Flight Safety Information July 9, 2014 - No. 137 In This Issue Flight Safety Foundation Endorses Deployable Flight Data Recorders How To Make Sure Your Electronic Devices Get Through Airport Security FAA Proposes $295,750 Civil Penalty Against Skywest Airlines EagleMed Reaches FAA Safety Management System Level 3 Embry-Riddle first in nation to get FAA approval for ATP certification program PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA Frontier Airlines pilot buys pizzas for stranded passengers Emirates Signs Off on $56 Billion Deal for 150 Boeing 777X Jets THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM Upcoming Events Employment Flight Safety Foundation Endorses Deployable Flight Data Recorders Alexandria, VA, July 8, 2014 - The Flight Safety Foundation announced today its strong support for the use of deployable flight data recorders or triggered flight data transmission in all transport aircraft. "Deployable Flight Data Recorders have been around for decades and are in use by the military and in many helicopters," stated FSF President and CEO Jon Beatty. "We have the technological capability and with several high profile events, including Air France 447 and Malaysia 370, there is clearly the need for a better way to retrieve the flight data information immediately following an accident." The Foundation believes that a deployable flight data recorder or triggered data transmission should be in addition to the standard cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder already in all transport aircraft. The deployable flight data recorder should include an emergency locator transmitter as well. "By using GPS technology, there would be no reason that it wouldn't be found and retrieved very quickly after an accident or incident," Beatty continued. "This means that analysis of the accident or incident can begin immediately and it can also assist with the location of the wreckage, should that be needed." A deployable flight data recorder should automatically eject itself from the aircraft when certain triggering events occur that signal that the aircraft is in an unrecoverable state. Alternatively, the Foundation believes that another option would be for the data to deploy virtually through a triggered transmission. "From the perspective of safety, our primary mission is to mitigate risk and when it takes an unusually long time to recover a flight data recorder after an accident, it leads to a delay in answering questions," Beatty stated. "That makes us uncomfortable as safety professionals, especially since the technology exists that would eliminate this threat." The International Civil Aviation Organization is considering this idea as one of the options in a proposed amendment to Annex 6 (6.17 - Emergency location locator transmitter (ELT)). The Flight Safety Foundation has published several articles about deployable flight data recorders in August 2009 and in April 2012. Flight Safety Foundation is an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation's mission is to be the leading voice of safety for the global aerospace community. http://flightsafety.org/ Back to Top How To Make Sure Your Electronic Devices Get Through Airport Security The Department of Homeland Security and TSA are enhancing screening requirements at selected but undisclosed gateway airports into the United States due to increased security concerns. The perceived threat comes from the Middle East and Africa and relates to the potential for explosives to be hidden in hand-carried electronic items. Electronic devices have always been a target for terrorists and smugglers. Remember the attempt to hide explosives in printer cartridges that were intercepted in Dubai in 2010? Our response was to ban the transport of these cartridges but that really did not solve the problem: better detection technology does. MACBOOK Travelers, on a random basis, have been required to turn on laptops and phones at U.S. checkpoints supposedly to insure that they are what they purport to be. The new overseas procedures will have a dual effect. They will surely cause unprepared travelers a lot of hassle when carrying devices with dead batteries because the new rules will prevent you from carrying those devices aboard aircraft and may subject you to enhanced screening protocols, like swabbing your hands and carry-ons for explosive residue. Unfortunately this particular action will also potentially delay you at checkpoints because many items and chemicals that you come into contact with on a daily basis will cause false positives in many of the current sniffer machines, some of which have up to a 30% false positive rate. Even if the new rules slightly deter would-be terrorists they will not stop them, for several reasons. The premise that a device that turns on properly cannot hide a weapon or explosive is a false assumption. There are a lot of places to hide explosives within electronics such that they can still turn on and show a Windows or Apple logo and make some noise. Besides, lots of items can be turned into weapons. A presentation on weaponizing common items at an airport demonstrates the ineffectiveness of certain security policies relating to security and screening. And unfortunately screeners also miss many items including guns and other weapons going through checkpoints. If anything, the new rules may create a false sense of security upon the part of screeners because we are telling them that if the device looks and acts normal, it probably is. It is sort of like the use of laser hologram on credit cards and identification documents to verify their authenticity. Ask