Flight Safety Information August 19, 2014 - No. 170 In This Issue FAA Bars U.S. Airlines From Flying Through Syrian Airspace Improve air safety, Ma Ying-jeou demands after deadly Penghu crash U.N.'s Aviation Safety Arm Says Risk of Ebola Transmission on Flights Low Caan clips airlines' wings for violating safety rules The most dangerous place in the world to be a pilot PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA Gulfstream moving toward supersonic jet Space plane tech could power Hypersonic Aircraft for U.S. Military New aviation partnership lowers tuition cost, flight hours requirements for aspiring pilots The 11th International Symposium of the Australian Aviation Psychology Association ISASI 2014 - Annual Seminar, October 13-16, 2014 Upcoming Events FAA Bars U.S. Airlines From Flying Through Syrian Airspace FAA Cites Antiaircraft Weapon Threats in Syria By ANDY PASZTOR U.S. aviation regulators formally barred American carriers from flying through any part of Syrian airspace, citing "extremist groups" involved in hostilities that are "known to be equipped with a variety of antiaircraft weapons which have the capability to threaten civilian aircraft." The announcement replaces previous warnings to U.S. airlines that strongly advised them to avoid flying in that airspace, but gave carriers the option of doing so after advising the FAA. The agency said it based its latest decision on "an updated assessment of the risk" and "the lack of any request from operators wishing to fly in this airspace." According to the FAA's announcement, "the ongoing armed conflict and volatile security environment in Syria poses a serious potential threat to civil aviation." The agency went on to emphasize that "armed extremist groups in Syria" possess antiaircraft weapons and some of them "have successfully shot down Syrian military aircraft" during the conflict in that country. The FAA statement also said that "opposition elements have previously warned civilian air carriers against providing service to Syria." Monday's move comes about a month after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed in Ukraine, presumably from a high-altitude missile fired by an antiaircraft weapon. Fallout from that tragedy sparked world-wide debate over the dangers of airliners flying over areas where armed conflicts are under way, and prompted U.S. and international regulators to reassess procedures to warn airlines about such threats. U.S. pilot union leaders, along with some U.S. airline officials, criticized the traditional analysis and warning system as too slow and unpredictable. The FAA's move affecting Syria comes less than two weeks after some of those criticisms became public. At the time, the FAA official in charge of the office responsible for coordinating with national-security agencies and then publicizing such threat assessments said the spread of sophisticated antiaircraft weapons raised the overall risks to aviation. Weeks before the latest announcement, a number of carriers based in the U.S. and other countries voluntarily halted all flights over Syria. http://online.wsj.com/articles/faa-bars-u-s-airlines-from-flying-over-any-syrian- airspace-1408406783 Back to Top Improve air safety, Ma Ying-jeou demands after deadly Penghu crash Taiwanese president urges authorities to improve monitoring as TransAsia Airways chief apologises to families of victims Soldiers clean up the wreckage of the TransAsia Airways turboprop plane that crashed on Penghu island. Photo: Reuters Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday ordered transport authorities to improve flight safety, as the head of airline TransAsia Airways apologised to relatives of victims killed when one of its planes crashed on the resort island of Penghu. Forty-eight people died when the ATR-72 twin-engine turboprop, carrying 54 passengers and four crew members, crashed while trying to land in bad weather and burst into flames. Ten people survived. Wednesday's crash, Taiwan's deadliest in 12 years, prompted criticism of the aviation authorities and the airline for permitting the plane to fly in bad weather. It crashed in the village of Xixi, 1km from the runway. So far, 36 bodies have been identified. We will do all we can to assist the families ... in the difficulties VINCENT LIN, CHAIRMAN OF TRANSASIA AIRWAYS "All people here are deeply saddened about such an air disaster, the likes of which has not happened for many years. The authorities must take swift action to strengthen flight safety," Ma said. "The Civil Aeronautics Administration must also provide effective measures to uphold aviation safety," he said as he visited a survivor, a 10-year-old girl, at a Taipei hospital. The girl, identified as Lee Wei-tung, was trapped in her overturned seat by its safety belt. A couple pulled her to safety as they climbed out of the wreckage. Another girl was not so lucky. Villagers saw her sitting on the nose of the plane. "There was a fire in the broken-up plane and we heard people pounding on the windows screaming for help," the villager was quoted by TVBS-News as saying. "We saw the girl and told her to jump down, but she was too afraid. Several minutes later the