Flight Safety Information - October 15, 2021 No. 208 In This Issue : Incident: DHL B763 at Lahore on Oct 14th 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine failure : Incident: Azul A332 at Sao Paulo on Oct 11th 2021, engine failure : Incident: British Airways A320 near London on Oct 1st 2021, fumes in cockpit : Incident: S7 B738 at Hong Kong on Oct 14th 2021, runway excursion during turn off : Incident: ASL Ireland B734 near Brussels on Oct 14th 2021, cabin pressure problems : Boeing pilot involved in Max testing is indicted in Texas : FAA releases Alaska aviation safety initiatives : Embraer to install state-of-the-art emergency detectors in its E2s : Elon Musk says Starlink will provide faster internet speeds on airlines : Low-boom supersonic aircraft wins US Air Force funding : Honda wants to build the first transcontinental light jet — and it’ll only need one pilot : Maker of plane parts Boeing calls flawed supplied Spirit, others - sources : Alitalia dies after 75 turbulent years, hands over to ITA : Warren County Community College Partners With Unmanned Safety Institute : Dr. Harry S. Robertson III - Has Flown West : OmniSMS - Maximize your SMS Investment : Research Survey Incident: DHL B763 at Lahore on Oct 14th 2021, rejected takeoff due to engine failure A DHL International Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration A9C-DHU performing freight flight ES-512/D0-512 from Lahore (Pakistan) to Bahrain (Bahrain), was accelerating for takeoff from Lahore's runway 36L when the crew rejected takeoff due to the failure of the left hand engine (CF6). The aircraft slowed but burst a number of main tyres on both main struts before coming to a stop on the runway. The aircraft was disabled. http://avherald.com/h?article=4eeac62e&opt=0 Incident: Azul A332 at Sao Paulo on Oct 11th 2021, engine failure An Azul Linhas Aereas Airbus A330-200, registration PR-AIZ performing flight AD-8704 (dep Oct 10th) from Sao Paulo Viracopos,SP (Brazil) to Fort Lauderdale,FL (USA) with 134 passengers and 13 crew, was climbing through FL240 when the right hand engine (Trent 772) failed. The crew decided to return to Viracopos Airport for a safe landing on runway 15 about 45 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground at Viracopos Airport about 88 hours (3 days 16 hours) after landing back. The airline reported the aircraft returned to Viracopos due to a technical problem. http://avherald.com/h?article=4eeac1e2&opt=0 Incident: British Airways A320 near London on Oct 1st 2021, fumes in cockpit A British Airways Airbus A320-200, registration G-EUYO performing flight BA-2678 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Dubrovnik (Croatia), was climbing through about FL200 when the crew experienced fumes in the cockpit. Subsequently the crew began to feel unwell and donned their oxygen masks. When the aircraft subsequently climbed through about FL320 the crew decided to return to London for an automatic landing. The aircraft landed safely on Heathrow's runway 27R about one hour after departure. The AAIB reported the occurrence, which did not cause any injuries and no damage, was rated a serious incident and is being investigated. Climbing through FL200 the crew noticed fumes in the cockpit and subsequently began to feel unwell, donned their oxygen masks and returned to Heathrow for an automatic landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4eeab960&opt=0 Incident: S7 B738 at Hong Kong on Oct 14th 2021, runway excursion during turn off A S7 Sibir Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration VP-BEN performing freight flight S7-8817 (dep Oct 13th) from Irkutsk (Russia) to Hong Kong (China), landed on Hong Kong's runway 07L at 00:03L (16:03Z Oct 13th), slowed down and attempted to vacate the runway via high speed turn off A7, however, mistook a structure prior to the turn off as the taxiway and turned off the runway too early coming to a stop on soft ground off the paved surface of the runway but within the protected runway area. The runway needed to be closed until the aircraft could be towed to the apron about 30 minutes later. The aircraft was able to depart Hong Kong about 2:45 hours on the ground. http://avherald.com/h?article=4eeaaaa1&opt=0 Incident: ASL Ireland B734 near Brussels on Oct 14th 2021, cabin pressure problems An ASL Airlines Ireland Boeing 737-400, registration EI-STI performing freight flight BCS-74R from Brussels (Belgium) to Nantes (France) with 2 crew, was climbing through FL180 out of Brussels when the crew descended the aircraft to FL100 and subsequently to FL080 due to problems with the cabin pressure and decided to return to Brussels. The crew reported on approach they had everything under control and continued for a safe landing on runway 25R about 45 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground about 6 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4eea7890&opt=0 Boeing pilot involved in Max testing is indicted in Texas DALLAS (AP) — A former Boeing pilot was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on charges of deceiving safety regulators about the 737 Max jetliner, which was later involved in two deadly crashes. The indictment charges Mark A. Forkner with giving the Federal