Flight Safety Information September 2, 2015 - No. 174 In This Issue Stay Current on Aviation Safety - Follow FSI on Twitter EASA issues recommendations to prevent loss of fan cowl doors on A320 Beechcraft 300 King Air Landing Accident FAA plans fines for drug-testing violations at Mesa Airlines Safety questions hound Allegiant Air Feds release new report on deadly KOMO chopper crash Air show pilots emphasize safety in performances Air rage passenger threatened to smash Thomas Cook holiday jet's windows forcing plane to divert UK pilots warn on batteries and fatigue Blow to Air India, 30 senior Dreamliner pilots resign Korean Air Pilots Protest Influx of Malaysian Flight Crew PROS 2015 TRAINING Turkish Airlines seeking 4,000 new pilots FAA approves startup to operate a giant fleet of drones Muslim flight attendant files complaint after discipline for refusing to serve alcohol Russia to Design Wide-Body Jet With China to Take On Boeing Russia's Hypersonic Jet To Fly By 2019 Despite Funding Constraints New Space Station Crew Will Launch Into Orbit Tonight: Watch Live Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions) Stay Current on Aviation Safety Follow Flight Safety Information on Twitter https://twitter.com/curtllewis01 Back To Top EASA issues recommendations to prevent loss of fan cowl doors on A320 Lost cowlings on a BA A319 in May 2013 (AAIB) The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a Safety Information Bulletin, recommending operators of A320 aircraft to take measures to avoid non- or improper closing of fan cowl doors. There have been numerous incidents involving the loss of fan cowl doors during the take-off phase, especially on Airbus A320 aircraft. In all reported incidents, analysis shows that the latches of the fan cowl doors were either unlocked or not properly hooked and secured. This condition remained undetected during the exterior walk-around preceding departure, leading to air scooping and subsequent cowl separation. Airbus is currently working on a new design solution for the A320 family fleet, improving the identification of any fan cowl door not properly closed and latched. That modification is expected to be the subject of an Airworthiness Directive (AD). In the mean time EASA recommends owners and operators to amend their pre-take-off procedures to ensure that all maintenance actions involving the opening/closing, removal and re-installation, or replacement of an fan cowl door is brought to the attention of the flight crew of the affected aeroplane before the next flight of that aeroplane. In addition, EASA recommends design approval holders to consider amending the existing fan cowl door opening and closing procedures in the applicable aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) to make a record in the aircraft logbook each time these procedures have been applied and to communicate to operators to emphasize that applying these procedures is essential to avoid further events. http://news.aviation-safety.net/2015/09/02/easa-issues-recommendations-to-prevent-loss-of-fan-cowl- doors-on-a320/ Back to Top Beechcraft 300 King Air Landing Accident Status: Preliminary Date: Tuesday 1 September 2015 Time: 17:52 Type: Beechcraft 300 Super King Air Operator: Unknown Registration: N300PP C/n / msn: FA-171 First flight: 1988 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Rotterdam/The Hague Airport (RTM) ( Netherlands) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Unknown Departure airport: ? Destination airport: Rotterdam/The Hague Airport (RTM/EHRD), Netherlands Narrative: A Beechcraft 300 Super King Air was damaged in a landing accident at Rotterdam/The Hague Airport (RTM) in Netherlands. The aircraft either sustained a gear collapse or landed gear-up on runway 24. All propeller blades were damaged in the accident. http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20150901-0 Back to Top FAA plans fines for drug-testing violations at Mesa Airlines PHOENIX (AP) - The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking a nearly $175,000 fine against a Phoenix- based regional airline for several failures in its drug-testing program for workers in safety-sensitive jobs. The FAA said Monday that the operator of regional jets flying under the American Airlines and United Airlines banners is accused of hiring five dispatchers and a quality assurance inspector without assigning them to a random drug-testing program. The company also failed to notify the FAA that a mechanic refused to submit to a drug test and had several other issues with its drug-testing program. Mesa didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposed fines. The company has 30 days to respond to the FAA decision. http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/29939850/faa-plans-fines-for-drug-testing-violations-at-mesa- airlines Back to Top Safety questions hound Allegiant Air Emergency landings. Aborted take-offs. Grounded flights. Those are just a few of the problems plaguing Allegiant Air. Allegiant has become the fastest growing airline at the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport in 2015, offering thousands of Tri-State travelers an affordable way to get to Florida, Las Vegas, and other vacation destinations. But the Las Vegas-based "no frills" airline is under federal investigation over ongoing safety and maintenance issues. Our Scripps sister station in Las Vegas, KTNV-TV, decided to dig deeper into concerns that Allegiant is