Flight Safety Information June 24, 2019 - No. 126 In This Issue American Airlines CEO says politics a factor in return of Boeing's 737 Max Incident: Wizz A21N at Budapest on Jun 19th 2019, wheel damage on landing due to loose runway slab Incident: Aerodesierto B732 at Santiago de Chile on Jun 21st 2019, rejected takeoff due to engine failure Incident: Peace B735 at Port Harcourt on Jun 22nd 2019, runway excursion on landing Beechcraft A90 King Air - Fatal Accident (Hawaii) NTSB: Plane that crashed on Oahu's North Shore outfitted to carry 13 people FAA and NASA conduct crash test on a Fokker F-28 Woman fell asleep on an Air Canada flight and awoke to find herself alone on the plane Woman Escorted From Flight After Trying To Open The Aircraft Doors FAA: Helo ELTs Affected by Possible G-Switch Failures New members for the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel (Australia) 18 Brits Removed From Tel Aviv-London Flight After Passenger Threatens to Blow Up Airplane Study suggests that pilots - like athletes - may be more likely to conceal a concussion X-Ray Telescope Designed for Dark Energy Search Ready to Launch GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(1) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(2) AVIATION COMMUNICATION: STRATEGY AND MESSAGES FOR ENSURING SUCCESS AND PREVENTING FAILURES Join us in Washington, D.C., on July 15-18 for ALPA's annual...Air Safety Forum American Airlines CEO says politics a factor in return of Boeing's 737 Max KEY POINTS * Politics are playing into aviation officials' decision to allow the Boeing 737 Max to fly again, American's CEO Doug Parker told employees last week. * The planes have been grounded since mid-March following two fatal crashes. * Parker says airline is prepared to push back return of the Boeing 737 Max to avoid crew scheduling problems. An American Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 arriving from Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport is seen taxiing to its gate at the Miami International Airport on March 12, 2019 in Miami, Florida. American Airlines is prepared to further delay returning the Boeing 737 Max to its schedule as regulators review the manufacturer's safety updates before they allow the planes to fly again, a process that depends on political factors, the airline's CEO, Doug Parker, told employees. The grounding has forced airlines that operate the 737 Max to cancel thousands of flights and sent carriers' schedulers scrambling to find ways to meet peak summer travel demand. Boeing, which is trying to restore the trust of customers and the flying public, has completed a software fix for the planes after investigators implicated an anti-stall program in both crashes. Regulators, including the Federal Aviation Administration, have not yet approved the software changes or the additional pilot training material Boeing has been developing. "There is an absolute software fix that's this close to being certified, but they've been saying that for a while," Parker told employees in a town hall meeting last week, according to an audio recording of the event that was reviewed by CNBC. "I think as much as anything now it may be politics as much as the true certification ... safety issue. I don't think the FAA wants to be alone in doing this." The U.S. was the last major aviation market to ground the jets in March after the Ethiopian Airlines crash, a stark change for the agency that has historically taken the lead on aviation safety. The FAA's acting chief Daniel Elwell has expressed hope that international aviation regulators and the agency could work together to get the planes flying again. Boeing said it is addressing additional questions from the regulator and will schedule a certification test flight once those are answered. American Airlines earlier this month said it would remove the 737 Max from its schedule until after Labor Day, more than two weeks later than it had previously said. The removal of the plane will lead to the cancellation of about 115 flights a day. The carrier has 24 Boeing 737 Max planes in its fleet of more than 900 aircraft. Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have also delayed the planes' return to their schedules. Even after officials approve the plane for service American will need about 30 to 45 days to provide its more than 4,000 Boeing 737 pilots with the additional required training. While some pilots may be prepared to fly on the jet shortly after its approved by regulators, because airlines frequently swap out airplanes and crews, a flight could be left without pilots that have been trained, so it is easier for airlines to delay its return to service. Because American's crews need to start picking trips for their schedules in September in the coming weeks, the airline may have to push out the reintroduction to October, Parker said. "You may see us push it back a month," Parker told employees, adding that an additional delay would likely be announced in early or mid-July. Parker told an investors earlier this month that pilots and executives would likely fly on the plane before passengers. The president of American Airlines pilots' union