Flight Safety Information SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 - No. 176 In This Issue FAA panel reviewing 737 MAX certification will take additional time Incident: AirAsia India A320 at Goa on Sep 1st 2019, rejected takeoff due to dog Incident: Armenia B735 near Tbilisi on Sep 1st 2019, electrical failure Incident: Canada B789 near Tokyo on Sep 1st 2019, cracked windshield Incident: Smartwings B738 at Kosice on Aug 30th 2019, flaps indication Incident: Lingus A320 near Dublin on Aug 30th 2019, odour on board Incident: Skywest CRJ9 near Minneapolis on Aug 29th 2019, cracked windshield Beechcraft B300 King Air 350 -Fatal Accident (Philippines) Delta pilot charged with attempting to fly while intoxicated Widow sues Moody Aviation for plane crash that killed husband Qantas faces tough New York, London non-stop deadline with pilots China has taken a different route to involvement in African aviation Vietnam Airlines Receives Permission to Operate United States Flights Man Arrested Smuggling Nearly 100 Tarantulas Through Airport Kuwait Airways to spend $2.5bn on new aircraft 'It'll kill you in a second': Why rough seas are one of Navy pilots' worst enemies Robot pilot that can grab the flight controls gets its plane licence American joins United in extending Boeing 737 Max cancellations until December Emirates Aviation University offers a special package for int'l students At the Moon, India's Chandrayaan-2 Spacecraft Poised to Release Lunar Lander POSITION: Supervisory Hazardous Materials Aviation Safety Inspector Job in Multiple Locations TSI - Aviation Safety Risk Management Using BowTie - Course TSI - Instructor Qualification & Excellence Course International Conference on Unruly Airline Passenger Behaviour FAA panel reviewing 737 MAX certification will take additional time WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday a blue- ribbon panel of experts around the world will need a few more weeks to finish its review into the Boeing 737 MAX certification. FILE PHOTO: Unpainted Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are seen parked in an aerial photo at Renton Municipal Airport near the Boeing Renton facility in Renton, Washington, U.S. July 1, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson The team, which is reviewing the approval of the now grounded jet involved in two fatal crashes since October, is taking additional time to finish documenting its work and the FAA said it expects its recommendations in the coming weeks. Boeing Co (BA.N) has said it hopes to receive regulatory approval for updated flight control software at the center of both crashes in October, but it could take a month or two for airlines to train pilots on the new software and prepare the jets for commercial flight after sitting idle for months. The Joint Authorities Technical Review is chaired by former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher Hart, and the FAA said its focus on the certification of the aircraft "is separate from the ongoing efforts to safely return the aircraft to flight." In September the NTSB plans to outline airplane design certification procedures, the head of the agency, Robert Sumwalt, told Congress in July. Sumwalt said in March that the agency was "examining the U.S. design certification process to ensure any deficiencies are captured and addressed" after two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes. United Airlines said on Friday it was extending the cancellation of Boeing 737 MAX flights by another month until Dec. 19. Since the twin disasters, a host of government agencies and outside experts have been investigating how the FAA certifies new aircraft and its longstanding practice of delegating certification tasks to airplane manufacturers - including federal prosecutors, the Department of Transportation's inspector general, Congress and several blue-ribbon panels. Deputy FAA Administrator Dan Elwell told Congress in March the agency would have to spend $1.8 billion and hire 10,000 new employees to handle all aircraft certification internally. Michael Perrone, who heads the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, said at a House hearing in July that external entities designated by the FAA "are now performing more than 90 percent of FAA's certification activities despite serious concerns that oversight is lacking." He added this "creates a concerning dynamic whereby designees who are paid by the aircraft manufacturers, airlines, or repair stations are simultaneously overseeing for the FAA." https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-airplane-faa/faa-panel-reviewing-737- max-certification-will-take-additional-time-idUSKCN1VK2B4 Back to Top Incident: AirAsia India A320 at Goa on Sep 1st 2019, rejected takeoff due to dog An AirAsia India Airbus A320-200, registration VT-IXC performing flight I5-778 from Goa to Delhi (India), was accelerating for takeoff from Goa's runway 26 when tower instructed the aircraft to reject takeoff due to a stray dog on the runway. The crew rejected takeoff at low speed and returned to the apron. After checks the aircraft departed about 50 minutes later and reached Delhi with a delay of about 30 minutes. Stray dogs are plaguing Goa Airport, see also Incident: India A20N at Goa on Aug 13th 2019, dogged landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cc48889&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Armenia B735 near Tbilisi on Sep 1st 2019, electrical failure An Armenia Aviakompania Boeing 737-500, registration EK73736 performing flight RM-928 from Yerevan (Armenia) to Moscow Vnukovo (Russia) with 118 people on board, was enroute at FL340 about 40nm north of Tbilisi (Georgia) when the crew reported an electrical failure and decided to divert to Tbilisi. The aircraft landed safely in Tbilisi about 25 minutes later. Armenia's Civil Aviation Authority reported an electrical malfunction on board prompted the aircraft to divert to Tbilisi. A replacement aircraft took the passengers to Vnukovo. A replacement Boeing 737-500 registration EK73797 reached Moscow with a delay of about 3.