Flight Safety Information February 26, 2020 - No. 041 In This Issue Incident: Trigana B733 at Jayapura on Feb 25th 2020, runway excursion on backtrack Accident: Jazz DH8C at Ottawa on Feb 15th 2020, laser strike into eyes of first officer Incident: Safair B734 at Johannesburg on Dec 10th 2019, "rain" in the cockpit turns into smoke Boeing 737-8K5 (WL) - Smoke in the Cabin (Tennessee) Incident: Eurowings A319 near Nuremberg on Feb 23rd 2020, technical problems Boeing 737-883 (WL) - Ground Collision (Spain) Jazz Dash 8 landing gear incident prompts Canadian investigation Failed bearing suspected after A319 wheel loss CAA calibration jet entered rapid descent before terrain collision Pilot joined Yute Commuter Service a month before crash that left 5 dead in Southwest Alaska FAA: All New Pilots Require Specific Training Regulators Issue Another Safety Fix For Boeing's Troubled 737 Max Plane AIRASIA THAILAND PASSES MAJOR INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AUDIT Bringing Tech to the Cockpit FAA Releases Policy for the Type Certification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Textron Wins Order for Five Medevac-equipped King Airs Hawaiian Airlines to hold open house to fill positions in Kahului China Eastern unveils OTT Airlines to operate Chinese-made jets Virgin Galactic hints at more delays for start of SpaceShipTwo commercial flights Incident: Trigana B733 at Jayapura on Feb 25th 2020, runway excursion on backtrack A Trigana Air Service Boeing 737-300, registration PK-YSG performing freight flight IL-7341 from Jayapura to Wamena (Indonesia) with 4 crew and 16 tons of goods, was backtracking runway 30 for departure from Jayapura when the aircraft suddenly turned around about abeam taxiway D (about half way down the runway, 1585 meters from threshold runway 30, 1400 meters from end of runway 30). The aircraft had suffered damage to a nose wheel, the left main wheels rotated almost 90 degrees, the right main gear went off the paved surface. The aircraft was disabled on the runway. There were no injuries. The crew reported they were taxiing to line up for departure. Ground observers reported the occurrence happened shortly before takeoff, while it appeared to line up for departure it went off the runway. The airport reported the aircraft was taxiing for departure when it went off runway 30. The airport was closed for about 5 hours until the aircraft could be moved off the runway. Indonesia's KNKT opened an investigation. Video amatir tergelincir nya TRIGANA AIR di bandara sentani papua 25 feb 2020 http://avherald.com/h?article=4d3c6524&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Jazz DH8C at Ottawa on Feb 15th 2020, laser strike into eyes of first officer A Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration C-GEWQ performing flight QK-8013 from Montreal,QC to Ottawa,ON (Canada) with 51 people on board, was on approach to Ottawa about 14nm before touhdown, when a green laser struck the aircraft and hut the first officer, pilot flying, into the eyes. The first officer handed control to the captain, the crew hit the IDENT button to capture their position, advised ATC of the incident. Royal Canadian Mounted Police was informed. The captain requested medical services to meet the aircraft reporting the first officer's eyes were irritated. The aircraft landed normally and taxied to the apron. Paramedics met the first officer at the gate and transported him to a hospital. The Canadian TSB reported the first officer received minor injuries. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JZA8013/history/20200215/2208Z/CYUL/CYOW http://avherald.com/h?article=4d3c79b0&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Safair B734 at Johannesburg on Dec 10th 2019, "rain" in the cockpit turns into smoke A Safair Boeing 737-400, registration ZS-DMI performing flight FA-369 from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth (South Africa) with 166 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing through FL280 out of Johannesburg when the crew stopped the climb due to a water leak in the cockpit, the leaking water ingressing some aircraft systems resulting in smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft landed safely back on Johannesburg's runway 03L about 30 minutes after departure. South Africa's CAA have opened an investigation into the occurrence. On Feb 24th 2020 the SACAA released their preliminary report summarizing the sequence of events: While climbing through 28 000 ft, still within the Johannesburg FIR water that have accumulated in the left drip tray (above the pilot-in-command head) started to leak from the drain pipe on the left side onto the avionics/instrumentation of the aircraft. The water caused some arcing, which resulted in smoke emanating from the behind the instrument panel on the left side. Following a brief discussion between the two members they declared a Mayday and requested to returned to FAOR. The crew members opted to make use of their respective oxygen masks and landed safely back at FAOR thirty two (32) minutes after take-off, at 0506Z. The captain (46, ATPL, 15,791 hours total, 381 hours on type) was assisted by a first officer (44, ATPL, 6,025 hours total, 150 hours on type). http://avherald.com/h?article=4d343ad8&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 737-8K5 (WL) - Smoke in the Cabin (Tennessee) Date: 25-FEB-2020 Time: c. 17:30 LT Type: Boeing 737-8K5 (WL) Owner/operator: Sunwing Airlines Registration: C-GYUK C/n / msn: 39094/3641 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: SW of Memphis, TN - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Cancún Airport (CUN/MMUN) Destination airport: Calgary International Airport, AB (YYC/CYYC) Narrative: Sunwing flight WG596, a Boeing 737-800, declared an emergency for smoke in the cabin, which possibly originated from a passenger's vape pen. The flight departed Cancun, Mexico at 21:51 UTC. About 23:30 UTC, while at the cruising altitude of FL360, smoke developed in the cabin. The lithium battery of a vape pen likely suffered a thermal runaway, causing smoke. The cabin crew contained the smoke while the flight crew elected to divert to Memphis Airport, TN, USA. A safe landing was carried out at Memphis at 00:01 UTC (18:01 local time). https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/233255 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Eurowings A319 near Nuremberg