Flight Safety Information June 29, 2015 - No. 126 In This Issue Malaysia to reiterate calls for greater aviation safety United Airlines Passenger Lights Up, Refuses Requests To Stop Smoking Woman Struck By Lightning At Columbia Metro Airport (South Carolina) Allegiant Air defends safety record amid emergency landings, cancellations DGCA may make psychometric tests...for pilots mandatory (India) Dutch Say Inquiry Into Malaysia Jet Crash Is Being Blocked in Ukraine Falcon 9 Fails on Launch to Space Station PROS 2015 TRAINING WSU praises Senate support for FAA Center of Excellence Airbus Group Receives Order of 50 Aircraft From Saudi Airlines Consumer Jetpacks Will Be Flying By 2016 Eastman aviation program helps fuel pilot pipeline Oman Air recruits more pilots Female airline pilots wish more women would join them Teams eye Google's US$20m prize in race to the moon Embry-Riddle Research Survey Request Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Malaysia to reiterate calls for greater aviation safety PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will reiterate its calls for greater aviation safety when Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai addresses the 34th plenary session of European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) which begins in France tomorrow. "Our commitment has been well received by the international community particularly with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) responding positively to Malaysia's calls to bring about change for safer skies," said Liow in a statement yesterday. He added that he felt honoured at representing the country in the event which coincides with ECAC's 60th anniversary. "We will continue to stress the need for member states of ICAO to adopt mandatory procedures and protocols that would increase safety and security standards in international civil aviation. "To this end, the Government and ECAC look forward to inking a cooperation arrangement during the plenary session," he added. Liow also said the government was hopeful that Malaysia Airlines would finish paying compensation to the next of kin of Malaysians on board MH17 before the first anniversary of the incident. "To my understanding, only a few families have not received their compensation. "This is because we need to determine the rightful beneficiaries," Liow told reporters after opening the Gopeng MCA division AGM yesterday. All 298 people on board - from 11 countries - died in the incident on July 17 last year that saw The Netherlands losing a total of 196 citizens. http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/29/Malaysia-to-reiterate-calls-for- greater-aviation-safety/ Back to Top United Airlines Passenger Lights Up, Refuses Requests To Stop Smoking DENVER (CBS4) - A United Airlines flight that departed Denver International Airport bound for Boston on Friday had to return to DIA because of a passenger who was smoking. According to Raquel Lopez with Denver police, officers responded to the disturbance but no arrests were made. According to United Airlines the passenger was seated in the economy section and refused requests to stop smoking. Lopez said the passenger, whose name hasn't been released, was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The flight was canceled. Customers were re-booked on flights Saturday. http://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/06/28/united-airlines-passenger-lights-up-refuses- requests-to-stop-smoking/ Back to Top Woman Struck By Lightning At Columbia Metro Airport (South Carolina) A female passenger was struck by lightning while getting off an airplane at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport Saturday evening Columbia (WLTX) - A female passenger was struck by lightning while getting off an airplane at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport Saturday evening, according to airport officials. Officials say the woman was traveling on an American Airlines flight. The plane was traveling from Hartford, Connecticut to Charlotte, North Carolina when it was diverted to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport due to weather. Passengers were leaving the plane and heading into the airport when the woman was struck. Officials say they were notified of the incident at approximately 6:30 pm. The woman was transported to the hospital and as of 9:30 pm was in stable condition. No other injuries were reported. http://www.wltx.com/story/news/2015/06/28/woman-struck-by-lightning-leaving- plane/29422859/ Back to Top Allegiant Air defends safety record amid emergency landings, cancellations Allegiant Air is defending its safety record after a series of emergency landings and cancellations at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. At the height of its travel season, Allegiant Air finds itself with a challenging public relations problem. Recent headlines described two emergency landings at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport in June; a series of flight cancellations there and at other airports that left hundreds of passengers temporarily stranded; and a labor dispute with a pilots union alleging Allegiant puts profits above safety. Facing one of its most difficult years since the budget airline's 1997 founding, Allegiant officials last week moved to counter the perception that its fleet of 70 planes - one of the oldest among U.S. carriers - is plagued by maintenance issues. A spokeswoman said in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times that the airline has one of the industry's best safety records and that recent headlines amount to little more than bad luck. "So while we can appreciate that there have been some incidents that have been quite public" at St. Pete-Clearwater, "we stand by the fact that our flights are safe and that the safety of our passengers and crews are our No. 1 priority," said Allegiant spokeswoman Jessica Wheeler. The airline said more than a dozen flight cancellations at St. Pete-Clearwater since the emergency landings have nothing to do with serious maintenance or safety issues, noting the airline is at the height of its busy travel season. Wheeler said the airline has a small fleet, and when planes are taken out of service after emergency landings, cancellations result. "Ultimately, we're not going to fly an airplane that's not ready to fly," she said. Allegiant has never experienced an airline fatality. And airline safety in the United States has never been better, according to aviation experts. John Cox, a St. Petersburg resident who is a former U.S. Airways pilot and a former safety official at the Air Line Pilots Association, said U.S. airlines carried 3.5 billion passengers in 2014 on 40 million flights, with just 12 accidents resulting in