on Thursday wrote to Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg, requesting access to a full-motion 737 Max simulator that the manufacturer has in Miami, the only one of its kind currently in the U.S., before the planes are re-certified by regulators. The union has been highly critical of Boeing, saying it did not inform the pilots of the additional software in the plane until after the first crash, in Indonesia, in October and expressed safety concerns before a House aviation panel last week. Boeing said it would work with the union's incoming president "to schedule his time in the full-motion simulator in the near future." https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/23/american-airlines-ceo-politics-a-factor-in-return-of- boeings-737-max.html Back to Top Incident: Wizz A21N at Budapest on Jun 19th 2019, wheel damage on landing due to loose runway slab A Wizzair Airbus A321-200N, registration HA-LVB performing flight W6-2404 from Stockholm Skavsta (Sweden) to Budapest (Hungary), landed on Budapest's runway 13R but received damage to one of the wheels due to a loose runway slab. The runway and the airport needed to be closed for the necessary repairs, the second runway 13L/31R was closed long term for reconstruction work. Runway 13R/31L could be reopened after about 90 minutes. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 29.5 hours, performed a test flight late evening Jun 20th 2019 and resumed service in the morning of Jun 21st 2019. Related NOTAM: A1939/19 NOTAMN Q) LHCC/QFALC/IV/NBO/A /000/999/4726N01916E005 A) LHBP B) 1906191651 C) 1906191800 E) AERODROME CLOSED. AERODROME WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AS DEPARTURE/DESTINATION ON EN-ROUTE ALTERNATE AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY TRAFFIC. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c986ca8&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aerodesierto B732 at Santiago de Chile on Jun 21st 2019, rejected takeoff due to engine failure An Aerodesierto (aka Chile Airways) Boeing 737-200, registration CC-CVI performing a charter flight from Santiago (Chile) to Salvador,BA (Brazil) with 102 soccer fans, was accelerating for takeoff from Santiago when an engine (JT8D) emitted a loud bang prompting the crew to reject takeoff. The aircraft stopped safely. The soccer fans missed the match of their team Chile against Ecuador, which was played at Salvador de Bahia within the Copa America. The passengers reported the crew told them a rabbit or bird was ingested by an engine. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c986aa4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Peace B735 at Port Harcourt on Jun 22nd 2019, runway excursion on landing An Air Peace Boeing 737-500, registration 5N-BRN performing flight P4-7291 from Abuja to Port Harcourt (Nigeria) with 87 passengers and 6 crew, went left off runway 21 while landing in Port Harcourt at about 15:42L (14:42Z) and came to a stop with all gear on soft ground about 1300 meters/4300 feet down the runway. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained minor if any damage. The passengers disembarked via mobile stairs onto the soft ground. Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority reported: "An Air Peace flight numbered 5N BRN, flying from Abuja to Port Harcourt today, skidded off the Port Harcourt International Airport runway at about 1500hours." The occurrence happened during a heavy downpour. The airline reported the aircraft landed in Port Harcourt at 15:42L but skidded off the runway due to flooding of the runway. Nigeria's AIB reported the aircraft went about 1300 meters past and left of the threshold of runway 21. No Metars and no local weather station data are available for Port Harcourt. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c985b51&opt=0 Back to Top Beechcraft A90 King Air - Fatal Accident (Hawaii) Date: 21-JUN-2019 Time: 18:20 LT Type: Beechcraft 65-A90 King Air Owner/operator: Oahu Parachute Center/N80896 LLC Registration: N256TA C/n / msn: LJ-256 Fatalities: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Dillingham Airfield (HDH/PHDH), Mokuleia, Oahu, HI - United States of America Phase: Initial climb Nature: Parachuting Departure airport: Oahu-Dillingham Airfield, HI (HDH/PHDH) Destination airport: Oahu-Dillingham Airfield, HI (HDH/PHDH) Narrative: A Beechcraft A90 King Air, registered N256TA, was destroyed after impacting the terrain shortly after take off in Mokuleia on the north shore of the island of Oahu near Dillingham Airfield (PHDH), Mokuleia, Oahu, Hawaii. The airplane was partially consumed by the post-impact fire and the eleven occupants onboard were fatally injured. