Flight Safety Information SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 - No. 186 In This Issue Boeing board to call for safety changes after 737 Max crashes UAE aviation authority not optimistic Boeing 737 MAX will return this year Incident: PSA CRJ7 at Washington on Sep 10th 2019, flaps fail Incident: PIA B772 at Lahore on Sep 15th 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: Yakutia B737 at Khabarovsk on Sep 12th 2019, cracked windshield Incident: Vueling A20N at Barcelona on Sep 13th 2019, smoke in cabin Incident: Austrian A320 at Vienna on Sep 13th 2019, unusual odour in cabin Accident: Mesa E175 near Colorado Springs on Sep 11th 2019, turbulence causes injuries Alcohol detected in JAL pilot's system before takeoff Crashed pilot couldn't fly without autopilot, report finds U.S. government fines Japan Airlines $300,000 for long flight delays A recent criminal filing shows the golden age of air travel is definitely over Cabin Safety Training Is Not Just for Crews Center Of Gravity Concerns Lead To Lufthansa Pulling Last Economy Row On A320neo VIRGIN AUSTRALIA OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING APPRENTICESHIPS College of Aeronautics celebrates new partnership with Delta Airlines Southwest Launches Career Program with Four Universities to Train Pilots and Partners Air India is Putting Cabin Crew and Pilots On a Diet With Low Fat Meals, Effective Immediately Female Pilots From the Philippines Could Help Asia's Travel Boom The Air Force wants to develop heated boots to help downed pilots survive in extreme cold Beijing ups pressure on domestic airlines to buy China-made jets Space insurance rates increasing as insurers review their place in the market Position Available: Technical and Training Manager Aviation Cybersecurity Survey Boeing board to call for safety changes after 737 Max crashes Though the committee did not investigate the two crashes of Boeing's 737 Max jet, their findings represent the company's most direct effort yet to reform its internal processes after the accidents, which killed 346 people. By New York Times | Boeing 737 Max airplanes parked at the Renton Municipal Airport near Boeing's factory in Renton, Washington. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times) For the past five months, a small committee of Boeing's board has been interviewing company employees, safety experts and executives at other industrial organizations in an attempt to understand how the aerospace giant could design and build safer airplanes. The committee is expected to deliver its findings to the full Boeing board this week and call for several meaningful changes to the way the company is structured, according to three people briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the report has not yet been submitted. The recommendations will include that Boeing change aspects of its organizational structure, calling for the creation of new groups focused on safety and encouraging the company to consider making changes to the cockpits of future airplanes to accommodate a new generation of pilots, some of whom may have less training. Though the committee did not investigate the two crashes of Boeing's 737 Max jet, their findings represent the company's most direct effort yet to reform its internal processes after the accidents, which killed 346 people. One of the report's most significant findings concerns the reporting structure for engineers at the company. At Boeing, top engineers report primarily to the business leaders for each airplane model, and secondarily to the company's chief engineer. Under this model, engineers who identify problems that might slow a jet's development could face resistance from executives whose jobs revolve around meeting production deadlines. The committee recommends flipping the reporting lines, so that top engineers report primarily to Boeing's chief engineer, and secondarily to business unit leaders. Another key recommendation calls for establishing a new safety group that will work across the company. The committee examined the process by which Boeing employees conduct certification work on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration, known as Organization Designation Authorization, as well as an internal company framework known as the Boeing Safety Management System. Boeing has more than 100,000 employees and, like many large companies, at times struggles with information flow. In particular, there has been inadequate communication within the engineering department, and from Boeing's commercial airplanes division, based in the Seattle area, to Boeing corporate offices in Chicago. The new safety group will work to ensure that the company's various efforts have adequate independence and are working together and sharing information effectively. The new group will report to senior Boeing leadership, as well as to a new permanent committee on the board focused on aerospace safety. A third major recommendation involves how Boeing approaches the design of future airplanes. Though the Max crashes were triggered by the malfunction of a new system on the planes, there is a simmering debate concerning whether the pilots responded appropriately, and whether the Lion Air plane that crashed off Indonesia last October should have been flying at all because of maintenance problems. Training levels can vary by country. The first officer of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which crashed in March, was relatively inexperienced, with just over 200 hours flying 737s. The board committee is expected to recommend that Boeing reexamine cockpit design and operation to ensure that new Boeing planes are accessible for the next generation of pilots, including those with less training. Boeing's chief executive, Dennis A. Muilenburg, established the committee in April, calling on it to review "companywide policies and processes for the design and development of the airplanes we build." The group included four Boeing directors familiar with complex industrial systems, as well as highly regulated industries. Adm. Edmund Giambastiani Jr., a former nuclear submarine officer and the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the committee chairman. The other members were Lynn Good, the chief executive of Duke Energy and a board member of the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations; Edward Liddy, the former chief executive of the insurance company Allstate; and Robert Bradway, the chief executive of Amgen, a pharmaceuticals company. To conduct its review, the committee interviewed dozens of Boeing employees about their work. The committee also hired independent safety experts who had experience with industrial accidents including the Deepwater Horizon explosion, the Columbia space shuttle disaster and the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. Among the experts was Sean O'Keefe, the former NASA administrator. Additionally, the committee consulted with officials from NASA, General Electric, Duke Energy and military leaders who had experience dealing with accidents and their aftermaths. The Max remains grounded six months after the second crash, though the FAA may allow the planes to fly again by the end of the year, according to several people familiar with the process. Some international regulators are likely to take longer, however, signaling a rift in the global aviation community. This month, Patrick Ky, the head of the European Aviation Safety Agency, suggested that when the FAA deemed the Max safe to fly again, his agency was unlikely to do so at the same time. "The FAA is in a very difficult situation," Ky said during an appearance at European Parliament. "When they say this is good to go, it's very likely that international authorities will want a second opinion." Even as the FAA is working with Boeing to return the Max to service, the regulator itself is facing scrutiny. A multiagency task force reviewing the certification of the Max is also expected to submit its report this month, and is likely to recommend changes to the way the FAA oversees airplane manufacturers like Boeing, according to people briefed on the effort who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the review is incomplete. The group, known as the Joint Authorities Technical Review, is led by Chris Hart, the former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, and includes representatives from NASA, the FAA and international regulators. The report is expected to include about a dozen recommendations, with a focus on improving transparency in the certification process. Frustration with Boeing is mounting on Capitol Hill. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said in an interview that he invited Boeing to testify at a House hearing, but the company declined. "Next time, it won't just be an invitation, if necessary," DeFazio said. Congressional investigators are combing through tens of thousands of internal Boeing documents, looking for potential flaws in the Max's development and certification. "We've got massive amounts of documents from Boeing," DeFazio said. "But they have otherwise been not particularly cooperative." The FAA and international regulators are similarly frustrated with Boeing, a sentiment that became apparent at a meeting last month. In August, Boeing met with officials from the FAA and other global aviation agencies to brief them on its efforts to complete fixes on the Max. Regulators asked detailed questions about adjustments to the Max's flight control computers, which the Boeing representatives there were not prepared to answer. Instead, the company representatives began to display a PowerPoint presentation on their efforts, according to people briefed on the meeting who spoke on the condition of anonymity because it was not public. At that point, the regulators ended the meeting. Weeks later, Boeing has still not answered all their questions. https://indianexpress.com/article/world/boeing-board-to-call-for-safety-changes-after-737-max-crashes-5998598/ Back to Top UAE aviation authority not optimistic Boeing 737 MAX will return this year DUBAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The head of the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority said on Sunday he was not optimistic the Boeing 737 MAX would return to operations in the fourth quarter of this year and it was more likely to be in the first quarter of 2020. Director General Saif Mohammed al-Suwaidi told reporters in Dubai that the UAE would conduct its own separate re-certification of the aircraft, rather than follow the Federal Aviation Authority. He added that he expects to complete the process of certifying Abu Dhabi airport's new Midfield terminal by the end of the year. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uae-aviation-authority-not-optimistic-064255848.html Back to Top Incident: PSA CRJ7 at Washington on Sep 10th 2019, flaps fail A PSA Airlines Canadair CRJ-700 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N706PS performing flight AA-5056 from Washington National,DC to Providence,RI (USA), was climbing out of National Airport's runway 19 when the crew requested to level off at 5000 feet reporting a flaps fail message. The crew entered a hold while working the checklists, then declared emergency reporting the flaps had locked in their position. The crew requested to continued in the hold to burn off fuel and subsequently divert to Washington's Dulles Airport, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 19R at a higher than normal speed. A passenger reported flight attendants advised they were needing to make an emergency landing at Dulles Airport, the passengers would need to adopt the brace position for landing and explained the procedures in case of evacuation. After holding for about 45 minutes flight attendants instructed the passengers to put window shades up and put the seats into their upright position, then nothing was heard anymore. The aircraft landed, a number of fire engines attended to the aircraft. The passenger commented: "It was truly bizarre, and a pretty terrifying experience for those on the flight, and the airline never told us why we went through it." https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JIA5056/history/20190910/1910Z/KDCA/KPVD http://avherald.com/h?article=4ccdc6b0&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: PIA B772 at Lahore on Sep 15th 2019, engine shut down in flight A PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777-200, registration AP-BGK performing flight PK-759 from Lahore (Pakistan) to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), was climbing out of Lahore's runway 36R when the crew received a fire warning for the left hand engine (GE90), stopped the climb at about 4500 feet, worked the related checklists shutting the engine down and discharging the fire suppression, and returned to Lahore for a safe landing on runway 36R about 18 minutes after departure. The airline reported there had been no engine fire, the engine's fire loop malfunctioned. A replacement Boeing 777-300 registration AP-BMS reached Jeddah with a delay of 3 hours. Maintenance opened the cowls of both engines of the occurrence aircraft while investigating the causes of the return. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ccdbc4e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Yakutia B737 at Khabarovsk on Sep 12th 2019, cracked windshield A Yakutia Boeing 737-700, registration VQ-BGH performing flight R3-512 from Anadyr to Khabarovsk (Russia), was on approach to Khabarovsk when the captain's windshield cracked. The aircraft continued for a safe landing in Khabarovsk. The airline reported the outer pane of the captain's windshield cracked. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ccd3d60&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Vueling A20N at Barcelona on Sep 13th 2019, smoke in cabin A Vueling Airbus A320-200N, registration EC-NCU performing flight VY-2118 from Malaga,SP to Barcelona,SP (Spain), was on approach to Barcelona when the crew reported smoke in the cabin. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Barcelona's runway 25L. The aircraft taxied to the gate, but then initiated an emergency evacuation via slides. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Barcelona about 22 hours after landing. The airline confirmed the crew requested priority on approach due to smoke in the cabin, the passengers were subsequently evacuated via slides. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ccd3c25&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Austrian A320 at Vienna on Sep 13th 2019, unusual odour in cabin An Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration OE-LBP performing flight OS-569 from Vienna (Austria) to Zurich (Switzerland) with 126 passengers and 6 crew, was in the initial climb out of Vienna's runway 29 when the crew stopped the climb at about 4500 feet and decided to return to Vienna reporting an unusual odour in the aft cabin. The aircraft landed safely on Vienna's runway 34 about 15 minutes after departure. The airline reported the takeoff was performed with air conditioning systems switched off. Shortly after becoming airborne an unusual odour, not related to smoke or engine oils, was noticed in the aft cabin prompting the flight crew to return to Vienna where the aircraft landed normally. The passengers disembarked normally and were rebooked onto the next flight OS-565, which was operated by a bigger aircraft than scheduled (editorial note: A320 registration OE-LBS). Maintenance is currently examining the aircraft for the source of the odour. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ccc89c7&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Accident: Mesa E175 near Colorado Springs on Sep 11th 2019, turbulence causes injuries A Mesa Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of United, registration N86350 performing flight UA-6171 from Salt Lake City,UT to Houston Intercontinental,TX (USA), was enroute at FL350 about 140nm west of Colorado Springs,CO (USA) when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing injuries to two flight attendants and a passenger. The crew decided to divert to Colorado Springs, where the aircraft landed safely about 35 minutes later. One of the flight attendants was taken to a hospital, the other flight attendant and passenger received medical assistance at the airport. The occurrence aircraft was able to continue the flight after about 4 hours on the ground and reached Houston with a delay of 4 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL6171/history/20190911/1310Z/KSLC/KIAH http://avherald.com/h?article=4ccc8830&opt=0 Back to Top Alcohol detected in JAL pilot's system before takeoff A high level of alcohol was detected in the system of a Japan Airlines pilot after he took a mandatory pre-flight breathalyzer test. According to JAL, the male captain, 58, was scheduled to fly from Narita airport to Nagoya on Thursday night, Fuji TV reported. However, a pre-flight test showed his blood alcohol level to be above the limit set by the airline for flight crew. The flight was delayed after the captain was taken off the plane and replaced at the last minute. JAL said the captain was drinking at a restaurant where he reportedly consumed five "lemon sours" (lemon-flavored cocktails) and half a bottle of red wine. The airline said it will dismiss the captain. In a statement, JAL said: "Given the fact that alcohol-related incidents continue to occur, we intend to take a strict attitude toward such behavior." https://japantoday.com/category/national/alcohol-detected-in-jal-pilot%E2%80%99s-system-before-takeoff Back to Top Crashed pilot couldn't fly without autopilot, report finds A 78-year-old pilot who crashed into a Marietta home was unable to fly his plane without the aid of autopilot. That's the finding of a recently released report by the National Transportation Safety Board into the fiery 2017 crash that took the life of pilot Robert George Westlake of Atlanta. Westlake was flying from Cincinnati, Ohio, and heading toward Fulton County's Charlie Brown Airport, returning from a business trip, the report says. He was not far away when an air traffic controller with the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center advised him of a change to his original flight plan, according to the report. That was at about 6:50 p.m. on March 4. Westlake complied, but minutes later, he reported having difficulties with the plane's GPS and steering. "I have no idea what's going on here," Westlake said at about 7:03 p.m. At about 7:20, Westlake told the controller that he was "just barely able" to keep the airplane straight and its wings level and that he was unsure he would be able to make a right turn into the airport. He told the controller he thought he was on the heading the controller provided, but he couldn't see the airport. The controller asked Westlake if he wanted to declare an emergency. "I'm not sure, and I think I ought to declare an emergency just in case," he said, before asking the controller to have the control tower "turn up" the runway's landing lights. At 7:23, Westlake said "what runway am I running into ... is the runway going sideways?" The controller told him which runway he was heading for, and Westlake said, "Well, I've got my landing gear down, but I don't know." A minute later, Westlake could be heard saying, "It's going down, it's going down," followed by the sound of the autopilot disconnecting. The plane's warning system could be heard saying "pull up, pull up," then the recording ended