fatalities, only two of which were on jets. "We're flying almost half the planet's population every year, and we have two jets that had fatal accidents in 40 million flights," Cox said. "It's the safest transportation system ever designed by mankind. You are far more likely to be killed by a cow. You are far more likely to be killed by a dog. You are far more likely to be killed by lightning." Cox noted airlines can fly older planes safely with additional maintenance, and U.S. air carriers face the world's strongest maintenance regimen via the Federal Aviation Administration. "Older, in and of itself, doesn't mean they're less safe," he said. Allegiant has followed a formula that has made it one of the most profitable U.S. airlines, with a profit margin in 2014 of 14 percent, according to the New York Times. That was exceeded only by Spirit Airlines' 18 percent margin. By contrast, the industry's average was under 4 percent. The Las Vegas-headquartered airlines saves cash by buying older jets and flying between cities that are overlooked by the larger airlines, such as Newburgh, N.Y., or Allentown, Pa. Allegiant is engaged in a labor fight this year with its pilots, who voted to unionize two years ago. They contend that the airline has reduced their benefits, but a federal appeals court earlier this year blocked the pilots' efforts to strike. The FAA put the airline under additional "surveillance" during these labor problems, and Allegiant officials said extra scrutiny did not uncover any problems with the way the airline maintained its aircraft. This could not be confirmed with the FAA, though the agency said as of last week, Allegiant was in compliance with regulatory requirements. A report in April released by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters' Aviation Mechanics Coalition - the Teamsters also represent pilots - detailed 65 incidents from September to March in which mechanical problems caused Allegiant aircraft to divert, return to the gate or abort takeoffs. Nine of those incidents involved aircraft at St. Pete- Clearwater. Allegiant officials said the report was simply a union tactic to force the airline to make labor concessions, saying in a statement that it was "an effort to manipulate the public by raising concerns about the safety of our operations." Russ Leighton, a Teamsters aviation safety coordinator who is a pilot but does not fly for Allegiant, said he believes Allegiant has experienced an abnormally high number of maintenance issues in the past year. He said Allegiant pilots believe the airline is not providing them with complete information about maintenance problems. "What is going on at Allegiant sticks out like a sore thumb," Leighton said. But Wheeler said the union is posturing. "Neither ourselves nor the FAA have found any trends that show us there is any cause for concern," she said. "No doubt if the FAA had any concerns, they would take action." Rabbi Levi Hodakov of St. Petersburg said he does not think he will fly Allegiant again soon after his flight out of St. Pete-Clearwater to Newburgh was diverted last weekend due to bad weather. News reports, he said, make him nervous. "Maybe things are getting blown out of proportion and the pilots are trying to give the airline a bad name," Hodakov said. "It would not shock me. ... But I don't intend on flying them again soon, even at the expense of paying a few extra bucks" to fly on another airline. "Right or wrong, I am only being human." http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/airlines/allegiant-air-defends-safety-record- amid-emergency-landings-cancellations/2235219 Back to Top DGCA may make psychometric tests for pilots mandatory (India) NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation may make it mandatory for airlines to conduct psychometric tests on pilots during recruitment and at regular intervals after hiring them. The recommendations were made by a committee headed by joint director general Lalit Gupta, which was formed by the DGCA. The panel was asked to suggest ways to curb incidents similar to the Germanwings copilot, who earlier this year slammed an Airbus 320 into an Alpine ridge at about 650 km an hour, killing all 150 on board, after allegedly suffering a bout of depression. "The recommendations are to carry out psychometric tests on all pilots being recruited in the airline and also carry out such tests at frequent intervals. The report will be submitted soon and orders will be issued accordingly," said a senior DGCA official, who did not wish to be identified. Psychometric tests are used to measure a person's mental capability and behavioural style. Some analysts aren't impressed with the suggestions and believe they will achieve nothing. "DGCA should understand that depression is more serious than any psychological problem and one may clear the psychometric test but can be depressed or stressed. Depression or stress can be due to various personal and professional reasons," said Shakti Lumba, former head of training at IndiGo. Lumba explains that depression or stress occurs due to a sudden change in life events. "The airline should be allowed to have a mechanism to deal with stress. The airline should be sensitive enough in dealing with stressed employees by simply allowing them to go on leave, if the employee is stressed. The employer should also provide other kind of help, if required," he suggested. Airlines in India have already responded to worries following the Germanwings crash. Air India rejected about 40 pilots due to concerns raised by psychologists during interviews. This was the first time an Indian carrier had rejected so many pilots on the basis of feedback provided by psychologists. IndiGo had also told ET that the airline provides assistance and arranges for facilities and access to the best of doctors and counsellors to employees. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/dgca- may-make-psychometric-tests-for-pilots-mandatory/articleshow/47856998.cms Back to Top Dutch Say Inquiry Into Malaysia Jet Crash Is Being Blocked in Ukraine MOSCOW - Pro-Russian separatist leaders in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk have blocked access to Dutch law enforcement officials pursuing an investigation into the downing of a Malaysian jetliner nearly a year ago, the Netherlands Public Prosecution Office said on Saturday. The obstruction by separatist officials prompted the investigators, from the Dutch National Police and Ministry of Defense, to cut short their field work in Ukraine without conducting research into cellphone towers and cellular networks in the region, the public prosecution office said. The passenger jet, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, was shot down on July 17 as it flew over the war zone in eastern Ukraine during a journey from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 people on board, including 196 Dutch citizens. Based on preliminary analysis and intelligence, including from the United States government, the aircraft was widely believed to have been destroyed by a surface-to-air missile fired from territory controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces. The separatist groups, however, strongly deny that they had anything to do with the crash, and the Russian government has sought to provide evidence that the plane was fired upon by a Ukrainian jet fighter. And on Friday, a senior Russian official said the Kremlin would oppose a plan by Malaysia calling on the United Nations Security Council to create a tribunal to try suspects in the downing of the jetliner. Calling the idea "ill-timed and counterproductive," Gennady Gatilov, a deputy foreign minister, told Russian news agencies, "We need to wait for the end of the investigation, not adopt hasty resolutions on the creation of tribunals." An official international inquiry into the cause, which is being led by the Dutch aviation safety agency, has not made any official determination. A preliminary report issued in September found that the aircraft had experienced no technical difficulties and had made no distress call, while wreckage of the plane indicated that it was destroyed after being hit by high-energy projectiles that ripped it apart in midair. Although the report did not say so, that kind of damage is consistent with a missile attack. The destruction of the plane sharply focused international attention on the worsening violence in Ukraine, and briefly put Russia under intense pressure over its role in the conflict, amid suspicions that it had supplied the missile system. But as the first anniversary of the disaster approaches, Dutch officials have expressed mounting concern over the lack of progress in determining the precise cause and in identifying those responsible, a likely reflection of intensifying political pressure, including from families of the victims. The criminal investigation is being carried out separately from the safety investigation. The Dutch officials spent about two weeks in eastern Ukraine, mostly at the crash site in the region of Donetsk, which is also largely controlled by pro-Russian separatist forces. The investigators ended their work on Saturday after concluding they could proceed no further. In Donetsk, however, investigators received greater cooperation from officials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, the Dutch prosecution office said in its statement on Saturday. Investigators were also aided by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which is monitoring the conflict zone. "The most important goals of the mission were in this region," the prosecution office said. "Ground samples have been taken at various locations and technical research has been conducted to locate cell towers and check the working of the eastern Ukrainian telephone network. The information that has been collected during the mission will be examined and analyzed in the Netherlands." Efforts to conduct a similar inquiry into cellphone towers in Luhansk were stymied, the prosecution office said. "The mission was also aimed at technical research into cell towers and telephone network in the Luhansk area," the statement added. "This has until now not succeeded, as representatives of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic in talks with the O.S.C.E. until now have refused access to the Luhansk area." Cellphone communications could be integral to the investigation because Ukrainian intelligence services said they had intercepted telephone conversations in which separatist commanders discussed the shooting down of a plane - apparently believing their forces had just destroyed a Ukrainian military jet. One Western official with close knowledge of the work in eastern Ukraine said that the investigators were ill-advised in trying to conduct an inquiry amid continued sporadic fighting. "I think they were extremely naïve to go back there and launch a criminal investigation in one of the most open and dangerous crime scenes in the world," the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the delicate politics of the inquiry. This month, the Dutch foreign minister, Bert Koenders, visited Moscow, where he discussed the inquiries with his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov. In a statement after the meeting, he added: "It's our responsibility to pull out all the stops in order to keep the attention of the international community focused on MH17. We owe it to the victims and the next of kin." http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/world/europe/dutch-say-inquiry-into-malaysia-jet- crash-is-being-blocked-in-ukraine.html?_r=0 Back to Top Falcon 9 Fails on Launch to Space Station A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle broke up shortly after launch from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station Sunday morning (June 28), raising near-term questions about supplies for the crew on the orbiting outpost and longer term issues with the state of space launch in the U.S. Carrying about 4,000 lb. of supplies and gear for the station, including an International Docking Adaptor designed to accommodate upcoming flights of the U.S. commercial crew vehicles in development, the launch vehicle appeared to break up about two minutes into the flight, before first-stage separation. NASA's launch commentator said controllers stopped receiving data two minutes, 19 seconds into the flight, and were reviewing video and telemetry to get a better handle on what happened. Although a Russian Progress resupply vehicle is scheduled for launch on Friday, the failure adds to concerns about station resupply that started with the failure last October of an Orbital ATK Antares launch vehicle en route to the station. SpaceX's Falcon 9/Dragon vehicle is the only U.S. backup to the Antares/Cygnus stack under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services program, and the last Progress sent to the station also failed to reach it after spinning out of control on ascent in April. In addition to costing more supplies for the station crew, the failure thwarted another attempt by SpaceX to fly its first stage back to a tail-down landing on a barge off the Florida coast as part of an ongoing effort to develop a partially reusable launcher. And it complicates SpaceX's efforts to begin launching national security payloads in competition with United Launch Alliance Atlas V and Delta IV launchers. http://aviationweek.com/space/falcon-9-fails-launch-space-station Back to Top Back to Top WSU