Flight Safety Information July 20, 2020 - No. 145 In This Issue Incident: NORRA AT72 at Oulu on Jul 18th 2020, rejected takeoff due to smell of smoke in cockpit EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Yakutia DH8C at Olenyok on Jul 16th 2020, burst two tyres on landing Incident: Lufthansa A319 at Munich on Jul 18th 2020, rejected takeoff due to engine fire warning EASTERN AIRLINES B767 SKIDS OFF TAXIWAY IN GUYANA Report: Earnhardt Jr., pilots struggled to open emergency exit after plane crash Wrong fuel added before crash of Alaska forestry plane that injured pilot and 3 firefighters Canada confirms black boxes of downed Ukrainian airliner arrive in Paris From engine fires to systems failures: How pilots manage emergency situations Pilots To Fill In For Fired Icelandair Flight Attendants Garuda Indonesia Fires Pilots That Were Arrested For Drug Use Five Key Technological Components of Aviation Safety Pilots fake licence fiasco: what went wrong? Saudi aviation authority plans virtual symposium Pratt & Whitney Finds Silver Lining in Pandemic Aeroflot targets 600 aircraft by 2028 UAE launches ambitious Mars mission The USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Will Offer Online and In-Person Classes This Fall presage specializing in error prevention through proven scientific psychosocial analytics Leasing Aircraft & Engines, Return Conditions, and Transition - Course Urban Air Mobility and Single-Pilot/Autonomous Airline Operations Research Project AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: NORRA AT72 at Oulu on Jul 18th 2020, rejected takeoff due to smell of smoke in cockpit A NORRA Nordic Regional Airlines Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration OH-ATE performing flight AY-436 from Oulu to Helsinki (Finland), was accelerating for takeoff from Oulu's runway 30 when the crew rejected takeoff due to smell of smoke on the flight deck. The aircraft slowed safely and vacated the runway 1300 meters/4300 feet down the runway. The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto the afternoon flight about 4:45 hours later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 29 hours, then positioned to Helsinki. http://avherald.com/h?article=4da2673b&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Yakutia DH8C at Olenyok on Jul 16th 2020, burst two tyres on landing A Yakutia de Havilland Dash 8-300, flight R3-433 from Yakutia to Olenyok (Russia) with 16 passengers and 3 crew, landed in Olenyok but burst two tyres on landing. The return flight reached Yakutia with a delay of 7:45 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4da1de0e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa A319 at Munich on Jul 18th 2020, rejected takeoff due to engine fire warning A Lufthansa Airbus A319-100, registration D-AILU performing flight LH-2004 from Munich to Dusseldorf (Germany), was accelerating for takeoff from Munich's runway 26L when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (84 knots over ground) due to a left hand engine (CFM56) fire warning. The aircraft slowed safely and stopped on the runway. The crew requested emergency services to attend and asked another Lufthansa crew waiting for departure whether they saw any fire/smoke from the left or right hand engine, the crew responded everything looked normal, tower confirmed using binoculars he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The crew susbequently taxied the aircraft off the runway and stopped again after crossing the hold short line for an inspection by emergency services. Emergency services reported seeing slightly higher temperatures on the left engine than on the right engine, there were no leaks or contaminations. The crew suspected a false fire warning and taxied the aircraft back to the apron. A replacement A319-100 registration D-AILA reached Dusseldorf with a delay of 100 minutes. The aircraft is still on the ground in Munich about 9 hours after the rejected takeoff. http://avherald.com/h?article=4da1c221&opt=0 Back to Top EASTERN AIRLINES B767 SKIDS OFF TAXIWAY IN GUYANA An Eastern Airlines Boeing 767-300 has skidded off the taxiway after landing at Cheddi Jagan Airport in Georgetown, Guyana. The chartered aircraft was returning more than 200 Guyana citizens who had been stranded in New York. The aircraft, registered N706KW, vacated Runway 24 at approximately 14:00 local time on 15th July. Almost immediately after turning onto Taxiway Charlie, the aircraft's right main landing gear exited the pavement and became stuck in the grass. Local media reports have indicated that no injuries were sustained in the incident. Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Egbert Field, told Stabroek News that an investigation has been launched. "[The aircraft] landed and after landing, it left the runway and turned onto the taxiway and while on the taxiway, taxiing to the terminal, the right wheels departed from the paved section of the taxiway onto the soft grassy portion of the side of the taxiway." Egbert Field According to the ATC weather report, Cheddi Jagan Airport was experiencing light-to-moderate rain showers at the time. Airport authorities have said the taxiway was extremely slippery when the incident occurred. Eastern Airlines has been operating repatriation flights from New York to Georgetown, as part of Guyana's COVID-19 response plan; such flights have also been operating from Miami. The B767 was due to fly to Miami later that evening. Cheddi Jagan International Airport two asphalt runways. Runway 24 was in use at the time. https://samchui.com/2020/07/20/eastern-airlines-b767-skidded-off-taxiway-in-guyana/#.XxVcvG1KiUk Back to Top Report: Earnhardt Jr., pilots struggled to open emergency exit after plane crash TENNESSEE - New details released by the National Transportation Safety Board show Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a pilot struggled to open an airplane's wing emergency exit as the aircraft began to burn and fill with smoke. The race car driver and his family managed to escape from the main door during a 2019 crash in Tennessee. Documents released Thursday by the NTSB provide pilot, passenger and witness statements about the Aug. 15, 2019 plane crash at an airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Earnhardt was with his wife, 15-month-old daughter, two pilots and the family dog when their Cessna crashed after the jet skidding off the runway at an airport near Johnson City, Tennessee last year. The NTSB said in its preliminary report the plane's landing gear collapsed before the crash. The final report has not been released. https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/report-earnhardt-jr-pilots-struggled-open-emergency-exit-after-plane-crash/GYUS6UWYRVBDPBVI3KEGSYE5OE/ Back to Top Wrong fuel added before crash of Alaska forestry plane that injured pilot and 3 firefighters, NTSB says A state plane transporting wildland firefighters crashed near Aniak in late May after the wrong type of fuel was put into the tanks just before takeoff, according to a federal report. Pilot Mark Jordan, of Eagle River, and three Alaska Division of Forestry firefighters were hurt when the Aero Commander 500 Shrike crashed into a large pond in a gravel pit near the Western Alaska town on May 28. Two of them suffered more serious injuries: Jordan, who is making progress after several surgeries, and a Hooper Bay firefighter who's been released from the hospital but is still doing physical therapy in Anchorage, Forestry spokesman Tim Mowry said this week. Another firefighter from Aniak is recovering from hand surgery. Jordan, an experienced pilot, was hired in the spring. It's not clear when he can return to duty, Mowry said. Forestry is looking into replacing the aircraft. The plane was transporting the firefighters to McGrath, where they were to be sent on wildfire responses from the Kenai/Kodiak area forestry station in Soldotna. Jordan said he had the Aniak fuel vendor's ground-service personnel refuel the plane, according to the preliminary report filed by National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brice Banning. The pilot signed the fuel receipt and returned to the cockpit to finish paperwork before departure. Jordan loaded his passengers, started the airplane's engines and taxied to the runway for departure, the report says. The fuel vendor's truck driver wasn't familiar with the plane and had to ask the pilot for information, according to the NTSB report. Before he started refueling, the report states, the driver asked Jordan, "Do you want Prist with your Jet?" Prist is an additive used to prevent fuel from gelling in turbine engines that tend to fly at higher altitudes. "Jet" is Jet A fuel. The Aero Commander 500 has engines powered by pistons, not turbines. The plane uses aviation gasoline, not Jet A fuel. A placard near the fuel port on top of the wing stated in part, "AVIATION GASOLINE ONLY," the report says. The driver returned to his truck when the refueling was done, wrote "Jet A" in the meter readings section of the prepared receipt, and gave it to Jordan to sign, the report says. The pilot signed the receipt and got a copy. The fueler told Banning he later added "no Prist" to his copy of the receipt. "The pilot said that shortly after takeoff, and during initial climb, he initially noticed what he thought was mechanical turbulence followed by a reduction in climb performance, and the airplane's engines began to lose power," Banning wrote. "Unable to maintain altitude and while descending about 400 (feet) per minute, he selected an area of shallow water covered terrain as an off-airport landing site. The last thing the pilot remembered of the accident flight was guiding the airplane to the off-airport landing site." The plane crashed into frigid water 4 or 5 feet deep. Five Aniak teenagers spotted the bright yellow wreckage and two firefighters climbing out - Craig Friday of Hooper Bay and Kelly Kehlenbach of Aniak - and started a rescue after notifying authorities. They stayed with Jordan and Albert Simon, of Hooper Bay, who were too injured to get out of the water. Forestry officials are reviewing the crash to determine if "there is something that we need to do to be safer," Mowry said. State officials are waiting for the National Transportation Safety Board to complete a final report that could include probable cause of the crash before making any decisions. That's at least four to six months off. "The preliminary report is just what it says - there's no fault or anything like that," he said. "It's just a statement of what happened." https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2020/07/17/wrong-fuel-added-before-crash-of-alaska-forestry-plane-that-injured-pilot-and-3-firefighters-ntsb-says/ Back to Top Canada confirms black boxes of downed Ukrainian airliner arrive in Paris The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 carrying 176 people crashed near Tehran back in January, killing everyone on board Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne confirmed in a tweet on Sunday that the black boxes of a downed Ukrainian airliner that killed all 176 people on board in January had arrived in Paris, ending a months-long standoff. The black boxes are expected to be brought to France's air accident agency, BEA, on Monday for analysis, Champagne said, adding that Canadian transportation officials would be present. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has said it accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 on January 8, mistaking it for a missile at a time when tensions were high between Iran and the United States. Many of the victims killed in the crash were Canadian citizens or permanent residents, or had Canada as their final destination. On Saturday, Iran's deputy foreign minister said the boxes had been sent to France for analysis. The fate of the cockpit voice and data recorders has been the subject of an international standoff since the plane was shot down, with Canada, France and Ukraine demanding access. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/20/canada-confirms-black-boxes-downed-ukrainian-airliner-arrive/ Back to Top From engine fires to systems failures: How pilots manage emergency situations The night of December 29, 1972 was instrumental in improving flight safety for passengers and pilots alike. Making their approach to Miami International Airport (MIA), it was just another flight for the pilots of Eastern flight 401. In preparation for landing, they moved the landing gear lever to the down position. However, the light which indicates that the nose gear is in the down and locked position failed to illuminate green. In order to troubleshoot the problem, the crew decided to break off the approach and climb back up to 2,000 feet. To reduce their workload, they entered a holding pattern to the west of the airport over the Everglades. The first officer, who was responsible for flying the aircraft on that sector, then engaged the Autopilot to reduce the workload further. However, both pilots (and the flight engineer) became engrossed in trying to fix the problem. As the captain issued instructions, the first officer tried to move the gear indicator, but to no avail. The green light just would not illuminate. The more time went on, the more the crew became obsessed with the problem. All of a sudden, the first officer looked at the altimeter and realized that they were no longer at 2,000 feet. Instead, they were just a few feet above the Everglade swamp. The Autopilot had become disconnected and because all three crew members were fixated on solving the problem, no one noticed to slow descent toward the ground. A few moments later the aircraft crashed into the ground, killing 101 people. Whilst many safety systems such as GPWS have been incorporated into modern aircraft in the 50 years since the crash, the principle of "who's flying the aircraft?" still holds firm today. At all times during a flight, one of the pilot's sole responsibility is to ensure the safe flight path of the aircraft, no matter what else is going on. This is particularly important when it comes to emergency situations. The natural urge is to get involved and help solve the issue. However, this will often make the problem worse. As a result, pilots are trained to take a step back from the flashing lights and treat all non-normal and emergency situations in a calm and methodical fashion. Aviate, navigate, communicate I've mentioned "The Chimp Paradox" by Dr. Steve Peters, in previous articles. It states that inside us still live our original ancestors, the ones who behave like any other animal in the jungle. When that ancestor felt threatened, the immediate reaction of its brain was the "fight or flight" impulse. Do I stay and fight or do I run away? When something untoward or surprising happens to us today, that inner chimp still reigns supreme as panic takes over. When flying an airliner and an engine suddenly catches fire in the middle of the night, it's only natural for the chimp to control our initial emotions. Red lights are flashing and warning alarms are going off. However, with 300 lives on board, we rarely get a second chance to rectify an instinctive poor decision. What we must do is put the chimp back in its cage to allow us to think rationally. The best way to do this is to have a structure we can always fall back on. A structure which will help us calm down and give us time to evaluate the situation properly and it comes in three steps. Aviate When a non-normal event occurs, the first thing we must do is ensure that the aircraft is flying safely. As the fateful crew of Eastern 401 discovered, there's no point in trying to fix a problem if you crash into the ground whilst doing so. When a crew first become aware of a developing situation, usually from a warning or caution alert, the pilot responsible for flying the aircraft (PF) will state out loud: "I have control." Whilst this may seem obvious, this clear and unambiguous statement immediately resolves any confusion over who is doing what. Next, the PF will confirm not only what the aircraft is doing, but make sure that it is doing what they actually want it to be doing. For example, if they were flying manually, would it be a better idea to now engage the Autopilot? In the case of an engine failure, do they need to increase engine power? Whatever the crew decide to do, the "aviate" part must establish the aircraft in a safe flight path. Navigate With the aircraft flying safely, the next step is to navigate the aircraft to a position which continues to keep us safe. This very much depends on the stage of flight and how well prepared we are. Pilots are always thinking about the "what if?" scenarios at all stages of flight. By constantly talking to each other, we keep our situational awareness high, ready to put a plan into action should the need arise. A great example of this is in the event of an engine failure over the Atlantic Ocean. During Oceanic segments of a flight, there are set procedures in the case of a required descent. With this in mind, we always discuss our plan should the need arise to make a descent due to a loss of cabin pressurization, engine failure or need to divert. As a result, if an emergency does occur, we already know how we're going to navigate the aircraft away from our route. Terrain clearance is also critical in these situations, particularly if the even happens soon after takeoff or just before landing. Making sure that the aircraft is at a safe altitude which will ensure terrain clearance is paramount before the crew attempt to deal with the issue at hand. Communicate With the aircraft flying safely, the final element is to communicate. But who with and when? Understandably, letting Air Traffic Control know that we have a problem is important at some point, but it may not need to be done immediately. In some parts of the world, letting ATC know too soon may result in a barrage of questions which will hamper our efforts to solve the problem. Likewise, for passengers seeing flames coming out the back of the engine may be pretty alarming, but letting them know what is going on isn't always high on our list of priorities. Once the situation is under control and we have a plan, then we will speak to them. Running the checklists With the aircraft flying safely and the chimp caged, the stress in the flight deck begins to reduce. With lower stress comes clearer decisions, which is ultimately what we're looking to achieve. We can now start to look at managing the non-normal situation with the aircraft. Most modern airliners have an electronic checklist (ECL) which automatically displays on the screens when a fault is detected. It is the job of the pilot monitoring (PM) to carry out the checklist whilst the PF continues to fly the aircraft. The ECL will direct the crew to carry out actions to try and rectify the problem. For example resetting and electric generator. If this does not work and the system stays failed, the checklist will then continue to secure the system and prepare the crew for flight without it. More often than not this means continuing the flight as there are backup systems, but it may require a diversion in the case of certain system failures. Whilst the PM caries out the ECL, it's imperative that the PF does not get distracted from the flying of the aircraft. If the PM needs to the PF to check something, the PF will hand over control of the aircraft to the PM to ensure that they are never both "heads down." With the non-normal checklist complete, the crew must then do any remaining normal checklists, such as the after takeoff checklist. What have we got? With the checklists completed, it's time to take stock of the situation. What has happened? What failures did we have? Which systems have we lost? This stage of the process is key to being able to come up with a suitable plan of what to do next. In the case of multiple faults, there may have been several ECLs to complete. As a