the credit card companies if they have seen counterfeit cards with holograms. What's really needed are better X-ray technology and more sophisticated screeners. Travelers heading back to the United States from an overseas trip through certain airports are going to need to make certain that their phone, tablet, or laptop is still powered up enough to turn on for the TSA inspectors. This can be a hassle to ensure, especially after a long flights or heavy usage. Here are my suggestions to make certain that your phones, tablets and computers will work when you need them on to convince security screeners that your iPad is really an iPad. Most phones and tablets are powered by five-volt supplies and use one of two standard connectors, either Micro-USB (Android and Blackberry devices) or Apple lightning 10 pin connector (or the older 30 pin plug). Carry at least two different chargers in case one fails and make certain that you have the correct plug adapter for the countries you will be visiting. Virtually all power supplies work on dual international voltage standards so you do not need a power converter like the old days; Do not rely upon your laptop to charge your device through its USB port. The charging capability for USB connectors is about .5 amps but each manufacturer has different specifications. You should check which ports are active and whether they will work if your laptop is plugged in or running on batteries; Be certain that your device will work with a universal USB charger. Some phones require a matched 'smart charger" because the batteries have microprocessors that talk to the device and sense whether the battery is matched to the charging system. This means that you may not be able to charge your Blackberry with a Samsung USB charger, for example; Check your battery status before you fly. Every device offers different options for measuring and displaying remaining capacity and current usage; Do not leave your phone on when you fly unless you can charge it onboard. Many planes, even in coach, now offer USB ports for each passenger. On long flights, either charge it, or turn it off unless you know that you will have plenty of battery capacity, especially if you will be transiting through different airports; If you fly a lot overseas, you should consider what devices to purchase, based upon whether the batteries can be interchanged. On all Apple devices, they are internal and cannot be swapped by the consumer. All Samsung phones, most Motorola (but not all) and many Blackberries have replaceable batteries, so if you have a phone that has this option, carry a second charged battery; Consider duty cycle when you purchase your phone, computer, or tablet. Some phones only run a few hours before needing to be recharged, while others will work for several days. And don't be fooled by the larger phones, thinking they will run longer. Larger screens take more current, so duty cycle is proportional both to battery size and screen area; Some laptops have only a few hours of usage, but charge rapidly. You need to assess your use patterns. I often have a near-dead laptop when I travel; Consider carrying a special charger that works with airline power plugs; Don't forget that temperature can affect battery capacity and performance. Very cold batteries will have less capacity, and very hot devices may shut down to protect the circuitry; Carry an extra high capacity battery pack or special case for your phone. Remember that Lithium Ion batteries cannot be stored in luggage but must be carried on board an aircraft; Mophie is one of the leading power supply manufacturers for mobile devices. They produce several different power solutions to insure that you can charge your devices anywhere. Their battery packs have a power rating, usually displayed as Milliamp hours (mAH). The Mophie and other external batteries offer up to 12,000 mAH capacity which is sufficient to run or charge multiple devices; Most smartphones have batteries that have a capacity between 1500-2500 mAH, so doing the math is easy. The Micro-USB connectors will allow a charge of about 1800 MaH per hour. The Apple Lightning connector will allow a charge of about 2.4 amps per hour, so theoretically you can charge your iPhone in a couple of hours. Charge your devices when you can, not when you have to. This means in lounges, airports, coffee shops, and other areas. Many public facilities now offer free charging ports; Try to standardize all of your devices so they can be powered by any charger; Do not let your device run out of power, or it may take several minutes to come alive once connected to a charger; Understand the duty cycle of your individual devices so you know when you may have a problem; Carry a 12 Volt adapter if you will be in a vehicle, so you can charge your device while driving; Be certain to take one or more chargers with you that have sufficient capacity to charge each device. For example, the small cubes that are supplied with iPhones and Blackberries will not be sufficient to charge a tablet unless you have many hours to wait; If you use an external battery pack, my recommendation is a minimum of 6000 mAH capacity so that you can charge more than one device without the pack going dead; If you use a plug adapter, such as the one sold by Kensington, be certain to carry an extra fuse, which is embedded in these devices. If the fuse fails you cannot charge your devices; Select chargers or external battery packs with two USB ports so you can charge more than one device at a time; Carry a cube tap so that when you plug into a power outlet you can run more than one charger