Flight Safety Information July 23, 2019 - No. 147 In This Issue Leader of American Airlines pilots wants candor from Boeing Incident: Aerotrans Cargo B744 near Malta on Jul 20th 2019, gear door problem Incident: UTAir B735 at Tyumen on Jul 22nd 2019, could not fully retract landing gear Incident: Mount Cook AT72 at Christchurch on Jul 22nd 2019, smoke in cockpit Incident: Qatar A332 at Islamabad on Jul 22nd 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: United A319 near La Grange on Jul 20th 2019, lightning strike Incident: American B738 at Dallas and Austin on Jul 21st 2019, burst tyre on departure GAO: FAA Chose ADS-C for Oceanic Air Traffic for Cost, Safety Reasons So Cool: Air New Zealand Hiring Temporary Flight Attendants UAVIONIX TESTING SKYBEACON FOR SPACE-BASED ADS-B LSA Weight Limit Likely To Include Four-Seat Aircraft Aviation Safety Information Clearinghouse Debuts AIRBUS WORKING ON FIX FOR A321NEO PITCH ISSUE Houston man sentenced to 48 months for shining laser at DPS helicopter A Look at NASA's Contributions to Aviation RESEARCH STUDY REQUEST 2019 - CHC Safety & Quality Summit ISASI - 2019 Upcoming USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Courses Leader of American Airlines pilots wants candor from Boeing The logo for Boeing appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, July 22, 2019. The company is scheduled to release its second quarter earnings Wednesday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - The new president of the American Airlines pilots' union says his group will help assure the public that the Boeing 737 Max is safe when it is cleared to fly again. But Eric Ferguson also says Boeing needs to fully explain how the Max differs from previous versions of the 737 - something Boeing failed to do when it rolled out the new model. "We can't know what we do not know, so we are expecting full disclosure of every modification to the air frame," Ferguson told reporters Monday. Ferguson took over the Allied Pilots Association in June, a few months after a heated meeting between Boeing officials and some American Airlines pilots. The pilots were angry that the manufacturer had not told them about new flight-control software that could push the plane's nose down. The software activated based on faulty sensor data on flights that crashed off Indonesia and in Ethiopia, killing 346 people. Boeing is reworking the software and hopes to get the plane flying again in the fourth quarter, although some analysts think 2020 is more likely. Boeing and some of the airlines that use the Max are in the early stages of designing a public relations campaign to make passengers feel safe boarding a plane that has crashed twice. "When we see Allied Pilots Association pilots operating the airplane, the flying public can be assured that it is safe to operate, we will not compromise in that area," Ferguson said. He added that the pilots "will participate as necessary to assure the public that it is safe." The pilots' union at Southwest Airlines has said it will ask Boeing for compensation to cover legal costs and income that pilots lost due to flights that were canceled after the plane was grounded in March. Ferguson said he believes some of his union's pilots have lost money too. As for suing Boeing or asking for compensation, he said, "We are not there yet, but it's certainly something to consider." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/leader-american-airlines-pilots-wants- 225206822.html Back to Top Incident: Aerotrans Cargo B744 near Malta on Jul 20th 2019, gear door problem An Aerotrans Cargo Boeing 747-400 freighter, registration ER-JAI performing flight F5-4487 (callsign ATG- 4487) from Misrata (Libya) to Ostend (Belgium), was enroute at FL380 about 110nm southsouthwest of Malta (Malta) when the crew decided to divert to Malta reporting a problem with the landing gear doors. The aircraft landed safely on Malta's runway 31 about 50 minutes after departure from Misrata. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 45 hours, then continued to Ostend. The aircraft had operated from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (Turkey) into Misrata with callsign GAK-3011. http://avherald.com/h?article=4caac043&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: UTAir B735 at Tyumen on Jul 22nd 2019, could not fully retract landing gear A UTAir Boeing 737-500, registration VP-BYL performing flight UT-509 from Tyumen to Mineralny Vody (Russia) with 105 passengers, was climbing out of Tyumen's runway 30 when the crew stopped the climb at FL100 due to a gear disagree indication. The aircraft returned to Tyumen for a safe landing on runway 21 about 25 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-500 registration VQ-BAD reached Mineralny Vody well with a delay of 4:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 10 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4caabd30&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Mount Cook AT72 at Christchurch on Jul 22nd 2019, smoke in cockpit A Mount Cook Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A on behalf of Air New Zealand, registration ZK- MCU performing flight NZ-5751 from Christchurch to Dunedin (New Zealand), was climbing through FL130 out of Christchurch when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit and return the