Flight Safety Information April 15, 2020 - No. 076 In This Issue The FAA is telling pilots not to fly if they take the controversial malaria pill San Francisco Airport Attack Linked to Russian State Hackers Saudi aviation authority adopts aviation safety measures ALPA President Joe DePete To FAA: Get Out Of The Way China Airlines Name Change Under Consideration Quantum XYZ Will Test Using Electric Fixed-Wing Aircraft for L.A.-Based Air Taxi Service Norwegian Air makes last ditch attempt to save airline Boeing Lost 150 Max Jet Orders In March Coronavirus-Led Upheaval Puts 4 Jet Engine Makers in Trouble Aircraft Accident Investigation Series in Slovenia AvMaSSI - HazCom & Infectious Disease Control Program USC Aviation Safety & Security Program...Has Moved Online Call for Nominations For 2020 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award The FAA is telling pilots not to fly if they take the controversial malaria pill Trump pushed as a treatment for the coronavirus The FAA issued a new guidance barring pilots from flying if they have taken hydroxychloroquine within the past 48 hours. Hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial medication that can also be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, has been touted by President Donald Trump as a possible treatment for the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. However, doctors have argued that any evidence that the treatment is effective against COVID-19 is anecdotal, with no clinical trials showing efficacy. Doctors also warn of potentially serious side effects. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will bar pilots from flying if they have taken the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine within the past 48 hours. Hydroxychloroquine has been heavily touted by President Donald Trump as a possible treatment for COVID-19. The medication has not been proven effective or safe for treating the virus in clinical studies. A spokesperson for the FAA confirmed the action in an email to Business Insider. "As with all drugs, the FAA takes a conservative approach when evaluating how a particular substance interacts with aviation professionals and the ability to do their jobs safely," the spokesperson said. "Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were both reviewed by the FAA Federal Air Surgeon when they entered the market and have long been considered generally incompatible for those performing safety related aviation duties." "Due to the wide variety of dosages and lack of standardized protocols for treating COVID-19, pilots using these medications are disqualified from performing safety related duties until 48 hours after they have stopped using them." The new directive was first reported by CNN. According to CNN, the original FAA guidance said that there is "no satisfactory scientific evidence that use of these medications decreases the severity of the virus." "Exercise of social distancing and hand washing represent a far more effective means of prevention," the guidance said, according to CNN. "As information changes, we will update our policy based on the best scientific evidence available to us." Hydroxychloroquine has been a contentious subject as the world searches for a way to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Several doctors have reported anecdotal evidence that the antimalariall has helped patients with the novel coronavirus, but medical professionals have also warned of the possibility of serious and potentially life-threatening side effects, including cardiac arrhythmia. The FAA does allow exceptions for pilots with arthritis to take small doses of the medication. Those pilots are typically required to pass an eye exam and meet other criteria in order to receive a special certification. https://www.businessinsider.com/faa-ban-pilots-hydroxychloroquine-coronavirus-2020-4 Back to Top San Francisco Airport Attack Linked to Russian State Hackers A cyber-attack on San Francisco International Airport (SFO) last month was carried out by state-sponsored Russian hackers, according to Eset. As reported by Infosecurity, the airport revealed in a breach notification last week that its SFOConnect.com and SFOConstruction.com websites came under attack in March. "The attackers inserted malicious computer code on these websites to steal some users' login credentials," the notice explained. "Users possibly impacted by this attack include those accessing these websites from outside the airport network through Internet Explorer on a Windows-based personal device or a device not maintained by SFO." However, Eset went further in a social media post yesterday, claiming that the incident was "in line with the TTPs of an APT group known as Dragonfly/Energetic Bear." "The intent was to collect Windows credentials (username/NTLM hash) of visitors by exploiting an SMB feature and the file:// prefix," it explained. The firm also dismissed rumors that the attack had been carried out by Magecart digital skimming hackers. "The targeted information was NOT the visitor's credentials to the compromised websites, but rather the visitor's own Windows credentials," it said. It's unclear exactly which visitors to the sites it was going after: SFOConnect appears to be a general information site designed for airport staff and contractors, while the SFOConstruction website, currently down for 'maintenance,' covers projects, bids and contracts related to the transport hub. An Eset researcher confirmed that the vendor itself first reported the issue to the airport, which "quickly" fixed it. Dragonfly has