Flight Safety Information April 29, 2014 - No. 087 In This Issue Authorities call off aerial search for missing Malaysia jet MH370: New phase to include private contractors, may cost $60 million Pilots Warned of Runaway Beer Blimp UK launches new safety tools AW609 tiltRotor aircraft completes autorotation trials Aircraft makes emergency landing in Fort Wayne Dubai Overtakes Heathrow as Busiest Airport for International Passengers Plane catches fire at Perth Airport PRISM SMS Etihad to hire 22 Jet Airways pilots for a year, offers over 30 per cent pay hike AT&T eyes LTE network for in-flight use by passengers, pilots and crews Embry-Riddle to offer SMS Workshop for Aviation Executives May 20-22 ICAO Loss of Control In-Flight Symposium Upcoming Events Authorities call off aerial search for missing Malaysia jet Now the underwater search for the plane will be expanded to a wider section of the ocean floor. CANBERRA, Australia - The aerial search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet was called off Monday, and the underwater hunt will be expanded to include a vast swath of ocean floor that may take at least eight months to thoroughly search, Australian officials said. A Japanese P-3C Orion is guided by ground crew as it taxis along the tarmac at RAAF Base Pearce before departing on Japan's final search flight for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight on Monday. Not a single piece of confirmed debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has been recovered by a massive multinational hunt that began after it disappeared March 8 with 239 people on board. "It is highly unlikely at this stage that we will find any aircraft debris on the ocean surface. By this stage, 52 days into the search, most material would have become waterlogged and sunk," Prime Minister Tony Abbott said. "Therefore, we are moving from the current phase to a phase which is focused on searching the ocean floor over a much larger area," he said. The U.S. Navy's Bluefin 21 robotic submarine has spent weeks scouring the initial search area for the plane in the remote Indian Ocean far off Australia's west coast, but has found no trace of the missing aircraft. Officials are now looking to bring in new equipment that can search a larger patch of seabed for the plane, Abbott said. Radar and satellite data show the jet veered far off course for unknown reasons during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. Analyses indicate it would have run out of fuel in the remote section of ocean where the search has been focused. The unmanned sub has been creating a three-dimensional sonar map of the ocean floor for more than two weeks near where signals consistent with airplane black boxes were heard on April 8. The sub has searched a nearly 150-square mile area. Crews will now begin searching the plane's entire probable impact zone, an area 430 miles long and 50 miles wide, Abbott said. That will be a monumental task - and one that will take time, warned Angus Houston, head of the search effort. "If everything goes perfectly, I would say we'll be doing well if we do it in eight months," Houston said, adding that weather and technical issues could prolong the search well beyond that estimate. Australian officials will be contacting private companies to bring in additional sonar mapping equipment that can be towed behind boats to search the expanded area at an estimated cost of $60 million, Abbott said. It could take officials several weeks to organize contracts for the new equipment and the Bluefin will continue to scour the seabed in the meantime, Abbott said. So far, each country involved in the search has been bearing its own costs. But Abbott said Australia would now seek contributions from other countries to help pay for the new equipment. Two weeks ago, Abbott said officials were "very confident" that a series of underwater signals picked up by sound-detecting equipment came from Flight 370's black boxes. On Monday, he maintained that he still had a "considerable degree of confidence" - but opened up the possibility that the signals were yet another dead end in a search that has been peppered by them. "We're still baffled and disappointed that we haven't been able to find undersea wreckage based on those detections, and this is one of the reasons why we are continuing to deploy the Bluefin 21 submersible - because this is the best information that we've got," Abbott said. "It may turn out to be a false lead, but nevertheless it's the best lead we've got." Abbott also acknowledged it was possible that no debris from the plane would ever be found. "Of course it's possible, but that would be a terrible outcome because it would leave families with a baffling uncertainty forever," he