Aviation Administration false and incomplete information about an automated flight-control system that played a role in the crashes, which killed 346 people. Prosecutors said that because of Forkner's alleged deception, the system was not mentioned in pilot manuals or training materials. An attorney for Forkner did not immediately respond for comment. Boeing declined to comment. Forkner, 49, was charged with two counts of fraud involving aircraft parts in interstate commerce and four counts of wire fraud. Federal prosecutors said he is expected to make his first appearance in court on Friday in Fort Worth, Texas. If convicted on all counts, he could face a sentence of up to 100 years in prison. The indictment charges that he hid information about a flight-control system that activated erroneously and pushed down the noses of Max jets that crashed in 2018 in Indonesia, and 2019 in Ethiopia. The pilots tried unsuccessfully to regain control, but both planes went into nosedives minutes after taking off. Forkner was Boeing's chief technical pilot on the Max program. Prosecutors said that Forkner learned about an important change to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System flight-control system in 2016, but withheld the information from the FAA. That led the agency to delete reference to MCAS from a technical report and, in turn, it didn’t appear in pilot manuals. Most pilots didn’t know about MCAS until after the first crash. Prosecutors suggested that Forkner downplayed the power of the system to avoid a requirement that pilots undergo extensive and expensive retraining, which would increase training costs for airlines. Congressional investigators suggested additional training would have added $1 million to the price of each plane. “In an attempt to save Boeing money, Forkner allegedly withheld critical information from regulators,” said Chad Meacham, acting U.S. attorney for the northern district of Texas. “His callous choice to mislead the FAA hampered the agency’s ability to protect the flying public and left pilots in the lurch, lacking information about certain 737 MAX flight controls." Forkner told another Boeing employee in 2016 that MCAS was “egregious” and “running rampant” when he tested it in a flight simulator, but he didn't tell that to the FAA. “So I basically lied to the regulators (unknowingly),” Forkner wrote in a message that became public in 2019. Forkner, who lives in a Fort Worth suburb, joined Southwest Airlines after leaving Boeing, but left the airline about a year ago. Chicago-based Boeing agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement to end a Justice Department investigation into the company's actions. The government agreed to drop a criminal charge of conspiracy against Boeing after three years if the company carries out terms of the January 2020 settlement. The settlement included a $243.6 million fine, nearly $1.8 billion for airlines that bought the plane and $500 million for a fund to compensate families of the passengers who were killed. Dozens of families of passengers are suing Boeing in federal court in Chicago. Crash investigations highlighted the role of MCAS but also pointed to mistakes by the airlines and pilots. Max jets were grounded worldwide for more than a year and a half. The FAA approved the plane for flying again late last year after Boeing made changes to MCAS. https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-pilot-involved-max-testing-224415128.html FAA releases Alaska aviation safety initiatives The recommendations, covering five areas, range from improvements in hardware to data-gathering. Federal Aviation Administration officials, Alaska’s congressional delegation and aviation stakeholders announced recommendations to improve flight safety in the high-risk aviation environment of Alaska. The FAA Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative comes after a year-long examination of safety issues, according to an FAA news release. “We teamed up with the aviation community for this comprehensive blueprint for future safety,” said FAA administrator Steve Dickson. “Now that we have recommendations in hand we’re developing a roadmap to develop them.” According to the FAA, Alaska has a rate of enplanements nearly three times higher than states in the Lower 48. More than 80% of Alaska’s communities are accessible by air, according to the news release. There have been several high-profile fatal plane wrecks in recent years, including multiple wrecks in Southeast Alaska. There are five primary recommendations in the FAA’s plan, including technology upgrades for automated weather stations, improved data on Alaska’s rugged mountain passes. The FAA also recommends adapting existing programs to support better safety, and expanding some aviation services to areas that don’t currently have the capability. “Safety is not something you can write on paper,” said Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, during the news conference. “The ability to fly, to move, to upgrade our airports: it’ll make it safer to fly.” Dickson also thanked the other members of Alaska’s congressional delegation for their continued support of improvements to aviation safety. The recommendations are focused