result, there may be important information which was missed in the heat of the moment. By running through the alert messages again, we can pick up on these missed items and also start to build a better picture of where we're at with the situation. This is also a good time to work out the implications of the failure. If there has been a hydraulics problem, it is likely that the landing distance required is much longer than normal. With that required distance calculated, it will help simplify the decision-making process later on. Making a decision There are a number of ways to come up with a decision and some are quicker than others. If the crew suffer an engine failure after takeoff, they may already have come up with a plan during their preflight emergency briefing. If this plan is still viable, there may not be a need to spend time thinking about it again. After all, this is exactly why we carry out an emergency brief. However, if a problem occurs which the crew were not expecting, it often pays to spend a little time coming up with a plan. Not only is the mnemonic TDODAR useful in aviation, but it can also be useful in many other situations where an evaluated decision is needed. Time Time available is always a factor as there is only ever a finite amount of fuel in the tanks. However, "time" doesn't just refer to fuel available. A good question to ask the other pilot is "how urgent do you think this is?". An engine fire which won't extinguish is far more urgent than a minor flight control computer fault. This establishment of urgency will make it clear how much time we have to run this process and make a decision. Diagnose It may be easy to simply see this as "what happened?" but that's of little use when trying to decide what to do next. Instead, asking ourselves questions such as "what does this mean?" and "what equipment do I have left?" will be far more useful. If there has been a failure of some of the navigation equipment, it may mean that we are unable to land at an airport with poor visibility. This will then aid us in the next section. Options When we know the situation we are facing and what tools we have available to us, we can now generate some options. Do we continue the flight? If we have to divert, which airport will be most suitable? What if we do nothing? This part is made much easier if we have collected all the pertinent information as detailed in the sections above. Decide In an ideal situation, there will be a number of options to chose from. At other times, there may only be one option available. Whatever the choices, a decision needs to be made. This is where a strong crew dynamic is essential. The captain needs to be open enough to allow the other crew members to input their ideas, but they also need to be strong enough to make a decision if discussions are just going round in circles. How quickly this needs to be done constantly refers back to the "time" section. Assign tasks With a plan decided, it's time to action it. Between the crew, someone will need to keep flying the aircraft whilst the other person sets the flight management computer up for the approach. They will also have to inform ATC, the flight attendants and passengers of the new plan. Review This part is almost more important than everything before. Coming up with a plan is all well and good, but is it still valid? Flying an aircraft is a dynamic situation and things change quickly. A plan which was ideal 20 minutes ago, may no longer be suitable. Has the weather at the diversion airfield changed? Do we still have enough fuel to get there? Has the sick passenger who we are diverting for made a recovery? By constantly reviewing the situation, new information may come to light which changes the plan. We must always be open and adaptable to changing the plan at all times. Bottom line In all walks of life, when the unexpected happens it is very easy to let our inner chimp take control and react in an instant. However, when flying an aircraft, this evolutionary reaction can often make things worse. As pilots, we need to react in a calm and collected manner to enable us to think clearly and come up with a safe plan. By using the "aviate, navigate, communicate" process, we not only ensure that the aircraft is flying safely, but we also give ourselves time to breathe deeply and put the chimp back in its cage. With a cool head, we can then work through the problem and come up with a plan which will keep the aircraft and all it's occupants safe. https://thepointsguy.com/news/how-pilots-manage-emergency-situations/ Back to Top Pilots To Fill In For Fired Icelandair Flight Attendants Icelandair fired all its flight attendants Friday and told pilots they'll be doing those jobs temporarily starting Monday. The airline and the FAs had been in a monthlong labor dispute and on Friday the company ended it. "Icelandair will permanently terminate the employment of its current cabin crew members and permanently discontinue the employment relationship between the parties," the company said in a statement. "The company's pilots will temporarily take over responsibility for onboard safety on 20 July." There has so far been no reaction from the flight attendants or the pilots but the decision raises immediate questions about the wisdom or even the legality of the move. Pilots don't get a lot of the training that FAs do in terms of evacuation procedures and rendering aid to passengers and most countries the airline flies to require the correct number of qualified flight attendants to be on board. Under the current circumstances, those safety-related duties would be the full job description. In-flight service is all but nonexistent on flights thanks to the pandemic. The carrier has 36 aircraft, mostly Boeing 757s, and flies to 16 destinations from Reykjavik. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/pilots-to-fill-in-for-fired-icelandair-flight-attendants/ Back to Top Garuda Indonesia Fires Pilots That Were Arrested For Drug Use A Garuda Indonesia pilot got the chop last week following his arrest in a drug raid in Jakarta. The pilot, who also flew for Garuda's low-cost offshoot, Citilink, was picked up by South Jakarta Police on July 6. Following that unfortunate incident, Garuda has moved swiftly to terminate the pilot's employment. Garuda Indonesia president director Irfan Setiaputra told The Jakarta Post on Saturday; "Based on our investigation and coordination with the police regarding a pilot working for Garuda Indonesia and Citilink who was involved in drug abuse, the company has decided to sever all professional ties with the pilot." More than one pilot arrested The unnamed pilot was one of four people arrested in the drug raid. Irfan Setiaputra said the pilot has found to have a history of drug use. The decision to terminate him was also designed to send an example to the airline's other employees. Mr Setiaputra added Garuda Indonesia had a zero tolerance to drug use and abuse. But a little digging reveals there is more to this story than the Jakarta Post report reveals. A report in Indonesian news outlet Tempo reports more than one pilot was arrested in the raid. Tempo reports South Jakarta Police Narcotics Unit picked up three pilots in the raid. Two of the pilots worked for Garuda, the other worked for a private airline. The fourth gentleman arrested was the dealer. "They're arrested on Monday, July 6, at around 6 p.m. in Cipondoh, Tangerang," said Chief of South Jakarta Police's narcotics unit, Commissioner Vivick Tjangkung. Commissioner Vivick Tjangkung said the pilots were found consuming crystal meth. Garuda's Irfan Setiaputra told Tempo investigations surrounding the incident remained active. However, he said the airline would begin zeroing in drug use and abuse. It has since required more than 120 crew and airport workers at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to pony up with urine samples. It is unknown whether these were targeted or random tests. Ongoing issues regarding drug use amongst Indonesia's pilots There have been concerns about, and stories about, drug use amongst Indonesian pilots for years. The Indonesian Pilot Federation flagged the issue nearly ten years ago. "Pilots make big money. The more they fly the more money they earn. The bigger the money the more expensive your lifestyle will be. Methamphetamine is not cheap, you know,'' said Federation advisor Manotar Napitupulu. Mr Napitupulu, who worked for Garuda Indonesia Airlines, called for random drug and alcohol testing back then. As the commercial aviation sector in Indonesia boomed, concerns have been raised that safety and security protocols have not kept pace. In 2017, Indonesia's National Narcotics Agency Chief, Budi Waseso, attributed drug abuse among pilots as a contributor to Indonesia's high accident rate. He said a 2013 Lion Air crash was due to the pilot hallucinating, mistaking the sea as the runway. However, Mr Waseso does not have the hard evidence to back up this claim. It does, however, add to concerns about the regulation of flying in Indonesia. The aviation sector in Indonesia and its airlines have long been plagued by scandal and corruption. The apparent continuing use of crystal meth among pilots is another problem for Garuda Indonesia. Despite intentions, as this month's arrests indicate, Indonesia still has some way to go stamping out drug use and abuse among its pilots. https://simpleflying.com/garuda-fires-pilots-drugs/ Back to Top Five Key Technological Components of Aviation Safety Air transportation is responsible for billions of passengers every year, and it is extremely important that airlines follow strict air safety standards. However, along with the airlines, the national civil aviation authorities have to role to play in areas concerning safety. The national civil aviation authorities need to set the standard when it comes to technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping and inspection procedures. To encourage safer flights, here are 5 key technological components of aviation safety that are worth taking note of: Ultrasound and Resin-Filled Nano-Structures Between take-off, cruising altitude, and landing, the wings of an airplane - particularly the wing spars - go through a lot of stress. The safety of every flight is heavily reliant on the condition of the airplane's wings. To keep the wing spars from failing, one technique airline crews use is ultrasound. Crews use it to check for early signs of failure through the fuselage skin. Wing spar issues are also being avoided through the use of resin-filled nanostructures. These can patch cracks as soon as they are discovered through techniques like ultrasound. Weather Alerts and Low Level Wind Shear Alert System (LLWAS) Severe weather obviously impacts all aspects of flight, as well as airport operations. This is the reason why it is crucial for pilots to have access to the latest weather data alerts. Weather alerts that include warnings for in-cloud lightning, wind shear, downbursts and hail can prevent airplanes from taking off during unstable weather conditions and help keep airports running smoothly. Aside from weather alerts, a LLWAS can also help pilots determine whether it is safe to land, avoid microbursts, and maintain a gliding slope that ensures a safe landing. Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS) Arguably one of the most important safety features ever installed is the EGPWS, which is also known as Terrain Awareness Warning Systems (TAWS). Through sensory data, it reduces the chance of a crash landing or a fatal ground collision. To help the system withstand extreme fluctuations in temperatures, metal core PCBs are often used instead of regular printed circuit boards. By following these metal core PCB guidelines, manufacturers are able to prevent hot spots from forming near active components. This improves heat regulation and ensures the safety of everyone on board the aircraft. In the 1990s, EGPWS was improved to further rely on Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in order to provide pilots with a visual orientation of any points of interest near the aircraft. Ceramic Ball Bearings Wheels and wheel bearings are extremely important aircraft components that have a direct impact on safety. After all, they support the entire weight of the aircraft with a surface area of only a few square inches. In addition to this, wheels accelerate anywhere from zero to 2,000 rpm in less than one second during landing. To ensure safe landings, the safety features should not only be up to standard but also enhanced whenever better and safer models are available. For instance, the latest ball bearings, which are made from new ceramic formulas, are better at resisting both the temperature changes and physical stress that landings entail. Thermal/Acoustic Insulation When planes crash, many of the casualties that happen are often related to fires breaking out. In order to maintain the decreasing trend of flight-related casualties, aircraft are now required to replace insulation blankets covered with metalized polyethylene terephthalate with thermal/acoustic insulation. This new insulation technology not only meets the new flame propagation standards but also effectively improves the resistance of an aircraft from an external fire. While the current global situation does not permit flights, airlines and aviation authorities should be using this time to check their planes and make sure that they are equipped with the best and latest safety components. https://aviationtribune.com/featured-content/five-key-technological-components-of-aviation-safety/ Back to Top Pilots fake licence fiasco: what went wrong? ISLAMABAD: In the wake of a debate on pilots' fake or genuine licences, one thing has been established that almost all recent aircraft accidents of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are somehow linked to the names given in the government released list of fake or questionable licences. The alleged fake licence-holders list, released by the Aviation Division, includes 101 active pilots from the PIA. A perusal of the list reveals that at least four pilots in the national flag-carrier had been involved in minor or major aircraft accidents in the recent past. These four pilots have been involved in three accidents, which included Havelian plane crash, PK-517 accident in Panjgur, and PK-605 accident in Gilgit. The official documents, background briefings and discussions with the top officials in the CAA and the PIA have given a clear picture that what went wrong in the country's aviation industry. The issue of alleged fraudulent licence of pilots is not the only reason; the international embargoes on PIA were inevitable, as the national airline had been facing multilayered problems. Missing the deadline to meet the safety standard of European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), PIA's aircraft crash in Karachi, loopholes in the CAA technical examination system for pilots' licence, internal rifts between the deputationists from PAF and PIA's indigenous employees all have played their due role in bringing down country's name and the national airline. The whole saga will cost the PIA around Rs90 billion's revenue shortfall during the first six months of the financial year. Pakistan was already on the radar because it has missed the deadline for meeting the criteria of Safety Management System (SMS). At a time when Pakistani authorities were in the middle of negotiations for getting some relaxations on the subject matter, the incident of PIA aircraft crash occurred in Karachi. This incident raised the level of concerns of EASA authorities. As if this was not enough for bringing down the national flag-carrier to ground zero, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan added more fuel by issuing a statement of more than 260 fraudulent licences of pilots operating in Pakistan. Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) Director General (DG) in his letter, written to Oman's DG CAA, dated July 13, 2020, has clarified that all the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) issued by the PCAA are genuine and validly issued. None of the pilot licences are fake, rather the matter has been misconstrued and incorrectly highlighted in the media/social media. However, in the same letter's paragraph No 3, the DG CAA further says, "When some concerns were raised about the validity of the licences of some pilots that the federal government immediately took notice and embarked upon the process of verifying the credentials of all licensed pilots through a forensic scrutiny. During this process, it occurred that there were discrepancies pertaining to the computer-based examination, which is one of the steps in the licensing process. Immediately upon the completion of the process, the pilots falling in this category were treated as 'suspects' till clearance. They were taken off the flying duties, if any and were grounded pending formal process after providing them an opportunity to explain their position." This confirms that there were some irregularities in the licensing system of the CAA. The PIA has also clarified and informed through an official correspondence to the EASA that all pilots, whose names were in the list of alleged fraudulent licence-holders, have been grounded. But the damage has already been done as the EASA did not buy the PIA response and inflicted restrictions on the national flag-carrier. Resultantly, the air freedom one and freedom three have been revoked for the PIA in European Union countries. For the last many years, Pakistan Airline Pilots Association (PALPA) has been raising its concerns on the flawed technical examination system for the pilots. PALPA had intimated the civil aviation authorities that the technical examination system should be in sync with the FAA examination syllabus of the ATPL. Otherwise, this would lead to downgrading of the CAA as Pakistani pilots licences' are not recognised by other countries due to reasons best known to the PCAA. Despite all these intimations in the past by PALPA, the civil aviation authorities paid no heed to their concerns. Whether federal minister's allegation of 262 pilots having fake licences is true? When did the investigations into the licences of pilots start? Whether any of the pilots allegedly having fake/ dubious licence is ever involved in any major or minor aircraft accident? What are the consequences of international embargoes on the PIA? What would be the financial impact of these restrictions on the PIA? These are the questions which need answers. Aircraft accidents and fake/dubious licence-holder pilots Muhammad Salehyar Janjua was the captain and Ahmed Mansoor Janjua was third/ trainee pilot, who were flying PK-661 that crashed in Havelian on Dec 7, 2016. There were 47 passenger including five crew members on board. Renowned singer-turned-religious scholar Junaid Jamshed was also in the same unfortunate flight that crashed while coming from Chitral to Islamabad. All the passengers including pilots died. Captain Salehyar and his trainee pilot Ahmed Mansoor's names are among the list of alleged fake licence-holders. The PIA flight PK-517 with 43 passengers on board was coming from Karachi when the aircraft skidded off the runway of Panjgur Airport on Nov 11, 2018. The pilot of the aircraft was Yahya Mussawar Sandhila, whose name is also among the alleged list of fake licences. An inquiry into fake/fraudulent licences was also initiated after the Panjgur incident. The PIA identified 17 pilots in January 2019 and ordered for an inquiry. It took the CAA 15 months to finalise the probe and scrutiny of licences. During this period, the PIA paid Rs175 million to these pilots in the form of salary. The other perks and privileges are not included in this amount. Had the inquiry been finalised earlier, the airlines would have saved a huge amount which it paid as salary to these pilots. Similarly, Miss Maryam Masood, whose name is among the