said. http://www.pressherald.com/news/Authorities_call_off_aerial_search_for_missing_Malaysia_jet_.html Back to Top MH370: New phase to include private contractors, may cost $60 million Hong Kong (CNN) -- The next phase in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will be a more intense underwater search that will use private contractors, take months and cost about $56 million, officials said Monday. "I regret to say that thus far none of our efforts in the air, on the surface or under sea, have found any wreckage," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Monday. Because it's "highly unlikely" that any debris will be found on the ocean surface, authorities will be suspending aerial searches. By now, most of the debris will have become waterlogged and will have sunk, he said. Search area for MH370 to shift north What if the Bluefin doesn't find Flight 370? Malaysian PM won't say plane is lost Object in MH370 search not likely of use Crews will now conduct a thorough search of the ocean floor over a much larger area -- 60,000 square kilometers. The process could take at least six to eight months. "The aircraft plainly cannot disappear. It must be somewhere," Abbott said. "We do not want this crippling cloud of uncertainty to hang over this family and the wider traveling public." Demanding answers It wasn't immediately known how family members of the missing passengers greeted Monday's news. Furious with Malaysian officials, whom they fault for doing a poor job communicating, many family members plan to take their concerns to Boeing when the aircraft giant holds its annual shareholders meeting in Chicago on Monday morning. MH370 is a Boeing 777, disappeared March 8 as it flew from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. It was carrying 239 people. "The briefings are a joke," said Sarah Bajc, whose partner, Philip Wood, was a passenger on the plane. "The patience level of the families group is just gone." "Boeing is a publicly traded company in the United States, and that puts them in a position of a little bit more fiduciary responsibility," she said. Photos: The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Photos: The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 'Object of interest' found in Australia Malaysian authorities need to do a better job of communicating with the families and answering their questions during briefings, she said, rather than treating passengers' loved ones "as if we are the enemy, as opposed to an interested party in helping to solve this mystery." Shift in focus For 52 days, an international coalition has been searching for the plane, focusing its effort in the southern Indian Ocean, where the plane is believed to have gone down. Bluefin-21, a submersible on contract to the U.S. Navy, had been scouring the ocean floor for traces of the plane. But despite multiple missions searching 400 square kilometers (154.44 square miles), it has found no evidence of the missing aircraft's data recorders. Bluefin will continue to operate. But it will now be joined by sonar devices towed by ships. The new equipment will be able to perform broad sweeps and provide feedback from the ocean floor. The Bluefin had to be brought up after each mission to have its data downloaded. The Australian government will continue to work with Malaysian and Chinese authorities. But "one or more" private companies will be contracted to assist, Abbot said. Further technology, including a number of other underwater vehicles both private and public, could also be pressed into service. Some of them can go miles deeper than the Bluefin and remain underwater for weeks at a time. 'We're in the right area' The Bluefin was put to work after officials detected signals they believed were from the jet's flight recorders. Retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the head of Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Centre, said Monday the pings detected remained "the best lead we've got." "I think we're in the right area," Houston said. Asked whether it was possible that thick silt on the seabed may have buried the aircraft, Houston said some wreckage would still be on top of the silt. "This is an extraordinary mystery," Prime Minister Abbott said. "We will do everything we reasonably can to resolve it." http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/28/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/ Back to Top Pilots Warned of Runaway Beer Blimp GIANT HOCKEY LIGHT LOOSE OVER EASTERN CANADA (NEWSER) - Pilots in eastern Canada have been warned to look out for one of the strangest hazards they're ever likely to encounter-a 70-foot brewery blimp shaped like a hockey goal light. The Budweiser balloon broke from its tether at a ball hockey tournament in New Brunswick on the weekend and has been spotted floating at up to 5,000 