Flight Safety Information December 16, 2014 - No. 253 In This Issue Cargo Pilots Say Fatigue Leading To Big Danger Below Hoover wins aviation's top prize Crash Probe Puts Focus On Pilots 2 Female Pilots Fly With Elite Blue Angels Singer arrested for opening airplane door Moscow responds on air safety: A deception Dubai gearing up for World Aviation Safety Summit PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA Tata-Singapore Airlines joint venture airline Vistara gets flying permit ERAU NextGen 101 Seminar - Washington, D.C. GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship Upcoming Events Cargo Pilots Say Fatigue Leading To Big Danger Below SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Dozens of huge cargo jets fly over Bay Area neighborhoods daily, and the pilots flying them say lack of rest is creating a big danger below. On August 14, 2013, at 4:47 a.m., a UPS cargo plane flying from Louisville, Ky. to Birmingham, Ala. crashed and burst into flames short of the runway. The two pilots on board didn't survive. Cockpit discussions recovered from the black box in the crash revealed a conversation between the two that was centered on sleep. "When my alarm went off, I mean, I'm thinking... I'm so tired," said the first officer. "I know," replied the captain. Federal regulations don't require cargo pilots to get as much rest as passenger pilots. "Fatigue is an integral part of the job," UPS Pilot Bob Matchette told KPIX 5. "It's managing that fatigue, that is where the challenge lies." Like the grueling route that goes from Anchorage, Alaska to Oakland, then to Ontario, then back to Oakland, then to Ontario again, and finally back to Anchorage. It's been dubbed the "Oakland death march" by Matchette and his fellow pilots. "You're always concerned about not just yourself, but obviously the people that are underneath your approach and landing path," said Matchette. Matchette said the Alabama crash is proof that federal regulations need to change. Yet, a time-lapsed video from the Independent Pilots Association shows that cargo pilots fly mostly at night. "They face special challenges that someone flying during the day doesn't have," said Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, famous for piloting the US Airways jet that made a miraculous landing in New York's Hudson River. He said it's a risk to the public and the pilots. "The cargo industry managed to get htem carved out and excluded from having to comply with better rest, so that's something that definitely has to be changed," he said. The FAA failed to include cargo pilots when it tightened rest rules for passenger pilots last year. Passenger pilots are limited to nine hours of duty during the night. Cargo pilots can be scheduled for 16 hours. "With all due respect, Captain Sullenberger is wrong. The fact is this is not a lobbying effort, this was a legal proceeding conducted at the FAA," said Steve Alterman with the Cargo Industry Association. He says the pilots don't need the extra rest. "Our pilots already fly only about half the time than the passenger pilots do, so it's a completely different model," he said. But, Matchette disagrees. "We fly the same equipment, landing on the same runways, in and out of the same airports as all passenger jets flying over the same neighborhoods," he said. "I think it's absolutely safe to say that it could be a lot safer." http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/11/16/cargo-pilots-say-fatigue-leading-to-big-danger-below/ Back to Top Hoover wins aviation's top prize After 70 years of achievements in aviation, the industry honored Robert A. "Bob" Hoover with its top award, the NAA Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy. Described by Jimmy Doolittle, a past recipient of the trophy, as "the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived," Hoover has flown, tested, and even crashed more airplanes than most any other pilot who ever lived. The spectrum of aviation turned out Dec. 12 in Washington, D.C., at the Aero Club of Washington's sixty- seventh annual black-tie Wright Memorial Dinner to honor the latest Wright winner. The dinner is held each year on the Friday evening preceding the Dec. 17 anniversary of the Wright brothers first powered, controlled flight in 1903. The evening included a clip from Flying the Feathered Edge, The Bob Hoover Project, a new film by Kim Furst that is now available on DVD. The film recounts Hoover's remarkable flying life and includes commentary by such well-known pilots as Harrison Ford, Dick and Burt Rutan, Carroll Shelby, Gene Cernan, Clay Lacy, Sean D. Tucker, and Air Force Col. Bud Day. As the crowd of 750 settled in for dinner, Peter Dumont, president of the Aero Club of Washington, got up to make opening remarks. The mere mention of Hoover's name brought the crowd to its feet for a standing ovation, one of several he would receive throughout the evening. After an introduction by Cernan, commander of the Apollo 17 lunar mission and the last man on the moon- to date, Hoover, age 92, walked on stage unassisted to accept the prestigious award, which is given annually by the National Aeronautic Association. This year the award was given to Hoover "for distinguished service as a military pilot, test pilot, and air show performer; for advancing safety and precision in the art of flying, and for using his skills as an aviator as a tool to inspire and motivate generations of pilots worldwide." Hoover learned to fly as a teenager in Tennessee, not telling his parents about the flying lessons he was taking. He joined the Army Air Corp during World War II and became a fighter pilot in the National