Flight Safety Information November 18, 2019 - No. 238 In This Issue Boeing's fix tames the 'tiger' in the 737 MAX flight controls, say experts and critics Boeing settles several more lawsuits over Max plane crashes Boeing says timing of 737 MAX return in hands of regulators Incident: Gojet CRJ7 at Middletown on Nov 15th 2019, noisy cabin Incident: Austrian E195 near Vienna on Nov 15th 2019, engine vibrations Incident: Transat B738 near Orlando on Nov 16th 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: Qantas B738 at Wellington on Nov 16th 2019, asymmetric flaps Boeing 777-3B5ER - Ground Collision (Germany) Smoking passenger forces El Al flight to make unscheduled landing Study: pilots have difficulty detecting drones on final approach Transaviaexport Airlines passes IATA safety audit Airbus exec: Boeing's 737 Max grounding benefits no one Chennai runway incursion: DGCA suspends licences of 2 IndiGo pilots American Airlines flight attendants union president under fire over 737 Max comments US aviation fatalities increased by 13% in 2018, NTSB says Air New Zealand Cancels Dozens Of Flights Due To Engine Issue Task force formed to get back Category 1 status for aviation authority, says M'sian transport minister Elevate Jet Adds Veteran Director of Safety, Develops Advanced Aviation Safety Management System FAA Chief explores overhaul of plane approvals Etihad Celebrates First Middle East 3D-printed Parts Facility Nepal Airlines Desperate To Sell 31 Year Old Boeing 757 How Much Of American Airlines' Revenues Comes From Domestic Passenger Travel? Prospective pilots get training in simulation program Etihad launches more fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner Artificial Intelligence Can Now Predict When Lightning Will Strike NASA watchdog warns of possible delays in launching new U.S. spacecraft CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT Upcoming Cranfield short courses Position Available:...Aircraft Accident Investigator BlazeTech Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course - May 26-28, 2020 in Woburn MA, USA Boeing's fix tames the 'tiger' in the 737 MAX flight controls, say experts and critics Dozens of Boeing 737 MAXs are stored on parking ramps at the airport at Moses Lake. These are among 192 of the jets parked at Moses Lake, all built since the plane was grounded in March. Their engines are covered and all openings are wrapped against contamination. At least seven are white-painted "ghost planes"; the airline that originally ordered them backed out. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times) After months of intense scrutiny, even some of the harshest critics of the 737 MAX's flight-control system believe Boeing's software fix will prevent a recurrence of the scenarios that killed 346 people in the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Boeing has redesigned the MAX's new automated Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) that relentlessly pushed down the noses of the two aircraft on both crash flights. Though serious questions linger about the overall safety culture at Boeing that waved through MCAS's original development and certification, U.S. airline pilots are almost ready to fly the updated jet. "The hazard is designed out of it," Capt. John DeLeeuw, chairman of the safety committee of the Allied Pilots Association (APA), the union for American Airlines pilots, declared to colleagues a week after trying the flight-control fix in a Boeing simulator in Miami in late September. Bjorn Fehrm, an aerospace engineer and former fighter pilot in the Swedish Air Force, now a France-based aviation analyst with Leeham.net, has said Boeing's original MCAS design was "criminally badly done ... unforgivable," and compared the system's aggressiveness to a tiger. He too believes the redesign now makes the airplane as safe as the previous 737 model. "There's no part of any airplane out there that's been as thoroughly vetted," said Fehrm. "MCAS is no longer a tiger, but a house cat." The final pieces of that vetting are now imminent. Boeing expects the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to formally unground the jet next month and to pin down all the pilot training requirements in January. That's pending a formal certification flight and a final evaluation of the software fix for the jet's flight controls. And the FAA insisted Friday that it will take its time and won't be swayed by pressure from Boeing. After the FAA clears the plane to fly and issues the pilot training regimen, Boeing and the U.S. airlines will need 30 to 40 days to complete the enormous logistical challenge of getting their airplanes ready to fly after the better part of a year in storage. Boeing will install the final software fix, refresh all the fluids and lubricants, do ground tests on the engines and flight controls, then conduct a checkout flight. The FAA will inspect every plane. The worldwide fleet of MAXs previously delivered to airlines was 385, including 72 jets at U.S. airlines. With all the airplanes Boeing has built since, the total of parked MAXs is now just over 700. American, Southwest and United have all already pushed out the MAX's return to early March and have said it will rejoin their schedules in a phased approach over several months. Boeing will also begin delivery of MAXs to carriers like Alaska, whose finished jets the manufacturer has parked and stored pending the ungrounding of the fleet. Boeing's fix On the two crash flights, the pilots struggled to counter MCAS after it was triggered by a single sensor that fed the system an erroneously high value for the jet's angle of attack - the angle between the wing and the oncoming air flow. MCAS activated for up to 10 seconds, swiveling the horizontal tail, known as the stabilizer, so as to aggressively pitch the nose of each aircraft down. When countered by the pilots, the system stopped, then kicked in again with a new activation five seconds later. After a vain struggle against these repeated nose-down movements, each short flight - the first 12 minutes, the second just six minutes - ended in a high-speed nose-dive to earth. Boeing's fix for MCAS entails three changes to the system design: It will take input from the jet's two angle of attack sensors instead of just one. If they disagree by more than a nominal amount, the system assumes a false signal and will not activate. If both angle of attack sensors somehow get stuck at the same wrong high value - perhaps if they got frozen in the wrong position - again MCAS won't activate because the upgrade is designed to do so only when the angle moves suddenly from below the threshold to a new high value. If both sensors together register a sudden movement to a high angle of attack, the system will activate once only - not repeatedly, as in the accident flights. The capability of the system to move the horizontal stabilizer so as to pitch the jet nose-down will be limited. The pilot will always be able to counter it by pulling back on the control column. In addition, Boeing has revised the overall architecture of the MAX's flight-control computer system, so that on every flight the MAX takes separate inputs from the jet's two flight-control computers, rather than just one as previously. These two computers, each processing air data readings from the various sensors on both sides of the airplane, will cross-check and compare values. Again, if they disagree, automated systems including MCAS will be shut down. This change should catch any computer error as opposed to a sensor fault. A person briefed on the details said such a shutdown would come in less than one-third of a second, so even if the pilots are distracted and fail to notice the airplane moving as it shouldn't, the automation won't be allowed to continue. This addresses a problem identified in both accident investigations: that pilots took much longer to recognize and react to an MCAS fault than Boeing had assumed. By stopping any erroneous uncommanded movements automatically, the redesign takes the response out of the pilots' hands altogether. "We're not letting the system run while the pilots are inattentive," said the person, who required anonymity because parties to the ongoing accident investigations are not allowed to speak publicly. Peter Lemme, a former Boeing flight-controls engineer and avionics expert who has been very critical of the original MCAS design, said Boeing has addressed all his concerns. Once the FAA approves the fixes, said Lemme, he'll fly on a MAX with "no misgivings." To get the flying public equally comfortable with the MAX, Boeing needs also to counter a recurring theme on social media: the idea that software shouldn't have been needed in the first place and that the plane's large engines throw its aerodynamic balance out of whack and make it "inherently unstable." We need your support In-depth journalism takes time and effort to produce, and it depends on paying subscribers. If you value these kinds of stories, consider subscribing. Boeing says MCAS is needed not for stability but only to make the MAX feel the same to a pilot as the previous 737 model. The airplane will fly safely with or without MCAS, Boeing insists. To prove that, Boeing has flown near-stall maneuvers in flight tests this summer with MCAS turned off. Safety regulators plan to do the same during upcoming recertification flights. Pilot checklists and manuals Pilots from American and Southwest, as well as Air Canada and some overseas carriers, in late September got hands-on experience with the new MAX flight controls in Boeing's full-motion, full-flight simulator in Miami. At a pilot-union conference a week later, Greg Bowen, training and standards committee chairman at the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association union, echoed APA's DeLeeuw in declaring MCAS no longer a problem. "In terms of handling characteristics ... those anomalies have been designed out of the airplane," said Bowen. He said all that remains to be resolved is the training required for pilots, with new attention to how flight crews handle the confusion of a cockpit inundated with multiple alarms. The training and instructions need to be calibrated for pilots with lesser training and experience, he said. The FAA will issue a report recommending the pilot training regimen, with a period for public comment likely in January. It's expected that pilots already qualified to fly the older 737 model will be required to take only a two-hour computer course to highlight the differences on the MAX and the changes with the new software. Bowen said the FAA is also considering significant changes to clarify the procedures in six pilot checklists that cover abnormal flight conditions, including the Runaway Stabilizer checklist that Boeing says the crews on both crash flights could have used to recover the airplanes. Moving the tail manually The Runaway Stabilizer checklist is a focus because the Ethiopian flight crew partially followed it: They cut off electric power to the horizontal tail, stopping MCAS from activating. However, at that point the nose was still pitched downward and when they tried to move it back up manually by turning a wheel connected by cable to the stabilizer, they couldn't budge it. The problem was that as they coped with the emergency, the pilots allowed the plane to accelerate to 45 mph beyond the jet's maximum design speed, causing high opposing forces on the tail that rendered the control surfaces immovable. Even if the revised MCAS cannot act up again as it did on the crash flights, MAX pilots will still want to be comfortable with manual control of the stabilizer. A 737 captain on a U.S. airline, who asked for anonymity to speak without permission from his employer, described his own extensive experience as a former test pilot of moving the tail manually. He said that with the 737 tail at full nose-down position and at maximum design speed, it is "nigh impossible for a normal human to move the manual trim wheel in the nose up direction. The forces are too strong." Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines captain and APA spokesman, recently replicated that flight situation in a simulator, deliberately inducing an MCAS-style nose-down pitch at high speed, though still within the normal flight range. He was able to move the wheel only "a couple of inches, but not enough." Tajer said that if the MAX is pitched down toward the ground, it gathers speed all too easily. "The 737 is a slippery airplane," said Tajer. "When you put the nose down, it wants to accelerate very quickly." He and his co-pilot in the simulator were able to recover control by using an old piloting skill called the roller-coaster technique that's no longer in the manuals: letting go of the control column to ease the forces, then cranking the wheel, and repeatedly easing and cranking. "Before we can be fully confident in the MCAS fixes we have to know more about the accompanying pilot training, emergency checklist changes, the extraordinary effort required to recover the aircraft with the manual trim wheel," Tajer said. While the FAA is likely to mandate hands-on Runaway Stabilizer training built into every airline pilot's yearly recurrent training sessions in a simulator, some foreign regulators may make that a requirement for their pilots before they permit the MAX to return to service. In a recent interview with trade magazine Aviation Week, Patrick Ky, executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), indicated that his agency will likely go along with the FAA in not making that a requirement. Ky said that while some nations may demand simulator training for "purely political or public relations-driven" reasons, it would be "a complete disaster" if the FAA and EASA diverged. "We need to be fully harmonized," he said. That suggests the world's two major aviation regulators are now aligned, though EASA's schedule lags slightly the FAA's. Ky said he expects an EASA decision on returning the MAX to the air "sometime in January." In the 737's largest global market, China, the return of the MAX could be delayed by political factors around trade talks and U.S./China tensions. For U.S. air travelers, though, the MAX could soon be airborne again. https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/boeings-fix-tames-the-tiger-in-the-737-max-flight-controls/ Back to Top Boeing settles several more lawsuits over Max plane crashes • Boeing is settling a few more of the roughly 150 lawsuits filed by families of passengers killed in two crashes of the 737 Max jet. DALLAS -- Boeing is settling a few more of the roughly 150 lawsuits filed by families of passengers killed in two crashes of the 737 Max jet. A Seattle law firm said Friday it settled four of the 46 cases it's handling for families of passengers who were on board a Lion Air Max that crashed off the coast of Indonesia in October 2018. On Thursday, a federal judge in Chicago approved settlements of nine other cases involving the same crash. A Boeing spokesman said the company has settled "dozens" of claims. Terms of the settlements were kept confidential at Boeing's insistence, according to lawyers. Chicago-based Boeing has spent about a year making changes to flight software that played a role in the crashes. The company expects Federal Aviation Administration approval in January for a new pilot-training program around the changes, which would let U.S. airlines resume using the plane early next year. The FAA, however, has not laid out a timetable for approving Boeing's changes, and the agency's chief vowed again Friday that the plane won't fly until it's safe. "I know there is a lot of pressure to return this aircraft to service quickly," FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson said Friday in a video for agency employees, "but I want you to know, and I want you to take the time you need and focus solely on safety." According to federal court records, more than 50 lawsuits were filed against Boeing by families of passengers on the Lion Air Max that crashed Oct. 29, 2018, and about 100 lawsuits were filed relating to the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Max on March 10. Boeing Co. is working with a mediator, "and we are pleased to have resolved dozens of claims on terms that we believe fairly compensate the victims' families," Boeing spokesman Peter Pedraza said in a statement. "We remain committed to this mediation process." Boeing didn't disclose the amount of the settlements, but Pedraza said Boeing has paid more than $7 million in separate aid to the families since setting up a special fund two months ago. The company's legal strategy, however, has come under fire by lawmakers and lawyers for the passengers' families. Lawyers for Boeing have said in several court filings that they could seek to move the lawsuits to courts in Indonesia, on grounds that it would be more convenient - most of the victims were Indonesians. Legal experts say judgments in Indonesian courts would likely be smaller. Boeing lawyers have not yet asked the judge to move the cases, but the mere threat of a motion could be helping the company negotiate with victims' families. Alexandra Wisner, a Chicago-area aviation lawyer whose settlements were approved by a federal judge this week, said lawyers like her must consider Boeing's potential defenses - including the ability to send the cases overseas - when negotiating for their clients. She said, however, that it would be overly simple to suggest that Boeing's strategy resulted in lower settlements for her clients. Seattle aviation lawyer Mark Lindquist, whose firm announced four new settlements and has 42 other cases pending against Boeing, said there are strong reasons for keeping the cases in the U.S. "The U.S. has a great interest in the safety of aircraft manufactured in the United States, most of the evidence of Boeing's wrongdoing is here in the U.S., and only a United States court can hold Boeing accountable," he said. Last month, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told a congressional committee he wasn't aware of the company's legal strategy. That drew a skeptical response by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House Transportation Committee. "You're looking at hundreds of millions, billions of dollars of claims ... and you don't know that that's happening?" DeFazio said. "Congressman, my focus has been on safety," Muilenburg replied. On Friday, DeFazio said he sent several follow-up questions to Muilenburg, including whether Boeing intends to move the Lion Air lawsuits to Indonesia. The settlements that have been publicly announced or revealed in court filings all involve families of passengers on the first Max crash. The families agreed to take part in mediation with Boeing. Lawyers for families of passengers in the second crash, in Ethiopia, have opted instead to seek documents from Boeing. Victims in that crash represented many more nationalities. Wisner, who has clients related to both incidents, said Boeing is open to more second-guessing about the second crash. "What did they know, what did they learn from the first crash, and why didn't they take any action" to ground the plane immediately? she said. https://abc7chicago.com/business/boeing-settles-several-more-lawsuits-over-max-plane-crashes/5701279/ Back to Top Boeing says timing of 737 MAX return in hands of regulators FILE PHOTO: Aerial photos show Boeing 737 Max airplanes on the tarmac in Seattle By Tim Hepher DUBAI (Reuters) - Boeing moved on Saturday to ease tensions with regulators over the return to service of its 737 MAX, saying it was up to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and its global counterparts to approve changes to the jet in the wake of two accidents. The FAA told its staff this week to take whatever time was needed to review the grounded plane after Boeing said it expected the FAA to certify the 737 MAX in mid-December. "We put some targets out that still line up to December ... type certification," Stan Deal, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told reporters. "The FAA has said they are not going to put a time frame on it and we are going to track behind them on this," he told a news conference ahead of the Dubai Airshow. Boeing's mid-December estimate sent the planemaker's stock price soaring on Monday, though it also said it would not win approval for changes to pilot training until January. U.S. officials privately said this week that Boeing's timetable was aggressive -- if not unrealistic -- and was not cleared in advance by regulators. On Friday, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson indicated the agency would decide in its own time whether to unground the plane that was involved in two fatal crashes in five months, killing 346 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia. "This effort is not guided by a calendar or schedule," Dickson wrote in a memo seen by Reuters. Dickson is due to attend the Dubai Airshow this week. Speaking on the eve of the show, the head of Boeing divisions spanning jetliners, defence and services expressed sympathy for the relatives of victims of the two crashes that led to the plane's worldwide grounding in March. Deal said Boeing is in discussions with host airline Emirates over the impact of delays to its much larger 777X, for which the Dubai carrier is by far the largest customer. Boeing is also talking to Emirates about the future of a tentative order for 40 787 Dreamliners, which is among a number of orders left in the balance since the last Dubai show in 2017. Emirates has taken a tough stance on new orders ahead of the Nov. 17-21 show but industry sources say it could agree to confirm at least some of the 787s in exchange for a deal with Boeing that would allow it to cancel or defer some delayed 777X. It is also expected to confirm orders for some Airbus jets. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-says-timing-737-max-122045179.html Back to Top Incident: Gojet CRJ7 at Middletown on Nov 15th 2019, noisy cabin A Gojet Canadair CRJ-700 on behalf of United, registration N543GJ performing flight UA-4570 from Middletown,PA to Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA), was climbing out of Middletown when the aircraft stopped the climb at about FL200 and returned to Middletown due to strong wind noise in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely back in Middletown about 40 minutes after departure. A replacement CRJ-700 registration N151GJ reached Chicago with a delay of 13:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Middletown for about 25 hours, then positioned to St. Louis,MO maintaining a maximum of 10,000 feet MSL. The aircraft returned to service about 46 hours after landing back in Middletown. Passengers reported it was immediately apparent after departure someting was wrong because of strong wind noise in the cabin. It was determined a door had not fully closed. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL4570/history/20191115/1605Z/KMDT/KORD http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf66a6c&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Austrian E195 near Vienna on Nov 15th 2019, engine vibrations An Austrian Airlines Embraer ERJ-195, registration OE-LWA performing flight OS-471 from Vienna (Austria) to Basel/Mulhouse (Switzerland/France) with 47 passengers and 5 crew, was enroute at FL360 about 140nm west of Vienna and about 10nm north of Salzburg (Austria) when the crew decided to return to Vienna due to vibrations of one of the engines (CF34). The aircraft landed safely back in Vienna about 35 minutes later. A replacement ERJ-195 registration OE-LWF reached Basel with a delay of 2:50 hours. The airline told Austrianwings about 30 minutes after departure there were vibrations on one of the engines prompting the crew to return to Vienna for a priority landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf662bb&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Transat B738 near Orlando on Nov 16th 2019, engine shut down in flight An Air Transat Boeing 737-800, registration C-GTQC performing flight TS-691 from Santa Clara (Cuba) to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 178 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute at FL370 about 40nm north of Orlando,FL (USA) when the crew needed to shut one of the engines (CFM56) down. The aircraft diverted to Orlando for a safe landing on runway 36R about 32 minutes later. The crew advised after landing no further assistance was needed and taxied to the apron. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/TSC691/history/20191116/1650Z/MUSC/CYYZ http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf65d38&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Qantas B738 at Wellington on Nov 16th 2019, asymmetric flaps A Qantas Boeing 737-800, registration VH-VZU performing flight QF-171 from Melbourne,VI (Australia) to Wellington (New Zealand), was on short final to Wellington's runway 34 (length 1800 meters/5900 feet) descending through about 400 feet MSL when the crew initiated a go around due to asymmetric flaps and considerations it was safer to divert. The aircraft climbed to 7000 feet and diverted to Ohakea Air Base (New Zealand), about 90nm north of Wellington, where the aircraft landed safely on runway 27 (length 2200 meters/7200 feet). The aircraft remained on the ground in Ohakea for about 7.5 hours, then continued to Wellington and arrived with a delay of 8.5 hours. The airline reported a mechanical issue prompted the diversion to Ohakea. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf5b67e&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 777-3B5ER - Ground Collision (Germany) Date: 16-NOV-2019 Time: 17:45 LT Type: Boeing 777-3B5ER Owner/operator: Korean Air Registration: HL7204 C/n / msn: 60380/1549 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 261 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) - Germany Phase: Taxi Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Seoul-Incheon International Airport (ICN/RKSI) Destination airport: Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) Narrative: Air Namibia flight SW283, a Airbus A330-243 (V5-ANO), struck Korean Air flight KE905, a Boeing 777-3B5ER (HL7204) on a taxiway at Frankfurt Airport, Germany. KE905 had landed on runway 25L at 17:37 hours local time. It then followed the parallel taxiway and held short of runway 25C. SW283 landed two minutes later and followed the same taxiway. It attempted to pass the Boeing 777 but the A330's left-hand wing tip impacted the right hand horizontal stabilizer of the B777. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/230724 Back to Top Smoking passenger forces El Al flight to make unscheduled landing • Polish man reportedly caught smoking in plane's lavatory, curses and yells when confronted by airline staff Illustrative. An El Al airline plane at Ben Gurion International Airport on August 17, 2016. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90) An El Al flight taking off from Ben Gurion International Airport had to make an unscheduled landing on Sunday to offload an unruly passenger. Flight LY2323 to Berlin touched down in Athens, Greece, after the passenger in question was found smoking on board. According to Ynet, the Polish passenger was smoking in the plane's lavatory and began cursing and yelling when confronted by airline staff. One passenger on the flight told the Israeli news site that the unnamed passenger was apparently drunk during the incident. After the plane was diverted to Athens, local police took the man in for questioning. In early October, three Israelis were detained in Moldova after being arrested while boarding a plane bound for Tel Aviv. While boarding a connecting flight in Chișinău, a flight attendant asked the youngest of the group, a 17-year-old, to stop smoking. The flight attendant said that another passenger interrupted the conversation and physically attacked her. A partial video of the incident broadcast by Channel 13 showed passengers scuffling with security personnel on the aircraft and screaming, "Nazi, Nazi." https://www.timesofisrael.com/smoking-passenger-forces-el-al-flight-to-make-unscheduled-landing/ Back to Top Study: pilots have difficulty detecting drones on final approach Researchers from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Oklahoma State University have conducted a study on the ability of pilots to visually detect small unmanned aircraft on final approach. In 2018, the FAA received 2,307 reports of pilots having observed unmanned aircraft (UAS), with 22.8% (n = 526) occurring during the final approach phase of flight. Pilots are forced to rely on visual senses and scanning techniques to ensure the approach path remains clear of UAS incursions. The research evaluated the effectiveness of pilot visual detection of a multirotor UAS during five approach to landing scenarios in which an unmanned aircraft created an incursion into the approach path. During the scripted approach scenarios, the UAS either remained stationary or maneuvered laterally. Both aircraft and UAS were separated by established vertical safety margins and protocols to avoid an actual collision. Overall, participants detected the UAS during 30% of the approaches. The static UAS was only detected during 13.6% of the approaches, at a mean range of 647 ft (197 m). The detection rate improved to 50% when the drone was in motion, with a mean detection range of 1,593 ft (485 m). Vector data was calculated to determine the detection angle of UAS sightings, with the majority of successful detections occurring within 5˚ laterally and 10˚ vertically of center. The study emphasized that based on the recorded detection distance, pilots would only have a limited margin of error to successfully execute evasive maneuvers, based on the FAA's Recommended Minimum Reaction Time Required for Evasion criteria. More information: Cleared to Land: Pilot Visual Detection of Small Unmanned Aircraft During Final Approach https://news.aviation-safety.net/2019/11/17/study-pilots-have-difficulty-detecting-drones-on-final-appraoach/ Back to Top Transaviaexport Airlines passes IATA safety audit Transaviaexport Airlines passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). Transaviaexport Airlines is a Belarus cargo airline. It started operating flights in 1992 and currently operates one Boeing 747-300F and five Ilyushin IL-76TD cargo aircraft. The IOSA programme is an evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. IOSA uses internationally recognised quality audit principles and is designed to conduct audits in a standardised and consistent manner. It was created in 2003 by IATA. All IATA members are IOSA registered and must remain registered to maintain IATA membership. https://news.aviation-safety.net/2019/11/17/transaviaexport-airlines-passes-iata-safety-audit/ Back to Top Airbus exec: Boeing's 737 Max grounding benefits no one • The 737 Max fleet of roughly 400 planes has been grounded across the globe since mid-March after two crashes in less than five months. • Orders for Boeing and Airbus airliners, however, are expected to be smaller this year as the industry faces headwinds like a slowing global economy. GP: Airbus A340-313X take-off DUBAI - Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer forcefully rejected the notion that his company is benefiting from the grounding of Boeing's 737 Max fleet while speaking to CNBC during the Dubai Air Show. "I really need to correct that cultural belief. This does not benefit anyone in this industry, the least of which would be Airbus," Scherer told CNBC's Hadley Gamble on Sunday. "It's a tragedy, it is an issue for Boeing to resolve, but it is not good for competitors to see problems on any one particular airplane type." The 737 Max fleet of roughly 400 planes has been grounded across the globe since mid-March after two crashes in less than five months that killed 346 people combined. The grounding has forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights, driven up costs and dented airlines' profits. To make up for the expected loss in services, Boeing in the second quarter took a $4.9 billion after-tax charge to compensate airlines but final amounts are unknown because regulators haven't yet lifted the grounding. Boeing and Airbus, often described as holding a duopoly over the large commercial airline industry since the 1990s, each own approximately half of that market. Orders for each company's airliners, however, are expected to be smaller this year as the industry faces headwinds including a slowing global economy, climate change and safety concerns. Airbus, Europe's largest aerospace group, cut its delivery expectations for 2019 as it grapples with manufacturing delays at its recently expanded plant in Hamburg, Germany. It now plans to deliver "around 860" planes this year, down from an original target of between 880 and 890. It recorded an adjusted operating income of 1.6 billion euros ($1.78 billion) for the third quarter of 2019. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/17/airbus-cco-christian-scherer-boeings-737-max-grounding-benefits-no-one.html Back to Top Chennai runway incursion: DGCA suspends licences of 2 IndiGo pilots • While air traffic control had asked pilots of this flight, 6E-244, to hold the Airbus A320 at runway holding point, they crossed the same leading to the runway incursion • The flying licences of both IndiGo pilots have been suspended for three months from NEW DELHI: Flying licences of two IndiGo pilots was on Friday suspended for three months for a runway incursion at Chennai airport while operating a flight to Ahmedabad on July 14, 2019. While air traffic control had asked pilots of this flight, 6E-244, to hold the Airbus A320 at runway holding point, they crossed the same leading to the runway incursion. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) investigated this incident and issued show-cause notices to the expat commander and Indian co-pilot "to explain in writing as to why action should not be taken against (them) for endangering safety of aircraft and passengers on board." The pilot-in-command accepted his mistake, following which the regulator suspended both the pilots' flying licences for three months from November 15. The order issued by DGCA joint DG B S Rai on Friday says: "...investigation has revealed crew did not adhere to (ATC) instruction to hold at runway holding point... crew failed to contact tower frequency even though it was changed over to tower frequency by (surface movement) controller... The (pilots) accepted (their) lapse... crossed the holding point." "This is in violation of DGCA advisory circular which states that flight crews should use a 'continuous loop' process for actively monitoring and updating their progress and location during taxi. This includes knowing the aircraft's present location and mentally calculating the next location on the route that will require increased attention. The above action of the crew jeopardised the safety of the aircraft and passengers," the order says, while suspending their licences for three months from the date of the order issued. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/chennai-runway-incursion-dgca-suspends-licences-of-2-indigo-pilots/articleshow/72083537.cms Back to Top American Airlines flight attendants union president under fire over 737 Max comments Lori Bassani is the president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. The president of the union which represents flight attendants for American Airlines is coming under fire for saying union members haven't been financially impacted by the grounding of the 737 Max. Lori Bassani, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants which represents 28,000 American Airlines Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAL) flight attendants, has been asked by a union board member to resign, according to emails obtained by the Dallas Business Journal. Additionally, more than 2,100 people as of Saturday night have signed an online petition calling for Bassani's resignation. On Thursday, Bassani told the Business Journal that unlike other aviation employee groups, the APFA will not sue Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) seeking damages for lost wages. The pilots union at Southwest Airlines has sued Boeing claiming $100 million in lost wages and the Southwest flight attendants union is weighing litigation over the grounding of the 737 Max, CNBC reported. "It's not our only aircraft, so our people didn't really lose wages," Bassani said Thursday. "Their schedules were changed and they were impacted, but they could always get another flight on another airplane." John Nikides, president of APFA's Los Angeles International Airport's base, took umbrage with Bassani's comments, and said he had received information that Bassani's husband worked for Boeing. Bassani lives in Washington state. "Could self-interest be driving your move to deny our members the opportunity to receive damages due to the Max grounding?" Nikides wrote in an email to Bassani, copying other union leader members in the process. "You're quite a sleuth," Bassani responded. "My husband looks forward to meeting you. He's a machinist." According to the emails, Nikides had previously asked Bassani to talk with American about obtaining financial damages incurred by flight attendants from the 737 Max grounding. After Bassani's Thursday comments became public, Nikides said Bassani should step down. "I hereby formally request your resignation as APFA president, effective immediately," Nikides wrote in another email to Bassani. "You are clearly in no position to lead this union." When reached Saturday night, Bassani said if American receives any damages from Boeing, she expects the APFA to share in those reparations. "The APFA Board has expressed an interest in discussing this issue further, which we expect to do next week," she said. She also confirmed her husband works for Boeing, and pointed out that she called on the 737 Max to be grounded in a television interview just before the plane was ultimately grounded in the U.S. "Where my husband works has nothing to do with the safety of my members and our passengers, nor had any bearing on my calling for the grounding of the 737 Max," she said. This discord within the organization comes at a critical time for the union. National officer elections began Nov. 10 and run through Dec. 10, according to its website. And next month, the contract between the APFA and American becomes amendable. Negotiations between the union and American have been ongoing since February. https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2019/11/17/american-airlines-flight-attendants-lori-bassani.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo Back to Top US aviation fatalities increased by 13% in 2018, NTSB says (CNN)The number of people killed in US aviation accidents increased by 13% from 2017 to 2018, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB reported 347 people died in aviation accidents in 2017, compared to 393 in 2018. "The NTSB is disappointed to see that the fatal accident rate and fatal accident numbers have increased overall for last year," NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt told CNN. "The rate is once again above one fatality per 100,000 flight hours." Most of the fatalities occurred during general aviation, which includes private and recreational flying. For two years, the fatal accident rate among general aviation was below 1.0 per 100,000 flight hours. It increased to 1.029 accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 2018. Meanwhile, fatalities in On-Demand Part 135 operations -- which include charters, air taxis and air tours -- claimed 12 lives, down from 16 in 2017. The commercial airline accident rate has gone significantly down in the last decade, according to Sumwalt. The 2018 death of Wells Fargo executive Jennifer Riordan aboard a Southwest Airlines was the country's first commercial airline passenger fatality in nine years. "It's a very good safety record, but still, one fatality is certainly one too many," Sumwalt said. The NTSB did not provide reasons for the increase in aviation fatalities, but has issued recommendations for improving safety aboard general aviation and Part 135 operations. One safety proposal is for charter operators to start using safety management systems that provide a formal approach to managing aircraft safety. Charter operators are also urged to employ flight data monitoring programs, which help detect problems before a crash. "Our real mission is to investigate transportation accidents to determine the probable cause, and most importantly issue safety recommendations so that they don't happen again," Sumwalt said. https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/16/us/us-aviation-fatalities-increase-2018-trnd/index.html Back to Top Air New Zealand Cancels Dozens Of Flights Due To Engine Issue, Affecting Thousands Of Aussies Air New Zealand has cancelled dozens of flights in and out of Australia because of safety checks to Rolls-Royce engines on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet. The carrier says 14,000 passengers will be affected by the suspension of its twice-weekly seasonal Christchurch-Perth service and cancellation of services including several Auckland-Sydney trips in December and January. Rolls-Royce requires operators of its Trent 1000 TEN model engines, including Air New Zealand, to carry out additional maintenance due to an issue with their blades. The airline, which does not have replacement engines available, said further schedule changes may yet be necessary. "Getting customers to their destinations is our top priority. We're doing all we can to minimise disruption, but unfortunately we need to make a limited number of cancellations and changes to some flights over summer," Air New Zealand said in a statement on Monday. "Most of these changes are contained to our Perth flights and we estimate around 14,000 customers will be impacted by cancellations. Flights within New Zealand will not be affected. "We are deeply disappointed to be in this position again, but safety is paramount and non-negotiable." Air New Zealand will contact customers who have booked flights on affected routes and said their travel alerts section of their website will be updated with the latest schedule information. https://10daily.com.au/shows/10-news-first/a191118iarbn/air-new-zealand-cancels-dozens-of-flights-due-to-engine-issue-affecting-thousands-of-aussies-20191118 Back to Top Task force formed to get back Category 1 status for aviation authority, says M'sian transport minister (Malaysia) The United States' Federal Aviation Authority's (FAA) assessment applies to the aviation authority and not airlines or airports, but it means airlines licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia will not be able to add new routes to and from the US. PUTRAJAYA - A task force has been formed by the Malaysian transport ministry to rectify shortcomings which led to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia's (CAAM) downgrade to Category 2 by the United States' Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), said Mr Anthony Loke. The transport minister said the task force will be headed by former Civil Aviation Department director-general, Kok Soo Chon, and the veteran aviation expert will be assisted by eight other aviation specialists. "Today, the Transport Ministry has decided to form a task force to oversee and rectify all the findings mentioned by FAA in its audit report. "The task force will monitor the rectifying action taken by CAAM and the individuals in the oversight body are all independent candidates. Three out of the