praises Senate support for FAA Center of Excellence RICHLAND, Wash. - Officials at Washington State University applauded the Senate Appropriations Committee today for including $10.5 million for the FAA Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment in its funding measure for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. The committee approved an FY2016 funding measure to make resources available for the nation's infrastructure, aviation transportation safety and federal housing programs. Senator Murray, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, worked to make sure the bill continues to fund the FAA Center of Excellence headquartered at WSU's campus here. The bill passed the Senate Committee, providing funds to be used in partnership with other elements of the FAA's Next Generation Environmental Research Aircraft Technologies, Fuels, and Metrics program. aviation-biofuel"Investments in research and development of aviation biofuels is critical to creating jobs, fostering energy independence, and promoting environmental sustainability," said Sen. Murray. "The FAA Center of Excellence, co-led by Washington State University, is a leader in furthering this innovation, and I am proud to continue to support this great endeavor." Ralph Cavalieri, WSU associate vice president for alternative energy and director of the FAA center co-led by WSU and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, expressed his appreciation for the support. "These funds are vital for the continuation and expansion of the important research projects that the Center of Excellence is conducting to advance the vision of an environmentally sustainable aviation system that underpins so much of the global economy," he said. With substantial sources of agricultural and timber waste biomass and a rich cadre of innovative scientists, the Pacific Northwest is poised to play a pivotal role in the future of biofuels research. Through work done in collaboration with WSU's public research institution and industry partners, the state of Washington has become home to leaders in the research, development and use of aviation biofuels. Contact: Ralph Cavalieri, Associate Vice-President for Alternative Energy, WSU, 509-595-8340. cavalieri@wsu.edu https://news.wsu.edu/2015/06/26/wsu-praises-senate-support-for-faa-center-of- excellence/#.VZFBrflVhBc Back to Top Airbus Group Receives Order of 50 Aircraft From Saudi Airlines Saudi Arabian Airlines signs a contract with Airbus to acquire 30 A320 and 20 A330 commercial aircraft through International Airfinance Corporation Airbus Group recently announced that it signed a contract with Saudi Arabian Airlines to deliver 50 aircraft for a total value of $8.2 billion based on the list price. Airbus was in talks with Saudi Airlines since the beginning of the Paris Air Show; the deal has now been finalized. According to the contract, Airbus will be supplying 30 A320neo aircraft and 20 A330-300 aircraft to Saudi Arabian Airlines. The contract will certainly help Airbus in taking a lead from its rival, Boeing Co (NYSE:BA). However, Saudi Arabian Airlines will acquire the aircraft through Islamic financing. The $8.2 billion deal makes it the largest deal in the aviation industry made through Islamic financing. Yesterday, Airbus also announced that it is in talks with China to book an order of 50-70 A330-300 commercial aircraft, but the company has not yet finalized a contract. It is believed that the contract will be based on the list price and will be valued at approximately $16 billion. The International Airfinance Corporation, a Dubai-based Sharia compliant aircraft leasing company, will acquire the aircraft as per the contract and lease the aircraft to the buyer. Currently, Saudi Arabian Airlines operates a fleet of 137 aircraft manufactured by both Boeing and Airbus. With the current order, it now has 80 pending orders, 50 from Airbus and 30 from Boeing. It was the first time Airbus confirmed the A330 order since the Paris Air Show. The A330 is a long haul commercial aircraft used for domestic and short regional routes. Officials at Airbus supported the current order and remain confident that the company will receive up to 32,600 orders in the next 20 years, and that the recent order supports the company's long term strategy. The International Airfinance Corporation has further appointed Palma Capital and Quantum Investment Bank to arrange the deal with Airbus. Airbus is currently ahead in orders as compared to its rival Boeing. Airbus managed to book 421 orders at the Paris Air Show compared to Boeing's 331. Airbus also exceeded in terms of value as Airbus' recorded total orders were valued at $57 billion compared to Boeing's $50.2 billion at the Paris Air Show. http://www.businessfinancenews.com/22838-airbus-group-receives-order-of-50-aircraft- from-saudi-airlines/ Back to Top Consumer Jetpacks Will Be Flying By 2016, Martin Aircraft Says, But First You Need $150K The first flight of the Martin Jetback, shown here in 2008, reminded observers of science fiction fantasies popularized in the 1950s and 1960s. The jetpacks have finally arrived. Decades after science fiction writers first popularized the idea of strapping a rocket to your back and piloting yourself through the air, a New Zealand aircraft company has announced it will actually start selling commercial jetpacks for a price of $150,000. But consumers will need to wait until 2016. Built by the Martin Aircraft Company, the jetpack (known as the Martin Jetpack) would be the first aircraft of its kind to go on sale to the public. Rather than being powered by rockets, though, the jetpack lifts off and navigates with help from large fans, which are easier to control. It's capable of carrying a 260 pound person 1,000 meters into the air before they deploy a parachute, company sources told Reuters. Even with such a high cost, Martin suggested jetpacks will be more than a toy for millionaires. They say the aircraft can safely land on wire-laden rooftops and navigate tight areas, two advantages over a helicopter. "I think the first responders will see that as a massive improvement to their capability," Peter Coker, chief executive of Martin, told Reuters. "Naturally for the ambulance service getting to a point of importance of rescuing people in the shortest possible time [is crucial]." The aircraft was first put on display at the Paris Air Show last week. The first jetpacks, which the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration classifies as an experimental aircraft, are scheduled for delivery during the second half of 2016. http://www.ibtimes.com/consumer-jetpacks-will-be-flying-2016-martin-aircraft-says- first-you-need-150k-video-1986808 Back to Top Eastman aviation program helps fuel