feet, reports the CBC. Transport Canada says pilots in the area have been notified and the blimp is expected to come down in the southern part of the province, but it's not clear when, the Globe and Mail reports. http://www.newser.com/story/186052/pilots-warned-of-runaway-beer-blimp.html Back to Top UK launches new safety tools The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched a series of template risk models, highlighting a number of specific safety scenarios, which air navigation service providers can use as part of their own safety management systems (SMS). The models will allow organisations to assess their current risk controls and evaluate their exposure to each particular scenario. The 24 risk models, which cover scenarios such as runway incursions resulting in collision on the ground, are known as 'bowtie' models, www.caa.co.uk/bowtie, and can be used as templates for organisations to customise to suit their own operations. Completed models can then be fed into official safety management systems. The CAA said it had worked extensively with the aviation industry to develop the risk models which consider human, technical and environmental factors within the scenarios. Feedback from operators using the models will be actively encouraged and shared across the industry, further enhancing knowledge and understanding of aviation safety risks. Mark Swan, director of safety and airspace regulation at the CAA, said: "These bowtie risk models are very much part of our proactive and collaborative work with industry to help organisations identify any actions that might be required to improve risk mitigations and, ultimately, prevent accidents through a better understanding of root causes. They are an integral part of our performance based oversight which aims to identify and understand the major risks to UK passengers, allowing us to focus our resources where they can have the best effect." The aviation industry's use of the models will ultimately provide the CAA with more sophisticated data and safety performance indicators, allowing the regulator to take an overview of safety risks across all UK operators helping inform future initiatives. http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2014/04/uk-launches-new-safety-tools/ Back to Top AW609 tiltRotor aircraft completes autorotation trials AgustaWestland has announced its AW609 tiltrotor aircraft completed autorotation trials earlier this month Following on from the completion of flight envelope expansion trials in December 2013, AgustaWestland gave the first customer demonstration flights of the AW609 tiltrotor aircraft in February. This was followed by autorotation trials, which the company has announced were successfully completed earlier this month. Starting off in 1996 as the Bell/Boeing-developed Bell XV-15, the AW609 tiltrotor aircraft combines the benefits of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. AgustaWestland, which took full ownership of the program (and renamed the aircraft the AW609) in 2011, has now announced that autorotation trials carried out between the end of March and early April were completed successfully. Autorotation refers to the rotors of a helicopter turning in response to air moving up through the rotor as the aircraft descends, rather than being driven by an engine, thereby allowing the aircraft to land safely in the event of a complete engine failure. The autorotation trials, in which the aircraft clocked up 10 dedicated flight hours, saw the AW609 complete over 70 power-off conversions from airplane mode to helicopter mode. AgustaWestland says the test flights, which were flown from an Arlington, Texas, facility and monitored by the FAA, covered the full wind-milling and autorotation envelopes, with aircraft performance exceeding characteristics seen in the engineering simulator. A full flight simulator that will allow commercial pilots to be trained is also planned. AgustaWestland is aiming to gain FAA certification for the AW609 in 2017 and says it is acquiring new equipment and tooling to ensure that existing orders will be fulfilled immediately following said certification. Source: AgustaWestland http://www.gizmag.com/agustawestland-aw609-autorotation-trials/31813/ Back to Top Aircraft makes emergency landing in Fort Wayne FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - A Fort Wayne International Airport official says a Chicago-bound Chautauqua Airlines flight made an emergency landing at the airport after its crew smelled a burning odor in the cockpit. Director of airports Scott Hinderman says the flight carrying 47 passengers was headed from Knoxville, Tenn., to Chicago when it was diverted to Fort Wayne International Airport. Hinderman says the burning aroma had dissipated by the time the flight landed about 