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/226410 Back to Top NTSB: Plane that crashed on Oahu's North Shore outfitted to carry 13 people DILLINGHAM AIRFIELD, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) -Investigators with the National Transportation Security Board Sunday remained at the scene of a deadly skydiving plane crash that killed 11 people. Dillingham Airfield remained closed since Friday's accident, and the wreck cordoned off with yellow police tape. Officials don't anticipate reopening the airfield until at least Tuesday, once investigators have collected all the evidence needed. NTSB Board Member Jennifer Homendy spoke to the media detailing the limited information available Sunday. "This is the deadliest accident involving a civil airplane in the United States since 2011," Homendy said. "We're here to determine how this happened, why it happened, so we can determine what safety measures are needed to prevent it from happening again." Sending her condolences and sympathies to the families and loved ones of those involved, Homendy said the NTSB would examine all factors of the crash with their team of 11 specialists from around the country. Homendy said the Beechcraft 65 King Air operated by the Oahu Parachute Center was outfitted to carry 13 people on board. Although officials said 11 people were on board, it is still too early to rule out issues such as weight and balance. Over the next three to four days, Homendy said her team will remain on scene collecting "perishable evidence" which includes parts of the plane, records, log books and more. "On behalf of the NTSB, I'd like to extend our deepest sympathies to those to lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy. Our hearts go out to each and every one of you," Homendy added. The plane was "about 5,500 feet from roll, which is about a mile and a quarter," Homendy said. "It turned to the left and then came to rest inverted north side of the runway off of runway 8." The wreckage will remain unmoved for the next few days until all the evidence is collected. Sunday afternoon, Gov. David Ige released a statement saying: "The people of Hawai'i join me in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the 11 lives lost on Friday evening. I want to assure you that the state will do whatever it can to assist with the federal investigation. We will miss the energy, vitality and spirit of those lost in this terrible crash." A preliminary report is expected within 10 to 14 days. The final report is usually released 18 to 24 months after an incident. To help investigators further, they're asking witnesses to come forward and submit any footage, photos or information they may have regarding the crash. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2019/06/23/ntsb-investigation-continues-into- deadly-skydiving-plane-crash/ Back to Top FAA and NASA conduct crash test on a Fokker F-28 23 June 2019 The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) performed a crashworthiness test on a Fokker F-28 aircraft at the Landing and Impact Research Facility at NASA's Langley Research Facility in Hampton, VA on Thursday, June 20, 2019. The Fokker F-28 is a regional jet that is used on short to medium-haul flights to transport passengers from hubs to regional airports. A crashworthiness test was conducted to advance safety research on the structural performance of this style, design and materials for this size of aircraft. NASA conducted a swing test and simulation of a narrow-body transport fuselage section of the Fokker F-28. The test simulated an aircraft crash onto a dirt surface. Data from the test are used by the FAA to develop guidance on how to determine crashworthiness of various aircraft. The data also help researchers ascertain how portions of the cabin interior and occupants of the aircraft react in a crash. Twenty-four test dummies ranging from small children to adults, one weighing approximately 273 pounds were used in this aircraft test. Test results will also support the development of a new performance-based rule that will simplify the certification process by eliminating or minimizing the use of special conditions to certify aircraft. The aircraft used in the test was a Fokker F-28 Fellowship 1000 that first flew in 1972. The last operator was Canadian Regional Airlines (C-GCRN), which owned the aircraft from 1998 to 2001. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2019/06/23/faa-and-nasa-conduct-crash-test-on-a- fokker-f-28/ Back to Top Woman fell asleep on an Air Canada flight and awoke to find herself alone on the plane Most people know that flying can be scary, but it turns out simply sitting in a stationary plane at the airport can be a nightmare, too. We know this thanks to Facebook user Deanna Noel-Dale, who shared a post to Air Canada's page on Wednesday on behalf of her friend, Tiffani Adams. The post detailed a terrifying experience that Adams had after she fell asleep on an Air Canada flight and woke up hours later to find that the plane had landed and she was the only person left onboard. Apparently, Adams had a row to herself on a flight from Quebec to Toronto that was about a quarter of the way full. She got comfortable and fell asleep less than halfway through the hour-and-a-half flight, only to wake up around midnight, freezing cold and on a pitch black plane. That's when she realized everyone had deplaned without waking her. Adams texted her friend to let her know she was alone on the dark plane, and seconds after the two started a FaceTime conversation Adams' phone died. "I'm trying to focus on my breathing and control my panic attack while I attempt