on Feb 23rd 2020, technical problems A Eurowings Airbus A319-100, registration D-AGWY performing flight EW-2006 from Stuttgart to Berlin Tegel (Germany) with 124 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing through FL260 out of Stuttgart when the crew decided to divert to Nuremberg (Germany) where the aircraft landed safely on runway 28 about 25 minutes after the decision to divert. Fire fighters boarded the aircraft after landing. One passenger reported the captain announced technical problems in flight. The seat neighbour reported seeing ice on the wings and engine nose cowl. The aircraft used lots of reverse thrust after touch down and "not much" brakes. Another passenger reported an engine (V2524) failure due to icing, however, no explanation was given to the passengers. The aircraft approached the runway at very high speed. An army of fire trucks received the aircraft. A third passenger reported there had been a technical defect on one of the engines prompted the diversion to Nuremberg. They continued to Berlin on "alternate means" (taxi) to reach their meetings the next morning. All passengers complained about poor information policy by the airline. The airline reported initially a technical defect, later stated the aircraft suffered a technical defect on one of the engines prompting the diversion. All passengers continued to Berlin via alternate transportation. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d3bdf3a&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 737-883 (WL) - Ground Collision (Spain) Date: 25-FEB-2020 Time: evening Type: Boeing 737-883 (WL) Owner/operator: SAS - Scandinavian Arlines System Registration: LN-RRH C/n / msn: 34546/2898 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Tenerife-Sur Reina Sofia Airport (TFS/GCTS) - Spain Phase: Standing Nature: International Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Tenerife-Sur Reina Sofia Airport (TFS/GCTS) Destination airport: Oslo-Gardermoen Airport (OSL/ENGM) Narrative: While at the gate after boarding of the passengers was complete, SK7408 was hit by a catering truck which made scratch in fuselage. It was decided that it had to be fixed so the passengers had to disembark the plane. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/233253 Back to Top Jazz Dash 8 landing gear incident prompts Canadian investigation The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is investigating a landing gear issue and fire involving a Jazz Aviation turboprop in Montreal on 25 February. Jazz say no passengers or crew were injured in the incident, which occured after landing and involved a Jazz De Havilland of Canada Dash 8-300 arriving from Ottawa, according to FlightStats.com. The TSB is deploying an investigator following "an incident during the taxi phase of an Air Canada aircraft after landing", the agency says. The TSB provides no additional details and did not respond immediately to requests for more information. Montreal-Trudeau airport also did not immediately respond to an inquiry. In a statement, Halifax-based Jazz confirms the incident involved flight 8970, which was carrying 48 passengers and three crew. "After a normal landing and while taxiing at Montreal international airport, the aircraft operating Air Canada Express flight AC8970 experienced an issue with the right landing gear. As per our standard operational procedures the crew requested emergency vehicles meet the flight, as a precautionary measure - the safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority," Jazz says. "The fire department inspected and cleared the aircraft and the passengers deplaned normally at the gate. Our maintenance personnel will conduct a thorough inspection of the aircraft to determine the cause and proceed with the necessary repairs." "Flames were seen on taxiing to the gate and were quickly extinguished. There were no injuries," Jazz adds. The aircraft, registration C-GABO, touched down in Montreal at 05:58 local time on 25 February, says FlightStats.com. That aircraft was manufactured in 1990 and had logged 63,181h and 80,244 cycles as of September 2019, according to Cirium fleet data. https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/jazz-dash-8-landing-gear-incident-prompts-canadian-investigation/136910.article Back to Top Failed bearing suspected after A319 wheel loss Canadian investigators have observed an apparent failed outer bearing on the main landing-gear assembly of the Air Canada Airbus A319 which lost a wheel before arrival at Toronto. Transportation Safety Board of Canada says images of the aircraft, which arrived from New York LaGuardia on 18 February, indicate that the failed bearing allowed the wheel assembly to "slip out of the axle". The axle nut remained "secure and safetied" to the axle, it says, and subsequent information from the US FAA and National Transportation Safety Board stated that the "fully-inflated" wheel had been found and retrieved. After the outer right-hand main landing-gear wheel was lost the A319 crew requested a fly-by of the Toronto tower for a visual inspection. Controllers confirmed the missing wheel before the aircraft landed without further incident. None of the 125 occupants was injured, says the safety board. https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/failed-bearing-suspected-after-a319-wheel-loss/136928.article Back to Top CAA calibration jet entered rapid descent before terrain collision South African investigators have disclosed that a Cessna Citation II calibration aircraft suddenly entered a steep descent and excessive right bank before colliding with high terrain about 10min after departing George airport. None of the three occupants survived after the jet, operated by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, crashed into a mountainous slope at a height of 2,192ft above sea level. It had been performing an ILS calibration for runway 11 on 23 January, initial findings from the CAA inquiry state. This calibration required the aircraft to fly along a 70° clockwise arc - sweeping 35° either side of the centreline - at 17nm distance from the runway threshold. The jet had taken off from runway 11, turning right to head for the southern end of the arc, then turning right to follow it, tracking from radial 250 to about radial 330 relative to George airport. As the aircraft turned onto the arc over Mossel Bay it was flying at 3,000ft and - as it approach the