Flight Safety Information June 28, 2019 - No. 130 In This Issue FAA finds new 'potential risk' in Boeing 737 Max, a setback that could delay plane's return to the service Boeing needs up to three months to fix newly discovered 737 Max glitch Aircraft Regulators Will Join Forces to Restore Boeing 737 Max to Service Incident: Sky Airline A319 at Santiago de Chile on Jun 23rd 2019, engine problem Incident: Hop! CRJX near Toulouse on Jun 26th 2019, smoke in cockpit Incident: Envoy E145 near Tri-Cities on Jn 26th 2019, acrid smell and smoke in cabin Incident: British Airways B772 near Gander on Jun 22nd 2019, smell of smoke British Aerospace 3212 Jetstream 31 - Runway Excursion (Venezuela) de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver MK1 - Capsized on landing (Alaska) Thai police escort Chinese passenger off flight for opening emergency exit Airbus is pushing ahead in tech as it aims for single-pilot planes, says CTO FAA ORDERS FULL REVIEW OF DESIGNATED EXAMINER SYSTEM FAA Issues STC with More Options for Part 25 ADS-B Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet Achieves Transport Canada Certification Teledyne-Viasat Partnership Enables ACARS Over Satcom for Airlines Airplane Contrails Have Surprising Effect on the Atmosphere Naval Test Pilot School Adds New Focus on Unmanned Aircraft The Corps is dishing out $280,000 bonuses to qualified pilots American offered its mechanics matching wages to Southwest MITRE - SMS Course - September 2019 'Leading Change within a Safety Management System' 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 FAA finds new 'potential risk' in Boeing 737 Max, a setback that could delay plane's return to the skies Federal aviation authorities identified a new problem in the Boeing 737 Max that they want remedied before the troubled jetliner can fly again. The discovery of the problem, which is going to require at the very least additional software fixes and testing to remedy, could further push back the return to service for the jet grounded during airlines' busy summer travel season after two deadly international crashes. The Federal Aviation Administration said that during simulator testing of the software changes Boeing made, authorities found a "potential risk that Boeing must mitigate." Like the original flaw that led to the plane's grounding, the new issue involves the uncommanded movement of the horizontal stabilizer, the little wing near the tail that moves the plane up or down. In the case revealed Wednesday, the problem involved a stabilizer that moves on its own without being prompted by pilots, an issue known as "runaway stabilizer trim." If the stabilizers were to move in such a way that the jet's nose pointed at the ground and pilots were unable to correct it, the plane could crash. That's the scenario suspected to have played out in the two fatal accidents. One involved a Lion Air flight over the Java Sea last October and the other an Ethiopian Airlines flight after takeoff from Addis Ababa in March. Together, they claimed 346 lives and prompted grounding of the planes worldwide. In the two crashes, the fatal flaw centered on a computer program, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, that had been installed to work in the background to automatically keep the plane's nose up, compensating for a design change in the twin engines from past 737 generations. The Max's engines are larger and mounted farther forward on the wings. Parking problems: Boeing has so many grounded 737 Max planes they're taking over the employee parking lot This time, the stabilizer problem centers on the way in which data is processed by the plane's flight computer. If a microprocessor were to fail, CNN reported, it could push the plane's nose down. The microprocessor will have to be reprogrammed or replaced. Given the hundreds of hours of testing that Boeing put into changes in the Max, it was unclear whether the new fix will have to go through rigorous, time-consuming testing in a way that will further push back the plane's return to passenger service. Until the problem surfaced, the best estimates were that the Max would not fly again until the fall. The FAA, under scrutiny for having approved MCAS in the first place, said it follows "a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the Boeing 737 Max to passenger service." Boeing said in a statement that it agrees with the need to make the repair as identified by FAA. "Addressing this condition," which it did not specify, "will reduce pilot workload by accounting for the potential source of uncommanded stabilizer motion," the aircraft maker said in the statement. https://www.yahoo.com/news/faa-finds-apos-potential-risk-143554122.html Back to Top Boeing needs up to three months to fix newly discovered 737 Max glitch By ALAN LEVIN, JULIE JOHNSSON and SHAUN COURTNEY • Boeing needs up to three months to fix newly discovered 737 Max glitch Workers board a Boeing 737 Max jet in Renton, Wash., on March 12, 2019. (Jason Redmond / AFP/Getty Images) Boeing Co. could take as long as three months to fix the latest software glitch on its 737 Max, discovered when a U.S. government pilot doing simulator tests experienced a lag in an emergency response because a computer chip was overwhelmed with data, people familiar with the matter said. The finding is what prompted Wednesday's announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration that it had detected a new safety issue on the plane, said a person familiar with the issue. Boeing's bestselling jet has been grounded since March after suffering two crashes in a five-month span. The plane manufacturer maintains that a software patch will be sufficient to address the issue. However, the FAA isn't yet sure whether a more complex and expensive hardware fix will be required, said the person, who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter and asked not to be identified. Estimates for how long it will take to address the issue range from a few weeks to three months, the person said Thursday. Another person familiar with the matter said it could take two to three months but not longer. Boeing has begun notifying customers and others with a stake in the 737 Max's future that it anticipates it can address the issue as well as a broader software redesign, and return the plane to service in a September time frame, according to a person familiar with the manufacturer's talking points. Shares of Boeing fell 2.9% to $364.02 on Thursday, their biggest decline in six weeks. The stock was the day's biggest decliner in the Dow