Flight Safety Information October 16, 2019 - No. 210 In This Issue Boeing MAX Jet's Grounding Will Drag On Into February, Pilots Say Pictures Raise Specter of Fake Evidence in 737 Max Crash Probe Incident: Swiss BCS3 near San Marino on Oct 10th 2019, fuel inerting shut down Incident: Stobart AT72 at Dublin on Oct 14th 2019, lightning strike Incident: Jetstar NZ DH8C near Auckland on Oct 13th 2019, engine shut down in flight Drone Spotted Near Aircraft That Took Off From Boston's Logan Airport NTSB issues preliminary report on the Oct 2 crash of a Boeing B-17 at Bradley International Airport Swiss grounds CSeries/A220 fleet for immediate engine inspections New steps to strengthen airplane safety Menzies Aviation plans major rollout of Hermes' cloud-based cargo management system Building China's Comac C919 airplane involved a lot of hacking, report says Retired Boeing 747 to become testbed for revolutionary new engines Embraer hopes E175-E2 jet efficiency helps modify scope clauses Production date for Boeing's long-haul 777-8 up in air as Qantas weighs options SpaceX looks to rule space with 30,000 more satellites Crisis Management Professional SAFE SKIES FOR ALL: INTRODUCING SPACEFLIGHT INTO OUR SKIES Boeing MAX Jet's Grounding Will Drag On Into February, Pilots Say The Southwest Airlines pilots union told its members it doesn't expect the grounded Boeing 737 MAX jet to carry passengers again until February, a little later than Boeing has told investors to expect. It is more evidence that the timeline for the MAX to go back into commercial service is slipping, although the update for pilots did contain positive news. The Southwest (ticker: LUV) pilots appear ready to fly the plane again, which indicates some tacit support for the MAX within the aerospace industry. The plane has been grounded since March, after a second crash of the jet in a matter of months raised concern about whether it is safe. Investors shouldn't be surprised by more delays. The timeline slipping by just two months-Boeing (BA) has said it expects the jet to go back into service by the end of the year-might qualify as good news because investors have been concerned that delays might drag on even longer. The union's update is only a guess, but it is an informed view based on current information that hasn't been publicly available. "We will keep you advised as we know more," reads the union update. "We will hope to fly all the jets in 2020." The back story. Not all is well between Boeing and the Southwest pilots. The pilots' association is suing Boeing for wages lost due to the MAX grounding. The complaint, lodged last week, uses some strong language about Boeing's design and communication choices. Boeing called the suit meritless. What's new. The union update lifts the veil on some of the steps Boeing needs to complete before the MAX can return to service. For starters, a final, updated version of software known as the updated maneuvering characteristic augmentation system, or MCAS, needs to be submitted to regulators. When that is done, the Federal Aviation Administration will test the plane via simulations and actual flights. The Southwest pilots don't expect test flights until November. Then, global aviation authorities will submit recommendations to the FAA flight standards board, or FSB. The FSB will publish an airworthiness directive, to be followed by a 15-day public comment period, according to the union. The airlines implement the airworthiness directive once it is approved, and then train their pilots on the updates to the jet, as well as any changes in safety procedures. "Southwest has stated that all pilots will receive this training before we reintroduce MAX revenue flying," or carrying commercial passengers, reads the update. Looking ahead. Some of the steps listed are likely being worked on concurrently. Still, the union's best estimate of when they will be completed is February. Boeing wasn't immediately available for comment. Boeing reports its third-quarter earnings on Oct. 23. Investors will expect an update about when the MAX will return to service, as well as the company's plans for producing the plane, its newest jet. Boeing cut production from 52 to 42 MAX jets a month back in April. https://www.barrons.com/articles/altria-stock-philip-morris-tobacco-data-51571161683 Back to Top Pictures Raise Specter of Fake Evidence in 737 Max Crash Probe Harry Suhartono and Alan Levin (Bloomberg) -- Weeks after a Lion Air jet crashed in the Java Sea, killing all 189 aboard, an airline employee gave investigators photographs meant to show that a crucial repair had been properly performed the day before the disaster. Yet the pictures may not show what was claimed. The time displayed in photos of a computer screen in the cockpit of the Boeing Co. 737 Max indicated they had actually been taken before the repair was performed, according to a draft of the final crash report being prepared by Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee, portions of which were reviewed by Bloomberg News. Investigators were similarly unable to confirm the authenticity of other pictures in the packet, which were supposed to show how a piece of equipment near the jet's nose had been calibrated, according to the report. There were indications that the pictures depicted a different plane, according to two people familiar with the investigation. The draft report doesn't say whether anyone falsified or misrepresented the pictures -- which would be considered a serious breach of protocol -- but concludes that they may not be valid evidence. The incident injected additional tension into the already fraught international investigation in which billions of dollars and the reputations of airlines, manufacturers and entire nations are on the line. According to one person briefed on the matter, the Indonesia-based airline has told investigators that the allegations about the photos are unsubstantiated and shouldn't be mentioned in the final report of the October 2018 crash. But to others involved in one of the most significant accident probes in decades, it could represent an attempt to mislead investigators about a critical aspect of the case and needs to be documented, said two other people who were briefed about the existence of the photos. Lion Air spokesman Danang Prihantoro said that he could not comment on the investigation. Representatives of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and National Transportation Safety Board declined to comment on the existence of the photos. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones" of those who died in the Lion Air crash and a second one less than five months later in Ethiopia, said Charles Bickers, a spokesman for Chicago-based Boeing. "We continue to provide support to and cooperate fully with the investigating authorities as they complete the final reports on the accidents." Indonesia's NTSC, which is overseeing the investigation, is finalizing the report and expects to release it by early November. Anggo Anurogo, a spokesman for the investigation agency, said it wouldn't comment on the report prior to its release. "We have obtained plenty of documents," NTSC Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said in an earlier interview. "Anything that is relevant to the investigation will be included in the final report." Portions of the draft reviewed by Bloomberg News say an engineer gave the photos to investigators to show that the replacement of a sensor on the plane on Oct. 28 had been done properly. The sensor, known as an "angle-of-attack" vane, was malfunctioning on the very next flight as well as the one the next day that crashed and is at the heart of the investigation, according to an NTSC preliminary report released last November. Some of the images were taken of the inside of an equipment compartment where the faulty sensor was attached, according to the people familiar with the investigation. Part of the calibration process occurs in that location. Visible in the background of these photos was other equipment with identification marks, the people said. Officials at Boeing were able to trace at least one of the devices to a different 737 Max jet operated by Lion Air, they said. Other photos were shot in a 737 Max cockpit, where mechanics check to see that the sensor is providing accurate readings, the people said. Those photos showed the captain's flight display, but the time shown on its digital clock was prior to the repair being performed, according to the draft report. Lion Air, which was already pushing back on preliminary conclusions by investigators, has challenged assertions that the photos were falsified and asked the NTSC not to include the pictures and any reference to them in its final report, according to one person familiar with the airline's view of the matter. The airline further said the photos didn't come from the carrier, the person said. The pictures were blurry and the airline couldn't understand how equipment markings could have been identified, the person said. Investigative reports of crashes often contain hundreds of pages and document evidence collected and significant issues faced during the probe. The repair depicted by the photos is central to the investigation. A malfunction of the angle-of-attack sensor is believed to have triggered an automated system on the plane to repeatedly force its nose down, eventually causing the pilots to lose control and crash at high speed into the ocean. Documents reviewed by Bloomberg News show the repair station XTRA Aerospace Inc. in Miramar, Florida, had worked on the sensor. It was installed on the Lion Air plane on Oct. 28 in Denpasar, Indonesia, after pilots on earlier flights had reported problems with instruments displaying speed and altitude. XTRA has said it is cooperating with the investigation. For months, examinations of the Lion Air crash and the second, similar accident March 10 of a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines have focused on the angle-of-attack sensors and their role in the functioning of a feature built into the jet known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. MCAS, designed to keep the nose of the plane from drifting too far up in flight, was fed data from one of the plane's two angle-of-attack sensors, devices that protrude from the jet's nose and resemble a weather vane. When it senses the nose has risen too far, it automatically pushes it back down, reducing the risk of an aerodynamic stall. Investigators believe a malfunction of the sensor on board the Lion Air flight mistakenly forced the nose of the plane down repeatedly until the pilots lost control. The same failure occurred on Oct. 28 immediately after the repair on the Lion Air jet, but pilots on that flight were able to recover and fly to their destination. Not so on the final flight of the jet, when the pilots began fighting for control shortly after takeoff. The plane hit the water in a high-speed dive, shattering into pieces. While investigators haven't said whether they've recovered the angle-of-attack sensor from the bottom of the sea, the plane's black-box flight recorder was brought up and confirmed the sensor was malfunctioning. The crash, and the Ethiopian Airlines disaster months later, prompted a worldwide grounding of Boeing's best-selling jet, leading to billions of dollars in losses and international investigations into how the system was designed and approved. The mechanic who worked on the Lion Air jet prior to the crash reported the new device was installed according to the maintenance procedure, the November 2018 preliminary report said. "Installation test and heater system test result good," said an entry in the plane's maintenance log included in the report. The mechanic also told a pilot about to fly the plane that the sensor "had been tested accordingly," the report said. However, data in the report suggest the calibration wasn't done properly or at all, said John Goglia, a former airline mechanic who formerly served on the NTSB. Such processes are routine and relatively simple, Goglia said. The procedure is designed as a fail-safe to ensure that a mechanic can quickly determine whether a newly installed sensor isn't working. "They were given an unairworthy airplane because the maintenance was incomplete and didn't correct the problem," he said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/pictures-raise-specter-fake-evidence-215233675.html Back to Top Incident: Swiss BCS3 near San Marino on Oct 10th 2019, fuel inerting shut down A Swiss International Airlines Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration HB-JCN performing flight LX-2350 from Geneva (Switzerland) to Heraklion (Greece), was enroute at FL370 about 20nm south of San Marino (San Marino) when the crew decided to turn around and divert to Zurich (Switzerland). The aircraft landed safely in Zurich about one hour later. A passenger reported they received an official written statement from the airline explaining the fuel inerting had shut down. A replacement BCS3 registration HB-JCO reached Heraklion with a delay of 4 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 20.5 hours after landing in Zurich. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ce0dd27&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Stobart AT72 at Dublin on Oct 14th 2019, lightning strike A Stobart Air Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A on behalf of Aer Lingus, registration EI-FAT performing flight EI-3806 from Dublin (Ireland) to Edinburgh,SC (UK), was climbing out of Dublin when the crew stopped the climb at FL110 due to a lightning strike and returned to Dublin for a safe landing on runway 10 about 20 minutes after departure. The aircraft, enroute from Cork (Ireland) to Edinburgh had diverted to Dublin maintaining routine communication, when the aircraft was near Belfast,NI (UK) about 60nm north of Dublin. The aircraft had been on the ground for about 90 minutes, then departed again for the incident flight. The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Dublin due to a technical problem, which was quickly fixed. When the aircraft attempted to continue the flight the aircraft sustained a lightning strike prompting the return to Dublin. The remainder of the flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto other flights. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 10 hours, then positioned back to Cork. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ce0d7a5&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Jetstar NZ DH8C near Auckland on Oct 13th 2019, engine shut down in flight A Jetstar New Zealand de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration VH-TQM performing flight JQ-384 from Palmerston North to Auckland (New Zealand) with 47 people on board, was enroute at FL190 about 60nm south of Auckland when the crew needed to shut an engine (PW123) down. The aircraft drifted down to 9000 feet and continued for a safe landing on Auckland's runway 23L about 35 minutes later. The airline reported the engine was shut down as a precaution. The aircraft returned to service about 19 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ce0d32b&opt=0 Back to Top Drone Spotted Near Aircraft That Took Off From Boston's Logan Airport The Federal Aviation Administration says the Boutique Airlines Pilatus PC-12 reported seeing "an unmanned aircraft" off its right wing Monday afternoon Authorities say the crew of a plane that took off from Boston's Logan International Airport spotted a drone at a higher-than-allowed altitude. The Federal Aviation Administration says the Boutique Airlines Pilatus PC-12 reported seeing "an unmanned aircraft" off its right wing at about 2,800 feet just 4.6 miles northeast of the airport just before 3 p.m. Monday. The flight continued safely to its destination, Massena International Airport in New York. Massachusetts State Police are investigating. Department spokesman David Procopio tells The Boston Globe the drone was spotted "at altitude greater than is legally allowed" just west of the coastal town of Nahant. He says no drone operator was found. https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/Drone-Spotted-Near-Aircraft-That-Took-Off-From-Bostons-Logan-Airport-563145351.html Back to Top NTSB issues preliminary report on the Oct 2 crash of a Boeing B-17 at Bradley International Airport 16 October 2019 The NTSB issued a preliminary report on the Oct 2 crash of a Boeing B-17 at Bradley International Airport. • The B-17 returned to land at Bradley because it had a "rough mag" on the No. 4 engine. • The flight was cleared to land on runway 06 • The airplane struck approach lights about 1,000 ft prior to the runway • It hit the ground about 500 ft prior to the runway • It then veered right off the runway before colliding with vehicles and a deicing fluid tank • No. 3 engine propeller blades were near the feather position (1 blade) and in a position between low pitch and feather (2 blades). • All three propeller blades on the No. 4 engine appeared in the feather position More information: • Full report (PDF) https://news.aviation-safety.net/2019/10/16/ntsb-issues-preliminary-report-on-the-oct-2-crash-of-a-boeing-b-17-at-bradley-international-airport/ Back to Top Swiss grounds CSeries/A220 fleet for immediate engine inspections 15 October 2019 Swiss International Air Lines decided to ground their fleet of Bombardier CSeries/Airbus A220 fleet for immediate engine inspections following a new incident. The first inflight shutdown occurred on July 25, 2019 and the second occurred on September 16, 2019. In both cases, the aircraft involved was a Swiss International Air Lines Airbus A220-300 with Pratt & Whitney PW1524G-3 engines. These inflight shutdowns were due to failure of the low-pressure compressor (LPC) stage 1 rotor, which resulted in the rotor disk releasing from the LPC case and damaging the engine. A third recent incident led Swiss to decide to ground the fleet on October 15, 2019. The aircraft will "undergo an extensive examination from midday", according to the airline. Details of the third incident are unconfirmed at this time. It appears the aircraft involved was HB-JCC, an A220-300 that diverted to Paris-CDG Airport during flight LX359 from London to Geneva. The grounding follows an FAA airworthiness directive that was issued on September 26, which requested initial and repetitive inspections of certain Pratt & Whitney PW1500G series engines. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2019/10/15/swiss-grounds-cseries-a220-fleet-for-immediate-engine-inspections/ Back to Top New steps to strengthen airplane safety Safety is at the core of Boeing. After the 737 MAX accidents, it has intensified its commitment to continuously improve the safety of its products and services. The company is taking several actions to strengthen the culture of safety throughout Boeing and the broader aerospace industry. These steps are being undertaken to oversee and ensure the safe design, development, manufacture, production, operation, maintenance and delivery of the company's aerospace products and services. Boeing PhotoThese steps are being undertaken to oversee and ensure the safe design, development, manufacture, production, operation, maintenance and delivery of the company's aerospace products and services. These are the initial fundamental changes it's making to strengthen the culture of safety throughout Boeing and the broader aerospace industry: 1. A permanent aerospace safety committee: Established in August 2019, the new board of directors committee oversees and ensures the safe design, development, manufacture, production, operation, maintenance and delivery of the company's products and services. 