on where the FAA and partner organizations can do the most good now for safety with existing assets rather than looking for further-out solutions, the news release said. “For too long Alaska has led the country in the rate of aviation accidents, and sadly, aviation fatalities,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, in a recorded video during the conference. “As (the National Transportation Safety Board) pointed out at the round table many of these accidents could have been prevented.” The recommendations came out of an FAA summit in 2020. The FAA hosted 12 virtual meetings over 2021 reaching out to industry personnel such as airlines and organizations like the Alaska Air Carriers Association, state and airport officials, and pilots, among other stakeholders, to develop the best possible recommendations, according o the news release. “When I heard Administrator Dickson, I was pretty excited, I was intrigued,” said Howard Martin, Alaska region general counsel for the FAA, who played a role in the recommendations. “This is a new thing. This is not something the FAA has done before. We kind of had to learn as we went.” A number of industry personnel also spoke during the panel as part of the announcement, voicing support for the initiative. “Alaska has challenges. We have environmental challenges,” said Lee Ryan, president of Ryan Air. “Climate change is real. It’s difficult to operate infrastructure.” Now, the FAA intends to have a roadmap drafted in the next six months, continuing any initiatives that have already begun and starting to incorporate new initiatives by next summer. “We want to make sure safety is in the hearts and minds and daily work of aviation support providers,” said Jodi Gould, Alaska International Airport System planning manager. “Our clients depend on us to return them home safe.” https://www.juneauempire.com/news/faa-releases-alaska-aviation-safety-initiatives/ Embraer to install state-of-the-art emergency detectors in its E2s Don’t miss the latest aviation news from Latin America and Spain in our newly Aviacionline English Feed at Twitter and Telegram . You may also follow us in LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for our broader coverage in Spanish. ACR Group has signed an agreement with Embraer to supply new Autonomous Distress Tracking (ADT) and Emergency Locator Transmitter with Distress Tracking (ELT-DT) technology to meet European operational requirements and ICAO’s Global Aviation Safety and Distress System (GADSS) recommendations, which become effective in January 2023. These recommendations, in response to the loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and Air France Flight 447, now provide the airlines’ Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs) and Operational Control Centers (OCCs) with early warning, as well as the precise location of the aircraft if a hazard scenario is detected. Embraer will install the system on existing and new E2 aircraft prior to delivery to the airlines. Embraer will use technology from both SKYTRAC and ACR Electronics, part of the ACR Group, which will track and locate aircraft in danger, ensuring adherence to the GADSS recommendations set forth by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). SKYTRAC’s ADT 5000 captures aircraft parameters, such as position, altitude and other critical system data, and runs them through the Danger Detection Logic. The system detects a threat condition and connects with a variety of Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) to initiate a real-time hazard tracking transmission. Triggered by a potentially dangerous condition from the aircraft’s independent surveillance, the system intelligently activates and begins transmitting 406 MHz distress messages automatically with the current real-time location while the aircraft is in flight. Emergency tracking, which also complies with FAA TSO-C126C and EASA ETSO-C126C standards for aircraft emergency location transmitters, provides the accurate location of the aircraft to help relevant control agencies respond to the alert quickly and efficiently using the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite network. Pilots can also activate the ELT manually from the cockpit if necessary. As reported by our partner site AEROIN, the solution alerts airline stakeholders and authorities for search and rescue or accident investigation in case of danger through an emergency report sending the positions to the ICAO aircraft emergency location repository (LADR). With this solution, aircraft manufacturers will address three of the key objectives of the GADSS Concept of Operations (CONOP). Such objectives include late notification to search and rescue (SAR) services when aircraft is in distress, identification of their location, ensuring efficient and effective SAR operations, and assisting in the timely recovery of flight data by providing an accurate report of the aircraft’s final position. The technology will enable Embraer to meet the January 1, 2023 deadline for Autonomous Emergency Tracking, complying with ICAO Annex 6 (Part 1), section 6.18, and Eurocae ED-237 Minimum Aviation System Performance (MASP) specifications. https://www.aviacionline.com/2021/10/embraer-to-install-state-of-the-art-emergency-detectors-in-its-e2s/ Elon Musk says Starlink will provide faster internet speeds on airlines • Elon Musk touted SpaceX’s plan to use Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi, saying in a tweet on Thursday that the service could add “low latency ~half gigabit connectivity in the air!” • Starlink is the company’s project to build an interconnected internet network with thousands of satellites to deliver high-speed internet to consumers anywhere on the planet. • SpaceX has previously said that it has an “aviation product in development,” and is “in talks with several” airlines about adding Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi. Elon Musk on Thursday touted SpaceX’s plan to use Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi, emphasizing that his company is in discussions with airlines to add the high-speed satellite internet service. “Please let them know if you want it on your airliner,” Musk wrote in a tweet, adding that Starlink could add “low latency ~half gigabit connectivity in the air!” Starlink is the company’s plan to build an interconnected internet network with thousands of satellites, known in the space industry as a constellation, designed to deliver high-speed internet to consumers anywhere on the planet. SpaceX has launched 1,740 Starlink satellites to date, and the network has more than 100,000 users in 14 countries who are participating in a public beta, with service priced at $99 a month. SpaceX Vice President Jonathan Hofeller earlier this year said that the company is “in talks with several” airlines about adding Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi, noting that it has an “aviation product in development.” “We’ve already done some demonstrations to date and [are] looking to get that product finalized to be put on aircraft in the very near future,” Hofeller said in June. SpaceX is a leader in rocket launches, but Starlink is its golden ticket Airlines work with satellite broadband providers for inflight Wi-Fi, with Viasat and Intelsat – the latter of which purchased Gogo’s commercial aviation business – two such companies that add connectivity on flights by airlines including Delta, JetBlue, American Airlines and United. But, while existing services use satellites in distant orbits, Starlink satellites orbit closer to the Earth and could boost the speeds that passengers see inflight. Hofeller also emphasized that Starlink “provides a global mesh,” so that “airlines are flying underneath that global mesh have connectivity anywhere they go.” Shares of Gogo, which now focuses on business aviation rather than commercial airlines, fell as much as 5% in trading Thursday. Musk has previously said that “regulatory approval” is currently dictating the timeline for when Starlink can be used by airlines, as the service “has to be certified for each aircraft type.” “Focusing on 737 & A320, as those serve most number of people, with development testing on Gulfstream,” Musk said in a tweet in June. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/14/elon-musk-says-starlink-will-provide-faster-internet-speeds-on-airlines.html Low-boom supersonic aircraft wins US Air Force funding • The company will develop a supersonic UAV to aid USAF in pilot training Exosonic, a company developing a ‘low boom’ supersonic aircraft, has won US Air Force funding for an unmanned demonstrator. The Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract will fund the development of a supersonic uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) demonstrator. Awarded by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s AFWERX, the contract is in partnership with Air Combat Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate. Exosonic developing the first purpose-built supersonic UAV to aid USAF in its pilot training. This vehicle will demonstrate technologies directly relevant to Exosonic’s quiet supersonic airliner and aims to build a short-term path to revenue. The company plans to reinvest the profits from UAV sales to fund future supersonic product developments, such as the airliner. Norris Tie, Exosonic’s CEO, commented: “Our vision at Exosonic is to fly people supersonic everywhere with our airliner designed to fly supersonic overland with a muted sonic boom. “The supersonic UAV work is critical to our company’s strategy due to how much we’ll learn about designing, manufacturing, and maintaining supersonic airplanes with our first UAV products. The UAV is also important to our company’s longevity. It will provide profits that we can funnel back into our company and give investors, suppliers, and customers’ confidence that we can deliver supersonic aircraft to the market before anyone needs to make a multi-billion dollar investment.” This supersonic UAV will help pilot training by acting as a near-peer adversary fighter to challenge fighter pilots in live flight training. Due to constrained training budgets and a pilot shortage, USAF cannot efficiently produce new, fully-trained fighter pilots. As a result, a limited number of fighter pilots are receiving the adequate amount of live air training necessary to be prepared to defend our country against near-peer adversaries. Exosonic’s