Jones industrial average. In the latest setback, the FAA discovered that when the tail panel that adjusts the nose up and down moves on its own - a failure known as a runaway trim - the flight computer could impede a pilot's response. One of the first steps in such a failure is to use thumb switches on the control column to counter the movement. A pilot tried that during the recent simulator test and found that because of the computer issue, the manual electric trim switches didn't immediately respond. That could lead the plane to enter a dive that would be difficult to recover from. The FAA pilot categorized it as catastrophic, which means it could result in a crash. The problem occurred during a scenario that commercial pilots are highly unlikely to encounter, and it doesn't involve the flight-control software linked to the two 737 Max crashes, according to one of the people. However, the resulting diving motion created by the runaway trim was similar to the problem faced by the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines pilots on the flights that went down. The FAA's acting administrator, Daniel Elwell, provided a briefing on the latest issue to Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-Ore)., the head of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Boeing gave FAA test pilots "data about this chip and ... the FAA test pilot felt that the plane did not respond properly," DeFazio said, relaying the contents of the discussion. "Then the FAA test pilot simulated a problem with the chip or the software," DeFazio said. "They're not sure it's the chip, it may be the software that relates to the chip. They're not 100% positive. But it's probably." The new flaw involving the Max makes it increasingly likely that the single-aisle jet won't resume flights before this year's fourth quarter, analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu of Jefferies said in a report to clients Thursday. She now estimates Boeing will deliver 236 of the 737 Max this year, down from a previous forecast of 362 of the aircraft. All told, the aftereffects of the Max grounding and likely lengthier recertification of Boeing's next new jet, the 777X, could cost Boeing $13 billion or $23 a share over the next four years, Kahyaoglu estimates. Boeing said Wednesday that the company agreed with the FAA finding and was addressing the issue as well as a broader software redesign that has been underway for eight months. The 737 Max has been grounded worldwide since March 13, days after the second crash. The latest issue didn't involve the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System linked to the two accidents, which killed everyone aboard the planes - a total of 346 people. But the newly discovered flaw could lead to an uncommanded dive similar to what occurred in the crashes, according to people familiar with the issue. The FAA and an independent Technical Advisory Board have been reviewing Boeing's software fix in multiple sessions in a special Boeing simulator that is designed for engineering reviews. Boeing hasn't presented its final proposed fix to FAA for approval. Before it can do so, it has to conduct a final test flight with FAA pilots. https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-boeing-737-max-new-glitch-20190627-story.html Back to Top Aircraft Regulators Will Join Forces to Restore Boeing 737 Max to Service Alan Levin, Julie Johnsson and Benjamin Katz (Bloomberg) -- Four of the world's leading aircraft regulators have agreed in principle to coordinate in restoring Boeing Co.'s 737 Max to service once they're confident that technical updates and new training meet safety standards. The tentative pact is an attempt to avoid the fractious approach taken in grounding the jet after two deadly crashes, people familiar with the discussions said. Officials from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration have had discussions with their counterparts in Europe, Canada and Brazil and came away believing there is consensus on the need to act together to restore public trust in the world's aviation-safety system. The rising sense of cooperation suggests that other leading regulatory agencies are gaining confidence in the U.S. process for assessing Boeing's fix. A renewed convergence would mark a reversal from what airlines and even Boeing's top rival have feared -- a disorderly approach to recertifying the Max that would further strain ties between the FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the global standard-bearers for safety. "We've been working, all of us in the industry across borders, to some degree, to get the rest of the regulators in all the other countries to return that aircraft to flight at roughly the same time," Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines, said this week at the Aspen Ideas Festival. "It's not going to look good if one brings it up and no one else does." The FAA's associate administrator for aviation safety, Ali Bahrami, met earlier this month in Europe with his counterparts at other agencies, according to a person familiar with the discussions. The FAA believes that the other countries are ready to act closely with the U.S. to lift the grounding, said the person, who wasn't authorized to discuss the talks and asked not to be identified. Volatile Politics The volatile politics swirling around the Boeing jet -- which includes multiple investigations and calls by some U.S. lawmakers and foreign leaders for significant changes to the plane -- mean that there is still no guarantee that there will be collaboration, the person said. Another wildcard is China, a crucial market for Boeing, and the first country that grounded the Max. This week's revelation that FAA test pilots had found a new risk factor in the plane and were ordering the manufacturer to revise a flight computer highlights how fluid the situation remains. Boeing's timeline for completing the Max software fixes has repeatedly slipped while regulators have expanded their review to include a cockpit alert that wasn't widely operational and an extensive look at pilot training. But the company has been telling customers and others with a stake in the 737 Max's future that it anticipates it can address the issue as well as a broader software redesign, and return the plane to service in a September time frame, said people familiar with the manufacturer's talking points. The 737 Max family of aircraft was grounded on March 13, after the second fatal crash within five months was linked to malfunctioning flight-control