Flight Safety Information November 7, 2012 - No. 224 In This Issue FedEx plane crashes south of Wichita Mid-Continent Airport Aircraft landing in Brisbane before noon instructed to carry 50 minutes' worth of holding fuel 1 hospitalized after laser hits Coast Guard jet Airbus A319 Loses Nose Wheel on Landing (Russia) Small air operators tell Transport Canada they want special pilot fatigue rules Successfully developing MENA aviation Europe open to air safety pact with PHL - VP Binay Gov't downplays failure to get air safety upgrade (Philippines) PROS IOSA Audit Experts Hard landing of Qantas plane investigated NTSB Wants Explosives Noted In FAA Registrations GE Aviation supplying $2B of engines to Aeromexico Aviation careers cleared for take-off at 'pilot's campus' on Merrill Field Curt Lewis & Associates, LLC...offers the following On-Demand Professional Short Courses FedEx plane crashes south of Wichita Mid-Continent Airport; Lawrence man dead Sedgwick County and Wichita emergency workers investigate the scene of a plane crash near a hedge row north of 47th Street South and west of Tyler Road on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012. Authorities said a Cessna Caravan with FedEx markings had left Wichita Mid-Continent Airport on Tuesday morning and was returning to the airport with the pilot reporting mechanical difficulties. The pilot was killed in the accident. A 52-year-old Lawrence man was killed when the Federal Express cargo plane he was flying went down shortly after takeoff from Mid-Continent Airport on Tuesday morning, authorities said. The crash was reported at 7:46 a.m. in the 9800 block of West 47th Street South, according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office. The pilot, confirmed by authorities as Brian Quinn, reported engine trouble shortly after taking off from Mid-Continent for a flight to Garden City, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Tony Molinari said. Quinn was attempting to return to the airport when the plane went down about two miles south of the airport. The 1991 single-engine turboprop Cessna Caravan came to rest in a tree row north of 47th Street South between Maize and Tyler, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Capt. Annette Haga said. The plane "had apparently landed prior to hitting the tree row but did collide with the tree row," Haga said in a media briefing near the scene of the crash. "There is not debris through the field." While there was a report of a fire in the area of the crash at the time the plane went down, Haga said, "we do not have an engulfed airplane." Quinn was the sole occupant aboard the plane, Haga said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. "It did have cargo on board, but I have no idea how much," she said. In communication with air traffic controllers, the pilot called Mayday and said he had engine trouble and oil on the windshield, which made it difficult to see, according to a tape of the communication posted on LiveATC.net. He asked a controller for a check of the winds, and seconds later said he was going down in a grass field a mile and a half south of the airport. The FAA was on scene Tuesday, Molinari said, but the National Transportation and Safety Board will be the lead agency in the investigation. The Caravan is one of the safest general aviation airplanes in operation, said David Dewhirst, head of airplane management company Sabris Corp. In the past 10 years, there have been seven accidents due to engine failures, none of them fatal. During that time, the Caravan has been involved in a total of 61 accidents, seven of them fatal. All fatalities were due to pilot error, Dewhirst said his research shows. This was the first fatality from engine failure during that time, according to his data. Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/ ************** Status: Preliminary Date: 06 NOV 2012 Time: 07:46 Type: Cessna 208B Super Cargomaster Operating for: Baron Aviation Leased from: FedEx Registration: N793FE C/n / msn: 208B-0291 First flight: 1991 Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A Crew: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 Airplane damage: Written off Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 3,3 km (2.1 mls) SW of Wichita-Mid-Continent Airport, KS (ICT) (United States of America) Phase: Approach (APR) Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Wichita-Mid-Continent Airport, KS (ICT) (ICT/KICT), United States of America Destination airport: Garden City Municipal Airport, KS (GCK) (GCK/KGCK), United States of America Flightnumber: 8588 Narrative: A Cessna 208B Cargomaster sustained substantial damage in an accident near Wichita- Mid-Continent Airport, KS (ICT). The pilot was killed. Baron Aviation flight 8588 to Garden City Municipal Airport, KS (GCK) took off about 07:38 from runway 18R at the Wichita-Mid-Continent Airport, KS (ICT). The pilot climed to an altitude of 4000 feet and initiated a return to the airport. The airplane continued to descend until the pilot had to make a forced landing in a field located on the extended centreline of the approach end of runway 01L. The airplane came down in the field and crashed into trees. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Aircraft landing in Brisbane before noon instructed to carry 50 minutes' worth of holding fuel AIRCRAFT landing in Brisbane before noon have been instructed to carry 50 minutes' worth of holding fuel despite the allocation of timeslots to planes that were meant to reduce delays. The Runway Demand Management System came into effect last month but has made no discernible difference to delayed arrival times, with planes regularly waiting between 20 and 40 minutes to land in Brisbane in peak periods. On the Sunday the system started, 28 planes were put into holding patterns over southeast Queensland in a 60-minute period compared with 32 a week earlier. In the preceding weeks, an average of 18 aircraft were held in the same period each Sunday. When no more aircraft can be held, departures are delayed - which in turn creates issues for airlines trying to keep slots at other airports. Radar images of the airport from last Friday night show three aircraft in holding patterns. Leonie Vandeven from the Brisbane Airport Corporation said the system would take time to bed down. "We haven't had sufficient time to gain useful data to do a detailed analysis, however, on certain days, there has been good improvement with reduced delays, particularly in the mornings," Ms Vandeven said. Another system known as Metron is due to start operation later this month which would make further improvements, Ms Vandeven said. However, the same system proved problematic at Perth Airport, which is facing similar challenges to Brisbane in terms of demand outstripping the infrastructure capabilities. Information distributed to airlines by Airservices Australia shows all aircraft using Brisbane must now carry a minimum of 10 minutes extra fuel, and between 20 and 50 minutes extra in designated periods. The problem is linked to the closure of the shorter cross runway while preliminary works are carried out for the new parallel runway - which will not be built until 2020. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/ Back to Top 1 hospitalized after laser hits Coast Guard jet CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (AP) -- A Coast Guard jet's crew was targeted by a laser pointer while preparing to land at Corpus Christi, sending one crew member to the hospital. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Brendan Evans says the incident happened about 9 p.m. Monday as the jet was near Portland. The executive-style Falcon jet under the command of Lt. Philip Thisse was making an instrument approach to Corpus Christi International Airport. Thisse said the laser hit one crew member directly and "filled the cockpit with a blinding light." That forced an emergency landing and sent the exposed crew member to the hospital. Evans says the crew member was treated for temporary vision impairment and discharged from Bay Area Emergency Room. He says the man is expected to make a full recovery. The FBI is investigating. Back to Top Airbus A319 Loses Nose Wheel on Landing (Russia) Date: 07-NOV-2012 Time: ca 04:00 MSK Type: Airbus A319-114 Operator: S7 Airlines Registration: VP-BTS C/n / msn: 1164 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 112 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Novokuznetsk-Spichenkovo Airport (NOZ/UNWW) - Russia Phase: Landing Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: UUDD Destination airport: UNWW Narrative: S7 Airlines Flight 809 lost one wheel of the nose undercarriage. Back to Top Small air operators tell Transport Canada they want special pilot fatigue rules The National Airlines Council Canada, representing Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat and Jazz Aviation LP, supports updating the flight and duty times regulations to reflect current sleep research. OTTAWA - Smaller air operations don't want a new proposal to combat pilot fatigue drafted by a government-led group to apply to them. Transport Canada's aviation regulatory advisory council met Tuesday to review recommendations of a special working group and organizations representing air taxis, small operators, business charters and helicopter companies complained the proposal is unworkable for them. They run smaller operations and fly many unscheduled fights, often to remote locations, and called for Transport Canada to carve out special rules for them. The proposal should be used as a blueprint for large commercial carriers only, they said. "It's one size fits all and flies in the face of the structure of the ," Fred Jones, president of the Helicopter Association of Canada, told the council. "It is completely insufficient when it comes to other operations," added Bill Boucher of the Air Transport Association of Canada, representing smaller air operators. Groups representing pilots urged the council Tuesday to reject these calls, saying all passengers deserve the same level of safety when they step on to an aircraft. Canada's current regulations, drafted in 1965 and last updated in 1996, permit pilots to fly 14 hours in a 24-hour period. Unlike other countries, the rules in Canada do not take into account the latest sleep research and do not distinguish between daytime and overnight flying. The current regulations also have more lax flight time limitations for small operators than for large commercial carriers. The working group proposes a cap of 112 hours of flight time in a 28-day cycle, including special limits on overnight flying. The maximum daily flight-duty period should be 13 hours for daytime flying and no more than nine hours for some overnight flights to account for people's