been active since at least 2011 and started out targeting organizations in the aviation as well as defense sectors, before moving on to hit energy and other industrial control system (ICS) firms in critical infrastructure industries. Like many Russian APT groups, this one is known for relatively sophisticated, multi-stage intrusions often targeting the supply chain first before pivoting to targeted networks for reconnaissance, lateral movement and cyber-espionage. https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/san-francisco-airport-attack/ Back to Top Saudi aviation authority adopts aviation safety measures Al-Mansouri said the safety of aviation and travelers is GACA's highest priority. (SPA) The measures are the first of many that GACA intends to take RIYADH: The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) is adopting a set of measures to enhance civil aviation safety and allow crews the flexibility they need in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. GACA President Abdulhadi bin Ahmed Al-Mansouri signed the measures at the authority's headquarters in Riyadh. The measures include a general exception allowing the extension of license validity, attestations and certificates for aircrew, trainers, examiners and flight dispatchers, in accordance with terms and conditions that ensure an acceptable level of safety. They are the first of many measures that GACA intends to take - covering airports, air navigation services, aircraft maintenance license holders, validity of airplanes, and service providers - as part of its efforts to mitigate the pandemic's effects on the Saudi aviation sector. Al-Mansouri said the safety of aviation and travelers is GACA's highest priority. He added that it is constantly following updates on coronavirus and its potential repercussions, in collaboration with partners in national airlines, to ensure operational safety during the crisis and the resumption of normal air traffic after it ends. https://www.arabnews.com/node/1658921/saudi-arabia Back to Top ALPA President Joe DePete To FAA: Get Out Of The Way In a stinging editorial, the Air Line Pilots Association President Joe DePete says that the FAA "is not doing its job by regulating when it's urgently needed to protect us as we help in the fight against the pandemic. The FAA is refusing to make sure that U.S. airlines follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 guidelines for exposure notification and workplace sanitation-guidelines that, if enforced, will not only help protect our pilots' health and that of our families but will also help make certain that pilots are available to continue to help the world respond to the pandemic." ALPA alerted the Department of Transportation last week and said the FAA should "immediately issue a mandatory order requiring U.S. airlines to meet CDC guidelines for employee test-positive notification and flight deck cleaning and sanitation." More than a week before, ALPA asked Administrator Steve Dickson to have the FAA to produce an "order, directive, or regulatory requirement expressly mandating that airlines follow CDC guidance." The FAA has not done so. "It's outrageous that, at a time of crisis, one part of the federal government, the FAA, is hindering another, FEMA, as it works to transport lifesaving supplies to those who are battling this pandemic," DePete said. "This is no time for bureaucratic bungling or turf wars. The only war we should be fighting right now is the one against COVID-19-and we should be doing everything in our power to keep the soldiers on the frontlines safe and healthy." https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/alpa-president-joe-depete-to-faa-get-out-of-the-way/ Back to Top China Airlines Name Change Under Consideration This isn't the first time that this has been proposed, though one has to wonder if the current circumstances might just push this to actually happen... China Airlines is based in Taipei, and is the "flag" carrier of Taiwan. However, there has long been confusion and controversy surrounding the name. Confusion has been especially common among those who may not be familiar with the nuances of Taiwan vs. mainland China. Many assume that China Airlines is based in mainland China, when in fact they're based in Taiwan (People's Republic of China vs. Republic of China), which has a very different identity. This has caused confusion, in particular in recent weeks given what has been going on. For example, China Airlines has been operating repatriation flights, and has also been sending face masks and other medical supplies around the globe, but it's clear that because the company's name includes "China," there is confusion about where these donations are coming from. Could China Airlines' name be changed? Taiwan News reports that Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Lin Chia-lung, has said that he has an "open mind" towards changing the airline's name amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. He did emphasize, however, that a name change is a major decision, both in terms of image, and in terms of aviation rights and routes. Since the airline is publicly traded, both the views of shareholders and Taiwan's people needs to be taken into account, and consensus would need to be built. In past weeks, names like Yushan Airlines, Formosa Airlines, and Taiwan Airlines have been proposed. Could China Airlines be renamed? Bottom line There has long been discussion about the possibility of China Airlines' name being changed, given the politics of mainland China vs. Taiwan, and the association that most people have with "China" (which causes them to think of the mainland, rather than Taiwan). Obviously this would be a huge and costly undertaking, since a rebranding isn't cheap under normal circumstances, let alone when you're changing a company's name. Controversy surrounding China has increased in light of COVID-19, from Trump naming it the "Chinese virus," to the controversy of the world World Health Organization excluding Taiwan in dialogues. I have no clue whether this is actually going to happen, though if it actually does happen, you'd think now would be the time... https://onemileatatime.com/china-airlines-name-change/ Back to Top Quantum XYZ Will Test Using Electric Fixed-Wing Aircraft for L.A.