software. Boeing is still working with FAA engineers to fine-tune a software redesign for the plane and establish what types of new training will be needed for pilots before flights can resume. In the days after the March 10 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 near Addis Ababa that killed 157 people, the world's aviation regulators fractured. Numerous regulators, including China and EASA, grounded the plane before the FAA acted. The FAA said it didn't make a decision until it had received hard data indicating the two crashes were linked. That disparate response runs counter to decades of attempts to standardize the process of certifying aircraft and setting safety standards. The effort is designed in part to make it easier for manufacturers to get new planes to market, but also to help reduce the accident rate by agreeing on common standards. Global regulators are trying to restore more collaboration. Another person briefed on talks involving the different regulatory agencies said that while EASA and other nations may not return the Max to flight at the same time as the FAA does, they are likely to follow within days of U.S. action. The four regulation agencies -- which collectively oversee Boeing, Airbus SE, Bombardier Inc. and Embraer SA -- formed a task force after the grounding because they felt it would cause problems with the world's aviation system if the FAA acted alone to return the plane while others sat on the sidelines, said a person familiar with the the workings of Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency. "We're seeing a convergence amongst the regulators," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said June 16, noting that FAA officials are working closely with counterparts in Europe, Brazil and Canada. "There's certainly an advantage to bringing the airplane back up around the world in a highly synchronized fashion." Once the grounding is lifted, the first of the planes could be airborne within weeks, although it will likely take months before the more than 500 Max in storage enter the global fleet, Muilenburg said this week. That total includes as many as 150 newly built jets that haven't been delivered. Any decision to return the Max to the skies will also depend on Boeing's effort to eliminate risks created by the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, which has been implicated in the two accidents, the people said. An MCAS malfunction can repeatedly command a plane to dive. The FAA has briefed some airline industry officials on its efforts to work closely with Europe, Canada and Brazil, another person familiar with the discussions said. The U.S. regulator has said repeatedly that it doesn't have a time line for restoring the plane to service. Just two weeks ago, Patrick Ky, executive director of EASA, said the agency was considering whether Boeing should have to add an additional sensor to the plane, which would boost the cost and complication of recertifying the plane. However, some powerful voices in international aviation have been calling on EASA and other agencies to work more closely with FAA. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury has said several times, including last week at the Paris air show, that he's concerned about tensions between different aviation regulators in the wake of the 737 Max crashes. It's important that there be "one system," Faury said. Airlines' View The International Air Transport Association, which represents carriers around the world, urged regulators in a press release on Thursday "align on technical validation requirements and timelines for the safe re-entry into service of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft." "We trust the Federal Aviation Administration, in its role as the certifying regulator, to ensure the aircraft's safe return to service," said Alexandre de Juniac, the group's director general. The FAA has been "transparent and collaborative" with other nations' regulators as it assesses the 737 Max issues, the agency said in a statement. "As to the aircraft's global return to service, each government will make its own decision based on a thorough safety assessment," the agency said. While FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell has said that the agency is taking the lead on evaluating the plane's safety because it is made in the U.S., he has also signaled that he would welcome other nations taking a similar approach. "We want every country who has been part of this to be reading from the same book that we have written on the Max and are continuing to write so that, such time when we're ready to lift that prohibition, there is absolutely no question in any other country's mind why we're doing it and how we got there," Elwell said last month as the agency prepared to host regulators from other countries at a meeting in Texas. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aircraft-regulators-join-forces-restore-090000388.html Back to Top Incident: Sky Airline A319 at Santiago de Chile on Jun 23rd 2019, engine problem A Sky Airline Airbus A319-100, registration CC-AMP performing flight H2-503 from Santiago (Chile) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza,BA (Argentina), was climbing out of Santiago's runway 17R when the crew stopped the climb at 6500 feet due to a problem with one of the engines (CFM56). The aircraft subsequently burned off fuel at 8000 feet and returned to Santiago for a safe landing on runway 17L about 80 minutes after departure. A replacement A320-200N registration CC-AZG reached Buenos Aires with a delay of about 2.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c9b8725&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Hop! CRJX near Toulouse on Jun 26th 2019, smoke in cockpit A Hop! Canadair CRJ-1000 on behalf of Air France, registration F-HMLH performing flight AF-7465 from Perpignan to Paris Orly (France), was climbing through FL260 out of Perpignan when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit and diverted the aircraft to Toulouse (France) where the aircraft landed safely about 27 minutes later. The airline reported there was smoke in the cockpit, firefighters took care of 4 passengers slightly affected by the event. Passengers reported the captain announced smoke in the cockpit, cabin crew wore their smoke hoods. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c9b8399&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Envoy E145 near Tri-Cities on Jn 26th 2019, acrid smell and smoke in cabin An Envoy Embraer ERJ-145, registration N645AE performing flight MQ-4890/AA-4890 from Charlotte,NC to Lexington,KY (USA) with 52 passengers and 4 crew, was enroute at FL240 about 10nm south of Tri-Cities Airport,TN (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Tri-Cities reporting an acrid burning smell and smoke on board. The aircraft landed safely on runway 23 about 18 minutes later. The crew requested a couple of packs of ice, the crew would really appreciate that. A passenger reported prior to departure cabin crew advised the air conditioning was not working, all window shades except on the emergency exits should be closed. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL4890/history/20190626/1322Z/KCLT/KLEX http://avherald.com/h?article=4c9b820c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: British Airways B772 near Gander on Jun 22nd 2019, smell of smoke, then heat and mist A British Airways Boeing 777-200, registration G-VIIB performing flight BA-112 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to London Heathrow,EN (UK) with 227 passengers and 15 crew, was enroute at FL370 when cabin crew reported the smell of smoke near the door 2R. The flight crew worked the related checklists, shut the APU bleed air and recirculation fans off, the odour dissipated. Approximately 45 minutes later, the aircraft had climbed to FL380, the odour was again noticed, this time near both doors 2L and 2R, there was high heat near the overhead lockers. Cabin crew also noticed mist in the cabin. The checklist was run, however, no change of the situation occurred. The crew declared PAN PAN, iverted to Gander,NL (Canada), dumped fuel and landed safely in Gander about for a safe landing about 45 minutes after leaving FL380 about 80nm northeast of Gander. The Canadian TSB reported the aircraft was subsequently ferried to Cardiff,EN (UK), the operator dispatched a replacement aircraft to carry the passengers to London. A replacement Boeing 777-200 registration G-VIIK reached London with a delay of about 17 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW40F/history/20190621/2240Z/KJFK/EGLL http://avherald.com/h?article=4c9b76fb&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top British Aerospace 3212 Jetstream 31 - Runway Excursion (Venezuela) Date: 27-JUN-2019 Time: 11:30 LT Type: British Aerospace 3212 Jetstream 31 Owner/operator: Transmandu Airlines Registration: YV2536 C/n / msn: 966 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Canaima Airport (SVCN) - Venezuela Phase: Landing Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Destination airport: Canaima Airport (CAJ/SVCN) Narrative: The cargo plane made a runway excursion during landing and was severly damaged. There was a post impact-fire. A tire burst could be the reason of the accident. No injuries reported. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/226640 Back to Top de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver MK1 - Capsized on landing (Alaska) Date: 27-JUN-2019 Time: 09:46 LT Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver MK1 Owner/operator: Pacific Airways/V2 Aviation LLC Registration: N94DC C/n / msn: 238 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Tongass Narrows, Ketchikan, AK - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The aircraft, a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, capsized in the waters of Tongass Narrows in Ketchikan, Alaska. The floatplane partially submerged, sustaining apparent substantial damage, and one of the five occupants onboard received minor injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/226625 Back to Top Thai police escort Chinese passenger off flight for opening emergency exit • Thai Lion Air passengers get a scare as flight is preparing for take-off from Bangkok to Wuhan • Man appeared frightened and repeatedly apologised to cabin crew A Thai Lion Air flight was delayed for almost two hours after a passenger opened an emergency exit as it was preparing for take-off. Photo: Shutterstock A Chinese man was escorted off a plane by Thai police on Wednesday after opening an emergency exit as his flight bound for central China was preparing to take off from Bangkok, according to a Chinese newspaper. Thai Lion Air flight SL940 was scheduled to leave Don Mueang Airport for Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, at 6.55pm but the incident caused its take-off to be delayed until 8.47pm, according to Flightview.com. According to a witness, the man reached for the handle of the emergency exit and pulled it downwards, Chutian Metropolis Daily reported on Friday. Shocked passengers shouted at him and a member of the cabin crew ran to the scene, the report said. The witness was quoted as saying that the man seemed frightened and kept apologising to the flight attendant, saying he did not know he was not supposed to open the door. Another passenger was quoted as saying that police officers boarded the aircraft and took the man and his luggage off. Another said "it was lucky the plane had not taken off because if the door was opened while the plane was in mid-air, everybody would have been in danger". The report did not identify the man or say what happened to him after he was taken off the flight. Thai Lion Air declined to comment on the matter. There have been numerous reports in recent years of Chinese airline passengers behaving inappropriately, such as opening emergency exits and throwing coins into aircraft engines for good luck. In April, a man from central China was detained for 10 days after tossing coins onto the ground beside the plane he was boarding in Wuhan. He told police he had been encouraged to make the "good luck" gesture by his mother-in-law. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3016517/thai-police-escort-chinese-man-flight-opening-emergency-exit Back to Top Airbus is pushing ahead in tech as it aims for single-pilot planes, says CTO • Airbus is working on technologies that may cut the number of pilots on board and aircraft. A Singapore Airlines A380 passenger plane taking off at Changi International Airport in Singapore. European aerospace giant Airbus is working on technologies that will cut the number of pilots needed in the cockpit, a company executive said on Thursday. "Embedding more and more artificial intelligence into our systems will enable us to start by really relieving the pilots from more mundane tasks, routine tasks - so really to keep the human element in the chain for the strategic thinking and decision-making type of tasks," said Grazia Vittadini, chief technology officer (CTO) at Airbus. That will take the company "on the way to possibly one day achieve the single-pilot operation target we are aiming at," she told CNBC at the Innovfest Unbound conference in Singapore. That change to cockpit staffing will solve problems like the shortage of pilots, particularly when growth in aviation is outpacing economic growth, she added. Ultimately, artificial intelligence will be the differentiating factor that will make planes autonomous, Vittadini said. As to concerns stemming from fewer pilots on board, Vittadini said Airbus prioritizes safety above all else and will never go for a lower level of safety that what is currently available. The scenario of planes going fully autonomous will take time - after all, it took 60 years to go from four to two pilots, she noted. Passengers will be able to adapt to the new technologies, she projected. "Our grandparents would have never stepped into an elevator without a lift boy. Today, an elevator ride is nothing exciting or of concern to any of us," said Vittadini. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/28/airbus-pushing-ahead-in-tech-as-it-aims-for-single-pilot-planes-cto.html Back to Top FAA ORDERS FULL REVIEW OF DESIGNATED EXAMINER SYSTEM The FAA has assigned a joint FAA-and-industry committee to study ways to improve the designated pilot examiner (DPE) system and report back with recommendations within a year. Reforming the designated pilot examiner system has been a top priority for AOPA's advocacy efforts to end bottlenecks in the airman certification process. The review project, assigned by the FAA to its Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, or ARAC, on June 19, "could go a long way to make much-needed, long lasting improvements," said David Oord, AOPA senior director of regulatory affairs and ARAC vice-chair. The study, essentially consisting of a review of all regulations and procedures related to DPEs, will be carried out by a Designated Pilot Examiner Reforms Working Group. The panel must make its recommendations no later than 12 months after its first meeting. In August 2018, AOPA reported on a briefing the FAA gave the flight training industry on policies that could be overhauled to end delays applicants faced scheduling practical tests. Many of the delays were caused by constraints on DPEs such as geographic boundaries of their operating authority or a limit on the number of practical tests they can give to two in a day. In October 2018, the FAA, responding to Congressional action, issued a policy notice stating that DPEs were no longer limited to administering practical tests within designated geographical areas. The agency also gave DPEs expanded availability to work with applicants by abolishing the two-checkride-a-day limit and replacing it with a three-flight-test-a-day maximum "without additional approval." The limit did not include retests. The FAA's new tasking also responds to Congressional action through a provision of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2019, which was enacted on Oct. 5, 2018. The working group will "provide advice and recommendations to the ARAC on the most effective ways to identify areas of needed reform with respect to regulatory and policy changes necessary to ensure an adequate number of designated pilot examiners are deployed and available to perform their duties to meet the growing public need." The FAA said it wants "a wide range of stakeholders" to act as technical experts with an interest in the assigned task of reviewing the DPE system. AOPA encourages members to apply to participate by July 22 as described in this notice. Cockpit barriers An additional task the FAA assigned to the ARAC seeks recommendations for an order the FAA is under a mandate to issue by Oct. 5, "requiring the installation of a secondary cockpit barrier on each new aircraft that is manufactured for delivery to a passenger air carrier in the United States operating in 14 CFR 121." A notice of the new ARAC task solicited membership for a new Flightdeck Secondary Barrier Working Group which will be working on a fast track to issue its recommendations no later than Sept. 19. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/june/27/faa-orders-full-review-of-designated-examiner-system Back to Top FAA Issues STC with More Options for Part 25 ADS-B FreeFlight Systems has received FAA approved for a new ADS-B Out-compliant upgrade for Part 25 jets that include Hawkers, Challengers, Falcons, Gulfstreams, Learjets, and Citations equipped with the Honeywell MST 67A transponder. The STC, which was developed in partnership with Becker Avionics and Peregrine, can also include ADS-B In capability. For ADS-B Out, the STC replaces dual MST 67As with Becker's BXT6533 Mode-S transponder paired to FreeFlight's 1203C SBAS/GNSS sensor. To add ADS-B In capability, the FreeFlight Rangr RX ADS-B receiver is also installed. The Becker BXT6533 is "designed specifically for complete interoperability with existing TCAS II systems," according to FreeFlight, "and provides a much-needed alternative to traditional Mode-S suppliers in regional airline TCAS II operations, as well as turbine and air transport operations, both civil and military." The STC'd ADS-B upgrade can be installed in aircraft with TCAS I and II and is diversity-capable (a requirement for Canada's upcoming ADS-B mandate). The system is available in single or dual configurations. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-06-27/faa-issues-stc-more-options-part-25-ads-b Back to Top Pilatus PC-24 Super Versatile Jet Achieves Transport Canada Certification THUNDER BAY, ON, June 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Levaero Aviation announced today that the Pilatus PC-24 business jet has received Transport Canada certification. Levaero is the exclusive distributor of the PC-24 in Canada, and customer deliveries will begin immediately. The PC-24 achieved European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification in December 2017. Since then, more than 30 PC-24 aircraft have been delivered and have flown over 6,000 hours globally in various operating environments, ranging from corporate transport to aeromedical critical care. Following the success of Pilatus' wildly-popular PC-12, the PC-24 proves that the sky's the limit when it comes to aviation innovation. The aircraft's unique features make it the only Super Versatile Jet in the world. Operators have access to almost twice as many airports worldwide, largely due both to the jet's ability to safely land on unpaved