2. Create a product and services safety organization: Reporting directly to the company's chief engineer and the board of directors' aerospace safety committee, this organization will review all aspects of product safety. 3. Realign the engineering function: Engineers across Boeing will report directly to the chief engineer, whose primary focus is on the engineering function and the related needs of the company. 4. Establish a design requirements program: This program will incorporate historical design materials, data and information, best practices, lessons learned and detailed after-action reports to reinforce Boeing's commitment to continuous improvement. 5. Enhance the continued operation safety program: To increase transparency and ensure visibility of safety-related issues, the Continued Operation Safety Program now will require the chief engineer's review of all safety and potential safety reports. 6. Re-examine flight deck design and operation: To anticipate the needs of future pilot populations, the company will re-examine assumptions around flight deck design and operation in partnership with its airline customers and industry members. 7. Expand the Safety Promotion Center: The Safety Promotion Center is a place for employees to learn and reflect on Boeing's safety culture and renew personal commitments to safety. The company will extend its role and reach to its global network. 8. Strengthen safety systems: New safety leadership roles, empowered safety review boards and an expanded anonymous safety-reporting system will strengthen safety management systems at Boeing and throughout its supply chain. 9. Lead in new capabilities: Additional investments are being made in enhanced flight simulation and computing as well as advanced R&D for future flight decks. Broader plans are underway for improving the global aviation safety ecosystem. 10. Invest in talent: To address the global need for aerospace talent, Boeing will sharpen its focus on pilot maintenance technician training and STEM education. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/new-steps-to-strengthen-airplane-safety/ Back to Top Menzies Aviation plans major rollout of Hermes' cloud-based cargo management system Menzies Aviation has selected Hermes Logistics Technologies (HLT) to implement the most recent version of HLT's Cargo Management System (CMS), Hermes 5 (H5), across facilities it operates in its global network. The H5 system is the latest version of the cloud-based Hermes cargo management application designed to improve service management, revenue accounting, process automation and service failure avoidance. The system can run within any cloud service and can be integrated onto any internet-enabled device. This upgraded H5 system features a new customs interface, created to help speed up cross-border customs clearance, as well as real-time tracking functionality and data analysis, to help reduce delays and backlogs. This version also consolidates customs documents for one inbound shipment, to increase efficiency. According to HLT, one of the key benefits of H5 is its scalability, which will allow Menzies to employ it as needed at its various small, medium, and large sized operations across its network. The use of the platform is also intended to enable Menzies complete connectivity and data-sharing between its logistics facilitates and services. "Sustainably growing our cargo business is a key part of our future strategy, and H5 will be integral to our toolset for achieving our growth trajectory," said Robert Fordree, EVP Cargo, Menzies Aviation. Rollout of the platform will begin in 1Q 2020 across Menzies Aviation's cargo handling facilities at nearly 40 airports across six continents, though no details regarding the specific airports were shared. The announcement continues the expanded use of H5 by airports, airlines and ground handlers across the globe, including Hanoi Airport (HAN), RSA National, LuxairCARGO, and most recently, CHS Trade in the Czech Republic. https://aircargoworld.com/allposts/menzies-aviation-plans-major-rollout-of-hermes-cloud-based-cargo-management-system/ Back to Top Building China's Comac C919 airplane involved a lot of hacking, report says One of China's most brazen hacking sprees involved intelligence officers, hackers, security researchers, and company insiders. A report published today shines a light on one of China's most ambitious hacking operations known to date, one that involved Ministry of State Security officers, the country's underground hacking scene, legitimate security researchers, and insiders at companies all over the world. The aim of this hacking operation was to acquire intellectual property to narrow China's technological gap in the aviation industry, and especially to help Comac, a Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer, build its own airliner, the C919 airplane, to compete with industry rivals like Airbus and Boeing. A Crowdstrike report published today shows how this coordinated multi-year hacking campaign systematically went after the foreign companies that supplied components for the C919 airplane. Comac C919 Image credit: Aerotime The end goal, Crowdstrike claims, was to acquire the needed intellectual property to manufacture all of the C919's components inside China. Crowdstrike claims that the Ministry of State Security (MSS) tasked the Jiangsu Bureau (MSS JSSD) to carry out these attacks. The Jiangsu Bureau, in turn, tasked two lead officers to coordinate these efforts. One was in charge of the actual hacking team, while the second was tasked with recruiting insiders working at aviation and aerospace companies. Image: Crowdstrike The hacking team targeted companies between 2010 and 2015, and successfully breached C919 suppliers like Ametek, Honeywell, Safran, Capstone Turbine, GE, and others. But unlike in other Chinese hacks, where China used cyber-operatives from military units, for these hacks, the MSS took another approach, recruiting local hackers and security researchers. According to Crowdstrike and a Department of Justice indictment, responsible for carrying out the actual intrusions were hackers that the MSS JSSD recruited from China's local underground hacking scene. Crowdstrike says that some of the team members had a shady history going back as far as 2004. These hackers were tasked with finding a way inside target networks, where they'd usually deploy malware