9 a.m. Monday. WOWO-AM reports that an initial inspection by firefighters discovered no issues with the aircraft. Hinderman says mechanics were evaluating the aircraft, which remained at the airport about 1 p.m. http://www.kwqc.com/story/25360350/aircraft-makes-emergency-landing-in-fort-wayne Back to Top Dubai Overtakes Heathrow as Busiest Airport for International Passengers Milestone Illustrates Growth Of Emirates Airline After Less Than 30 Years Of Operations DUBAI-Dubai International became the busiest airport globally for international passengers in the first quarter, overtaking London's Heathrow and illustrating the growth of Emirates Airline in less than 30 years of operations. Dubai's main hub, the home of Emirates, handled 18.36 million international passengers in the first quarter of the year, Dubai Airports said in a statement on Monday. Heathrow counted 16 million people pass through its gates during the same period. Heathrow surpassed Dubai to grab the top spot last year for international traffic, and the pair were followed by Hong Kong and Paris, according to official figures from Airports Council International, a global trade body, which hasn't released first quarter figures yet. An Emirates airline passenger jet taxis on the tarmac at Dubai International airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press Statements from all four airports show Dubai to be the busiest airport for international passengers and the fastest-growing in the first quarter, as the number of people passing through the hub increased 11.4%, compared with the same period a year earlier. "The growth in passenger and freight traffic supports our continued investment in expanding and improving our facilities at Dubai International," said Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports. Heathrow, which on Monday reported a 10.8% increase in first quarter revenue on flat passenger numbers of 16 million, had no immediate comment on falling into second place. Airport Chief Executive Officer Colin Matthews previously pointed to Dubai's rise to argue for capacity constrained Heathrow gaining approval for a third runway. The growth at Dubai International has become a contentious issue for aviation executives in the U.K., where politicians have been accused of procrastinating over the development of airport infrastructure around London. By contrast, Dubai International is owned by the emirate's autocratic government that has earmarked aviation as a priority and invested in upgrading its airports to mirror the growth of Emirates. Emirates President Tim Clark said the healthy state of the aviation industry in Dubai was down to "progressive" economic policies and infrastructure. "This conducive environment has also attracted 120- plus other airlines to operate in Dubai," Mr. Clark said. "For Emirates, this means we have to be on our toes." About 50% of the passengers through Dubai International are transit customers as Emirates has built a strategy on using widebodied aircraft to connect passengers in Asia and Australasia with Europe and the U.S. via a stop in its home hub. The airline carried nearly 40 million passengers in its last fiscal year. It and lower-cost, shorter-haul carrier flydubai, which is also based at Dubai International and equally fast growing, helped add 28 new destinations to the airport last year. Having started operations in 1985, Emirates now serves 142 destinations in 80 countries and territories making it one of the largest carriers in the world, and it plans to grow further. The airline has 374 jets on order with Boeing Co. BA -1.26% and Airbus Group EADSY +0.41% worth a combined $162 billion. That is on top of the 218 it currently flies, although many of those aircraft will replace some of the current fleet. Flydubai is also soaring. It increased passengers last year by 38% to 6.8 million. To cater for forecast growth of Emirates and flydubai, Dubai Airports plans to increase capacity at Dubai International to 100 million by 2020 from 75 million currently. ubai has a master plan to expand its new secondary airport called Al Maktoum to cater for up to 160 million by the end of the next decade. Dubai International may be edged out by Heathrow for the full year, as Dubai International plans an 80- day improvement project on its two runways on May 1 that will reduce the number of flights at the airport by 24%, and impact Emirates full-year revenues by $272 million. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304163604579529130559803364 Back to Top Plane catches fire at Perth Airport A plane has made an emergency landing at Perth Airport after a suspected engine fire erupted shortly after take-off. The Cobham Aviation flight landed safely after the mid-air incident on Tuesday, a Perth Airport spokeswoman confirmed. Passengers reported seeing the flames coming from the right engine. "(There were) flames and everything coming out of the back, and then a bit of panic and they shut the fuel hoses off," Jason Grimett, who was seated right next to the engine, told Nine News. "It just got worse and worse as it went on," fellow passenger Anothy Gelati said. The Perth Airport website shows that a Cobham Aviation flight was scheduled to depart at 10.45am for Barrow Island. April 29, 2014: Passengers on board a Cobham plane, which caught on fire shortly after taking off at Perth airport, spoke about the moment they realised something was wrong. The aircraft is currently being assessed at the airport. Cobham operates aircraft on behalf of Qantas regional subsidiary QantasLink. A spokesman for the regional carrier said a statement would be issued later on Tuesday. Cobham Aviation Services said the engine fire occurred soon after take-off and that the four-engine BAE 146 jet was bound for Barrow Island. A spokesman said the pilot and crew safely returned the jet to Perth Airport at 10.53am (WST). "The aircraft was climbing after take-off when the fire occurred in engine No.2, which is on the inner port side of the aircraft," he said. "When the fire was detected, the engine was shut down and the fire extinguished. "There were no injuries among the 92 passengers or two pilots and three cabin crew." The incident is being investigated and regulatory authorities have been informed, the spokesman says. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2014/04/29/13/29/plane-catches-fire-at-perth-airport Back to Top Back to Top Etihad to hire 22 Jet Airways pilots for a year, offers over 30 per cent pay hike Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is hiring around 22 pilots from Jet Airways for its Boeing-777 wide-body aircraft fleet. These pilots, who were previously flying Airbus A330s for Jet, will be based in Abu Dhabi for a minimum contract of one year (excluding four months of training). These pilots will get tax-free income, bonuses and a hike of about 30-40% on the current base salary of about Rs 6-7 lakh a month. Sources told FE an internal job notice has been sent to the pilots in Jet Airways on April 10. In all, 11 positions have been offered to captains (minimum 6,000 hours) and a similar number for co-pilots (minimum 1,000 hours) as well. The recruitment process is expected to be completed in May. "Jet has excess pilots for its A330 fleet, so Etihad has offered them these positions. Some of the captains who have applied have 15,000-20,000 hours to their credit. Most likely, these pilots will be absorbed back in Jet once their contract with Etihad is over," said a source. Jet Airways, however, did not respond to an emailed questionnaire. The move comes three months after Etihad had offered similar jobs to Air India pilots, with a promise of a fat pay hike. Incidentally, Etihad, which is in the mid of a massive expansion spree, had recently purchased five Boeing 777 LR (Long range) aircraft from Air India and may also buy three more of the same aircraft from the state-run carrier. "Etihad is rapidly expanding operations and since it takes a long time on new aircraft deliveries, they are growing through acquisitions. In last few months, Etihad had held roadshows for pilots for narrow body and wide body aircraft in Delhi and Mumbai," said an official. Jet, in which Etihad picked up a 24% stake for over Rs 2,000 crore in April last year, currently has 101 aircraft - 12 aircraft from the Airbus 330 family, 59 Boeing 737s, 10 Boeing 777s and 18 ATRs. Jet is believed to have 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and around 50 Boeing 737 Max aircraft on order. On other hand, Etihad currently has a fleet of 94 planes, with a further 225 on order. In the quarter ended December 31, 2013, Jet posted a net loss of R268 crore. The Jet Airways scrip on the BSE fell 2.75% to Rs 273.80 on Monday http://indianexpress.com/article/business/companies/etihad-to-hire-22-jet-airways-pilots-for-a-year- offers-over-30-per-cent-pay-hike/ Back to Top AT&T eyes LTE network for in-flight use by passengers, pilots and crews Air-to-ground network set for late 2015 launch in continental U.S. Computerworld - AT&T plans to launch an LTE in-flight connection service by late 2015 for airlines and passengers that will be available for fast passenger Wi-Fi as well as real-time cockpit and maintenance communications. The service will be based upon an air-to-gound network built in the continental U.S. and will use spectrum already owned by AT&T, the carrier said in a statement on Monday. In a focus on reliability over in-flight Wi-Fi, AT&T said it will work with Honeywell to provide hardware and services. AT&T has invested more than $140 billion in wireless and wired