surfaces, as well as its class-leading short-field performance. With the performance and operating economics of a light jet, this spacious flat-floor aircraft will totally transform air travel for its customers. "Introducing customers to the first-ever Pilatus business jet is an important milestone for Levaero", said Robert Arnone, CEO, Levaero Aviation. "We're honoured to be Canada's sole provider of an aircraft that offers this level of cutting-edge technology." Other standout features of the PC-24 include larger cabin space with flexible interior configuration, greater payload capabilities, improved safety and Quiet Power Mode™. Passengers will experience the gold standard of air travel with the aircraft's well-appointed interior. "The PC-24 is going to be a game-changer within the Canadian aviation landscape, especially given its unique varied mission capabilities," added Stan Kuliavas, Levaero Aviation, Vice President, Sales and Business Development. "With its off-road capabilities and versatility, this aircraft will allow travelers to complete their individualized missions more efficiently than with any other jet." The PC-24 is now available for purchase in Canada with the first Canadian-registered aircraft to be delivered this summer. About Levaero Aviation Inc. Levaero Aviation Inc. delivers a full complement of turnkey and mission-specific solutions to the aviation marketplace and is the exclusive authorized Pilatus PC-12 and PC-24 Sales & Service Centre for Canada. Levaero Aviation is headquartered in Thunder Bay, Ontario with a National Sales office based in Toronto, Ontario, offering extensive MRO capabilities to Canadian and international general aviation owners and operators. About Pilatus Founded in 1939, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd is the only Swiss company to develop, produce and sell aircraft to customers around the world: from the legendary Pilatus Porter PC-6 to the best-selling single-engine turboprop in its class, the PC-12 - the world's first ever business jet for use on short unprepared runways. Pilatus is one of the largest employers in Central Switzerland. SOURCE Levaero Aviation https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/pilatus-pc-24-super-versatile-jet-achieves-transport-canada-certification-860531460.html Back to Top Teledyne-Viasat Partnership Enables ACARS Over Satcom for Airlines Teledyne's aircraft interface device (AID) in combination with Viasat's network enables ACARS streaming over satcom. Photo: Teledyne A new partnership between Teledyne Controls and Viasat enables the use of satellite-based connectivity to stream Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) messages in real-time. Under the new partnership, aircraft equipped with Teledyne's aircraft interface device (AID) and Viasat's in-flight connectivity antenna, modem, radome and wireless access points can send ACARS messages to airline operations centers in real-time. Qantas is the first commercial airline that will start using the new capability across its fleet of Airbus A330s and Boeing 737s. "Together with Viasat and Teledyne, we have an innovative solution that has modernized our flight deck communications, allowing us to streamline the process for how we deliver information to the ground for advanced flight tracking and real-time aircraft monitoring. It is also enabling aircraft communications in remote areas of Australia without traditional ACARS coverage," said Alex Passerini, chief technical pilot at Qantas. During an interview published in the December 2018 issue of Avionics International, Peter Alexander, manager of technical programs at Qantas, described how the Australian carrier decided to start using Viasat's network as a new ACARS medium for their communications management unit. Qantas first signed an agreement with Teledyne to install new software upgrades and wiring kits to enable the use of ACARS over satcom at the 2017 Paris Air Show. Qantas is also evaluating how it can use Viasat's network for weather and turbulence visualization and modeling for its pilots. "In working with Viasat, we can securely off-load over 80% of ACARS data in real-time, which allows airlines to improve quality assurance programs and reduce costs associated with sending messages over expensive Very High Frequency (VHF) radio systems, especially when over water," said Murray Skelton, senior director of aircraft solutions, Teledyne. Teledyne's partnership comes as Viasat continues to see the number of aircraft equipped with its in-flight connectivity technology increase. The satellite communications provider currently has 1,312 connected aircraft in-service - a number that would be higher if not for the 737 MAX grounding - with about 490 more aircraft installations currently under contract. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2019/06/27/teledyne-viasat-partnership-enables-acars-satcom-airlines/ Back to Top Airplane Contrails Have Surprising Effect on the Atmosphere Illustration for article titled Airplane Contrails Have Surprising Effect on the Atmosphere Photo: James Loesch (Flickr) The climate impact of flying isn't just about carbon emissions. The contrails that airplanes create also influence the temperature of our atmosphere-and a new study finds that impact is set to grow in a big way. As planes cruise through the upper reaches of the troposphere. spewing exhaust, they also leave behind trails of water vapor that can form streaky cirrus clouds. Most of these contrail cirrus clouds dissipate quickly, but under the right conditions they can linger for hours, and when that happens they warm the atmosphere by absorbing thermal radiation emitted by the Earth. Scientists have known about the greenhouse effect of contrail cirrus for years-in fact, there's an entire niche field of research devoted to it. And it's important: Globally, the atmospheric warming associated with these clouds is estimated to be larger than that caused by aviation's carbon emissions. That surprising fact has some scientists curious about whether the effect will grow as the skies continue to get more trafficked into the future. Now, a pair of researchers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has attempted to answer that question. Using a previously developed climate model that includes contrail cirrus clouds and an aviation emissions database developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (which projects future air traffic out to mid-century), the authors looked at how the atmospheric warming effect of contrails will change. Their