at 7:24. The home struck by the plane was gutted by jet fuel-fed fire. The home's owners, Deacon Norm Keller and Barbara Keller, were at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marietta for a Stations of the Cross service. Norm Keller had not been scheduled to preside over the service, but the two decided to go to church anyway, and later said would most likely not have survived if they had been home. "The oxygen that was there that supported the fire, we wouldn't have been able to breathe," Norm Keller said. "I believe we would have asphyxiated before we burned. ... We were blessed." Keller told the MDJ he had not yet read the report, but he thinks Westlake chose to go down where he would have the smallest chance of creating collateral damage. "I still believe that the pilot did his darndest to avoid the maximum damage," he said. "He put the plane where it did minimum damage, although he did lose his life, and we're very sad about that." The Kellers' home was a total loss, but no other injuries were reported from the crash. The couple now lives in Kennesaw. The Cessna 500 Westlake was flying was originally certified to be operated with a pilot and copilot. The FAA can issue a single-pilot exemption to a pilot who completes an annual course, but the NTSB found no evidence Westlake had qualified. A friend of Westlake, a flight instructor and an airplane mechanic who had flown with him several times, told the NTSB he repeatedly told Westlake he needed a co-pilot, but Westlake said he preferred to fly solo. The friend said that the pilot was "very confused" with GPS on the plane as well as "very dependent on the autopilot," activating it immediately after takeoff and then deactivating it on final approach to land. The friend also said Westlake did not properly use a flight control system pilots call "trim," which caused the airplane to "fight" the autopilot. The friend said he once flew to Savannah to fix the plane's autopilot, only to arrive to discover that Westlake had not trimmed the plane properly and there was nothing wrong with the autopilot. "This information suggests that pilot historically had difficulty flying the airplane without the aid of the autopilot," the report concludes. "When coupled with his performance flying the airplane during the accident flight without the aid of the autopilot, it further suggests that the pilot was consistently unable to manually fly the airplane. Additionally, given the pilot's previous experience with the GPS installed on the airplane, it is likely that during the accident flight the pilot became confused about how to operate the GPS and ultimately was unable to properly control of the airplane without the autopilot engaged. Based on witness information, it is likely that during the final moments of the flight the pilot lost control of the airplane and it entered an aerodynamic stall. The pilot was then unable to regain control of the airplane as it spun 4,000 feet to the ground." https://www.mdjonline.com/news/crashed-pilot-couldn-t-fly-without-autopilot-report-finds/article_422522d6-d700-11e9-aeb7-2fff043bf04d.html Back to Top U.S. government fines Japan Airlines $300,000 for long flight delays WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. government is fining Japan Airlines $300,000 for delays that trapped passengers on two grounded planes for hours. Under an agreement with the Transportation Department, the airline gets credit for $60,000 spent compensating passengers, and $120,000 will be waived if the airline avoids similar incidents for one year. The department says that after bad weather forced a Jan. 4 flight from Tokyo to New York to land in Chicago, airline staff needed to help passengers off the plane didn't show up for more than four hours. On May 15, a Tokyo-New York flight diverted to Dulles Airport near Washington, where passengers were stuck on board for five hours because of refueling and crew members reaching the end of their shift. The airline blamed the delays on weather-related airport congestion. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/09/15/japan-airlines-fined-300-000-dollars-us-government-long-flight-delays/2335061001/ Back to Top A recent criminal filing shows the golden age of air travel is definitely over If you spot Wei Sing Goh on your next flight, you might want to hide the liquor. On Aug. 13, Goh boarded a Japan Airlines flight headed to San Diego, California from Tokyo's Narita airport, according to a criminal complaint filed last month in federal court. There were 182 passengers on board, and 11 crew. Roughly an hour into the flight, the document explains, Goh drank his first mini bottle of wine. He followed that one with six more, both red and white. About four hours later-which would put the aircraft somewhere over the Pacific Ocean-Goh "became agitated and unruly," getting out of his seat in coach and heading to the business class cabin, says the complaint. Members of the flight crew tried to convince Goh to sit down, but he didn't listen, insisting there was someone with a gun onboard who was after him and that he needed a parachute to jump out of the plane and escape. While crew members tried to block Goh from accessing the aircraft door, he began to shout curses and racial slurs at people. Goh stepped up his antics with "inappropriate sexualized comments to a female flight crew member," and "inappropriately touched" another. His behavior became so aggressive that flight attendants moved the passengers near Goh to other seats, the complaint explains. "[O]n one occasion he got so close to a flight crew member that he touched her nose," it says. Several verbal warnings later, the pilot emerged from the cockpit with a final written one. Per JAL policy, Goh was given a copy of the written warning, which was also read aloud to him. If he failed to comply with the instructions of the flight crew, they would be forced to contact authorities. It didn't work, but the crew continued their valiant attempt to maintain order. "In an effort to get him to remain calm, flight crew members served Goh water and orange juice and provided him a menu from which he could order food," the complaint goes on. Goh threw the juice at a man sitting behind him. When the man glanced down at his shirt to see what it was, Goh "struck [him] in the head with a crumpled cup." Seven hours had now gone by. With another three hours to go, Goh once again left his seat and headed for business class. But the chief cabin attendant, who is identified in the complaint only by the initials "A.O.", had apparently had enough. A.O. "followed Japan Airlines Policy and enlisted the help of three passengers to restrain Goh," attempting using flex cuffs. However, Goh wriggled free and struck a crew member. It took five people to finally get the cuffs on Goh, after which the team strapped him down with seat belt extenders. A section of the Japan Airlines criminal complaint. The captain contacted the JAL operations center to discuss diverting to San Francisco. But standard landing procedure requires two pilots at the controls. Since two of the three were tied up with Goh, they continued on. At least one crew member was assigned to stand watch over Goh for the remainder of the 10.5-hour flight, which disrupted the meal service and "reduced the flight crew's ability to perform safety checks and other essential tasks in preparation for landing." The flight finally touched down in San Diego, and FBI agents took Goh into custody. Goh told the agents he had been drinking heavily, and said he recalled thinking that someone was out to get him. "Goh stated he had no other recollection of the events described above," the complaint concludes. "He apologized for his actions." "Air rage" incidents have gone up in recent years, with one disruptive episode for every 1,053 flights, according to figures from the International Air Transport Association. That's up from one incident for every 1,424 flights a year earlier. Alcohol plays a large role in many of these events, but airlines may be reluctant to forego the extra revenue it generates. And stopping the sale of liquor in cabins obviously can't stop passengers tweaked out on meth from coming aboard. "Any time you get a whole bunch of humanity packed in together there's opportunity for a conflict," one flight attendant told the Washington Post. Goh, a Malaysian national who was attending San Diego's Mesa College, had his student visa revoked upon his arrest. He was charged with violating 49 U.S.C. § 46504-Interference with Flight Crew Members and Attendants-and is due back in court Oct. 15. If convicted, Goh faces a $35,000 fine and up to 20 years in prison. https://qz.com/1709209/japan-airlines-criminal-complaint-reveals-air-rage-incident/ Back to Top Cabin Safety Training Is Not Just for Crews FlightSafety's water training The Executive Emergency Training course at FlightSafety International's Teterboro location features water evacuation instruction in the facility's pool. Here, helicopter rescue hoist equipment and lift techniques are being demonstrated on the author. (Photo Judylyn LaGuardia) While corporate and Part 135 flight crewmembers are typically required to take cabin emergency training on a periodic schedule-usually every two years for pilots and every year for flight attendants-for the past several years FlightSafety International has been offering a similar program to corporate executives and their assistants, as well as aircraft owners and their families. AIN was recently invited to participate in one of the classes. The three-hour session was held at the company's Teterboro, New Jersey training center, one of only five in its network (along with Savannah, Dallas, Long Beach, and Paris) to offer cabin safety training as part of its curriculum. According to Ronald Clements, the