-Based Air Taxi Service Quantum XYZ is planning to launch a mostly-electric commercial airline in the Los Angeles, California area in 2021, using a number of eFlyer aircraft, such as the single engine eFlyer pictured here, from Bye Aerospace before eventually adding eVTOLs. Photo: Bye Aerospace. Quantum Air, the group's airline subsidiary, also began procuring a Part 135 operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration more than five years ago. The global coronavirus outbreak is likely to disrupt Quantum's timeline; the eFlyer 2, which Bye Aerospace previously expected would achieve certification in late 2021, will likely be delayed. "The Bye Aerospace team of engineers and [designated engineering representative] DERs is working hard with the FAA, and the certification effort continues to make solid progress," a representative for the company told Avionics International. "It is too early to determine the depth of the virus-related impacts; certainly one quarter, or perhaps two quarters schedule delay." According to Bye's website, its employees are fully remote at this time, meaning flight tests are almost certainly suspended. California and UK-based ZeroAvia, which is developing six- and 19-seat hydrogen-powered electric aircraft, told Avionics last week on the Connected Aircraft Podcast it had suspended flight testing as well. The company hopes to receive its production certificate "nearly simultaneous with eFlyer 2 type certification" and produce 50 eFLyer 2's in the following 12 months at its facility at Centennial Airport, south of Denver, Colorado. Bye's primary intention with its eFlyer project is to address to coming pilot shortage by providing training aircraft with drastically lower operating cost than legacy options; the company estimates the eFlyer 2 will cost $23 per flight hour, compared to $110 per hour for the Cessna 172. "Bye Aerospace has surpassed 300 paid purchase deposits for both the eFlyer 2 and the eFlyer 4," said George E. Bye, CEO of Bye Aerospace. Those deposits are not refundable, the company clarified to Avionics. George Bye is also on Quantum XYZ's board of advisors. In an interview with eVTOL.com, Quantum CEO Tony Thompson said the company is open to working with Uber, which plans to begin commercial eVTOL operations in LA in 2023, but "our strategy does not depend on what Uber does ... and one of the big reasons why is [because] Uber is just not considering fixed-wing whatsoever." Quantum XYZ believes it can use these aircraft for regional air taxi services as well, saving travelers travel time in the highly-congested LA area, but - depending on customers' final destinations - that may prove difficult to do with conventional aircraft, departing and landing at airports rather than rooftops. Current and former members of Uber's Elevate team have stressed to Avionics the difficulty of building efficient multi-modal transit systems and minimizing time spend not in flight, based on their modeling and experience with Uber Copter. On its website, Quantum XYZ declares itself the "1st VTOL Airline," despite the existence of many helicopter airlines in prior decades and the fact that Bye Aerospace's eFlyers are not VTOL. Quantum declined to elaborate on its purchases, its plans or provide clarifying information in response to an inquiry from Avionics. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2020/04/14/quantum-xyz-will-test-using-electric-fixed-wing-aircraft-l-based-air-taxi-service/ Back to Top Norwegian Air makes last ditch attempt to save airline as pilots warned there's no cash to pay wages TROUBLED airline Norwegian was on the brink last night as its pilots were warned there was no money to pay them - or make them redundant. The carrier is "mortgaging everything they own" to try and stay afloat. Norwegian pilots have been warned there isn't enough may to pay them Frantic bosses are converting debts into shares in a bid to stop flatlining, but the move is predicted to wipe out the value of existing shares. The airline's jets have left their slots at the UK's second major hub Gatwick airport. The firm has around £5billion of debt against a market value of £78million. Sources close to Norweigan told The Sun it was true to say there was a "last ditch effort" to save the airline. The carrier was afforded a 'phase one' £30million rescue package by the Norway government. But 'phase two and three' of a rescue deal - worth £280million and needed to see the carrier through the coronavirus crisis - won't arrive unless the airline restructures and lowers its debt threshold. This is the move which requires creditors to convert debt to equity - effectively becoming owners of Norweigan. But such a move means existing shares becoming worthless - and has seen a mad rush to sell stakes in the last 24 hours while they are still worth something. If bondholders don't agree to