list of pilots having fake/dubious licences, was involved in aircraft accident on Gilgit airport. The PIA flight PK-605 carrying 53 passengers skidded off the airport, while landing at the Gilgit airport. Safety Management System and EU restriction on PIA An official correspondence between the PIA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), a copy of which is available with The News, reveals that the European Aviation safety body raised a total number of six level-2 findings, pursuant to ART 230 (b) of Part-ART. For all findings, the PIA proposed corrective action plan, which were accepted by the EASA. Following the review of evidence of implementation of the agreed CAPs, five findings were closed. For the remaining finding which is related to safety management system, the PIA failed to fully implement the agreed CAP despite an extension of CAP implementation period. Therefore, the EASA escalated the level 2 findings to level 1. According to the official documents, after the aviation minister's revelation that more than 260 licences of pilots issued by Pakistani authorities are fraudulent, the EASA wrote a letter to the PIA on June 26, 2020. The PIA responded back to the EASA and provided its opinion and additional information on EASA's intention to suspend the third country operator (TCO) authorisation. The material was assessed by the EASA as insufficient. "EASA already granted M/s PIA an extension of the CAP implementation deadline from May 24 to June 17, 2020. Moreover, following the recent tragic events that M/s PIA has faced including flight PK-8303 on May 22, 2020 and the initial findings laid down in the preliminary accident report showing successive breaches of multiple levels of safety defences in the SMS, EASA is concerned that the safety management system is not achieving its primary objective," says the official letter. "Further, in response to EASA's consultation letter, on June 28, M/s PIA claims that it has grounded all pilots that were part of the list of fraudulent licence-holders complied by the Pakistani authorities. However, this does not mitigate EASA's concerns as there are strong indications that a high number of Pakistani pilots' licences are invalid. The EASA, therefore, no longer has confidence that Pakistan as the state operator can effectively ensure that operators certified in Pakistan comply at all times with the applicable requirements for crew qualification, in particular with Article 29 of the Chicago Convention and with the standards laid down in chapter 1.2.1 of Annex 1 of the Chicago Convention," says official letter of the EASA. Well-placed sources said that the EU had revoked the first and third air freedom for the PIA which means the national flag-carrier could neither overfly from EU nor can it land or operate from any of the European Union countries. Both the restrictions are serious and damaging for the national flag-carrier. The sources said that the diplomatic channels played key role as Pakistan had managed to avoid restriction on the first freedom. Whereas, the national airline has been given a minor relaxation in the third freedom. The PIA can land in any European country by obtaining prior approval for any emergency flight during this period. Financial impact of international restrictions on PIA Well-placed sources informed The News that due to the current embargoes on the PIA, the national flag-carrier has to bear Rs80-90 billion revenue shortfall in the first six months of the current financial year. Earlier, the airline faced challenges in meeting its revenue targets due to the COVID-19. But the loss inflicted upon the PIA due to fresh wave of restriction by the EU, the UK and the USA is unbearable. Besides, the restrictions from the European countries, the national flag-carrier's Hajj flights for this year had been halted as the Saudi government had announced a ban on the international pilgrims to perform Hajj for this year. How many licences have been issued by CAA so far? The official report submitted before the Supreme Court reveals that the CAA has issued a total of 1,934 licences, out of which 846 were ATPL and 1,088 were CPL. The licence issuing authority issued 450 licences to the PIA, 47 to Serene, 87 to Air Blue and 1,350 to others. During the verification process of pilots' degree/ certificates, the CAA initiated a process for scrutiny of pilots licensing record. During the said scrutiny, certain anomalies were identified in the computerised data of pilots' technical examination. Consequently, for flight safety concerns, initially the CAA suspended 28 pilots and finally 54 pilots were suspended, informed the CAA in its official report, submitted before the Supreme Court. The Board of Inquiry (BoI) identified 262 suspected pilots (including 54 pilots earlier suspended by the CAA) who had made an unauthorised access to the CAA computerised technical examination system. The procedural irregularities highlighted by the BoI relates to the following. Those 262 pilots who were grounded by the CAA include 141 from the PIA, 10 from Serene Air, nine from Air Blue and 102 from other airlines. The CAA forwarded the summary for cancellation of licences of 28 out of 54 pilots to the federal cabinet, which according to sources have been approved. Out of 208 remaining pilots, 34 have been issued suspension orders with a right of appeal before forwarding the summary to the federal cabinet. Criteria for issuance of licence to pilots According to the CAA report, for issuance of commercial pilot licence (CPL), the candidate must have a PPL licence and 200 hours of flying experience. He should also have FA, FSc or equivalent education. If a pilot has to fly a nine or more than nine-seat plane, then he needs an ATPL licence. For this purpose, his education criteria is FA, FSc or equivalent, he should be a holder of valid CPL or PPL licence plus 1,500 hours of flying experience. He should have to clear four-hour skill test and eight papers for theory knowledge test. What were the irregularities in technical exam of pilots? According to the report submitted by the CAA, there were five types of irregularities found during the scrutiny of pilots licences which included as follows: Pilots have not attempted papers on a scheduled date; Pilots have not attempted papers on a scheduled time; The CAA examination server has been accessed from a different IP address; The CAA examination server has been accessed by creating different username and password; Pilot's flight logbook shows that on the scheduled date of papers, pilots were operating flights. The way forward for CAA and PIA An insider informed The News on condition of anonymity that EU's aviation safety agency has demanded that the government of Pakistan should improve the regulatory framework; otherwise, the restrictions won't be lifted. The reforms taken by the government of Pakistan should be visible and there should be a hack-proof system in place or else the ban won't be lifted. They demanded Pakistan to ensure that Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority will not issue any fake licence in future. We, as a regulator (CAA), and the operator (PIA), have committed elementary mistakes which could have been avoided by ensuring implementation of the EASA demands, added the sources. PALPA stance Pakistan Airline Pilot Association (PALPA leader Captain Chaudhry Salman Riaz believes the examination system for the pilots' licence is foolproof. Cheating or defrauding the system is out of question. The term 'fake licence' used by the federal minister for aviation has damaged not only the PIA but the country beyond one's imagination. There could be some irregularities in few cases but the overall process of issuance of licences to pilots is as transparent as any other developed countries' could be. He said PALPA was the last line of defence of the PIA and the baboos wanted to break this line of defence. PIA response When contacted, PIA Spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said the federal cabinet has already approved suspension of 28 pilots, whereas the list of 34 pilots' suspension is under consideration by the cabinet. The PIA had grounded the pilots whose names were in the list the very first day since it was made public. About restrictions, the spokesperson said the government was working on the issue. After the announcement of restrictions on the PIA, diplomatic channels were used for relaxation of embargoes on the national flag-carrier. He said we have succeeded to get relaxation on the freedom one. The national airline's management is working hard to fulfil EASA demands, he said. Aviation Division's version Talking to The News, Senior Joint Secretary Aviation Division Abdul Sattar Khokhar said initially the CAA scrutinised the pilots' licences, issued in 2017-18. However, the Board of Inquiry (BoI) later enhanced the scope of scrutiny for carrying out the forensic audit of these licences. The BoI shared its findings in June. The media is highlighting Pakistan's DG CAA letter to Oman's DG CAA. Unfortunately they have highlighted the paragraph four which says the proper licences, issued by the PCAA are genuine but the media has ignored paragraph 3 of the same letter. "We have presented a report before the SC where our IT experts have detected some anomalies. The aviation division never used the term 'fake' rather we said these licences are 'suspicious'. Those who have been suspended were given full opportunity to defend themselves. Several countries have approached us for verification of licences issued by PCAA. As of today, we have validated 166 pilots' licences." https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/689292-pilots-fake-licence-fiasco-what-went-wrong Back to Top Saudi aviation authority plans virtual symposium The symposium aims to review the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the civil aviation sector in the region RIYADH: The Kingdom's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) will organize