such as Sakula, PlugX, and Winnti, which they'd use to search for proprietary information and exfiltrate it to remote servers. In the vast majority of cases, the hackers used a custom piece of malware that was specifically developed for these intrusions. Named Sakula, this malware was developed by a legitimate security researcher named Yu Pingan. In the rare occasions when the hacking team couldn't find a way inside a target, a second MSS JSSD officer would intervene and recruit a Chinese national working for the target company, and use him to plant Sakula on the victim's network, usually via USB drives. The group, which Crowdstrike said it tracked as Turbine Panda, was extremely successful. The US cyber-security firm points out that in 2016, after almost six years of non-stop hacking of foreign aviation companies, the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) launched the CJ-1000AX engine, which was set to be used in the upcoming C919 airplane, and replace an engine that had been previously manufactured by a foreign contractor. Industry reporting points out that the CJ-1000AX displays multiple similarities [1, 2] to the LEAP-1C and LEAP-X engines produced by CFM International, a joint venture between US-based GE Aviation and French aerospace firm Safran, and the foreign contractor that supplied turbine engines for the C919. US CRACKDOWN But while the MSS JSSD's hacking efforts might have gone unnoticed, hackers made a mistake when they overstepped and went after targets a little too big -- such as healthcare provider Anthem and the US Office of Personnel Management. Those intrusions yielded a lot of useful information for recruiting future insiders, but they also brought the full attention of the US government bearing down on their operation. It didn't take too long after that for the US to start piecing the puzzle together. The first ones to go were the insiders since they were the easiest ones to track down and had no protection from the Chinese government since they were operating on foreign soil. After that came Yu, the creator of the Sakula malware, who was arrested while attending at a security conference in Los Angeles, and subsequently charged for his involvement in the Anthem and OPM hacks. Yu's arrest triggered a massive ripple in China's infosec scene. The Chinese government responded by prohibiting Chinese researchers from participating at foreign security conferences, fearing that US authorities might get their hands on other "assets." Initially, this seemed an odd thing to do, but a subsequent Recorded Future investigation showed how the MSS had deep ties to the Chinese cyber-security research scene, and how the agency was secretly hoarding and delaying vulnerabilities found by Chinese security researchers, many of which were being weaponized by its hackers before being publicly disclosed. But the biggest hit to Turbine Panda came in late 2018 when western officials arrested Xu Yanjun, the MSS JSSD officer in charge of recruiting insiders at foreign companies. The arrest of a high-ranking Chinese intelligence officer was the first of its kind, and the biggest intelligence asset transfer since the Cold War, besides Snowden's flight to Russia. Now, US officials are hoping that Xu collaborates for a reduced sentence. However, Crowdstrike points out that "the reality is that many of the other cyber operators that made up Turbine Panda operations will likely never see a jail cell." China has yet to extradite any citizen charged with cyber-related crimes. HACKERS HAVE CONTINUED TO TARGET THE AVIATION INDUSTRY In the meantime, Turbine Panda appears to have seized most of its operations, most likely crippled due to the arrests, but other Chinese cyber-espionage groups have taken over, such as Emissary Panda, Nightshade Panda, Sneaky Panda, Gothic Panda, Anchor Panda, and many more. Attacks on foreign aviation firms are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, mainly because Comac's C919 jet isn't the success that the Chinese government expected (see 07:20 mark in the video below), and a fully Chinese airliner is still years away. Efforts are currently underway for building the airliner's next iteration, the C929 model. Boeing's China Problem For years it's been reported that China has been building its economical might on the back of other countries and its foreign competitors. The full Crowdstrike report gives a glimpse at how China has been using hackers to do so, although they are not the only component. The Beijing government itself has played even a bigger role. Historically, they've dangled carrots in the face of foreign companies, promising access to China's booming internal market. Foreign companies have seen themselves forced into joint ventures, only to be forced out later by their former partners after local companies grew with the help of state subsidies and the know-how acquired from the partnership. In this process, Chinese hackers often helped with "forced technology transfer," breaching business partners and stealing their intellectual property, allowing the Chinese state-owned companies to put out high-end competing products in record time and at very low prices. And in all of this, the aviation industry has been only one part of the puzzle. Similar hacking efforts have also targeted many other industry verticals, from the maritime industry to hardware manufacturing, and from academic research to biotechnology. https://www.zdnet.com/article/building-chinas-comac-c919-airplane-involved-a-lot-of-hacking-report-says/ Back to Top Retired Boeing 747 to become testbed for revolutionary new engines (CNN) - When airplanes retire, they get transformed into everything from hotels to underwater art installations. One Boeing 747 has a slightly less glamorous but nevertheless exciting future path. After 20 years soaring through the skies in Qantas livery, it's been recruited by Rolls-Royce's aerospace operations to start a new life as a testbed for futuristic engines. The aircraft's final commercial flight was from Sydney to Los Angeles, and it's now based at AeroTEC, a flight center just outside Seattle. Here, this Boeing 747 is set to be transformed during a two-year-long, $70 million process, before helping to launch the next generation of Rolls-Royce jet engines. The airplane flew more than 70 million kilometers over the course of its Qantas career, carrying some 2.5 million passengers. As a flying testbed, the airplane will trial commercial and business engines at super fast speeds and high altitudes, operated by a