higher terrain at around radial 310 - it began to climb towards 4,000ft. SACAA accident map Source: South African CAA Pilots flew a clockwise calibration arc inland towards rising terrain Preliminary flight-data recorder information reveals the aircraft levelled off at about 3,900ft and started banking to right at 35°. It then began to pitch nose-down, initially at about 10° but increasing over the space of 5s to more than 32°. The jet's airspeed rose to 275kt and its bank increased to an excessive level of 105° before reducing to 75°. During the rapid descent it lost some 1,500ft in the space of a few seconds, the inquiry says, reaching an altitude of 2,400ft. Recorder data shows the steep nose-down attitude was reduced to 17.5° and its right bank brought back to just 10°. The inquiry says that, 3s before the terrain collision, the aircraft's nose "pitched up". But the jet was not carrying - nor was it required to carry - a cockpit-voice recorder, and investigators have been unable to determine whether its terrain-warning system sounded. Meteorological information from the South African Weather Service mentioned "significant" clouds at less than 1,500ft above ground level. Based on this information, says the inquiry, the mountain tops at the northern end of the calibration arc would have been "obscured" by cloud. Wreckage at the crash site indicates the aircraft struck an upslope terrain at a shallow angle and an airspeed of 286kt. The inquiry has given no indication as to the reason for the extreme roll and sudden descent. But the CAA is investigating an accident involving its own aircraft and has recommended that, given the circumstances, the South African transport ministry should consider whether the investigation ought to be delegated to a different investigation authority. https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/caa-calibration-jet-entered-rapid-descent-before-terrain-collision/136890.article Back to Top Pilot joined Yute Commuter Service a month before crash that left 5 dead in Southwest Alaska The wreckage of a Yute Commuter Service plane spread nearly 400 feet across "snow covered tundra" after the aircraft crashed Feb. 6, 2020, about 12 miles southwest of Tuntutuliak, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. All five people on board died. (Photo courtesy NTSB) The Yute Commuter Service pilot who died when the plane crashed earlier this month in Southwest Alaska had been with the company about a month, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board. The plane (Piper PA-32R-300 Cherokee Lance) departed Bethel on Feb. 6 and was headed to Kipnuk, about 100 miles southwest. Pilot Tony Matthews, 34, as well as Kipnuk residents Quintin Peter, 18; Quintin's mother, Carrie Peter, 45; Charlie Carl, 66; and Donna Mesak, 42, all died when the plane crashed about 12 miles southwest of Tuntutuliak. Flights in Bethel were delayed that morning because of low clouds, according to a Facebook post from Yute Commuter Service, which is owned by Paklook Air. The plane took off just after 10:30 a.m. with overcast clouds hanging around 600 feet, the report said. Nathan McCabe, general manager of Yute Commuter Service, said planes can take off once cloud ceilings are at 500 feet and there is 2.5 miles of visibility. McCabe said that the plane took off under a special visual flight rules clearance, which means that pilots are using extra caution because weather conditions may change during the flight. "We're in Alaska - it could be beautiful in one minute and terrible, awful weather in the next," he said. An agent from Kipnuk reported the plane overdue around 11:40 a.m., the report said. In the hour after the crash, both the Kipnuk and Bethel airports reported that visibility had dropped as low as a half-mile in light snow, mist and freezing fog, the report said. The cloud ceiling was around 400 feet. Yute sent two planes to search for the flight, and around 1:50 p.m. a crew member spotted the wreckage, the report said. An Army National Guard UH-60 responded to the area with two LifeMed crew members. The highly fragmented wreckage was spread across nearly 400 feet "on level snow covered tundra," the report said. The wings were separated from the main cabin, which was torn apart into numerous pieces. Investigators and search and rescue crews reached the area again the next day by snowmachine and plane. [Plane crash responders tell of snowmachining through frigid wind chills to wreckage near Tuntutuliak] The plane was not equipped with a recorder device. McCabe said recording devices are not required, but Yute has been working to add them to the planes. Yute is a commuter airline that flies throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, according to its website. Matthews joined the company Jan. 7 and had a total flight time of 611 hours. Commercial pilots must complete 500 hours of flight time to be licensed. Matthews completed additional training through Yute, which included 17 hours flying to area villages with a trainer, McCabe said. He finished a pilot competency check ride on Jan. 27 and initial operating experience requirements on Jan. 30, the report said. The flight that crashed was his fourth flight for Yute outside of training, the report said. McCabe said Matthews came to Bethel for the job and, like many pilots, he worked in two-week shifts. 'I'm going home' When 66-year-old Charlie Carl left his niece's home in Bethel on Feb. 6 and headed toward the airport, he was "extremely happy - he was glowing," said his niece Denise Chaney. He'd spent the previous night visiting with Chaney's children, whom he considered his grandkids. In the morning, he fixed a cup of coffee that she joked was too weak. The visit was routine - Carl visits Bethel a few times a month to see Chaney, her brother and each of their children. He also went to medical appointments in Bethel. When Carl leaves, he usually tells Chaney he needs to go check on his house and get back to Kipnuk. But that morning, she remembers he simply said, "I'm going home." "And now, I thought, 'Wow, you really were going home,'" she said. Carl was passionate about subsistence living, Chaney said. He "always had food in his hands" and wanted to make sure his family had more than enough to eat. He loved to cook Native foods and frequently made walrus, seal and fish, she said. Carl has more than 20 nieces and nephews, but Chaney said he was especially close with the four he helped raise. Carl raised Chaney and her brother since they were teenagers and considered them his own children. "He took us under his wing," she said. "He made sure we graduated school and achieved our goals. He always let us know how proud he was of us." "He was the mom and the dad." Every summer, Chaney's children stayed with "Grandpa Charlie" in Kipnuk. His grandkids, she said, were the center of his life. "His heart was filled with love," she said. "You could meet him and two minutes later he'd tell you that he's your best friend. There's a rare amount of people like him in the world." Carrie Peter, also known by the nickname Girlie, and her 18-year-old son, Quintin Peter, also known as Muggie, also died in the crash. Carrie leaves behind her husband and five other children, according to an online fundraiser. The family declined to comment further, as did relatives of 42-year-old Donna Mesak. 