a virtual symposium called "Together, we shall come back" on Monday. Member states of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO), as well as regional and international organizations and unions will take part in the event. The symposium aims to review the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the civil aviation sector in the region, and to develop visualizations and plans regarding the recovery phase for the civil aviation industry. It will also discuss ways to overcome the effects of the pandemic that resulted in the interruption of travel between countries. https://www.arabnews.com/node/1707171/saudi-arabia Back to Top Pratt & Whitney Finds Silver Lining in Pandemic While virtually no one welcomed the near pause in airline operations this spring caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the industry's prominent engine companies has managed to find a silver lining. Pratt & Whitney, whose geared turbofan (GTF) family for years suffered from technical snags, has seized the opportunity to aggressively address some of the GTF's latest problems, perhaps most notably those involving the main low-pressure turbine (LPT) in the PW1100G-one of the engines that power the Airbus A320neo. Speaking with AIN just before the start of the July 20 to 24 FIA Connect event, Pratt & Whitney chief commercial officer Rick Deurloo expressed satisfaction with the progress his company has made in replacing the parts in the PW1100Gs in the field during a time of low utilization due to the pandemic. "I can't tell you how many airline executives have said to me, 'Don't ruin this opportunity,'" said Deurloo. "And we are actually laser-focused on taking our GTF fleet and taking a look at what that configuration looked like pre-Covid and making sure when we exit this calendar year, and as we go forward, we are able to upgrade that configuration." Areas of focus include the PW1100G's accessory gearbox, an airworthiness directive for which the FAA issued late last year. Deurloo reported good progress on that replacement program, as well as on one that involved the LPT, the blades on which required a material change. "That's a known challenge-we have a new material going into that third-stage LPT; we're setting up quick turns," he explained. "One of the things we did as a company during this crisis is committing ourselves to the MRO piece and upgrading the GTF fleet across all platforms-Neo, A220, E2-to take the opportunity to focus on the entire fleet." Deurloo described the effort to solve the LPT problem as a "surgical strike" in which the company managed to access excess capacity at MRO partners caused by the Covid-19-associated lull in operations. "Let me give you a great example-Delta Air Lines," he said. "They are a GTF customer; they have the A220 airplane they're flying today, and they have an order book with us on the GTF for their A321neos. They also have an MRO partnership with us, similar to how Lufthansa does. As Delta's MRO load came down, it freed up capacity for them to say, 'Hey, you know what? I'll accelerate these LPT quick turns.' They stepped up." Deurloo reported that Pratt "feels comfortable" that it will have gained access to all the A320neos at Indian airlines Indigo and Go Air for LPT retrofits by the August 31 deadline set by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The agency extended the deadline for replacing the LPTs from the end of May to allow for disruptions caused by the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. "It's actually progressing well," he said. "We're taking advantage because as you know, India has been for a great part of this time on a lockdown. So it gave us the opportunity to get access to their fleet as well. They're now back in operations, but they're not 100 percent. They're slowly introducing the fleet in." So far, Pratt has completed 75 percent of the LPT upgrades and 82 percent of the accessory gearbox replacements on the 1,282 PW1100Gs in the field. It expects to finish 90 percent of the needed LPT fixes and all of the roughly 200 remaining accessory gearboxes by the end of the year. "We're on track to get this fleet into a much better place as we enter 2021," Deurloo stressed. Separately, Pratt continues work on fixes to problems discovered with the PW1500G's first rotating low-pressure compressor stage following a series of in-flight shutdowns at Swiss International Airlines and Air Baltic. Last October Swiss temporarily grounded its 29-strong fleet of Airbus A220-300s and -100s after experiencing three engine shutdowns over four months. The most recent incident happened this past February, when the crew of an Air Baltic A220-300 had to shut down an engine and divert to Bordeaux while en route from the Latvian capital Riga to Malaga in Spain. Pratt has determined an appropriate fix and has finished the first round of associated testing, said Deurloo, who added that the company has managed to limit the number of resulting AOG days with effective spares management. "We have corrective action identified, we've gone through initial testing, and that's something we're trying to work closely on with Airbus and our airline customers to get behind us," reported Deurloo. "The A220 fleet has been doing incredibly well in service. We've noticed that as the airlines go back into operation, the A220 fleet is the first one they pull up." Deurloo pointed to Delta Air Lines' A220 utilization rate as evidence of the model's operational effectiveness, noting that the airline has not parked one of the Airbus narrowbodies since the onset of the Covid crisis. "They kept flying the entire time," he said. "And today I think that fleet, from a utilization perspective, is only 18 percent lower than pre-Covid...It's pretty remarkable when you think the world utilization rate is still below 50 percent of what pre-Covid was." In fact, Deurloo explained that the comparatively small A220 fleet allowed Pratt to more effectively support the customers with spare engines than it could when the A320neo suffered some of its early problems, resulting in far fewer AOG cases. "Even though they had some removals, they didn't have some of the longer AOG or multi-day AOGs the Neo fleet saw," he noted. "So the A220 has actually had a very, very good customer experience." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2020-07-20/pratt-whitney-finds-silver-lining-pandemic Back to Top Aeroflot targets 600 aircraft by 2028 Aeroflot Group has published an updated strategy through to 2028, by which time the group aims to be operating 600 aircraft. The group currently has a fleet of around 350 aircraft across its Aeroflot, Aurora, Pobeda and Rossiya Airlines subsidiaries (Skyteam member Aeroflot accounts for around 250 of this figure). Aeroflot also said that the expanded fleet would include 235 Russian-built aircraft - the carrier currently operates just over 50 Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 jets, with around 100 more set to be delivered, as well as orders for 50 Irkut MC-21-300s. The group said that the fleet expansion would enable it to reach 130 million passengers per year in 2028, of which Pobeda will account for between 55 and 65 million. As part of these plans, the group says it will continue to differentiate its subsidiary carriers in terms of "individual priorities and operating models", with Aeroflot focusing on long-haul operations, Pobeda concentrating on budget travel, and Rossiya focusing on the Russian domestic market, "including flat fares on socially important routes". Earlier this year Aeroflot took delivery of the first of 15 A350-900 aircraft, featuring new fully-flat business class seats with a sliding privacy door. Commenting on the news Aeroflot's CEO Vitaly Saveliev said: "Key aspects of the updated strategy were developed at the end of 2019. Recent developments caused by the coronavirus pandemic showed us that we are on the right track. The updated strategy will make air travel more affordable and increase mobility, providing additional support for Aeroflot Group's future growth. "The strategy through 2028 is called 30/30, as it calls for an increase in passenger traffic by 30 million, and a decrease in the average fares for economy-class passengers in Russia by 30 per cent. "It is an ambitious goal, but I believe that we can achieve it and put Aeroflot Group among the ten largest global aviation groups." https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2020/07/20/aeroflot-targets-600-aircraft-by-2028/ Back to Top UAE launches ambitious Mars mission A Mars orbiter built by the United Arab Emirates in partnership with U.S. universities shot into space atop a Japanese H-2A rocket on Sunday, kicking off a seven-month voyage to the red planet. It is the first interplanetary mission attempted by an Arab nation and the first of three Mars missions scheduled for take off in the next two weeks. The UAE's $200 million "Hope" mission was designed with two major goals in mind: To study the martian atmosphere with three state-of-the-art instruments and to provide a "moonshot moment" for the youth of the Middle East, serving as inspiration to pursue careers in math and science. "The objective was basically to use this mission to cause a disruptive change in the mindset of the youth, to create a research and development culture to support the creation of an innovative and creative and a competitive knowledge-based economy," said Omran Sharaf, the Hope project manager. "So it's about the future of our economy. It's about the post-oil economy. (UAE leadership) wanted to inspire the young generation to go into STEM and use this mission as a catalyst to cause disruptive change and shifts in multiple sectors. ... That's why they went with the Mars shot. (They) wanted to create an ecosystem that basically supports the creation of an advanced science and technology sector." Running five days late because of threatening weather, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H-2A rocket, equipped