circadian rhythm, the proposal states. The proposal also includes prescriptive rules to deal with rest periods, cumulative duty hour limitations, split duty, standby, additional rest due to disruptive schedules, augmented long-range flights and cumulative fatigue. The working group's proposal and dissenting reports will now be considered by senior officials at Transport Canada as they draft regulations. Ultimately, Transport Minister Denis Lebel will have to decide if small operators, accounting for about 90 per cent of all air crashes in Canada, should have different rules governing flight and duty times when he proposes draft regulations. Barry Wisznioswki, chairman of the flight safety division of the Air Canada Pilots Association, told the council this was a bad idea. "It is essential there is one level of safety in the air transportation system," he said. "If a specific recommendation has a big impact on , it just means the current regulations are totally inadequate," added Martin Gauthier , chairman of the Canadian flight and duty times committee of the Air Line Pilots Association International. "The science is the science is the science. We're hearing sectors say, 'We're special, but what you don't have is special people who can work special hours," said Phil Benson of Teamsters Canada. The pilot groups want to see some areas of the proposal tightened up, including aligning with United States, Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia in the area of maximum permitted flight time, so Canada moves down to 100 hours over a 28-day period. The National Airlines Council Canada, representing Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat and Jazz Aviation LP, supports updating the flight and duty times regulations to reflect current sleep research, but quibbles with some of the details in the proposal. For example, the association says under approved criteria, planned extensions without split duty or augmented flight crews may be acceptable. The working group's report states there is no science supporting the use of extensions without the use of split duty or augments fight crews. Read more: http://www.canada.com/ Back to Top Successfully developing MENA aviation International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general and CEO Tony Tyler ALGIERS, Algeria - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) outlined five areas in which opportunities exist to further develop aviation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to benefit the region's economies. "MENA is a growing force in aviation. For example, over the last decade, the Middle East share of global international traffic has risen from about 5% to about 11.5%," said Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO. "The rise of the Gulf carriers is an amazing story. They are leading Middle East traffic growth that is still in the double digits. And even if we look at the less-headline-grabbing carriers in North Africa, we are seeing a healthy demand performance," continued Tyler. Speaking at the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) Annual General Meeting in Algiers, Tyler identified opportunities to build a stronger industry in MENA. Safety: "Safety is a top priority and global standards such as the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) are critical to achieving industry-levels of safety across MENA. In the first ten months of 2012 there has not been a single Western-built jet hull loss in the MENA region. "This is a great achievement. However, if we look at all accidents the picture is different. The accident rate for non-IOSA carriers is trending at about three- and-a-half times worse than those on the registry. This is clear evidence that IOSA improves safety. The African Union is moving towards mandating IOSA. Governments of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission should be reminded of their commitment dating back to 2006 to make IOSA compulsory for the carriers in their region. Flying is safe. But it is our collective responsibility to always make it safer," said Tyler. Aviation as a catalyst for growth: "The Gulf area has prospered from big thinking on aviation. In the United Arab Emirates, for example, a study by Oxford Economics recently concluded that aviation supports some 15% of GDP and 14% of total employment. Building on world class infrastructure and business-friendly policies, the Gulf carriers are now extending their reach through alliances, equity stakes and innovative partnerships. I would encourage similar big thinking across North Africa to help spur economic development and GDP growth. For example, why not move forward with developing a major North African hub?" said Tyler. Air Traffic Management (ATM): Growing traffic in the MENA region must be matched with sufficient airspace capacity. "MENA must avoid the inefficiencies that we see in Europe. There is no room for complacency. In the Gulf, ATM delays are already nearing crisis levels. Evolving East-West traffic patterns are creating new challenges across the region, including North Africa. Successfully handling this will require cooperation among states. Some of this is already starting and we hope for a successful and speedy conclusion. It would be a shame if the potential of the investment in ground infrastructure was held back by a lack of progress in the air. The experience of Europe should ring a