Teterboro center's cabin safety program manager, the executive version of the course is given at his facility four or five times a year, with similar numbers at the other locations. It begins in an upstairs classroom with a brief introduction, followed by an assessment of the various classifications of fires that might be encountered on board an aircraft and how to combat them. Typically, the course instructor will have made a visit to the company's or individual's flight department ahead of the scheduled course date, or at the very least spoken with its director of maintenance, to take an inventory of what specific emergency equipment their aircraft is stocked with. Armed with that information, examples of those particular items will be gathered from FlightSafety's collection and will be on hand in the classroom to provide hands-on familiarity. With the prevalence of personal electronic devices, dealing with rechargeable batteries in thermal runaway now merits its own close scrutiny, and Clements detailed how an immediate, aggressive response to this emergency is required, first by knocking down the flames, usually with a Halon fire extinguisher, and then cooling the device with liquid. If the aircraft is equipped with a fire containment bag or box, a similar example will be present in the classroom as the proper procedures for its use are explained. Other equipment demonstrated included smoke hoods as approximately 40 percent of business jets are currently equipped with them and portable oxygen bottles for passengers. PUTTING LEARNING TO THE TEST The next stop was downstairs to the cabin simulator. Made from the fuselage of a former Gulfstream GII, with video screens outside each window giving the illusion of flight (or a crash landing depending on the program selected), it is used for a variety of purposes, including teaching cabin service with real catering for flight attendants. But in this case its mission was emergency evacuation. It is equipped with overwing exits corresponding to those on Bombardier, Dassault and Gulfstream aircraft, and Clements demonstrated how the windows are removed in preparation for an emergency escape. On occasion, the course is taught at the customer's home base, scheduled to coincide with inspections of the actual aircraft's emergency exits, providing participants with the opportunity to remove the real window panels. The simulator is equipped with functioning drop-down oxygen masks for decompression training, and each seat has an inactive inflatable life vest in its compartment underneath. During several scenarios, accompanied by appropriate imagery on the video screens, Clement played the role of crewmember, demonstrating the proper brace position for an emergency landing, and then had me wait for the signal to unbuckle, move to the window exits, scan for obstructions, remove the window, and exit. Also demonstrated was how to operate the main cabin door and airstairs. The training is particularly helpful for Part 91 passengers, where, depending on their personal or company preference, the pre-takeoff safety briefing is not required before every flight. Clements explained the differences between a planned emergency landing and an unplanned crash, giving examples of the types of cabin preparation that can be done with advance warning, such as a ditching at sea. Valuable emergency supplies such as uneaten catering and water bottles can be gathered, along with emergency equipment such as flashlights, blankets, and the airplane's medical kit. Given enough time, passengers are even told to change their clothing to garments made from natural fibers (if not wearing such already) as added protection in case of fire. He then demonstrated the preparation of an inflatable life raft, showing where it is stored, how it is unpacked, and how it is fastened to the aircraft by a tether before being pushed out of the overwing exit and inflated. In addition to providing familiarity with this equipment, the training also helps turn the course participants into "force multipliers," allowing them to become a resource for the flight crew in case of emergency. "Another takeaway is encouraging a conversation between crew and passengers unique to that model aircraft," said Clements, "unique to the captain's preference for what their role can be in emergencies." Before joining FlightSafety, Clements served as a flight crew member in the military, and he noted similarities in the unique dynamics that can occur in an aircraft environment during an emergency. While the flight crew may be considered employees and subordinates of the company CEO or high-net-worth individual they are transporting, the passengers, much like the high-ranking officers Clements was responsible for during his service days, must understand that they need to obey the instructions of the flight crew in an emergency. We then ventured forward to the simulator's cockpit. He demonstrated how, in the case a pilot becomes incapacitated, passengers can assist by allowing the remaining pilot to concentrate on flying the airplane, while they help by securing the ill pilot's harness and applying the easy-don oxygen mask. Using an oxygen tank equipped with such a mask, Clements demonstrated what breathing supplemental oxygen is like at altitude during a decompression event, and explained that flight crew members may not be able to speak to issue instructions under those circumstances. Clements presented those scenarios to introduce the customers to the concept of crew resource management, which he describes as "adults playing well together under duress in expensive confined space with limited time and resources." Last, for some in-cabin fire fighting practice, I was handed a simulated fire extinguisher. When activated, it emitted a laser-pointer-like beam, which interacted with a device that was hidden somewhere in the cabin. On cue from Clements, smoke began issuing from a floor-level storage cabinet at the back of the fuselage, along with flickering orange and red lights. I grabbed the extinguisher, pulled the pin as shown, and headed back fight to the mock blaze. Once the laser beam made contact with the sensor at the base of the device for the prescribed amount of time, it "extinguished" itself. In the parking lot behind the building, I got a taste of the real thing, using a water-filled extinguisher to fight a propane-fueled fire, while keeping the mantra of PASS (pull, aim, squeeze, and sweep) in mind. This part of the training falls under the heading of what Clements described as life skills; abilities that could be of use outside of the aircraft as well. PREPARING FOR A WATER LANDING The Teterboro facility is one of only two in the company's system with its own swimming pool (the other locations that provide cabin safety training will contract with outside pools), and that was our next destination for water landing and rescue drills. I was given a jumpsuit and directed into the well-equipped locker room to change. On one side of the pool area was a display of the various survival items to be found in a life raft, again augmented by the inventory of the customer's actual aircraft. Clements demonstrated the use of emergency equipment such as signaling mirrors, water desalinators, and one of the newer additions to the survival equipment roster, laser flares, which are less dangerous and longer-lasting than the former pyrotechnic variety. FlightSafety uses Winslow life rafts, and according to Clements, the company has an upwards of 80 percent market share in the corporate aviation market. For the first task, he placed an inflated 12-person raft upside down in the water and explained how to right it. I braced my feet on one of the loops hanging off the side of the raft and grabbed a similar loop on the underside of the raft and leaned back, using my body as a counterweight to flip the raft. We then moved to the "ditcher." Meant to resemble an aircraft fuselage, it is actually a large fiberglass storage tank, suspended at both ends above the pool on a lift similar to those found in an auto repair shop. Exits and windows are cut into the sides, and several boat chairs are bolted to the floor. It looked rather benign as I entered it, donned an inflatable life vest and took a seat, but as the simulation started, things became real when water began flowing up through the floor and swirled around my legs as the simulator settled into the water. When Clements gave the evacuation order, I stepped out onto the wing platform, and as previously advised, inflated my life vest by pulling down on the handle. The pool area had changed. The bright overhead lights were now dark and sprays of water from sprinklers added to the illusion of a ditching at sea. I jumped off the platform, and unaccustomed to the sensation of wearing a tight, highly-inflated life vest, awkwardly followed the umbilical strap to the tethered life raft. I will admit I encountered some unexpected difficulties hoisting myself up from the water and over the two-foot-high side of the raft, even with the rope ladder. Some due to the encumbrance of the vest, some due to my groping to find a proper handhold amidst the spray, and some to being tangled in the umbilical strap (which would remain tethered to the aircraft until subject to 500 pounds of pressure, or manually cut), but I eventually flopped over into the raft like a landed fish. Clements soon joined me and described the safety features of the raft, and where survival equipment would be stored. For the last part of the training, a hoist suspended over the pool is used to simulate helicopter rescues. I swam away from the raft and entered a metal lift basket attached to the cable, after being shown the proper position. I was then lifted out of the water and lowered back down. That process was repeated two more times, each time demonstrating different lifting equipment that might be encountered on the end of the rescue helicopter's hook, such as a sling or a lifting chair. After changing back into street clothes, I finished the program with a brief recap. One of Clements's biggest surprises in his six years of instructing is seeing the differences in how people learn. He recalled how one CEO seemed utterly disinterested in the classroom lesson, to the point that he ordered the instructor to click swiftly through the slide portion, yet he became a highly enthusiastic participant in the hands-on portions, such as the cabin simulator. While some executives attend the course with no intention of getting wet, Clements said they usually have a change of heart when they see the ditcher, and the company keeps spare bathing suits on hand for just such occasions. Watch AIN video of cabin safety training for how to survive an emergency and how flight attendants prepare for emergencies. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-09-13/cabin-safety-training-not-just-crews Back to Top Center Of Gravity Concerns Lead To Lufthansa Pulling Last Economy Row On A320neo German flag carrier Lufthansa has stopped selling the last row of seats in its Airbus A320neos due to concerns over the aircraft's center-of-gravity limitations. A320neo-Lufthansa Lufthansa has stopped passengers from sitting in the last row. Photo: Airbus This move comes after Lufthansa pilots were reportedly given an internal memo that suggested blocking off the last row of seats. This is seen as a makeshift measure following an airworthiness directive from EASA, according to Air Transport World. EASA finds center of gravity issues on the A320neo Following concerns regarding the center of gravity issues with the A321neo, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has uncovered a similar problem with the A320neo. After a series of tests, the A320neo is susceptible to angle-of-attack protection weakness. Under certain conditions and maneuvers, the aircraft's aileron, elevator, and the elevator and aileron computer (ELAC) software compensator showed a defect. For the problem to occur two things must first happen: The A320neo must be set up for landing with a center of gravity near its limit at the rear of the aircraft. It then takes a sudden maneuver like an aborted landing to cause the nose of the aircraft to rear up more than it normally would in a go-around situation. Lufthansa A320neo The issue would only occur in a go-around situation. Photo: TJDarmstadt via Flickr Normally under these conditions, ELAC would automatically correct the angle of attack to compensate, but it does not. Meanwhile, the pilot of the A320neo can correct the angle of rotation and reduce the pitch angle without any problems. At no time on the A320neo does the computer override the actions of the pilot flying the plane. This is in direct contrast to the Boeing 737 MAX and its MCAS anti-stall prevention system that inhibits a pilot's intervention during an excessive pitch-up situation. Airbus has updated the A320neo flight manual This new finding comes on the back of a similar excessive pitch anomaly that occurs under the same circumstances with the A321neo. The Airworthiness Directive (AD), issued by the EASA and published by HMGaerospace reads: "Reduced efficiency of the A320neo AOA protection under certain flight conditions, and in combination with specific command maneuvers from the flight crew, could lead to excessive pitch attitudes, possibly increasing cockpit workload conditions. "This potentially unsafe condition, although never encountered during operations, was discovered during analysis and laboratory testing of the A320neo flight control laws." Airbus has contacted airlines flying the A320neo and has updated the aircraft's flight manual with revisions to the center-of-gravity. The manufacturer has also provided new load recommendations. According to Aviation Week, senior executives at Lufthansa say the center of gravity issue only relates to A320neos and A321neos that have been fitted out with Space Flex cabins. Designed to accommodate passengers with reduced mobility aboard single-aisle Airbus aircraft the Space-Flex is a new galley and toilet set-up that takes advantage of previously unused space. The new configuration can also accommodate six more seats or provide additional space for passenger comfort. With enough room for airlines to customize their galleys to their meal and drink requirements, the real innovation can be found in the lavatories. Now passengers in wheelchairs have enough room to maneuver and can transfer from their chair to a sideways positioned toilet. With EASA not issuing a critical directive, airlines are allowed to still fly the A320neo and are taking steps to temporarily address the problem until Airbus comes up with a solution. How do you feel about Lufthansa correcting the center of gravity situation by not allowing passengers to sit in the back row? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. We wrote to Lufthansa about the center of gravity issues and they wrote back saying: The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published an airworthiness directive on 1 August 2019. According to the directive, in certain flight configurations and in combination with specific maneuvers, the "angle of attack protection" may become less efficient. Airbus ran simulations of go-around maneuvers on the A320neo and the A321neo and observed that an intensive control command can cause an accentuated rise in the aircraft's longitudinal axis during an approach and landing configuration when the following combination of conditions are met: a specific loading, flying at low altitude and the flight control computer being set in certain flight modes. According to Airbus, this maneuver is only possible when all specific conditions coincide at the same time. On the A320neo, for example, in such situation, the sidestick would have to be pulled to the fullest to maximum thrust. EASA gave the operating airlines 30 days to implement the directive - and Lufthansa took the consequences. As a countermeasure, there will now be a restriction of the rear centre of gravity limit, by up to four percent depending on the weight of the aircraft. As an ad-hoc-measure, Lufthansa will block the last row of seats on all of its 20 A320neo aircraft. As of 12 September, row 32 will therefore no longer be assigned to passengers - not even to staff travelling with ID tickets. This change will already be programmed in the check-in system. A Lufthansa A320neo is configured with 180 seats. Lufthansa's A320ceo is not affected by this directive. https://simpleflying.com/lufthansa-a320-cog-economy/ Back to Top VIRGIN AUSTRALIA OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING APPRENTICESHIPS Virgin Australia Boeing 777-300ER VH-VPH in the airline's Brisbane maintenance hangar. (Seth Jaworski)Virgin Australia Boeing 777-300ER VH-VPH in the airline's Brisbane maintenance hangar. (Seth Jaworski) Virgin Australia has opened applications for its aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) apprenticeship program. The airline is seeking four apprentices for the four-year program, with two to be based in Brisbane and two in Melbourne. The course was due to begin in the first half of 2020. Those who successfully complete apprenticeship would gain a Certificate IV in Aeroskills, as well as qualifications to work at a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Part 145 approved maintenance organisation. Coursework included being rotated through various departments across the airline group to gain experience in areas such as hangar maintenance, line maintenance, stores, planning and engineering. Apprentices would also be assigned a mentor from the engineering team, according to the application placed on the Virgin Australia website. Virgin Australia staff working in the electronics bay of one of the airline's Boeing 777-300ERs. (Seth Jaworski)Virgin Australia staff working in the electronics bay of one of the airline's Boeing 777-300ERs. (Seth Jaworski) "At the end of the program, the recruits have an opportunity to commence a career with Virgin Australia with a nationally recognised qualification in the aerospace industry as an aircraft maintenance engineer," Virgin Australia said. Applications close on September 29 2019. More details on the program, which is run every two years, can be found on the Virgin Australia website. Aircraft Maintenance Engineers VIDEO: Virgin Australia engineers talk about their experiences in a video from the airline's YouTube channel. INDUSTRY ESTIMATES SHOW STRONG DEMAND The 2018-2037 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook showed a need for 622,000 commercial maintenance technicians over the next two decades. The figure was down from its estimate of 648,000 in the prior year's survey, which Boeing said was "primarily due to longer maintenance intervals for new aircraft". "As new generation airplanes become more prominent in the global fleet, advances in airplane technology will drive an increased need for technicians skilled in avionics, composites, and digital troubleshooting," Boeing said. "Mobile and distance learning solutions are becoming increasingly popular as a flexible alternative to traditional classroom instruction, and new technologies such as augmented reality are being tested as a way to improve engagement and knowledge retention. "As airlines continually invest to improve the quality and efficiency of their operations, new training curriculums and methodologies will need to be adopted to keep pace with innovation." Asia Pacific represented the largest source of demand, with the regional expected to recruit 34.1 per cent of all technicians in the 20 years to 