with two strap-on boosters for extra power, thundered to life at 5:58 p.m. EDT Sunday (6:58 a.m. Monday local time) and streaked away from a seaside firing stand at the picturesque Tanegashima Space Center. The climb out of the dense lower atmosphere went smoothly and the rocket's second stage reached its planned "parking orbit" 11-and-a-half minutes after launch. A second engine firing about 50 minutes later put the Mars probe on its seven-month trajectory to the red planet. Flight controllers at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai had a brief scare when initial telemetry indicated one of the probe's two solar panels had not deployed, but a few minutes later they confirmed both arrays had, in fact, unfolded and subsystems were reported to be operating normally. The mission is the first of three taking advantage of this year's planetary launch window when Earth and Mars are in favorable positions to permit relatively quick transits. China plans to launch its Tianwen-1 mission on July 23, sending an orbiter to Mars along with a sophisticated surface rover. One week later, NASA intends to launch its $2.4 billion Perseverance Mars rover to search for signs of past or present microbial life and to collect rock and soil samples for eventual return to Earth. The European Space Agency had planned to launch its powerful ExoMars rover during the current launch window. But ESA was forced to stand down until the next window opens in 2022, primarily because of problems with the parachutes needed to help lower the rover to the martian surface. Hope, Tianwen-1 and Perseverance will all reach Mars in February 2021. While Hope will slip into an elliptical orbit for at least two years of atmospheric research, Perseverance will descend directly to touchdown near an ancient river delta where water once flowed and where traces of past microbial activity might be present. The Tianwen-1 rover will remain attached to the Chinese orbiter for several months before descending to touchdown on a broad plain known as Utopia Planitia, one of two proposed landing sites. But the UAE was first off the pad. Assuming no problems develop, Hope will carry out a half-hour-long rocket firing next February, burning half its propellant to slow down enough to slip into an elliptical orbit with a high point of about 26,700 miles and a low point of around 12,400 miles. The mission represents an ambitious bid to join the handful of nations that have attempted interplanetary exploration. The spacecraft was built in the United States by Emirates engineers working at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder, with participation by Arizona State University and the University of California at Berkeley. Equipped with three science instruments - a high-resolution camera and two sophisticated spectrometers - Hope is designed to operate for at least one martian year, the equivalent of two years on Earth. The mission has three scientific objectives: To study weather systems in the lower atmosphere, day and night through all martian seasons; to study how atmospheric oxygen and hydrogen escape into space; and to learn how processes in the lower atmosphere contribute to that escape. The overall goal is to collect data that will complement other Mars missions, helping scientists figure out how Mars changed from a warm, wet world with an atmosphere thick enough to permit liquid water on the surface, to a dry, frigid world with an atmospheric pressure less than 1% of Earth's. NASA's Maven orbiter has been studying the martian atmosphere for more than seven years. The Hope orbiter will collect complementary data, helping researchers fill in the blanks. The Hope probe "was designed in order to answer questions that have been raised by previous missions," said Bruce Jakosky, Maven's principal investigator. "Our goal is to understand how the atmosphere works today and how the atmosphere has evolved through time." But the science is just part of the UAE's message to the Middle East. "We live in a place of turmoil, a place that is made up of 100 hundred million youth under the age of 35 that want to find opportunities to work," deputy project manager Sarah Al Amiri, UAE minister of advanced sciences and chair of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, told CBS News in a pre-launch interview. "And their talents at the time when we announced (Hope) were being used in the wrong groups, they were being used for terrorism and other forms of extremism by different groups in the region. And this mission was meant to provide a different way of working and a different way of forming opportunities for the region." And that, she said, is why the spacecraft was named Al Amal, or "Hope." https://www.yahoo.com/news/uae-launches-ambitious-mars-mission-224020621.html Back to Top TheUSC Aviation Safety & Security ProgramWill Offer Online and In-Person Classes This Fall The following upcoming courses, including NEW Safety Performance Indicators course, will take place in Los Angeles and in our virtual Webex classrooms. Software Safety Philosophies and methods of developing software, analyzing software, and managing a software safety program. Online Course August 17-20, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 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. Online and In-Person Course August 17-21, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Accident/Incident Response Preparedness This course is designed for individuals who are involved in either preparing emergency response plans or responding to incidents and accidents as a representative of their organization. This updated course has been extended to four full days to integrate communications in the digital age. Online and In-Person Course August 24-27, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 Human Factors in Aviation Safety This course presents human factors in a manner that can be readily understood and applied by aviation practitioners in all phases of aviation operations. Emphasis is placed on identifying the causes of human error, predicting how human error can affect performance, and applying countermeasures to reduce or eliminate its effects. Online and In-Person Course August 24-28, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Aviation Law & Aviation Dispute Resolution This course provides information on the legal risks inherent in aviation operations and an overview of the legal system as it relates to aviation safety. The course also provides an understanding of the various legal processes relating to aviation and discusses ways to engage aviation authorities in a responsible and successful manner. The judicial process, current litigation trends, legal definitions, and procedures are also covered. Online Course August 31-September 3, 2020 4 Days Tuition: $2250 Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance This course provides supervisors with aviation safety principles and practices needed to manage the problems associated with aircraft maintenance operations. In addition, it prepares attendees to assume safety responsibilities in their areas of operation. Online and In-Person Course August 31-September 4, 2020 4.5 Days Tuition: $2650 Threat and Error Managment This course provides students with sufficient knowledge to develop a TEM program and a LOSA program within their organizations. Online and In-Person Course September 9-11, 2020 2.5 Days Tuition: $1375 Digital Photography for Aircraft Accident Investigation This specialized course in accident investigation is designed to assist the investigator to improve photographic documentation of an accident site. Course participants will take photographs of components and critique them as a class. This course assumes that the investigator is not a professional photographer. In-Person Course September 10-11, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 Aviation Safety Management Systems Providing the skills and practical methods to plan, manage, and maintain an effective Aviation Safety Management System. Special emphasis for safety managers, training, flight department and maintenance managers and supervisors, pilots, air traffic controllers, dispatchers, and schedulers. Online and In-Person Course September 14-25, 2020 9.5 Days Tuition: $3750 Hazard Effects and Control Strategies This course focuses on underlying physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and effects, and hazard control strategies. The following hazards are specifically addressed: electrical hazards, electrostatic discharge, toxicity, kinetic hazards, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, thermal hazards, noise, fire and explosion, high pressure, etc. Online and In-Person Course September 14-15, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 Damage Assessment for System Safety Sophisticated mathematical models and methods have been developed to estimate the level of impact of a hazardous condition. This course provides an overall understanding of these methods to help managers and system safety analysis reviewers understand the analysis conducted and results obtained by the experts in the field. Specifically, methods for modeling the impact of fire and explosion, debris distribution from an explosion, and toxic gas dispersion are discussed. Online and In-Person Course September 16-18, 2020 3 Days Tuition: $1625 Safety Management Systems for Ground Operation Safety This course provides airport, air carrier and ground service company supervisors and managers with practices that will reduce ground operation mishaps to personnel and equipment. It provides an understanding of how ground operations safety management is an essential part or an airport's or air carrier's SMS. Online and In-Person Course September 21-23, 2020 2.5 Days Tuition: $1375 Safety Performance Indicators This course teaches how SPI's are developed, monitored, analyzed and modified in order for an organization to correctly know its safety performance. The course