Flight Safety Information November 22, 2019 - No. 242 In This Issue Boeing settles more than half of Lion Air crash lawsuits: lawyer Incident: Swift B734 at Miami on Nov 20th 2019, unsafe gear Incident: Philippine B773 at Los Angeles on Nov 21st 2019, engine surge Accident: THY B738 at Odessa on Nov 21st 2019, runway excursion and nose gear collapse on landing Incident: JAC SF34 at Okadama on Nov 19th 2019, engine failure on final approach Incident: Sunwing B738 near Montreal on Nov 18th 2019, stabilizer out of trim Northrop T-38C Talon - Fatal Accident (Oklahoma) Gulfstream G150 - Landing Gear Collapse (Ukraine) A union of 60,000 aviation workers warned of more disasters like the 737 Max crashes EASA Pushing for Recorders on Small Helicopters Canada Aims to 'Raise the Bar' on Air-taxi Safety ICAO: New global aviation space weather network launched Cranfield to transform island hoppers into hybrid-electric aircraft This Boeing 747 Supplier May Force End Of Iconic Jet's Production Airlines get ready for jet biofuel take-off in Norway Space hardware manufacturers urge realistic expectations for 3D printing CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT IATA Safety and Flight Ops Conference - Baku, Azerbaijan 31 March - 2 April, 2020 USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Position Available:...Aircraft Accident Investigator BlazeTech Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course - May 26- 28, 2020 in Woburn MA, USA Boeing settles more than half of Lion Air crash lawsuits: lawyer Rescue workers load up recovered debris of Lion Air flight JT610 onto a truck at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta CHICAGO (Reuters) - Boeing Co has settled more than half of some 118 claims related to the fatal crash of a Lion Air flight on a 737 MAX aircraft in October 2018, attorney Dan Webb said at a court hearing on Thursday. Webb, a former U.S. attorney and veteran litigator, recently joined Boeing's legal team to defend the company in cases related to the Lion Air crash in Indonesia that killed all 189 on board and another deadly 737 MAX crash on a flight operated by Ethiopian Airlines five months later. Webb said 63 or 64 of the Lion Air cases had settled or were close to settlement. He did not disclose the settlement amount. The second crash, which killed all 157 on board after nose-diving soon after take-off from Addis Ababa in March, led to a global grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX that is still ongoing and a crisis for the world's biggest planemaker. Chicago-based Boeing has come under intense scrutiny for the development of the MAX and the safety system known as MCAS, for Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, that played a role in both crashes, as well as how much it had told pilots about the new system. Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg acknowledged at congressional hearings in Washington last month that the company had "made mistakes and got some things wrong." He has apologized for the lives lost in the crashes. Some Lion Air cases settled in September for at least $1.2 million per claim, sources told Reuters at the time. While some of the Ethiopian crash victim families are considering a settlement, many are pursuing a jury trial, where an award can be much larger. Robert Clifford of Clifford Law Offices, which represents families of the Ethiopian crash victims, said 103 lawsuits have been filed against Boeing so far over the second crash, with 30 more cases expected to be filed soon. None have settled as of yet in the United States, he said. Boeing has been working on updated 737 MAX software and pilot training aimed at winning regulatory approval for the plane to fly again soon, though regulators have said they have no fixed timeline for ungrounding the fleet. In addition to lawsuits by crash victim families, shareholders and pilots, Boeing is the target of a U.S. federal criminal probe and investigations by U.S. lawmakers and aviation and transportation authorities. Boeing shares were down 0.5% at $369.42 on Thursday. https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-settled-more-half-lion-154344172.html Back to Top Incident: Swift B734 at Miami on Nov 20th 2019, unsafe gear A Swift Air Boeing 737-400, registration N804TJ performing flight WQ-503 from Havana (Cuba) to Miami,FL (USA), was on approach to Miami when the crew reported an unsafe gear and decided to perform a low approach to runway 27 to have the landing gear inspected. Tower advised the crew that all gear appeared to be in the down and locked position. The crew positioned for another approach to runway 27 and landed about 15 minutes after the low approach. After landing attending emergency services found the inboard left main tyre had deflated. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWQ503/history/20191120/1708Z/MUHA/KMIA http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf95124&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Philippine B773 at Los Angeles on Nov 21st 2019, engine surge A Philippine Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration RP-C7775 performing flight PR-113 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Manila (Philippines) with 342 people on board, was in the initial climb out of ruway 25R, when upon contacting departure the crew declared Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, the right hand engine (GE90) was surging. The aircraft climbed to 5000 feet, positioned for an approach to runway 25L. The aircraft landed safely on runway 25L about 12 minutes after departure. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/PAL113/history/20191121/1925Z/KLAX/RPLL http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf94f2d&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: THY B738 at Odessa on Nov 21st 2019, runway excursion and nose gear collapse on landing A THY Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration TC-JGZ performing flight TK-467 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Odessa (Ukraine) with 134 people on board, was on final approach to Odessa's runway 16 when the crew initiated a go around at very low height. The aircraft climbed to 8000 feet, positioned for another approach to runway 16 and landed about 25 minutes later at 20:54L (18:54Z). The aircraft came to a stop on the left edge of the runway with the nose gear collapsed and the nose beyond the edge of the paved surface. The aircraft was evacuated via slides. No injuries are being reported. Mode-S Transponder data transmitted by the aircraft suggest the aircraft actually touched down on first approach and performed a balked landing. The airline reported the aircraft departed the runway after landing in Odessa, the passengers and crew were evacuated without any injuries. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf94b6d&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: JAC SF34 at Okadama on Nov 19th 2019, engine failure on final approach A JAC Japan Air Commuter Saab 340B on behalf of Japan Airlines, registration JA8594 performing flight JL- 2746 from Hakodate to Okadama (Japan) with 32 passengers and 3 crew, was on final approach to Okadama just having contacted tower, when the left hand engine (CT7) failed prompting the crew to abort the approach and perform the missed approach. The aircraft landed safely about 20 minutes later with the left hand engine shut down. Japan's Ministry of Transport reported the occurrence is rated a serious incident. The aircraft was on approach to Okadama at about 600 meters (2000 feet) of altitude, when the captain noticed indications the left hand engine had failed. The runway was closed for about 25 minutes in preparation for the emergency landing. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Okadama about 65 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf9486a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Sunwing B738 near Montreal on Nov 18th 2019, stabilizer out of trim A Sunwing Boeing 737-800, registration C-FFPH performing flight WG-426 from Montreal,QC (Canada) to Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) with 189 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing through 8000 feet out of Montreal when the crew received a "stabilizer out of trim" indication, disengaged the autopilot, re-adjusted the trim and engaged the autopilot again. The climb was continued. Climbing through FL310 towards FL340 the "stabilizer out of trim" indication illuminated again. The crew worked the related checklists, disengaged the autopilot and manually descended the aircraft to FL280 (below RVSM airspace). After consulting with dispatch the crew decided to return to Montreal, where the aircraft landed safely but overweight on runway 06R about 80 minutes after departure. The Canadian TSB reported emergency services checked the brakes before the aircraft taxied to the apron. No investigation into the reportable incident was opened. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWG426/history/20191118/1449Z/CYUL/MDPC http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf93edb&opt=0 Back to Top Northrop T-38C Talon - Fatal Accident (Oklahoma) Date: 21-NOV-2019 Time: 09:10 Type: Northrop T-38C Talon Owner/operator: United States Air Force (USAF) Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Enid-Vance AFB (END/KEND), Enid, OK - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Enid-Vance AFB, OK (END/KEND) Destination airport: Narrative: Two USAF T-38C Talon trainer jets collided and crashed. Two pilots died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/230785 Back to Top Gulfstream G150 - Landing Gear Collapse (Ukraine) Date: 21-NOV-2019 Time: Type: Gulfstream G150 Owner/operator: Private Registration: TC-AEH C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Odessa International Airport - Ukraine Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger Departure airport: Odessa Destination airport: Dubai Narrative: Upon takeoff, the aircraft sustained a landing gear collapse. There were no personal injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/230805 Back to Top A union of 60,000 aviation workers warned of more disasters like the 737 Max crashes if Congress doesn't pass new rules on plane maintenance Airline mechanics want greater oversight of non-US maintenance bases used by airlines. A transportation union representing around 150,000 workers is joining calls to overhaul rules around how non-US aviation maintenance bases are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. The Transport Workers Union says the bill could help prevent another "catastrophic