at a time; Be certain to charge external batteries or sleeves before you travel, so when your phone goes dead they will work; Remember that most external batteries do not allow pass-through charging. That means that you can generally either charge the battery or your device, but not both at the same time; I suggest the following to reduce overall power drain on the battery for phones and tablets: Turn off Wifi and Bluetooth; Reduce screen brightness; Limit the number of applications that are running in the background by closing all programs that are not needed; Turn off Push email, or adjust the time increment between checking for your mail; Reduce the display-on time to fifteen seconds to conserve power; Turn navigation programs off, or turn off the screen when they are running; Turn data roaming off if you do not need it. Finally, if you travel overseas a lot, consider carrying a second phone with a very long duty cycle or a replaceable battery. For the past few months I have been using the new Blackberry Z30 5" smartphone and have consistently obtained two days of battery life. While it does not have all the options of my iPhone, it keeps working, which is the most important consideration. Other phones like the Motorola Maxx have similar battery capacity and should be considered. http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcwebertobias/2014/07/08/how-to-make-sure-your- electronic-devices-get-through-airport-security/ Back to Top FAA Proposes $295,750 Civil Penalty Against Skywest Airlines SEATTLE - The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $295,750 civil penalty against SkyWest Airlines, Inc. of St. George, Utah, for allegedly violating DOT drug and alcohol testing regulations. The FAA alleges SkyWest failed to include more than 150 safety-sensitive employees in its random drug testing pool. Further, SkyWest allegedly failed to receive verified negative drug test results for two other employees before hiring one for, and transferring the other to, safety-sensitive positions. The FAA also alleges SkyWest subjected three employees who were not in safety- sensitive positions to post-accident drug tests that are only applicable to safety-sensitive employees, and improperly canceled a return-to-duty test because it was not directly observed. SkyWest is scheduled to have an informal conference with the FAA this month to discuss the matter. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/11564483/faa-proposes-295750-civil- penalty-against-skywest-airlines Back to Top EagleMed Reaches FAA Safety Management System Level 3 Wichita, Kan., July 7, 2014 - EagleMed LLC has entered Level 3 of the Federal Aviation Administration's voluntary Safety Management System (SMS), reflecting the company's unwavering commitment to safety. The critical care air medical transport company initiated its participation in the government-designed safety program several years ago. In adopting SMS as a higher standard for safety in the air medical transportation industry, EagleMed is able to improve the wellbeing of patients, crewmembers and the organization as a whole. "This achievement is yet another milestone in our continuous quest for quality and safety improvement and it represents our enduring commitment to our employees and the patients we serve," said EagleMed President Larry Bugg. "Safety is our core value and the fundamental underpinning for everything we do. Therefore, we are committed to every practice and principle of SMS and are determined to achieve SMS Level 4 status, which represents the pinnacle of aviation safety." Further reinforcing the company's commitment to safety, it has engaged Baldwin Safety & Compliance as an added resource to bolster EagleMed's dynamic SMS. Baldwin Safety & Compliance, headquartered in South Carolina, is a recognized leader in customized safety management and business solutions. Designed and enacted by the FAA in 2010, the SMS program provides a hierarchical framework to systematically guide, assess, and recognize the efficacy of augmented safety practices put into effect by commercial air operators. The system allows companies willing to work with the FAA the opportunity to help shape the safety policies they operate under, which can be tailored to a company's specific needs. EagleMed's implementation of the FAA's SMS at Level 3 is a fully functioning proactive process that applies a rigid framework to the initial design of systems, processes, organizations and products, and to the development of operational procedures and planned changes to operational processes. The activities involved in the SMS process comprise careful analysis of systems and tasks involved, identification of potential hazards in these functions and the development of risk controls. The risk management process previously developed at Level 2 is used to analyze, document and track these activities. At this level, EagleMed has implemented these proactive processes. EagleMed is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS), which is the gold standard for patient care and safety across the operational spectrum of air medical transport services. EagleMed is one of only two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 135 charter certificate holders in the FAA Central Region to enter Safety Management System (SMS) Level 3. Additionally, EagleMed received the ARGUS International, Inc. Gold Rating based on pilot qualifications and a comprehensive on-site safety audit of its aviation and maintenance operations. EagleMed's senior aviation, maintenance, and safety leadership has a combined total of more than 150 years