utilizes guidance provided in ICAO Annex 19 and the ICAO Safety Management Manual Doc. 9859. Online and In-Person Course September 24-25, 2020 2 Days Tuition: $1200 Earn Credit for FlightSafety International 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 National Business Aviation Association Certified Aviation Manager Exam Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points toward completing the application for the National Business Aviation Association 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 Leasing Aircraft & Engines, Return Conditions, and Transition - Course Date(s): Tuesday & Wednesday, 4 & 5 August 2020 Register: Email registration form to training@aais.org.sg Time: 9.30am - 1pm Closing Date: One week before course date. Venue: Virtual training via MS Team Fees: AAIS Member: S$763/pax Public: S$913/pax (excl. prevailing GST) About the Course: Whether you are a lessor/lessee or in a lease management company, this unique and interesting course is designed for personnel wanting to enhance their understanding of the complicated maintenance aspects for aircraft lessors and lessee. The attendees will be more knowledgeable of what lease clauses require, what banking and financial institutions should know, what airlines/MROs and lessors must know when managing or returning the aircraft, and what regulators really require in order to issue import/export and airworthiness certificates. Handling of the transition of aircraft from one lessee and regulatory authority to another, including contract negotiation, modification implementation and new aircraft lease initiation will also be discussed. In 1980, airlines leased three percent of all aircraft and owned 97 percent. By 2014, airlines leased approximately 40 percent of all aircraft (by operating lease). This number is projected to increase to 50 percent in the next few years (Reed Business Information Ltd, 2014). Learn the best ways to manage aircraft lease return so there is no disruption in airline operation and no penalties. Aircraft lessors usually require that the aircraft undergo heavy maintenance at an EASA or FAA certified MRO.What are the consequences to look out for, especially in terms of clauses pertaining to maintenance and lease return conditions? At the conclusion of this course, participants will: * Determine the specific regulations, directives, advisory circulars, orders, and/or technical information needed for companies seeking a better understanding of Aircraft Leasing processes in an international context. * Be able to apply ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices * Have a much deeper understanding of aircraft leasing clauses in particular the do's and don'ts Who Should Attend? Persons involved with aircraft/engine leasing or leasing management, MROs involved with aircraft leasing, Industry, finance institutions, and airline personnel involved with contract negotiations and development would significantly benefit. Course Content: This packed one-day training will include a focus on the following key topics: * Role of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) * Basic Principles of International Aviation Airworthiness Standards * Aircraft Registration - the state of registration * Aircraft Operation - the state of the operator * National Regulatory Bodies * Review of various Aircraft Lease/Maintenance Agreements * 3 Most Relevant clauses: Delivery, Redelivery and Maintenance. * Aircraft Configuration and Control * Airline Reliability Programs and MPD Adjustments * Contract Maintenance Management and Supply Chain Preparation * Maintenance and Airworthiness, including Skin mapping, Dents and Buckles Reports - Modifications and Alterations - Aircraft Records Documentation - Major and Minor Repairs/Alterations, Modifications Including STCs Repair Data * Instruction for Continued Airworthiness, Ageing Aircraft and EWIS Requirements * Successful Lease Returns and Transitions and Avoiding Delays - Top 10 Tips About the Instructor: Mr Michael Daniel, Member, AAIS Panel of Experts Mike is an International Aviation Safety consultant with over 33 years with the FAA as a Senior Manager, ISO 9001 / AS 9100 / AS 9110 Principal / Lead and Internal Auditor, Credentialed Supervisory Safety Inspector and Accident Investigator, and FAA Academy Instructor. With several FAA overseas postings, he project managed the first FAA Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreements (BASA MIP) with Germany and France. He has also considerable experience with managing various regulatory requirements, FAA & EASA Certification and Maintenance (MRO & AMO), Part 121 Air Operators, Part 135 Business Aviation Air Operators, and Aircraft Certification. Mike graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (B.Sc. Aeronautics), a holder of FAA Maintenance Licenses with Inspection Authorization, and is a licensed pilot. He is a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI), Flight Safety Foundation, SAE International, Chartered Quality Institute, and the Project Management Institute as an accredited Project Management Professional. He had previously served in the United States Marine Corps. *Note: AAIS reserves the right to adjust the course pricing and to re-schedule or cancel any course due to unforeseen circumstances, course commencement is subject to minimum class size requirements. https://aais.org.sg/virtual_leasing_ac_engines/ Back to Top As part of our Swinburne Bachelor of Aviation undergraduate research project, we have constructed a survey for members of the aviation industry and those who have not worked in aviation to provide feedback on their attitudes and opinions about Urban Air Mobility and single-pilot and/or autonomous airline operations. If you are an active participant in the aviation industry as a passenger or through employment, we invite you to take part in this survey to help give the industry a better understanding of the general sentiment towards these emerging technologies and operational concepts. To participate please follow the link below to our online survey: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zRhPPbCfnsHH3T It should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Participants who complete the survey will be eligible to enter the draw to WIN AN iPad. Thank you very much for your time. This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au Back to Top TO ALL PROFESSIONAL PILOTS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, members of their Management, Regulators and related organizations (airplane, helicopter, civil or military) WE REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT FOR A JOINT AVIATION SAFETY SURVEY (JASS) ON: "AERONAUTICAL DECISION-MAKING, INCL. MONITORING & INTERVENTION IN PRACTICE" Dear aviation colleague, you are invited to participate in a research project conducted by the department of Psychology at City, University of London, which aims to elicit your views and thoughts on Aeronautical Decision-Making, including Monitoring and Intervention in normal operation,by which we mean routine line flights without any incidents or technical malfunctions. The questions deal with teamwork and decision-making issues in various Pilot-roles, e.g. the role of the Pilot Monitoring (PM), Pilot Flying (PF), Pilot in Command (PIC) and Co-Pilot, and respectively in the Air Traffic Controller (ATCO)-roles of the coordinating and radioing/radar ATCO as well as pilot's and controller's training and occupational picture. This survey is completely anonymous - no identifying information will be requested or collected - and all responses will be treated as strictly confidential. The survey is approved by City's research and ethics committee (Approval Code: ETH 1920-1414). The introductory section of the survey will provide you with further information and the informed consent. Please click here to access the survey or copy the survey-link below into your browser. https://cityunilondon.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6n7cxeunMyfy0fz By completing the questionnaire, you can - in addition to supporting aviation safety research - even do more good as we will donate a minimum of €2 for the first 1000 fully completed responses to the UNICEF COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund which helps to care for vulnerable children and communities all over the world. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email: aviationsafety@city.ac.uk or tom.becker.1@city.ac.uk or via phone: +49 172 7178780. We thank you very much in advance. Your support is truly appreciated. Best regards, Capt. Tom Becker Prof. Peter Ayton Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear Participants, You are being asked to participate in a research study of your opinions and attitudes about stress and mental health. This research started almost two years ago. The purpose of this study is to examine mental health issues in aviation, specifically Part 121 airline pilots. During this study, you will be asked to complete a brief online survey about your opinions on various life circumstances, stress, and mental health topics. This study is expected to take approximately 15 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must possess an FAA issued Airline Transport Certificate (ATP) and you must also be currently working as a pilot for a Part 121 air carrier that is headquartered within the United States. Participation in this study is voluntary and data will be collected anonymously, stored confidentially, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. We sincerely appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study, as it is another small but important step towards increasing safety in aviation. Please click on the link below to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7ZG6M6L For more information, please contact: Tanya Gatlin - Student Researcher Gatlint1@my.erau.edu 281-924-1336 Dr. Scott Winter - Faculty Advisor winte25e@erau.edu 386-226-6491 Curt Lewis