disaster" like the two Boeing 737 Max crashes, which killed a total of 346 people. On Wednesday, the House Transportation Committee passed a bill that seeks to increase oversight by the FAA on overseas maintenance bases used by US airlines to carry out repairs on their aircraft when they are stationed outside the US. "We don't want to have a situation where America wakes up one morning to a catastrophic disaster involving foreign maintenance of passenger aircraft, which is what happened with the Max," John Samuelsen, the TWU's president told Forbes. A transportation union representing 60,000 aviation workers this week joined calls to tighten regulations governing oversight of plane repairs carried out in foreign countries. The Transport Workers Union says that there is currently a gap in the law which means repairs to US aircraft carried out overseas are subject to laxer safety controls. It backed a bill moving through Congress designed to change that. Officials said that failing to do so could lead to another "catastrophic disaster" like the two Boeing 737 Max crashes, one of which - the October 2018 Lion Air crash which killed 189 people - was blamed in part on improper maintenance of the US-built plane. The union has 150,000 members, 60,000 of whom work in aviation. It represents staff from airlines including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and JetBlue, all of which have 737 Max aircraft. The union backed the Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act as it was passed by the House Transportation Committee. In order to become law, it would still need to be passed by both chambers of Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump. The bill seeks to increase oversight by the FAA on overseas maintenance bases used by US airlines to carry out repairs on their aircraft when they are stationed outside the US. If passed into law, it would require the FAA to carry out unannounced inspections on these overseas repair stations, and introduce minimum qualification standards for mechanics and other workers working on US aircraft at the stations. Those measures, Rep. Peter DeFazio, the transportation committee's chairman, said when introducing the bill, would bring foreign repair stations into line with US-based maintenance facilities. De Fazio said the bill would establish "one standard of safety regardless of where the aircraft is maintained." "We're at an unfortunate moment in our aviation system's history where safety standards are being questioned, and the bottom line is safety has to be the number one priority," he added, according to the aviation news website AIN Online. John Samuelsen, the president of the Transport Workers Union, said that increased oversight of repair bases outside the US would help to avoid future aviation disasters related to poor maintenance. "There are clear parallels between the safety and oversight gaps on the manufacturing side, with the Boeing [737] Max, and those on the maintenance side," he told Forbes. "We don't want to have a situation where America wakes up one morning to a catastrophic disaster involving foreign maintenance of passenger aircraft, which is what happened with the Max," he added. Aircraft safety is under sharper scrutiny since the two 737 Max crashes. Aircraft safety is under sharper scrutiny since the two 737 Max crashes. Reuters While the union is backing the bill, not everyone in the aviation industry is happy about it. The Aeronautical Repair Station Association, a lobbying group for the repair industry, described the bill as "policymaking at its worst," according to aviation news website Flight Global. The Transport Workers Union backing the new bill is the latest in a series of safety concerns raised by airline workers in the aftermath of the 737 Max disasters. Last week the head of the union representing American Airlines cabin crew implored Boeing to involve flight attendants in the process of recertifying the 737 Max, saying that some crew are literally begging not to fly on the plane when it returns to service. https://www.businessinsider.sg/aviation-workers-back-new-aircraft-safety-bill-737- max-crisis-2019-11/ Back to Top EASA Pushing for Recorders on Small Helicopters The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is recommending the installation of flight recorders on Part 27 helicopters, those with mtows of 7,000 pounds or less and nine or fewer passenger seats. In a recent EASA safety information bulletin (SIB), EASA said that although the recommendation falls short of a mandate, the agency "recognizes the potential safety enhancement that can be achieved through this equipment." EASA noted that light-weight flight recorders are available that meet less demanding requirements than crash-protected flight recorders. In addition, the agency has previously published standards for recorders. For recording equipment that does not entirely meet these standards, the recommendations of this SIB can also apply. According to EASA, flight recorder data (e.g. time, flight parameters, attitude, alarms, pilot control input, audio, inertial acceleration) is "highly beneficial for the following safety aspects: operational fleet management, training, troubleshooting, data analysis, and risk assessment, and accident/incident investigation." The SIB concludes with EASA asking "all owners and operators of small rotorcraft, registered in the EASA member states, consider installing a flight data recorder." Additionally, EASA recommends "affected TC and STC holders to include installation of a flight recorder as part of the basic rotorcraft configuration or as an option for in-service retrofit." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-11-21/easa-pushing- recorders-small-helicopters Back to Top Canada Aims to 'Raise the Bar' on Air-taxi Safety Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) issued four new recommendations to address concerns surrounding hazard management and acceptance of unsafe practices. A recently published study of air-taxi accidents highlighted a stagnant fatal accident record. In addition, the TSB reiterated 22 existing recommendations, many going back to 2012. The 200-page work analyzes the investigations into 716 accidents and serious incidents that occurred in Canada from 2000 to 2014. The statistics showed a downward trend in the total number of air taxi accidents during the study period, but there was no downward trend in the number of fatal accidents or fatalities over the 15-year period. The analysis also revealed that the "highest number of fatalities in both airplane and helicopter accidents resulted from flights that started in VMC and continued to a point where the pilot lost visual reference with the ground." The main difference was how the flight ended: in a loss of control or controlled flight into terrain. The study determined that air taxi mishaps fall into two broad categories: acceptance of unsafe practices (the subject of three active recommendations) and inadequate management of operational hazards (the subject of 19 active recommendations), such as flying overweight, flying into known icing conditions, flying with non-operating equipment, inadequate fuel reserves, poor crew coordination, unstable approaches, and loss of visual references in marginal weather or at night. In addition to the previously issued recommendations to Canada's transportation department, the TSB issued the following new ones: eliminating unsafe practices; promoting proactive safety management and a positive safety culture; closing gaps in the air-taxi regulatory framework; and collecting activity data that is specific to the air taxi sector. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-11-21/canada-aims- raise-bar-air-taxi-safety Back to Top ICAO: New global aviation space weather network launched The new service will generate and share space weather advisories using the existing aeronautical fixed network for international aviation using data collected from dedicated space weather centres established by 17 countries. MONTREAL - A new 24/7 service has been launched to provide real-time and worldwide space weather updates for commercial and general aviation. The new service will generate and share space weather advisories using the existing aeronautical fixed network for international aviation using data collected from dedicated space weather centres established by 17 countries: * the ACFJ consortium of Australia, Canada, France and Japan, * the PECASUS consortium comprising Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom, and the United States, * plus two regional centres, comprising a consortium of China and the Russian Federation, and South Africa. Its attention will be centred mainly on solar events which can potentially impact air transport-related High Frequency (HF) communications, GNSS-based navigation and surveillance, and radiation levels on board civilian aircraft. "This new capability will permit flight crew and flight operations experts to make use of the most updated information possible on any solar events which could potentially impact aircraft systems or passenger health," commented ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu. Aviation safety risks arising from solar events fall primarily into two categories. On the one hand large solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can lead to magnetic storms which present serious risks regarding the reliable operation of satellites, aircraft, power grids, electronic communications, and anything else that relies on electromagnetic waves. CMEs also stream very energetic solar particles at earth which can significantly increase radiation levels in the atmosphere, at traditional aircraft cruising altitudes, and even at ground level depending on their intensity. The new space weather information service to support international air navigation commenced operations on 7 November 2019. It provides space weather advisories directly to aircraft operators and flight crew members as part of their standard meteorological information relevant to the entirety of their planned routes, and through updates while they are in flight. The space weather advisories are also being conveyed to air transport network area control centres, flight information centres, aerodrome meteorological offices, international OPMET(operational meteorological information) databanks, international NOTAM offices, and aeronautical fixed service Internet-based services. The new space weather service will also rely upon coordination and assistance from National OPMET centres (NOCs), Regional OPMET Centres (ROCs), Regional OPMET Data Banks (RODBs) and