aircraft to Chrischurch for a safe landing on Christchurch's runway 02 about 25 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. The airline reported the crew received a smoke indicator warning. http://avherald.com/h?article=4caabbc0&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Qatar A332 at Islamabad on Jul 22nd 2019, engine shut down in flight A Qatar Airways Airbus A330-200, registration A7-ACG performing flight QR-614 from Doha (Qatar) to Islamabad (Pakistan), was on final approach to Islamabad's runway 10R when the right hand engine (CF6) emitted a bang and streaks of flames (unclear whether as result of a bird strike or similiar). The crew initiated a go around from about 1200 feet AGL, climbed to 5000 feet, worked the related checklists and landed on runway 10R about 30 minutes after the go around. The aircraft was unable to depart for the return flight QR-615 and is still on the ground about 18 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4caab9ef&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United A319 near La Grange on Jul 20th 2019, lightning strike A United Airbus A319-100, registration N899UA performing flight UA-1143 from Miami,FL to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was enroute at FL380 near La Grange,GA (USA) when the aircraft received a lightning strike. The aircraft continued to Chicago for a safe landing. The FAA reported the aircraft received unknown damage when it received a lightning strike near La Grange,GA. The aircraft remained on the ground in Chicago for about 28 hours before returning to service. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL1143/history/20190720/2018Z/KMIA/KORD http://avherald.com/h?article=4caab78a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: American B738 at Dallas and Austin on Jul 21st 2019, burst tyre on departure An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N975AN performing flight AA-2636 from Dallas Ft. Worth,TX to Austin,TX (USA), departed Ft. Worth's runway 17R but burst a tyre. The aircraft continued to Austin and landed on runway 17R about 30 minutes after departure. The FAA reported, the aircraft departed Dallas Ft. Worth with a blown tyre and landed in Austin with unknown damage. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL2636/history/20190722/0017Z/KDFW/KAUS http://avherald.com/h?article=4caab679&opt=0 Back to Top GAO: FAA Chose ADS-C for Oceanic Air Traffic for Cost, Safety Reasons Safety and cost reasons led U.S. aviation regulators to choose a somewhat less efficient system for oceanic air traffic control, government watchdogs told Congress, adding that the majority of the airlines the researchers surveyed agreed with that approach. The chairman and the ranking member of the House Committee on Transportation tasked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) with evaluating choices being made regarding improvements in aircraft surveillance technology. They wanted to know if recent advances could be used for safer and more efficient air traffic across the 24 million miles of oceanic airspace for which the U.S. provides air traffic control service. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides that service across four regions-the Anchorage Arctic, Anchorage Oceanic, New York Oceanic, and Oakland Oceanic- spanning parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. The service is based on internationally agreed-to stands and practices developed through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ICAO has updated its guidelines to take advantage of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C), allowing properly equipped planes to fly closer to each other and fly more efficient routes. With ADS-B, properly equipped planes use GPS signals to derive their position and broadcast it and other information like altitude to other aircraft and ground-based air traffic control facilities. This system, plus ground-based radar, give air traffic controllers the ability to "see" in near real time where all the aircraft are. That ground system and radar are not available over the ocean, however, reducing surveillance and requiring that a radio operator relay the plane's information. ADS-C uses a satellite to convey the information. The planes' position and other information are relayed to the satellite, which relays it to a ground station that sends it to air traffic control. This sort of update can happen roughly every three minutes. In the case of ADS-C the air traffic controller can also send a message to the pilots. ADS-B broadcasts can also be relayed by satellite but there is no two-way functionality. Planes equipped with ADS-B or ADS-C would be able to fly closer together than the current ICAO standard of 23 nautical miles lateral and 30 nautical miles longitudinal. ICAO has said aircraft using space-based ADS-B could potentially be eligible to use minimum separation standards of 19 nautical miles lateral and 17 nautical miles longitudinal while aircraft using enhanced ADS-C could potentially be eligible to use a minimum separation standard of 23 nautical miles lateral and 20 nautical miles longitudinal. The FAA did a cost benefit analysis on the upgrades and service costs for ADS-C and space-based ADS-B and found that ADS-C with enhanced surveillance technology was far more cost effective, GAO said. The