clear warning. If congestion problems are allowed to grow they can quickly turn unmanageable. And the bigger they get, the more difficult the solution," said Tyler. Environment: Sustainability is a key priority for the global aviation industry. Aviation contributes about 2% to global carbon emissions. Tyler reiterated the industry's commitments to manage and reduce its carbon emissions. "No other industry has made tougher commitments to emissions reductions than aviation. We are making good progress toward our targets to improve fuel efficiency by 1.5% annually to 2020, cap net emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth, and cut net emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005. Along with new technology, biofuels and better infrastructure, market-based measures (MBM) will also be needed-at least temporarily. And we must ensure that these measures are developed with a global approach through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)," said Tyler. The airline industry is working towards developing consensus on a fair and equitable global solution for MBMs that would feed into the ICAO process in advance of the 2013 Assembly. "AACO has been instrumental in providing some very sensible proposals," said Tyler. The industry's pragmatic approach is in stark contrast to the European Union, which continues to pursue the unilateral and extra-territorial inclusion of international aviation in its Emissions Trading Scheme. "It is a roadblock instead of a stepping stone. States outside of Europe see this as a challenge to their sovereignty. This is dividing the world and recklessly risking a trade war. The challenge is for Europe to create space to arrive at a successful global conclusion for MBMs. Europe needs to find a way of relieving the pressure that it has created. There is no time to lose. We must focus our united industry efforts on helping forge an agreement at the ICAO Assembly less than a year away," said Tyler. New Distribution Capability: The recent approval of a foundation standard for a new distribution capability (NDC) will enable airlines to sell their full range of products through all distribution channels. "It is time to modernize distribution. Our customers expect more. When they buy the hotel component of their travel, they can choose the room category, views, package it with a spa treatment, and add breakfast or dinner options. Compare that to the options for buying a plane ticket from an agent. We have lots of ways to add value to our passenger's travel experience. But the legacy model that powers current GDS systems cannot efficiently facilitate making these known to the traveler. The NDC will allow airlines to make their product offers available in the way that they would like to present their products. It will allow GDSs and new entrants to develop new solutions to revolutionize airline retailing," said Tyler. http://www.eturbonews.com/32110/successfully-developing-mena-aviation Back to Top Europe open to air safety pact with PHL - VP Binay MANILA - Europe is interested in developing an air safety agreement with the Philippines once the European Union (EU) ban on Philippine air carriers is lifted, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said. Fresh from a 15-day visit to Belgium, Luxemburg, the Vatican, and Israel, the Vice President said he had a chance to meet with European Commission (EC) Vice President and Commissioner for Transport Siik Kallas during the 7th European Development Days (EDD) in Brussels to discuss the current EU ban on Philippine air carriers. Binay said that according to Kallas, EU's main issue with the Philippines was "maintaining the professionalism and regularity of air safety inspections." "I informed the commissioner that the Philippines had sought technical assistance from the French government to improve air safety standards, and that Philippine Airlines, which is now under new management, had just ordered 54 Airbus aircraft in line with its re-fleeting program," Binay said. The Vice President added that he assured the commissioner that the government was taking the air carrier ban issue very seriously and was already in the process of instituting critical reforms to improve the country's air safety standards. "I even mentioned the fact that the Philippines would be receiving an ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)-Coordinated Validation Mission on October 24 to 28 to assess the improvements made thus far," he said. Binay also clarified that the ban applied to both EU and non-EU carriers. "The commissioner said these bans were not meant to discriminate against non-EU carriers since European carriers were not immune from the same bans if they failed to meet the EU's strict air safety standards," the Vice President said. The EC banned Philippine carriers from operating in all 27 member-states of the EU in 2010. According to Philippine Airlines, the ban was caused by the United States Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) decision in January 2008 downgrading the Philippines' safety rating to Category 2 and "significant safety concern" findings by the ICAO in November 2009 against Philippine aviation safety regulators. There has been no commercial flight by Philippine-registered carriers to Europe since 1999. http://www.samarnews.com/news2012/nov/c318.htm Back to Top Gov't downplays failure to get air safety upgrade (Philippines) MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Tourism (DOT) still sees more foreign tourists coming to the country despite the failure of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to get a status upgrade. Tourism Assistant Secretary and DOT spokesman Benito Bengzon said the CAAP rating is unlikely to stop foreign tourists from visiting the Philippines. "The failure (of CAAP) to obtain Category 1 rating does not in any major way affect the efforts of the DOT to attract foreign visitors,"Bengzon told The STAR. He noted that the Philippines had been under Category 2 for the past few years and yet it continued to post an annual increase in tourist arrivals. "We still managed to register more than 11 percent growth in foreign visitor arrivals in 2011,"he said. The tourism official said in the first nine months of the year, the DOT recorded a nine percent growth in foreign arrivals. "The increasing level of awareness on the Philippines as a competitive and must- experience destination has helped drive up the numbers despite the current rating,"Bengzon said. Despite failure to get an upgrade, Bengzon gave assurance that concerned government agencies continue to exert efforts to address the country's aviation problems. "We are confident that we will soon be able to address the remaining aviation concerns," Bengzon said. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) reportedly gave CAAP a failed rating in "registration and flight safety inspection." These two "significant safety concerns" have dashed hopes for an upgrade to Category 1 status for the country's aviation industry. Earlier, sources told The STAR that after a 10-day evaluation, the ICAO team gave CAAP a failing mark in "registration and flight safety inspection." Sources said the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission told CAAP of its assessment in an exit briefing Wednesday. Team leader Henry Gourdji said an official statement would be sent to CAAP in 15 days. Comprising his team were Jean Claude Waffo and Sekhat Natarjan Chandr, tasked with evaluating aerodome ground airfield facilities; Allan Tang, licensing; Vincent Lambottea, operations; and Amal Hewawasam and Kong Cheong, airworthiness. In 2007, ICAO downgraded the then Air Transportation Office (ATO) from Category 1 to Category 2 status after finding 89 "safety concerns"during inspection. The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) earlier said only two of the 22 items identified by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) as safety concerns remain unresolved. These are the lack of qualified safety personnel and the absence of an integrated IT system to modernize the sector's database. ICAO's downgrading of the country's aviation industry had prompted a congressional review of ATO's mandate, which led to the enactment of Republic Act 9497, replacing ATO with CAAP. Current CAAP chief retired Lt. Gen. William Hotchkiss aired his wish for a Category 1 status upon assuming his post in June this year. "Hopefully, we might have some good news by Christmas time (although) I cannot say outright whether we will get into Category 1," Hotchkiss had said. As the ICAO team concluded its evaluation, nine international and three domestic flights bound for Ninoy Aquino International Airport were diverted Wednesday to Clark Airport in Pampanga after NAIA's VOR (very high frequency omni-directional range/distance measuring equipment) bogged down for five hours. Early this year, the government declared it was determined to regain Category 1 status after the FAA downgraded the Philippines to Category 2 in 2008 which affected the country's tourism. The FAA cited significant regulatory, oversight and management shortcomings that prevented expansion of air service to the US. Later, the country was placed under ICAO's Universal Oversight Audit Program and on the European Union's blacklist in 2009. http://www.philstar.com/ Back to Top Back to Top Hard landing of Qantas plane investigated A Fokker 100 Network Aviation plane, which is owned by Qantas, on the tarmac. The hard landing of a plane at a mine site in the Pilbara is being investigated by Qantas and the nation's transport safety bureau. The Network Aviation Fokker F-100 jet was hit by windshear when it was landing at the Nifty Copper mine last month. 100 seat plane was carrying fly-in, fly-out workers to the site. Qantas, which purchased Network Aviation in 2010, says no-one was injured in the crash. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says the plane was seriously damaged. Qantas says its engineers are currently assessing the aircraft at the mine site. The bureau says its investigators have visited the site and are in the process of interviewing crew members. Its investigators have also listened to cockpit and in-flight recordings of the incident. The federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, says he will not comment on the issue while it is under investigation. "We have a process that's at arms length from the government with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau," he said. "It's very important that it's able to operate free of political interference." http://www.abc.net.au/news/ Back to Top NTSB Wants Explosives Noted In FAA Registrations The FAA needs to do a better job of making sure first responders to general aviation accidents are informed about explosive devices