pilot pipeline Half million pilots needed by 2035 Aspiring aviators will likely maneuver smooth skies if they enter their job search in the next twenty years. The airline industry predicts a need for more than a half-million pilots. The Middle Georgia State College Aviation Campus in Eastman is helping to fuel the pilot pipeline. But instructors warn the journey to the captain's seat often comes with some turbulence. For Michael Cerame and Clifford Appleman, two flight students, the skies always beckoned. Cerame said, "I've always loved aviation." It felt only natural for the two to enroll in flight training school at Middle Georgia State College. Both plan to pilot for major airlines, believing when they're ready, the field will be wide- open. Appleman said, "In the next few years, there's going to be a huge boom in the need for aviators, coming out of flight schools." Department Chair and flight chief at the college, Adam Holloway said, "Not only is there a domestic need, but it's also a global need." Holloway describes conditions that created the demand as a perfect storm. At the same time, baby boomers are reaching the mandatory pilot retirement age of 65, the Federal Aviation Administration upped the number of flying hours required to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. They changed mandatory flight hours from 250 to 1,500. It's reduced to 1,000 for students who attend FAA accredited schools. Holloway said, "You have to attend a school like this. You have to attend a program like this that is FAA approved." That's where some student's dreams of flying crash. Pilot training school typically costs between $50,00 and $100,000. Holloway says scholarships, like HOPE, don't cover flight training. Cerame said, "I'm taking out loans to pay for my flight hours." When he lands that first job at a regional airline, Cerame's salary will hover around $20,000 a year. Appleman said, "It does cost a good chunk of change, but in the end, I think it is all worth it. You'll make the money back eventually." Holloway says the trajectory of a 20-year career in the pilot seat can reach $200,000 at a major airline. That's what the Cerame, Appleman and the 150 other students enrolled in the Middle Georgia State College aviation program see on the horizon. To help with the pilot shortage, aviation industry leaders have suggested reestablishing a civilian pilot training program. It was first used to provide pilot scholarships just before World War II, when there was another shortage. Another suggestion is raising the mandatory pilot retirement age from 65 to 70, to keep people in the workforce longer. Middle Georgia State College offers a program that allows students to work toward a four-year degree and their pilots licence at the same time. http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/2015/06/26/eastman-aviation-college-fuels-pilot- pipeline/29267347/ Back to Top Oman Air recruits more pilots The number of Omani pilots employed by Oman Air has increased consistently over the last four years. - SuppliedOman Air recruits more pilots Muscat: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate, is looking for more Omani candidates to fly its fleet. "As Oman Air continues its ambitious fleet and network expansion programme, we are also pleased to be recruiting more candidates. As a result, more Omani citizens than ever before will fly our aircraft to destinations around the world," Oman Air's Captain Moosa Al Shidhani, Acting Chief Officer - Flight Operations, said in a statement issued while congratulating new 10 recruits. Following 10 Omani cadet pilots graduating in March, Oman Air is now recruiting more candidates from within the Sultanate, according to a statement by the airline. The recent graduates trained at l'École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC), the prestigious flying school based in Toulouse, France. They were personally congratulated on behalf of Oman Air by Captain Moosa Al Shidhani. "A further 13 Omani candidates have now been enrolled at ENAC and are expected to graduate in 18 months' time. Now Oman Air is recruiting further cadet pilot candidates, who will receive flight training and be considered for roles with Oman Air's operational flight crews," the statement said. Each of the cadet pilots will be carefully selected, according to their cognitive skills and ability to multi-task, before undertaking an intensive programme of instruction. The cadet pilots will be offered support by Oman Air throughout their training at ENAC. They will receive financial assistance, as well as help with accommodation, insurance, fees and academic studies. Oman Air will also take an ongoing interest in the cadet pilots' progress and will receive regular updates on their achievements. In addition to recruiting cadet pilots, Oman Air is seeking applications from Ab Initio pilots - trainee pilots who are self-sponsored. Successful applicants are likely to be enrolled as Second Officers on a type rating course in one of the Oman Air's narrow-body aircraft, depending on company requirements. "As the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, Oman Air is committed to ensuring that as many Omani citizens as possible have the opportunity to develop successful careers with us," the official said. "We are, therefore, delighted to see these 10 ambitious and dedicated cadet pilots graduate from ENAC, from where they will go on to train with our own flight crews. Our congratulations go to each of them and we look forward to their joining the Oman Air team," the official added. Applicants wishing to be considered for positions as cadet pilots should be Omani citizens aged between 17 and 26 years. They should have attained high grades in English, Mathematics and Physics at secondary school. Diploma and university/college graduates should have achieved qualifications within a science stream. In addition, before being selected, each candidate will be required to pass a range of medical and psychometric tests. Applicants for Ab Initio pilot positions are also required to be Omani citizens and must pass a predetermined assessment process set out by an appointed Flight Training Organisation. They must pass a range of medical and psychometric tests, and should be under 36 years of age. They should have achieved good academic grades, including a high level of proficiency in English, Physics and Mathematics. Recognised professional qualifications should be held by candidates, who will also have a minimum of 200 hours of flying time, including 100 hours of solo flying. Full details of the requirements for both positions can be obtained by contacting Oman Air's head office. Oman Air is emphasising on its plans to adhere to the Government of Oman's policy of