agency plans to implement this and new separation standards. "Specifically," the GAO wrote, "FAA will begin operational use of the 23 nautical mile lateral separation standard in U.S. oceanic airspace in 2021 and the 20 nautical mile longitudinal separation standard in 2022." For Safety Reasons Safety was also a factor in the choice. FAA officials told GAO that the operational considerations for most of the U.S. oceanic airspace were not reflected in the data used by ICAO to model the safety of these. For example, the ICAO panel responsible for analyzing the safety of the proposed minimum separation standards used data from the North Atlantic on the number of times aircraft deviate without authorization from their expected flight plan due to weather conditions. According to FAA officials, other oceanic regions-especially in U.S. oceanic airspace-experience a higher frequency of these deviations. "As a result," GAO said, "FAA officials do not plan to use the new minimum separation standards enabled by space-based ADS-B (i.e., 19 nautical miles lateral and 17 nautical miles longitudinal) until FAA can further address how to implement these standards in U.S. oceanic airspace." U.S. regulators were also concerned because the Advanced Technologies and Oceanic Procedures (ATOP)-the flight data processing system that controllers use at their workstations-was designed to use the information in ADS-C position reports, like current location and the next waypoint in the flight, to determine potential conflicts in aircraft flight paths. Without this information, ATOP would not receive the data it uses to detect conflicts within the next 2 hours of a flight, according to FAA officials. ADS-B messages do not include this information and therefore, space-based ADS-B would not replace ADS-C in U.S. oceanic airspace, GAO said. The FAA does plan to review and evaluate the use of space-based ADS-B over the next 5 or more years. Eleven of the 14 selected airlines interviewed and surveyed by GAO supported FAA's approach of pursuing enhanced ADS-C and adopting new minimum oceanic separation standards of 23 nautical miles lateral and 20 nautical miles longitudinal in the near term. Twelve of the 14 also supported the continued evaluation of space-based ADS-B in oceanic airspace. "Of those selected airlines that did not support FAA's approach," GAO said, "the reasons included concern that using enhanced surveillance technologies will increase operator costs with no clear benefits and that FAA is prioritizing enhanced ADS-C over space- based ADS-B despite the safety and technological advances the latter would enable." https://insidegnss.com/gao-faa-chose-ads-c-for-oceanic-air-traffic-for-cost-safety- reasons/ Back to Top So Cool: Air New Zealand Hiring Temporary Flight Attendants I've always kind of wanted to be a flight attendant, but just for a hot minute. Not for 46 years, as seems to be the norm in the US. There is something that seems kind of fun about doing the hand motions pointing out where the exits are, having the power to kick people off planes (just kidding), etc.! Well, for anyone in a similar situation, Air New Zealand is doing something pretty awesome. Air New Zealand is hiring temporary flight attendants to join their wide body fleet over the southern summer period. Air New Zealand is expecting a record number of travelers this busy season, so they're hiring some temporary staff. You can apply through July 28, and successful applicants will be offered four to six month temporary contracts. Usually flight attendant training can take 1-2 months, though Air New Zealand notes that temporary applicants will undergo a "condensed and intensive regulatory training course at the Air New Zealand Academy of Learning in Auckland," before taking to the skies in October. Those selected for this contract will be paid a pro rated salary of up to 60,000NZD (~41,000USD) per year. That's a base salary of 40,000NZD, plus away from home travel allowances. Per the job listing, applicants have to be at least 18 years old, and must be a permanent resident or citizen of Australia or New Zealand. They also note that you should be prepared to work over holidays, and that language skills are preferred, especially for those fluent in Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, Korean, and NZ Sign Language. Air New Zealand's General Manager of Cabin Crew, Leeanne Langridge, says she's looking for applicants who are resilient, have high learning agility and a natural passion for people: "Our flight attendants have set the benchmark high. They love putting on the uniform every day and enjoy the challenge of working in a dynamic industry. While being a flight attendant can be incredibly fun, it's a demanding role that will push you to perform at your best. You need to be able to cope well under pressure and enjoy the fact that no two days are the same. Many people tell me that they've thought about being a flight attendant at some stage in their lives, so this is a great chance for those people to give it a go." This is a really cool opportunity for anyone who has wanted to be a flight attendant. There aren't many opportunities to just try your hand at it, and if I lived Down Under I might just apply and try to take the job for science (okay, I don't think anyone in my life - especially Winston - would approve