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cc4879a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canada B789 near Tokyo on Sep 1st 2019, cracked windshield An Air Canada Boeing 787-9, registration C-FRSO performing flight AC-26 from Shanghai Pudong (China) to Vancouver,BC (Canada) with 299 people on board, was enroute at FL350 about 200nm westnorthwest of Tokyo Narita (Japan) when the crew decided to divert to Tokyo due to the captain's windshield having cracked. The aircraft landed safely at Tokyo Narita about one hour later. The cracked windshield: http://avherald.com/h?article=4cc482c2&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Smartwings B738 at Kosice on Aug 30th 2019, flaps indication A Smartwings Boeing 737-800, registration OM-HEX performing flight QS-1691 from Antalya (Turkey) to Kosice (Slovakia), was on approach to Kosice's runway 19 when the crew initiated a go around due to a flaps asymmetry indication. The aircraft entered a hold while the crew worked the related checklists, the aircraft subsequently positioned for another approach to runway 01 and landed safely (speed over ground 161 knots) about 28 minutes after the go around. The airline confirmed a flaps asymmetry indication, the crew therefore landed at a different flaps setting. The indication turned out to have been false. The aircraft continued service about 3 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cc3cf15&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Lingus A320 near Dublin on Aug 30th 2019, odour on board An Aer Lingus Airbus A320-200, registration EI-DVK performing flight EI-776 from Dublin (Ireland) to Lanzarote,CI (Spain), was enroute at FL360 about 170nm south of Dublin when the crew decided to return to Dublin advising ATC flight attendants had reported some odour in the passenger cabin. The crew subsequently advised they suspected the odour originated from the air conditioning system, no services were needed in Dublin. The aircraft burned off fuel and landed safely back in Dublin about 75 minutes after departure. The airline reported the aircraft returned due to a technical issue. A replacement A320-200 registration EI-DES reached Lanzarote with a delay of 6 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cc32e12&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Skywest CRJ9 near Minneapolis on Aug 29th 2019, cracked windshield A Skywest Canadair CRJ-900 on behalf of Delta Airlines, registration N813SK performing flight DL-3527 from Green Bay,WI to Minneapolis,MN (USA), suffered a cracked windshield during the flight and requested priority for the approach and landing. The aircraft landed safely in Minneapolis. The FAA reported the aircraft sustained unknown damage when the aircraft experienced a cracked windshield and had to receive priority handling to land. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/DAL3527/history/20190829/1141Z/KGRB/KMSP http://avherald.com/h?article=4cc30e73&opt=0 Back to Top Beechcraft B300 King Air 350 -Fatal Accident (Philippines) Date: Sunday 1 September 2019 Time: 15:10 Type: Beechcraft B300 King Air 350 Operator: Unknown Registration: RP-C2296 C/n / msn: FL-196 First flight: 1998 Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 Total: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Pansol, Calamba, Laguna ( Philippines) Phase: En route (ENR) Nature: Ambulance Departure airport: Dipolog Airport (DPL/RPMG), Philippines Destination airport: Manila-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL/RPLL), Philippines Narrative: A Beechcraft B300 King Air 350 crashed into a swimming pool of a resort when performing a medical evacuation flight. Video footage of the accident plane shows it descending at a significant bank angle while trailing smoke. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20190901-0 Back to Top Delta pilot charged with attempting to fly while intoxicated Report: Delta pilot arrested, removed from fully boarded plane on suspicion of drinking Delta pilot arrested and removed from fully boarded plane in Minneapolis after TSA smells booze on his breath A Delta Air Lines pilot has been formally charged with attempting to operate an aircraft under the influence of alcohol last month. On Friday, Gabriel Schroeder was hit with two charges in relation to the incident - one count of attempting to operate an aircraft under the influence of alcohol, and another count of attempting to fly with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04 percent of more, KARE 11 reports. On July 30, the 37-year-old man was arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on suspicion of being intoxicated ahead of a flight he was piloting to San Diego. Delta Air Lines pilot Gabriel Schroeder, shown, has been charged with attempting to operate an aircraft under the influence of alcohol. Shortly before takeoff, police removed Schroeder from the fully-boarded plane after Transportation Security Administration agents reportedly found an empty bottle of alcohol and smelled alcohol on his breath. In the weeks since, a toxicology report has revealed that the Rosemont, Minn. man had a blood alcohol level between 0.04 percent and 0.08 percent upon his arrest. Minnesota has a 0.04 percent legal limit for pilots and the FAA prohibits pilots from flying within eight hours of drinking, The Star Tribune reports. Furthermore, Schroeder has since