plane exploded," said the villager, who said he was afraid to approach the plane. The airline's chairman, Vincent Lin, who attended a funeral ceremony in Penghu, apologised to the victims' relatives and promised help. "We will do all we can to assist the families to tide them over in their difficulties and we apologise for any discrepancy in the handling of the aftermath," he told grieving relatives who had confronted him. The airline has promised NT$200,000 (HK$51,700) for each injured person and NT$800,000 for families of the deceased. The total amount would top NT$51 million, more than the NT$49 million the airline recorded in first-quarter profits. http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1559397/improve-air-safety-ma-ying-jeou- demands-after-deadly-penghu-crash Back to Top U.N.'s Aviation Safety Arm Says Risk of Ebola Transmission on Flights Low Statement Comes as WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern The United Nations' aviation safety arm on Monday tried to reassure nervous airline passengers that the risk of becoming infected from Ebola while on a flight is remote amid a growing death toll from the outbreak. "The risk of transmission of Ebola virus disease during air travel is low," the International Civil Aviation Organization said in a statement. The statement comes after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. More than 1,100 people have died in the Ebola outbreak across Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. There is no vaccine or treatment for the viral hemorrhagic fever, which causes symptoms such as fever, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea and can puncture blood vessels to cause internal bleeding. ICAO said it had teamed with the World Health Organization and other groups including the International Air Transport Association representing carriers to establish a Travel and Transport Task Force to "monitor the situation and provide timely information to the travel and tourism sector as well as to travelers." ICAO said that one reason passengers should not be concerned is because of the way Ebola spreads. "Transmission requires direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected living or dead persons or animals, all unlikely exposures for the average traveler," it said. The virus is only transmitted by people already suffering from Ebola, at which point they generally are too ill to travel, ICAO said. British Airways IAG.MC +0.42% suspended some African flights over health concerns linked to the Ebola outbreak. Other carriers, such as Air France-KLM AF.FR +4.00% and Brussels Airlines that have extensive African networks, have continued service amid heightened passenger screening. ICAO said "affected countries are requested to conduct exit screening of all persons at international airports, seaports and major land crossings, for unexplained febrile illness consistent with potential Ebola infection." http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-n-s-aviation-safety-arm-says-risk-of-ebola- transmission-on-flights-low-1408381892 Back to Top Caan clips airlines' wings for violating safety rules KATHMANDU, AUG 19 - The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) has demoted two airlines to cargo flights and issued shortened Air Operators Certificates (AOC) to a few others for violating safety regulations. The country's aviation regulator said that Sita Air and single-engine operator Air Kasthamandap had been barred from carrying passengers due to major safety issues and neglecting international safety standards. Their AOCs have been revalidated for a year but only for cargo flights. According to Caan, Sita Air did not have enhanced ground proximity warning system on its planes and did not fulfil the required paperwork. The ground proximity warning system provides a timely and distinctive warning to the flight crew when the plane is too close to the ground. Likewise, Simrik Airlines has been banned from flying on instrument flight rules (IFR) that permit an aircraft to operate in instrument meteorological conditions. Its aircraft have to fly on visual flight rules (VFR) meaning they can fly only when the weather is clear. Simrik's AOC has been extended for five months while the AOC of its helicopter has been renewed for three months. Similarly, Fishtail Air's AOC has been renewed till October 2014. Meanwhile, Caan renewed the AOCs of Makalu Air, Shree Airlines, Mountain Helicopters, Nepal Airlines, Goma Air and Air Dynasty for a year. Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines and Tara Air were the only airlines to get their AOCs revalidated for one year by the July 16 deadline set by Caan as their documents satisfied the level of compliance prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao). Caan's Deputy Director General Sanjiv Gautam said that some carriers were downgraded as they failed to satisfy the regulator with sets of safety standards. "Caan has taken strong corrective action to enforce compliance. It has ordered the downgraded carriers and those that failed to get their AOCs fully revalidated to follow the standard practice in accordance with the findings of Caan's audit before applying for passenger service or extending their AOCs." On July 16, Caan had granted a temporary reprieve to 16 domestic airlines failing to comply with international safety standards and renewed their AOC for a one-month period under the direct orders of Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Bhim Prasad Acharya. The carriers have been let off under the condition that they fulfil the safety oversight standards prescribed by Caan's new AOC Regulation. As Icao and the European Commission (EC) have raised questions at the way Nepal's aviation industry has been operating, Caan has become more stringent in issuing or revalidating AOCs. The international auditors said that Nepal's records of the certification of air operators were not complete enough to substantiate the approvals granted to Nepali carriers. On December 5, 2013, the EC had put Nepal in its air safety list as it found the country lacking the ability to oversee aviation safety issues. Similarly, the global aviation watchdog had put Nepal in its list of significant safety concerns as audit findings pointed out weaknesses in issuing or revalidating AOCs. After issuing a ban, an EC delegation carried out an on-site inspection of Nepal's civil aviation sector in February to reassess whether it should be kept on the air safety list for a longer term. However, Nepal's inspection report was not considered for discussion at the Aviation Safety Committee meeting held from March 25-27 in Brussels, Belgium. The next meeting is scheduled for November. Caan needs to send a progress report on major issues pointed out by the EC by September 15. If they are satisfied with the improvements Nepal has made, particularly in operation, air operators certificate and pilot licensing, there are chances that the ban will be lifted. Meanwhile, Caan is preparing to invite experts from the Icao Bangkok regional office to conduct a mock inspection and audit designed to uncover any potential weaknesses in the processes and documentation of the Nepali civil aviation industry. The mock-up audit is a prelude to an Icao final audit. Caan plans to invite a re-validation mission in February 2015 to review the corrective action plan enforced to address safety deficiency. http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/08/19/business/caan-clips-airlines-wings-for-violating- safety-rules/393807.html Back to Top The most dangerous place in the world to be a pilot A new Channel 4 series follows rookie British pilots as they gain experience flying perilous routes between the islands of Indonesia. Are the risks worth it, asks Theo Merz The worst place to be a pilot? A plane in a remote mountain community in Indonesia Photo: Matt Dearden A recently-qualified pilot flies a single-engine turboprop plane above the mountains of Indonesia. Below him he can see a propeller plane of the same model, which crashed into one of the tree-covered slopes years ago but has never been cleared away. It is a reminder of the many risks that being a pilot in this part of the world involves. Others include landing in areas in which local communities are armed and in conflict with the government, and flying over parts of the world in which cannibalism is, allegedly, still practiced. TRAILER: Worst Place To Be A Pilot | Tuesday, 9pm | Channel 4 The dangers, however, do not deter young, Western pilots, who need to clock up their flying hours, from applying to work in Indonesia, before they can be employed by commercial or passenger airlines in their own countries. Susi Air, an airline flying out of West Java to some of Indonesia's most remote islands, receives hundreds of emails a week from would-be pilots hoping to work with them. And the number will no doubt increase, despite the title of a new Channel 4 documentary series charting the progress of the airline's British employees - Worst Place to be a Pilot. Captain Guy Richardson, originally from Surrey, is one of the pilots to feature in the programme, the first episode of which airs tonight. The 37-year-old worked a variety of jobs in the UK before undertaking his flight training in South Africa seven years ago. He graduated in the middle of a global recession and found it impossible to get work elsewhere, so applied to Susi through a friend. Captain Guy Richardson (Photo: Channel 4) "I was up for an adventure," says Richardson during one of his twice-yearly trips back to the UK. "I think you have to be less aware of danger than most people to do it. Generally, it's the same as what they say about commercial flying everywhere, though - 95 per cent boredom and five per cent pure terror." Rowdy Passengers with no Cabin Crew | Worst Place To Be A Pilot | Channel 4 While he emphasises that Susi is less dangerous than many other carriers in Indonesia, which are under greater commercial pressures to reach remote and often dangerous areas, the airline still has a less-than-perfect safety record: US Embassy staff were banned from flying on Susi Air following a series of fatal plane crashes in 2011-12. One of the main problems, Richardson says, is communication with air traffic control. "Sometimes I have to do the exact opposite of what air traffic control