to charge my phone by plugging into every USB port I could find..no luck bc when they shut the aircraft down there is no power whatsoever," the post reads. Unsure of how to exit the plane, Adams ventured to the cockpit and found a flashlight, which she began to wave outside the window in attempt to flag someone down. She said she used the flashlight to illuminate the door and managed to unlatch it, but after opening it she looked down and noticed that she was suspended dozens of feet in the air. Luckily, after some time a luggage cart drove by. "When I see the luggage cart driving towards me I am literally dangling my legs out of the plane... he is in shock asking how the heck they left me on the plane," the post read. "Anyway the guy had the ladder dock and I jumped to safety before he was even a foot from the door." Umm... OK Air Canada. That's absolutely terrifying. What the heck? A spokesperson from the airline confirmed the account to Mashable and said they are still reviewing the matter, "have followed up with the customer and remain in contact with her." After the ordeal, Adams noted that an Air Canada car drove her to speak with a representative who offered to book her a limo and hotel for the night. She reportedly declined and wanted to go straight home, as she had work in the morning. "Air Canada called Monday and Tuesday, both people again ask me to repeat what happened, apologize for my inconvenience and say they will do an investigation bc they have checks in place that should prevent people from being locked on the aircraft at night," the Facebook post explained. Adams also added that she hasn't gotten much sleep since the incident, and is experiencing anxiety and night terrors, which is completely understandable. https://mashable.com/article/air-canada-passenger-trapped-on-plane/ Back to Top Woman Escorted From Flight After Trying To Open The Aircraft Doors A woman has been removed from a Jet2 flight and arrested at Stansted Airport after allegedly attempting to open the doors of the aircraft and threatening passengers and crew. RAF Typhoon fighter aeroplanes were scrambled in order to escort the plane back to the UK airport 45 minutes after it had taken off on its journey to Dalaman, Turkey. Police have confirmed that a 25-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of assault and endangering an aircraft at 17:49 on Saturday afternoon. Amiy Varol, a passenger on board the aircraft, told The Sun: "This lady who was clearly intoxicated gets called to the front of the plane and she starts shouting and screaming and runs to the plane door. "The cabin crew grabbed her to stop her and then she starts scratching them and hitting them. "She then got pinned to the floor by cabin crew and passengers and a passenger even sat on her." Varol continued: "She kept getting up and running back towards the door. "She had six people sitting on her. We had to fly back to Stansted for the police to get her. "She kept singing songs and screaming she's gonna kill us, 'I want to get off', 'I'm gonna fucking hit you' 'fucking come on then'. "I was terrified. There's nothing you can do, you can't escape." Jet2 later confirmed the passenger's removal in a statement that read: "We are aware of an incident regarding an extremely disruptive passenger on a flight from Stansted to Dalaman earlier this evening. "The aircraft has returned safely and we are liaising with the relevant authorities to support their investigation. "We are working hard to ensure the remaining customers reach their destination as soon possible." As a result of the RAF fighter involvement, some people in the area surrounding Stansted airport called their local police after hearing a gigantic bang - a sonic boom caused by the Typhoon aircraft - was heard as far away as 40 miles from the airport. Bishop's Stortford police tweeted: "Large number of 999 calls coming in about a loud explosion. "We have liaised with @EssexPoliceUK who are confirming that this is a sonic boom from a passing aircraft." Essex Police also commented: "We were made aware of a disruptive passenger on an inbound flight to Stansted this evening, Saturday, June 22. "There is a possibility that residents nearby may have heard a loud noise, often associated with a sonic boom, as the aircraft descended into Stansted airspace. "Officers attended and arrested a 25-year-old woman on suspicion of two assaults and endangering an aircraft. "She remains in custody." Some flights suffered minor delays as a result of the incident, but normal service has now been resumed. http://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-woman-escorted-from-flight-after-trying-to-open- the-aircraft-doors-20190623 Back to Top FAA: Helo ELTs Affected by Possible G-Switch Failures An FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB CE-19-12) alerts owners of certain serial numbered Artex emergency locator transmitters G406-4, C406-1, C406- 1HM, C406-2, C406-2HM, C406-N, and C406-NHM installed in helicopters that they may not transmit alert and location signals in case of an accident due to an inoperative or a deteriorated G-switch. The agency has received reports of ACR Electronics ELT