a decision to switch debt to equity next month then the airline will be permanently grounded. A source said: "There is no magic pot in the bank. Norweigan is in the same situation as Virgin Atlantic, Air France and Lufthansa in needing bail-outs to survive." Pilots were last night warned they face a pay freeze - and will rely on the government's job retention scheme plan for any salary. The company's entire fleet, across different subsidiaries, is believed to be hit - around 1,500 pilots and 3000 cabin crew. History of Norwegian Air NORWEGIAN Air is a low-cost airline, founded in 1993.It was initially founded to take over the regional airline services produced by Busy Bee for Braathens in Western Norway.However, it only started operating as a low-cost carrier with bigger Boeing 737 aircraft in 2002, operating a number of domestic routes in Norway.Its first European routes outside of Norway launched in 2006.Today, it has 11,000 members of staff and flies 500 routes to more than 150 destinations in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Asia, South America, the US and Canada.The airline has a fleet of around 160 aircraft. A letter from cook pit crew union Balpa revealed discussions with OSM Aviation, whose parents firm is Norwegian. It stated: "Norwegian have indicated to OSM that they will not be in a position to fund the April salary, and also OSM do not have sufficient funds to cover the salary or redundancies." The carrier's subsidiary is "positive" the government's furlough scheme will be implemented, but can't guarantee when funds will be paid. There are around 1,000 pilots and crew in the UK who fly for Norweigan and are employed through its OSM subsidiary. Balpa and the Unite union negotiated with OSM a deal to reduce salaries - by 30 per cent for pilots and 60 per cent for crew in a battle to survive. But staff have realised they would be better off under the government's furlough scheme, in which they would receive 80 per cent of salaries. Norweigan does not have cash-flow to pay this month's salaries up front and claim back furlough cash from the UK government later - a move taken by easyJet. So Norweigan staff face a month without pay until the furlough scheme kicks in. With flights to and from the UK grounded, and bookings cancelled, the firm has no money coming in here whatsoever. The source said: "Norweigan is in the last chance saloon - like many other major airlines. But all hope is not yet quite gone. "And UK crew face a month of no pay while the furlough scheme pays out wages. But hopefully it is not going to be their last pay packet." A Norweigan spokesman told The Sun: "The crew employer, OSM, has been in constant dialogue with the relevant unions to reach the best possible agreement for our crew colleagues based in the UK." Shortly after the Oslo stock exchange reopened following the long Easter weekend, Norwegian's share price was at one point down more than 60 per cent compared with when the market closed on 8 April. The carrier's chief executive, Jacob Schram, said the proposed measures were necessary to secure "the next tranches of the Norwegian government state guarantee programme". Norway last month announced a £464million bailout for the aviation sector, half of which is earmarked for Norwegian. Norwegian Air said it would hold a meeting with bondholders on April 30 to approve the terms of its rescue plan, Reuters reported. If creditors approve the rescue plan, it will be put to a shareholders' vote on May 4. In a 14 April research note, Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska describes Norwegian as being "at the end of the line". Mr Roeska believes there are two likely outcomes for the airline: "Either the bondholders agree a conversion price for their debt into equity, or they do not. "If they agree, the firm continues to operate, but shareholders will be severely diluted. "If they do not, then we expect operations to cease, bankruptcy proceedings to start, and shareholders to get nothing." Last month, The Sun told how Norwegian was feared to be days away from folding as its UK staff were told to choose between a 70 per cent pay cut or redundancy. Last year they were teetering on the edge of collapse before receiving last-gasp financial backing to keep going. The airline - the eight largest in Europe and third biggest low-cost carrier after Ryanair and easyJet - carried 30 million passengers in 2016. The Sun was shown a shock 'emergency payment option' sent to Norwegian UK employees. They help run a fleet of 13 carriers from Gatwick airport. Bosses at parent firm OSM Aviation said they had been "compelled to take immediate action in order to assure that operations will remain intact, once the commercial difficulties as caused by the present situation, cease to remain". The Nordic airline has already announced it would cancel 85 per cent of flights and faces laying off 90 per cent of its workforce, around 7,300 people. Norwegian is struggling on, analysts said, thanks in part to a delay in delivery of their new 737 MAX aircraft. In more airline news, British Airways pilots have been forced to take three months' unpaid leave as the airline struggles to survive. https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/11400386/norwegian-air-pilots-bust/ Back to Top Boeing Lost 150 Max Jet Orders In March (RTTNews) - In March, customers of Boeing Co. cancelled 150 orders for 737 Max aircraft, amid the worsening crisis due to coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic, multiple reports said. The cancellations for Boeing's best-selling aircraft, which has