putting profit over passengers. Aborted Takeoff Everything's a gamble in Las Vegas. But your safety in the air should not be. "What happened to us that day was not right," said Jennifer Lilore, mother of 9-year-old Samantha and 6- year-old Sydney. The trio briefly occupied 12D, 12 E and 12 F. Seats they sat in excitedly the morning of Aug. 6, on their way to Monterey Bay to visit family. "And these are my pajamas that I was gonna take," Samantha showed Darcy Spears. But instead of unpacking in California, Samantha was putting her clothes back at home in Las Vegas. "I felt like we were almost taking off -- that moment right before -- and it was like a jarring, and it was a loud bang!" said Jennifer. "Like we went in a car crash, because my head like did this," Samantha added, throwing her head forward then back. The Lilores' 9 a.m. flight turned back to the gate due to a mechanical issue. When it couldn't be fixed, they waited eight hours to board another Allegiant plane. "We boarded. Buckled up. Put our bags up. Bins were closed," Jennifer explained. "5:30 p.m. came and they said we are just gonna wait for paperwork. And so we waited and 5:45 came and then 6 came. And I had that sinking feeling again." Turned out there were mechanical issues with that plane too. Allegiant offered them a third set of wings later that night, but Samantha drew the line after two planes on the same day had failed. "You say try, try again. The third time's a charm. Do not do that on a plane!" Jennifer works in the Streets and Highways Division of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. She knows proper maintenance is everything. "If the planes aren't doing well, your customers aren't going to do well." Checking The Safety Record Allegiant consistently claims its safety record is among the best in the industry. Allegiant refused every request Scripps' KTNV made for an on-camera interview. However, the station continued to look into the records. Airlines have to file Service Difficulty Reports when something goes wrong. But if it's not major and during flight, the Federal Aviation Administration lets the airline decide whether the malfunction was dangerous enough to report. We examined Allegiant's record and found they've reported something as simple as replacing a battery on an emergency flashlight. But there was no report filed for the Lilore family's aborted takeoff. Industry insiders tell Contact 13 the engine on the Lilores' first flight overheated. And that a hot engine is not a healthy engine. As for two problems on two planes in one day? "That's not uncommon at Allegiant. We've seen it happen time and again where what they call the rescue airplane has maintenance issues as well," said Chris Moore, chairman of the Aviation Mechanics Coalition. Unions representing both pilots and mechanics say old planes and scrimping on maintenance make flying Allegiant like playing roulette. "If you continue to run an airline and not put money into maintenance, eventually you're gonna get into a situation that you can't recover from," said Moore. Allegiant planes made three emergency landings in a two-week period from the end of July to the beginning of August . Two due to engine issues and one ran low on fuel. On Aug. 3, a flight from Las Vegas to Missoula, Montana, was diverted back to McCarran after pilots had to shut down a heavily vibrating engine. On Aug. 6, the Lilores' flights to Monterey never got off the ground due to "maintenance issues." On Aug. 24, a Las Vegas-bound plane was speeding up for takeoff from Austin, Texas, when the crew had to abort at high speed, reporting an engine indicator. And just one week before that, on Aug. 17, a Las Vegas to Peoria, Illinois, flight failed after an out of control takeoff attempt . The plane's nose came up prematurely and pilots couldn't force it back down. "And that's one of the issues that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up when I saw this issue. Because it reminds me so much of pre-accident ValuJet and that makes me very, very nervous," said John Goglia, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board. Goglia investigated the 1996 crash of ValuJet flight 592. http://www.wcpo.com/money/consumer/dont-waste-your-money/safety-questions-hound-allegiant-air Back to Top Feds release new report on deadly KOMO chopper crash SEATTLE - Federal investigators have released their latest report on last year's deadly Air 4 helicopter crash outside KOMO studios - laying out the facts for the first time but still coming to no official conclusion about the cause. The seven-page National Transportation Safety Board report was released overnight, spelling out the who, what, when and where of the crash - but not the "why." That is expected to be released in a few weeks when the full report comes out. The fiery March 2014 crash on Broad Street about 50 feet from the base of the Space Needle killed chopper pilot Gary Pfitzner and news photographer Bill Strothman. A man who happened to be driving by - Richard Newman, 38, of Seattle - suffered burns over 20 percent of his body when his car was struck in the crash. The new NTSB report on the crash contains information from security cameras and eyewitness accounts. It says the Airbus chopper landed on the Fisher Plaza helipad, then 15 minutes later attempted to take off again. At that time, the nose pointed straight up and the chopper spun out of control. It plummeted five stories, crashed on Broad Street and burst into