model C406 failures because the G-switch was inoperative. Specifically, ELTs located in high-vibration environments "could have its acceleration sensor deteriorate and fail after five years," said the FAA. To address this condition, ACR Electronics has published Service Bulletin (SB) 1000A, identifying those ELTs fitted with the original G-switch, prescribing testing replacement of the G-switch at five-year intervals, or alternatively, reducing the normal inspection intervals after five years of service. The FAA said an ELT that has been previously modified with a new hermetically sealed longitudinal G-switch (P/N A1-12-0135) is sufficient to address the concerns of this SAIB. Similar SAIBs have been issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. An ACR Electronics spokesman could not identify how many units are covered by the SAIB, but told AIN that Artex ELTs have been in production for four decades, and that Artex is a "market leader for ELTs on general aviation aircraft up to the largest commercial aircraft flying today." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-06-21/faa-helo-elts- affected-possible-g-switch-failures Back to Top New members for the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel (Australia) Changes to the membership of the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) have been made, with three new members joining. The new members joined the ASAP at a meeting on 20 June, and will serve for two years. The new ASAP members are: * Ms Adrianne Fleming OAM - A founder of Tristar Aviation in Moorabbin providing flight training and charter services (General Aviation sector) * Captain Ray Cronin - Founder and Managing Director of Kestrel, Chief Flying Instructor (Helicopter), current President of the Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA) (Rotary sector) * Dr Reece Clothier - President Australian Association for Unmanned Systems (AAUS) and Global Airspace Integration Senior Manager Boeing NeXt (RPAS sector). CASA's CEO and Director of Aviation Safety, Shane Carmody, said he has made changes to the membership of the panel to refresh the expertise of the membership and align it with current areas of focus. "I would like to thank Rob Sharp (Virgin Australia), Caroline Wilkie (Australian Airports Association) and Greg Russell (TAAAF) for their contribution to the panel. "They have been integral in the success of the panel by providing high level and objective advice from their many years of valuable experience in the aviation industry. "Since the introduction of new consultative arrangements with the formation of the Aviation Safety Advisory Panel on 1 July 2017, the panel has assisted CASA with developing and reviewing many regulations ranging from drone registration, fatigue rules, dangerous goods, airworthiness and the six flight operations regulations last year," Mr Carmody said. https://infrastructuremagazine.com.au/2019/06/21/new-members-for-the-aviation- safety-advisory-panel/ Back to Top 18 Brits Removed From Tel Aviv-London Flight After Passenger Threatens to Blow Up Airplane An Israeli security team was rushed to Ben-Gurion Airport to question the passengers and canvas the British Airways aircraft, which was deemed safe Eighteen British nationals were removed from a British Airways flight to London from Israel after one of the young men threatened to blow up the airplane. Following the man's declaration, an Israeli security team was rushed to Ben-Gurion International Airport. After the men were taken off the flight, they went through a security inspection. The airplane was also canvased for potential threats. The passengers were found to not pose a risk, and the aircraft was deemed safe. It is expected to set out to London shortly. British Airways stated: "The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority. We take these matters extremely seriously, and the appropriate action will always be taken." https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/british-nationals-removed-from-ta-flight-after- passenger-threatens-to-blow-up-plane-1.7404047 Back to Top Study suggests that pilots - like athletes - may be more likely to conceal a concussion Research has found that college athletes may be less likely to report a concussion because they consider the impact on their team and their career prospects. A new study from the United States Air Force Academy suggests that a similar dynamic could be at play among pilots. The findings, which appear in PLOS One, suggest that seeking medical assistance for a concussion becomes a problem in some populations when disclosure is viewed as being costly. "Being a professor at the Academy, we see a population with a lot of unique characteristics. For example, all cadets are required to remain physically active during their time at the Academy - either through NCAA sports or intramurals, plus military training," said study author Christopher D'Lauro. "This physical activity level increases their concussion risk, so it's something that I realized that could be interesting to research with our unique environment here, where even non-athletes are very fit and get free walk-in health care." "As