eight will be experts from outside. "The timeline for rectifying the findings is 12 months and we hope we can achieve the target within the timeframe given. After that, we will call back FAA to conduct another audit so that our Category 2 can be lifted to Category 1," Mr Loke said in a press conference at the CAAM headquarters office. The FAA announced last Monday that it had downgraded the CAAM's air safety rating for failing to meet safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Read also: US aviation authority downgrades Malaysia's air safety rating The assessment applies to the aviation authority and not airlines or airports, but it means airlines licensed by CAAM will not be able to add new routes to and from the US. The only Malaysian airline that flies to the US directly is AirAsia X, to Honolulu, Hawaii via Osaka, Japan. Mr Loke also announced that CAAM will review its current fees and charges to make the aviation body financially independent. "The last time we reviewed our charges and fees was in 2006. So we need to review the charges now so CAAM can be more financially independent. At the moment, CAAM is operating at a budget of RM350 million with its revenue at RM120 million. CAAM's operating budget comes half from the government and half from the fees and charges," he said. Mr Loke refuted a claim made by former prime minister Najib Razak who said that CAAM passed its audit in 2016 under Barisan Nasional's administration. Mr Loke told reporters that the last time FAA conducted its audit was in 2003. "I wish to correct the statement made by Najib Razak, who claimed the last audit was done in 2016. There was no audit in 2016. The last audit was done in 2003. For the past 16 years there was no audit done," Mr Loke added. Mr Najib was responding on his official Facebook account a day after the FAA downgraded CAAM to category 2 under the IASA programme. "This is the first time in our history that our air safety rating fails to meet international standards. It affects our code-sharing with other airlines and it will also affect our national airline's (MAS) income. "The last time we were audited by FAA was in 2016 and we passed. This time even though we were given ample time to correct the problems that was identified in April, we failed to rectify it," said Mr Najib. Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/world/task-force-formed-get-back-category-1-status-aviation-authority-says-msian-transport-minister https://www.todayonline.com/world/task-force-formed-get-back-category-1-status-aviation-authority-says-msian-transport-minister Back to Top Elevate Jet Adds Veteran Director of Safety, Develops Advanced Aviation Safety Management System Leading aviation management and consultancy firm, Elevate Jet has hired 40-year aviation safety veteran, Wayne Lockley to lead rigorous safety and security protocol, including the development of a robust Safety Management System (SMS) to support growth initiatives. Wayne has an impeccable safety record as a pilot and has been in the safety arena his entire career. BEDFORD, MASS. - Leading aviation management and consultancy firm, Elevate Jet has hired 40-year aviation safety veteran, Wayne Lockley to lead rigorous safety and security protocol, including the development of a robust Safety Management System (SMS) to support growth initiatives. "Wayne is a veteran Naval aviator superstar in my book," said Scott LaForge, President of Elevate Jet, "He has an impeccable safety record as a pilot and has been in the safety arena his entire career. He is also an incredibly kind and gracious person. I can't think of anyone better to be leading our safety department." Wayne Lockley is an experienced aviation professional with a passion for safety and continuous improvement. He has been a pilot for over 40 years and he devoted 23 years to the U.S. Navy where he flew a number of aircraft, including the A-6E, and F/A-18. Wayne currently owns and flies a Cirrus SR-22. "I am thrilled to be part of Elevate Jet and to be in the position to develop safety standards and procedures that support its progressive service offerings," said Lockley, "My number one priority since joining Elevate Jet is the development of an innovative SMS that will sustain rapid growth and an expanding fleet." Before joining Elevate Jet, Wayne Lockley was a member of the International Society of Aviation Safety Investigators, a Naval Pilot and the Naval Test Wing Safety Officer for the Bell AH-1 Cobra upgrade and the AW101 (EH101) Merlin/Cormorant Atlantic Presidential Helicopter Program. Throughout his career, he has held a range of positions that leveraged his expertise in safety management and protocols, systems engineering, program management, contract management, proposal writing, acquisition, and logistics. "For me, safety is all-encompassing. It touches every aspect of life," said Lockley, "Not just the corporate and aviation side of things. My mission at Elevate Jet is to develop and nurture a safety evolution that is ingrained in our culture. One that involves continuously practicing safety protocol while identifying, mitigating and preventing any and all safety risks 24-7." About Elevate Jet Headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, Elevate Jet is an aircraft management and consultancy firm which provides highly customized, boutique services to aircraft owners and flyers. The company's offerings include management and consultancy services such as Part 91 and Part 135 aircraft management, private charter, aircraft acquisition, and valuations. Elevate Jet owns Embraer aircraft for VIP shuttle services. Elevate Jet is a wholly owned subsidiary of Elevate Holdings, Inc. Visit elevatejet.com to learn more. https://tinyurl.com/tf7gn4o Back to Top FAA Chief explores overhaul of plane approvals The deadly crashes involving the grounded Boeing 737 Max has brought about a look into how planes are certified to fly. The head of the Federal Aviation Administration says regulators are looking at just that, according to the Wall Street Journal. FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson talked about it on Sunday. Thoughts include the possibility of the FAA being involved in the design of a new plane from the outset. Currently manufacturers have a list of rules they have to follow, the FAA assesses the design at the end of the process. The FAA has been under pressure over its safety approval and scrutiny of the 737 Max and for backing the plane's safety after the first crash, which was previously reported by the Wall Street Journal. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/faa-chief-explores-overhaul-of-plane-approvals Back to Top Etihad Celebrates First Middle East 3D-printed Parts Facility Opening Etihad's new additive facility, (l to r) Bernhard Randerath and Abdul Khaliq Saeed of Etihad Engineering; Markus Glasser, EOS; Ernst Peter Fischer, German ambassador to the UAE; Marie Langer, EOS; Tony Douglas, Etihad Aviation Group; and Martin Black, BigRep. At a ceremony attended by Ernst Peter Fischer, German Ambassador to the UAE, Etihad Engineering (Chalet S15) unveiled on Sunday the Middle East's first additive manufacturing facility with design and production approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency, making it the first airline MRO to receive such approval to design, produce, and certify 3D-printed cabin parts using powder-bed fusion technology, according to Etihad. The laboratory, created in partnership with EOS and BigRep, is located at the Etihad Engineering facility adjacent to Abu Dhabi International Airport and has two approved industrial 3D printers: the EOS P 396; and BigRep's One, among the world's largest serial-built thermoplastic-extrusion 3D printers. The EOS machine, with a total build volume of 340 x 340 x 600 mm, enables tool-free manufacture of serial components, spare parts, functional prototypes, and models directly from CAD data, while the ONE can manufacture large parts, jigs and fixtures, and molds. "The launch of the new facility is in line with Etihad Engineering's position as a leading global player in aircraft engineering, as well as a pioneer in innovation and technology," said Bernhard Randerath, the airline's v-p of design, engineering, and innovation. The partnership will allow the division of the Etihad Aviation Group to make faster repairs, more lightweight designs, and customizable parts. Going forward, the 3D printing facility will "design, produce and certify additively manufactured parts for the aircraft cabin of the future," according to the company. Claiming title as the region's largest commercial MRO provider, Etihad Engineering's facilities include hangars covering some 66,000 sq m (710,000 sq ft), including one that can accommodate three Airbus A380s simultaneously. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2019-11-18/etihad-celebrates-first-middle-east-3d-printed-parts-facility Back to Top Nepal Airlines Desperate To Sell 31 Year Old Boeing 757 Nepal Airlines has been looking to sell its last Boeing 757 for a while. After two previous failed attempts, the airline has now nearly halved its previous asking price to $4.25 million in a last-ditch effort to attract a buyer. Nepal Airlines' Boeing 757-200M registered 9N-ACB Nepal Airlines' last Boeing 757. Photo: Toby Lam via Flickr CH-Aviation reported yesterday on a fresh attempt by Nepal's flag carrier to get rid of its last Boeing 757. Nepal Airlines has tried and failed twice before to sell the 31.4-year-old aircraft, registered 9N-ACB. At the last time of asking, back in June, Nepal Airlines posted the aircraft for auction with a minimum bid of $7.68 million. While the aircraft didn't sell, it did receive two bids. However, both bids were disqualified - the first because the bidding company wasn't named, and the second because it was beneath the minimum bid. Now Nepal Airlines is looking for just $4.25 million to sell the aircraft. What's on offer? The airframe isn't the only thing bidders can look forward to receiving if they win the auction. The package also contains the aircraft's two engines, both of which are Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4s, as well as 500 spare parts, in case anything goes wrong. Individually the engines have accumulated 26,841 cycles/76,124 hours and 21,101 cycles/61,178 hours. The airframe itself has racked up 30,535 cycles/89,462 hours. Additionally, more than 100 tools will come with the aircraft, good news for any airlines struggling with funds at the moment. The Boeing 757-200M The aircraft can work as both a passenger- and cargo-freighter at the same time. Photo: Aero Icarus via Flickr Not just any Boeing 757 While Boeing 757s are a breed on their way out, Nepal Airlines' final example isn't just any old Boeing 757. In fact, it's a special, one-of-a-kind model called the Boeing 757-200M. Nepal Airlines, or Royal Nepal Airlines as it used to be known, has owned the aircraft since it was brand new. It