Omanisation. This emphasises the importance of developing employment and career development opportunities for Omani citizens. Currently, around 60 per cent of Oman Air's global workforce comprises Omani citizens and the airline expects to see this figure increase in the future. The number of Omani pilots employed by Oman Air has increased consistently over the last four years, as the airline experienced steady growth. In 2012, 212 of a total of 382 pilots were Omanis. This increased to 224 out of 425 pilots in 2013, and 235 out of 517 pilots in 2014. The number of Omani pilots operating in Oman Air at the end of March 2015 is 252, out of a total of 526. With the onset in late 2014 of Oman Air's current ambitious and rapid expansion programme, the airline's fleet size has increased and is expected to stand at 50 aircraft by 2018. Continued expansion to 70 aircraft is expected by 2020. http://timesofoman.com/article/61630/Oman/Omanisation/National-airline-Oman-Air- recruits-more-pilots Back to Top Female airline pilots wish more women would join them It's a career above the clouds, a sky full of opportunity. So America's female airline pilots have one question: Why aren't there more of us? "There have been women airline pilots for decades. But it is not a warm and fuzzy profession," says Karen Guadagni, 49, of St. Joseph, who is a captain for ExpressJet on flights for United and Delta airlines. In her 14 years as a pilot, Guadagni estimates that she has been paired with another woman only about 20 times on the flight deck. Related: Meet three Michigan women airline pilots That's not surprising, experts say. Only 5.4% of U.S. airline pilots are women, the same tiny percentage as a decade ago. Nearly every female pilot speaks at schools to encourage girls to follow in their footsteps. National programs like "Girls in Aviation Day" are meant to spark interest from scientifically minded young women. So why hasn't it worked? Pilots aren't sure, but it could be that many women lack the confidence to do what still is perceived as a man's job. "When I was a flight attendant and told pilots I was learning to fly, I would be laughed out of the cockpit," Guadagni says. "Now, I'm flying with guys whose mothers worked. The early guys were ex-military. They believed they were a god. They couldn't believe that a woman could be a god as well." Even today, when passengers see a female pilot on their flight, it's noticed. Normally, passengers smile or are delighted. Older passengers sometimes lean in and say, "Good for you!" Still. When a handful of passengers see a female pilot on the flight deck "they might say to the flight attendant, 'I'm all for equality, but is she really qualified?' " says Lisa Mrozek of Saline. She is a Delta captain who flies all over the world on the Boeing 757 and 767; she has been a pilot for 30 years. "So we do have a very small minority of people who still disagree with the fact that women are flying airplanes," she says. "Luckily, the majority are so supportive." School of flight In the late 1980s, when Annmarie Savitski of Ann Arbori studied aircraft mechanics and flight at University of Illinois, there were six women in her class out of about 60 students. By the end of her program, two women were left, including her. Things haven't changed much. Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti offers an aviation degree in which students study flying as part of the coursework. Of about 200 people in the program, fewer than 12 are women, says Philip Tartalone, associate professor of aviation management and flight. "The ratio is pretty skewed in favor of the guys," he says. Another barrier is that completing the flight training and certificates to fly for an airline can cost $100,000 to $150,000, the same as an advanced degree in law or medicine. A third barrier is that most new pilots start out at regional airlines that may pay only $25,000 a year to start. "That's a big issue across the board for males and females," Tartalone says. "They struggle. It's almost worse than being a student. But after the third year, the pay goes up substantially." A senior pilot for a major airline can make more than $200,000 a year. And airlines are hiring. A forecast shortage of pilots in the next seven years as retirements increase and more flights are added worldwide means that pilots with the right qualifications can get jobs. Delta, Detroit's largest airline, has hired 1,600 pilots just in the last 18 months, Savitski says. About 3.5% to 4% of Delta's pilots are women. Not unicorns Compared with most jobs in the world, an airline pilot carries a heavy burden. The safety and lives of hundreds of passengers is in their hands every day. Their precision, instincts and leadership are on the line every time they fly. So when female pilots talk about the challenges of the job they enjoy, it's slightly different from what, say, the average office worker would face. "It's facing down thunderstorms and emergencies," says Guadagni. "You are not here making unicorns or rainbows." "Landing is one of my most favorite parts; I always enjoy the challenge" to land perfectly, says Mrozek. "And I pretty much enjoy being my own boss." Savitski is an operations manager at Detroit Metro Airport who works on behalf of the 1,800 Delta pilots based there. But she also is an Airbus A320 first officer (in layman's terms, a copilot) who flies throughout North America. Her favorite moments of flying? "There's an adrenaline you get when you come in, and the winds are howling right at the max capacity for a crosswinds landing limitation, and you land the plane as if there is a no-wind situation," she says. "It's really in our blood as pilots." The other thing she likes about flying? When you're home, you're home. "The keys stay in the airplane," she says. Being an airline pilot can take you away from home for four or more days at a time. The schedule is crazy, which can stand at odds with family life. In 1973, Emily Warner became the first female airline pilot, hired by Frontier Airlines. Now 42 years later, one frustrating question women pilots still face from young women is how to balance family and career. Does being an airline pilot ruin the chance for a family life? Female pilots who are also mothers say it can be done. Mrozek has three teenagers, including an 18-year-old daughter who just flew solo as part of getting her pilot's license. Guadagni has two teen sons. She learned to fly when they were babies, and her ex-husband, also a pilot, worked opposite shifts so one of them could always be at home with the kids as they grew. The work is so interesting that it makes the hassles worth it, they say. "Today I flew from (Chicago) O'Hare to, 'Gosh, where was I today?" says Guadagni, who was on the phone from