Guard. On his fifty-ninth mission, flying a British Supermarine Spitfire, he was shot down over Germany and spent 16 months as a prisoner of war before escaping and stealing a German Focke-Wulf 190, flying it to safety and freedom in the Netherlands. At the dinner, well-known commentator and interviewer David Hartman interviewed Hoover on stage, teasing out stories of Hoover's years as a test pilot, flying wing man to Chuck Yeager on the day Yeager broke the speed of sound in the Bell X-1. After a military career, Hoover became a test pilot for Allison Engine and later North American Aviation. He later was a demonstration pilot and airshow performer, thrilling millions of people over the years with his energy-management routine that had his Shrike Commander fly a whole aerobatic routine with the engines shut down, pouring iced tea while upside down, and rolling to a dead-stick landing to the exact spot from which he took off. Recognizing Hoover with the Wright Award raised the bar for future recipients and increases the stature of the award for all those impressive previous winners. http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/December/15/Hoover-wins-aviations-top-prize Back to Top Crash Probe Puts Focus On Pilots OFFICIALS have completed their analysis into the cockpit voice recorder and digital electronic engine monitors on board the plane that crashed in Grand Bahama over a month ago, killing prominent pastor Dr Myles Munroe and eight others. #The Tribune has learned that their results are in line with the conclusions of the preliminary report into the crash, which was released nearly three weeks ago. #That report revealed that the accident on November 9 took place while the pilots attempted to land the aircraft amid difficult weather conditions. #Department of Civil Aviation officers met officials of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Bombardier - the manufacturer of the aircraft - at the headquarters of the National Transportation Safety Board this week to process the investigation and formally analyse the relevant technology. #Having found results that support their initial conclusions, the team will now switch their focus to gaining insights into the lives of the plane's pilots, Captain Stanley Thurston and First Officer Frahkan Cooper, during the pilots' final few weeks. #They could begin interviewing family members of the pilot and co-pilot as early as next week. #According to a source close to the investigation who spoke to The Tribune on the condition of anonymity, while weather reduced visibility on the evening in question, the decisions the pilots made - or did not make - played a role in the crash. #Facing difficult weather conditions, the pilots could have turned the aircraft around and returned to New Providence, the source said. #Nonetheless, the source added a toxicology analysis of the pilots has been completed, revealing that they had consumed no drug that could have impaired their performance. #While Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin has said that the investigation into the crash could take several months to complete, The Tribune's source noted that the circumstances and facts surrounding the crash have now been established, adding that it is unlikely anything will emerge that would cause them to reverse their conclusions. #It is unclear when an official report into the investigation that takes into consideration the analysis of all relevant technology will be released. #The Lear Jet, which crashed into a Grand Bahama Shipyard, claimed the lives of nine people, including Bahamas Faith Ministries International (BFMI) Senior Pastor Dr Myles Munroe, his wife Ruth, vice-president Dr Richard Pinder, newly ordained youth pastors Lavard "Manifest" Parks, his pregnant wife Radel, their five-year-old son Johanan and American citizen Diego DeSantiago. #They died immediately on impact after their plane hit a crane, rolled, inverted and crashed. #The plane had left Nassau shortly after 4pm and crashed around 5:10pm. The group was flying into Grand Bahama from New Providence for an annual leadership conference organised by Dr Munroe. #The weather at the time was reduced visibility, resulting in a missed landing on the aircraft's second approach to the airport. #A preliminary report into the crash said: "The crew executed a missed approach procedure and continued outbound and entered the published holding pattern at 2,000 feet. Some time after entering the holding pattern, ATC (air traffic control) reported the weather as improving and thus a second ... approach was requested by the crew and granted by ATC. #"During the return for the second instrument approach, ATC reported the weather as again deteriorating due to rain and haze. While attempting to find the runway visually during the second approach, the aircraft descended and subsequently struck a towering crane at the Grand Bahama Shipyard." http://www.tribune242.com/news/2014/dec/14/crash-probe-puts-focus-pilots/ Back to Top 2 Female Pilots Fly With Elite Blue Angels FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Two female pilots are on the elite Blue Angels squadron, which made a pit stop Monday in North Texas. First female marine Captain Corrie Mayes and 'Fat Albert' Captain Katie Higgins will return in September for the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show. Capt. Higgins qualified to fly the C-130T Hercules aircraft, affectionately known as "Fat Albert," by logging at least 1,200 flight hours. "She's very honored to be in that position and the two of us, in addition to the rest of the females in this squad, we are proud to be here to represent our