Flight Safety Information July 8, 2019 - No. 136 In This Issue Boeing 737 Max crash: Did foreign pilots have enough training to fly commercial jets? Boeing's 737 Max woes just cost it a $5.9 billion order Incident: Delta B752 near St. Louis on Jul 6th 2019, loss of cabin pressure Incident: Titan A320 near Bordeaux on Jul 5th 2019, engine stall Accident: SAS A20N near Stockholm on Jul 3rd 2019, three passengers fainted Incident: Iraqi A320 at Sofia on Jul 3rd 2019, cracked windshield Incident: Vietnam A21N near Haiphong on Jul 2nd 2019, both engines briefly did not respond to thrust Battery pack suspected in recent Virgin Atlantic aircraft fire Federal, SC aviation officials seek to crack down on illegal charter flights WHEN COMPUTERS DO THE WRONG THING: FROM AIR FRANCE 447 TO THE BOEING 737 MAX CASA GIVES REX THE ALL CLEAR AFTER SAFETY REVIEW Unruly Hawaiian Airlines passenger that forced return of Korea-bound flight sentenced Russia building two more MC-21 passenger jets despite US sanctions pressure Copa Airlines Inaugurates Three-Bay Hangar in Panama Southwest Air's Paint Guru Keeps 750 Airplanes Looking Sharp IAI CONVERTS 767 AIRCRAFT FOR CARGO USE FOR AMAZON Electric air taxis powered by hydrogen promise greater range for intercity commutes As NASA Aims For The Moon, An Aging Space Station Faces An Uncertain Future GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(1) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(2) Position Available: Adviser - Investigations Manager Position Available: Airline Manager, Regulatory Compliance Position Available: Group Safety Manager - Operational Safety (Flight Data Development) MITRE - SMS Course - September 2019 Human Factors in Accident Investigation 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 Boeing 737 Max crash: Did foreign pilots have enough training to fly commercial jets? Former airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who safely landed a crippled jetliner on the Hudson River ten years ago, told a House aviation panel that the two recent air disasters of the Boeing 737 Max "should never have happened." (June 19) AP In the final, harrowing seconds of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, the pilots tried desperately to keep their Boeing 737 Max aloft. Nothing worked. Not pulling back on the yoke to try to get the nose up. Not attempting to adjust the trim, the preliminary report on the crash would show. Making matters worse, multiple alarms, clackers and other audible warnings distracted the pair. The jet crashed in March outside Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 157. The crash laid bare Boeing's shortcomings in having designed an automated flight system that overrode the actions of the flight crew. But it also raised questions about pilot experience - whether mistakes were made in the cockpit and whether foreign airlines require pilots to have enough training. Those questions will be at the fore Monday, when a committee of the United Nations-backed body that sets international standards for air travel is scheduled to take a fresh look at pilot requirements. Rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 11, 2019. A spokesman says Ethiopian Airlines has grounded all its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft as a safety precaution, following the crash of one of its planes on March 10 in which 157 people were killed. In the U.S., 1,500 hours. Overseas, 240 hours In the U.S., copilots must have a minimum of 1,500 flight hours, the same as pilots, before they can take the right seat in a commercial airliner. Internationally, it's only 240 hours and can include a mix of time in simulators. While the preliminary accident report in the Ethiopian crash showed the 29-year-old pilot had 8,122 hours of flight time, the 25-year-old first officer had only 361 total hours, having received his commercial airline license three months earlier. The crash followed another about five months earlier involving another 737 Max flown by Lion Air. That plane plummeted into the Java Sea, killing 189. In both crashes, probes revealed an automated system repeatedly pointed the planes' noses down as pilots tried to pull up. Boeing had installed the system to compensate for larger engines positioned farther forward on the wing. 'It will be a crash for sure': Ethiopian pilot pleaded for training after Lion Air Boeing 737 Max crash After the Lion Air crash, Boeing had insisted the 737 Max is safe because pilots can follow a procedure to switch off the system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg hinted about six weeks after the Ethiopian crash that pilots did not "completely" follow procedures. The crash report illuminates what he may have meant. In particular, the report shows pilots never cut back the plane's power after takeoff, which would have made it harder to manually control the horizontal stabilizer. Would a more experienced or better-trained crew have made a difference? Lately, talk of blaming the pilots has largely died down. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the retired US Airways pilot who became a national hero in 2009 after saving all his passengers by ditching his disabled jetliner in the Hudson River, testified to a House panel last month that he doubts he could have saved the Ethiopian jet given MCAS and all the distractions in the cockpit during the emergency. Still, leaders of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and its Aviation Subcommittee, two Republicans and two Democrats, have requested the Transportation Department's inspector general look into pilot training standards for commercial pilots operating outside the U.S., including for those who fly the Boeing 737 Max. A rendering of a 737 MAX in flight. Boeing's 737 MAX in flight. (Photo: Boeing) "If these pilots, hard as they tried to save their passengers, did not receive adequate training in the first place, then that is another factor that demands action. That is true no matter where they are flying or where they were trained," wrote one of them, Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., in a commentary for Fox Business last month. On Monday, a committee of the International Civil Aviation Organization, a unit of the United Nations known commonly as ICAO, is scheduled to review flight-hour requirements for pilots. The meeting was scheduled before the 737 Max crashes and won't be limited to requirements for commercial pilots, said Miguel Marin, chief of the operational safety section of ICAO's Air Navigation Bureau. But rather than moving closer to the U.S. standard, ICAO appears to be headed toward another approach. It is more concerned with pilots' skills and demonstrated competency rather than just flight hours, perhaps ready to question whether a minimum-hour requirement is still needed. A recommendation to reduce flight hours, if one comes, would reflect a long-standing difference of philosophy. "The U.S. went one way. The rest of the world went the other way," said Michael Wiggins, a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In the U.S., there's little appetite to banish the 1,500-hour rule for copilots. "Industry pundits argue over the effectiveness of the 1,500-hour rule, but it certainly reduced the number of regional airline captains flying their entire month with 250-hour interns," said Louis Smith, president of FAPA.aero, a pilot job advisory service. On autopilot: 'Pilots are losing their basic flying skills,' some fear after Boeing 737 Max crashes 'Experience equals safety' Larry Rooney, president of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations, said "experience equals safety" and deadpans: "If you're going to fly in winter weather, you need to see it a couple of times." The flight-hours has become a major issue for commuter airlines in the U.S. They have seen a worsening pilot shortage since the minimum flight-hour requirement for copilots was raised in 2013 from 250 hours. The change resulted from an investigation into the 2009 crash of a Colgan Air commuter plane outside Buffalo, New York. The Regional Airline Association, representing commuter carriers, asserts higher flight-hour standards have raised the typical costs of becoming a copilot to $200,000. That makes it hard to afford the career with starting salaries for copilots averaging $61,602. Some pilots say there's a lot more to flight safety than a sheer number of flight hours. Former airline pilot and aviation expert John Cox said he supports the 1,500-hour rule but believes there should be offsets that reflect higher levels of training. The U.S. Air Force, he said, prepares young officers to fly fighters in combat with as little as 300 hours of flight time. By contrast, private pilots concerned wholly about trying to meet the 1,500-hour requirement can rack up hours by flying banner-towing planes in good weather - hardly the same level of stress and high-caliber experience as in the military. "What matters is not the quantity of hours but the quality of training," said Cox. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/06/boeing-737-max-crash-grounded-problems-flight-training-pilots-faa/1641781001/ Back to Top Boeing's 737 Max woes just cost it a $5.9 billion order The Boeing 737 Max hasn't been taking off, neither literally nor figuratively. The jets have been grounded worldwide since this spring after two fatal crashes-one last October in Indonesia, and another in Ethiopia in March-that killed 346 people and raised serious questions about the plane's features. Now, Boeing is facing cancellation of a lucrative contract to sell 20 Max 737s to a Saudi Arabian airline, signaling that the company's troubles are far from over. Boeing announced on Sunday that Flyadeal, a subsidiary of state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines, canceled a provisional order for 20 of its Max 737 jets over concerns about Boeing's ability to deliver the planes in timely fashion. "We understand that flyadeal will not finalize its commitment to the 737 MAX at this time given the airline's schedule requirements," a Boeing spokesperson said, according to Reuters. The deal would have earned the company billions of dollars. The list price for the 20 Max 737s, each of which costs about $117 million, would normally run $5.9 billion, though Flyadeal would have gotten an undisclosed discount. Boeing's loss is Airbus's gain. The budget Saudi airline is going instead with the Airbus 320. Flyadeal announced in a statement today that it will run an all-Airbus 320 fleet in the future and expects to add 30 such jets to its current collection by 2021, Reuters states. Meanwhile, Boeing is trying to pick up the pieces after a disastrous year. Last week, the company announced that it would pay out $100 million to a fund for families of victims of the crashes, separate from any lawsuits over the matter. The fund would to support "education, hardship and living expenses for impacted families, community programs, and economic development in impacted communities," according to a statement by Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenberg. He apologized to the victims' families, saying, "We at Boeing are sorry for the tragic loss of lives in both of these accidents and these lives lost will continue to weigh heavily on our hearts and on our minds for years to come." In June, ahead of the Paris Air Show, Muilenberg admitted for the first time that his company mishandled concerns over its 737 Max aircraft and that mistakes were made in how it communicated about the planes, especially after the accidents. He said that Boeing is focused on rebuilding trust after the crashes, which he called a "defining moment" that will result in a "better and stronger" organization. He noted, too, that he didn't expect to see many orders for 737s at the air show but expected global aviation regulators to allow the plane, grounded since March, to fly again before the end of the year. On June 18, things seemed to be looking up for Boeing. IAG, which owns British Airways, signed a letter of intent to purchase 200 Max 737 jets from Boeing. It wasn't a firm deal but was widely seen by industry insiders as a vote of confidence and a sign that the company would soon recover from its recent woes. "We have every confidence in Boeing and expect that the aircraft will make a successful return to service in the coming months having received approval from the regulators," wrote IAG CFO Enrique Dupuy de Lτme in the letter. But it seems that this confidence isn't shared by all, as evidenced by the Flyadeal cancellation. In April, Boeing had said it would slow production of 737s, scaling back from 52 to 42 jets per month. Judging from the recent news, the slowdown was merited. https://qz.com/1660253/boeings-737-max-woes-just-cost-it-a-5-9-billion-order/?utm_source=YPL&yptr=yahoo Back to Top Incident: Delta B752 near St. Louis on Jul 6th 2019, loss of cabin pressure A Delta Boeing 757-200, registration N535US performing flight DL-1870 from Seattle,WA to Atlanta,GA (USA), was enroute at FL370 about 50nm northwest of St. Louis,MO (USA) when the crew initiated an emergency descent due to the loss of cabin pressure, the passenger oxygen masks were released. The aircraft diverted to St. Louis, the crew advised no emergency services were needed for landing, and landed safely on runway 24 about 19 minutes after leaving FL370. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL1870/history/20190706/1440Z/KSEA/KATL http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca11030&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Titan A320 near Bordeaux on Jul 5th 2019, engine stall A Titan Airways Airbus A320-200 on behalf of TUI Airways, registration G-POWM performing flight BY-517 from Marrakesh (Morocco) to London Gatwick,EN (UK), was enroute at FL360 over the Bay of Biscay about 100nm northwest of Bordeaux (France) when the crew declared Mayday reporting they were descending due to an engine (V2527) stall. The aircraft diverted to Bordeaux for a safe landing on runway 23 about 35 minutes later. A listener on frequency reported the crew called Mayday due to an engine stall and reported they were descending. After working the checklists they requested to divert to Bordeaux. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Bordeaux about 31 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca10ad5&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: SAS A20N near Stockholm on Jul 3rd 2019, three passengers fainted A SAS Scandinavian Airlines Airbus A320-200N, registration SE-ROM performing flight SK-7605 from Stockholm (Sweden) to Bodrum (Turkey), was climbing out of Stockholm when a passenger fainted and was provided with oxygen by cabin crew. Soon after another passenger, also mid cabin, fainted and also was administered oxygen, again followed by a third passenger fainting and also being administered oxygen. The crew increased the air flow in the cabin, assessed the situation and continued the flight to Bodrum where the aircraft landed without further incident. The aircraft continued its schedule on schedule. The airline confirmed three passengers were administered oxygen during the climb out of Stockholm, in response the air flow in the cabin was increased, however, there was no issue with the cabin pressure. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca06704&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Iraqi A320 at Sofia on Jul 3rd 2019, cracked windshield An Iraqi Airways Airbus A320-200, registration YI-ARA performing flight IA-239 from Sulaimaniyah (Iraq) to Sofia (Bulgaria) with 78 passengers and 9 crew, was descending towards Sofia when the crew reported a cracked right hand windshield and requested a quick landing, however, no emergency or priority was requested. The aircraft landed on Sofia's runway 09 about 10 minutes later. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Sofia about 53 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca06537&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Vietnam A21N near Haiphong on Jul 2nd 2019, both engines briefly did not respond to thrust commands A Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321-200N, registration VN-A624 performing flight VN-1192 from Ho Chi Minh City to Haiphong (Vietnam), was descending towards Haiphong when both engines (PW1130G) became unresponsive to thrust commands and thrust levers for some time, the fault cleared by itself and the aircraft continued for a safe landing with both engines operating normally. On Jul 5th 2019 The Aviation Herald learned the crew reported lack of throttle response that cleared by itself, neither emergency nor PAN were declared. FADEC 1 and 2 showed faults related to compressor vane control, FADECs and engines were tested satisfactorily and the aircraft returned to service. The airframe had accumulated a total of 499 flight hours at the time of the incident. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Haiphong for about 17 hours, then positioned to Hanoi (Vietnam) and resumed service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca04536&opt=0 Back to Top Battery pack suspected in recent Virgin Atlantic aircraft fire Police said a recent fire on board a Virgin Atlantic aircraft during a flight from JFK Airport to London, U.K. appears to have been caused by an external battery pack, a device commonly used to charge smartphones. Flight 138, with 217 passengers on board, was forced to make an emergency landing in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday evening local time after smoke started to fill the cabin. No one was hurt in the incident, though one passenger reportedly declined help for a smoke-related complaint. "Preliminary investigation suggests it is a battery pack consistent in appearance with an external phone charger," Massachusetts State Police said in a release. It added that a short time into the flight, "smoke and flames" were spotted between the cushions of a passenger seat on the Airbus A330 jet plane, prompting crew members to hastily extinguish the fire. A full investigation is now underway. If it was indeed a lithium-ion battery back, there are a number of reasons that could have caused it to catch fire. It may, for example, have been poorly made, or suffered damage prior to the flight - or even during the flight. The fact that it was found between seat cushions certainly points to the possibility of the latter. Federal Aviation Administration rules stipulate that uninstalled lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries can only be taken on board a passenger plane as carry-on baggage. The Virgin Atlantic fire, as well as a string of other similar incidents, highlight exactly why this is the case. In early 2018, crew on board a China Southern Airlines aircraft were forced to act quickly when an external battery caught fire in an overhead bin as passengers were boarding the plane, while a battery inside a vape pen is believed to have been the cause of a fire on a SkyWest Airlines plane earlier this year. There were no reports of injuries in either incident. Responding to the Virgin Atlantic fire, a spokesperson for the airline said: "The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority and we are currently investigating to fully understand the circumstances," adding, "We'd like to thank our customers for their patience as we work with them to provide local accommodation or to rebook alternative flights to their final destination." https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/battery-pack-suspected-in-recent-virgin-atlantic-aircraft-fire/ Back to Top Back to Top Federal, SC aviation officials seek to crack down on illegal charter flights Charter flights A licensed charter plane is parked at Charleston International Airport. Federal aviation officials are trying to crack down on illegal charter flights that don't go through the same inspections and training as licensed charter operators. Andrew Brown/Staff Federal aviation officials are on the hunt for illegal charter operators that use private aircraft for commercial use, skirting regulations and risking the safety of wealthy passengers flying to and from South Carolina. Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the S.C. Aeronautics Commission held a meeting in North Charleston last month to raise awareness about illegal charter flights and the risks they pose. The meeting was part of a larger national effort to crack down on back-room operations that offer commercial flights while ignoring federal standards that are in place to maintain safety in the sky. Legitimate charter operators offer direct flights on smaller jets and propeller-driven planes to a select group of clients willing to pay to skip commercial airport lines, overhead luggage bins and cramped seating. In order to do that, charter companies need to meet strict requirements for aircraft maintenance. Their pilots need to go through advanced training. And the businesses often must carry millions of dollars in insurance coverage. According to the FAA, 21 licensed air charter businesses are operating in South Carolina from the Upstate to the Lowcountry. It's a niche industry focused on serving business clients traveling for work and wealthy individuals looking to fly in luxury to their next vacation. Federal aviation officials are increasingly concerned, however, about less scrupulous companies that pop up, offering to supply planes and pilots to travelers without meeting the heightened safety standards. Sponsored Kershaw County, South Carolina Located in the heart of South Carolina, Kershaw County sits on Interstate 20 just an hour and a half from the Charleston area and thirty minutes from the state's capital, Columbia. "Illegal charter operations pose a serious safety hazard to the traveling public, and the FAA works aggressively to identify and shut down rogue operators," the agency said in a statement. Federal officials have pursued enforcement actions nationwide against at least dozens of pilots, operators or other people associated with illegal charters, according to the agency. Two FAA attorneys at the the recent meeting in North Charleston cited a recent case the agency brought against a company that was flying people into and out of the oil fields of Texas. "When we find these illegal charters, we often don't find the best trained pilots and the most airworthy aircraft," said Aaron Robinson, one of the attorneys who handled the case. Randy Deberry, the manager of the FAA's flight standards office in South Carolina, said the agency is working to weed out illegal operations in the Palmetto State, too. That's welcome news to people like Jeremey Bass, the CEO of Executive HeliJet, a charter company that operates out of Myrtle Beach. He called South Carolina a "cesspool" of unlicensed operators. Bass and several other owners of registered charter companies took part in the panel discussion in North Charleston. The illegal operators hurt the licensed charter companies' profits, cutting into the limited number of customers who can afford to charter a plane to Atlanta, Charlotte or the Bahamas. As a result, several operators are hoping to convince state lawmakers to pass a law to place criminal penalties on people who run illegal charter operations in South Carolina. "We're pulling back the very first layer of a massive onion," Bass said. "We have to engage rulemakers, lawmakers and people who are in positions of authority." The illegal charters can offer cheaper prices to people because they don't have to pay for all of the costs required to be certified by the FAA. For instance, they don't have to replace parts on the aircraft as frequently. The pilots they use don't have to train in a simulator every year to prepare for possible engine failures, electrical malfunctions and cabin decompression. And they don't pay taxes on the profits they make from the flights. "The problem we have from a financial point of view is competing with illegal operators because they don't have any overhead," said Gary Davis, the owner of Davis Air, a licensed charter company based in Charleston. "They don't have to follow the rules that we have to follow." The unfair business competition can hurt the viability of licensed charter companies. But what the licensed operators fear even more, they said, is the industry getting a bad name because of illegal charter flights crashing and killing passengers. "When things happen and illegal charters crash - which we've had - it impacts the perception of the flying public," said former Boeing Co. executive Marco Cavozzoni, a member of the state Aeronautics Commission and the owner of Lowcountry Aviation Co., a charter operator in Walterboro. "When it comes to aviation safety, we're all in the same business," he said. "When people stop flying, it impacts us all." https://www.postandcourier.com/business/federal-sc-aviation-officials-seek-to-crack-down-on-illegal/article_47a54858-9817-11e9-83a2-07ddd0087857.html Back to Top WHEN COMPUTERS DO THE WRONG THING: FROM AIR FRANCE 447 TO THE BOEING 737 MAX By Roger Rapoport Flight Safety Information Senior Editor Working on the Air France 447 story I have had the privilege of getting to know some of the best minds in the aviation