of aviation operational experience. Recognized as a leader in the industry, the organization and its employees received the 2013 Chairman's Award and the 2010 President's Award for Leadership and Safety from the Association of Air Medical Services. EagleMed also received the 2011 Safety Award from the Helicopter Association International, Best Practice in Just Culture from CAMTS; and the 2012 Pilot of the Year Award from the National EMS Pilots Association. EagleMed leverages technology through its web-based Learning Management System and IS-BAO registered Baldwin SMSlite™ system to deliver regulatory, aircraft-specific, air medical resource management, SMS, risk management, just culture, threat and error management, OSHA safety compliance training and safety report data tracking and analysis. EagleMed maintains a technologically advanced Communications Center with satellite tracking/communications for 24/7 oversight and medical direction provided by a cadre of emergency physicians and highly trained communication staff that are certified emergency medical technicians. Advanced Training EagleMed's experienced and proficient team of commercial instrument rated rotor and Airline Transport Pilot rated fixed wing pilots undergo extensive hands-on training every six months to include FlightSafety International simulation training. EagleMed's expert staff of critical care paramedics and Certified Flight Registered Nurses has advanced training in pediatric and adult care and utilize METIman Human Patient Simulators (adult, pediatric and infant) to maintain the highest level of competency and proficiency. About EagleMed LLC EagleMed LLC, headquartered in Wichita, Kan., is a privately owned and operated critical care air medical and ground transport service. A subsidiary of Air Medical Group Holdings, Inc., EagleMed has provided safe, world-class patient care to patients and communities in the Midwest for more than 30 years. EagleMed has more than 400 highly trained employees and operates an extensive fleet of 14 medically equipped Eurocopter AS350 B2/B3 helicopters, 20 Beechcraft King Air fixed-wing aircraft, and six ground ambulances in 12 States. For more information please visit flyeaglemed.com. About AirMedCare EagleMed is a membership-supported air ambulance service that is part of the AirMedCare Network. AirMedCare is America's largest air medical transport membership network, providing emergency access to the highest levels of care for its 1.6 million subscribers. The AirMedCare Network combines the membership programs of four leading air ambulance operators: EagleMed, REACH, Air Evac Lifeteam and Med-Trans Corporation. For more information about memberships, visit joineaglemed.com. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/11564215/eaglemed-reaches-faa-safety- management-system-level-3 Back to Top Embry-Riddle first in nation to get FAA approval for ATP certification program Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University became the first training provider in the country to receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for its airline transport pilot certification training program. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University this week became the first training provider in the country to receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for its airline transport pilot certification training program. When new FAA regulations take effect Aug. 1, all future airline pilots will be required to complete an ATP certification training program to qualify to take the ATP airman knowledge test - a prerequisite for the ATP certificate required for employment as a commercial airline pilot in the U.S. "We are very excited that our students will be able to complete this training as part of their normal degree requirement," said Ken Byrnes, chairman of the flight department in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle. "The FAA approval of our ATP course ensures that our graduates will have the qualifications necessary to be employed, succeed and help shape the future of the aviation industry." With the completion of an FAA-approved aviation degree program from Embry-Riddle, graduates also are eligible to receive the newly created restricted ATP certification after 1,000 or 1,250 flight training hours, making them eligible for hiring by a scheduled passenger airline between 250 and 500 flight training hours sooner compared to students completing a non-qualified program. Daytona Beach-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace. http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/morning_call/2014/07/embry-riddle-first-in-nation- to-get-faa-approval.html Back to Top Back to Top Frontier Airlines pilot buys pizzas for stranded passengers CHEYENNE, Wyo., July 9 (UPI) --The weather on Monday night may have been cloudy for a group of Frontier Airlines passengers, but there was a chance of pizza. After Frontier flight 719 from Washington, D.C. to Denver was forced to divert to Cheyenne, Wyo., for several hours because of thunder and lightning in the Mile High City, the plane's pilot decided to have some pizzas delivered. Fifty of them. Captain Gerhard Bradner was hungry as he piloted his plane to the ground, so he decided to call Domino's. Bradner ordered and paid for pizzas for the entire plane. "If the need arises you need to take care of your family; you need to take care of your passengers. They are my responsibility the moment they step on the aircraft until they get off the aircraft," Captain Brandner told KUSA. When Bradner announced over the loudspeaker that the pies