admitted to law enforcement officials that he'd had one beer and three vodka drinks the night before the flight to California. https://www.foxnews.com/travel/delta-pilot-charged-fly-alcohol Back to Top Widow sues Moody Aviation for plane crash that killed husband SPOKANE, Wash. - Just one year after her husband died in a plane crash, a local widow is suing the aviation school that she says is responsible. Hermann Law Group filed suit in Spokane Superior Court on Friday, on behalf of Yuki Lee and her infant daughter. Documents reveal Joochan Lee was taking his first flight lesson at Moody Aviation College when the plane plummeted to the earth, killing him and the two other occupants inside. The complaint alleges it was Moody Aviation's negligence that caused the plane to crash near Deer Park on July 13, 2018. The plane, a 19-year-old Cessna 17R Skylark, was used for pilot training by the school. According to Hermann Law Group, Diego Senn was the pilot in command on the day of the crash. A Moody Certified Flight Instructor, Senn had received his CFI license just six months prior. Records show a fellow student, Andrew Trouten, was also on board observing at the time. All three men died. "Unfortunately, this tragic air crash is another example of how cutting costs often results in loss of aviation safety," said Lee's attorney, Charles Herrmann of Herrmann Law Group. "Ms. Lee was pregnant at the time of the crash, carrying their first child whom Joochan never saw." According to a report by the NTSB, the plane was on its way to the Clayton Practice area west of Deer Park when it disappeared from the radar around 10:21 a.m. Witnesses said they watched from the ground as the plane fell into a steep dive, during which the wings blew off. "All three people onboard, trapped in a wingless fuselage and unable to maneuver, plummeted to their deaths upon impact with the terrain below," the complaint stated. The amount of compensation was not specified. https://www.kxly.com/news/widow-sues-moody-aviation-for-plane-crash-that-killed- husband/1115249290 Back to Top Qantas faces tough New York, London non-stop deadline with pilots Qantas pilots say the airline is "very ambitious" in expecting to negotiate a new pay deal with them by the end of the year. The airline aims to launch non-stop flights from east-coast Australia to London and New York and chief executive Alan Joyce last month said getting pilots to agree to "productivity improvements" was crucial to make the ultra-long haul routes from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane viable. Qantas says it needs to make a definitive decision on the new routes by the end of this year. Qantas will decide by the end of December whether or not to go ahead with its so-called "Project Sunrise", which will be the world's longest commercial flights at almost 20 hours. However negotiations with pilots are at an early stage, with formal enterprise bargain agreement talks commencing last month and Qantas yet to present an offer to its pilot group. That means negotiations will have to be completed in less than four months from start to finish. In contrast, a long-haul EBA signed in 2015 took six months to agree on, and negotiations for a new short-haul EBA has been underway for 18 months and is ongoing. The Australian and International Pilots Association's president Mark Sedgwick said Qantas' self-imposed deadline would not influence their members' bargaining position. "Sunrise is a decision for Qantas management to make," he said. "The timeline at this point is very ambitious." Qantas has said it must make a definitive decision on Sunrise by the end of the year so its fleet management team can start deciding what aeroplanes should replace its aging domestic fleet of 737s. Mr Sedgwick would not comment on the specific details of the negotiations. He said pilots would view the "productivity" push in the context of concessions pilots made in 2015, which were tied to the introduction of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and delivered a 30 per cent productivity improvement through rostering flexibility and wages. Non-stop Qantas flights to New York and London to be trialled Mr Joyce said Qantas could complete the work required to make a decision on Sunrise by the end of the year, but also warned the project was not "too big to fail" and would only go ahead if it stacked up financially. "It's like herding everything in the right direction," he said. "There's really good progress been made.... [but] this has to hit the hurdles that we've been setting for it." Mr Joyce declined to say what it wanted from pilots and would offer in exchange. In the past the airline has generally highlighted that new aircraft and new routes creates opportunities for promotions and pay rises for pilots by opening up new positions on the flight deck. Qantas has received final financial offers from Airbus for its A350-1000 and from Boeing for its 777-8X, with concession from Boeing due to delays bringing that new aircraft to market. The airline originally wanted to launch the services in late 2022 or early 2023 but that will be pushed back if it chooses Boeing's jet. Meanwhile the airline needs to convince Australia's airline regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, that its pilots can fly the near 20-hour missions safely. It has also developed a "high level" design concept for the jets interiors which it will send out to seat manufacturers for tender. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-faces-tough-new-york-london- non-stop-deadline-with-pilots-20190901-p52ms5.html Back to Top China has taken a different route to involvement in African aviation Ethiopia's national carrier is a key link between China and Africa. China has been a latecomer to African aviation. Even though Ethiopian Airlines started flying to China in November 1973, there were few other air links between Africa and China for 30 years. The involvement of former colonial powers such as the British, Dutch and French goes back to the 1920s; former Soviet bloc countries began to show interest during the height of the Cold War. And in the last 20 years, Persian Gulf petro-states and their airlines - Emirates, Qatar and Etihad - have become major offshore hubs for a huge range of commercial flights serving Africa. In my recently published paper I track how China's involvement has been different. Official data about the scale and pace of China's airport projects in Africa are hard to find. In the absence of primary sources, journalistic reporting on current affairs and public projects is the main source of information. These sources can be at variance. And keeping up with developments is evidently difficult. Despite the absence of accurate, clear and consistent information, the picture that emerged during my research shows considerable Chinese activity directed at modernising, extending and building new airports in Africa. The grandest projects are in resource-rich countries. China's approach None of China's biggest three airlines (Air China, China Southern, China Eastern) are prominent in African skies. It is on the ground that China has been flexing its aviation muscles in Africa. This is consistent with China's 50-or-so years of infrastructure funding and construction on the continent. Energy, water, road and rail infrastructure projects have been the major spheres of Chinese offshore investment in Africa. Civil airports there have been a recent addition. China's experience of planning, funding, constructing and managing airports at home stands it in good stead. Two 2017 reports noted between US$27 billion and US$38 billion currently being spent on or earmarked for spending on 77 construction and associated hardware projects at airports in Africa. China was named in relation to Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Zambia. The average price for all projects was US$440 million. At a rough estimate, China accounted for between a quarter and a third of this total airport spending. Excluding unknown expenditure in Ghana, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, it spent some US$5.7 billion on these airport projects: US$3.8 billion on a new airport outside Luanda (Angola), US$615 million in Maputo, US$360 million in Zambia, US$345 million at Addis Ababa, US$260 million in Mauritius, US$190 million in Sierra Leone, and US$136 million in Mauritania. Funds from China's Exim Bank or other agencies are expected to help build a new US$3 billion airport outside Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and a new US$1.4 billion airport outside Khartoum in Sudan. The Chinese investment model involves loans and grants, but also, it would seem, part- exchange deals over oil and minerals. These arrangements have more of a resources- for-infrastructure or barter quality. At the same time Turkish, French, Italian and British contractors have been bidding for airport improvement projects in Africa, and for terminal or runway new-build schemes. These, it would appear, are at a lesser scale, and have greater transparency. What's next China's approach may change in the future. That's if it can neutralise the pivot of Persian Gulf airports at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. And if it can out-manoeuvre their airlines in global long-haul markets. It may be more likely that China's penetration of African civil aviation will occur via partnerships with African airlines, and taking equity shares. Some of this has already happened. For example, the Hainan corporation in China has reportedly made forays into airlines in Ghana and South Africa, and into a Kenyan all- freight carrier. Sales to Africa of Chinese-manufactured aircraft have also started. Attendant spare parts stocks are being pre-positioned. In addition, there are plans for Chinese-led aviation technical and managerial training schools in Africa. These will reduce risk of wasted physical infrastructure and of any associated reputational damage. Some African countries are gearing airport capacity planning to a predicted 5% annual growth in continental passenger numbers by 2035. By that time Africa is expected to be home to eight of the world's 10 fastest-growing aviation markets. Most African countries don't have the capacity to prepare for this and will need overseas funds and engineering expertise. But there are concerns. Any arguments against rampant airport investment in Africa could begin with familiar worries about cost overruns in mega-infrastructure projects, the long-term burden of loan repayments (or default loss of control to foreign owners), the unaffordability of unanticipated maintenance charges, and the inappropriateness of prestige and political vanity projects. Concerns about corruption, due diligence, accountability, social and environmental disruption plague transport projects wherever they occur. Another argument against airport mania in Africa - including one that may be levelled against the seductively shiny steel-and-glass 'aerotropolises' touted in Nigeria and South Africa - is that these opportunist projects are firmly nation- or city-led (indeed, even regime-led). As such, they don't necessarily fit into any long-term regional or pan- African programme of integrated infrastructure development. At a time of chronic resource shortages and stress this is irresponsible. What can be accomplished technically is not always what should be done. There have always been white elephants and rogue elephants in