Inter-regional OPMET Gateways (IROG) which will be responsible to receive and disseminate space weather advisories. To support States and users in addressing these newly-identified safety risks, ICAO recently issued its new Manual on Space Weather Information in Support of International Air Navigation (ICAO Doc 10100), and a Manual of Aeronautical Meteorological Practice (ICAO Doc 8896). ICAO also acknowledged that the new space weather services have been possible thanks to the dedication and hard work of the Coordination Group established for this purpose by the Meteorology Panel of ICAO. It includes experts from the States tasked to provide the new services, a number of relevant international organizations, and the ICAO Secretariat. https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/icao-new-global-aviation-space-weather- network-launched Back to Top Cranfield to transform island hoppers into hybrid-electric aircraft The hybrid-electric propulsion system will be installed in a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) has received a £9-million (US$11.6-million) grant to convert a Britten-Norman (B-N) Islander into a hybrid-electric aircraft. As part of Project Fresson, the goal is to produce an environmentally friendly propulsion kit that can be retrofitted into the world's fleet of the nine-seater island hoppers that number in the hundreds. Electric propulsion for aircraft is a technology trend that promises greener air travel with much lower emissions per mile. However, the current state-of-the-art means that electric aircraft often have restricted ranges and payloads. Named after Scottish air pioneer Tom Fresson, Project Fresson, in the near term, works into these short ranges rather than against them. In fact, the project was inspired by the needs of Scottish airline Loganair, which operates in the Orkney Islands and is famous for having the world's shortest regular-service flight, which goes from Westray to Papa Westray in 1.5 minutes. The hope is that retro-fitting such short hoppers would not only cut emissions and noise, but also reduce maintenance costs. The 30-month Project Freeson is led by Cranfield and includes several partners across Britain. Rolls-Royce is providing the power-management system, the Denis Ferranti Group is making the electric motors, Delta Motorsport is building the battery packs, with the University of Warwick doing the battery testing. Meanwhile, Britten-Norman is supplying the Islander aircraft and Cranfield University is studying key technologies. The first version of the system is to be built from off-the-shelf parts and the first prototype could fly in 2021, followed by production versions by 2023. Under batteries, the retro-fitted Islander will have a range of 60 minutes with a 30-minute reserve - longer using a backup twin-piston engine, which may be replaced by an M250 turboshaft in later versions. Once the prototype demonstrator takes to the air, Cranfield will seek EASA certification, which will allow the partners to market the retrofit kits. This will be followed by development of a similar kit for a current 19-seat sub-regional aircraft and the design and building of an all-new 19-seat aircraft. The new grant was from the British government's ATI Programme that is tasked with bolstering the country's position in the civil aerospace field. "The results of this exciting electric aircraft demonstrator project can be rapidly developed into an EASA/CAA (European Aviation Safety Agency/Civil Aviation Authority) certified modification kit, enabling the UK to lead the way with the first passenger- carrying sub-regional aircraft capable of all-electric flight," says Paul Hutton, CAeS CEO. "The strength of the industrial partners involved in this project, are underpinned by the world-class aerospace/manufacturing research capabilities of Cranfield University. This is going to accelerate our green transport revolution." https://newatlas.com/aircraft/cranfield-hybrid-electric-island-hopper-aircraft-retrofit- kit/ Back to Top This Boeing 747 Supplier May Force End Of Iconic Jet's Production: Report Triumph Group (TGI), a top supplier for the Boeing 747, reportedly is closing a key plant, potentially forcing the aerospace giant to shutter the jumbo jet's production line. Boeing (BA) stock fell. Triumph opened up an online auction to sell manufacturing gear from its Hawthorne, Calif. plant Wednesday afternoon, according to Bloomberg. The plant has built Boeing 747 airframes since Pan American World Airways' first order in 1966. Triumph will also close its Dallas-area plant, which made Boeing 747 tail sections and other parts, next year. Boeing told Bloomberg that production slots are filled "for the next several years" and that the company is working with suppliers to fill the order backlog. Boeing stock fell 1.2% to 366.44 on the stock market today. Triumph edged up 0.4% to 28.51. Boeing rival Airbus' (EADSY) U.S.