'We are with them at heart' Yute's general manager Nathan McCabe said the airline plans to add additional safety requirements in the wake of the crash. Pilots will undergo a longer training period and will stay within a 40-mile radius of Bethel when they first begin. The company has had several accidents during the past year, although this is the first to turn deadly. In April, a Piper PA-32 lost engine power after departing the Aniak Airport. The pilot and three passengers were not injured when the plane made a forced landing, according to an NTSB preliminary report. A Yute Commuter Service plane crashed into Goodnews Bay after takeoff during November, an NTSB report said. The pilot and another company pilot who was in training climbed atop the significantly damaged aircraft and waited in water that was nearly waist deep until a rescue boat arrived 20 minutes later, the report said. McCabe said the deadly crash had an impact on the entire community, including Yute staff. The company brought in counselors following the accident and flights were canceled for three days immediately afterward. The airline offered to deliver food from Bethel to Kipnuk for the grieving families, and he said they also provided flights to the village for direct family members. "It was a very, very unfortunate event," McCabe said. "It's not something anyone wants to endure. We feel for the families - we are with them at heart." https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2020/02/26/pilot-joined-yute-commuter-service-a-month-before-crash-that-left-5-dead-in-southwest-alaska/ Back to Top FAA: All New Pilots Require Specific Training Cockpit Pilots The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a final rule aimed at enhancing the professional development of air carrier pilots. The Pilot Professional Development rule requires specific training for newly-hired pilots and supplemental training for captains. "When I met with the Colgan Flight 3407 families, they emphasized how important this rule on pilot training was in elevating safety in the aviation sector. I am glad that the Department has been successful in finalizing this rule," said U. S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao. All captains are now required to receive leadership and command training, as well as mentoring training, so that they may effectively mentor first officers. Newly-hired pilots will be required to observe flight operations and become familiar with company-specific procedures before operating an aircraft as a flight crew member. "As a pilot with thousands of hours flying in commercial aircraft, I know the importance that ongoing and targeted training can have in keeping pilots at their best," said FAA Administrator Stephen M. Dickson. "These new training requirements for flight crews will go long way in providing the nation's commercial pilot workforce with the latest and safest flight deck practices and procedures." This final rule is in response to the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 and recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board. It also incorporates the work of the Flight Crewmember Mentoring, Leadership, and Professional Development Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), the Flightcrew Member Training Hours Requirement Review ARC, and the Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training ARC. All three ARCs were comprised of labor, industry, and FAA experts who provided recommendations to the FAA. https://ftnnews.com/aviation/38915-faa-all-new-pilots-require-specific-training Back to Top Regulators Issue Another Safety Fix For Boeing's Troubled 737 Max Plane A Boeing 737 MAX 9 sits at the front of the assembly line at the company's airplane production facility in Renton, Wash., in February 2017. Elaine Thompson/AP Federal aviation regulators issued a new round of safety fixes for Boeing's beleaguered 737 Max jetliners, mandating repairs to sections of the planes that could make them vulnerable to lightning strikes and other activity which might result in engine malfunction. The proposed fix issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday said certain panels on the planes, including the metallic layer that serves as part of the shielding for aircraft wiring, is susceptible to potential "electromagnetic effects of lightning strikes or high intensity radiated fields." Exposure to such events, the notice of posted to the federal register adds, "could potentially lead to a dual engine power loss event." The latest FAA airworthiness directive comes less than three months after Boeing issued a service bulletin recommending action be taken on panels that enclose the 737 Max engine nacelles. Federal aviation officials estimate 128 of the 737 Max airplanes registered in the U.S. could be in need of the safety fixes. But the FAA said it is not certain Boeing's bulletin includes all the airplanes impacted by "the unsafe condition." Therefore, the FAA is expanding its mandate to include all Max aircraft in Boeing's fleet. By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy. NPR may share your name and email address with your NPR station. See Details. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The aerospace manufacturer said in December that "the protective foil inside the composite panels may have gaps" on aircraft produced between February 2018 and June 2019. A spokesperson for Boeing said the company is coordinating with customers to finish the work ahead of the Max jet's return to service. It remains unclear when the Max will return to service. The planes have been grounded worldwide since March following a pair of deadly crashes - a Lion Air flight off the coast of Indonesia in 2018 and an Ethiopian Airlines flight in 2019 - that killed a combined 346 people. Boeing halted production of the Max aircraft, which had been its best-selling plane, in December amid a realization that federal officials would not grant a swift return to service. The grounding and ceasing production have had ripple effects throughout Boeing's supply chain. This includes last month's announcement by Wichita-based Spirit AeroSystems that it was laying off 2,800 employees due to uncertainty over when Boeing would resume production of the plane. Boeing said in a January statement that the company estimates FAA and global regulators would proceed with the "ungrounding" of the 737 Max sometime in mid-2020. https://www.npr.org/2020/02/25/809399855/regulators-issue-another-safety-fix-for-boeings-troubled-737-max-plane Back to Top AIRASIA THAILAND PASSES MAJOR INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AUDIT AirAsia Thailand Thai AirAsia gets its second A320neo in 2016. Photo: AirAsia. Low-cost carrier AirAsia Thailand (FD) has passed a major international safety audit after satisfying more than 1000 parameters. The accreditation under the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) provides a significant boost to the airline's safety rating and makes it the sixth airline in the AirAsia group to record the achievement. The Thai carrier's certification follows similar achievements by AirAsia X Thailand in December 2018, AirAsia Philippines in November 2018, AirAsia Malaysia in September 2018, AirAsia Indonesia in August 2018 and AirAsia X (Malaysia) in 2015. It is part of a major Safety push at the group that is seeing AirAsia India and AirAsia Japan also undertaking the IOSA process. Once that happens, the entire AirAsia goup will be IOSA certified. The IOSA certification audit is an internationally recognized and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. The biennial safety audit is compulsory for IATA members and airlines that have completed the audit have a safety record almost four times better than those that have not. It covers eight key areas: corporate organization and management systems, flight operations, operational control - flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, cabin operations, ground handling, cargo operations and operational security. AirAsia Thailand chief executive Santisuk Klongchaiya said the carrier's IOSA certification was an affirmation of the commitment and importance its team devotes to safety, assuring that the carrier continued to work diligently to adhere to the highest safety standards in its operations. "Our passing of the IOSA certification would not have been possible without our very capable team," Santisuk said. "I thank every member for their diligence and stringent observation of safety standards. This validation is a reward to all who were involved and will go a long way to further strengthen the confidence of our passengers.'' https://www.airlineratings.com/news/airasia-thailand-passes-major-international-safety-audit/ Back to Top Bringing Tech to the Cockpit AIN is developing a 14-part series of articles, infographics and videos that speak to Tomorrow's Aviation Challenges. Sponsored by Honeywell Aerospace. Learn more. . As consumer electronics introduce new, more intuitive ways to access data and control the world around us, aircraft crew members and maintainers expect to be able to use those same technologies-such as touchscreens, icons, searchable databases, autofill, and more-to simplify tasks in aviation. "The pace of technology is accelerating rapidly," said Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association at the 2019 Aviation Insurance Association conference. "We went to glass [flight decks] in the Cirrus right around 2003, and within a very short time, around five years, the only people who weren't buying glass in their aircraft were the ones who just wanted to be traditional aviators flying around on round dials." Avionics manufacturers have been conducting human factors research for several decades in an effort to increase safety through streamlined control processes and avionics design. One effort being led by industry giants such as GAMA and Honeywell, as well as NASA and the FAA, is in simplified vehicle operations (SVO). With the additional aim of reversing the pilot shortage by initially making aircraft easier to fly, the SVO concept uses increased automation, artificial intelligence, and redundant systems to shift flying responsibilities from the human pilot to the aircraft itself. "SVO is really about changing the whole modality of flying a vehicle and trying to bring it closer to driving a car, which the mass majority of people know how to do," said Mike Ingram, v-p of cockpit systems at Honeywell Aerospace, during an interview with AIN. "Getting into an airplane today and seeing the glass cockpit can be very intimidating, and it takes a long time to learn. So we need to create controls that dramatically reduce the amount of complexity." Since SVO will require changes in both aircraft and pilot certification-the FAA is proposing writing a regulation to introduce a new simplified pilot certificate by 2036-implementation of this technology will continue to be incremental. In the meantime, avionics manufacturers lean on usability studies and human factors research to determine how to simplify cockpit design and procedures. Honeywell's ebook, Transforming Flight through Usability: A Better User Experience from Takeoff to Landing, lists a few of advances in flight decks based on human factors studies. These include placing critical information where it's most easily viewed, using autosensing features to indicate when tasks are completed, incorporating graphical elements, and giving directions and assurances verbally. Touchscreens, so pervasive in modern life-from ATMs to tablets-have slowly been making their way onto flight decks. After completing a human factors research contract on touchscreen technology for the FAA in 2014, Honeywell introduced its first integrated touchscreen controller on the Primus Epic for Gulfstream Symmetry flight deck, certified on the G500 in 2018. The Symmetry flight deck features 10 touchscreens