Africa. The economic and political geography of China's airport consulting, financing, construction, and management programme in Africa is only now beginning to surface. In future, better statistical information, and richer local information will make for better analysis. http://theconversation.com/china-has-taken-a-different-route-to-involvement-in- african-aviation-122522 Back to Top Vietnam Airlines Receives Permission to Operate United States Flights Vietnam Airlines (VN/HVN) has received permission from the United States Department of Transportation to begin flights between its hubs in Vietnam and the United States. The airline has also received fifth freedom rights for routes on which it will include a stopover between the two countries. The airline has received permission for a variety of routes from its two largest hubs, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. In the United States, the airline has permission to fly to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York and Dallas/Fort Worth. It also has permissions for onward travel to Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto in Canada. Vietnam Airlines is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, meaning that it will likely utilize the connecting network of partner Delta Air Lines (DL/DAL), which operates hubs at three of Vietnam Airlines' potential destinations - Los Angeles, New York and Seattle. Should the airline launch flights to Canada, it will likely be able to utilize the network of WestJet (WS/WSJ), Canada's second-largest airline. Vietnam Airlines has been given permission for operations to 25 destinations under codeshare agreements. The destinations can be arranged by the airline and its partners. Due to the distance required to operate direct flights between Vietnam and the United States, Vietnam airlines will likely utilize a stopping point en-route to its destinations. The airline has been approved for fifth freedom flights between Vietnam, Taipei and the United States. This means that the airline is able to transport passengers directly between Taipei and the United States. The airline has also been approve to use Osaka and Nagoya, Japan as stopping points en-route to its United States destinations, however, it is not allowed to carry traffic between these Japanese destinations and the USA. Vietnam Airlines will likely select the Boeing 787 for its United States flights, due to its efficiency and small size. However, the airline could also use the larger Airbus A350, mainly due to its efficiency on long-haul flights. Demand on the airline's US-bound flights will likely be low at first, due to competition from established Asia-US carriers, as well as limited brand recognition in the United States. However, the airline could make the routes successful as it grows - the Los Angeles to Ho Chi Minh City route is one of the highest-demand unserved routes currently available due to a high Vietnamese population in the western United States. http://aeronauticsonline.com/vietnam-airlines-receives-permission-to-operate-united- states-flights/ Back to Top Man Arrested Smuggling Nearly 100 Tarantulas Through Airport A Polish man was recently arrested after trying to smuggle nearly 100 tarantulas through a South American airport. The spiders-38 adults, about 50 adolescents, and dozens of egg-filled cocoons-were packed "in plastic bottles" hidden among his luggage, the AFP reported. Officials from Cayenne - Félix Eboué Airport caught the man attempting to carry the hairy insects through the capital of French Guiana, an overseas department of France bordering Brazil and Suriname. Self-described as "passionate about insects," the unnamed Pole was arrested on Aug. 25 while preparing to board a flight to Paris. According to French wildlife protection agency ONCFS, the transport of live scorpions and tarantulas is not forbidden wholesale, but "regulated." Certain species-including some tarantulas-enjoy special protected status, AFP pointed out. French Guiana boasts a high level of biodiversity, thanks to its old-growth forests, protected by the Guiana Amazonian Park and six additional nature reserves. It's not actually that uncommon to find animals in airport luggage. Earlier this year, more than 1,500 live turtles and tortoises-worth roughly $100,000- were discovered inside four pieces of abandoned luggage at the Manila airport. A few weeks later, police arrested a Russian tourist attempting to smuggle a drugged orangutan out of Indonesia in his suitcase-to bring home as a pet. And just last month, an airline passenger left their pet snake at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint in Newark Liberty International Airport. The 15-incher was spotted slithering around on the floor of Terminal C by a child. https://www.geek.com/culture/man-arrested-smuggling-nearly-100-tarantulas- through-airport-1802484/ Back to Top Kuwait Airways to spend $2.5bn on new aircraft The airline hopes to carry five million passengers this year Kuwait Airways plans to spend about $2.5bn on 28 new aircraft due to be delivered by 2026, Kuwait Airways chairman Yousef A. M. J. Alsaqer said. The planes will be financed with bank debt, the airline's own capital and through the sale and re-leasing of the carrier's planes, Alsaqer said, declining to disclose how much it will borrow. "So far we don't have an agreement with a particular bank or a certain funding body, but everything is planned," Alsaqer said, adding that Kuwait Airways has already paid installments for the purchase of the aircraft. He was speaking to reporters on Saturday evening at an event at Kuwait International Airport to mark the arrival of the first new Airbus A320neo jet owned by the company. The plane is the first of 28 the