received the aircraft from Boeing back in 1988, becoming the only customer to order the Boeing 757-200M. This unique Boeing 757 offered a mixed cargo/passenger layout. It was capable of carrying two to four cargo pallets in its main cargo deck, situated at the front of the aircraft. It could then also carry 123 to 148 passengers as normal in the seated part of the fuselage, towards the rear. This unusual layout was chosen by Nepal Airlines as it needed an aircraft that was capable of carrying passengers, as well as larger supplies, in and out of Tribhuvan International Airport, which is situated at 4,400 feet/1,300 meters above sea level. The cargo area of the Boeing 757-200M is accessed by a large cargo door at the front of the aircraft, which is clearly visible on photos. The Boeing 757-200M The wide cargo door is clearly visible at the front of the aircraft. Photo: Ken Fielding via Flickr Will the aircraft sell? Given the uniqueness of 9N-ACB, you'd expect the aircraft would attract some attention from buyers. It has been stored at Kathmandu Airport since October 2018, so time is of the essence when it comes to finding a buyer. If a buyer cannot be found at the new asking price of $4.25 million, it's likely the aircraft will simply end up being scrapped - a sad fate for such an interesting one-of-a-kind. https://simpleflying.com/nepal-airlines-boeing-757-sale/ Back to Top How Much Of American Airlines' Revenues Comes From Domestic Passenger Travel? American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) is the largest airline in the world in terms of fleet size, revenues generated as well as passengers carried. In 2018, it operated 956 mainline aircraft and 595 regional aircraft in its fleet. American carries out its regional operations under the banner of American Eagle, which includes wholly-owned subsidiaries of American Airlines and certain other third-party carriers. Trefis captures trends in American Airlines Revenues over recent years along with our forecast for the next 2 in an interactive dashboard along-with the trends in key operational parameters. We note that despite the airline's sizable presence outside the U.S., domestic passenger revenues account for roughly 73% of American Airlines' total passenger revenues, which in turn represents just over two-thirds of the company's total revenues. A Quick Look at American Airlines' Revenues American Airlines reported $44.5 billion in Total Operating Revenues for full-year 2018. This includes three revenue streams: Passenger Revenue: $40 billion in FY2018 (91% of Total Revenues). It represents income from the sale of air tickets and other ancillary offerings for the company's mainline and affiliate carriers. If a ticket is sold and travel is yet to happen, the company recognizes income from such tickets as air traffic liability. Due to the complex structure of ticket pricing, cancellation and rescheduling, a certain portion of the liability is recognized as passenger revenues based on recognized historical patterns. Cargo Revenue: $1 billion in FY2018 (2% of Total Revenues). It represents income freight and mail services. Other Revenue: $3 billion in FY2018 (7% of Total Revenues). It comprises of the sale of loyalty points to credit card companies. Despite Strong Global Presence, Domestic Operations Contribute The Highest By Far Despite a presence in more than 50 countries, the company's domestic operations contribute a majority of its passenger revenues. In 2018, $29.6 billion of $40.6 billion in passenger revenues came from domestic operations, representing nearly 70% of the total passenger revenues. The share of other prominent geographies: Latin America, Atlantic, and Pacific in American Airlines' passenger revenues, is elaborated in our interactive dashboard. Notably, the company currently faces capacity constraints from the grounding of its 24 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. With American Airlines looking to add 40 of these aircraft to its fleet over coming years (nearly 20% of new aircraft additions by 2022), the expected delay in delivery of these aircrafts will negatively impact growth in capacity in the near future. This is expected to weigh on Passenger revenues for American Airlines over several quarters. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/how-much-of-american-airlines-revenues-comes-from-domestic-passenger-travel-2019-11-18 Back to Top Prospective pilots get training in simulation program ST. GEORGE (AP) - It's a Wednesday afternoon in St. George, and some area high school students are gathering to practice their piloting skills. They pull back on their planes' controls to get airborne, retracting their landing gear a moment later. They bring their crafts to the right heights, making adjustments as they check various flight instruments. Then they carefully guide their planes through a series of turns before coming in for their landings. But these students aren't flying actual planes. In fact, they're all seated safely on the ground. Rather, they're learning the basics of piloting on a flight simulator during their after-school Introduction to Aviation through Simulation class. The class is designed so that students can pass their ground tests, then work with a certified flight instructor to get their pilot's licenses, said Robert Munson, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who is now the advanced ground instructor for the course. Munson started the class along with Russell Genet, an aviation researcher and former Air Force captain, and Dan Eliason, a retired Air Force colonel who now works with the Gail S. Halvorsen Aviation Education Foundation. Munson also acts as the foundation's Southern Utah representative. The class is currently held in Dixie High School's JROTC building, but Munson said he recently signed a contract to start the class with Dixie State University's Continuing Education program on Jan. 15, 2020, with a new location to be determined. The current class, which is the first time the program has been run, will continue until Christmas. And though all but one of the six currently enrolled students are members of local JROTCs, Munson said DSU's Continuing Education program will make the class accessible to anyone in the community. He's also hoping they'll be able to spread the program to other high schools in the area and get the support of an airline like SkyWest or Delta. "It's an awesome opportunity for young kids to get the feel of a cockpit without having to pay $100 an hour to sit in the cockpit," said Kenneth "KO" Fields, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and currently the senior aerospace science instructor with the Dixie JROTC. Munson said the class meets once a week after school for two hours. The first hour is spent on an assignment within the simulation, such as learning how to turn, while the second hour is spent on traditional classroom instruction, such as learning about motors and engines. "It's kind of a science and an art," Munson said. He also said to use the simulator, students need a gaming laptop, which typically costs around $600. However, the Halverson Foundation provided joysticks and rudder pedals for their classroom, while Walmart donated screens. The software, called TakeFlight Interactive, was provided by TakeFlight CEO Brandon Seltz, who has also made the software available for students to load onto their own computers for free. (Though starting in January, students will need to pay $60 for the software as well as $24.99 for the Microsoft Flight Simulator X.) The software takes students through different lessons such as straight and level flight, climbs and descents, turns, takeoffs and landings. At the end, they get a grade and see how well they did on different aspects of flight, such as altitude and banking. "Computers have been advancing," Munson said. "You can use a laptop and a screen and all this stuff, and it pretty well simulates how to fly." There currently aren't any GPA or other requirements for high school students to take the class, and it's open to anyone who's interested in flying, he said. Munson said he feels the community needs an aviation class because there's going to be "a huge shortage of pilots" in coming years. He hopes the class will expose more community members to the possibility of flying. He also said the best part of working with students is seeing them get excited about aviation, while the most challenging part is making sure they know the many parts of flying, from Federal Aviation Administration rules to weather to the plane's instruments. "Flying is not hard, but there's just a lot of different things to know," he said. "It just takes time and dedication." One of the students putting in that time is 16-year-old Alex Eggers, a junior at Desert Hills High School and a Dixie JROTC member. He thought he wanted to be a meteorologist until he realized "being a pilot is way cooler. You're actually in the sky." Eggers, who plans on joining the Air Force, said both the best part and the most challenging part of the class is the simulators. "They're hard to control," he said. "(But) you soon enough get what they're trying to show you." And to any student contemplating the class, he'd say, "Go for it." "It's a good... (way of) getting into the plane and the cockpit and everything without actually getting in a jet plane and having any risk," he said. https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/education/prospective-pilots-get-training-in-simulation-program/article_eaab47d4-8eff-5483-b9a9-b448683539cd.html Back to Top Etihad launches more fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner Etihad COO Mohammad al-Bulooki, left, Etihad CEO Tony Douglas, second left, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Stanley A. Deal, third left, and Boeing Global Services President and CEO Ted Colbert, right, pose in front of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner model at the Dubai Airshow in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 18, 2019. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Abu Dhabi's flagship carrier Etihad Airways announced on Monday it is launching one of the world's most fuel-efficient long-haul airplanes as the company seeks to save costs on fuel and position itself as a more environmentally-conscious choice for travelers. Etihad's "Greenliner" is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that will depart on its first route from Abu Dhabi to Brussels in January 2020. Etihad's CEO Tony Douglas described the aircraft as a flying laboratory for testing that could benefit the entire industry. With fuel costs eating up around a quarter of airline spending, Douglas said the goal of the Greenliner is to be 20% more fuel efficient than other aircraft in Etihad's fleet. "This is not just a box-ticking exercise," he told reporters at the unveiling of the initiative at the Dubai Airshow alongside executives from Boeing. Douglas said the aircraft "not only makes sense economically from a profit and loss account point of view, but because it also directly impacts the CO2 because of the fuel burn." Etihad has reported losses of $4.75 billion since 2016 as its strategy of aggressively buying stakes in airlines from Europe to Australia exposed the company to major risks. Despite its financials, the airline continues to be among the most innovative. This year, Etihad flew the world's first passenger flight using sustainable biofuel made from a plant that grows in saltwater. It also became the first in the Middle East to operate a flight without any single-use plastics on board to raise awareness of the effects of plastic pollution. Aviation accounts for a small but rapidly growing share of greenhouse-gas emissions - about 2.5% worldwide. But forecasters expect air travel to grow rapidly in the coming years. There's a small but growing movement in Europe and North America that's shunning air travel because it produces high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. The trend is most prominent in Sweden, where the likes of teen climate activist Greta Thunberg have challenged travelers to confront the huge carbon cost of flying. Some campaigners are also "flight shaming" travelers for their carbon footprint. Most recently, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were criticized for flying on private jets this summer while calling for more action on climate change. Etihad says it plans to make the Greenliner a "social media star" to bring under sharper focus its developments and achievements worldwide. Douglas said anything that Eithad learns with Boeing from this aircraft's operations will be open domain knowledge "because it's about moving the industry forward in a responsible fashion." "We're like a millennial and like all good millennials, they're really focused on the environment and the sustainability agenda," Douglas said, referring to Etihad's 16 years in operation. The Greenliner will be the only aircraft of its kind in Etihad's fleet of Dreamliners. The company currently has 36 of the 787s in its fleet with plans to operate 50. "This is a small step today, but in a very, very long journey," Douglas said. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/etihad-launches-more-fuel-efficient-070656063.html Back to Top Artificial Intelligence Can Now Predict When Lightning Will Strike At École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, researchers have created an inexpensive system that can predict when lightning will strike to the nearest 10 to 30 minutes. Now, the team wants to use their new tool in the European Laser Lightning Rod project, a bid to create safety from lightning strikes. The research was published earlier this month in the journal Climate and Atmospheric Science. Despite that old saying, lightning can-and often does-strike the same area twice. It's detrimental to farmers as lightning causes fires that can destroy millions of dollars' worth of crops. And, it kills more people each year than tornadoes or hurricanes. But right now, our only real warning system is storm clouds. Simply put: we have difficulty predicting exactly when these giant electrical charges will strike. In Switzerland, a team of researchers from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne may have an answer: artificial intelligence. Using standard meteorological data and machine learning, the scientists came up with a relatively simple and cheap system that can predict lightning strikes down to the nearest 10 to 30 minutes inside a 30-kilometer radius (about 18.6 miles). "We have used machine learning techniques to successfully hindcast nearby and distant lightning hazards by looking at single-site observations of meteorological parameters," the authors wrote in a new paper published earlier this month in the journal Climate and Atmospheric Science. Hindcasting, as opposed to forecasting, is a way to test mathematical models. Known or estimated inputs of past events are used in a model to see how well that output matches known results. If the model's output matches the known output, it's correct. In this case, the researchers were able to use data about past lightning strikes to build an algorithm that could then make predictions about new lightning strikes. To do this, the team trained their machine learning algorithm to recognize weather conditions that typically lead to lightning. Specifically they used four variables, including air pressure at station level, air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. This training data came from 12 Swiss weather stations in both urban and mountainous environments between 2006 and 2017. After the algorithm completed its learning phase, it made correct predictions about new lightning strikes about 80 percent of the time. It's the first time a simple model, trained on meteorological data, has predicted lightning strikes with live calculations. And since it's based on existing data, it's pretty cheap and simple to replicate. "Current systems are slow and very complex, and they require expensive external data acquired by radar or satellite," Amirhossein Mostajabi, the PhD student who came up with the technique, told Science Daily. "Our method uses data that can be obtained from any weather station. That means we can cover remote regions that are out of radar and satellite range and where communication networks are unavailable." The researchers hope to use their new model as a tool in the European Laser Lightning Rod project, an attempt to build a new type of lightning protection. Rather than just rely on a lightning rod, the consortium behind the project is testing pulses of laser light to stimulate the number of upward lightning flashes. They hope to transfer cloud charges to the ground this way, directly influencing where downward lightning strikes occur. https://www.yahoo.com/news/artificial-intelligence-now-predict-lightning-145800012.html Back to Top NASA watchdog warns of possible delays in launching new U.S. spacecraft In a wide-ranging report, NASA's inspector general warned that Boeing and SpaceX both face major technical challenges that threaten to delay initial flights of U.S. commercial astronaut ferry ships. If the worst-case scenario plays out, NASA could be forced to reduce its presence aboard the International Space Station to a single astronaut for an extended period, the audit said. "Boeing and SpaceX each face significant safety and technical challenges with parachutes, propulsion and launch abort systems that need to be resolved prior to receiving NASA authorization to transport crew to the ISS," the report concluded. "The complexity of these issues has already caused at least a 2-year delay in both contractors' development, testing and qualification schedules and may further delay certification of the launch vehicles by an additional year." Since the space shuttle's retirement in 2011, NASA has been forced to rely on Russia's three-seat Soyuz spacecraft to carry U.S. and partner agency astronauts to and from the space station while the agency worked to develop a new U.S. crew ship under the agency's Commercial Crew Program, or CCP. A Russian Soyuz spacecraft on final approach to the International Space Station. NASA The numbers included in the inspector general's report, released Thursday, are eye-opening. "Since 2006, NASA has purchased 70 (Soyuz) seats worth approximately $3.9 billion, including five seats purchased through Boeing for $373.5 million," the inspector general reported. "Overall, NASA paid an average cost per seat of $55.4 million for the 70 completed and planned missions from 2006 through 2020 with prices ranging from approximately $21.3 million to $86 million for each round trip." Those numbers include 12 Soyuz seats NASA has bought since 2017, at a cost of about $1 billion, in large part because of delays in the Commercial Crew Program. While the cost of a Soyuz seat is an oft-cited statistic in favor of developing domestic spacecraft, as it turns out only SpaceX offers significantly lower costs. NASA will pay more for a seat on Boeing's Starliner spacecraft than the agency currently pays to fly aboard a Soyuz, the inspector general said. "As of May 2019, Boeing and SpaceX's contracts were valued at $4.3 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively," the inspector general said. "Of those amounts, Boeing's costs for development and test flights were $2.2 billion, while SpaceX's were $1.2 billion. "For crewed missions to the ISS, NASA awarded each contractor six round-trip missions. Assuming four astronauts per flight and using publicly available information, the estimated average cost per seat is approximately $90 million for Boeing and approximately $55 million for SpaceX." The final currently booked Soyuz seat will be used in April by astronaut Chris Cassidy, who will join two cosmonauts aboard the Soyuz MS-16/62S spacecraft for a six-month stay in orbit. Faced with the prospect of additional commercial crew launch delays, NASA currently is negotiating for at least two additional Soyuz seats. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule during its departure from the space station during an unpiloted test flight in March. NASA The issue is complicated by recent Russian d ecisions to reduce the number of Soyuz flights to just two per year while holding open the possibility of launching "space tourists" and other non-professionals to the space station as a commercial venture. Because it takes about three years to build a Soyuz, only a limited number of seats are available. "NASA will likely experience a reduction in the number of USOS (U.S. Orbital Segment) crew aboard the ISS from three to one beginning in spring 2020 given schedule delays in the development of Boeing and SpaceX space flight systems coupled with a reduction in the frequency of Soyuz flights," the inspector general reported. "Options for addressing this potential crew reduction are limited but include purchasing additional Soyuz seats and extending the missions of USOS crew members. However, these options may not be viable given the 3-year lead time required to manufacture a Soyuz vehicle; expiration of a waiver that permitted NASA to make payments to the Russian government; and astronaut health constraints." In NASA's response to the report, Ken Bowersox, then-acting chief of space operations at agency headquarters, said the inspector general "described a worst-case scenario that does not reflect NASA's consistent efforts during the life of the program to mitigate those risks." "The scenario presented in the report assumes that CCP systems will be significantly delayed and that NASA will not take any future action to mitigate the impacts. ... This section also does not recognize the fact that NASA is currently in discussions with Roscosmos regarding options for ensuring continuous U.S. crew on ISS." The Commercial Crew Program was intended from the start to restore