of that, but...). Sometimes when you start at an airline (at least in the US) you're on reserve for years on end, and don't get to bid on many fun trips. Here you're starting off on wide bodies flying long routes, so that's cool. I'm still fascinated by the logistics of this, though. Just how condensed will the training be? It's my understanding that with flight attendant training the safety aspect of it alone usually takes several weeks. So I do wonder just how they'll be condensing the information into such a short period. It seems to me like there's a huge learning curve when it comes to providing efficient inflight service, given the challenging logistics. I'll be curious to see if this experiment is successful, or if it proves to be more trouble than its worth. https://onemileatatime.com/air-new-zealand-temporary-flight-attendants/ Back to Top UAVIONIX TESTING SKYBEACON FOR SPACE-BASED ADS-B WINGTIP SKYBEACON X TO WORK WITH AIREON SATELLITE SYSTEM uAvionix has announced that it is testing skyBeacon X, a wingtip-mounted 1090-MHz Mode S Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out transponder that is designed to meet the update rate required for reception by the Aireon satellite-based global ADS-B air traffic surveillance system. skyBeacon image courtesy of uAvionix. Similar to the original skyBeacon, which operates on the 978-MHz universal access transceiver frequency, skyBeacon X will be an LED position light replacement with an integrated 1090-MHz Mode S extended squitter transponder, GPS position source, barometric altimeter, and LED position and anticollision lights. skyBeacon X is expected to be certified and available in 2021. In January 2019, Nav Canada-Canada's privatized air navigation services provider (ANSP)-revealed that it would implement ADS-B using the Aireon satellite-based system. It also said that antenna diversity-meaning transponder antennas installed on both the belly and the top of the aircraft-would be required in order to achieve what it says is acceptable performance. (Nav Canada is the lead ANSP in, and an owner of, Aireon.) The antenna diversity requirement presents an ADS-B equipage challenge for many Canadian pilots, as well as U.S. pilots who regularly fly across the border, because until recently almost no diversity products were available for lighter aircraft; available products are more expensive than their nondiversity equivalents. And the requirement for an additional antenna increases installation costs. "Clearly there is a technical challenge here that uAvionix is well equipped to solve," said Christian Ramsey, uAvionix president. "We specifically designed skyBeacon and tailBeacon to target a low cost of installation, and we are doing it again with skyBeacon X. We've been approached by Canadian pilots asking if we can help address their needs. uAvionix has all of the right tools and products in our portfolio to give them what they need." Ramsey said that both Aireon and Nav Canada are proactively engaged in skyBeacon X testing. "We are sharing data and conducting analysis to make sure the final product performs as both need it to. Test flights have been conducted in the U.S., with further flights currently being planned for Canada, Europe, and Australia," Ramsey said. "Early testing indicates skyBeacon X's wingtip location provides outstanding reception when received by both ground and satellite-based surveillance systems." "Many of our ANSP customers would like to provide air traffic control services at lower altitudes and to all types of aircraft in controlled airspace, including GA," said Cyriel Kronenburg, Aireon's vice president of aviation services. "We are excited to participate in testing and validation with uAvionix to ensure skyBeacon X meets performance requirements to be used with the Aireon system. We believe these transponders offer an affordable, reliable solution for ADS-B Out equipage that would help many of our international ANSP customers and regulators increase equipage rates for GA aircraft. This will also allow GA to leverage both the safety and operational benefits of a space- based surveillance system." "We certainly see the future of ADS-B devices for GA as being easy to install and conforming to all international specs at a decent price," said Bernard Gervais, president and CEO of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association. "SkyBeacon X aims to check all those boxes, so this is certainly a step in the right direction." Ramsey said skyBeacon X currently is being tested in a form factor very similar to the company's existing skyBeacon product, but with a different antenna configuration. "We are absolutely thinking about it either as an upgrade to as a complementary product to the existing skyBeacon," he added, noting that it's too early for uAvionix to discuss pricing. He also said that while the 1090-MHz Mode S product will not be available in time for U.S. customers to meet the FAA's approaching Jan. 2, 2020, mandate, it is expected to be available and TSO certified before Phase 3 of the Canadian mandate, which would require 1090-MHz ADS-B Out with antenna diversity below 12,500 feet msl, takes effect in 2023. Updates on the development of skyBeacon X will be available online. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/july/22/uavionix-testing- skybeacon-for-space-based-ads-b Back to Top LSA Weight Limit Likely To Include Four-Seat Aircraft AirVenture 2019 may be cheek-by-jowl with spiffy little two-seat LSAs, but four years from now, sport airplanes with four seats might just be a thing, according to Dan Johnson of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association. In this podcast recorded Sunday at Oshkosh, Johnson said the FAA is beyond the talking stage. "They are moving on this, but what they are not saying is what we're going to move the weight to because they're not doing it that way," Johnson said. The agency has adopted a formula called a power index that factors in horsepower, wing loading and total vehicle weight. As long as the aircraft fits within the power index confines, there's no specific limit, Johnson said. "But they can definitely be larger because what they're adding into this now, that no one expected, is up to four seats," he added. A max weight of 3600 pounds had been a talking point, but Johnson says that number is now irrelevant and probably always was. The overarching goal is to keep wing loading and stall speeds low as a safety enhancer. "Obviously, if you have a number that's way up there beyond 3000 pounds, which is way beyond the current number ... that's going to require that that aircraft have a substantial wing and enough horsepower so it can keep the stall speeds way down low and be easy to operate," Johnson said. Also in the works is discussion about whether such airplanes can be flown under the sport pilot rule. While the FAA is chewing on that, it's also considering a rule that would allow gyroplanes-hugely popular in Europe-to be marketed in the U.S. as special light sport aircraft. Timing is uncertain. The FAA has a 2023 deadline for issuing comprehensive rules on unmanned aircraft operation and, increasingly, light sport aircraft are being rolled into that process. Johnson's guess is no new sport aircraft rule will emerge before 2021. Even after an NPRM is issued, the FAA still has 16 months before it's put into place as a final rule. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/lsa-weight-limit-likely-to-include-four-seat- aircraft/ Back to Top Aviation Safety Information Clearinghouse Debuts SkyRegs, a new web-based source of aviation safety regulations and guidance for the aviation community, launched today at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Developed to give context to the countless aviation safety documents and underlying regulations used by those in commercial and general aviation, UAV operations, and aviation education, the online service provides immediate access to more than 10 million pages of the latest regulatory information. It is updated daily. "The aviation community knows how time-consuming it is to keep up with ever- changing regulations, housed in multiple locations," said Kevin McGreevy, senior vice president for business development at the Virginia-based company. "We saw a need in the market that we could fill with our team of pilots, aviation regulatory subject matter experts, and software application developers." For a limited time, SkyRegs is offering members of the aviation community a free 30- day trial of the service. Subscriptions are $99 annually per user, with a discount available for teams of five or more users. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-07-22/aviation- safety-information-clearinghouse-debuts Back to Top AIRBUS WORKING ON FIX FOR A321NEO PITCH ISSUE Airbus expects to have a fix available for a pitch-up problem affecting the A321neo by the end of September and says the issue can only happen in rare circumstances. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an Airworthiness Directive on July 17 warning that an analysis Elevator aileron control unit had revealed that the A321neo could pitch up in certain conditions during specific manoeuvers. It said this condition, if not controlled, could result in reduced control of the aircraft. Airbus had issued a temporary revision to the flight control manual to provide operational limitations on the plane to address the "potentially unsafe condition", it said. The AD was not a result of an in-service issue with A321neo and Airbus said it identified the issue during on-going development tests. According to the European manufacturer, the AD is limited to the A321neo and addresses an issue that occurs only in certain remote conditions in combination with specific commands. This requires a combination of four conditions. These are a very low altitude in approach (below 100ft), an aircraft with a center of gravity that is at the aft of the plane, a specific landing configuration and the need for the crew to perform a dynamic maneuver such as go-around. In a veiled reference to problems with the Boeing 737 MAX, Airbus said there were "clear dissimilarities between this scenario and other scenarios currently being discussed which are affecting aircraft other than Airbus Types". The manufacturer has made available an immediate solution involving an operational dispatch limitation that relates to the flight envelope where the center of gravity is at the aft part of the aircraft. It also noted there was no need to modify existing operational and training procedures. "We have supported the EASA decision to issue an Airworthiness Directive and customers have been informed