findings, published today in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, show that by 2050, contrail-induced warming could be three times higher than it was in 2006. In fact, this type of warming will likely outpace warming from rising carbon dioxide emissions, thanks to concurrent improvements in fuel efficiency. Senior study author Ulrike Burkhardt of the DLR wasn't too surprised by the results, noting that air traffic itself is projected to increase fourfold over the same time period. "It's incredible how air traffic is increasing," Burkhardt told Earther. She added that the expected rise in contrail cirrus warming is also, partly, due to modern planes flying slightly higher than their predecessors, which is likely to lead to more contrail cloud formation over the tropics. Now, this effect is by no means a planetary catastrophe. The authors' models indicate cirrus clouds will contribute some 160 milliwatts of additional 'radiative forcing'-extra energy flowing back toward the Earth's surface- by mid-century. Ethan Coffel, an atmospheric scientist at Dartmouth College who wasn't involved with the paper, noted that for comparison, under the climate change scenario the authors use, heating from greenhouse gas emissions will be around 6,000 milliwatts per square meter by the end of the century. "So while the contrail forcing is certainly significant, it's a relatively small contributor to overall warming," Coffel told Earther via email. The warming effect of cirrus clouds is also a short-lived, and because it occurs in the upper atmosphere, it's not clear how much of a difference it actually makes for temperatures at Earth's surface, something Burkhardt called an "open research topic." Regardless, it's an important effect to understand, in part because there are obvious ways to mitigate it. Tightening pollution controls to reduce the number of soot particles airplanes spew would help decrease the amount of water vapor condensing in their wake. However, soot would have to be decreased a lot to have a significant effect-even if it was reduced by 90 percent, the authors' models show contrail cirrus clouds producing more warming in 2050 than they did in 2006. Ultimately, the best option for reducing this effect and aviation's carbon footprint is to fly less. https://earther.gizmodo.com/airplane-contrails-have-surprising-effect-on-the-atmosp-1835905453 Back to Top Naval Test Pilot School Adds New Focus on Unmanned Aircraft An MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle, top, conducts laser designation of an AGM-114 Hellfire missile for an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter attached to the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) off the coast of San Clemente Island. The Navy just graduated its first class of unmanned aerial vehicle test pilots from a new course designed to apply the lessons of manned test pilot programs to UAVs For decades, the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School trained aviators how to evaluate new aircraft and the same concepts were applied all aircraft, Marine Lt. Col. Rory Feely, the school's executive officer, told USNI News. But until now, the school hadn't created a curriculum focused on training the unmanned aerial systems test pilots. "Here's my analogy, there was no test pilot school when the Wright brothers flew," Feely said. "In an industry space, we need a certain amount of momentum behind the industry before the higher learning levels or institutional levels can come into place. Naval test pilot school is one of those institutions." By design, test pilot training isn't as focused on the nuts and bolts of flying an aircraft - unmanned or manned - as it is on training the test pilots on what to look for when operating a system, Feely said. The school's standard 11-month long test pilot course teaches aviators how to convey information about an aircraft's operation to the rest of the aviation community and the Navy leadership involved with buying the system. The recently completed supplemental course trained test pilots who complete the 11-month course and are heading to work with unmanned aerial systems, Navy Lt. Chris Wright, a systems instructor at the school, told USNI News. The UAS-focused short course involved a combination of academic study and hands-on experience with some unmanned systems currently used by the Navy, such as the unmanned Fire Scout and Triton systems. Eventually, the supplemental course will be incorporated into the full 11-month course. The Navy is moving toward incorporating unmanned aerial systems into its daily operations. At sea, for instance, unmanned tankers that are part of the MQ-25A Stingray program will refuel fighters during carrier operations. The Marine Corps is evaluating how to use unmanned systems to resupply Marines in the field. Six pilots previously selected for the Navy's unmanned program, participated in the supplemental course. Other pilots attended the academic portion of the short course. Naval Test Pilot School graduates are the personnel who train to provide the Navy and Marine Corps leadership with feedback about how new and developing systems operate, Feely said. In general, test pilots are asked to evaluate aircraft they've never seen before. With unmanned systems, the same concept is at work - the test pilots are going to evaluate systems very few people are familiar with operating. "What they need to have is a good idea of how these aircraft are operated or will be operated as well as they also need a very sound working knowledge about how the Navy deploys these capabilities anyway because no system operates by itself these days. These systems are integrated across various platforms," Feely said, https://news.usni.org/2019/06/27/naval-test-pilot-school-adds-new-focus-on-unmanned-aircraft Back to Top The Corps is dishing out $280,000 bonuses to qualified pilots U.S. Marines with the Ground Combat Element and the Aviation Combat Element, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin (MRF-D), conduct an aerial insert via an MV-22 Osprey during Exercise Southern Jackaroo, Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland, Australia, May 25, 2019. (Staff Sgt. Jordan Gilbert/Marine Corps) Osprey and Marine F-35 aviators can fatten their wallets with nearly $280,000 if they sign lengthy eight-year contracts, according to Marine officials. The wad of cash is part of the Corps' fiscal year 2020 aviation bonus aimed at enticing pilots to sign longer contracts and plug the flood of Marine aviators trading in