are telling me, which in Europe would never, ever happen." Once he was preparing to take off from a remote landing strip when he saw another plane beginning its descent towards him; the aircraft had not told traffic control where they were landing, or if they had, the message had been confused. In an incident in the first episode of the series, Richardson spots a dog on the runway before he is about to take off. He repeatedly calls to the ground staff to remove it but they do not understand the instruction - so he takes off anyway and hopes that the dog will stay out of his path. "Another thing is the weather," he says. "When you're in a jumbo jet you're flying above it, but here - in these smaller planes, if you're close to the mountains - you're totally in it. That can be pretty scary when you get caught up in a storm." Despite the dangers, Richardson has no regrets about taking on the job in Indonesia, though he is starting to think it might be time to come home. "There's so much coastline in the country, so I'll do a lot of surfing in my spare time. I stay with other Susi pilots and it can get a bit strained living and working together, but we get along; we play tennis and football. "I've got used to the hazards of flying here now, but I should probably get back to Europe and start a family of my own. There are lots of things I love out in Asia but a family's not going to happen if I stay there." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/11041485/The-most-dangerous-place-in-the- world-to-be-a-pilot.html Back to Top Back to Top Gulfstream moving toward supersonic jet A NASA F-15 specially equipped with the Gulfstream Aerospace telescopic Quiet Spike sonic boom mitigator taxis from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport runway to the Gulfstream Aerospace tarmac with the boom in the retracted position. For more than a decade, Savannah-based Gulfstream Aerospace has dedicated a team of engineers and other researchers to finding a way to diminish the bone-jarring sound of an aircraft breaking the sound barrier. Some seven years ago, Gulfstream rolled out its "Quiet Spike" sonic boom mitigation system on a NASA F-15 jet, which had been testing the structural integrity of the device. Last month, the business jet manufacturer won U.S. Patent 8,789.789 for a "supersonic aircraft with spike for controlling and reducing sonic boom." This month, two more Gulfstream patent applications have been revealed, the first for "Systems and methods for controlling magnitude of a sonic boom" and the second for "A propulsion system using large-scale vortex generators for flow redistribution and supersonic aircraft equipped with the propulsion system." Although the company makes it a practice not to talk about projects in development, it's beginning to look like Gulfstream is getting closer to a viable supersonic business jet. Propulsion is one key factor, with engines designed to handle the higher heat supersonic speeds generate. It appears Gulfstream has resolved that issue with its patent application for a propulsion system. But the biggest obstacle has always been the resolution of the sonic boom. The Federal Aviation Administration has banned supersonic flight over land because of the damage shock waves from a sonic boom can produce. On a global level, the International Civil Aviation Organization requires supersonic flight over land not create an audible disturbance on the ground. Since the successful completion of its Quiet Spike program with NASA in 2007, Gulfstream has been working to incorporate the device in a low-boom configuration aircraft. But the disclaimer remains the same, according to Steve Cass, Gulfstream's vice president for communications. "From the beginning, we've made it clear that we are not going to begin building a quiet supersonic aircraft prototype until its operation is approved by the respective aviation authorities for use over land," Cass said Monday. "Unfortunately, that's not going to happen tomorrow." http://businessinsavannah.com/bis/2014-08-19/gulfstream-moving-toward-supersonic- jet#.U_M7OPldV8E Back to Top Space plane tech could power Hypersonic Aircraft for U.S. Military Engine technology being developed for a British space plane could also find its way into hypersonic aircraft built by the U.S. military. The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory is studying hypersonic vehicles that would use the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE), which the English company Reaction Engines Ltd. is working on to power the Skylon space plane, AFRL officials said. "AFRL is formulating plans to look at advanced vehicle concepts based on Reaction Engine's heat-exchanger technology and SABRE engine concept," officials with AFRL, which is based in Ohio, told Space.com via email last month. [The Skylon Space Plane (Images)] A bold British space plane concept SABRE and Skylon were invented by Alan Bond and his team of engineers at the Abingdon, England-based Reaction Engines. SABRE burns hydrogen and oxygen. It acts like a jet engine in Earth's thick lower atmosphere, taking in oxygen to combust with onboard liquid hydrogen. When SABRE reaches an altitude of 16 