via Getty Images Von Hoesslin's bosses at Ethiopian Airlines, as well as the nation's Transport Minister, have cast suspicion on a malfunction of the 737 Max feature known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. The Chicago-based planemaker, while careful not to be seen blaming a customer, has noted the role pilot actions also played in the Ethiopian and Lion Air disasters. In both, pilots unsuccessfully battled automatic nose-down movements commanded by MCAS. The movements were triggered by erroneous readings from one of the Max's two weather vane-like "angle of attack" sensors on either side of the jet's nose. In the December email, von Hoesslin reminded managers that flight crews could be overwhelmed by multiple warnings and cockpit alerts that can sound during an errant activation of MCAS. Problems with the system led to the 737 Max's global grounding in March and shook confidence in Boeing and its regulator, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Von Hoesslin, who identified himself in the documents as a certified 737 instructor, submitted his resignation to Ethiopian Airlines in April. The documents reviewed by Bloomberg, including the December email urging additional training, were attached to von Hoesslin's resignation letter. In his email to several bosses, including those responsible for flight operations and safety, von Hoesslin called attention to the airline's flight simulator program. The simulators were based on Boeing's earlier 737 "Next Generation," or NG, family of jets, and the program didn't replicate MCAS, he said. Although regulators and airlines around the world did not require that pilots train on a Max simulator after the Lion Air crash, Hoesslin took issue with the airline's approach. "The sim program does not simulate the MCAS, thus using this older NG has serious drawbacks in our training when operating the Max," von Hoesslin wrote in an email. "I suggest alternate training methods." Boeing Reprograms 737 System Linked to Crashes A software update will prevent a single sensor from activating the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. The data from both sensors will be considered. Sources: Boeing, Mentourpilot In a separate email in November, von Hoesslin asked airline managers to provide more detail about MCAS to "those Max pilots who are not fully or even aware of how the Max MCAS" system functions. The request came after a flight operations manager at the airline circulated Boeing's November 6 service bulletin that described, without naming MCAS, how erroneous sensor data could cause the jet to pitch toward the ground automatically, and how pilots should respond. In response to von Hoesslin, the manager circulated more details about MCAS that the manager said came from Boeing and that explained the automated flight-control feature in greater detail. Earlier this month, Ethiopian Airlines said it is "among the very few airlines in the world" that operates a full-flight simulator for the Boeing 737 Max 8 but that it wasn't configured to simulate MCAS. On May 17, two days after a U.S. House hearing in which Missouri Republican Sam Graves cited pilot error as a factor in the fatal crash, Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement that any effort "to divert public attention from the flight control system problem of the airplane is a futile exercise because it is not based on factually correct analysis." While U.S. aviation regulators and Boeing issued warnings in November that included instructions on how pilots should respond to MCAS's activation, there was no call for simulator training. Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges has said the pilots followed proper procedures issued after the Lion Air crash. In an April 4 statement, Ethiopian Airlines said the preliminary report into the March 10 crash "clearly showed" that the pilots followed correct procedure. However, that report shows the pilots left the thrust too high and turned the motor driving MCAS back on after initially switching it off. In his resignation letter, von Hoesslin said he felt the airline hadn't fully responded to his complaints. "Some of these concerns were safety-related and well within the duty of the airline to adequately address," he wrote. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-29/long-before-crash-ethiopian-air-pilot-warned-bosses-of-dangers Back to Top Incident: Oriental Bridge DH8B at Nagasaki on May 27th 2019, three failures, one diversion, two returns An Oriental Air Bridge de Havilland Dash 8-200, registration JA802B performing flight OC-95 from Fukuoka to Fukue (Japan), was climbing out of Fukuoka when the circuit breaker for the radar altimeter tripped. The crew decided to divert to Nagasaki (Japan) for a safe landing. The radar altimeter was replaced. The aircraft subsequently departed for flight OC-43 from Nagasaki to Iki (Japan), however, needed to return to the failure of the GPWS. The GPWS was replaced, the aircraft departed again to Iki but again needed to return due to the failure of the GPWS. The flight as well as three more flights were cancelled as result. Japan's Ministry of Transport instructed the airline to review its maintenance procedures. The occurrence aircraft returned to service without further issues the following day. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c88427a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Air Austral B738 at Reunion on May 27th 2019, could not retract the landing gear An Air Austral Boeing 737-800, registration F-ONGB performing flight UU-611 from Reunion (Reunion) to Antananarivo (Madagascar), was climbing out of Reunion's runway 12 when the crew did not receive indication the gear had retracted. The crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet and returned to Reunion for a safe landing on runway 14 about 35 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration F-ONGA reached Antananarivo with a delay of 6 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 17 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c8840ed&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Sunwing B738 at Miami on May 18th 2019, overspeed while flaps moving A Sunwing Boeing 737-800, registration C-GKVV performing flight WG-33 from Orlando,FL to Miami,FL (USA) with 175 passengers and 6 crew, was on approach to Miami, when the crew selected the flaps to 30 degrees. While the flaps were moving a temporary speed increase occurred causing the flaps relief system to activate. When the airspeed decreased again and the flaps were returning to 30 degrees the leading edge flaps in transit indication illuminated steadily. The crew initiated a go around, worked the leading edge flaps in transit checklist, declared PAN PAN and requested runway 09. The aircraft landed safely on runway 09, stopped on the runway and requested emergency service to check for possible flaps damage as well as a check of the brakes. No apparent damage was detected, the brakes temperatures were normal. The aircraft taxied to the apron with emergency services in trail. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWG33/history/20190518/1410Z/KMCO/KMIA http://avherald.com/h?article=4c883dbe&opt=0 Back to Top Australian Navy Pilots Were Hit With Lasers on the South China Sea DigitalGlobe imagery of the Subi Reef in the South China Sea, a part of the Spratly Islands group, May 28, 2018. Australian navy helicopter pilots were reportedly hit with laser beams from fishing boats during a recent military exercise on the South China Sea, leading experts to believe they were being monitored by Chinese maritime militia on the disputed waters. The pilots were "followed at a discreet distance by a Chinese warship," according to Euan Graham, an academic with Australia's La Trobe University. Graham, who was invited aboard the Royal Australian Navy flagship HMAS Canberra during a voyage from Vietnam to Singapore, referred to the episode as "coordinated harassment." "[This was] despite the fact that our route didn't take us near any feature occupied by Chinese forces or any obviously sensitive areas," Graham wrote in a blog post for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Strategist. While interactions between the Royal Australian Navy and People's Liberation Army Navy were cordial, Graham said the Australian pilots were told to notify the Chinese in advance of any amendments to their course. The U.S. has observed a rise in Chinese military activity in the South China Sea, a disputed body of water that China lays large claims to but is also partially claimed by several other countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. Last year, a U.S. military official said 20 incidents of lasers hitting U.S. aircrafts in the Pacific were recorded. But this appears to be the first time that the Australian military has been targeted, maritime law expert Don Rothwell told the Guardian. "Their sole purpose appears to be disruption," he said, adding that it didn't matter that the Australian navy ships were not near any of the Chinese artificial islands as any aerial presence in the South China Sea would alert China regardless. http://time.com/5597405/australia-pilots-lasers-south-china-sea/ Back to Top EU Signals Caution on Max Return With No Rubber Stamp of FAA • Entire flight-control system of plane to be reviewed: EASA • Boeing 737 Max grounded after two fatal crashes in five months A grounded Lion Air Boeing Co. 737 Max 8 aircraft sits on a tarmac. European regulators assessing changes to Boeing Co.'s grounded 737 Max will scrutinize the jet's entire flight-control system before a return to the skies can be approved. The review by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency will include the plane's displays, alerts and air-data systems, as well as the aircraft's autopilot function, EASA Director Patrick Ky wrote in a letter dated May 27 and seen by Bloomberg. The update was sent to members of the EU Parliament's Transport Committee in response to questions they raised last month about aviation oversight. The Max was grounded earlier this year following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed almost 350 people. For the Max to return to service, Boeing will have to show that the probability of a "catastrophic failure" is less than one-in-a-billion flight hours -- the standard in the industry, according to Ky. When an action by a crew member is required to meet those odds, EASA will re-evaluate "both the man-machine interface and the training" procedures for pilots, he said. In each of the Max accidents, pilots tried unsuccessfully to pull the plane out of a dive triggered by an erroneous sensor. EASA didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The agency's letter shows the extent of the European regulator's plans for independently ensuring the Max's safety, which could add to the time the plane remains grounded in the region. Some members of the EU parliament's transport committee have raised concerns that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration delegated part of the aircraft certification process to Boeing itself, and queried whether there were safeguards between EASA and European manufacturers. Deadly Descents Investigations into the cause of the two incidents have focused on a flight-control system that may have contributed to the planes' deadly descents shortly after takeoff. Ahead of a meeting of global safety agencies last week, Boeing said it had successfully performed more than 200 flights with an upgraded version of the software. "We have been working closely with EASA, FAA and other global regulators on the process they have laid out for certifying the updated Max software along with the associated enhanced pilot training and education that will help prevent accidents like these from ever happening again," Boeing said in an email. "Once we have addressed the information requests from the FAA, we will be ready to schedule a certification test flight and submit final certification documentation," the company said. Europe's biggest pilot lobby last week criticized EASA, demanding that the agency take a hard stance in vetting U.S. plans to return the Max to service and to make an effort to repair the confidence of air crew in regulators. Jon Horne, president of the European Cockpit Association, which represents pilots at Max customers including Ryanair Holdings Plc and Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, called for new training requirements, including new