business. As we all know some bloggers, magazine and newspaper writers, indeed entire publishing companies, are dedicated to the proposition that every crash is the direct result of pilot error. Those words resonate with me. They happen to be the title of a feature film I produced a few years back, http://www.pilot-errormovie.com, and are part of the insidious and self-defeating blame game that is the enemy of aviation safety. We believe that blaming all accidents on "pilot error" is a dangerously misleading way to perpetuate a failed safety management system. Ten years ago , in the wake of the first "computer crash," Air France 447, the industry got a wakeup call and chose to ignore it. The accident investigators who spent three years diligently studying the evidence warned that similar automation related crashes were inevitable unless major reforms were made in the aviation safety system. More than 50 crashes taking the lives of over 2,500 passengers since Air France 447 are a grim confirmation of this fact. A decade later the tragically similar crashes of two state of the art Boeing 737 Max aircraft parallel what went wrong on Air France 447. The safety management system at the heart of the aviation industry, including design, manufacturing, certification, training and regulation is failing the flying public. Created for the steam engine era and single point of failure electro-mechanical systems, this approach is hopelessly obsolete in the computer age. Today our incredible flying machines are dependent on automated software and hardware systems that are perfect, except when something goes wrong. The problem begins when the computer does exactly what it is programmed to do which unfortunately turns to be the wrong thing. At that point untrained humans are expected to quickly step into the breach and save the day. In 2009, when I arrived at Aeroport Charles de Gaulle to begin working on Angle of Attack and Pilot Error, the French aviation industry was struggling to understand how a stall proof plane crashed into the South Atlantic taking the lives of 228 people. This month Captain Malmquist and I had the honor of meeting with families of some of those victims. Had it not been for their tenacious struggle to persuade the French Ministry of Transport to keep the seemingly hopeless search for Air France 447 alive (they threatened a hunger strike), search teams might have never found the plane 13,000 feet below the surface. As it turns out, the evidence shows that the crash can not simply be chalked up to pilot error. Automation failure led directly to this tragic event well beyond the training of a first class flight crew. Now a teaching event in flight schools worldwide, the Air France 447 accident is slowly revolutionizing stall recovery training and has led to improvements in aircraft systems. Unfortunately these reforms have not, as yet, transformed the badly outdated aviation certification and regulatory system. In our new edition of Angle of Attack, Captain Malmquist and I present new evidence that many of these crashes could have been prevented if the industry had applied the important lessons learned from Air France 447. There is no question that, at a minimum, both of the recent Boeing 737 Max crashes would not have happened if the industry had followed the many important recommendations made by outstanding accident investigators following the 2009 Air France crash. We look forward to the industry implementing the long overdue safety management system reforms recommended in our book. A new edition of the acclaimed Angle of Attack (Curt Lewis Books/Lexographic Press) by Senior Editor Roger Rapoport and Boeing 777 Captain Shem Malmquist is now out https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SVNPJ5T. The French edition has also just been published https://amzn.to/2ZK7pXG The author is at rogerdrapoport@me.com Back to Top CASA GIVES REX THE ALL CLEAR AFTER SAFETY REVIEW CASA has completed an audit of Regional Express.CASA has completed an audit of Regional Express. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has given Regional Express (Rex) the all clear after completing a review of the airline's safety management system. The regulator said in a statement on Friday it had completed a two-day audit of the airline's maintenance facility at Wagga Wagga on July 4 and 5, where its staff interviewed engineers and audited its safety management system. "The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has confirmed it has no current issues with the safety of Rex aircraft," the CASA statement said. "This follows intensive work over the last month reviewing allegations made about short comings in Rex maintenance." The regulator said management and staff, which were randomly selected for interview, were cooperative and responsive to the audit team's requests and questions. "All of them said that they felt confident in reporting maintenance errors or defects and they indicated Rex operated according to 'just culture' principles," CASA said. "CASA will carefully assess the information obtained in the course of the audit against the requirements of the applicable civil aviation legislation. "Although it normally takes up to 21 days to finalise an audit report of this kind, CASA is expediting the completion of this report." The CASA review followed allegations from an engineer that the airline had discouraged its staff from reporting safety defects. Rex, which has denied the allegations and described them as baseless, welcomed Friday's CASA statement. "Rex owes the CASA Board, CASA Executive Management and its Director of Aviation Safety a vote of gratitude for carrying out their responsibilities as the guardian of Australian air safety without fear or favour," Rex said in a statement on Monday. "CASA conducted their investigations in a prompt, comprehensive and responsible manner that should leave no doubt with regard to the safety of Rex flights in the minds of regional passengers, many of whom depend exclusively on Rex for their medical, educational and professional travelling needs. "With the announcement of CASA's definitive findings, Rex considers the matter to be closed, and Rex's management will now be able to focus its attention exclusively to providing our passengers with a safe and reliable air service." https://australianaviation.com.au/2019/07/casa-gives-rex-the-all-clear-after-safety-review/ Back to Top Unruly Hawaiian Airlines passenger that forced return of Korea-bound flight sentenced An unruly passenger who forced a Hawaiian Airlines flight to return to Honolulu in February has now been sentenced to six months in federal detention. HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - An unruly passenger who forced a Hawaiian Airlines flight to return to Honolulu in February has been sentenced. Kyong Chol Kim, a Korean national, was a convicted felon who was denied entry into the U.S. back in February. He got drunk at the airport, then tried to punch a flight attendant on his flight back to South Korea. He was on flight 459 carrying 263 passengers and 13 crew on board. Some military passengers on board helped restrain him. Four hours into the flight, the pilot decided to turn the plane around and head back to Honolulu. Kim was recently sentenced to six months in federal detention. He must also pay the airline more than $172,000. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2019/07/06/unruly-hawaiian-airlines-passenger-that-forced-return-korea-bound-flight-sentenced/ Back to Top Russia building two more MC-21 passenger jets despite US sanctions pressure Russia building two more MC-21 passenger jets despite US sanctions pressure The MC-21-300 © United Aircraft Corp Russia plans to add two MC-21 planes to its existing fleet of test aircraft, defying production hurdles created by the US, whose sanctions had cut off access to a variety of supplies that were essential to the project. One of the airliners under construction is allocated for testing the domestically-developed PD-14 engine, according to Russia's deputy prime minister Yury Borisov. Three of the MC-21 planes have already been finished and one more is on its final stage, the official added. Russia is already preparing for serial production of the narrow-body airliner, with the first deliveries to customers scheduled for 2021, after it receives all the necessary permits. The plane's manufacturer, Russia's state-run United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), has already received orders for 175 aircraft. The Irkutsk Aviation Plant, where the plane is manufactured, is meanwhile preparing the model for certification tests. The airliner is set to receive Russian certification in 2020, and to secure the approval of the European air safety regulator - the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) - in 2021. The jets of the MC-21 family are widely seen as Russia's answer to the US plane-maker Boeing's narrow-body 737 MAX line of passenger aircraft. Two Boeing planes of this model have been recently involved in deadly crashes, triggering the grounding of the 737 MAX in many countries and further affecting the company's performance at one of the key annual aviation events, the Paris Air Show. The production of one of the newest Russian passenger jets faced some hurdles due to Washington's restrictions on trade with Russian companies. The US banned the delivery of composite materials to Russia, which are used for manufacturing the plane's wings, as well as sales of titanium parts and certain equipment necessary for production. However, the restrictions failed to stop the MC-21 project, as Russia is working on the replacements of foreign-made components, the deputy prime minister stressed. "This will make it possible to ensure the MC-21 production's technological independence from sanctioned products," he said. The third MC-21 test aircraft made a successful maiden flight in March and the model, complete with passenger-ready interior, will make its public debut at the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2019), which this year runs from August 27 to September 1. https://www.rt.com/business/463574-russia-builds-mc21-jets/ Back to Top Copa Airlines Inaugurates Three-Bay Hangar in Panama Copa is shifting more heavy airframe maintenance work inhouse with the opening of its new hangar. Copa Airlines plans to inaugurate its new three-bay hangar in Panama City on July 10, which will enable it to insource 90% of its airframe maintenance, says Ahmad Zamany, VP technical operations for the airline. The hangar, which was finished in January, is part of the airline's Centro Mantenimiento de Copa Tech Ops (CMC) that also includes a training center and new stores area. Copa invested $15 million in the facility's construction, which took slightly less than two years to complete at Tocumen International Airport in Panama. The 5,900 m2 hangar simultaneously fits three Boeing 737s for heavy maintenance, but it is only being used for "two continuous nose-to-tail C check lines for the time being" with the third held for future growth, he says. Copa decided to start insourcing some airframe maintenance work in 2011. Its staff completed two C checks that year, as it ramped up training, tooling and spares, and "outsourced 20 C checks to Coopesa and others." Within three years, the Panamanian carrier started performing more inhouse checks than what it outsourced. By 2018, it outsourced 13 and performed 18 C checks inhouse. This year, the numbers shift dramatically-to only two outsourced and 29 C checks performed inhouse. To support the additional airframe work, Copa plans to enhance its structures, composites, machine and quick engine change shops. Construction for these shops will commence in the fourth quarter of this year, says Zamany. This will be followed by a subsequent building phase that will include a cafeteria and employee area "that is in the conceptual design phase and will start construction the first quarter of next year," says Zamany. The new hangar and stores area is equipped with LED and natural lighting, which should reduce the facility's electrical consumption by 30% compared to the old hangar, he says. To further reduce its energy consumption, Copa is in the design phase of solar panel installation. Copa added the CMC to its growth plans in 2013, but it took time to secure land adjacent to its existing facility. "We have been a fan of insourcing where it makes sense and highly interested in development of aviation in the country," says Zamany. Copa intends to use this new facility for its fleet requirements and is not seeking third-party work. However, if slots becomes available, it could consider offering service to others. https://www.mro-network.com/airlines/copa-airlines-inaugurates-three-bay-hangar-panama Back to Top Southwest Air's Paint Guru Keeps 750 Airplanes Looking Sharp Skift Take Peeling paint is a fact of life at an airline. But most carriers try their best to keep aircraft looking sharp. They view an airplane's livery as free advertising. That's why jobs like Corey Culbertson's are so important. Before Corey Culbertson boards a Southwest Airlines airplane, he stops at the boarding door to look at the blue, red, and orange heart logo to his right, checking whether it's as shiny and crisp as the day it left the paint shop. Next, as he takes his window seat near the wing, he scrutinizes the aircraft's engines to see if they've retained their blue sheen and ensure they're not scuffed or weathered. If he doesn't like something, he writes down the aircraft's registration number and follows up in the office. "I don't announce what I am doing," he said. "I try to look nonchalant when I'm doing it. I just want to make sure our fleet looks good." Culbertson has one of the more niche jobs at an airline. He's senior manager of airframe field services, and among other tasks, he is Southwest's paint guru, in charge of scheduling Southwest's roughly 750 airplanes for repainting. Usually airplanes get a full exterior makeover once every eight years, but if something's not looking right, Culbertson can slot one airplane over another or schedule a touch-up, which is why he looks so closely when he flies. "What does the customer see when he's looking at the gate?" Culbertson said. "Around the door, you want it to look nice. The engines should look good, the wings should look good. You want the customers to see a plane that looks good and not one that is old and worn out." Peeling paint is not a safety issue, and some airlines have more tolerance for it than others. But in the age of Instagram, with passenger posting tens of thousands of wingtip pictures at 35,000 feet, most major airlines like to keep airplanes looking sharp. They view them as a billboard that travels the country or world, advertising the brand. At Southwest, which introduced a new look in 2014, what's on the airplane is as important as the website or airport signage, spokesman Dan Landson said. "We want to make sure that it looks clean and crisp so folks can put their trust on us," Landson said. TOUGH TO KEEP PLANES LOOKING GOOD It's not easy to keep an airplane that flies five or six legs per day looking fresh. Airplanes fly at 30,000 feet or higher, and they get a beating from the sun's ultraviolet rays, which can make paint fade, Culbertson said. Plus there's normal wear and tear, as well as consequences of maintenance visits. When something is wrong with an aircraft, technicians can be more interested in fixing it than maintaining the integrity of the paint. Southwest is considering painting planes more often that once every eight years, because after about five, passengers may notice imperfections. "After a while the paint fades," Culbertson said. "The paint chips off or the paint peels off. It just starts looking bad." INTRICATE PROCESS Southwest's paint vendor, International Aerospace Coatings, can paint two planes at one time - one in Victorville, Calif., and the other in Spokane, Wash. But the process takes about eight days, and Southwest, like other airlines, cannot always afford to take planes from service. This summer, with its 34 Boeing 737 Max airplanes grounded, Southwest needs every airplane it has, so it has suspended painting, Landson said. It expects to resume in the fall, when demand for travel falls. For now most planes that go into paint are transitioning to Southwest's newish look. While some airlines accelerate painting when they introduce a new livery, Southwest kept its regular schedule, so about a quarter of the fleet still has the pre-2014 paint job. Once the last plane gets the new scheme, likely in a couple of years, Southwest will begin repainting the first airplanes that got it. In the painting process, the most labor-intensive period is the four to five days of preparation, Culbertson said. About a dozen workers strip the fuselage to the bare metal and then clean it, getting it ready for primer and paint. They also scuff the wings and most composite surfaces, taking the sheen off, so paint will stick. In addition they mask off the windows, ensuring they're free from errant paint. Four workers usually paint the airplane, Culbertson said, using spray paint, with each handling a quarter of the airplane. They're assisted by four spotters, who, among other tasks, ensure the paints don't mistakenly damage the aircraft when they move their lifts. For a Boeing 737-700, which seats 143 passengers, the contractor uses about 51 gallons of paint, Culbertson said. He declined to share how much it costs to paint one plane, citing contract confidentiality. But it's not cheap. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS Southwest Airlines introduced Florida One in 2010. Before Culbertson joined Southwest six and a half years ago, he worked for an aircraft painting facility that did contract work for American Airlines. Then American was transitioning to a new look, with an intricate red, white, and blue tail. It's so challenging to paint that when US Airways executives took over American in 2014, management considered scrapping the design on the tail for American's old logo. "There was a lot of skepticism on that," Culbertson said. "We were all curious how that would work." American figured it out as Culbertson moved to Southwest, where the regular paint job is not as complicated. But it also has its challenges, he said. The biggest is the multicolored heart logo. Southwest has two on the new livery, one on the belly and the other near the passenger-boarding door. It takes one person six to eight hours to paint a heart, he said, mostly because the worker must wait two hours for each color to dry before starting the next. Still, that's easy to compared to some of Southwest's special paint jobs. The airline has a series of planes with unique designs, many dedicated to a U.S. state, like California One, Illinois One, Maryland One, and Missouri One. All take a dozen days to paint, Culberston said, as they're typically more ornate than the regular scheme. But only one is far more difficult than the rest, he said. "It's the Florida One, 945," he said, using the aircraft's registration number, N945WN. It's an aircraft emblazoned with the state seal, and according to the airline, it features a "Seminole woman, hibiscus flowers, Sabal palms [one of the state trees], and a steamboat." What's the issue? "It has a lot of different colors, that's it," Culberston said. "It's just a lot of prep work." Tags: at your service, southwest airlines Photo Credit: Corey Culbertson is Southwest's senior manager of airframe field services and handles the airline's airplane painting schedule. Stephen M. Keller / Southwest Airlines https://skift.com/2019/07/05/southwest-airs-paint-guru-keeps-750-airplanes-looking-sharp/ Back to Top IAI CONVERTS 767 AIRCRAFT FOR CARGO USE FOR AMAZON Amazon's aircraft fleet expansion is proving a boon for Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). IAI, which also produces drones and satellites, has emerged since 2015 as the leader in converting Amazon's growing fleet of Boeing 767 aircraft. IAI workers convert Boeing 767 plane from passenger to cargo use for Amazon IAI workers have converted about 80% of Amazon's fleet of around 40 aircraft from passenger to cargo use, according to the state-run company. "We dismantle every part of the aircraft and rebuild as a cargo aircraft," Yosef Melamed, general manager of IAI's Aviation Group, told Reuters, noting workers seal off windows, rebuild cockpits and install larger doors. Amazon says it expects to have a fleet of 70 aircraft by 2021. https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/IAI-converts-767-aircraft-for-cargo-use-for-Amazon-594951 Back to Top Electric air taxis powered by hydrogen promise greater range for intercity commutes The new vehicles could be in production in the United States by 2021, but would need FAA approval. Image: Skai air taxi The hydrogen-powered Scai air taxi could fly five people or 1,000 pounds of cargo up to 400 miles.Alaka'i Technologies Your daily commute may be about to take to the skies. More than 100 electric air taxi designs are already in the works for short hops in cities, including the Airbus Vahana, the German Volocopter, and Uber's Elevate project. But now, a new design aims to rise above the others with its use of hydrogen fuel cells instead of batteries to power longer flights that can carry more weight. Hopkinton, Massachusetts-based Alaka'i Technologies says hydrogen fuel cells will give its six-rotor Scai air taxi greater range and lifting power than competitors using batteries, which could open up new opportunities to fly people and other payloads. The company recently unveiled a mockup of the Scai air taxi in Los Angeles, and says it will soon start tests on a flying prototype. The new vehicle could be in production in the United States by 2021, although it will need approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Alaka'i president Brian Morrison said the Scai could fly five people or 1,000 pounds of cargo up to 400 miles - between two and four hours of flight, depending on the size of the aircraft's fuel tank. Most battery-powered air taxi designs only have enough power to carry two passengers for around 15 minutes before needing to be recharged. "So we can carry two and a half times as much payload, and carry it for eight times as long," Morrison told NBC News MACH. The greater range and power means the Scai could fly between nearby cities, instead of just on short trips within a city, and could take on air ambulance work, freight deliveries or disaster relief tasks, he said. Initially the Scai will need a qualified helicopter pilot to fly passengers, but the company is working with the FAA to allow autonomous passenger flights without a pilot, Morrison said. Fuel cells use chemical reactions between stored hydrogen and oxygen from the air to create electricity and pure water. And because hydrogen can also be made cleanly from electricity and water, hydrogen fuel cells can be an effective alternative to batteries for storing electricity. https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/electric-air-taxis-powered-hydrogen-promise-greater-range-intercity-commutes-ncna1026981 Back to Top As NASA Aims For The Moon, An Aging Space Station Faces An Uncertain Future The International Space Station is reflected in the visor of Expedition 59 Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency. When a rocket carrying the first module of the International Space Station blasted off from Kazakhstan in November of 1998, NASA officials said that the station would serve as an orbiting home for astronauts and cosmonauts for at least 15 years. It's now been over 18 years that the station has been continuously occupied by people. The place is impressive, with more living space than a six-bedroom house, two bathrooms and a large bay window for looking down at Earth. NASA and its international partners have spent decades and more than $100 billion to make the station a reality. The trouble is, as the agency sets its sights on returning people to the moon, the aging station has become a financial burden. And it's not clear what its future holds. The first ISS module, the Zarya Control Module, was launched atop a Russian Proton rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on Nov. 20, 1998. NASA The ISS photographed from the space shuttle Atlantis after the station and shuttle began their post-undocking relative separation on May 23, 2010. NASA spends between $3 billion and $4 billion a year operating the station and flying people back and forth. That's about half the agency's budget for human exploration of space. The United States and the other participating nations have pledged to fund the station until at least 2024, but it will surely last longer than that. Gilles Leclerc, head of space exploration at the Canadian Space Agency, says there's no way that the international partners would come together in five years and decide to just crash the station into the ocean to so that resources could be directed to other space goals. "It would be a waste. We cannot ditch the International Space Station. There's just too much invested," says Leclerc. "It's quite clear, it's unanimous