airline will receive by 2026, including 15 of the A320neo jets at $60m each, eight A330-800 aircraft at $100m each and five A350-900 planes, each priced between $130m and $150m, Alsaqer said. Alsaqer added that the company hopes to carry five million passengers this year, up from 4.1 million passengers in 2017. https://gulfbusiness.com/kuwait-airways-spend-2-5bn-new-aircraft/ Back to Top 'It'll kill you in a second': Why rough seas are one of Navy pilots' worst enemies The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Atlantic Ocean during a composite training unit exercise, November 24, 2013. US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brian Stephens * Taking off and landing aboard a Navy aircraft carrier is risky business. * When the seas are rough, the difficultly level increases enough to make even experienced pilots nervous. What's the most dangerous part of the mission for a Navy pilot? Flying over enemy forces? Dodging hostile jets? Well, when the enemy isn't ready for the full might of the US Navy and what the sea state is, the most dangerous part of the mission might be landing on the ship when it's time to go home. That's because the sea can move the ship's deck 30 feet. PBS: Carrier - Landing on a Pitching Deck Pt. 1 PBS had a documentary team out on the USS Nimitz when it hit rough seas in the Pacific and got to watch pilots, many of whom had experience flying missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, get nervous when they were sent out for some peaceful training. But it was still some of the riskiest flying that many of the young pilots had done, because the waters were so rough that the ship's deck - the thing the pilots had to land their planes on - was heaving up and down and rising as high as 30 feet. Just dealing with that altitude is a big deal, but it also means that the angle of the deck their landing on or taking off from is changing as well. Time it wrong, and a takeoff could throw you straight into the water. "This is absolutely more dangerous than it was flying missions in the Gulf," an unnamed pilot told the film crew. "We got lucky in the Gulf; the seas are calm. But out here, pitching decks, this is scarier. Still gotta get back and land on the boat." "It'll kill you in a second," said a Navy commander. But it's still worth it to the Navy to do risky training like this, because it needs the pilots able to fly and fight in the worst seas they can possibly handle, because that reduces the types of weather that can weaken the Navy against an enemy like China. https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-pilot-aircraft-carrier-flight-deck-landings-in- rough-seas-2019-9 Back to Top Robot pilot that can grab the flight controls gets its plane licence Rear view of the installed ROBOpilot system during preflight for first flight. ROBOpilot takes the controls A robot pilot is learning to fly. It has passed its pilot's test and flown its first plane, but it has also had its first mishap too. Unlike a traditional autopilot, the ROBOpilot Unmanned Aircraft Conversion System literally takes the controls, pressing on foot pedals and handling the yoke using robotic arms. It reads the dials and meters with a computer vision system. How to build and fly a jet suit: Sam Rogers at New Scientist Live in London this October The robot can take off, follow a flight plan and land without human intervention. ROBOpilot is a drop-in system meaning that the pilot's seat is removed and replaced with the robot. ROBOpilot has passed the Federal Aviation Administration's Practical Test for piloting light aircraft and carried out its first flight on August 9 in Utah. A few weeks later it also had its first incident where the robot was damaged, although the extent of the damage is not known. A 1968 Cessna 206 with ROBOpilot installed preparing for engine start A plane with ROBOpilot installed preparing for take off The system was developed by US-based DZYNE Technologies as an easy way to make any aircraft autonomous. At present, turning an aircraft into a drone can be lengthy and expensive. A recent conversion of US military F-16 fighter jets into drones cost more than a million dollars each. ROBOpilot can be inserted into any aircraft and just as easily removed afterwards to return it to human-controlled operation. Previous robot pilots have included Pibot developed in South Korea and ALIAS by the US Department of Defense. However, neither of these have flown a full-size plane on its own like ROBOpilot. "It looks like an impressive achievement in terms of robotics," says Louise Dennis at the University of Liverpool. "Unlike an autopilot which has direct access to the controls and sensors, the robot is in the place of a human pilot and has to physically work the controls and reads the dials." The makers suggest that ROBOpilot will be useful for tasks including transporting cargo, "entry into hazardous environments", and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Dennis says there are challenges ahead in assuring safety before robot pilots can carry human passengers. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2214731-robot-pilot-that-can-grab-the-flight- controls-gets-its-plane-licence/#ixzz5yMQf4Fkf Back to Top American joins United in extending Boeing 737 Max cancellations until December * American doesn't plan to fly its Boeing 737 Max planes until Dec. 3 and expects 140 flight cancellations a day in the month before. * The move follows a similar schedule change by United. * The Boeing 737 Max planes have been grounded since mid-March after two fatal crashes that killed 346 people. American Airlines Boeing 737 Max planes sit parked outside of a maintenance hangar at Tulsa International Airport (TUL) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S., on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images American Airlines is pulling the Boeing 737 Max from its schedules until early December, a month later than it previously expected, as the grounding of the troubled planes following two fatal crashes continues, sparking flight cancellations over Thanksgiving. The planes have been grounded since mid-March when regulators ordered airlines to stop flying passengers with them after two fatal crashes within five months of one another. American expects to cancel about 140 flights a day in November through Dec. 3, higher than the 115 it expects in the two months leading up to Nov. 3, the date it previously expected the planes to return to its schedules. Cancellations due to the Max grounding, now in its sixth month, have been rising because airlines had expected to have additional planes delivered. American had 24 of the 737 Max jets in its fleet at the time of the grounding in March and was supposed to have 40 by the end of this year. Boeing suspended deliveries of new Max planes after the second crash but is still producing them, albeit at a slower rate. The manufacturer expects the planes to return to service in the fourth quarter but has warned it could suspend production altogether if there are more delays. The manufacturer has developed a software fix for the jets after crash investigators implicated a flight control system in both air disasters, but it hasn't yet been officially submitted and approved by regulators. Regulators haven't said when they expect to clear the planes to fly again. Even after they sign off, airline executives have said it will take more than a month for them to make Boeing's software changes and to train their pilots. American's decision to extend cancellations because of the Max, announced Sunday, follows a similar step by United Airlines, which on Friday said it would take the planes out of its schedule until Dec. 19. The latest changes mean the two airlines don't expect to have the planes flying for the busy Thanksgiving holiday but that they would return in time for the Christmas travel period. Airlines that bought the jets have repeatedly pushed back the date when they expect to fly the planes again and have canceled flights months in advance, an effort to avoid travel disruptions for travelers and crews closer to the date of their flights. That has meant thousands of cancelled of flights during the busy summer travel season through most of the fall. The absence of the Max has driven up these airlines' costs and dented profits. Southwest Airlines, the largest 737 Max customer in the U.S., removed the planes from its schedules until early January, and has said it would shrink this year, instead of expanding capacity as planned because it doesn't have access to its Max planes. American noted that some flights it intended to operate with a 737 Max may not be canceled because it will swap out that plane for other aircraft. That also means some flights originally scheduled with other aircraft may be cancelled as the carrier reassigns those planes for high-demand routes. The fallout from the Max grounding comes as the carrier is dealing with other operational challenges. American has been feuding with its mechanics union, a dispute the airline says has caused hundreds of cancellations and long delays. Last month, Kerry Philipovitch, American's senior vice president of customer experience, told reporters at an industry conference that the airline's customer service team has been calling travelers who experienced multiple travel disruptions on American to apologize and in some cases offer frequent flyer miles as compensation. American said Sunday that it plans to contact travelers whose flights are canceled because of the new schedule changes and that those customers can rebook or request a full refund. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/01/american-extends-boeing-737-max-cancellations- through-thanksgiving-until-december.html Back to Top Emirates Aviation University offers a special package for int'l students (MENAFN - Bangladesh Monitor) Dubai: Emirates Aviation University has introduced an 'international student study package', offering financial benefits and support to international students. The package includes 20% savings on costs for university accommodation, 15% discount on programme fees, and a complimentary Economy class return ticket per year on Emirates. The package will also offer the students free services for three persons from marhaba, the world's leading passenger services providers, free hotel accommodation for two adults for three days as well as a waiver for all visa administration charges. Emirates Aviation University is the academic wing of the Emirates Group and offers more than 35 programmes in various fields of study. The university programmes are offered in collaboration with Coventry University in the UK and accredited by different national and international institutions, including last year's accreditation from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as a Maintenance Training Organisation. EAU recently announced a new six-month internship programme with the Emirates Group for students who demonstrate extraordinary academic performance. Students who enrol from Fall 2019 onwards will be eligible for the internship programme in their final year of education. https://menafn.com/1098951360/Emirates-Aviation-University-offers-a-special- package-for-intl-students Back to Top At the Moon, India's Chandrayaan-2 Spacecraft Poised to Release Lunar Lander The probe reached its final orbit around the moon. An artist's illustration of India's Chandrayaan-2 orbiter (bottom) and the Vikram lander, which