supersonic UAV will serve as a mock adversary to stress fighter pilots in live flight training exercises. Equipped with various payloads and sensors, training can be conducted at a fraction of the cost of existing live air training solutions. This could save taxpayers millions in training dollars and reduce wear-and-tear on existing USAF operational aircraft that serve as aggressors. Supersonic UAVs will also enable fighter pilots to focus their flight time on blue air training instead of flying as the enemy for their fellow pilots. In addition to working with USAF, Exosonic is working with government contractors, such as Tactical Air Support to understand how pilot training can be improved. Jim DiMatteo, director of communications and F-5 ADAIR pilot said: “Tactical Air Support is excited to see an emerging supersonic UAV platform that can operate jointly with a piloted contract adversary like the Tactical Air Support F-5 Advanced Tiger. These expanded capabilities will significantly enhance the DoD Blue forces training at a reduced cost.” Exosonic will continue to explore more applications for its supersonic UAVs to help the DoD’s mission to modernise in the face of upcoming near-peer adversary threats. Exosonic will also use the UAV for its own purposes: to test its low boom technology in flight. This research will help validate Exosonic’s sonic boom loudness work. This data could be provided to civil aviation authorities as they look into replacing the supersonic overland flight ban with a sonic boom loudness restriction instead. The period of performance for this Direct to Phase II Contract is 15 months. www.exosonic.com https://www.aero-mag.com/exosonic-supersonic-14102021 Honda wants to build the first transcontinental light jet — and it’ll only need one pilot If you want to fly private between California and New York nonstop, you’ll need a midsize jet or larger and at least two pilots. However, Honda Aircraft Company wants to change that. This week at the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas, Honda unveiled its concept for the HondaJet 2600. Although only a prototype, Honda is touting some game-changer features. Most notably, the manufacturer says that this would be the first light jet capable of nonstop flights across the U.S. and the first transcontinental jet designed for single-pilot operation. Today, light jets can only fly three to four hours at a time and require one or two fuel stops on cross-country trips. The design is based on the original HondaJet and HondaJet Elite. Like the previous models, this plane would feature a unique over-the-wing engine mount configuration. This helps improve aerodynamics and allows the planes to fly faster, higher and further. Honda expects the model 2600 to boast a high cruise speed of 450 knots, class-leading maximum operating altitude of 47,000 feet and range of 2,625 nautical miles. Inside, there will be seating for up to 11 occupants, depending on the configuration. Honda says that the over-the-wing engine mounting configuration also allows the cabin to be quieter and more spacious than conventional light jets. Unlike many jets, the seats won’t need to be folded down to be converted into a bed. Rather, Honda designed a special mattress that will lie across two seats. Other features of the cabin will include a full-height galley and an enclosed lavatory. Although there are two seats up front, like the previous models, the aircraft was designed to be flown by just one pilot. This would make it the first transcontinental passenger jet designed for single-pilot operation. Honda says that this is possible due to advanced flight tech and electronics, including autothrottle and autobrake, which would reduce pilot workload. In the rear of the aircraft is a whopping 120 cubic feet of cargo space — another benefit of the over-the-wing engine configuration. It’s large enough to fit accommodate dozens of bags, as well as oversized items like skis, surfboards and bikes. Although the 2600 model boasts many of the characteristics of a midsize jet in both performance and size, it aims to be much more efficient. Specifically, Honda expects fuel efficiency to be 20% better than light jets and 40% better than mid-size jets. Still being in the concept stage, we don’t know yet if or when production will actually start. However, Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino is eager about the project. “The conditions in the business aviation industry have signaled the need for rapid cross-country travel, the ability to carry more passengers and payload, and to develop systems to cut carbon emissions,” Fujino said. “In response we developed the HondaJet 2600 Concept.” https://thepointsguy.com/news/hondajet-2600-concept/ Maker of plane parts Boeing calls flawed supplied Spirit, others - sources Oct 14 (Reuters) - An Italian sub-contractor at the centre of the latest snags to emerge on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has worked for a broad set of aerospace companies including Spirit AeroSystems, according to industry sources and documents. Boeing and regulators said earlier some 787 jetliner parts were improperly made over the past three years. They were supplied indirectly by Manufacturing Process