I began to research this topic at the Academy, I realized that 1.) concussion treatment and diagnosis is heavily reliant on symptom self-report, as there are no bullet-proof objective measures and 2.) self-report of concussion has almost exclusively been investigated in athlete populations, so there was a real need to expand beyond that group." In the study, the researchers surveyed 2,504 cadets at the Academy regarding their feelings about reporting concussions. The participants were assured that their responses would remain anonymous. The researchers found that cadets who planned to become pilots tended to have more negative attitudes about reporting a concussion to medical staff, compared to cadets who had no plans to become pilots. Cadets who planned to become pilots were increasingly reluctant to disclose concussions as they neared graduation. "The main thing we found is that people seems less willing to report concussions if they perceive reporting as costly to themselves - regardless of whether they were an athlete or not. That seems pretty straightforward, but it really means we need to demonstrate the benefits of reporting a concussion - quicker recoveries, fewer related orthopedic injuries - if we want people to do more of it," D'Lauro told PsyPost. "Many studies have found athletes unwilling to report concussion for fear of missing practices or games, but an interesting wrinkle from our population is that our future pilots were less willing to report because they thought reporting a concussion would negatively affect their flying career. Just like athletes don't want to derail their sports careers, our pilots did not want to miss out on their aviation careers." "There is a lot of confusion and misinformation surrounding how concussions can affect a pilot's career, so we have identified this as a point of education to increase concussion reporting here at the Academy," D'Lauro explained. "This matters beyond the Academy because people often use identity-based explanations for why people don't report concussions, e.g. 'Athletes will never report their concussions.' Our research says maybe they will if given a better understanding of the real benefits - for example of a quicker return to sport." The study - like all research - includes some caveats. "This area is still so under-researched, especially outside of an athlete population, and this is just one study. This is also based on a survey, so people could always respond in one way while behaving in another," D'Lauro told PsyPost. "Also, cadets, like athletes, are a non-random sample, so more work needs to be done to see how this study generalizes outside of these highly fit and motivated groups. How do college age non-athletes view concussion-reporting? How about typical adults? We still have a lot to learn." Despite the limitations, the findings provide policymakers and others with insights into how to encourage people to seek assistance after they have suffered a concussion. "Interdisciplinary research like this is both hard to execute and publish, but it really matters. We're using some insights from psychology, some from sports medicine, and others from public health perspectives. Being able to work across disciplines to use appropriate tools is harder, but often worth the effort," D'Lauro said. "We consider this study our school's concussion reporting 'baseline.' Since this time we've worked hard to address and improve these issues, especially our clinicians who work with the athletes and other cadets every day. "We're doing all this work on concussion reporting as part of an NCAA-DoD program called Mind Matters, along with eight other research sites. Being a part of this collegial and innovative group of researchers has been an eye-opening, incredibly positive experience. We're glad for their support as well as the cooperation from USAFA leadership," D'Lauro added. The study, "Pilots and athletes: Different concerns, similar concussion non-disclosure", was authored by Craig A. Foster, Christopher D'Lauro, and Brian R. Johnson. https://www.psypost.org/2019/06/study-suggests-that-pilots-like-athletes-may-be- more-likely-to-conceal-a-concussion-53925 Back to Top X-Ray Telescope Designed for Dark Energy Search Ready to Launch A German telescope is ready to search for dark energy and other strange things in the universe, launching Saturday (June 22) aboard a Russian rocket. The telescope is hitching a ride with a parent satellite called Spektrum-Röntgen-Gamma (Spektr-RG) on board a Proton rocket. Blastoff is scheduled for 8:17 a.m. EDT (1217 GMT, 5:17 p.m. local time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. If all goes well for Russian space agency Roscosmos, Spektr-RG will spend four years surveying the entire sky and then 2.5 years zeroing in on particular cosmic objects. The launch was postponed from Friday (June 21) due to an unnamed issue. Tucked on board Spektr-RG will be the German space agency (DLR)'s Extended Roentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array (eROSITA) X-ray telescope, which is billed as the best X-ray "eyes" ever to launch on a space telescope. The German X-ray telescope called eROSITA, as