and we are working with them, implementing the AD," Airbus told AirlineRatings "The final fix will be available in Q3 2020." Airbus said there was also no impact on the payload range of the A321LR. "Operators will be able to fully load their A321LR's with payload and fuel and fully comply with the aft center of gravity restriction,'' it said. https://www.airlineratings.com/news/airbus-working-fix-a321neo-pitch-issue/ Back to Top Houston man sentenced to 48 months for shining laser at DPS helicopter Bryan Aldana was sentenced to prison for aiming a laser pointer at an Airbus AS350. The photo shows the same type of aircraft that was involved in the incident. Photo: Bob Owen, STAFF A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to 48 months in prison for aiming a green laser last year at a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter as it flew over northwest Houston, according to federal officials. Bryan Aldana was caught shining the laser pointer at the Airbus AS350 aircraft as it flew about 1,000 feet above him near Hollister and Pitner Roads during a June 23 patrol. The light illuminated the cockpit and forced the pilot to veer away from it because of the glare, officials said. Houston police officers helped pin down the origin of the laser to a parking lot outside the T&T Food Mart where Aldana was among seven people sitting outside the business, according to court documents. An officer saw the laser pointer in the sedan but Aldana told him that someone else was playing with it and had since left, documents stated. Surveillance footage from the business showed Aldana wielding the pointer. Aldana was out on bond when he was convicted in April. He was returned to custody in June for an unspecified violation of the terms of his release. Aldana will undergo three years of supervised release after he completes his stint in prison. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-man- sentenced-to-48-months-for-shining-14115335.php Back to Top A Look at NASA's Contributions to Aviation The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, commonly known as NASA, celebrated the 50th anniversary of a major achievement last weekend. It marks 50 years since the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon, the first time humans set foot on the moon with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin being the first men on the moon. While many know NASA to be the global leader in just about everything that comes to space, many of the innovations from NASA have also impacted our Earthly lives in many ways. Just about every industry has been touched by some innovation from NASA, whether it be new healthcare technology or high tech coatings someway we are benefiting from the work of the great men and women that lead our space program. The aviation industry is no exception with several NASA innovations being used to help keep the flying public safe every day. Here are just two examples of NASA's contributions Electro-mechanical Deicing This new method of deicing the wings of an aircraft was developed by scientists at NASA's Glenn Research Center and at Cox & Company Inc. This system involves two main parts, electro-thermal systems at the wing's leading edge and electromechanical systems that are built into the airfoil. First, the electro-thermal systems melt the ice and keep it in a liquid state to the point where it will flow downstream and eventually freeze where the aircraft is less sensitive to ice accumulation. Then behind the heated systems are a series of coils that are built into the airfoil. Electrical currents are sent through the coils in a specific sequence to generate a magnetic field that causes the coils to airfoil to flex and shake the ice free. Though this sounds a bit dramatic, the movement of the aircraft skin is only about 0.025 inches and millions of cycles of testing have shown that it doesn't have an issue of metal fatigue and actually has a longer service life than rubber boots, another system used for ice management on aircraft. Since this technology has to be built into the wings of aircraft it hasn't made much headway onto many planes until it's included in aircraft design. However, it is showing promise in smaller general aviation aircraft such as the Raytheon's Premier I business jet. Runway Grooving Scientists at the NASA Langley Research Center developed a grooving system that helped reduce skidding by aircraft during wet weather conditions. Scientists were able to prove that cutting thin grooves across concrete runways created channels for excess water to drain off reducing the risk of aircraft skidding on runways. This is in addition to helping reduce stopping distance of aircraft and reducing sensitivity to crosswinds. Grooves are cut into runways transverse to the direction of travel and while a quite simplistic idea, it is actually quite clever and effective. The grooves can actually create similar friction levels to dry conditions through a higher level of contact between tires and pavement. It's also been shown that worn down aircraft tires actually brake better on a grooved runway than new tires would on a non-grooved runway on wet pavement. These are just two examples of NASA's long-standing contribution to society. The celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo landings should remind us that