were on their way, the entire cabin burst into applause. "The captain took his own initiative," passenger Logan Marie Torres told KDVR. "He said 'Ladies and gentleman, Frontier Airlines is known for being one of the cheapest airlines in the US, but your captain is not cheap. I just ordered pizza for the entire plane.'" The pizzas arrived and everyone chowed down while they waited for the storms to leave the area. When the weather was clear, the plane left Cheyenne and arrived in Denver without incident. http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/latest#ixzz36yP4j3O1 Back to Top Emirates Signs Off on $56 Billion Deal for 150 Boeing 777X Jets Emirates, the largest airline by international traffic, signed off on an order for 150 Boeing Co. (BA:US) 777X planes worth $56 billion at list prices to renew and extend what is already the world's largest wide-body fleet. The deal for 115 400-seat 777-9Xs and 35 smaller 777-8Xs firms up a commitment announced last year and comes with an option for 50 more aircraft taking its value to $75 billion, Dubai-based Emirates said in a joint statement with Boeing. "The 777X will offer us operational flexibility in terms of range, more passenger capacity and fuel efficiency," Emirates President Tim Clark said in the release. The first aircraft are due for delivery in 2020, he said. The largest single order in aviation history positions Emirates as lead operator of the first twin-jet able to haul a jumbo's payload, aided by a revamp with new General Electric Co. (GE:US) engines and Boeing's largest-ever wing. The Gulf carrier, the No. 1 operator of both the current generation 777 and Airbus Group NV (AIR) A380 superjumbo, is splurging on capacity as it builds Dubai into the leading hub for long-haul transfer flights. The 777X order was initially announced at the Dubai Air Show in November, and is being firmed up days before next week's Farnborough expo in the U.K. Emirates has finalized its order with Chicago-based Boeing less than a month after scrapping a deal with European rival Airbus for 70 A350 wide-body planes valued at $16 billion. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-07-09/emirates-signs-off-on-56-billion-deal- for-150-boeing-777x-jets Back to Top THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM A Celebration of Pilots Helping Get the Job Done Safely & Securely August 4-7, 2014 | Washington Hilton | Washington, DC SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Contact Tina Long at tina.long@alpa.org for more information or click here to download the sponsorship brochure. AGENDA AT A GLANCE Visit http://safetyforum.alpa.org for full agendas MONDAY - AUGUST 4, 2014 8:30-9:00 General Session-ALPA Air Safety Organization Update (Open to all ALPA Members Only) 9:30-6:00 ALPA ASO Group Workshops & Council Meetings - (invitation only) 9:30-4:30 Jumpseat Forum (invitation only) 12:00-5:00 Aviation Security Forum (invitation only) TUESDAY - AUGUST 5, 2014 8:00-6:00 ALPA ASO Group Workshops & Council Meetings - (invitation only) 9:00-5:00 Joint Aviation/Security Forum - (invitation only) WEDNESDAY - AUGUST 6, 2014 - 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM 8:30-9:00 Opening Ceremony 9:00-10:30 Panel: Surviving a Main Deck Lithium Battery Fire: New Technological Solutions 10:30-11:00 Break with the Exhibitors 11:00-12:30 Panel: Smoke In the Cockpit-Where Seconds Matter 12:30-1:45 Keynote Luncheon-100 Years of Commercial Aviation Mr. Paul Rinaldi - President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association 1:45-3:15 Panel: Finding the Runway with a Smoke-Filled Cockpit-Using All the Tools 3:15-3:45 Break With the Exhibitors 3:45-5:15 Panel: Landing A Distressed Airliner-What's Waiting at the Airport? 5:15-5:25 Presentation of the ALPA Airport Safety Liaison and ALPA Airport Awards 5:25-5:30 Closing Remarks 5:30-6:30 Hospitality Reception (Sponsored by Boeing) THURSDAY - AUGUST 7, 2014 - 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM 8:30- 10:00 Panel - Current Security Threats and Countermeasures 10:00-10:30 Break with the Exhibitors 10:30-11:30 Panel: A Discussion With Key Regulators 11:30-11:40 Presentation of the ALPA Presidential Citation Awards 11:40-1:00 Lunch (on your own) 1:00-2:30 Panel: Pilot Health & Occupational Safety 2:30-3:00 Break with the Exhibitors 3:00-4:30 Panel: Modernizing Our National Airspace System: The Flight Path, The Potholes and the Promise 4:30-5:00 Closing Ceremony 6:00-7:00 Awards Reception (Sponsored by Airbus) 7:00-10:00 Awards Dinner 10:00-11:00 Post Awards Reception Back to Top Upcoming Events: Managing Safety for High Performance Jul 14-15, 2014 London-Stansted Airport, UK http://www.universalweather.com/aviation-sms/education/managing-safety-for-high- performance/?utm_source=externalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DBTKP007 International System Safety Society Annual Symposium 04-08AUG2014 - St. Louis, MO http://issc2014.system-safety.org ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition Atlanta, GA September 7 - 10, 2014 http://annual.aci-na.org/ IFA - Maintaining Airworthiness Standards and Investing in the Most Important Asset 'The Human Element' 17 - 18 September, 2014 Emirates Eng Facility, Dubai www.ifairworthy.com Public Safety and Security Fall Conference Arlington, VA October 6 - 9, 2014 http://aci-na.org/event/4309 Back to Top Employment: Position Available: Assistant Chief Flight Instructor LeTourneau University www.letu.edu/jobs Position Available: Human Performance Investigator NTSB https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/373245800 Curt Lewis