crew of specialist test pilots. The aircraft will join forces with Rolls-Royce's existing flying testbed, another Boeing 747 that's completed 285 test flights and counting. New life A mock-up image of how the aircraft will look when it's modified depicts the Boeing 747 testing the upcoming UltraFan engine, which the aviation company says will "redefine the world of jet engines." The fan engine looks pretty big compared to the aircraft's standard power units. "It's a really big fan, about 140-odd inches, compared to say, XWB that's got an 118 inch diameter," Caroline Day, head of marketing, strategy and future programs at Rolls-Royce, tells CNN. On a visit to the UK Rolls Royce Aerospace factory in Derby, England, Day tells CNN Travel the company is building a number of UltraFan engines to test. "That program is significant, there's hundreds of people working on it, because we want to get it ready for the back end of the next decade," she confirms. The team are determined that the new engine will be more fuel efficient and safe and smooth. As a testbed, the former Qantas airplane will be outfitted with instrumentation and systems allowing it to take measurements of engine performance while it's in the air. "This airborne laboratory will enable the development and certification of new, highly advanced engine technologies designed to increase efficiency and minimize environmental impacts," said AeroTEC president and founder Lee Human. "Our engineering, modification, and test teams in Seattle and Moses Lake are already hard at work preparing to bring Rolls-Royce's vision to reality." https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/rolls-royce-boeing-747-testbed-seattle/index.html Back to Top Embraer hopes E175-E2 jet efficiency helps modify scope clauses Embraer executives hope the efficiency and performance of its new E175-E2 regional jet, the third and final member of the company's E2 family, will convince major US airlines to change the contractual "scope clauses" that currently create a barrier for operating the new aircraft in the United States. At a media day at its US headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Chief Commercial Officer of Embraer Commercial Aviation Arjen Meijer reiterates that the E175-E2 will have its maiden flight "before the end of the year" and is on track to enter service in 2021, despite the lack of orders from North American operators. "The E175-E2 undoubtedly will be the most efficient aircraft in that segment," Meijer says. "We believe not only in the economics but in the environmental benefits of the E175-E2, and that will speak to the market." Sales of the Brazilian plane maker's newest jet have been hindered by the fact that the E2 variant, outfitted with more powerful and heavier Pratt & Whitney PW1700G turbofan engines, push its maximum take-off weight to beyond the conditions specified in the scope clauses that govern regional air transport in the United States. Scope clauses are provisions in contracts between major US airlines and their pilot unions which keep the airlines from farming out more flying to regional airlines. They prohibit regional affiliates from operating aircraft that have more than 76 seats or maximum gross takeoff weight in excess of 86,000lb. While the first generation of the E170 and E175 fulfilled the clauses, the E175-E2 with the new engines would put the aircraft 12,000lb over that maximum weight. "Historically, scope clauses only changed once there was a product that pushed it to change," Meijer says. "There are definitely some areas in the North American market where we think this aircraft can go. But the scope clause is a certain topic. There needs to be a scope clause change in the end to allow the E175-E2 to fly." Meijer also says that the company is "working on" a launch customer for the E175-E2, but would not name it. North America is a critical market for Embraer's aircraft. More than 50% of the 3,400-strong regional jet fleet flies in the continent - the biggest regional jet market - and without changes in the rules, the E175-E2 will in the future effectively leave that lucrative market to Mitsubishi. The Japanese manufacturer is developing its SpaceJet M100, designed to carry 76 passengers in two classes. The SpaceJet will have next-generation PW1200G turbofans and will not exceed the 86,000lb limit. So barring a lifting of the weight cap, the new-technology M100 essentially competes in the USA against the older-generation E175. In mid-September, Embraer delivered its first E195-E2, the second and largest variant of its E2 family, to Brazil's Azul, and said that further deliveries are imminent. The manufacturer launched the smaller E190-E2 in 2018, with Norway's Wideroe as the launch customer. So far eight of these aircraft have been delivered - three to Wideroe and five to Air Astana. The E195-E2 aircraft is slightly longer than the first generation E195, with a maximum capacity of 146 seats and a range of 4,815 km (2,600 nautical miles). But Meijer says the manufacturer did more than just stretch it. "It still looks like an E-Jet - the fuselage is the same, but a lot of change went into it," Meijer says. A fourth generation fly by wire system, new avionics, new wings, a lower fuel burn and a redesigned cabin are some of the innovations that Embraer built into the new E195-E2. Nevertheless, the aircraft manufacturer made a conscious decision to keep the same cockpit philosophy, says Jorge Nasser, Regional VP of Sales in North America. "We know that a lot of the potential customers will come from the huge customer base of the E1 jets. Pilot training is an important driver and requirement for us." Pilots are able to transition to the new E2 aircraft with just two and a half days of training, he adds. But despite the flashy new younger siblings, the first generation E-Jets continue to remain attractive for many customers and Embraer is happy to continue to supply them. "As long as there is demand, we will continue to build the E1s," Meijer says, adding that about 20% of the 85-95 E-Jets this year will be E2s, with the rest being the first generation variant. "We see new orders coming in for both E1 and E2." Both aircraft are built on the same production line. Between now and 2038, the company anticipates it will deliver 10,550 new aircraft, of which about 80% or 8,230, will be jets. Uses will include hub feeding, interchangeability on routes during the day, new markets, and smaller secondary and tertiary airports. Embraer already is the leader in the market for aircraft up to 150 seats with about 29% market share. The company says it expects that percentage to grow, despite new entrants from China and Russia. There are currently more than 1,900 Embraer jets in operation, by 120 companies in 70 countries. Last month Embraer said it estimates its strategic partnership with Boeing, first announced last year, will close "in early 2020", diverting from previous expectations that the deal would close by the end of 2019. In September, the European Commission decided to open a further assessment in its antitrust review of the transaction. Boeing's deal with Embraer calls for the Chicago-based company to acquire 80% of the Brazilian airframer's commercial aircraft division for $4.2 billion. The new joint venture company will be named Boeing Brasil - Commercial and give the commercial planemaker a foothold in the regional jet market. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/embraer-hopes-e175-e2-jet-efficiency-helps-modify-sc-461518/ Back to Top Production date for Boeing's long-haul 777-8 up in air as Qantas weighs options SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The date of entry into service of Boeing Co's ultra-long-range 777-8 wide-body airliner will depend partly on customer demand, an executive said, with the planemaker hoping to win an order from Qantas Airways Ltd to supply the plane for Sydney-London flights. Qantas has said it could order Boeing's 777-8 or the rival Airbus SE A350-1000 for the longest commercial flights in history by the end of this year, with hopes of delivery from late 2022. The airline on Friday plans a near 20-hour test flight non-stop from New York to Sydney, another proposed route for the planes, with a limited number of passengers on board a 787 as it conducts research into well-being on such long journeys. Qantas has said the plane order remains subject to a favorable business case and reaching agreements with the pilot's union and Australia's aviation regulator for unprecedented crew duty times. Boeing and Airbus are vying for the prestigious order, which stretches the limits of their longest-range planes. Boeing said in August it had pushed back the entry into service of the 777-8 beyond its earlier plan for 2022. The larger 777-9, due to enter service first with a shorter range, has faced engine-related delays. "Our timetable on the 777-8 obviously is still under consideration for when it actually enters service," Darren Hulst, a senior marketing executive at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told reporters in a telephone briefing from Sydney on Wednesday. "But it is really more of when (we have) the combination of the demand from our customers and how it aligns with the design and production for the 777X as a program." He declined to comment on whether an order from Qantas would accelerate Boeing's plans for the 777-8. To date, Emirates and Qatar Airways are Boeing's only customers for the plane, having ordered 35 and 10 respectively. Emirates President Tim Clark has said some 777X orders could be switched to 787s. Emirates and Qatar Airways did not respond to previous requests for comment on their 777-8 orders. Boeing has put forward a "compelling offer" to deal with any delays to the 777-8 in its contest against Airbus for planes for Sydney-London flights, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said in August, without providing further details. The Australian and International Pilots Association, which represents Qantas pilots, said on Wednesday it would help gather data on fatigue on three planned research flights, starting with the New York-Sydney journey on Friday. A London-Sydney flight is planned next month. The union cautioned the flights would not replicate real-world conditions. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-committed-777-8-model-041455979.html Back to Top SpaceX looks to rule space with 30,000 more satellites The company's Starlink internet service could eventually dwarf the total number of satellites ever launched. This image of a distant galaxy group from Arizona's Lowell Observatory is marred by diagonal lines from the trails of Starlink satellites shortly after their launch in May. If Elon Musk's rocket company succeeds in its grand vision to blanket Earth with broadband internet raining down from the heavens, space could eventually be swarming with SpaceX's Starlink satellites. The FCC has filed paperwork with the International Telecommunications Union for the operation of 30,000 small satellites in low-Earth orbits. ITU Chief of Space Services Alexandre Vallet confirmed to CNET that the FCC submitted 20 filings of 1,500 satellites each on SpaceX's behalf. The ITU is an arm of the United Nations that allocates global spectrum and satellite orbits to help keep our complex communication networks running smoothly. Each country's regulators file on behalf of their satellite companies and operators, which is why the filings came via the FCC rather than from SpaceX. The filings come in addition to the 12,000 Starlink satellites previously approved by the FCC. Yes, you did the math right: SpaceX would like to ultimately be able to operate up to 42,000 satellites. In case you're wondering how many satellites are currently operational and orbiting our planet, the Union of Concerned Scientists put the number at just 2,062 as of April 1. Estimates of the total number of satellites launched by humanity come to about 8,500, which means SpaceX is aiming to nearly quintuple that figure on its own. The ITU filings are an early step in the process of launching the satellites. It could be years before any of the 30,000 satellites described in the paperwork actually launch. "As demand escalates for fast, reliable internet around the world, especially for those where connectivity is non-existent, too expensive or unreliable, SpaceX is taking steps to responsibly scale Starlink's total network capacity and data density to meet the growth in users' anticipated needs," a SpaceX spokesperson said. So far, SpaceX launched the first batch of about 60 Starlink satellites earlier this year to begin testing its broadband service. The astronomical community immediately became concerned over the bright, noticeable train of the flying routers. SpaceX said at the time that the satellites would become less noticeable as they rose to a higher altitude and oriented themselves for operation. It is also now working to make the base of future Starlink satellites black so they'll be less visible. Then there was the case of the wayward