networks since 2008. AT&T's current LTE network is already operating nationwide, with average download speeds of 10 Mbps, although peak speeds can be many times greater, depending on network conditions. The air-to-ground LTE network joins a number of AT&T initiatives that could help the company expand well beyond conventional services to its 116 million wireless subscribers and 16.5 million wired broadband subscribers. In the last year, it has launched the Connected Car and Drive Studio intiatives and recently introduced GigaPower, a 1 Gbps fiber optic connection similar to Google Fiber that will serve North Carolina communities and potentially 21 other cities. http://www.computerworld.com/ Back to Top Embry-Riddle to offer SMS Workshop for Aviation Executives May 20-22 Daytona Beach, Fla. - Aviation professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge in Safety Management Systems (SMS) concepts and implementation of SMS within their organization can take advantage of a three day course being offered on the Daytona Beach Campus from May 20-22. Topics will include: safety risk management (hazards, risks, and controls); human factors; reactive, proactive, and predictive safety management tools and methods; positive safety culture; and SMS implementation overview. Attendees will be able to explain the theory, principles and application of SMS and will understand the ICAO requirements for implementation as well as the current FAA guidance for operators and organizations. All participants will receive a signed copy of Safety Management Systems in Aviation, authored in part by Dr. Alan Stolzer, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of Aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. For more information, click here or email case@erau.edu About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 60 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business and Engineering. Embry- Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and through the Worldwide Campus with more than 150 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real- world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. Back to Top DO NOT MISS THIS KEY AVIATION EVENT, REGISTER NOW! Although Loss of Control In-flight (LOCI) accidents are rare, they have accounted for one third of all fatalities in scheduled commercial aviation over the last ten years, more than any other category of accident. Addressing LOCI has therefore become a priority for the aviation industry. ICAO will convene a Loss of Control In-flight (LOCI) Symposium on 20-22 May 2014 in Montreal to share information and experiences of professionals from a wide variety of aviation disciplines to address this safety priority. Our List of Speakers includes: - Bertrand de Courville, Consultant to IATA, Co-chair of the European Commercial Aviation Safety Team. - Peggy Gilligan, Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, FAA. - Kevin Hiatt, Senior VP for Safety and Flight Operations, IATA. - Jules Kneepkens, Rulemaking Director, European Aviation Safety Authority. - Terry McVenes, Director, Operational Safety and Regulatory Affairs, Boeing. - Harry Nelson, Executive Operational Advisor to Product Safety, Airbus. Click here to see the full list of our confirmed speakers >> Who Should Attend: The Symposium will attract aviation professionals from regulatory authorities, accident investigation bodies, manufacturers, airlines, training schools, international organisations, and members of the research and academic community. Sponsorship and Exhibition Opportunities: Industry stakeholders with relevant products and services are invited to exhibit and/or sponsor at this event in order to gain visibility with government and aviation industry audiences. For more information please contact: Ms. Enza Brizzi. ENGAGE. SHARE. MAKE A DIFFERENCE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER For more information go to:www.icao.int/meetings/loci Follow us at: Back to Top Upcoming Events: Airport Show Dubai May 11-13, 2014 Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) www.theairportshow.com/portal/home.aspx International Humanitarian Aviation Summit 12-14MAY Toledo, Spain wfp.org National Safety Council Aviation Safety Committee Annual Conference Savanah, GA - May 14-15, 2014 Contact: tammy.washington@nsc.org http://cwp.marriott.com/savdt/artexmeeting/ Embry-Riddle to offer Aviation SMS Workshop Daytona Beach, FL May 20-22, 2014 www.erau.edu/case ICAO Loss of Control In-Flight Symposium 20-22 May 2014 - Montreal www.icao.int/meetings/loci Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 21-22 May 2014, Bangkok, Thailand http://bit.ly/APASS2014 International System Safety Society Annual Symposium 04-08AUG2014 - St. Louis, MO http://issc2014.system-safety.org Curt Lewis