Specification (MPS), as a sub-contractor to Leonardo. In March, Boeing warned Spirit AeroSystems about suspected problems with parts at MPS and asked it to use alternative suppliers as it continued an audit of the Italian company's operations, according to a letter seen by Reuters. It also asked Wichita-based Spirit to trace any MPS parts it had used back to 2017 and to treat them as "suspect nonconforming," meaning they would be subject to further checks. "Out of an abundance of caution while Boeing conducts further testing and evaluation, Boeing has also decided to consider all product processed by MPS to be suspect," it said. Boeing and Spirit had no immediate comment on the letter. Boeing said earlier the problems did not pose any immediate safety issues to 787 Dreamliners already in service. Brindisi, Italy-based MPS, a coatings supplier, did not respond to phone calls and an emailed request for comment. MPS is also an approved supplier to Airbus, according to a list available via the planemaker's website. A spokesperson for the European company had no immediate comment when asked whether it or its suppliers had recently used any parts involving work carried out by MPS. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/maker-plane-parts-boeing-calls-182016632.html Alitalia dies after 75 turbulent years, hands over to ITA MILAN (Reuters) - Alitalia, a one-time symbol of Italian style and glamour brought low by economic mismanagement, will operate its last flight on Thursday after 75 years, before handing over to its downsized successor Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA). The traditional choice of popes, prima donnas and Italy's political elite, Alitalia has been run by state-appointed administrators since 2017 to avoid being liquidated. A night flight from Sardinia's capital Cagliari due to land in Rome at around 2100 GMT will mark the final bow for the airline founded in 1946, after a dizzying succession of restructurings and changes of ownership. The company has ended only one year in the black this century and the government has run to its rescue many times, spending more than 8 billion euros ($9.27 billion) just in the last three years. As has often been the case during its lifetime, Alitalia's last rites were surrounded by political dispute, with the far-right opposition party Brothers of Italy blaming Prime Minister Mario Draghi's government for its demise. "Today we are losing another jewel, a company that has forged the history of our nation and ... made us proud to be Italian," said the party leader Giorgia Meloni. After seeking to sell Alitalia to private investors, in 2020 Rome surrendered to the disastrous consequences of the pandemic for the airline sector and decided to create ITA from its ashes. The new carrier, in which the government will invest 1.35 billion euros over three years, will start with 52 jets and 2,800 employees, compared with around 110 aircraft and a workforce of 10,000 for Alitalia. Under a deal negotiated with the European Commission, there must be clear discontinuity between Alitalia and its successor, and the new carrier needs to be profitable by the end of its 2021-2025 business plan. However, Alitalia's legacy of high costs, mismanagement and heavy political and trade union influence may be hard for ITA to shrug off. The new carrier is in talks to buy Alitalia's brand and is expected to maintain the traditional green-white-red livery. The launch of a nimbler carrier leaves a question mark over the future of more than 7,000 Alitalia workers who will be put under a temporary lay-off scheme paid for by the government until at least Sept. 2022. ($1 = 0.8630 euros) https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/alitalia-dies-75-turbulent-years-171825542.html Warren County Community College Partners With Unmanned Safety Institute USI’s Industry Recognized UAS Certifications Enhance Warren County Community College’s CTE Program Deland, FL (October 11, 2021) – As one of a select number of community colleges approved for the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, Warren County (NJ) Community College has elected to significantly expand its’ Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) career and technical education (CTE) program. Warren chose Unmanned Safety Institute’s UAS Curriculum and Certifications for its’ nationally recognized drone program due to the broad acceptance and recognition of USI Credentials by the commercial drone industry. Warren County Community College recognized early on that unmanned systems technology (air, ground and sea) will serve as the core of future transportation systems. As such, Warren has committed to building an Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence at the college’s Phillipsburg Education Center, where they have earned several national certifications from the FAA. Warren offers an Associate Degree in Unmanned Systems, a Certificates in both Drone Piloting and Drone Maintenance & Repair and is adding degrees in GIS and Photogrammetry. “This grant allows us to prepare for the future in a field that has boundless potential”, said Dr. Will Austin, the President of Warren, and the college’s Chief Pilot. “The growth of unmanned technology