in various sizes placed around the flight deck, not including the four Honeywell non-touchscreen multifunction displays. The Honeywell research showed that touchscreens were generally faster and more intuitive than other input devices, although pilots made slightly more errors, especially in turbulent conditions and on overhead panels. To correct for this, the touchscreens used in the Symmetry panel use resistive technology, which means the user must press on the screen rather than simply touch, as is the case in consumer tablets. Also, finger grips around every touchscreen allow more hand stabilization during turbulence. While pilots wait for touchscreen technology to become more prevalent in the flight deck, their tablets and smartphones become the more user-friendly extensions of the flight deck, from electronic flight bag apps to flight planning and backup navigation. Honeywell's myGDC, Pilot Gateway and Direct Access apps are aimed at reducing pilot workload before, during, and after a flight. Providing access to Honeywell Global Data Center (GDC) services, the MyGDC iPad app simplifies pre-flight routines by aggregating important flight information such route of flight, digital SID/STAR and approach plates, graphical weather charts, detailed airport information, and Airport/Facility Directory pages, into customizable Trip Kits. Pilots can create and file flight plans; customize, email and download Trip Kits; access up-to-the minute weather updates and airspace information; and calculate fuel burn, estimated time en route, and weight and balance even when offline. A new mapping engine with release 3.7 allows multiple graphical overlays including route of flight, U.S. and international radars, turbulence, Special Use Airspace, and more. In flight, the app also allows on-demand refresh for METAR, TAF and NOTAM information, plus winds aloft data. A sketch feature allows the pilot to create and autosave handwritten notes and drawings such as runway or frequency changes. Honeywell provides two apps for pilots to access technical support for their avionics products: Pilot Gateway and Direct Access. The Pilot Gateway website (pilots.honeywell.com) and mobile app provides access to Honeywell training materials, technical publications, videos, and other resources for self-service support based on aircraft make, model, and system. Pilots can also use the app or pilots.honeywell.com website to submit questions or feedback on technical issues. Direct Access links the pilot or maintainer to the Honeywell customer support network for troubleshooting or aircraft-on-ground (AOG) support through nearly any mobile device. Users can quickly locate the nearest Honeywell-authorized service center, obtain 24/7 AOG fast parts delivery support, and call Honeywell technical support engineers or mobile response teams. The "talk to a technical expert" feature directly links the user to a dedicated Honeywell representative for personalized technical support experience. Maintenance personnel also appreciate apps that simplify their processes. The Maintenance Advisor app allows maintainers to retrieve Fault History Database (FHDB) or Aircraft Condition Monitoring (ACM) files from the Honeywell Primus Epic/Apex avionics suites using an iPad and wireless connectivity. Included with a Honeywell Avionics Protection Plan contract, the app can be configured to the specs of an individual aircraft and allows maintainers to perform fault analysis through the iPad or a web application. Fault messages can be filtered by flight deck versus maintenance messages, by flight stages, or by ATA chapter and section. The Maintenance Advisor desktop app includes all of the features of the iPad app plus the ability to view faults across an entire fleet. Viewing fleet data can help maintainers to quickly identify fault trends or patterns that could save time and reduce maintenance costs. https://www.ainonline.com/sponsored-content/business-aviation/2020-02-25/bringing-tech-cockpit Back to Top FAA Releases Policy for the Type Certification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems The FAA recently issued a request for public comment on a policy for the type certification of certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems ("UAS" or "drones"). The policy applies to both large UAS (55 pounds or more) and certain small UAS weighing less than 55 pounds ("sUAS") operating outside the limitations imposed by 14 CFR Part 107. sUAS operating under Part 107 (or with a waiver under Part 107) are not required to have airworthiness certification, but all other civil UAS must receive airworthiness certification from the FAA or an exemption from such requirements. The FAA specifies UAS used for package delivery as those affected by the policy; type certification for these drones would streamline the process for manufacturing and airworthiness certification, accelerating commercial deployment within the U.S. While the FAA contemplates a future rulemaking, the proposed policy is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing legal requirements and FAA policies. Comments on the policy are due on or before March 4, 2020. The overall goal of the proposed policy is to move away from the current exemption framework, which is viewed as unsustainable in the long term, towards a standard airworthiness certification system for drones. Under the new policy, the FAA is proposing that some UAS may be type certificated as a "special class" under 14 CFR § 21.17(b). This process allows the FAA to tailor the certification basis for each product by applying existing airworthiness requirements for other aircraft types as appropriate (i.e. those contained in Parts 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, and 35). As UAS applicants apply for type certification under the special class aircraft process, the FAA will announce and seek public comment on the specific airworthiness criteria for each applicant with the goal of gradually defining generally-applicable certification standards. Once these standards are identified, the FAA intends to proceed with a rulemaking or publish the standards as guidance in an Advisory Circular. This process is similar to what the FAA has done for previous special classes such as gliders, airships and other nonconventional aircraft. The proposed policy would apply only to the procedures for the airworthiness certification of UAS, and is not intended