miles (26 kilometers) and five times the speed of sound (Mach 5), however, it switches over to Skylon's onboard liquid oxygen tank to reach orbit. (Hypersonic flight is generally defined as anything that reaches at least Mach 5.) Two SABREs will power the Skylon space plane -- a privately funded, single-stage-to- orbit concept vehicle t-hat is 276 feet (84 meters) long. At takeoff, the plane will weigh about 303 tons (275,000 kilograms). The SABRE heat exchanger is also known as a pre-cooler. It will cool the air entering Skylon's engines from more than 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius) down to minus 238 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 150 degrees C) in one one-hundredth of a second. The oxygen in the chilled air will become liquid in the process. [Skylon's Many Possible Missions (Video)] "The [pre-cooler] performance has always been pretty much what we predicted," Bond explained in an interview with Space.com at the Farnborough International Airshow in England on July 16. "We've now done over 700 actual tests. It's now done as much service as a pre-cooler would in a real engine." Bond's team has also successfully tested the pre-cooler for a problem aviation jet engines have to deal with: foreign objects being sucked in. "We know it [the pre-cooler] can take debris, insects, leaves," Bond said. Working with the U.S. military Bond estimates that the pre-cooler is now at a technology readiness level (TRL) of about 5. NASA and AFRL use a 1-to-9 TRL scale to describe a technology's stage of development. According to NASA's TRL descriptions, 5 represents "thorough testing" of a prototype in a "representative environment." The AFRL work is being carried out under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Reaction Engines that was announced in January. AFRL officials told Space.com that they are using computers to model SABRE. "The Air Force research laboratories in the States have carried out some modeling to verify that the SABRE does actually work, that it is a real engine, and so I am hoping they are going to confirm that very soon," Bond said. "This is obviously opening doors in the United States, and again, I can't say a great deal about that, but we have very good dialogue going across the Atlantic," he added. "In the next couple of years, it's going to be quite exciting." Bond declined to confirm rumors of organized support within the U.S. aerospace community that involves former senior program managers of the U.S. military's most high-profile defense projects. Bond sees Skylon as an international project that would include the U.S. and Europe. "We're in dialogue with people across Europe in regard to supplying [rocket engine components]. We don't want to reinvent the wheel; we'd like to be the engine integrator and put it on our test facilities and run it," he explained. Milestones approaching Two SABRE engines are expected to be tested in 2019. "Hopefully, the earlier part of 2019," Bond said. "I'd like to feel we can test them on Westcott. That is where the rocket propulsion establishment used to be." (In the 1950s and 1960s, the United Kingdom had its own space program; the nation launched a satellite called Prospero with its last rocket, Black Arrow, in 1971. Westcott is about a one-hour drive from Reaction Engines' headquarters). The SABRE development program is expected to cost 360 million British pounds ($600 million at current exchange rates). "We've got 80 million [British pounds] of the 360 million lined up. We're well on our way to that," Bond said. Of the 80 million pounds, 60 million is from the U.K. government. As with the commercial ventures NASA supports, Reaction Engines has to meet milestones to acquire those government funds. "We have to meet milestones, but those are programmatic issues," Bond said. "There is nothing contentious about that; it is just a matter of getting the work done to get there. I think of it as an R&D program, and we've done the 'R' bit, and this part forward is the 'D' bit. We've spent years making sure the technology actually works." In January, this R&D program reached its third phase, which is split into four sections, known as 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D. Sections 3A and 3B are being carried out in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). Section 3A began in January and will last until April 2015. It involves the engine's system design, revising the engine's layout and studying the impact on Skylon's performance. This work will cost 8 million euros ($10.7 million, or 6.4 million British pounds), half of which will come from the U.K. government and ESA and the other half from Reaction Engines' private investment. "This is it for real now; this isn't studies anymore," Bond said. Section 3A will continue until spring 2015, and section 3B is due to start in January 2015, he added. "That is the preliminary design phase,." Bond said." Section 3B will last until the end of 2015. During this section, the characteristics of the engine components will be defined and technical specifications produced. Section 3C, which starts from mid-2015, will see 10 million euros ($13.37 million, or 8 million