additional simulator training which Boeing has so far resisted. EASA is "permanently self-reflecting" on improving the oversight system in Europe and "any accident or serious incident may provide important inputs to this reflection," Ky said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-28/eu-pledges-in-depth-review-of-boeing-max-before-approving-return Back to Top EASA Releases Proposal For Safety Management Systems EASA is targeting revised Part 21 and Part 145 regulations by 2020. That is the year the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) plans to release a final regulation requiring repair stations to adopt a risk-based approach through a formal safety management system (SMS). The notice of proposed amendment (NPA) sets forth specific revisions to the regulations governing aircraft parts and component manufacturers (Part 21) and repair stations (Part 145). Under the proposal, EASA Part 145 approval holders would be required to implement an SMS program without exception. The mandate will not apply to training organizations (Part 147) or general aviation approval holders (Part CAO). The proposal follows the 2016 opinion that introduced SMS for continuing airworthiness management organizations (Part CAMO) managing aircraft operated by licensed air carriers and/or complex motor-powered aircraft. The latest NPA is part of the SMS integration plan's "Phase II," intended to encompass repair stations and manufacturers. While the NPA is applicable to two groups of approval holders, implementation methodologies differ. Unlike the "product-focused" approach driving proposed changes in Part 21, the architects of Part 145 revisions followed an "integrated management system" approach. That is, where able, the repair station regulation proposal aligns with Part CAMO SMS requirements. Thus, aircraft operators that also hold an EASA Part 145 certificate would by and large be able to use the same processes and procedures for both programs. Proposed changes to Part 145 align provisions and numbering with Part CAMO, add sections to address alternative means of compliance, require establishment of a "management system and safety philosophy," modify the phrase "indirect approval" so that it is consistent with the concept of "change not requiring prior approval" and henceforth refer to "human factors training" simply as "safety training." If adopted, the new Part 145 will specifically require repair stations to address the risk of personnel fatigue in their management systems. Suggested guidance calls for the organization to maintain a policy for the management of fatigue-related risks-in compliance with applicable national and/or European Union laws and in consideration of International Civil Aviation Organization-recommended practices-and facilitate fatigue management training. According to a survey conducted by EASA in preparation for the rulemaking, 63% of EASA Part 145 certificate holders already have an SMS program in place. The most common reason for implementation was regulatory requirements by another national aviation authority or because the company held another approval subject to SMS requirements. Survey results suggest that around 30% of repair stations with an SMS implemented the program voluntarily. Three out of four Part 145 respondents supported an all-inclusive approach-that is, the application of SMS requirements across all repair stations without exception, regardless of size or the type of work performed. The feeling was mutual among competent authorities: The vast majority of representatives agreed there should be no exceptions provided. The NPA timeline anticipates final publication in the third quarter of 2020, a year sooner than the timetable provided in the 2019-23 European Plan for Aviation Safety released late last year. The deadline to submit comments to the NPA is July 17. https://www.mro-network.com/safety-regulatory/easa-releases-proposal-safety-management-systems Back to Top KLM Invests in 75,000 Metric Tons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Per Year KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has committed itself for a 10-year period to the development and purchase of 75,000 metric tons of sustainable aviation fuel a year. KLM is the first airline in the world to invest in sustainable aviation fuel on this scale. SkyNRG, global market leader for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), will develop Europe's first dedicated plant for the production of SAF in Delfzijl. The production facility will specialize in producing SAF, bioLPG and naphtha, primarily using regional waste and residue streams as feedstock. The plant will be the first of its kind in the world. The construction of this facility, which is scheduled to open in 2022, is a step towards fulfilling KLM's sustainability ambitions and contributing to the broader industry plan "Smart and Sustainable." SHV Energy will also invest in the facility and will purchase the bioLPG produced. Sustainable aviation fuel is a necessary short-term option the commercial aviation industry has, to reduce CO2emissions in the short term, in addition to fleet renewal and operational efficiency gains. However, not enough sustainable kerosene is currently being produced. The new production plant is a SkyNRG project, called DSL-01, and will be dedicated to production of sustainable aviation fuel. From 2022, the plant will annually produce 100,000 tons of SAF, as well as 15,000 tons of bioLPG, as a by-product. It will mean a CO2 reduction of 270,000 tons a year for the aviation industry. The feedstocks used for production will be waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil, coming predominantly from regional industries. The facility will run on sustainable hydrogen, which is produced using water and wind energy. Thanks to these choices, this sustainable aviation fuel delivers a CO2 reduction of at least 85%, compared to fossil fuel. The use of SAF will also contribute to a significant decrease in ultra-fine particles and sulphur emissions. The construction of this facility is very much in line with KLM's sustainability objectives and is an important step towards implementing the industry action plan "Smart & Sustainable," which was drafted by 20 transport organizations and knowledge centers. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will also be investing in the development of this facility. SkyNRG's independent Sustainability Board advises on whether the fuel meets the highest sustainability standards, thereby ensuring that the fuel (produced from waste streams) will not have a negative impact on the food supply and environment. There will be absolutely no use of food crops, such as soya oil and palm oil (or by-products such as PFAD and POME), for production. The board includes representatives from WWF International, the European Climate Foundation, Solidaridad Network and the University of Groningen. Furthermore, the sustainability of the chain and related products are ensured through certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the highest possible certification standard for sustainable fuels. https://www.energymanagertoday.com/klm-invests-in-75000-metric-tons-of-sustainable-aviation-fuel-per-year-0182753/ Back to Top Honeywell Brings Blockchain to Used Aircraft Parts Market • Online marketplace based on distributed-ledger technology lets buyers and sellers trade parts in real time, speeding up transactions A plane is prepared for recycling by French company Tarmac Aerosave. PHOTO: REGIS DUVIGNAU/REUTERS Honeywell International Inc. is using blockchain to shake up the market for used aircraft components, making it easier to check the certification and origin of a part and speeding up transactions. The company's Honeywell Aerospace unit earlier this year introduced an online marketplace based on blockchain that lets more than 800 international buyers and sellers trade aerospace parts in real time. Participants include Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. and aircraft-repair specialist StandardAero Aviation Holdings Inc. Before blockchain, a transaction took, on average, two phone calls and four emails to arrange, and two days to close. The sale of larger parts such as engines could take weeks of sending quotes and exchanging documentation. With blockchain, a buyer can locate a part and purchase it immediately. The aircraft-parts industry is heavily regulated, with sales requiring certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other agencies. Blockchain can quickly trace the history of a used part, including previous transactions, owners and repairs. "The goal was to digitize that. If I need it frictionless, and remove human interaction, I need a technology that will create trust. That's where blockchain came in," said Sathish Muthukrishnan, chief digital and information officer at Honeywell Aerospace. The marketplace, called GoDirect Trade, has notched $2 million in sales so far, and Honeywell Aerospace targets sales of $10 million by year-end. The average transaction is worth about $8,000. One of the bigger transactions was the sale of a $100,000 turbofan engine, Mr. Muthukrishnan said. Honeywell Aerospace charges companies $15,000 to establish a storefront on the marketplace. Buyers don't need to pay a fee. Many industries see blockchain, the distributed-ledger technology known as the record-keeping system behind cryptocurrencies, as a way to authenticate transactions and streamline processes across large networks involving various partners. Walmart Inc. recently established a blockchain to track food from suppliers. Merck & Co. sees it as a way to share drug shipping data to track drug ownership and prevent counterfeiting. Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S is using blockchain to streamline operations for the global shipping ecosystem. Blockchain is a decentralized system that makes it possible to create and share a digital ledger of transactions among various parties. The data, encrypted and unchangeable, is always up to date on all participants' systems. GoDirect Trade was designed along the lines of a retail website. It lists items such as bolts, nuts, avionics and engine parts in different categories, along with images and the company selling the part. Airlines can also use GoDirect Trade to buy noncritical parts to fix seats or in-flight entertainment systems. The encrypted digital trail cuts the need for paperwork and makes it quick and easy to check the certification and origin of a part, said Samuel Engel, senior vice president and head of the aviation group at consulting firm ICF International Inc., which verifies parts for clients. Many websites list used aircraft parts but omit details like final prices or provenance documents. Using the blockchain-based marketplace removes uncertainty from the transaction, Mr. Engel said: "It's not random. It's not like 'Oh, what did I get from eBay?'" The used aircraft parts market was valued at $5.4 billion last year, 60% of that engine-related and 36% component-related, according to ICF. The market is expected to grow to $7.7 billion by 2026. Honeywell Aerospace first deployed the system based on open-source blockchain technology called Hyperledger and tested it on Microsoft Corp.'s Azure cloud. The company moved the blockchain to an internal cloud to be able to control security and data privacy, Mr. Muthukrishnan said. The hope is for GoDirect Trade to eventually also sell whole used aircraft, Mr. Muthukrishnan said, much like how cars are sold on eBay. Corrections & Amplifications Honeywell Aerospace's online marketplace for used aircraft parts has more than 800 buyers and sellers. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said it had about 100 participants. (May 28, 2019) https://www.wsj.com/articles/honeywell-brings-blockchain-to-used-aircraft-parts-market-11559072819 Back to Top Japan's aviation watchdog urges Hong Kong Airlines to prevent potential damage after alarming wave of missing parts Spot inspections in Japan find six instances of missing aircraft parts A Hong Kong Airlines Airbus A330-300 passenger plane on the tarmac at Hong Kong International Airport. Japan's aviation safety watchdog has urged Hong Kong Airlines to take measures to ensure its aircraft parts are no threat to people and property after the carrier was found with missing plane parts in six cases in the past week. Spot inspections by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which oversees civil aviation, uncovered six instances between May 26 and May 28 in which at least one part of an Hong Kong Airlines plane was missing, according to a report by NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster. The NHK report identified some of the missing parts as aircraft light covers and screws. Hong Kong Airlines said in a statement on Wednesday that it had allowed planes to fly with missing parts as long as the missing items did not risk the safety of the aircraft. The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), in response to the Post, agreed that the missing parts were not critical for the airplane's safety - despite alarm in Hong Kong over the missing pieces. By registering for these newsletters you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy "Japan has a quite [an] interest in parts dropping from aircraft," said Kosuke Najima, head of safety for foreign air carriers at the JCAB's aviation safety and security department. He said Hong Kong Airlines was required to produce measures to ensure that missing parts were no threat to people and property. "In this case, we didn't receive reports [about] damage to citizens or properties, but it is important that Hong Kong Airlines develop measures to avoid any cases like this," Najima said. The Japanese aviation regulator said missing parts were surprisingly common, and in the case of Hong Kong Airlines, the missing items were not found. To avoid missing aircraft parts, the regulator said many airlines were ordered to conduct mandatory inspections of their aircraft. Hong Kong Airlines will not be punished for the missing parts, but has been ordered to address the problem. "We will require an [analysis of the] root cause and the that countermeasures be developed," Najima said. Hong Kong Airlines said in a statement that all of its aircraft were "carefully inspected before each flight". The airline was careful to point out that, in certain cases, planes were approved to fly even if parts were missing as long as their absence did not jeopardise the aircraft's safety. A Hong Kong Airlines spokeswoman said: "The aircraft concerned were inspected by our professional maintenance team before flight and found to have small items missing, such as screws and washers, which are within the allowable conditions for aircraft airworthiness because they do not pose any safety risk." She continued: "The subject aircraft was certified for release to service by a professional aircraft engineer according to the aircraft manufacturer manual." Jeremy Tam Man-ho, a Hong Kong lawmaker and professional pilot, called on the Civil Aviation Department to investigate the Hong Kong Airlines case to determine if what happened was a serious incident or not. Hong Kong Airlines was already under intense scrutiny because of an ongoing boardroom battle over legal control of the company and financial problems. A string of directors and top managers have left the airline, and its number of planes, flights and routes has diminished. The airline last week offered voluntary redundancy to pilots in an effort to reduce the costs of its highest-paid employees. The pilots have until June 3 to decide on the company's offer. Hong Kong's aviation regulator and the Transport and Housing Bureau were contacted for comments on the Hong Kong Airlines case. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3012324/japans-aviation-watchdog-urges-hong-kong-airlines-prevent Back to Top Hypersonic passenger jet aims to fly from New York to London in 90 minutes The Hermeus Corporation recently received seed funding to begin building a hypersonic jet that would travel twice the speed of the now-retired Concorde. • The Hermeus Corporation, an Atlanta-based startup, said it'd take about 10 years to build its hypersonic jet. • The era of commercial supersonic transport came to an end in 2003 when the Concorde was retired. • Recently, many companies and nations have started investing in supersonic research, possibly signaling the return of the technology in commercial flight. A U.S. aerospace startup company has secured a round of funding to develop a jet with the ability to fly from New York City to London in about 90 minutes. The Atlanta-based Hermeus Corporation said it aims to build a jet with a cruising speed of 3,300 mph - more than four times the speed of sound. At that rate, it would take about 90 minutes to cross the Atlantic Ocean, while currently flights often last more than seven hours. If successful, Hermeus' aircraft would fly twice as fast as the now-retired Concorde, which could complete transatlantic flights in about three-and-a-half hours. "We've set out on a journey to revolutionize the global transportation infrastructure, bringing it from the equivalent of dial-up into the broadband era, by radically increasing the speed of travel over long distances," AJ Piplica, Hermeus' co-founder and CEO, said in a statement on the company's website. The company - whose four co-founders previously worked together at Generation Orbit, where they led the development of the Air Force's X-60A hypersonic rocket plane - said it would take about a decade to develop the aircraft. "We have a ton of flying to do in that time - we'll have at least two smaller iterations of aircraft that we'll build, test, and learn from in that time," Hermeus co-founder and CEO AJ Piplica told CNN. "The main challenge is integrating the core technologies together and testing them. It's really difficult to recreate the Mach 5 environment on the ground, which calls for a rethinking of how we develop vehicles that operate in this environment. That means you have to fly. We have to build a lot of hardware and fly it early so we can learn and iterate quickly." The era of commercial hypersonic flights came to a close in 2003 when the Concorde was retired. It seemed supersonic transport was just too costly to justify, considering it took relatively massive amounts of fuel to propel jets at speeds of 1,350 mph. What's more, fewer passengers wanted to fly on the Concorde in the years following the crash of Air France Flight 4590. But hypersonic transport seems to be making a comeback. In recent years, several big names in the aviation and aerospace industries have made strides to begin developing hypersonic aircraft: In 2019, Boom Supersonics plans to test fly a half-size prototype of its supersonic commercial jet, which the company says will be "history's first independently developed supersonic jet and the fastest civil aircraft ever built." In 2018, Lockheed Martin won a $241.5 million contract from NASA to build a supersonic plane that wouldn't produce a supersonic boom during flight. Also last year, Boeing unveiled a passenger-carrying hypersonic aircraft concept. Why the renewed interest? One reason is that technology is breaking down prohibitive barriers in hypersonic transport: Engineers are working on ways to eliminate the sonic boom produced by hypersonic aircraft (a problem which had restricted the flight routes of the Concorde), and they've also made strides in building engines that can withstand the high temperatures produced by supersonic-capable engines. The recent investments in hypersonic technology also signal that companies believe there's a market for hypersonic transport. After all, these aircraft could someday make it possible to attend a meeting on the other side of the planet and make it home for dinner. https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/hypersonic-jet Back to Top Aviation Leaders Assemble in Seoul for IATA's 75th Annual General Meeting FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 29 May 2019 No: 26 Seoul - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that leaders of the global air transport industry are gathering in Seoul, Republic of Korea, for the 75th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS). Hosted by Korean Air, and held for the first time in the Republic of Korea, the event is expected to attract more than a thousand top leaders from among IATA's 290 member airlines, their suppliers, governments, strategic partners, international organizations and the media. "Over the next few days, Seoul will be transformed into the global capital of air transport as aviation leaders from around the world gather for the 75th IATA AGM and WATS. The airlines will be meeting in challenging times. 2019 is expected to be the 10th consecutive year of airline profits, but rising costs, trade wars and other uncertainties are likely to have an impact on the bottom line. The prolonged grounding of the 737 MAX aircraft is taking its toll. And aviation, like all industries, is under intensified scrutiny for its impact on climate change. The agenda will be full," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO. The AGM agenda will feature keynote addresses by Kim Hyun-mee, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea and Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Mobility and Transport. The World Air Transport Summit (WATS) opens immediately following the AGM under the theme, The Vision for the Future. A highlight of the WATS is the CEO Insight panel featuring Goh Choon Phong (Singapore Airlines), Robin Hayes (JetBlue), Christine Ourmiθres-Widener (Flybe) and Carsten Spohr (Lufthansa Group). The panel will be moderated by CNN's Richard Quest. A key challenge will be preparing the air transport industry for the future amid the expected doubling of demand for connectivity over the next two decades. In this regard, airline digital transformation, infrastructure capacity, sustainability and building the workforce of the future will feature prominently in the agenda. The inaugural IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards will also be presented during the event. The awards recognize and encourage excellence in promoting gender diversity and inclusivity in the aviation industry. See the complete AGM program (pdf) The Aviation Potential of Korea is Bright "We are delighted to bring the AGM to Seoul. Six of IATA's members are based in the Republic of Korea. The country's aviation sector supports 838,000 jobs and $47.6 billion of the country's GDP. Korea is expected to be among the top ten passenger markets in 2036. With the right policy environment, the aviation sector will potentially support 1.5 million jobs and $138 billion in economic activity here in 20 years," said de Juniac. Attendance at the AGM is by invitation only. Accredited media are invited to attend, but must be pre-registered. For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org Notes for Editors: • IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic. • You can follow us at twitter.com/iata for announcements, policy positions, and other useful industry information. Back to Top SpaceX's internet satellites could be a problem for astronomers Elon Musk is vowing to reduce their impact. As helpful as SpaceX's Starlink satellites may be, they could be a pain for astronomers. The Harvard-Smithsonian Center's Jonathan McDowell and others have observed that the internet satellites are bright enough to cause a "problem" for astronomy, and the eventual constellation of roughly 12,000 satellites could complicate humanity's view of the night sky. It would triple the number of satellites in orbit, CNET noted, forcing telescope operators to account for the objects. The issue isn't as bad as initially feared, when the satellites hadn't finished orienting their solar panels and were thus extra bright (you can see a video of this below). The vehicles are only intended to last five years in orbit before descending to a fiery death in the atmosphere, for that matter, so this may only be a temporary issue. Elon Musk has maintained that the Starlink constellation "won't be seen by anyone" unless they're going out of their way to look. Still, the executive was aware of the potential pitfalls and vowed to do something about it. SpaceX would ensure that Starlink "had no material effect" on astronomy, Musk said, adding that he'd asked the team to reduce the albedo (reflectivity) of the satellites going forward. He was even receptive to the idea of mounting telescopes on Starlink bodies to provide a clearer view of space. While these moves won't completely ease the minds of sky watchers, the company is at least aware of its potential impact in an era where a crowded orbit and space debris are very real issues. SpaceX Starlink objects train 24 May 2019 https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/28/spacex-starlink-astronomer-trouble/?yptr=yahoo Back to Top Welcome to the Campaign to Rename Oakland International Airport! Maggie Gee - WASP Please help to rename the Oakland Airport after WASP Maggie Gee. This will be the first International Airport named for a WASP and you can help make this happen by signing the petition at https://www.maggiegee.org/ Back to Top JOB TITLE: SAFETY SPECIALIST REPORTS TO: DIRECTOR OF SAFETY Summary: The Safety Specialist will assist the Director of Safety in managing all aspects of occupational health and safety. This will require working with all levels of Field Crew personnel as well as Management and Customers. Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: • Plans, develops, implements, and monitors effectiveness of safety promotional and educational campaigns. • Conduct site audits, vehicle inspections, equipment inspections, and work with company leadership to help address any deficiencies. • Determines organizational safety problems through performance of incident/accident root cause analysis. • Design and implement workplace processes and procedures that help protect workers from hazardous work conditions. • Investigate incident and accidents to identify root causes and assist with resolving action items. • Finds creative modification to cultures or mind sets to improve safety performance. • Foster discussion and feedback from site operational teams on possible new safety programs or initiatives. • Keep appraised of new rules, regulations, special bulleting and emergency orders that affect company operations. Assist in interpreting and applying the changes efficiently. • Assist in designing programs to control, eliminate and prevent accident/incidents. • Assist to facilitate the coordination and delivery of safety meetings, safety tours, and safety trainings. • Any other duties as assigned. Qualification Requirements • Safety degree, certification or related technical undergraduate degree preferred. • 5+ Years of experience in construction industry safety and occupational safety and health arena preferred. • Construction safety background within the bulk power/electric power transmission industry is required. • Prior exposure to rotary-wing aviation or aviation background is preferred. Skills: Employee should posses the following skills in order to perform the duties of this job efficiently. • Oral and Written Communication Skills • Reading Skills • Technical Communication • Customer Service • Diplomacy • Professionalism • Strong Organization • Time Management • Computer Proficiency • Math Aptitude • Ability to adapt to changing priorities • Team Player Apply to: jboog@haverfield.com Back to Top Latest 2019 RTCA Global Aviation Symposium Line-Up June 5 - Crystal City, VA RTCA Symposium features a full day of programming focusing on some of the challenges for the new entrants to aviation. The latest Line-Up includes: Supersonic Transportation Innovations - Cybersecurity Applications & Challenges - Commercial Spaceflight - UAS Integration - On-Demand Air Mobility (Electric/Hybrid and eVTOL Vehicles & Regulations) More than two dozen speakers have confirmed their participation in the event from FAA, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, EmbraerX, Boeing, Boom Supersonic, Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Raytheon, Thales and several industry associations including NATCA, NBAA, AOPA, ALPA, IATA, A4A and others. Full Agenda here: https://www.rtca.org/content/agenda Back to Top Bombardier Safety Standdown Award 2019 - Nominations are open! The Safety Standdown award is given annually to an aviation professional who has demonstrated exemplary dedication to improving aviation safety through the application of the Safety Standdown principle: LEARN - APPLY - SHARE. By learning new skills and applying them, they demonstrate their dedication to personal improvement. By sharing their knowledge, they become distinguished role models. We all know or have worked with exceptional aviation professionals. These are the people who go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the safety of their operation. They are the mentors we look up to and who teach us so much. They are the dedicated people who demonstrate professionalism and courage in the toughest of circumstances. They are the people who had an impact on us and fostered the love we have for this industry. As you read these few lines, someone probably popped into your mind. Here's a way to recognize them: go to our website and nominate them for the Safety Standdown Award. The criteria for the award can also be found on the site and nomination form only takes a few minutes to complete. Submissions are evaluated by the Advisory council and a recipient is selected from the criteria. The award is presented during Safety Standdown USA 2019 seminar. Nominate now: https://safetystanddown.com/en/safety-award Safety Standdown Team Bombardier Business Aircraft Direct: +1 316 946 7876 Email: info@safetystanddown.com Website: www.safetystanddown.com Back to Top Senior Manager, Advanced Qualification Program Location:Ft Worth, TX, US Location: Flight Training Academy (DFW-FTRN) Additional Locations: None Requisition ID: 29419 Overview Join us for a career with endless possibilities. Looking for a job where a passion for innovation, a culture of teamwork, and opportunities for growth are valued and rewarded? You've come to the right place. You don't have to be an airline aficionado to join American Airlines. It takes more than cool planes to keep us ahead of the curve, and thanks to our team of behind the scenes professionals, we do just that. As the largest airline in the world, American Airlines is in the business of serving the global travel needs of our customers. At the core of the Company is our commitment to each customer and each employee. We are dedicated to developing and delivering what our customers value and are willing to pay for. Customer-centric planning, innovative marketing, and an exceptional customer experience are supported by a cadre of talented people. What does it take to join us? We're glad you asked! We expect exceptional skills in your discipline and a dedication to being the best as we relentlessly pursue our goal of being not just the largest airline in the world, but also the