a layover in Houston. "I flew to Savannah, then Savannah to Houston, then from here I'm going to Aguascalientes, Mexico, then I'm there for two nights, then back through Houston, Birmingham and O'Hare, then I'm done." All younger pilots, not just women, would like more family-friendly schedules, says Air Line Pilots Association national membership chairman Jolanda Witvliet, a Boeing 777 first officer for United Airlines who flies regularly from San Francisco to Australia. That may happen as more women and more young men join airlines as pilots, but it will never be a 9-to-5 job. "When you fly for scheduled airlines, you're going to be gone. Some of our trips are 10- day trips," she says. "It's a daunting task to think about having child care for 10 days." Out on the wing Now, for the perks of flying. A few years ago, Savitski's mother was on board a flight her daughter was copiloting from Minneapolis to Kansas City. Savitski came by to say hello. That day, the captain also was a woman. Afterward, her mother's seatmate couldn't stop talking. "Did you see there are two women up there?" she asked. And Savitski's mother said proudly, "the woman in the right seat is my daughter." That made Savitski smile. Pilots and their families also get discounted or free travel. Savitski just spent New Year's Eve with her husband and friends in Tokyo. They 'll spend their 10th anniversary near Lake Como in Italy. Guadagni spends a lot of time exploring towns and cities where she has layovers, especially in Mexico. Her sons have already visited multiple countries. Beyond that, there are perks to their job unavailable to mere mortals. "Sometimes, you're skimming above the clouds and you think, 'I'm being paid for this,' " says Mrozek. Says Guadagni: "Sometimes I think, 'Look at that sunset. How lucky are we? Or we see the Northern Lights. Or shooting stars. Or the whole night sky." Nontraditional occupations for women Women make up 46.9% of the labor force in the U.S., but certain jobs they rarely do, including being airline pilots. What percent of these jobs are done by women? 0%: Cement masons, oil derrick drillers Less than 1%: Crane operators, bus mechanics, roofers, stonemasons Less than 2%: Heating and air-conditioning mechanics, tool and die makers, locomotive engineers, pipe-layers, carpenters. Less than 5%: Carpet installers, drywall installers, boiler operators, electricians, aircraft mechanics, welders Less than 8%: Airline pilots, truck drivers, firefighters, loggers Source: 2014 data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey. Delta captain Lisa Mrozek of Saline speaking to a classroom. Delta captain Lisa Mrozek of Saline speaking to a classroom. Women airline pilots do a lot of public speaking, but the numbers of girls who take up the profession still is small. (Photo: Courtesy of Lisa Mrozek) How to become an airline pilot It takes time, dedication and money to become a pilot for a major airline. Most airlines now require a four-year college degree plus more than 1,000 hours of flying time and advanced certificates. Still, it's all in how you think of it. If you are a college graduate, becoming a pilot qualified to work at an airline "takes about the same amount of money and time as a master's degree, but it's fun," says Karen Guadagni. All the flight training can cost about $100,000. But there are ways to get help or start early. * Give flying a try. Many flight schools offer a free or low-cost initial lesson. For a list of flight schools in Michigan, see www.michigan.gov/documents/aero/licensed_Flight_Schools_321620_7.pdf. * Contact organizations like Women in Aviation (www.wai.org) and the International Society of Women Airline Pilots (www.iswap.org). Both have information on career paths and scholarships. Women in Aviation holds an annual conference and has named Sept. 26 as "Girls in Aviation Day". * See the "Cleared to Dream" (www.clearedtodream.org) website run by the Air Line Pilots Association, which explains the steps to become a pilot for the airlines. Pilots in the U.S. must be between 23 and 65 years old. * Students age 12-18 who are interested in combining military training with flying can join the Civil Air Patrol, an Air Force auxiliary. It often takes cadets up in small planes.(http://miwgcap.usafaux.us/.) * Western Michigan University offers a degree in Flight Science though its well-known School of Aviation (http://wmich.edu/aviation/avs.htm); Eastern Michigan University offers a degree in Aviation Flight Technology through its Eagle Flight Centre. (www.emich.edu/aviation/about/.) Northwestern Michigan College and Lansing Community College also have programs in Michigan. Top aviation schools in the U.S. for flying include Embry-Riddle in Florida, University of North Dakota and Purdue University in Indiana. * ATP Flight School, a national chain, has a partnership with some airlines for partial tuition reimbursement programs. Its site has detailed information on career tracks and intensive training for pilots seeking to work for major airlines.(https://atpflightschool.com). Some combine flight training and studying for their college degree while working as flight instructors. * Look at the military. Not as many pilots as in the past are trained in the military, but the Air Force and Naval academies or ROTC are still pathways for pilot training for those willing to make the armed services commitment. It also is the least expensive path. About half of pilots recently hired by Delta have military training, pilot Annmarie Savitski says, and some of them are women. http://www.freep.com/story/life/2015/06/28/woman--pilots-at-major-airlines-best-job- still-rare/29165515/ Back to Top Teams eye Google's US$20m prize in race to the moon A Falcon 9 carrying supplies to the International Space Station exploded minutes after launch yesterday, a reminder of the thin margin between success and catastrophe for rocket launches. TOKYO, June 29 - At least a dozen teams are racing to win Google Inc.'s US$20 million (RM75.6 million) prize for getting to the moon. They are likely to spend more than seven times that amount, betting the boost to their moon ventures will be worth even more. Google's Lunar XPrize will go to the first privately funded team to land on the moon, then travel 500 metres and beam high- definition video back to Earth. Detecting water earns a bonus US$4 million. Teams in Japan, the US, Brazil, India and Germany see the race as a chance to grab the lead in a market that consultant London Economics forecasts will be worth US$1.9 billion within a decade. The competitors envision mining platinum and rare earth elements, setting up habitats using water from lunar polar caps and, eventually, building a launchpad for a mission to Mars. "We are not in it for the prize alone. The race is there to speed innovation that leads to commercialisation of the moon," said Takeshi Hakamada, whose Tokyo-based Hakuto team is building a lunar rover. "For example, we might explore a lunar cave for possible habitat location. That data would really sell." Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp, or SpaceX, is already commercialising the space travel business, ferrying payloads into the Earth's orbit on its Falcon 9 rocket for US$61 million and providing private satellite launches for the US government and others. Hakuto Moonraker A cash award like the XPrize can attract several times the amount in investment, lend legitimacy to an idea and help define achievable goals, according to Peter Diamandis, the founder of the award. Winning also requires a viable business model that can keep the project alive after the prize money is spent. Hakuto, named after a folk tale about a moon rabbit, plans to sell data gathered by its Moonraker rover to domestic and overseas space agencies. The vehicle is propelled by four wheels studded with paddles to gain purchase on the moon's fine-grained dust. The design has already won a US$500,000 milestone prize from Google for mobility. Its body is carbon fibre composite, designed to protect the largely consumer-grade electronics inside from the extremes of lunar temperature. A 360-degree camera for gathering detailed images sits atop the rover, Hakamada said. High definition Nasa's own images date back to Apollo missions more than 40 years ago and have a resolution of about half a metre, comparable to that of Google Maps. Moonraker's camera offers definition that's almost a million times greater. The US space agency has already said it's prepared to pay private companies US$30 million for fresh data. Because the team has no rockets, it's entered into a prize- sharing agreement with an XPrize competitor to get to the moon. Hakuto, which estimates its total cost at US$10 million, is looking to create a minimum viable product for lunar exploration and would consider breaking even a success, Hakamada said. It is hitching a ride to the moon with Astrobotic Technology, whose Griffin craft is capable of completing the trip to lunar surface from Earth's orbit. Once there, the competing rovers will start the 500-metre dash for Google's money. A Falcon 9 carrying supplies to the International Space Station exploded minutes after launch yesterday, a reminder of the thin margin between success and catastrophe for rocket launches. - Reuters pic Moon delivery Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic styles itself as lunar FedEx and plans to make money by ferrying scientific and commercial missions to the moon. Among Griffin's cargo is a can of Pocari Sweat, a sports drink made by Japan's Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co The container is fashioned as a time capsule. Another passenger is Celestis, a space burial company whose customers included Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and counterculture icon Timothy Leary. "The cost to get to space is coming down dramatically," said John Thornton, chief executive officer of Astrobotic. "That's why a lunar logistics company can actually make money, something that even 15 years ago would be considered science fiction." Cash rewards have spurred innovation before. An 18th century navigation device for determining a ship's longitude at sea was developed in pursuit of a prize. Historic prizes The lunar competition is inspired by the Orteig Prize, which in 1927 gave US$25,000 to Charles Lindbergh for the first non-stop solo flight between New York and Paris. The race, and the resulting media frenzy, helped jump start long-distance aviation commerce, according to Joe Jackson, whose "Atlantic Fever" chronicles the events. Within a year of Lindbergh's feat, the number of planes in the country quadrupled while that of airline passengers rose 30-fold, according to Nasa. "It was a lucky convergence of technology, personalities and finance, and you have some of those elements now," Jackson said in a phone interview. "People's attention is grabbed by these kinds of victory-or-death situations, even if the life at stake this time is a robot's." http://www.themalaymailonline.com/tech-gadgets/article/teams-eye-googles-us20m- prize-in-race-to-the-moon-video#sthash.yu4lRjwN.dpuf Back to Top Colleagues: As part of a study conducted for the FAA, the Department of Doctoral Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is requesting assistance from aviation safety professionals engaged in safety management systems (SMS). If you are actively engaged, we are requesting your completion of a survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H5K39KZ , expected to take approximately 10- 15 minutes. It will be of great assistance in helping us refine a technique for effectively evaluating SMS. All responses will remain anonymous. Thank you for your help! Alan J. Stolzer, Ph.D. Dept. Chair, Department of Doctoral Studies Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University College of Aviation | Room 137 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32114 Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAO July 7, 2015 Alexandria, VA USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659131 IS-BAO Auditing July 8, 2015 Alexandria, VA USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659136 EAA AirVenture Schedule July 19-26, 2015 Oshkosh, WI http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-schedule-of-events Fundamentals of IS-BAO July 21, 2015 Orlando, FL USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659145 IS-BAO Auditing July 22, 2015 Orlando, FL USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659149 Fundamentals of IS-BAO August 19, 2015 Madrid, Spain https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659089 IS-BAO Auditing August 20, 2015 Madrid, Spain https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659096 Safety Management Systems Training & Workshop Course offered by ATC Vantage Inc. Tampa, FL August 6-7, 2015 www.atcvantage.com/training Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection & Investigation Course 9-11 Sept. 2015 Hotel Ibis Nanterre La Defense (near Paris) France http://blazetech.com/resources/pro_services/FireCourse-France_2015.pdf Regulatory Affairs Training Course September 15 & 16 Fort Worth, TX http://jdasolutions.aero/services/regulatory-affairs.php Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUPS) Training Course September 15 & 16 Fort Worth, TX http://jdasolutions.aero/ Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: NTSB Human Performance Investigator https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/404707900 Curt Lewis