carries the Pragyan rover, in orbit around the moon. India's Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft at the moon successfully completed its fifth and final lunar orbit maneuver today (Sept. 1), setting the stage for the release of the country's first lunar lander. The Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft performed a 52-second maneuver at 8:51 a.m. EDT (1821 IST/1251 GMT), refining its orbit to a path that ranges from 74 to 79 miles (119- 127 kilometers) above the lunar surface. "All spacecraft parameters are normal," the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said in an update. The next operation is the separation of the Vikram lander from the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter. That event is scheduled for Monday (Sept. 2) sometime between 3:15-4:15 a.m. EDT (0715-0815 GMT). It will be 12:45 p.m. India Standard Time when the separation occurs. Following separation, Vikram will perform two deorbit maneuvers to prepare for its landing in the south polar region of the moon. According to the ISRO, the tentative plan for future operations after today's maneuver Chandrayaan-2 is as follows. Vikram Separation: Monday, Sept. 2 3:15-4:45 a.m. EDT (0715-0815 GMT), 12:45 - 13:45 IST Deorbit 1: Monday, Sept. 2 11:30 p.m. EDT (0330 Sept. 3 GMT), 09:00 - 10:00 Tuesday, Sept. 3 IST. Orbit target: 109 x 120 kilometers Deorbit 2: Tuesday, Sept. 3 5:30 p.m. EDT (2130 GMT), 03:00 - 04:00, Wednesday, Sept. 4 IST. Orbit target: 36 x 110 kilometers Powered Descent: Friday, Sept. 6 (Sept. 7 IST) Vikram Touchdown: Friday, Sept. 6 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT), 01:30 - 02:30 Saturday, Sept. 6 IST The Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-2 is named after Vikram A. Sarabhai, often called the father of the Indian space program. It is designed to function for one lunar day, which is equivalent to about 14 Earth days. India's Chandrayaan-2 mission launched to the moon on July 22 and is the second lunar mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation after its successful Chandrayaan-2 flight. It consists of an orbiter, the Vikram lander and the small Pragyan lunar rover, which is packed aboard Vikram and will be deployed once the lander touches down on the moon. https://www.space.com/india-chandrayaan-2-reaches-final-moon-orbit.html Back to Top Supervisory Hazardous Materials Aviation Safety Inspector Job in Multiple Locations - Department of Transportation The United States government is a massive employer, and is always looking for qualified candidates to fill a wide variety of open employment positions in locations across the country. Below you'll find a Qualification Summary for an active, open job listing from the Department of Transportation. The opening is for a Supervisory Hazardous Materials Aviation Safety Inspector in Multiple Locations Feel free to browse this and any other job listings and reach out to us with any questions! Supervisory Hazardous Materials Aviation Safety Inspector - Multiple Locations Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation Job ID: 139788 Start Date: 08/22/2019 End Date: 09/03/2019 Qualification Summary To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-I, FG/GS-13 in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of specialized experience may include, but are not limited to: Experience overseeing or conducting safety inspections; analyzing risk based safety data; and networking and building relationships with stakeholders across multiple layers of an organization, agency, or industry.Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. If you'd like to submit a resume or apply for this position, please contact Premier Veterans at abjobs@premierveterans.com. All are free to apply! https://lemonwire.com/2019/09/01/supervisory-hazardous-materials-aviation-safety- inspector-job-in-multiple-locations-department-of-transportation/ DISPAX World 2019 18 - 19 September 2019, The Riverside Venue, London, UK The 3rd International Conference on Unruly Airline Passenger Behaviour With only a few weeks to go, DISPAX World 2019 is fast approaching! We are delighted to be able to offer all subscribers to Curt Lewis a 20% discount on the delegate rate. To redeem this offer use the promotional code: CURT20 when registering on the conference website: www.unrulypax.com/registration/ Disruptive passenger incidents are a daily occurrence on board commercial flights around the world. Seemingly trivial issues can quickly escalate into explosive situations that endanger the safety of passengers and crew. The much anticipated 3rd edition of DISPAX World returns to London to explore the broad range of causes of such behaviour, the responses available and the legal implications for carriers and states. Looked at from diverse perspectives, including those of aircrew, passengers, regulatory authorities, industry associations, and law enforcement, DISPAX World 2019 will provide a comprehensive and authoritative programme over two days in one of the busiest airline hubs in the world: London. Speakers will include industry leaders, aircrew, airport operators, academics and law enforcement agencies. DISPAX World 2019 is a must-attend conference for: Flight attendant instructors Unions & staff associations Pilots Law enforcement agencies Airline Security Personnel Airport operators Government transportation regulators Security companies Aviation health professionals & psychologists Consumer bodies Academics & researchers International law firms For more information and to view the programme, please visit: www.unrulypax.com or contact the Event Manager, Lucy Rawlings, at lrawlings@avsec.com and don't forget to follow us on Twitter: @DispaxWorld Curt Lewis