will be creating hundreds of thousands of exciting, well paid; career opportunities and we want the Warren students to have the best opportunity to prepare for leadership level participation in this important field. We chose to adopt the Unmanned Safety Institute’s (USI) curriculum and certification structure as it is the best representation of industry’s requirements for UAS pilots and other positions.” USI’s President and CEO, Josh Olds commented, “We are very honored to work with Dr. Austin and the entire team at Warren County Community College as they have demonstrated a commitment to preparing their students for real world UAS employment opportunities that is absolutely leading edge. I also recognize that this is only the beginning of their major investments into growing their unmanned systems program. I believe that they are not just filling open positions in the marketplace, rather they are building the future leaders of the unmanned systems industry.” The USI backed program at Warren College kicked of this fall with 20 participating students in the first pilot course, and it is expected that within one year there will be more than 100 students benefiting annually from this new relationship throughout multiple courses. About Warren County Community College Warren Community College (NJ) is a fully licensed and accredited college dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems education. Warren's program has enjoyed praise by leaders in the industry and previously has gained certifications like Trusted Operator Provider (TOP, Level 3) from the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and is a member of the FAA's UAS Collegiate Training Initiative. Most recently, Warren was certified by ASTM International, which is part of UAS, as an approved UAS Training Provider (UATPP). Adding Unmanned Safety Institute training and certifications will advance the Warren curriculum into training activities of more complicated and larger unmanned aircraft, and to fill curriculum gaps in their current certification process. About the Unmanned Safety Institute The Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) is the industry’s most widely recognized leader in flight safety solutions for individuals, academia and organizations focused on integrating and operating UAS for civil or commercial purposes. The Unmanned Safety Institute provides UAS flight safety training and certification to operational standards based on the adoption and modification of time-honored aviation safety practices. With more than 200 instructors and over 10,000 USI Certifications awarded around the world, USI works with large commercial enterprises and nearly 300 schools in all 50 states. USI is the global leader in commercial and academic UAS training and certification, delivering the most highly regarded training program of its kind. Programs include the Small UAS & Advanced Safety Certifications, Visual Line of Sight Systems Operations™ (VSO) and Professional Remote Operator™ (PRO) certifications and Unmanned Connect™ workforce development initiative. USI’s training and certification programs are endorsed by major aviation insurance providers and incorporated into aviation association professional development programs and have been evaluated and recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education. Discover more at www.UnmannedSafetyInstitute.org. USI - Alexis Creedy Alexis.Creedy@unmanned-safety.org UAS Panel: Routine Operations in Controlled Airspace RTCA invites you to attend a virtual panel discussion on October 20 at 1pm ET. Panelists from Reliable Robotics, ICAO, FAA, and Thales join moderator Brandon Suarez from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Co-Chair of RTCA Special Committee-228. Did you know that the FAA has already endorsed a set of standards that enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Uncrewed Aircraft (UA) operations in Controlled Airspace? One of the objectives of RTCA SC-228 has been to develop MASPS and MOPS to enable safe and efficient UAS operations in the National Airspace System. Most recently, SC-228 published DO-304A to lay out a new set of Use Cases that have been proposed by different segments of industry and the standardization work that will enable them. This webinar provides the industry with an update on the upcoming work of SC-228 that has applicability not just to UAS, but also Advanced Air Mobility and legacy NAS users such as General Aviation and Business Aviation. REGISTER Free: https://bit.ly/3al293X RESEARCH SURVEY SEEKING PILOT VOLUNTEERS FOR RESEARCH STUDY Volunteers are sought to participate in research about pilot experiences during flight operations. The research will consist of an online survey that will only take approximately ten minutes of your time. You may participate in this study if you are currently a pilot, defined as someone who holds a valid airmen and medical certificate. There is no compensation offered for this study but your assistance may help further the understanding of pilot experiences during flight operations. If you are interested in volunteering for the study, please follow the link below. Thank you! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PilotQ Curt Lewis