Starlink satellite that came a little too close to the orbit of a European Space Agency satellite, forcing the ESA to make an evasive maneuver. SpaceX blamed the incident on a "bug" in its on-call paging system. Starlink could begin offering service to Northern US and Canadian latitudes as soon as 2020 before expanding to other parts of the world with 24 planned launches of satellites upcoming. https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-looks-to-rule-space-with-30000-more-satellites/ Back to Top Crisis Management Professional - 23440 Location: TORONTO, ON, Canada Posting Start Date: Oct 9, 2019 Posting End Date: Oct 30, 2019 To apply: https://careers.aircanada.com/jobs/4244305-crisis-management-professional Job Description Are you passionate about reaching new heights, teamwork and making a meaningful contribution? Do you picture yourself as a valued member of an industry-leading organization? If you answered yes to these questions, Air Canada is seeking enthusiastic individuals to join the diverse and vibrant team working together to lead the growth and expansion of Canada's flag carrier. Do you enjoy working in a stimulating environment, influencing the direction of business resiliency solutions, and being recognized for your contributions to a dynamic team? If so, we are looking to meet candidates like you. We are seeking a Crisis Management Professional who will be responsible for providing expertise and strategic direction in the development, implementation and maintenance of contingency planning processes and procedures. The position will work to identify exposures to internal and external threats and organize resources to provide effective prevention, response, recovery, and restoration from any disruption and fortify business continuity. This position will ensure preparedness to manage operational incidents and emergencies effectively (including Emergency Response), with minimal impact to our business, subsidiaries, customers or brand. Responsibilities will include implementing and guiding aspects of Crisis Management, and overseeing multiple complex systems while ensuring balance in allocation of resources. Coordination and collaboration with internal stakeholders will be essential to transform, and standardize requirements into contingency plans, business processes, documentation, training plans and execution (response readiness). • Work effectively with operational branch leadership to address business resiliency requirements and concerns • Integrate crisis management, crisis response, and contingency operations into existing and emerging plans, and emergency protocols for all facilities, events, and presence across the enterprise • Define scope, goals and deliverables that support business goals and strategic objectives in collaboration with stakeholders. Estimate the resources and participants needed to achieve program goals • Guide the crisis management team in business impact analysis, facilitation of continuity planning, verification of plan effectiveness through exercises, risk analysis and mitigation strategies • Create roadmaps for future emergency management projects with internal customers and stakeholders • Coordinate the planning, development, testing and direction of all disaster response/crisis management activities • Serve as a corporate incident commander, providing expertise and oversight of global crisis response operations as a result of natural disaster, terrorism, political instability, and safety incidents including aircraft accidents/incidents that result in the activation of the emergency response plan • Analyze incident data and identify trends, impact and possible improvements to realign business continuity strategies as needed • Develop crisis management (emergency response and business continuity) policies and procedures in adherence with regulatory requirements and in keeping with industry best practice • Function as the liaison with appropriate government agencies regarding Crisis Management • Participate with industry, regulatory and/or government agencies in establishing emergency response and business continuity policies and recommended practices • Develop training content for the Corporate Crisis Management Team • Make appropriate judgment decisions quickly and decisively, often with limited information • Exhibit calm under pressure; demonstrate leadership qualities in highly stressful situations • Experience supporting a significant change (i.e., strategy, operations, process, structure, culture, or behavior) and demonstrated ability to bring others along successfully • Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to defend ideas, respect the ideas of others, and be receptive to considering and integrating alternative perspectives • Coach, guide, counsel and develop subordinate staff accordingly Qualifications • Experience in business continuity, crisis planning, emergency management, facilities/critical systems management, or related role • Bachelor's Degree in Emergency/Crisis Management or similar concentration. • Certified Business Continuity Professional (DRII CBCP) or equivalent industry certification and Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) or equivalents an asset • Exceptional written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills • Strong ability to network and interact with colleagues, peers, and senior executives • Exceptional interpersonal skills, including an ability to use tact and diplomacy with people at all levels to get actions accomplished. LINGUISTIC REQUIREMENTS Based on equal qualifications, preference will be given to bilingual candidates. Diversity and Inclusion Air Canada is strongly committed to Diversity and Inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible and rewarding work environment which highlights employees' unique contributions to our company's success. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all to help us build a diverse workforce which reflects the diversity of our customers, and communities, in which we live and serve. APPLY HERE Air Canada thanks all candidates for their interest; however only those selected to continue in the process will be contacted. Back to Top JOIN US! SAFE SKIES FOR ALL: INTRODUCING SPACEFLIGHT INTO OUR SKIES www.alpa.org/safeskies October 31, 2019 | Hyatt Regency Hotel | Washington, D.C The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation invite you to a dynamic one-day conference as we highlight numerous, ongoing efforts to transform our airspace for the future. Curt Lewis