sisters," said Captain Mays. A total of 16 officers voluntarily serve with the Blue Angels. Each year the team typically selects three tactical (fighter or fighter/attack) jet pilots, two support officers and one Marine Corps C-130 pilot to relieve departing members. The Blue Angels haven't appeared at the air show since 2011. The Alliance Air show takes place Sept. 12- 13, 2015. http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/12/15/2-female-pilots-fly-with-elite-blue-angels/ Back to Top Singer arrested for opening airplane door R&B singer Jeremih was arrested last week for opening a door on a plane that had been closed by airline workers, according to reports. The singer was running late for a U.S. Airways flight at Newark International Airport last week and informed the flight was closed, according to CNN. The artist responded to the news that he had missed his flight by attempting to have his bodyguard, who was already on board the plane, reopen the door to the airplane's cabin, according to the report. "One of the members who had already properly proceeded through the now closed secondary jetway door opened the jetway door in an effort to unofficially allow his fellow members entrance onto the aircraft," Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Joe Pentangelo told the network about the incident involving the singer. Jeremih, his bodyguard and a third person were reportedly arrested and charged with obstruction of the administration of law and disorderly conduct. The US Airways flight, which was traveling from Newark to Phoenix, was delayed about five minutes by the instance, according to the report. http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/227201-singer-arrested-for-opening-closed-airplane-door Back to Top Moscow responds on air safety: A deception Yesterday, eTN reported under the headline "Outright Dangerous: Airspace over Sweden" alleging Russian military aircrafts are putting passenger planes in danger over Swedish airspace. Today, Russia's Defense Ministry has dismissed this accusation that an unresponsive Russian military aircraft nearly collided with a passenger plane over the Baltic Sea. The ministry added that NATO planes in the area also have their transponders turned off. The Russian aircraft in question was 70 kilometers away from the flight path of a passenger jet taking off from Copenhagen, and thus there were "no prerequisites" for collision between the two, Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. He also denied allegations that the military jet was flying right above southern Sweden, breaching its airspace. "The flight was in strict accordance with international laws on the use of airspace and did not violate state borders while remaining at a safe distance from the routes of civil aircrafts," Konashenkov said. Earlier on Saturday, Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told local radio that the Russian jet had its transponders turned off so it could fly undetected, and claimed that it nearly crashed into a passenger plane over Sweden. "This is serious. This is inappropriate. This is outright dangerous when you turn off the transponder," Hultqvist said. Konashenkov called Hultqvist's assessment of the Russian jet being invisible - and thus dangerous - a "deception," pointing out that none of NATO's spy and patrol jets operating in the region have their transponders turned on. That, however, does not prevent Russia from detecting them. "I want to particularly stress that the flights of NATO military planes in the international space on Russia's borders - which have intensified more than threefold over the last months - are always conducted with disabled transponders. But that does not mean that the Russian airspace control are not able to detect them," the spokesman stressed. As recently as December 12, the country's detection system spotted a NATO RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in the same area where the supposed "incident" with the Russian jet took place - only closer to the civilian aircraft route, Konashenkov revealed. NATO has recently stepped up its military flights in the region, due to a perceived Russian threat and the need to reassure the allied Baltic states. It comes against the backdrop of tensions over Ukraine. Meanwhile, the defense minister of the non-NATO Sweden announced that the nation is planning to retrain about 7,500 reservists who have served in the Swedish army since 2004. "The armed forces will be able to carry out fully-manned war preparations which will result in increased operational capacity," Hultqvist explained, justifying the plans. Peace activist Jan Oberg told the Russian RT news agency that the move is in line with the anti-Russian mood in the country's media and politics, triggered by the Ukraine crisis. "The whole thing comes from the Ukrainian crisis - and that was predominantly not created by Russia, but by the West," Oberg said. "It could be very much to show that we are doing something. You have to follow up on the fact that the Swedish media and political debate in this country are very anti-Russian and that the interpretation what happened in Ukraine has not been very balanced." "There is a very uniform media structure in this country. I am sad to say that it is the case. It has become worse over time." Back in October, Swedish media went on a wild goose chase for a phantom submarine, alleged to be Russian - even though the knowledge of identity was later denied by the Swedish military. It all started with a blurry image. A week of searches led to nothing, but cost the Swedish taxpayers almost $3 million dollars. NATO has recently launched a