-listed shares were off 0.5% to 37.07. Boeing 747 Era But the end of the Boeing 747, which also has been flying U.S. presidents for decades, would mark the end of an era. Sales of jumbo jets have waned in recent years in favor of smaller, more fuel-efficient single-aisle jets. Boeing only has 18 747s on order in its backlog and didn't receive any new orders this year, including at the Dubai Airshow that just wrapped up. Boeing had looked at building its own 747 fuselages but abandoned the idea in 2016 as sales faltered. Meanwhile, Airbus is ending production of its A380 super-jumbo jet in 2021 after Emirates slashed its Airbus A380 order to 14 jets from 53 in February. The rise of point-to-point travel in small or medium-sized markets ended years of the hub-and-spoke model, in which passengers had layovers at major airports before catching connecting flights. The Boeing 747 had seen a new life as a cargo jet with the majority of the remaining jets on order from UPS (UPS). But it's unlikely that the Airbus A380 could be used as a freighter as the jet would reach its max weight limit before it reaches its cargo capacity. Boeing does have two high-profile 747s in the works. The aerospace giant is modifying two Presidential Air Force One jets based on the 747 airframe in a $3.9 billion contract. The Air Force agreed to buy two 747-8s that had already been built but never delivered because the intended customer, a Russian airline, went bankrupt. The planes are due to be delivered by December 2024. https://www.investors.com/news/boeing-747-line-nearing-end-triumph-shuts-factory/ Back to Top Airlines get ready for jet biofuel take-off in Norway OSLO (Reuters) - Airlines are confident of having sufficient supplies of biofuel-infused jet fuel to comply with a Norway requirement which takes effect next year, although they warn of additional costs. A Norwegian Air plane is refuelled at Oslo Gardermoen airport, Norway November 7, 2019. REUTERS/Lefteris Karagiannopoulos From January, jet fuel suppliers in Norway must blend 0.5% of biofuel in all their aviation fuel, a policy Oslo hopes will boost supply and demand and lead to lower CO2 emissions. Although aviation biofuel suppliers say it can cut the carbon footprint of airlines by up to 80%, it costs four times as much as normal jet fuel, which has so far curtailed usage and therefore demand for increased production. And not all biofuels are equal when it comes to their environmental impact, both in production and transportation. Norway's new rule demands that airplanes refueled in the country use a product made from waste fats and vegetable oil, although it excludes palm oil. "There are not that many suppliers that supply that type of fuel. We have access and can buy these quantities at this stage. As we go into the future though we need more," Rickard Gustafson, chief executive of SAS, told Reuters. The Scandinavian airline has set its own goal of powering all its domestic flights, which account for 17% of its total fuel consumption, with biofuel by 2030. SAS expects Norway's 0.5% biofuel requirement to mean an additional 3 million euro ($3.33 million) in annual fuel costs. It said it may source the biofuel it needs from AirBP, BP's specialist aviation division, and intends to buy more from Sweden's Preem, which is building new facilities. But with Sweden and Finland considering following Norway's lead - all three say that by 2030 they want to increase aviation biofuel use to 30% of total refueling - there is a danger that demand will outstrip production. "We have to create the market. There is strong demand for biofuel. But not enough is produced," Norway's Climate and Environment Minister, Ola Elvestuen, told Reuters. Neste and Norwegian utility Statkraft [STATKF.UL] are also developing new plants, while similar projects have been announced by Air France KLM and AirBP. Wideroe, a small Norwegian airline, welcomes Norway's requirement but called for other countries to follow suit. "As a first step we would like to see national requirements of biofuel being replaced by international requirements. This would ensure a level playing field between airlines," it said, adding that it wants to use electric planes by 2030. However, budget airline Norwegian Air said Norway was creating artificial demand which, even though it can be met initially, could cause a future fuel squeeze. "With other (biofuel) volume obligations in the future, we could easily get a supply shortage," a spokeswoman said. "In order to fulfil the mandate, imports from other regions might be necessary. How sustainable is biofuel that has been shipped half way around the world," she said. Norwegian Air has been investing in more fuel efficient planes, which should be encouraged instead, she added. Some in the airline industry market, including the SAS CEO, said some of the extra fuel costs may be added to fares. Despite this, passengers at Oslo airport welcomed Norway's pioneering move. "I do not mind if it will cost a little bit more. We have to clean up the world and do what we can do to have cleaner fuel," said 72-year-old Dag Christopherson. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-airplane-biofuels/airlines-get-ready-for-jet- biofuel-take-off-in-norway-idUSKBN1XV1TQ Back to Top Space hardware manufacturers urge realistic expectations for 3D printing Panelists discussing 3D printing Nov. 21, 2019, at Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen, Germany. Credit: SpaceNews/Caleb Henry BREMEN, Germany - Space hardware builders say they fully expect 3D printing to revolutionize manufacturing, but cautioned that the technology is sometimes promoted without a full understanding of its pros and cons. Manufacturers at Space Tech Expo Europe here said Nov. 21 that they are increasingly using 3D printing to build parts, but that the technology isn't a simple as often presumed. "There is such a misconception that you buy a [3D printer], plug it in, you put in your euros and that's it - parts start popping out," said Josh Mook, GE Additive's innovation leader. "It's really not anything like that. You have to have a respect for the technology and you still need a level of sophistication." Mook said GE Additive supplies 3D printed parts up to 10 meters in diameter for satellites and other engineering projects. Gerald Hagemann, head of liquid propulsion engineering at ArianeGroup, manufacturer of the Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 rockets, said many engineers at ArianeGroup initially jumped on the idea of 3D printing as the best approach for anything, when it turned out it doesn't always save costs. "For prototyping, it's perfect," Hagemann said. "For the serial production, it really hasn't been demonstrated that printing can bring the cost down." Hagemann said ArianeGroup has 3D printed parts on the Ariane 5, and more on the Ariane 6, which debuts in 2020, but that the company is selective in how it decides to leverage that manufacturing approach. Ole Geisen, head of additive manufacturing engineering services at Siemens, said that for prototyping, 3D printing gives a speed boost that makes it advantageous, but he agreed that 3D printing for serial production is more difficult. "We had designers who were very much capable of designing for performance and designing for manufacturability, but designing and engineering for cost in [additive manufacturing], people haven't really put a lot of effort into it," he said. "This is now something we have to push very hard." Siemens has a team of around 150 people focused solely on 3D printing, Geisen said. The company 3D prints parts for its own products and for customers, including some in the space industry, he said. Hagemann said one part ArianeGroup is 3D printing for Ariane 6 is an injector head, because additive manufacturing reduced the part count from thousands down to one. That created new challenges, however, since the engine part was no longer easily inspectable, he said. Even X-rays don't work because the part is made of heavy metal, he said. Mook said GE Additive reduced the part count inside a jet engine from around 850 to 12 using 3D printing. He said GE has spent more than $2 billion on standardization and qualification just for 3D printing. "What I always tell people is that it is an amazing tool," he said. "It lowers the barrier to entry in a huge way, it changes the way we approach problems, but it's not a replacement for engineering." Samuel Senese, deputy head of mechanisms and products at satellite and rocket builder OHB, said 3D printing has limited applications for remote sensing satellites, since optical components can't tolerate all the same coatings as other spacecraft parts. He said 3D printing needs more investment, but is headed in the right direction. Others agreed. "There is no stopping [3D printing] anymore, not even in space," Geisen said. "It's only a matter of timing and how much it will cover." https://spacenews.com/space-hardware-manufacturers-urge-realistic-expectations-for- 3d-printing/ 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 USC Aviation Safety & Security Program On-Site and Custom Courses To meet the diverse needs of all elements of the aviation community, the USC Aviation Safety & Security Program offers our courses to be conducted at your facility. Whether you are a small, medium or large organization; a private company, government agency, or the military...we can work with you to bring the right training to your facility. Choose from any of our courses. All of our courses can be customized to fit the specific needs of your organization. Don't see the exact course or subject you want? We have created courses, seminars, and presentations for companies - such as Safety Performance Indicators for Korean Air and Safety Auditing for Quanta Services. To bring USC Aviation Safety & Security Education to your organization, please contact us at hinaba@usc.edu or +1 (310) 342-1352. Earn Credit for FlightSafety Master Technician- Management Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn elective credits towards FlightSafety International's Master Technician-Management Program * Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance * Human Factors in Aviation Safety * Gas Turbine Accident Investigation * Helicopter Accident Investigation * Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance * Safety Management for Ground Operations Safety * Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Earn Points Toward NBAA Certified Aviation Manager Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points toward completing the application for the National Business Aviation Certified Aviation Manager Exam. * Aviation Safety Management Systems * Accident/Incident Response Preparedness * Human Factors in Aviation Safety * Aircraft Accident Investigation * SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems For further details, please visit our website or use the contact information below. Email: aviation@usc.edu Telephone: +1 (310) 342-1345 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