2037. https://australianaviation.com.au/2019/09/virgin-australia-opens-applications-for-engineering-apprenticeships/ Back to Top College of Aeronautics celebrates new partnership with Delta Airlines Kent State flight instructors pose alongside university administration and Delta Employees. Kent State's aeronautics program announced a new partnership with Delta Airlines that will provide flight students with a pathway to a career with the company. Interim University Provost Melody Tankersley spoke at the kickoff of the partnership, praising Kent's aeronautics program and Delta Airlines. "It is an opportunity of a lifetime for our students in a nationally ranked flight technology program, it is amazing," Tankersley said. "We're so proud that Kent State is one of only three universities in the nation selected this year to become a Delta Propel Partner." The Propel Pilot Career Path Program is offered at less than 20 colleges throughout the country, and gives aeronautics students clear paths to a multitude of careers with Delta following graduation. Nick Gallaway, an alumni of Kent's aeronautics program and current flight instructor, said that because he graduated within the last six months, he is still able to apply for the Propel program. "It basically gives you a flow into Delta Airlines ... all you have to do is 42 months in one of the paths and then you can be hired as a pilot with Delta," Gallaway said. Through the program, there are different options students can pick from. "You can choose one of three routes," said senior aeronautics major Clare Willette. "You can do Delta's corporate branch, you can do a Delta connection flight which is the regional airlines ... or you can go military. I'm really, really excited about it ... No other airline has done something like this with us, it's only Delta." Brent Knoblauch, a First Officer with Delta on the Boeing 717, said that it is an exciting time to be an aspiring pilot due to the global pilot shortage. "Over the next decade, half of Delta's current pilot workforce will reach mandatory retirement age. We expect a need to hire over 8,000 pilots over the next ten years to staff our daily flights across the globe," Knoblauch said. Tankersley said that due to this shortage, Kent aeronautics graduates are becoming more valuable than ever. Delta partnership with aeronautics Chief flight instructor Brian Neff, Aeronautics senior Jack Warren, and Dean of Aeronautics and Engineering Christina Bloebaum look for a spot to put the Delta banner on Sept. 13, 2019. The new partnership with Delta is a "huge opportunity," said Neff. Warren plans on working for Delta after he graduates. Isabel Brinegar The partnership is sure to be both lasting and profitable for Delta and Kent State, Tankersley said. "Delta is a company that shares our desire for student successful transition into the industry, and our passion for education. We couldn't be more grateful," Tanekrsley said. "The Delta Propel Partnership means that the sky truly is the limit for our flight technology students." http://www.kentwired.com/latest_updates/article_539f267e-d665-11e9-9af9-bfe0a169f1f7.html Back to Top Southwest Launches Career Program with Four Universities to Train Pilots and Partners Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is launching an innovative career program to develop trainees in aviation into professional pilots this August. The program, called Destination 225°, provides pathways to become highly skilled and qualified for future opportunities at Southwest. For this training, Southwest is joining four universities including Arizona State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, University of Nebraska Omaha and the University of Oklahoma, along with six industry partners: CAE, Bell Murray Aviation, U.S. Aviation, Jet Linx, XOJET Aviation and iAero Group's Swift Air. "This comprehensive training program is designed to make becoming a Southwest First Officer an attainable goal for passionate, highly-skilled individuals," said Alan Kasher, Vice President of Flight Operations at Southwest. The program comes as the aviation industry is facing a shortage of skilled employees. The International Civil Aviation Organization predicts the need for 480,000 new aircraft technicians and 350,000 new pilots worldwide by 2026. Its competitor, Delta Air Lines, teamed up with eight institutions including Auburn University, the University of North Dakota and Western Michigan University to recruit and train future pilots last year. More universities are tapping into new revenue streams by partnering with companies to offer employee training. https://iblnews.org/southwest-launches-career-program-with-four-universities-to-train-pilots-and-partners/ Back to Top Air India is Putting Cabin Crew and Pilots On a Diet With Low Fat Meals, Effective Immediately In a leaked internal memo, Air India has told its cabin crew and pilots that they will now only have access to special low-fat crew meals onboard flights. A spokesperson for the state-owned flag carrier confirmed the move, saying the new initiative was being introduced to help crew remain fit and healthy. The crew meals will be both low in fat and cholesterol. Air India has faced criticism in the past for forcing overweight cabin crew onto low-fat diets. In January 2017, nearly 60 flight attendants were faced with the threat of dismissal because they "had a higher-than-permitted body mass index (BMI, the ratio of weight and height of an individual)." The overweight flight attendants were declared unfit to fly for at least six months and given 18-months to slim down or face being sacked. At the time, Air India cited rules laid down by the country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which allows them to manage their cabin crew in this way. In this latest initiative to slim down its inflight crew, the leaked memo tells staff: "Taking into consideration the health factor of the crew, an initiative has been taken by the Director (Operations) to revise the in-flight food menu for the crew members. In view of the above, special low-fat diet meal crew has been worked out on day-wise basis in order to provide light and healthy meal with a home (Indian) touch." The new low-fat meals started being loaded onto flights as of Monday on services departing from Dehli and Mumbai. Other airports may follow in the future. The meals are being provided for both cabin crew and pilots. The Time of India reports that sample breakfast dishes include Nutri Peas Bhurji, Besan Chilla, and Idli-Sambar or oats for vegetarians. Other options include a Mushroom Egg White Omelette, Oats Frittata of Egg white and an Asparagus Egg White Frittata. Air India isn't alone... Air India isn't the only airline to have taken such a tough stance with overweight cabin crew. It was also revealed in 2017 that Malaysia Airlines had sacked five of its flight attendants because they had "continuously failed to achieve their ideal weight as per the company's grooming manual." A further 30 flight attendants also faced disciplinary action for the same reason. In January, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) told its flight attendants that anyone above the "desired weight" would have to lose at least 5 lbs every month until they hit the target weight. And a group of flight attendants at Russian carrier Aeroflot lost an employment case in which they alleged they were discriminated against for being "old, fat and ugly". "Everyone older than 40 or with clothing size larger than small or medium was taken off international flights," claimed one of the flight attendants who brought the case. A Moscow court, however, sided with the airline and a spokesperson for Aeroflot said at the time that it did not discriminate. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2019/09/16/air-india-is-putting-cabin-crew-and-pilots-on-a-diet-with-low-fat-meals-effective-immediately/ Back to Top Female Pilots From the Philippines Could Help Asia's Travel Boom The Philippines' largest flight school is trying to bring more women into the cockpit to help meet a shortage of pilots in Asia. At Alpha Aviation Group's campus in Pampanga province north of the capital, one in five of its 550 students each year are women, whereas only about 3% of the world's pilots are female, founder Bhanu Choudhrie said in an interview. Choudhrie said the group holds recruitment programs at universities and invites female pilots to give career talks to students to encourage more women to apply. These initiatives aim to dispel the notion in the Philippines that only men can apply to flight school, he added. Asia's Travel Boom in Trouble as Pilot Shortage Worsens Boeing Co. estimates Asia will require 266,000 more pilots by 2038, a third of the global shortage, as travel booms faster in the region than anywhere else. Understaffed airlines in the region have already been forced to cut flights due to the shortage. Some local carriers are setting up their own academies to produce more pilots. Given widespread usage of English in the Philippines, the country is well placed to cater to regional low-cost carriers, which are now required by regulators to train their pilots in the language, Choudhrie said. The school already trains pilots for local carriers, as well as VietJet Air and AirAsia India. The rise of low-cost carriers, which mostly fly short-haul flights within the region, also makes a career as a pilot more attractive for women who don't want to be away from home for long periods of time, Choudhrie said. "There is huge demand and men alone can't fill that. It's the women who will be the ones to drive this growth," he said. Other Highlights • Choudhrie, who heads U.K. private equity firm C&C Alpha Group, could invest as much as $12 million annually over the next three years to expand the Philippine campus. • The school is looking to double its student intake over the same period and it has opened new facilities in La Union and Zambales provinces to meet demand. • Alpha Aviation is looking to open schools in two other Asian countries as airlines "fight for new pilots." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-15/asia-s-travel-boom-could-be-served-by-philippines-female-pilots Back to Top The Air Force wants to develop heated boots to help downed pilots survive in extreme cold The U.S. Air Force has selected two companies to make an extreme cold-weather boot for pilots as part of a long-term effort to better protect aviators from frostbite in emergencies. In August the service awarded a contract worth up to $4.75 million to be split between Propel LLC and the Belleville Boot Company for boots designed keep pilots' feet warm in temperatures as low as -20 Fahrenheit without the bulk of existing extreme cold weather boots, according to Debra McLean, acquisition program manager for Clothing & Textiles Domain at Air Force Life Cycle Management Command's Agile Combat Support/Human Systems Division. The effort is intended to provide pilots with boots that are "much warmer than ... existing" boots that are Air Force flight-certified and can perform for "more than two hours" of inactivity at -20, Mclean said. In the long-term, the Air Force is working with the Naval Air Systems Command on a research-and-development effort to explore new boot technologies, such as artificial heat-generation, to provide cold-weather protection to pilots for six hours at -49 Fahrenheit in the same style of low-bulk boot, McLean said. The current Propel version is a full-grain leather black boot designed after firefighter boots, said Claire King, president of Propel, adding that the production models will be coyote brown. "Firefighter boots are super durable and designed to resist tons and tons of water, chemicals, abrasion and last a long time," King said. The Propel boots feature 900 grams of a special blend of insulation that includes Kevlar for extra warmth. "The trick was to get 900 grams in there and also make it so that the boot is still fit for aviators, because the space for aviators is limited," she said. The Belleville boot features 600 grams of insulation plus Thermium, a material made by W.L. Gore, that allows the boots to perform down to -25 Fahrenheit when worn with other Air Force survival gear, according to Glen Becker, chief sales officer for Belleville Boot Company. "The pilot may be injured and not able to move; if he is a downed pilot and he is ... trying to evade or hide, he may not have a lot of movement," Becker said. The Belleville boot is rough-out leather in coyote, rather than full-grain leather like the Propel model. "Some aviators prefer the rough-out leather and some prefer a full-grain smooth leather outer finish," McClean said. "We leave the option open due to the large variety of aviation position types and responsibilities." In general, full-grain leather boots last longer than the rough-out leather, but they tend to cost more to produce, Mclean said. "Some units don't want to pay for a boot that lasts eight years and some do, depending on the position and mission focus," she said. Under the deal, the Air Force could order a maximum quantity of 10,000 pairs over 27 months depending the service's need and available funding, McLean said. Propel is also involved in the next phase of the effort that will look at different options for "improving this boot by adding active heat," King said. "I would say that is probably two to three years out ... but the intent is to look at, can they extend the range of this boot to six hours at -49 degrees," King said. "That is probably not feasible with passive materials. You need to create some type of active heat." There are commercially-available technologies that rely on battery-powered heat sources, but challenge is "batteries don't do well at -49 degrees," King said. "It's a very challenging problem to solve," she said. https://taskandpurpose.com/air-force-heated-boots Back to Top Beijing ups pressure on domestic airlines to buy China-made jets Aerospace company Comac finds itself on verge of challenging Boeing and Airbus The ARJ21 regional jet has a big supporter in its corner -- the Chinese government. GUANGZHOU -- China's government is increasing the pressure on domestic airlines to use more jets developed and manufactured in the country, a push that could present a big challenge to Boeing of the U.S. and Airbus, the European multinational. China's three leading airlines recently placed sizable orders for domestically made regional jets. One airline is also setting up a company to operate a fleet of domestic jetliners. Beijing envisions a future in which Chinese airlines are less dependent on Boeing and Airbus, and in which made-in-China aircraft find overseas customers. China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China, the nation's flag carrier, announced on Aug. 30 that they will each purchase 35 ARJ21 regional jets made by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or Comac. Deliveries of the jets, which list at $38 million, are to begin next year and run through 2024. The ARJ21, developed under a national project that started in 2002, made its maiden flight in 2008 and entered commercial service in 2016, becoming the first Chinese jetliner to be put into commercial use. With 78 to 90 seats, the aircraft is roughly the same size as the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, which had been known as the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. The two models of the Japanese twin-engine aircraft come in configurations that can seat from 70 to 92 passengers. While Comac has so far received orders for some 600 ARJ21s, only 10 or so have been delivered, mainly to Chengdu Airlines, a regional airline partly owned by Comac. Brazil's Embraer has a solid presence in the global regional jet market, and Chinese airlines have been big customers. But Beijing wants to see more Chinese jets in China's skies. In February, a senior civil aviation official declared the launch of a government-backed plan to promote the use of domestically made jetliners, and the three big carriers' recent ARJ21 orders are early signs of its effectiveness. In addition to purchasing ARJ21s, China Eastern Airlines has also expanded its business jet unit, which operates a fleet of planes. The carrier, renamed One Two Three Airline in August, will serve as a platform for buying more ARJ21s that will fly short-haul routes. In addition, China Southern Airlines and Air China seem to be considering the establishment of new airlines that will rely on ARJ21s. The Chinese government, which tends to be slow and cautious in approving new airlines, appears to have given the green light to these plans to help the ARJ21 make domestic inroads. Comac intends to ramp up ARJ21 production now that it has government policy support. The company, which had the capacity to produce 15 ARJ21s in 2018, intends to increase that to 25 this year and to 30 in 2020, according to China Business News. The company plans to deliver more than 100 of the jets in the next five years. The jet maker's growth agenda also calls for developing a 160-seat airliner, the C919. The company aims to obtain Chinese certification for the bigger bird in 2021 and has applied for certification with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. This would allow Comac to export its jets and directly challenge the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. Another passenger plane developed and made in China is the Xian MA60, a turboprop produced by Xi'an Aircraft Industrial, a unit of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, or Avic. The Xian MA60, which made its maiden flight in 2000, has been exported to Zimbabwe and Laos. In 2018, the number of air travelers in China grew 15.2% to reach 670 million, making the country the second largest aviation market after the U.S., according to the International Air Transport Association. Among the top five markets, China's was the only one to post double-digit growth last year. The other three markets are Britain, Spain and Japan. The enormous growth of Chinese aviation could provide a powerful thrust for the country's foray into the international jetliner market, one that has the potential to reshape the global aircraft industry. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Aerospace-Defense/Beijing-ups-pressure-on-domestic-airlines-to-buy-China-made-jets2 Back to Top Space insurance rates increasing as insurers review their place in the market The Vega launch failure in July is the biggest and latest space insurance claim that has caused some insurers to reconsider their role in the market. Credit: Arianespace webcast of VV15 mission. PARIS - A space insurance executive confirmed Sept. 11 that a spate of recent claims is increasing rates and leading some insurers to reconsider their place in the market. In a presentation at Euroconsult's World Satellite Business Week here, Dominique Rora, senior space underwriter at AXA XL, said the underlying problem was not the claims themselves but rather declining premiums that cased back-to-back losses for the industry in 2018 and 2019. "In recent months there have been a number of claims, and the amount is quite high. It is high, but not out of the norm," he said. "What has been of particular importance over the past few years is the decreasing trend in premium." Those claims include the July launch failure of a Vega rocket carrying the United Arab Emirates' Falcon Eye-1 imaging satellites, which at $415 million is the largest single claim to date. Maxar Technologies' WorldView-4 imaging satellite failed in orbit in January, resulting in a $183 million claim that the company said in May would be fully paid out by insurers. Those losses appear to have put an end to a long trend of declining rates. Rora noted that, in 2003, rates for launch put the first year of operations of satellites exceeded 20%, but by 2018 similar coverage had dropped to 5%. That was driven by an increasing amount of capacity in the space insurance market. "In the first part of 2019 there was a flattening of rates, and since the events of this summer we have seen an increase," he said, but didn't quantify the increase. "We don't know yet where the rates will stabilize." Part of that uncertainty is linked to potential departures from the market by insurers. Swiss Re announced at the end of July it was exiting the space market, citing "bad results of recent years and unsustainable premium rates." Rora suggested others could follow suit. "There is a number of insurance players that are reviewing their position or withdrawing from this space insurance market," he said, citing unnamed companies "performing a strategic review to decide what sort of strategy they want to have going forward, what sort of premium levels they want to see." "There is a general market consensus that the premium volume that we're seeing today is about half of what it should be," he said. Total premiums in recent years have been about $450 million per year, versus $700 million to $1 billion seen early in the decade. Rora said that while rate are increasing, he did not expect a return to the high rates of the early 2000s. "Even if there is a sharp increase today, the levels we will see are similar to those around 2009 and 2010," he said, when launch plus one-year insurance rates were about 10%. Vega failed launch with FalconEye1 https://spacenews.com/space-insurance-rates-increasing-as-insurers-review-their-place-in-the-market/ Back to Top Position Available: Technical and Training Manager Flight Safety Foundation l BARS Melbourne, Australia An exciting role for a high-performing aviation expert as Technical and Training Manager with Flight Safety Foundation. Flight Safety Foundation is a non-profit organization staffed and managed by a small group of specialists in aviation safety and aviation communications. Operations are overseen by a board of governors, with primary guidance by a foundation governance council. The board is composed of executives from all segments of the global aviation industry to provide as broad a view of issues as possible. In addition, several standing advisory committees and ad hoc study groups provide focused, detailed direction and assistance in identifying and addressing opportunities for the continual improvement of aviation safety worldwide. Founded in 1947, today, membership includes more than 1,000 organizations and individuals in 150 countries. The Foundation is based in Alexandria, Virginia, USA and has a regional office in Melbourne, Australia. The predominant purpose of the Melbourne office of FSF is to run the BARS Program. The BARS Program is made up of a suite of risk-based aviation industry Standards with supporting Implementation Guidelines. There are dedicated Standards for Contracted Aviation Operations, Offshore Helicopter Operations, Aerial Mustering and Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems. The role of Technical and Training Manager has been created to support the Managing Director in the delivery of the BARS Program objectives and support the Technical team in the function of the Audit Program delivery and quality control. We are seeking to appoint a candidate with the following credentials: - Relevant tertiary qualifications in Business and/or Engineering, • Extensive experience (10-15+ years) in either flight operations (pilot or flight engineer) roles or a maintenance & engineering role. • Aviation background and knowledge-based leadership (through aviation technical expertise) is critical to the success of the role • The ability to lead and coach the Technical team by developing and educating them in areas of aviation safety. • Deep understanding of Safety Management Systems (SMS) (ICAO Annex 19 and Doc 9859) and Quality principles (ISO 9001:2016 or ISO 9000). • Experience in delivering training in a classroom environment. • Excellent written skills to undertake data analysis and prepare reports. • Excellent communications skills and the ability to confidently present at Public Speaking events • Strong analytical skills to interpret complex data • Strong organisational and project management skills • Competent with Microsoft Office - Word, Excel PowerPoint and Outlook • Tableau or Power BI would be an advantage • Prepared to travel domestically and internationally regularly (unrestricted passport) • Pilots - Accident free record This role will be based in Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia For a confidential discussion about this role or to receive a copy of a detailed Position Description, please contact Jennifer Galvin-Rowley on +61 410 477 235 or email jen@galvinrowley.com.au Applications should be made online by visiting www.galvinrowley.com.au Back to Top Aviation Cybersecurity Survey Like many industries, the aviation industry is going through a technology transformation that stretches from satellites to aircraft to airports and supply chain and more. But with this transformation and increased digitisation and connectivity and across the aviation industry, the resilience and security of such systems becomes critically important. Adversaries have always seen the aviation sector as a key target; as it increasingly digitizes, understanding what this means for managing cybersecurity risk is of key importance. As a result, there is a great deal of work focusing on aviation cybersecurity globally, from the proposed ICAO Aviation Cybersecurity Strategy to regional and industry initiatives. But with such a complex and varied sector, it can be challenging to really hear and understand the different perspectives and concerns on the topic of aviation cyber security; ultimately, the more we understand the nature of the aviation cybersecurity challenge, the better we can develop strategies at all levels to protect ourselves and move forwards. To help understand the different perspectives on aviation cybersecurity, to help the entire sector understand the nature of the challenge; the first ever survey on aviation cyber security is being conducted by myself and the Atlantic Council Cyber Statecraft Initiative**, with funding by Thales. It is fully anonymous, focusses on learning about different viewpoints and will help us understand the 'now' of aviation cybersecurity; (it does not ask any questions on breaches, etc...!). The aviation industry and the roles and organisations that support it are diverse. For the purposes of this survey, we are defining Aviation Cybersecurity as being cybersecurity that relates to aircraft operations. This includes everything that involves safely and securely getting aircraft and passengers from A-to-B, along with the supply chain of products and services that enables this. We would love everybody in the aviation industry that has an operational role, cybersecurity role, support it with products and services or cybersecurity research to contribute to the survey. With the topic being a broad one, we are keen to get not just the perspectives of those working at the cross-over of aviation and cybersecurity but also anyone contributing to the aviation sector. The survey should take less than 15 minutes and the results of the survey will be free and published openly in mid-November 2019. If you would like, you are also able to request a copy of the final report and details of the launch. If you have any questions you can get in touch via cyber@atlanticcouncil.org The link to the survey is below. Please contribute, support and distribute the survey to your own colleagues, organisations and relevant contacts, the more that contribute to the survey, the better results and understanding we will get. Website; http://aviationcyber.atlanticcouncil.org/the-global-survey-on-aviation-cybersecurity/ Direct Link; https://www.research.net/r/Aviationcybersecurity If you have any questions, then please either get in touch with myself, or the contact details contained on the survey. Pete Cooper *Pete Cooper, MSc, FRAeS is a cyber strategy adviser across multiple sectors but with a focus on aviation. He has advised IATA and ICAO on cybersecurity strategy as well as nation states, and multi-national organisations. He is the author of 'Finding Lift, Minimising drag' which explored the cybersecurity challenges of the aviation sector and is the lead for the Aviation Village at DEF CON where he works to build bridges between the research community and the aviation sector in partnership with US DHS and the USAF. He is also the founder and Director of the Cyber 9/12 UK Strategy Challenge, which finds and develops the next generation of cyber security leaders. Before entering the commercial sector, Pete was a fast jet pilot and instructor in the Royal Air Force and then moved into cyber security where he held the role of strategic cyber operations adviser. He holds a post Grad from Cranfield University and is CEO of Pavisade. **The Atlantic Council Cyber Statecraft Initiative focus is to: 1) examine the nexus of geopolitics and national security with cyberspace; 2) continue to build out the new field of cyber safety in the Internet of Things; and 3) help build the next generation of cybersecurity and cyberspace policy professionals. Throughout all of its work, the Initiative focuses relentlessly on providing practical, innovative, and relevant solutions to the challenges in cyberspace. The Initiative brings together a diverse network of respected experts, bridging the gap between the technical and policy communities. Curt Lewis