massive military build-up of troops in the Baltic states and other Eastern European NATO member states, following the crisis in Ukraine. The alliance argues that the expansion is needed to show support and assure that NATO members are protected from a possible attack by Russia. The US-led alliance has also been boosting its presence through military exercises held on a regular basis. NATO's new chief, Jens Stoltenberg, boasted of the bloc's successes in December. "We have already boosted our presence in the eastern part of our alliance. We have five times more planes in the air. Our forces start an exercise every two days. And we have also increased the number of ships in the Baltic and the Black Seas," Stoltenberg told reporters. One of the most recent war games included servicemen from nine NATO member states participating in nearly two weeks of military exercises in Lithuania. However, Moscow sees NATO expansion towards its borders as an aggressive move, and a violation of post-Cold War agreements. In early December, Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov called the build-up of NATO forces in Eastern Europe hostile and destabilizing to the Baltic, once the safest region in Europe http://www.eturbonews.com/53583/moscow-responds-air-safety-deception Back to Top Dubai gearing up for World Aviation Safety Summit Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) will once again host the World Aviation Safety Summit taking place in Dubai on 23 - 24 March 2015. The Summit will bring together local and international stakeholders from regulatory authorities, airline operators, airport operators, aircraft manufactures, pilot associations, safety organisations and air traffic control service providers to discuss key strategies and challenges in improving safety culture. Continuous improvement in global aviation safety is fundamental to ensuring air transport continues to play a major role in driving sustainable economic and social development around the world. With air traffic projected to double in the next 15 years, current and emerging safety risks must be addressed proactively to ensure that this significant capacity expansion is carefully managed and supported through strategic regulatory and infrastructure developments. Jeff Poole, director general, Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) will deliver a keynote address at the summit which will also feature high level debate and discussion on the most pressing issues surrounding safety in the aviation industry. The key objectives for the Summit are: To promote and facilitate the collection and sharing of safety information among the worldwide aviation community To help reduce legal and cultural barriers that discourage sharing of safety information To encourage government organisations to support and develop a safer and more efficient aviation industry To integrate safety culture with a world class safety management system to decrease human error. To educate and reinforce safety and regulators perspective on safety culture Over 300 regional officials representing airports, airlines, regulators, and industry stakeholders will attend the Summit, generating two days of insightful debate and discussions between the panel and the floor. http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/dubai-gearing-up-for-world-aviation-safety- summit.html#sthash.W3rrU1TH.dpuf Back to Top Back to Top Tata-Singapore Airlines joint venture airline Vistara gets flying permit, to announce schedule soon The new Delhi-based airline plans to connect Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Jammu and Patna in the first year of its operations NEW DELHI: Paving the way for launch of its flights, Tata-Singapore Airlines joint venture airline Vistara was today granted flying permit by aviation regulator DGCA, almost nine months after it applied for the licence. The new full-service carrier would "shortly" announce its flight schedules and open ticket bookings, an airline official said. Vistara currently has two leased Airbus A-320s in its fleet and plans to induct three more by March next year. The new Delhi-based airline plans to connect Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Jammu and Patna in the first year of its operations. "I am delighted that we have successfully cleared the final requirement and secured the AOP (Air Operator's Permit). We are thankful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for their support and guidance during the entire process," Vistara chief executive Phee Teik Yeoh said. Vistara chairman Prasad Menon said in a statement, "Receiving the AOP is a key milestone for Vistara... We are all looking forward to the first flight with excitement." The airline, in which Tata Sons holds 51 per cent stake and Singapore Airlines remaining 49 per cent, plans to operate 87 flights in the first year, with five A320s and then scale it up to 301 flights by the fourth year. Once it takes off, Vistara will be the third full service carrier after state-run Air India and Jet AirwaysBSE 7.20 %. A Vistara spokesperson said the airline "will soon make an announcement on the start of sales, routes and schedules". "Over the last few months, the Vistara team has been focused on complying with regulatory requirements for all procedural checks and finally the proving flights to qualify for the AOP," she said. Menon, the airline's chairman, said the company was "aware of the expectations" and would strive to live up to it as it "looks forward to shaping a success story in Indian aviation with the realisation of this dream". Tata Sons had announced forming a joint venture with Singapore Airlines in September 2013 to set up a full service airline, a year after the then Manmohan Singh government allowed investment by foreign airlines in the domestic carriers. The airline had applied to the DGCA for the permit in April and had planned to launch services by September, which has got delayed. Vistara has already planned to lease 20 Airbus A320s, including seven fuel-efficient A320 Neos in the next four years. Industry sources, however, said it would be difficult for the Delhi-based airline to hit the skies after the arrival of winter season, which is known for thick foggy conditions leading to delays and cancellation of flights. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/tata-singapore-airlines- joint-venture-airline-vistara-gets-flying-permit-to-announce-schedule-soon/articleshow/45525181.cms Back to Top ERAU NextGen 101 Seminar - Washington, D.C. "The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide Office of Professional Education is pleased to announce a two-day seminar entitled NextGen 101. The course is designed to identify the key concepts, attributes, and challenges of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Government and industry employees with an interest in NextGen, aviation stakeholders and members of the military transitioning to a career in civilian education should attend. The course will take place in Washington D.C. on April 21-22, 2015. Course fee is $750 per person or $675 per person with five or more people registering from the same group. For more information and to register, please visit us online at http://proed.erau.edu/programs/specialized- industry-training/nextgen-101-seminar/index.html" Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY I am Daniel Siao, and I am a graduate student studying Aviation Safety and Security Management at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). I hold both A&P and pilot certificates. I am conducting this research to attempt to reveal the hindrances that prohibit the successful implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) in maintenance facilities. Your participation in this survey will be greatly appreciated if you work in any capacity as an aircraft mechanic (with or without an A&P certificate). This survey is completely anonymous and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Please contact me regarding any questions you may have. The survey can be accessed with the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/66PF7WG Thank you in advance, Daniel H. Siao dhs2j@mtmail.mtsu.edu Back to Top Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship The Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship was established by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to shape the next generation of researchers in aviation weather, honoring the late Najeeb Elias Halaby, an eminent aviator and administrator, for his vision and more than five decades of extraordinary contributions to aviation (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/halabyfellowship.pdf). The Fellowship The recipient of a Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship will spend three months (in 2015 or early 2016) in residence with NCAR's Aviation Weather Research Program, which Mr. Halaby was instrumental in establishing in the 1980s. As the nation's leader in addressing aviation weather research, NCAR plays a unique role in meeting user needs by transferring research results to operations through its Research Application Laboratory (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/). The Fellow will conduct research broadly aimed at improving the integration of weather into decision support tools for improved weather avoidance and air traffic management. The Fellowship will provide: * a monthly stipend for three months, including temporary living expenses * round-trip travel expenses to and from Boulder, CO * travel to a conference to present results * page charges for one publication of key results Eligibility and Application The Halaby Fellowship targets graduate students (late Masters or early PhD level) enrolled in an aviation- relevant department or program of a domestic or international university. Interested candidates should have advanced research skills, far-reaching vision, and dedication to get things accomplished. Consideration for this Fellowship will be given to candidates based on the following submitted material: * Curriculum vitae * Proposal (maximum five pages) presenting the research to be conducted at NCAR, the anticipated outcome of that, and how the proposed effort ties into the candidate's ongoing graduate research project(s) * Contact information for three references (one of which should be the student's primary advisor) NCAR will accept applications for the Halaby Fellowship each year. Email Applications by February 28, 2015 to halabyfellowship@ucar.edu Back to Top Upcoming Events: Event: "The Future of Regulation of SMS and QA" Symposium. Keynote: Mr. Martin Eley, Director General Transport Canada. Location: Coronado Resort Hotel @ Disney World, Orlando Florida. Date: Jan 4-6, 2015 info: http://www.dtiatlanta.com/symposium.html A3IR CON 2015 January 16-17, 2015 Phoenix, AZ http://commons.erau.edu/aircon/2015/ Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) NTSB Training Center, Ashburn, VA March 10-11, 2015 www.acsf.aero/symposium FAA Helicopter Safety Effort three-day safety forum April 21-23, 2015 Hurst, Texas eugene.trainor@faa.gov www.faahelisafety.org IS-BAO Workshop Information and Registration 13 - 14 Jan. 2015 Baltimore, MD USA https://www.regonline.com/CalendarNET/EventCalendar.aspx?EventID=1592658&view=Month Curt Lewis