seen before it was packed onto a Russian Proton rocket for launch on June 21, 2019. "eROSITA will help researchers gain a better understanding of the structure and development of the universe, and also contribute towards investigations into the mystery of dark energy," Walther Pelzer, executive board member for DLR Space Administration, said in a statement. The DLR worked with the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics to develop eROSITA. Dark energy is believed to be the force behind the expansion of the universe; scientists discovered in the 1990s that the universe is actually speeding up its expansion as it gets bigger, but why is still poorly understood. One of eROSITA's goals is to find the cause of this acceleration. Scientists believe dark energy makes up about 68% of the universe, while dark matter - which can only be detected through its effect on other objects - makes up 27%. The remaining 5% of the universe comprises everything we can see with our eyes or telescopic observatories. eROSITA will examine galaxy clusters in hopes of better understanding dark energy's nature. Because galaxy clusters are very hot, the X-rays they emit could allow eROSITA to track how they move and how fast they are traveling. The German telescope will also examine other "hot" phenomena such as superheated gas from supernovas (star explosions), neutron stars (the star core left over after a supernova explosion) and active galactic nuclei (or galaxies hiding supermassive black holes at their hearts). The instrument will pan across the sky every six months for four years in order to map X-ray emission throughout the universe, according to DLR. "This will make it possible for eROSITA to produce the largest-ever cosmic catalog of hot objects and thus improve our scientific understanding of the structure and development of the universe," an agency statement read. Spektr-RG will carry a second instrument, called ART-XC and built by Russia. After the satellite launches, Roscosmos will spend three months commissioning it. That process will include moving it to a stable orbit in space at Lagrange point L2, where the sun and Earth have equal gravitational pulls. This location will allow Spektr-RG to perform at least 6.5 years of observations using a minimal amount of fuel. https://www.space.com/erosita-dark-energy-telescope-launch.html Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(1) Dear Pilots, My name is Lakshmi Vempati. I am a doctoral candidate in the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University PhD in Aviation program, and I am working on my dissertation under the guidance of Dr. Scott Winter. We are interested in understanding pilot perspectives for operating in unmanned aircraft system (UAS) integrated airspace and airports. You can help this research by participating in this electronic questionnaire. The study is anticipated to take approximately 15 minutes to complete. In order to participate, you must be 18 years of age, and a current civilian pilot with any rating, and experience level who has flown within the last six months. Participants will have an opportunity to participate in the drawing to win a DJI Tello Quadcopter Drone. If you have any questions regarding the study, or the questionnaire in particular, please contact the researcher, Lakshmi Vempati, at vempatil@my.erau.edu or the dissertation committee chair, Dr. Scott Winter, at winte25e@erau.edu. Please find the electronic questionnaire at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LVPilotSurvey Please feel free to forward the link to other pilots who you think might be interested in participating. Sincerely, Lakshmi Vempati, Doctoral Candidate ERAU PhD in Aviation Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(2) Dear Participants, You are being asked to participate in a research study to develop a trust in air traffic controllers scale. This study is expected to take approximately 5 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be a resident of the United States, at least 18 years old, and a certified pilot. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be immediately destroyed. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://forms.gle/DmMB9fXSupVa5oTGA For more information, please contact: Brad Baugh, Ph.D. in Aviation Student baughfd0@my.erau.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! Back to Top ISASI 2019 is pleased to announce that the technical program is now posted on the seminar website at www.isasi2019.org Choose the "Program" page and "Program Review" for the most up to date information. It will be necessary for you to click on the program icon to open the full program. Dates to remember: July 28 - Final date for registration for the MH 17 Master Class. Please register for the seminar first and then contact Daan Zwart at D.Zwart@vnv.nl for more information. July 28 - Final date for Early Bird pricing. August 4 - Deadline for hotel reservations. After this date we will not be able to guarantee the seminar rate. We look forward to seeing many of you in The Hague! Back to Top Join us in Washington, D.C., on July 15-18 for ALPA's annual Air Safety Forum Curt Lewis