to establish any policy impacting other FAA rules for unmanned aircraft, including operations, pilot certification, or maintenance. As a result of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, the FAA integrated sUAS into the national airspace under the operating requirements of Part 107 regulations, which allow for liberal waivers for sUAS operations over persons, at night, above an altitude of 400 feet, or beyond visual line-of-sight. The FAA's type certification policy is being developed in parallel with its efforts to update the regulation of sUAS operations, particularly the remote identification rule proposed in December 2019. As high-level policy in its current form, the publication is expected to be met with approval from UAS stakeholders. Establishing a UAS type certification regime will shift the current regulatory compliance burden on operators to UAS manufacturers, who will be responsible for completing the certification process once the FAA policy is final. The eventual public comment process for individual applicants' specific airworthiness criteria will provide further definition to the FAA's type certification process for UAS. For package delivery drones, in particular, this will allow for manufacturing of these drones at the scale required for widespread commercial deployment. Ultimately, the FAA's goal in establishing a drone type certification process is to accommodate all anticipated drone applications, including future UAS capable of carrying human beings. https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=327ecf2c-9608-457d-bf17-b5d80f40e202 Back to Top Textron Wins Order for Five Medevac-equipped King Airs Australia-based Pel-Air will begin taking deliveries of its five, Beechcraft King Air 350i air ambulances beginning later this year. (Photo: Textron Aviation) An Australian operator has ordered five Beechcraft King Air 350is from Textron Aviation in an air ambulance configuration, the Wichita-based airframer announced yesterday. Deliveries of these turboprop twins to Pel-Air are expected to begin later this year and continue into 2021. Based in New South Wales, Pel-Air will provide contracted air ambulance service to government agency NSW Air Ambulance, an emergency services provider for NSW Health Service. The new King Airs will be configured for multi-stretcher operations and equipped with aft cargo doors and heavyweight options for additional performance. To be based in Mascot at Sydney Airport, they will replace a mix of King Air B200s and B350s. "The King Air has proven itself very adept for special missions, particularly for air ambulance operations in New South Wales, where much of the need is to and from rural areas and unimproved runways that dominate our service area," said Pel-Air COO Eugene Lee. "A key to our success has been the timely customer service from Textron Aviation, who has already been supporting Pel-Air's King Air fleet for the past 10 years in the Ambulance Victoria contract." Nearly 200 King Airs in a variety of configurations are supported in Australia by Textron Aviation. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-02-25/textron-wins-order-five-medevac-equipped-king-airs Back to Top Hawaiian Airlines to hold open house to fill positions in Kahului HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaiian Airlines is recruiting for guest service and ramp agent positions in Kahului. The airline will hold an open house March 7 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Attendees can get more information on the open positions and Hawaiian Airlines benefits. Guest service agents staff the airline's ticket counters and the gate, while ramp agents load and offload baggage. For more information, click here. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/02/25/hawaiian-airlines-hold-open-house-fill-positions-kahului/ Back to Top China Eastern unveils OTT Airlines to operate Chinese-made jets BEIJING, Feb 26 (Reuters) - China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd launched on Wednesday a fresh subsidiary - OTT Airlines - to push home-grown aircraft to wider markets, the carrier said on its official account on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The Shanghai-based airline said OTT Airlines, which translates to 'one two three' in Chinese, would be the first airline to operate Commercial Aircraft Corp of China's (COMAC) C919 narrow-body planes, which are undergoing flight testing. China Eastern was initially slated to be the first operator. The C919 was designed to compete with the Airbus SE A320 family and the Boeing Co 737 MAX model that remains grounded after two deadly crashes. OTT will also operate COMAC's regional jet - the ARJ21. Last August, China Eastern ordered 35 of the planes on the same day as fellow state-backed carriers Air China Ltd and China Southern Airlines Co Ltd. China's C919 single-aisle plane has already received 815 provisional orders, but very few from airlines or leasing companies outside the Asian country. Meanwhile, COMAC is seeking certification from the European aviation regulator to help it operate in many other countries. Development of the C919, at least five years behind schedule, is going slower than expected, a dozen people familiar with the programme told Reuters last month, as COMAC struggles with a range of technical issues that have severely restricted test flights. (Reporting by Stella Qiu in Beijing and Brenda Goh in Shanghai; writing by Jamie Freed; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-eastern-unveils-ott-airlines-065933509.html Back to Top Virgin Galactic hints at more delays for start of SpaceShipTwo commercial flights SpaceShipTwo Spaceport America Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity SpaceShipTwo vehicle, arrived at Spaceport America earlier this month for a final series of test flights, but during a Feb. 25 earnings call company officials backed away from earlier projections of beginning commercial service in the middle of this year. Credit: Virgin Galactic WASHINGTON - Virgin Galactic executives suggested Feb. 25 that the beginning of commercial flights of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle might slip again, even as the company starts planning to resume ticket sales. The company, which became publicly traded in October after closing a merger with special-purpose acquisition company Social Capital Hedosophia, released its fourth