best airline in the world. Fortunately, we're building on almost a century of innovation and firsts in our industry - and we plan to continue that tradition of excellence. About The Job Responsible to the Director, Standards, to assist in achieving the objective of providing a corps of proficient pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, instructors/evaluators, and assist with department support programs which ensure a safe and efficient flying operation. The Senior Manager, AQP will coordinate application, update and continual improvement of the Advanced Qualification Program, and ensure regular updates to all American Airlines pilot training curricula, as required. Specifically, you'll do the following: • Coordinate the development and standardization of all flight training curriculum including Distance Learning • Subject Matter Expert for all training curriculum • Oversee content, currency and standardization of training curriculum and documents • Coordinate revisions of training curriculum and documents • Oversee flight training data collection, analysis and reporting; monitor for trends and/or anomalies • Provide leadership for AQP development • Develop and manage the ISD process mechanisms • Communicate program objectives, goals, and accomplishments to management and check airmen • Supervise development of software requirements/specifications for database/program changes related to flight training • Primary contact with FAA for AQP document approval About The Job (Continued) • Primary contact with FAA and other external organizations for training development issues • Ensure compliance with FAA, Department of Defense, One World Alliance, and IATA Operational Safety Audits (IOSA) and other training requirements • Participate in safety risk management processes within Flight Operations and Flight Training and Standards that support the principles of Safety Management System (SMS) described in FAA Advisory Circular 120-92 (as amended) and the company Operations Policy Manual • Oversee Instructor/Evaluator Standards Program • Interface with Training Planning and Scheduling to coordinate and approve TMS master-plan changes • Verify policy and procedure compliance and communicate to Instructors/Evaluators • Co-chair Operations Data Analysis Working Group (ODAWG) Qualifications Required Qualifications • Bachelor's Degree in related field or equivalent experience/training • 5 years related job experience • Experience in data analysis & statistical methods such as regression modeling, forecasting, and process control • Experience with document publishing, including document creation, distribution, and management • Experience with Instructional System Design (ISD) processes • Experience with project management • Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize, organize, and multi-task in a dynamic work environment • Expert level expertise with Microsoft Office (emphasis on Word, Excel & PowerPoint) • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Access • Flexibility with work schedule and excellent attendance record • Ability to multi-task Qualifications (Continued) Preferred Qualifications • 5 years of aviation training or safety experience in FAR Part 121 or 135 operations, military operations, or equivalent experience • Development experience with software such as Cognos, Tableau, or Microsoft Power BI • Demonstrated database management skills • Ability to demonstrate proficiency with Adobe Framemaker • Experience with document publishing, including document creation and distribution • Experience with regulatory compliance and audit processes APPLY NOW Back to Top Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course presented by N. Albert Moussa, PhD, PE July 9 to 11, 2019 BlazeTech Corporation 29 B Montvale Ave, Woburn MA 01801 USA. Dear Colleague, While commercial air transport is very safe, the advent of new technologies poses fire safety challenges that will be treated in this course. This offering draws upon Dr. Moussa's work in this area since 1971 as well as related courses that BlazeTech has been teaching since 1998. Lectures will include Li and Li-ion battery fires, flammability of carbon fiber and glass fiber composites, emerging aviation fluids, engine fires, fuel tank fire/explosion, fire extinguishment methods, protection methods, aircraft accident investigation, and fire/explosion pattern recognition. Recent accidents are continuously added to the course. For each type of fire, this course will provide a cohesive integrated presentation of fundamentals, small- and large-scale testing, computer modeling, standards and specifications, and real accident investigation - as outlined in the course brochure. This integrated approach will enable you to address safety issues related to current and new systems and circumstances, and to investigate one of a kind fire and explosion accidents. The course will benefit professionals who are responsible for commercial aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles including design, equipment selection, test, operation, maintenance, safety management system, hazard/risk assessment, and accident investigation. View Brochure for course content and registration form (also embedded below). View Testmonials of previous attendees and their Companies. View some of the technical references discussed in this course. We also offer this course at the client site as well as customized courses on fire and explosion in other areas. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Albert Moussa, Ph.D., P.E. BlazeTech Corporation 29B Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801-7021 781-759-0700 x200 781-759-0703 fax www.blazetech.com firecourse@blazetech.com LinkedIn Back to Top ICAEA Industry Survey Hello all, The ATC-PILOT Radio Communication Survey is now live: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ATC-PILOT_radio_communication It'd be great to get ATCOs and pilots to participate, so please help use your connections to get this to them. I plan to leave this open for as long as it takes to collect some meaningful data - hopefully enough even by the workshops in October and November to present a little. Best wishes, Michael Kay President (+66) 851098230 www.icaea.aero Curt Lewis