their military wings to fly civilian skies. The Corps dished out aviation bonuses in both fiscal years 2018 and 2019 - the first such bonuses since 2011. The new aviation bonuses target captains and majors within the F-35, F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8 Harrier, MV-22, C-130 Hercules, UH-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra and CH-53 Stallion communities, according to Marine spokesman Maj. Craig Thomas. "As the nation's expeditionary force in readiness, the Marine Corps must retain qualified aviators to meet current and future warfighting requirements," Lt. Gen. Michael A. Rocco, the deputy commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, told Marine Corps Times. "The purpose of the aviation bonus remains the same - it adds one more positive benefit when Marine aviators weigh their options whether to continue serving or move on from the military," Rocco said. This year's bonuses have several notable differences to include an eight-year contract option for Osprey and F-35 pilots, no lump sum payment option and weapon systems officers are no longer eligible for the bonuses, according to Marine officials at Manpower and Reserve Affairs. The Corps is also ditching the two-year-contract option. F-35 and Osprey pilots are getting the biggest pot of money. Petty Officer 3rd Class Alexander Turla, an airman assigned to the Essex Amphibious Ready Group, launches an F-35B Lightning II assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship Essex, Sept. 3, 2018. (Cpl. A.J. Van Fredenberg/Marine Corps) MV-22 and F-35 pilots with less than 11 years of commissioned service can opt for an eight-year contract and net nearly $280,000 paid out annually at $35,000 a year. These pilots have the option of three, four, five, six and eight-year contracts depending on years of commissioned service. Bonuses for Osprey and F-35 pilots range from $75,000 to $280,000, depending on contract length and years of commissioned service. The Osprey and F-35 fields are experiencing a bit of a manpower crunch. According to data obtained by Marine Corps Times through a government record's request, the Osprey and F-35 pilots in the Corps are manned at 69 percent and 33 percent respectively. The manpower data is current as of February. Hornet, Harrier and C-130 pilots are eligible for bonuses ranging from $75,000 to $210,000, depending on contract length and years of commissioned service. Pilots who hail from these fields have the option of three, four, five and six-year contracts, which also are dependent on years of commissioned service. These pilots are staffed between 72 percent and 84 percent. CH-53, UH-1 and AH-1 pilots can net $45,000 to $150,000 depending on years of commissioned service and contract length. These pilots also have three, four, five and six-year contract options. Huey and CH-53 pilots are manned at 91 percent and 94 percent respectively, while Cobra pilots are slightly overmanned at 102 percent, according to the February manpower data. The contract details and dollar figures for the new bonuses were provided by Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs. The new aviation bonus "offers substantial monetary values and longer contracts to provide increased stability for our aviators to meet mission requirements and increase the lethality of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force," Rocco explained. The Corps previously has said that its aviation bonuses are intended to influence a decision. And it appears the pilot bonuses are relatively popular. Thomas told Marine Corps Times in December that nearly 78 percent of eligible pilots accepted the fiscal year 2018 aviation bonuses. Rocco said that "Marines usually stay in uniform" because they like being Marines. "I hope our aviators see this expanded bonus program as a genuine effort to keep their talent and leadership in the squadrons to continue flying and mentor the next generation of aircrews," Rocco said. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/06/27/the-corps-is-dishing-out-280000-bonuses-to-qualified-pilots/ Back to Top American offered its mechanics matching wages to Southwest American offered its mechanics wages matching Southwest's industry leading rates, but the unions say that's not the only concern at stake. American Airlines offered its mechanics pay raises that would have matched rates recently agreed to by Southwest Airlines and its mechanics union, according to court filings. The American Airlines Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAL) offer came just after Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association agreed to industry-leading pay rates earlier this year. American leadership verbally offered to match what Southwest recently agreed to pay its mechanics, according to court filings, if the tentative agreement between Southwest and the AMFA became ratified. "Southwest's mechanics subsequently ratified the Southwest agreement and it currently includes the highest hourly pay rates in the industry for an aircraft maintenance technician," a court filing reads. The relationship between American and the joint alliance of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Transport Workers Union of America has grown increasingly toxic amid contract negotiations, peaking last month when American sued the unions alleging they were promoting illegal job actions via code words meant to act as a "call to arms." The court filings offer a glimpse into the relationship that's grown more and more sour through the years. For example, in October 2018 American previously offered to exceed rates recently agreed to by Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) and its mechanics by 3 percent. That offer was also not accepted. For the mechanics, wages aren't the only issue they are focused on in contract negotiations. The TWU and IAM are concerned about American's desire to offshore maintenance work. "Whether the contract offer was made is completely irrelevant," TWU International President John Samuelsen said in a statement to the Dallas Business Journal. "We are not going to agree to let American Airlines use the offshoring of our work to foreign countries at lower wages to fund the paychecks of the remaining U.S.-based aircraft mechanics." The airline and the unions are set to square off in court next week. https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2019/06/26/american-airlines-mechanics.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo 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