NASA's ability to launch astronauts from American soil aboard U.S. spacecraft. In 2014, after several preliminary competitions, Boeing was initially awarded a $4.2 billion NASA contract to build the CST-100 Starliner capsule while SpaceX received $2.6 billion to develop its Crew Dragon spacecraft. The fixed-price contracts cover 12 operational missions, six per contractor, to carry 48 astronauts to the station by the end of 2024. The Starliner will fly atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket and land in the western United States while the Crew Dragon will rely on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and return to Earth with an ocean splashdown east of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Boeing completed a critical test of the Starliner's emergency abort system earlier this month and is readying another Starliner for launch around December 17 on an unpiloted test flight to the space station. If that test goes well, the company will focus on readying a different capsule for launch on a piloted test flight early next year. SpaceX completed an unpiloted test flight to the space station in March and test-fired a Crew Dragon's abort engines Wednesday in an apparently successful ground test. The company plans to launch that capsule next month for an in-flight abort test before the first piloted flight to the station in the next few months. A Boeing Starliner capsule during a test of its emergency abort engines earlier this month. Boeing Both companies have experienced issues perfecting their parachute recovery systems - one of three chutes failed to deploy during Boeing's recent abort test - and both companies have experienced problems with their emergency propulsion systems. Development of several systems, originally expected to be tested during unpiloted flights, have been deferred to the first piloted missions. It's not yet clear which company will get an astronaut crew into space first, but it will depend on the results of the test flights and extensive data reviews. "CCP schedule assessments as of June 2019 suggest final certification for Boeing and SpaceX to fly crewed missions may not occur before summer 2020," the inspector general reported. "By this time, the Soyuz launch schedule will have decreased from two missions every six months to a single flight - a scenario that will result in a single U.S. astronaut and two Roscosmos cosmonauts on the station beginning in April 2020 barring any adjustments to current crew schedules." The inspector general's report criticized NASA for allegedly overpaying Boeing by some $287 million for four planned Starliner flights during negotiations in 2016 when planners were worried about a perceived gap in launches. While agreeing the negotiations were complex and that the report's conclusion had the benefit of hindsight, the inspector general questioned NASA's underlying assumptions, arguing the agency ignored other opportunities to save money and never offered SpaceX a chance to propose alternatives. In a remarkable claim, the inspector general said according to "several NASA officials, a significant consideration for paying Boeing such a premium was to ensure the contractor continued as a second crew transportation provider." Boeing flatly denied that conclusion, saying in a statement the company "has made significant investments in the commercial crew program and we are fully committed to flying the CST-100 Starliner and keeping the International Space Station fully crewed and operational." As for how the four missions in question were priced by NASA, Bowersox emphatically denied any overpayment. "NASA understands the OIG believes that NASA could have negotiated better prices for the (missions)," he wrote. "However, that is an opinion, three years after the fact and there is no evidence to support the conclusion that Boeing would have agreed to lower prices. Thus, NASA strongly disagrees with the OIG's characterization that NASA 'overpaid' for the Boeing (missions)." https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasa-watchdog-warns-possible-delays-022820311.html Back to Top CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT Fatigue is a pervasive issue that affects all airline cabin crew. Fatigue may impede cabin crews' ability to consistently and effectively manage passengers from safety, security and service perspectives. As part of our undergraduate research project at Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne, Australia), we are conducting a survey of international cabin crew primarily engaged in long-haul (LH) and ultra long-haul (ULH) flight operations. This survey asks cabin crew for their views on various issues associated with work-related fatigue and stress. We also seek your views on the availability and effectiveness of various fatigue countermeasures. If you are working as LH or ULH cabin crew, you are invited to participate in this study. You will be asked to complete an online questionnaire, which also includes a consent form. The study takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. To access the study, please go to the following website: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qBLCKgmpWlraxT Participants who complete the study will be eligible to enter a draw to win the latest iPad (6th Generation). This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au Back to Top Upcoming Cranfield short courses The Cranfield Safety and Accident Investigation Centre (CSAIC) is helping to improve safety and shape the future of the transport industry. We offer an extensive range of continuing professional development (CPD) short courses in accident investigation, safety management, human factors and airworthiness. Our upcoming short courses for 2020 include: • Fundamentals of Accident Investigation: 13 - 31 Jan and 11 - 29 May • Applied Safety Assessment Workshop: 27 - 31 Jan • Air Transport Engineering - Maintenance Operations: 10 - 14 Feb • Aviation Safety Management: 30 Mar - 03 Apr • Hazards and Evidence Awareness for Air Accident Responders: 22 - 23 Apr • Safety Assessment of Aircraft Systems: 22 - 26 Jun Have you subscribed to our Safety and Accident Investigation Blog? Our Safety and Accident Investigation blog gives information, insights and thoughts from our Cranfield Safety and Accident Investigation Centre team. Sign up here Please take a look and subscribe, to ensure you're the first to receive our latest content. We'd love to hear your feedback too. Contact us on: E: shortcourse@cranfield.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1234 754189 Back to Top Position Available: Aircraft Accident Investigator The position is for a very seasoned person in the field of aircraft accident investigation, fixed wing and helicopter. The requirements include previous experience in some/all of the following areas: Piloting, Aircraft Maintenance, Federal Aviation Regulations, Engineering (Aeronautical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Forensic, Design), Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design, Human Factors, Accident Reconstruction, Impact Kinematics, Manufacturing, Aviation Weather, Technical Report Writing, Piston and Turbine engine operation and failure, Fire Investigation, Material Science. The position requires a minimum of a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university. Post graduate education and degrees are preferred. The position will involve some level of very short-term travel on a bi-weekly to monthly basis. Previous expert witness deposition and trial testimony experience is preferred although not required as long as credentials will qualify the applicant in an expert capacity. Physical capabilities to travel to primarily US destinations for aircraft wreckage and crash site inspections will be necessary. Compensation will be based on experience and industry marketability directly proportional to industry billing rates and standards. The listing company has been in the business of investigating aircraft accidents for over 40 years. The company has consistently and is currently one of the industry leaders in forensic aircraft accident investigation and has been recognized for exemplary performance by countless State and Federal Courts as well as Law Journals, The American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. The company offers longstanding excellence in the field of Aircraft Accident Investigation and is looking for new and motivated staff members to help assist its rapidly expanding client base. Please contact us at aeroinvestigator@gmail.com Back to Top Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course presented by N. Albert Moussa, PhD, PE May 26 to 28, 2020 BlazeTech Corporation 29 B Montvale Ave, Woburn MA 01801 USA. Dear Colleague, While commercial air transport is very safe, the advent of new technologies poses fire safety challenges that will be treated in this course. This offering draws upon Dr. Moussa's work in this area since 1971 as well as related courses that BlazeTech has been teaching since 1998. Lectures will include an update on Li and Li-ion battery fires, flammability of carbon fiber and glass fiber composites, emerging aviation fluids, engine fires, fuel tank fire/explosion, fire extinguishment methods, protection methods, aircraft accident investigation, and fire/explosion pattern recognition. Recent requirements and accidents are continuously added to the course. For each type of fire, this course will provide a cohesive integrated presentation of fundamentals, small- and large-scale testing, computer modeling, standards and specifications, and real accident investigation - as outlined in the course brochure. This integrated approach will enable you to address safety issues related to current and new systems and circumstances, and to investigate one of a kind fire and explosion accidents. The course will benefit professionals who are responsible for commercial aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles including design, equipment selection, test, operation, maintenance, safety management system, hazard/risk assessment, and accident investigation. View Brochure for course content and registration form (also embedded below). View Testmonials of previous attendees and their Companies. View some of the technical references discussed in this course. We also offer this course at the client site as well as customized courses on fire and explosion in other areas. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Albert Moussa, Ph.D., P.E. BlazeTech Corporation 29B Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801-7021 781-759-0700 x200 781-759-0703 fax www.blazetech.com firecourse@blazetech.com LinkedIn Curt Lewis please feel free to contact us. Albert Moussa, Ph.D., P.E. BlazeTech Corporation 29B Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801-7021 781-759-0700 x200 781-759-0703 fax www.blazetech.com firecourse@blazetech.com LinkedIn Curt Lewis