been grounded since last year after fatal crashes, follow weak demand for air travel as majority of airlines across the world have halted their operations to stop the spread of the virus. Boeing reportedly said, "We are working closely with our customers, many of whom are facing significant financial pressures, to review their fleet plans and make adjustments where appropriate. At the same time, Boeing continues to adjust its order book to adapt to lower-than-planned 737 MAX production in the near term." Irish aircraft leasing firm Avolon cancelled orders for 75 additional 737 Max jets, and Brazilian carrier GOL scrapped its order for 34. Further, Lufthansa subsidiary SmartWings cancelled orders for five jets, while the details of the other 36 jet orders were not known. In the month of February, Boeing had reported 41 order cancellations. In the first three months till March 31, Boeing has removed 314 737 jets from its order list. Meanwhile, the company received 31 orders for jets in March, including 18 for military aircraft. Boeing still has a backlog of 5,049 orders, including 4,079 orders for the Max jets. The 737 Max were grounded by airlines worldwide in March 2019 following two deadly crashes within a short span of five months that killed a total of 346 people. Since then, the company has been trying to fix its software and safety issues to put its hugely popular aircraft back to service. In mid-January, Boeing had stopped 737 MAX production after it failed to get regulatory approvals and due to a backlog of 400 undelivered jets. In late March, there were reports that Boeing plans to restart the production of 737 Max by May. Boeing on Tuesday said it delivered 50 commercial aircraft in the first quarter, including five 737 jets. Boeing had said last week that it would temporarily suspend all 787 operations at its South Carolina factory until further notice, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, Boeing had offered buyouts to its employees in an effort to lower workforce. Last week, rival Airbus also said it is cutting commercial aircraft production by a third citing lower demand due to Covid-19. The European aerospace giant said it would cut production of its A320 narrowbody aircraft to 40 per month. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/boeing-lost-150-max-jet-orders-in-march-2020-04-15 Back to Top Coronavirus-Led Upheaval Puts 4 Jet Engine Makers in Trouble The global aviation sector is perhaps the most affected among all sectors, courtesy of the novel coronavirus outbreak that has literally wiped out demand for air travel. Consequently, airline companies are bearing the maximum brunt of the pandemic including aircraft giants like Boeing BA and Airbus EADSY. To minimize losses, airline companies are delaying deliveries of new jets and canceling ongoing orders. As a result, apart from aircraft manufacturers, companies that support jet production like jet engine manufacturers have been dealt a heavy blow. Gloomy Outlook The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has lowered its projections for global air transport industry. Notably, per IATA's latest estimate, 2020 global revenue losses for the air passenger business will be in the range of $63 -$113 billion, compared with its earlier projection of $29.3 billion (published in February 2020). We believe such reduced projections are indicative of the consistently poor travel demand expected in rest of 2020. This implies that delay in delivery of new jets and dearth of new aircraft orders will also continue. Also, there will be no new contracts for aircraft manufacturers as well as parts makers. This might take a toll on their operational results as a lack of orders will lower revenues and storage of completed products will push up warehouse maintenance costs. Consequently, employers will resort to job cuts, and suspension of dividends and other payouts to reduce spending and shore up their finances. Evidently, a handful of jet engine makers have already started to take such initiatives. Jet Engine Makers in Focus Herein we have selected four companies that are involved in jet engine manufacturing and are taking initiatives to reduce their expenses. The stocks, otherwise investment-worthy, have been declining significantly since Jan 20 when the first case of coronavirus was reported in the United States. General Electric GE is a world leader in jet engine manufacturing. Its aviation division recently announced its decision to cut 10% of its U.S. workforce, underscoring the deepening economic impact of the pandemic. This indicates that almost 2,600 GE employees will lose their jobs. This jet engine maker also plans to reduce some executive compensation and furlough half its domestic maintenance, repair and overhaul employees for 90 days. The company aims to save $500 million to $1 billion in 2020 through these initiatives. Its shares have lost 40.6%. Raytheon Technologies' RTX Pratt & Whitney unit offers a range of jet engines to prominent jet makers like Boeing and Airbus. This unit's prior parent company, on Mar 25, suspended all non-essential spending, including R&D funding and outlay on buildings and facilities. The company also stopped hiring and deferred employee bonuses. Its shares have lost 60%. Rolls-Royce RYCEY is another prominent jet engine manufacturer. Its Trent engine family is now in service on the Airbus A330, A340, A350, and A380, as well as the Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner. Per major media sources, this British aero-engine maker has decided to abandon its targets for profits, cash and deliveries, and suspend dividend. The company is also aiming to announce credit facilities in excess of approximately $1.22 billion to bolster liquidity. Its shares have lost 53.6%. Safran SAFRY in a joint venture with General Electric created CFM International, which gave rise to CFM56, one of the world's best-selling aircraft engine that power Airbus A320 single-aisle jet families.Its latest Leap engines now power Airbus A320 neo family. The French jet maker has decided to take "very significant" actions including halting capital expenditure, redefining research and development objectives, and cutting direct and indirect costs. Its shares have lost 45.2%. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/coronavirus-led-upheaval-puts-4-125012226.html Back to Top The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Has Moved Online! The following upcoming courses will take place in our virtual WebEx classrooms. Gas Turbine Accident Investigation Skills and knowledge to examine the involvement of turbine engines in fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft accidents. May 4-8, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Software Safety Philosophies and methods of developing software, analyzing software, and managing a software safety program. May 11-14, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2125 SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems Managing and implementing aviation security measures at medium to small size aircraft operators, all airports, and Indirect Air Carriers, with emphasis on risk assessment and cyber security. May 11-15, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Safety Management Systems for Managers Providing Managers and Supervisors an understanding of the principles of an SMS and a clear vision of the role of the manager May 27-28, 2020 1.5 Days Tuition: $1025 More classes will move online soon. If you want to take a specific class online, or have any questions, please contact us. 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 Safety • Gas Turbine Accident Investigation • Helicopter Accident Investigation • Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance • Safety Management for Ground Operations Safety • Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Earn Credit for FlightSafety Master Technician-Management 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 Photo Credit: PFC Brendan King, USMC Back to Top Call for Nominations For 2020 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2020 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award, honoring a leader in global aviation safety. The Award is scheduled to be presented during the 73nd Annual International Air Safety Summit, taking place Oct. 19-21 in Paris, France. Presented since 1956, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award recognizes notable achievement in the field of civil or military aviation safety in method, design, invention, study or other improvement. The Award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." Mechanics, engineers and others outside of top administrative or research positions should be especially considered. The contribution need not be recent, especially if the nominee has not received adequate recognition. Nominations that were not selected as past winners of the Award can be submitted one additional time for consideration. Please note that self-nominations will not be considered. The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award's story dates back 75 years. On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In the years following, her husband, Rev. Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and son, Clifford E. Barbour, Jr., established the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award in her honor. The Award Board, composed of leaders in the field of aviation, meets each year to conduct a final review of nominees and selection of the current year's recipient. Please help us honor this year's most deserving recipient. Nominations, including a 1-2-page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website at http://ltbaward.org/the-award/nomination-form/. Nominations will be accepted until May 10, 2020. For more information, including a complete history of Award recipients, see www.ltbaward.org. About the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation and Award On April 14, 1945, after visiting family in Pittsburgh, Mrs. Laura Taber Barbour was aboard a Pennsylvania Central Airlines DC-3 when it crashed into the rugged terrain of Cheat Mountain near Morgantown, West Virginia. All passengers and crew were killed. In 1956, her husband, Rev. Dr. Clifford E. Barbour and their son, Cliff, established the Award in her honor. For nearly 65 years, this long distinguished award has recognized those responsible for crowning achievements in aviation safety worldwide. The Award was established through early association with the Flight Safety Foundation and from its founding has enjoyed a rich history of Award Board members, nominees and Award recipients. In 2013, the non-profit Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation was formed from members of the Award Board, the aviation community and the Barbour family. As the foundation plans to broaden the scope of its intent, with great purpose, the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award will continue to spotlight those champions who pioneer breakthroughs in flight safety. For more information on the foundation, the award, and past winners, visit http://LTBAward.org Curt Lewis