quarter and full year 2019 financials after the markets closed Feb. 25, showing, as expected, a significant loss as the company continues development and testing of SpaceShipTwo. Virgin Galactic reported a net loss of nearly $211 million on revenue of about $3.8 million for 2019. That revenue came from flights of research payloads on SpaceShipTwo test flights as well as unspecified engineering services. The company had adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, debt and amortization (EBITDA) of -$187 million for 2019, compared to an adjusted EBITDA of -$132 million in 2018. The company's net loss in the fourth quarter of 2019 was $72.8 million, compared to a net loss of $51.5 million in the third quarter. Jonathan Campagna, Virgin Galactic's chief financial officer, said in a conference call with analysts that the company had additional expenses in the fourth quarter associated with compliance costs of being a public company, as well as with moving personnel and equipment to Spaceport America in New Mexico and with outfitting the cabin of its existing SpaceShipTwo vehicle, VSS Unity. The company projects those losses to quickly turn to profits once SpaceShipTwo enters commercial service, with an increasing number of flights as the company gains experience and puts additional vehicles into operation. In an investor presentation in September 2019, the company projected positive EBITDA in 2021, growing to $274 million in 2023. Those projections assumed the start of commercial operations in June 2020, but during the call George Whitesides, chief executive of Virgin Galactic, hinted that commercial service, already delayed by years, might slip again. "We continue to focus on our top priority of the year, which is to fly Richard Branson into space on a commercial flight," he said. Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, has long said he will be on the company's first commercial flight. However, there may be few, if any, additional commercial flights in the year. "While we would like to have some commercial revenue this year, the main focus for this year, from a company and engineering perspective, is working to get the vehicles, and our operations, prepared for long-term, regular commercial service," Whitesides said. That includes completing the flight test program for SpaceShipTwo, optimizing the "end-to-end customer experience" that includes events before and after each flight, and readying the vehicles for long-term, high-flight-rate operations. Asked by analysts on the conference call about the schedule, including that prior plan to begin service in June 2020, Whitesides emphasized his earlier comments. "What we're affirming today is that our number one priority is to fly Richard Branson into space on a commercial flight in 2020," he said. "Ultimately, the amount of revenue that we generate in 2020 is really not the thing that's going to make this company a great success," he continued. "What's going to make it a great success is having a vehicle that we can turn around relatively rapidly and do that on a consistent basis, and then build a fleet of them so we can add more capacity into the market." Whitesides didn't discuss any technical issues with VSS Unity, the SpaceShipTwo vehicle relocated to Spaceport America in New Mexico for final tests Feb. 13. He said the company had completed 20 of 29 milestones in a "verification and validation" program with the Federal Aviation Administration that will clear the way for final approval for flying commercial customers on the vehicle. However, he added it may be possible that Unity will return to Virgin Galactic's manufacturing facility in Mojave, California, "one or two times" for additional work before starting commercial service. In past regulatory filings, the company said it has sold 603 tickets. Whitesides said the company formally closed that initial round of ticket sales after SpaceShipTwo's first flight to the edge of space in December 2018, although sales effectively ended after an October 2014 crash that destroyed the first SpaceShipTwo and killed co-pilot Michael Alsbury. The company is preparing to reopen ticket sales in the near future. Virgin Galactic announced Feb. 25 that it will start offering potential customers an opportunity to go to the front of the line when ticket sales resume. The company said it has received nearly 8,000 "registrations of interest in flight reservations," primarily through its website. That figure has more than doubled since September 2019. Virgin Galactic said it will allow potential customers to sign up for its "One Small Step" program, paying a refundable deposit of $1,000 applicable to a future ticket sale. Participants in the program, which will start taking reservations Feb. 26, will get the first opportunity to purchase tickets, although the company has not announced when it will start selling tickets again or their price. The One Small Step program "marks a significant milestone as we prepare to reopen ticket sales," Whitesides said. For Virgin Galactic, the program will support its sales funnel and create "a pool of qualified prospects" for later ticket sales. While the company didn't announce pricing, Whitesides confirmed later in the call that those tickets will be more expensive than past sales, which cost up to $250,000 per ticket. "We think that's justified by the extreme interest that we're seeing as well as the great product that we'll be offering," he said. The number of new tickets the company will sell, as well as its "premium pricing strategy," will be disclosed later this year, he added. Analysts also asked Whitesides about the company's stock price, which has soared in recent weeks. After falling to as low as $7 a share late last year, the stock rose to as high as $37.35 per share at the close of trading Feb. 19. The stock closed Feb. 25 at $34.04 per share, down a fraction of a percent over the day despite a much steeper selloff in the broader market triggered by concerns about the effects the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak will have on the global economy. Whitesides declined to discuss the stock's recent rise. "We're just going to keep executing," he said. "I run a team full of space engineers, and what we're best at is just keeping our heads down and focused on the engineering." https://spacenews.com/virgin-galactic-hints-at-more-delays-for-start-of-spaceshiptwo-commercial-flights/ Curt Lewis