British pounds) from the U.K. government spent. The section 3C work with suppliers overlaps section 3B. This is because some of the components will get specifications during 3B before other parts of the engine are fully defined. Those detailed components with specifications can then be given to prospective suppliers during the first few months of section 3C. "In 3C, we start to do detailed design -- what the bearings will look like, who is the supplier going to be, that sort of stuff. This is really exciting stuff. We're starting to pull the real engine together during the course of next year," Bond said. He explained that for section 3C, his company will spend "some of the U.K. government money alongside some of our own private investment." The government money has "enabled us to raise quite a few millions of private investment to go alongside that, and we're continuing that [fund-raising] activity," Bond said. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/space-plane-tech-could-power-hypersonic-aircraft-for- us-military/ Back to Top New aviation partnership lowers tuition cost, flight hours requirements for aspiring pilots Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) and Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) have created a new agreement that will allow students to enroll in classes at either institution and to gain flight training at a reduced cost while pursuing associate's and bachelor's of science degrees in aviation. "Commercial airlines, especially regional carriers, are facing growing challenges with identifying qualified candidates to fill needed pilot positions," said Jeffrey Forrest, professor and chair of the MSU Denver Aviation and Aerospace Science Department. "This agreement enables us to offer students additional options for flight training and academics, while addressing the latest update to FAA pilot-qualification standards." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently increased the hiring requirements for first officers who fly for U.S. passenger and cargo airlines from a Commercial certificate (250 hours of flight experience) to an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate (1500 hours of flight experience). The new MSU Denver/CNCC agreement will reduce that requirement to 1,250 hours for students who follow all required FAA regulations to obtain a restricted ATP certificate. A restricted privileges ATP certificate allows a pilot to serve as a co-pilot until he or she obtains the required 1,500 hours. "This partnership creates a unique arrangement that benefits students at both institutions," said David Smith, vice president of instruction and student affairs at CNCC. "By combining MSU Denver's stellar aeronautics program with CNCC's pilot training, the partnership creates a world-class opportunity for students that will be unsurpassed in the classroom and in the cockpit." The CNCC partnership provides students an opportunity for flight training at Rangely Airport that costs 10 to 15 percent less than training at a typical flight school-where a student's total investment can exceed $75,000, on top of standard university tuition. During the summer, discounted-rate housing will be available near the airport, further reducing training costs and allowing students to complete their training more quickly. MSU Denver and CNCC will provide students with academic advisors to help them effectively access resources at both campuses, choose electives and customize their coursework focus. Current students can take advantage of the program immediately, and enrollment for new students will begin in fall 2014. Beyond the immediate benefits to students, both institutions believe this agreement will create opportunities to establish deeper connections within Colorado's growing aviation community, benefiting related businesses and fostering future economic development. "This is a great example of a collaborative effort between two of Colorado's premier aviation learning institutions to provide an enhanced pilot training program for their students," David Gordon, director of the Colorado Division of Aeronautics. "This program will provide skilled pilots for our aviation transportation system who meet the new FAA standards for safety." http://northdenvernews.com/new-aviation-partnership-lowers-tuition-cost-flight-hours- requirements-aspiring-pilots/ Back to Top The 11th International Symposium of the Australian Aviation Psychology Association. The theme for AAvPA 2014 is Consolidation, Complacency or Innovation: Our Challenge for the Future and features keynote presentations from Professor Neville Stanton, Dr Barbara Burian, Dr Key Dismukes and Professor Don Harris. The symposium is being held from 10-13 November 2014 in Melbourne. The web link is: http://conferenceworks.net.au/aavpa/ Back to Top Back to Top Upcoming Events: 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 ISASI 2014 - Annual Seminar October 13-16, 2014 Adelaide, Australia www.isasi.org IASS 2014 Abu Dhabi, UAE November 11-13, 2014 http://flightsafety.org/meeting/iass-2014 ERAU UAS FUNDAMENTALS COURSE December 9 - 11, 2014 ERAU Daytona Beach Campus, FL www.daytonabeach.erau.edu/uas Curt Lewis