between the partners that we continue to need a space station in low Earth orbit." Expedition 59 Flight Engineers (from left) Anne McClain, David Saint-Jacques and Christina Koch inside the U.S. Destiny laboratory. So NASA has floated one money-saving idea: turn the space station over to the private sector. That's why, a few weeks ago, NASA officials held a big press event at the Nasdaq stock market's MarketSite in New York City. "NASA is opening the international space station to commercial opportunities and marketing these opportunities as we've never done before," said the agency's chief financial officer, Jeff DeWit. "The commercialization of low Earth orbit will enable NASA to focus resources to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024, as the first phase in creating a sustainable lunar presence to prepare for future missions to Mars." Astronaut Christina Koch appeared in video beamed down from space. "We are so excited to be part of NASA as our home and laboratory in space transitions to into being accessible to expanded commercial and marketing opportunities, as well as to private astronauts," she said. All this produced a sense of dιjΰ vu in John Logsdon, a space historian with George Washington University. Back in the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan's administration first proposed building a permanent space station, part of the pitch was "the idea that it could be a place for a wide variety of commercial activities, with billions of dollars of economic payoff," says Logsdon. "So here we are in 2019, finally going to test that hypothesis." When reporters asked how much revenue could come in from new commercial activities on the station, however, NASA officials wouldn't give any numbers, saying there was too much uncertainty. "The 12 industry studies NASA commissioned last year estimated revenue projections for future low-Earth orbit destinations across a variety of markets, and those projections varied significantly as a result of uncertainty associated with these future markets," a NASA spokesperson told NPR. "The markets and services that will generate revenue need to be cultivated by the creative and entrepreneurial private sector." "That is the right answer because they don't know yet," says Tommy Sanford, executive director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. But if the space station became commercially-operated or even privately owned, NASA could become just one of many customers. "You need to be focused on adding as many customers as possible and hoping to reach a tipping point, at some point, where you retain all of them," says Sanford. "Then that eventually lowers your cost, because you are one of many customers. You aren't bearing the entire cost of the infrastructure and transportation." Some question whether any business could make a go of running a space station without the government still ponying up a ton of money. "Candidly, the scant commercial interest shown in the station over its nearly 20 years of operation give us pause about the agency's current plans," NASA Inspector General Paul Martin told members of Congress last year. As all of these discussions go on, the station keeps getting older. Space is a harsh environment. The hardware is wearing out, and major components are only certified until 2028. "Space station really has up to, say, less than 10 years of lifetime," says Dava Newman, a scientist at MIT and a former NASA deputy administrator. She loves the station and has flown experiments on it. But she thinks with time running out, there needs to be a strategic plan for its end. The uncrewed SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is silhouetted against the Earth's horizon during Demo-1, the first flight of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to the International Space Station. The vehicle ultimately docked to the station's Harmony module after completing several successful demonstrations during approach. NASA "There might be some elements of space station that the private [sector] might be able to take over, a module or two," she says. "All of that needs to be put into place, probably with government funding." Eventually, big components of the station will have to crash back down to Earth. Asked when NASA expected to deorbit the station, a spokesperson for the agency said that no specific year is being targeted. "Transition from the space station will occur once commercial habitable destinations are available and can support NASA's needs as one of many customers," the spokesperson said. https://www.npr.org/2019/07/07/734474121/as-nasa-aims-for-the-moon-an-aging-space-station-faces-an-uncertain-future Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(1) I am a retired pilot and I am finishing my PhD in business. My dissertation is on the different leadership styles pilots have and how they influence safety. I do feel there is a massive lack of research in aviation on how important the different leadership styles are and their influence on safety. Although multiple industries are studying the outcomes of different leadership styles in different aspects of business, aviation is not. Therefore, I feel my research will truly help the industry. Any assistance here would be a huge contribution to aviation. Below is the link to my research survey for your review: https://ncu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9BomOpXQJw5tKL3 Regards, Carlos Guillem 469-688-3174 CarlosGuillem@yahoo.com C.Guillem6197@0365.ncu.edu Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(2) 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 Back to Top Title: Airline Manager, Regulatory Compliance POSITION PURPOSE Manages one or more safety areas such as the Company's Internal Evaluation Program (IEP) or Safety Management System (SMS). Provides independent and objective assessments of operational divisions to ensure adherence to federal regulations, company policies and procedures, code-share partner internal evaluations, IOSA and DOD Standards. ESSENTIAL DUTIES To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. • Oversees the development and ongoing safety risk management processes for all operational divisions • Develops and maintains safety manuals and required training. • Participates in regular meetings that review safety related information that impact each department. • Validates regulatory correspondence status; and prepares weekly reports for Senior Management. • Participates in Codeshare Aircraft Ground Damage investigations. Conducts investigations of all Company inducted aircraft ground damages. Coordinates with the finance department to recover damage costs from vendor and reports aircraft ground damage statistics. • Participates in regulatory update meetings with the Company and the Federal Aviation Administration. • Interfaces with Codeshare partners in safety meetings. • Manages the Internal Evaluation Program including evaluations of all operational divisions and Internal IOSA audits. Develops and maintains a schedule of audits and evaluations. • Updates the safety implementation plans, training plans and details gap analysis for the company. • Attends safety related conferences to provide input on best practices for safety for the company. • Develops and maintains an annual budget for the Internal Evaluation Program and the Safety Management System areas. • Fosters the Company's core values and culture throughout the work environment. • Screens, interviews and hires potential associates. Coaches and provides leadership, direction, motivation and supervision of direct reports. Appraises performance, provides performance feedback, takes corrective actions and oversees training and development of staff. • Performs various other duties as required. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform this job. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: • Bachelor's degree or equivalent with at least 3 years of previous Internal Evaluation, Quality Assurance, or Safety Management System experience. • Knowledge of the Code of Federal Regulations, specifically Titles 14 and 49 and associated regulatory material. • Knowledge in aviation safety programs including, but not limited to: Safety Management System (SMS), System Safety, ATOS and IOSA. • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications is a must. PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE • Bachelor's degree in Aviation or related field with at least 5 years of previous experience. • Previous supervisory experience. • Airframe and Powerplant, Dispatcher License and/or Pilot Certificate. • Auditor Certification and Training; CQA, ISO, CASE and IOSA Auditor. LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors. REASONING/PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. DECISION MAKING Makes decisions daily on use of resources, performance and budgets. Decisions could require additional expenditure of resources if not sound decisions. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Able to move about the work environment. Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Typically not exposed to extreme environmental conditions. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS Ability to travel up to 25% of the time, including overnight and weekend travel. APPLY HERE Back to Top Position: Group Safety Manager - Operational Safety (Flight Data Development) Reports to: Group Safety Manager - Operational Safety (Flight Data) Department: Group Safety and Operational Risk Management Understudy and support Group Safety Manager - Operational Safety (Flight Data) to manage all aspects of the Group's FDC operations relating to the acquisition, processing and analysis of flight data. The incumbent will succeed the role of GSM-OS (FD) in mid-2020. Key Responsibilities • Understudy and deputise Group Safety Manager - Operational Safety (Flight Data Analysis) as per GSMOS-FD's terms of reference. • Oversee the FDA supporting activities pertinent to the introduction (EIS) of the new aircraft types across CX/KA/LD. • Support CFEA AMS project. • Provide support to Maintenance Control to minimise operational disruption. • Manage the review of daily detection of significant events and coordinate the callbacks and the maintenance follow up with Maintenance Control. • Ensure the materials, such as data, plots and videos, provided to requesters are accurate and in the standard in accordance with PPM. • Monitor the serviceability of the flight data recording and downloading system and liaise with IT and OEM for any anomaly. • Use of CEFA FAS and Insight Animation to build sophisticated videos for investigations and trainings. • Manage the daily activities of the Flight Data Monitoring Program (FDMP) in accordance with the published agreements. • Conduct Flight Data analysis in support of Air Safety Reports (ASRs) & Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MORs) and prepare summaries for the company Safety Database. • Conduct Flight Data analysis in support of accident and incident investigations. • Contribute to the FDAP and Flight Data Analysis Review Committee process. • Continually develop and maintain the Flight Data Animation Systems. • Maintain and develop Flight Analysis Profile (FAP) and logical frame layouts (LFL) in cope with the requirements. • Undertake Flight Data related projects as directed by HGSS/GSM-OS (FD). • Member of the CX/KA Flight Data Analysis Review Committee (FDARC). • Alternate Chairman of the Air Hong Kong Flight Data Analysis Review Committee (FDARC-LD). • Alternate CX Representative and Member of the Proprietary Operational Data (POD) Group. Requirements Skills • Broad operational knowledge and experience in the functions of the organization (e.g. training management, aircraft operations, air traffic management, aerodrome operations, and maintenance organization management) • Sound knowledge of safety management principles and practices • Team-leading • Good written and verbal communication skills • Well-developed interpersonal skills • Computer literacy • Ability to relate to all levels, both inside and outside the organization • Ability to work unsupervised • Good analytical skills Knowledge • Relevant aviation, engineering or technical undergraduate degree • Good understanding of flight and engineering operations • Possession of SMS Qualification is desirable • Good understanding of statistics and data mining technique • Good understanding on Information Technology Experience • Minimum 5 years relevant work experience in airline or related industry. • Minimum 3 years in management role. Key Competencies • Setting Direction • • Leading and Engaging Teams • • Driving Business Performance and Change • • Developing and Recognising Others APPLY HERE Back to Top Position: Group Safety Manager - Operational Safety (Flight Operations) Reports to: Head of Group Safety and Security Department: Group Safety and Operational Risk Management Key Responsibilities • Act as the primary point of reference (GSORM) on matters relating to Operational Safety (Flight Operations [FOP] / Engineering [ENG] / Ground [GRD] - ASD/CSD). • Maintain close liaison with the FOP/ENG/GRD SMS coordinators. • Participate in CX and KA Operational Safety Committees. • Run the HKCAD OPS MOR meeting (CX). • In conjunction with GSM-Risk & OHS, produce risk profiles of common operational events (FOP/ENG/GRD). • Conduct proactive analysis of other operator's incidents and investigation reports (i.e. Industry Watch), including recommendations to ensure that the Group has appropriate defences and systems in place to avoid similar events. • Conduct and facilitate the operational risk assessment (SIRA) as per the engagement level as defined. • Conduct routine review (including assessment review and closure) of safety reports (ASR, GSR) submitted to GSORM. • Track the safety actions arising from investigations / routine safety assessments and ensure they are implemented / closed in a timely and satisfactory manner. • Maintain the GSORM Operational Team / Accident Reaction Kits in a high state of readiness to support any ad-hoc investigation and event follow-up. • In HGSS's absence or delegation, lead the Group's Company Accident Investigation Team (CAIT) in the event of an accident or serious incident, in accordance with the GSORM Accident Investigation procedures. • Manage the investigation of incidents, serious incidents and accidents, and other selected occurrences within the Group. • Represent the Group Airlines as an Accredited Representative, or as part of the accredited representative team, in any accident investigation conducted by a regulatory authority, into an accident or serious incident involving a Group or LD aircraft. • Contribute to the safety promotion program (in conjunction with GSORM Resilience Excellence Team) and provide continuous input to the safety publications. • Facilitate safety-training programs and briefings as required. • Liaise with regulatory agencies as required on matters pertaining to operational safety. • Ensure the services delivered by the section, stipulated in the Operational Services Agreement (OSA) with Cathay Dragon (KA) and Air Hong Kong (LD), are provided. • Standardize / coordinate of operational safety activities within the section. • Update the Operational Safety Team's related sections in the Group Safety Management Policy and Procedures manual. • Coach and develop Assistant Manager Group Operational Safety - FOP. • Undertake safety duties or projects as directed by GMGSORM or HGSS. Requirements Skills • Strong knowledge and experience in flight operations. • Broad operational knowledge and experience in the functions of the organization (e.g. training management and quality assurance). • Strong analytical skills with a solid background in data analysis. • Strong leadership orientation, cross-section team-working, planning and communication skills. • Excellent command of English (both spoken and written). • Good command of Chinese (both spoken and written) is desirable. • Strong computer literacy. • Ability to work unsupervised. Knowledge • Tertiary qualification in safety related field. • SMS, Aviation Accident Investigation and Quality Assurance Qualification. • Sound knowledge of safety & risk management principles and practices. • Experience in safety, auditing and compliance. • Good knowledge in operational environment and standards related to safety is desirable. Experience • Flight crew experience is a must. • Minimum 7-10 years relevant work experience in airline industry or related industry. • Minimum of 5 years in a managerial role in safety. Key Competencies • Setting Direction • • Leading and Engaging Teams • • Driving Business Performance and Change • • Developing and Recognising Others APPLY HERE 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