in aircraft, the NTSB said last week. In a safety recommendation letter (PDF), the safety board cited several incidents when a GA aircraft crashed and emergency workers were unaware that ejection seats or ballistic parachutes in the airplane contained explosives. Placards on the aircraft are inadequate, the NTSB said, because they may be missing, or responders might not notice them, or they may be damaged, lost or burned in a crash. The board said a better solution would be for the FAA to require information about explosives to be included in each aircraft's registration data. First responders should then be informed that they can easily find this information online. The NTSB cited several examples of crashes that exposed responders to potential hazards. In January, an Aero Vodochody L39C with two ejection seats crashed and burned in Alabama. The first responders didn't see any placards on the airplane to warn them about the explosives on board. An NTSB investigator warned the first responder, a law enforcement officer, over the phone, about the potential for explosive devices. The board cited several other incidents involving LSAs and Cirrus aircraft as well as aerobatic airplanes. Besides ballistic chutes and ejection seats, the board said inflatable restraints, such as airbag systems that are incorporated into seatbelts and shoulder harnesses, should also be noted in the registration data. These systems are powered by a cylinder of compressed gas, at pressures up to 6,000 psi, that is stored under the seats. http://www.avweb.com/ Back to Top GE Aviation supplying $2B of engines to Aeromexico Boeing and Aeromexico finalized an order for up to 90 737 MAX airplanes, powered by CFM International's new LEAP engines. Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) and Mexico's largest airline, Aeromexico, finalized an order for 60 airplanes, all to be powered by engines from a GE Aviation joint venture, the Cincinnati Business Courier reports. The total order, which includes options for 30 additional 737 MAX planes, is valued at more than $9 billion at list prices. The engine order is worth more than $2 billion at list, the Courier reports. The engines are made by CFM International, a joint venture of Evendale-based GE Aviation and Snecma, a unit of France's Safran Group. http://www.bizjournals.com/ Back to Top Aviation careers cleared for take-off at 'pilot's campus' on Merrill Field A bush pilot's greatest fear? 'Getting eaten by a grizzly bear.' If a passion for flying is at the heart of the aviation trade, then the University of Alaska Anchorage is committed to manning the hangars, airfields and major airports of Alaska and the U.S. with the best and brightest students of manned flight. Two of the university's Aviation Technology division administrators, director Rocky Capozzi and academic advisor Carolyn Sanborn, recently sat down with Bush Pilot at the department's state-of-the-art facilities, located near the Airport Heights entrance to Merrill Field in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the ins and outs of aviation studies. How do you pursue a degree with UAA Aviation Technology, one of the nation's top- ranked aviation programs? It's a rigorous academic path to take, with some potential pitfalls and high demands, according to Sanborn. But for those who love aviation, it's a path that can offer real benefits. And while Professional Piloting is one of four paths available, Capozzi emphasizes that Aviation Technology students don't just come to school to learn to fly. They are "college student first," and pilot studies are just part of the package, he says. UAA Aviation Technology Program_2 Here's the low-down. What to expect UAA's Aviation Technology department has four programs: *Air Traffic Control *Professional Piloting *Aviation Maintenance *Aviation Administration Each path offers certificates, Associates degrees, and Bachelors of Science opportunities, Sanborn said. Students generally choose a degree or certificate path during their second semester, after getting their feet wet. Students who pursue Professional Piloting essentially double their course work, because flights are treated in the same way as a lab, requiring a large chunk of time. But for aspiring pilots, it's worth it, Sanborn says, as spending time in the skies can be a lot more fun than burying your head in a book. The Maintenance program is centered around airplane mechanics. Many students who want to pursue an engineering degree will gravitate toward this program. It is strictly regulated by the FAA, with non-negotiable attendance requirements; a no-brainer, perhaps, as the FAA wants its mechanics to be well prepared to repair the nation's airplanes. The Air Traffic controlling program is perhaps UAA's most notable aviation program, ranked third out of 31 College Training Initiative Air Traffic Control schools by the FAA. Its state-of-the-art air traffic control simulator, with a 360-degree interface, is one of only a handful in the world. The Aviation Administration program is their most popular program, a management path that offers students a chance to learn laws and regulations, business management and issues surrounding aviation safety. The benefits While there are around 200 colleges and university that have aviation programs, UAA is one of only a handful that offers all four programs within the aviation field. Sanborn says that it is "one of the top recognized aviation schools in the nation." Students who go through UAA's Piloting program leave "with a far broader knowledge" beyond what the FAA requires pilots who receive only a pilot's certificate, Capozzi says. The program that stands out the most to Capozzi is the Air Traffic Control program, which has some "very high end" air traffic control simulators, and a 99 percent success rate for FAA Academy completion. Another benefit of the Air Traffic Controller program is that they are one of 36 College Initiative Training (CTI) Schools, the method which the FAA uses to hire its air traffic controllers. "Your odds of being hired are much better" when going through a CTI program, Capozzi says. And with UAA ranking in third place of all these CTI schools, the chances of landing a job are greatly increased. Sanborn also says that the Maintenance program is "nationally recognized", while the Administration program is taught by faculty who have real-world management experience in the aviation field. The hurdles Like most college degrees - it is expensive. Sanborn says that lack of financial planning is what hinders students the most frequently. Regardless of which degree students are completing, she advises students to talk to UAA Financial Aide and plan accordingly in order to have the funding to complete their degree. The other most frequent issue that Sanborn see is lack of high school preparation. The programs require a solid grasp of English and math, and some students fall by the wayside if their high school hasn't adequately prepared them. Capozzi stresses that high-school students should "keep taking science and math and English courses until you graduate," in order to be well prepared for the college experience. The programs are tough, and students who aren't dedicated to their studies may not complete their degrees. Who enrolls? Between all four programs and all degree levels, 400-500 students are enrolled at any given time, and they come from all walks of life. It's a "varied mix" of students just starting out in their careers, and some in the midst of a career change, which fluctuates every year, Sanborn says. The Aviation Maintenance program in particular is known for attracting retired professionals who own planes and are looking to fix up their rides themselves. Sanborn also notes that in recent years, veterans receiving funding with the post 9/11 GI Bill have started enrolling in higher numbers, too. . Where do graduates end up? There's a "broad spectrum" of careers people land within the aviation industry, Sanborn says. Folks who become pilots can end up with regional or national carriers, or companies like Fed-Ex. Administration students can end up working in a wide range of places, from the FAA to local companies, or in any number of regional or national agencies. Maintenance students likewise end up with a variety of job opportunities, at local or regional airlines, while some find jobs outside of the aviation field - such as with the Otis elevator company, Sanborn says. Air Traffic Controllers head airports across the country, as the FAA is the only employer of Air Traffic Controllers in the country. How to get started Request an information packet; Sanborn will send interested folks an email with detailed information about each path available within UAA Aviation Technology, including admissions requirements and costs. Folks can also head to their offices to pick up the information. After reading through all the initial information, what Sanborn calls a "woah" moment, she will set up an appointment, and potential applicants can go over the requirements and take a tour of the building. From there, they can being their application process. Much more information is available at UAA's Aviation Technology website. http://www.alaskadispatch.com/ Back to Top Curt Lewis & Associates, LLC offers the following On-Demand Professional Short Courses at your location and your facility: S. No. COURSE TITLE DURATION 1. Safety Management System (SMS) 03 Days 2. Advance Safety Management System (SMS) 03 Days 3. SMS Workshop for Executive Management 01 Day 4. SMS Train the Trainer 03 Days 5. SMS for Helicopter Operations 03 Days 6. SMS for Charter Operations 03 Days 7. SMS for Charter Operations 03 Days 8. SMS for Charter Operations 03 Days 9. System Safety Specialist 03 Days 10. Safety Risk Management 02 Days 11. Accident Investigation 05 Days 12. Cabin Accident Investigation 02 Days 13. Human Factors 02 Days 14. Crew Resource Management (Initial) 03 Days 15. Crew Resource Management for Helicopter operations 02 Days 16. Evaluate & Improve Safety Culture {Safety Stand-Down} (01 day workshop Plus Safety Indoc./01 Day seminar) 02 Days 17. ERP Training 03 Days 18. Cabin Crew Safety Training 05 Days 19. Fatigue Risk Management Plan 02 Days OTHER PROGRAMS 1. Safety Indoctrination - Train the Trainer 02 Days 2. Ground Safety: (Occupational Health & safety Standards - General Industry) 05 Days 3. Safety Data Management System (SDMS) A web based Safety / Hazard reporting and risk analysis system. (specific to your organization/operations) 4. MANUALS: Develop Safety, Operations and Training Manuals. 5. Establishing Multi Crew Coordination course. Training will be tailored to your institution or industry discipline For information, please contact: Masood Karim (425) 949-2120 masood@curt-lewis.com masoodkarim@avproconsult.com Curt Lewis