there is still a lot out there to explore and the advancement of space travel positively impacts us all https://airlinegeeks.com/2019/07/22/nasa-contributions-to-aviation/ Back to Top RESEARCH STUDY REQUEST Participants Needed for Pilot Simulator Experiment Iowa State University is conducting a study to examine pilot performance while using an enhanced flight vision system for approach and landing phases. The study is being led by Dr. Michael Dorneich and is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. We are looking for pilots to participate in the study. As a participant of this study, you'll be asked to use flight simulator to complete tasks, and to answer questions. To participate this study, you must be over 18 years old, have at least 10- hour flight experience. You will be compensated $50 for about 2 hours of your time. The study is being conducted in Ames, IA. If you are interested, please contact Ramanathan Annamalai at P24experiment@iastate.edu . Back to Top CHC Helicopter has announced that participants in the 15th annual CHC Safety & Quality Summit, which will be held October 1-3, 2019 at the Omni Dallas Hotel, will have the opportunity to win complimentary tuition to five courses that fulfill the requirements for the University of Southern California (USC) Aviation Safety and Security Program. The USC program is offered to all sectors of rotary wing aviation and includes offshore oil and gas, corporate, commercial, EMS, government and military operations. The CHC participants will be prime candidates for the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program, especially if their job includes safety and investigative responsibilities. "The USC Aviation Safety and Security program is a great opportunity for one lucky delegate at this year's summit to expand their knowledge and build safety across our industry," said Duncan Trapp, CHC's VP of Safety & Quality. "We greatly appreciate their support and are eager to award this opportunity during this year's Summit and at future events." The USC Aviation Safety and Security certificate contains one aircraft accident investigation course, one safety management course, one human factors course and two electives. Specifics of the program can be seen at https://aviationsafety.usc.edu. The USC Aircraft Accident Investigation lab is moving to a new facility and practical lab sessions utilizing the 12 aircraft wreckages will be employed throughout the curriculum. Of special note is the Helicopter Accident Investigation course, which utilizes a recent A350 accident and exemplars from R22 and UH-1 aircraft. To participate and be considered for the drawing, interested parties must attend the CHC Safety and Quality Summit. Once onsite, participants can submit a name or business card for the drawing. For additional information on the Summit and to register, please visit the website at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com. ABOUT THE CHC SAFETY & QUALITY SUMMIT Each Summit event features a series of presentations led by experts in the fields of aviation, oil & gas and energy, and safety. Invited speakers will lead approximately 100 concurrent sessions over a three-day period, addressing the theme and helping to contribute to the safety conversation in our industries, promoting excellence in safety and human factors and maintaining a robust safety environment. Approximately 500 delegates from nearly 30 countries and a range of industries join the Summit each year, making it one of the largest aviation safety events in the world. ABOUT CHC For more than 70 years, CHC Helicopter has provided safe, reliable, cost-effective helicopter service in some of the most remote and challenging environments around the world. With extensive experience transporting customers in the oil and gas industry, supporting search-and-rescue and EMS contracts, and providing maintenance, repair and overhaul services, our dedication to safety and reputation for quality and innovation help our customers reach beyond what they thought possible. Visit www.chcheli.com for information. ABOUT THE USC AVIATION SAFETY & SECURITY PROGRAM The USC Aviation and Security program was established in 1952 as the first Aviation Safety program at a major research university. It offers 20 courses to nearly 1000 students each year in a personal, hands-on, format. Since its launch, more than 21,000 aviation professionals from 20 nations have completed the training. Instructors are skilled educators with extensive industry experience, and courses are taught in small classes to facilitate classroom interaction. Students gain the knowledge to establish safety programs, investigate aircraft accidents, become expert witnesses, and deal with human factor issues. Upon completion, the University of Southern California's Aviation Safety and Security Certificate is awarded to those who successfully complete the program. It certifies completion of training in the multidisciplinary areas of Aviation Safety Management. Contact Information MEDIA Lindsey Wallace Communications Specialist CHC Helicopter +1 214.262.7426 Lindsey.Wallace@chcheli.com Summit Contact Irina Sakgaev Safety & Quality Applications Specialist CHC Helicopter +1 604.232.7302 summit@chcheli.com Back to Top ISASI 2019 Future Safety: has the past become irrelevant? The Hague Marriott Hotel & World Forum The Hague September 3 - 5, 2019 *** Early Bird registration ending soon *** ISASI 2019 is pleased to announce that the Preliminary Program is now available. The Seminar's agenda includes a wide range of topics including accident case studies, airport and airline operations, human factors and commercial space accident investigations. Presentations will be given by industry experts, accident investigators, manufacturers and academics. To find out more about the program and how to register, please visit the seminar website at - www.ISASI2019.org Questions about registration can be sent to Barb Dunn at avsafe@shaw.ca As a reminder - Early Bird registration ends at midnight on July 28, 2019 MST (GMT-7). In order to receive the seminar rate at the hotel, reservations must be made by July 28. On Monday 2nd September, the day before the start of the ISASI Seminar, there is also a choice of three Tutorials: Monday (Tutorial) program: Tutorial 1 - Hosted by the Dutch Safety Board A. Aviation Safety versus Medical Confidentiality (morning) B. Communications with Victims and Relatives (afternoon) Tutorial 2 - Military accident investigation. Hosted by the Military Air Safety Investigators (MASI) - a subset of ISASI - this tutorial is the forum for International Military Accident Investigators to share knowledge on their respective capabilities, experiences, processes and procedures with a view to the development of future relationships and common practices. ****************** Fellow ISASI members: The dnata Haarlemmermeer Run will be held on Sunday September 1 in the community of Hooffddorp near Amsterdam and Schiphol. Three distances are offered; five and 10 kilometers and half marathon. Entry fee is between 11 and 17 Euros. Race shirts are available as well. This is a timed run. The race starts and ends at the Hoofddorp Pioneers Baseball Stadium. Attendees of ISASI and their companions who want to arrive early in order to participate in the race can contact me at christine.negroni@gmail.com and I will coordinate a group entry. Registration closes on August 19th. Christine Negroni author of The Crash Detectives Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters Published by Penguin Books ================================================ 203 637-8441 landline 203 952-8441 mobile christine.negroni - skype @cnegroni - Twitter christinenegroni - Instagram Back to Top Photo Credit: Glen Grossman, Los Angeles Police Department Air Support Division Upcoming USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Courses Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance Safety principles and practices needed to manage the problems associated with aircraft maintenance operations. August 5-9, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Data for Safety Management Collection and analysis of flight data to contribute to safety management and improve safety performance. August 5-9, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems Applying SMS fundamentals to aviation security and cyber security. August 12-16, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Software Safety Identifying, understanding, and preventing software hazards and their root causes, with lessons on methods to create and document a software safety case. August 12-15, 2019 4 Days Tuition: $2125 Aviation Law & Dispute Resolution Legal processes, trends, and practices affecting aviation safety, accident investigation, and aviation regulation. This is the successor to the previous Legal Aspects of Aviation Safety & Role of the Technical Witness in Litigation courses. August 19-22, 2019 4 Days Tuition: $2125 Safety Management Systems for Ground Operation Safety Practices and methodologies for the identification and mitigation of hazards in all phases of airport ground operations. August 19-21, 2019 2.5 Days Tuition: $1300 Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Planning for the complex, challenging, and stressful investigation, legal, family response, and communcations situations after an accident. August 26-29, 2019 4 Days Tuition: $2125 Human Factors in Aviation Safety Theoretical and practical knowledge of Human Factors in aviation operations. August 26-30, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Earn Credit for FlightSafety Master Technician- Management Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn elective credits towards FlightSafety International's Master Technician-Management Program * Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance * Human Factors in Aviation Safety * Gas Turbine Accident Investigation * Helicopter Accident Investigation * Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance * Safety Management for Ground Operations Safety * Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Earn Points Toward NBAA Certified Aviation Manager Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points toward completing the application for the National Business Aviation Certified Aviation Manager Exam. * Aviation Safety Management Systems * Accident/Incident Response Preparedness * Human Factors in Aviation Safety * Aircraft Accident Investigation * SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems For further details, please visit our website or use the contact information below. Email: aviation@usc.edu Telephone: +1 (310) 342-1345 Curt Lewis