flames. Former NTSB investigator Keith McGuire knows the crash has raised so many questions. "They're going to be looking at pilot actions, they're going to be looking at weather, they're going to be looking at mechanical conditions, they're going to be looking at system safety," he said. The report says the chopper - on lease to KOMO and KING-TV from Helicopters Inc. of Illinois - was well- maintained. The pilot was highly experienced and healthy. The weather was good. But until the final report is issued the cause of the fatal crash will remain a mystery. http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Feds-release-new-report-on-deadly-KOMO-4-chopper-crash- 323629241.html Back to Top Air show pilots emphasize safety in performances Air show safety recently has come in to focus after the deaths of several pilots, performers and even spectators in the U.S. and Europe. The community of people who put on air shows are making an effort to explain that there is some risk in the form of entertainment, but there are also specific rules designed to keep people safe. "With the air show community and working with the FAA and the DOD, we've mitigated a lot of that risk in our industry," said David Schultz, an organizer of the Atlantic City Air Show. "There are stringent rules both in Canada and the United States with regards to show lines as well as to areas where they can fly, energy directed toward the crowd." Schultz explained, "The European standards are not near as strict as what we have here in the United States." CBS News' Vladimir Duthiers went up in the air with the Navy's elite Blue Angels squad, which executes combat techniques that are demonstrated at air shows. "We do what we call a crawl-walk-run mentality where we start out with very basic level and it progresses and progresses until eventually you've got a flight demonstration in the form of an air show that you can deliver as a safe, homogeneous product all over the country," said Capt. Jeff Kuss, a Blue Angels pilot. "It's all going to be relatively similar." http://www.cbsnews.com/news/air-show-pilots-emphasize-safety-in-performances/ Back to Top Air rage passenger threatened to smash Thomas Cook holiday jet's windows forcing plane to divert The woman went berserk on the Thomas Cook Air Bus 321 in mid air after it took off from Newcastle en route to Dalaman in Turkey A new Thomas Cook Airbus A321 makes its final approach to Newcastle International AirportTerror: A Thomas Cook airbus was forced to land after a female passenger went beserk An air rage passenger brought terror at 30,000 feet as she threatened to smash a holiday jet's windows - forcing it to divert. The woman went berserk on the Thomas Cook Air Bus 321 in mid air after it took off from Newcastle en route to Dalaman in Turkey. She was so disruptive that the jet, carrying 213 passengers, landed in Sofia, Bulgaria so she could be removed. Still shouting abuse, she was arrested by local police and may now face legal action for the tens of thousands of pounds it cost the airline to divert. Horrified eyewitnesses told how the woman, from the North east, had tried to smash windows in her drunken state. Thomas Cook praised the actions of an off-duty policewoman who helped pin her down in her seat. "The officer gave assistance to strap her to her seat with handcuffs until we landed in Sofia," said one man on board. "Police then removed her from the aircraft." Another added: "She went mental, kicking doors and windows." Flight TCX6522 was delayed by 90 minutes. Thomas Cook Airlines praised the swift actions of their staff and the off duty cop. A spokesman said: "A diversion of this nature is very, very rare - it is only the second time it has happened this year. Our staff are specially trained to deal with such situations. "We would like to express our thanks to the off duty police officer who stepped in, it was a really helpful intervention." Newcastle ChronicleTrouble: The Thomas Cook flight was scheduled for to Dalaman, in Turkey The woman was 'severely disruptive' forcing the captain to divert. "Our staff acted impeccably and in the best interests of customers and colleagues, despite the extreme nature of the incident," added the spokesman. "We would like to apologise to the customers for any distressed caused and also for the short delay to the start of their holiday." Louise Rowcroft was among those waiting for the flight to land in Turkey so they could get on board to return to the UK. Due to the air rage incident, they faced delays of 18 hours. It took a total of 27 hours to get back home. She said: "I've just got home as a result of this, the crew were not fit to fly us home so we have been stuck in Turkey. "Approx 250 of us had to fly to Manchester then get a bus back to Newcastle. "Can't fault Thomas Cook." Full flight history for flight TCX6522Delays: The flight was due to arrive at Dalaman but ended up diverted to Sofia The airline will assist police with any possible legal action taken against the woman who caused the delay. She has not been named. Her male partner also left the flight in Sofia. He had not been involved in the incident. Earlier this year Scotsman Andrew Tosh was jailed after he assaulted a cabin crew member on a Thomas Cook flight. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/air-rage-passenger-threatened-smash-6362438 Back to Top UK pilots warn on batteries and fatigue The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) has issued warnings to both passengers and carriers over potential risks to safety. The UK pilots' union urged passengers to show caution when packing battery- powered gadgets and cautioned airlines to ensure their flight deck personnel received adequate rest between duty stints. BALPA told passengers flying off on the last major UK public holiday before Christmas to ensure that any devices powered by lithium batteries were packed in cabin baggage, rather than checked into the hold, to enable easy access to them if they caught fire. Lithium batteries have been responsible for three major onboard incidents, including the fatal crashes of two Boeing 747 freighters after thermal runaway in batteries being carried as cargo-not in passengers' baggage-ignited and caused an uncontrollable fire. BALPA points out that ICAO has already banned lithium metal batteries from being carried as cargo, given their ability to combust and create a fire that is difficult to extinguish. "Lithium batteries are essential parts of the gadgets that enable people to travel light and stay connected, but flight safety comes first and we must protect against any aircraft fire risk," BALPA flight safety specialist Steve Landells said. The union said the safest way to prevent problems is for passengers to ensure that any lithium battery devices are carried in hand luggage and suggested check-in staff ask if they are carrying any devices that may be powered by such batteries. Earlier this year, the European Aviation safety Agency (EASA) issued safety bulletins on fighting lithium battery fires onboard aircraft and also warned of dangers of packing increasingly popular electronic cigarettes in checked-in baggage. Meanwhile, BALPA cautioned employers that incidents of fatigue are being under-reported. "We want to destigmatize the issue and remove the barriers that discourage pilots from sharing their experience," head of flight safety Rob Hunter said. "BALPA is currently carrying out a project to investigate reporting culture within commercial aviation and give an accurate picture of the extent of fatigue within the industry. Pilots want industry-wide open discussions about fatigue. They would like reassurance that their managers also see reporting of fatigue as a priority." The union added it had been told by members this was the busiest summer in living memory and they believed managements had not recruited sufficient pilots to mitigate the fatigue problem. The union intends to sit down with airlines after the holiday season to find out what had gone wrong. http://atwonline.com/safety/uk-pilots-warn-batteries-and-fatigue Back to Top Blow to Air India, 30 senior Dreamliner pilots resign Air India Dreamliner In a big blow for flag carrier Air India (AI), 30 senior Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilots have resigned in quick succession setting alarm bells ringing in the state-owned airline and posing a human resource challenge in critical times. AI, which is surviving on a bailout funded by the taxpayer, spent around Rs 15 crore on training these pilots on its newest jet three years back but with no security bond or contractual obligation, the pilots were free to leave at their own will. The training period can extend up to a few months. All those who have quit are senior co-pilots with 4,000 hours of average flying experience. "With half that flying experience you can become a captain in a private airline. But career progression opportunities are limited in AI and for a pilot nothing is more important than getting command," said a senior AI captain, who did not wish to be named. As first reported by HT on July 29, two AI co-pilots have already joined SpiceJet and are doing their command training in South Africa. Read: Hundreds stranded as sulking Air India pilots call in sick "Thirty co-pilots resigning is a big number as it constitutes about one-fourth of the total strength of first officers on the 787 fleet. We have around 120 co-pilots and captains each who fly the Dreamliner. Training will have to be fast-tracked to ensure that operations aren't affected," said a senior official. The pilots who have resigned are serving their six-month notice period. "We hope the new CMD Ashwani Lohani addresses the problems being faced by pilots otherwise the exodus will continue," said another pilot. HT reported on August 17 that AI wants its B787-trained cockpit crew to sign a bond which will make them liable to reimburse the training cost to the airline if they leave the company without spending five years on the fleet. However, doubts remain whether pilots, who have already completed their training and are flying the 787, will agree to fill any such bond especially when the company has been deducting 25% of their pay allowances for last three years. "In future, we plan to train only those pilots who agree to fill the bond," said an AI spokesperson. "AI cannot afford to see pilots trained at such high costs leave the company within a couple of years. The bond should have been there from the very beginning. This shows poor planning," said aviation expert Subhash Goyal. http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/30-senior-dreamliner-pilots-leave-air-india/article1- 1386522.aspx Back to Top Korean Air Pilots Protest Influx of Malaysian Flight Crew A Korean Air Boeing 777-200 takes off from Seoul Incheon International Airport. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY-SA) by byeangel) The Korean Air Pilots Union (KAPU) has expressed opposition to the scope of KAL's plan to accept several Malaysia Airlines captains and senior first officers on secondment despite a shortage of pilots at the Korean flag carrier. Korean Air plans to hire some 50 to 70 MAS 777 pilots on temporary assignment starting October 1 under the Malaysian flag carrier's restructuring exercise. It expects to take more next year as MAS scales down its operations further. According to KAPU spokesperson Ben Lee, Korean Air should accept foreign pilots on a more gradual basis. The union's objection centers on charges that KAL has already delayed promotions scheduled for its own pilots due to the shortage. "The promotion of pilots to a bigger fleet will be affected further when so many foreigners are accepted on secondment," Lee said. The union also cites complaints that commercial airline pilots in Korea work more in a year-some 1,050 hours-than do their counterparts at Chinese carriers, who fly a maximum of 850 hours. Korean Air faces a shortage of pilots on its Boeing 747-400, Boeing 777 and Airbus A330-300 fleets due largely to Chinese airlines' ability to lure an increasing number of experienced pilots with offers of more attractive salary packages and benefits. Some 50 Korean Air pilots have resigned or are in the process of leaving for Chinese carriers. The airline expects more to leave due to delayed promotions. Captains have taken offers from established airlines while first officers tend to move to low fare carriers and startups. Chinese airlines also face a pilot shortage due to rapid expansion of their respective networks. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-09-01/korean-air-pilots-protest-influx- malaysian-flight-crew Back to Top Back to Top Turkish Airlines seeking 4,000 new pilots Turkish Airlines (THY) is set to recruit 4,000 pilots by 2021 as a part of its growth objectives. The Turkish flag carrier is holding road shows both at home and abroad to satisfy its pilot requirement and to promote the benefits it will offer to prospective staff. Although the company aims to meet its pilot need mainly through domestic means, it is also organizing road shows abroad to recruit foreign staff. The company has a goal of training 500 pilots a year at the Turkish Airlines Flight Training Academy, which was founded in 2005. It has recently come together with Russian pilots in Moscow and will continue to hold introductory meetings in Europe and Gulf countries in the upcoming days. As an airline that offers flights to the greatest number of destinations in the world and has been chosen the best airline in Europe for the past five years, THY is carrying on its effort to meet is pilot requirement, which increases with its growing fleet and flight network. THY is one of the major players in aviation and currently employs a total of 4,266 pilots from Turkey and elsewhere. In addition to Turkish national pilots, there are also 750 foreign national pilots from 57 countries with THY. THY's financial strength, benefits that it offers to staff and the position of Istanbul are among the major reasons why foreign pilots prefer to work for the company. The company receives applications to train co-pilot candidates and Turkish and foreign chief pilots on its official website. It has held road shows in Italy, the Netherlands, the U.K., Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Germany and Russia this year. http://www.dailysabah.com/money/2015/09/02/turkish-airlines-seeking-4000-new-pilots Back to Top FAA approves startup to operate a giant fleet of drones The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved a small drone startup called Measure to fly 324 drones for business purposes. It may not be long before we see fleets of drones buzzing across the sky. The Federal Aviation Administration has given a startup called Measure permission to fly 324 drones, the company announced on Tuesday. But Measure won't be using its drones to deliver toothbrushes, medical supplies, or diapers like other companies have been itching to do. Instead, Measure will use its drones to gather data. As Fortune reported in July, the Washington, D.C.-based startup operates a drone consultancy and services business that works with clients to figure out how drones could help them. It focuses on the agriculture, oil and gas, insurance, and other industries in which aerial photography and other data is a valuable commodity. Boeing BA -2.48% , IBM IBM -3.52% , UPS UPS -2.51% , and the American Red Cross are all users of Measure's drones, according to CNN. Companies looking to fly drones for business purposes must currently seek approval from the FAA and abide by a series of rules including flying no higher than 400 feet above the ground and always within the line of sight of human operators. These rules have made it difficult for companies like Amazon AMZN - 3.19% to get drone-delivery businesses off the ground. Measure, however, seems to have had an easier time getting the FAA approval because it wants to use its drones to collect data and not deliver goods. In a letter to the FAA, Measure said that it intends to comply with the flight altitude ceiling and make sure that its human operators keep a close watch. In July, a drone operated by a small startup called Flirtey made the first legal drone delivery sanctioned by the FAA. http://fortune.com/2015/09/01/faa-drones-measure-startup/ Back to Top Muslim flight attendant files complaint after discipline for refusing to serve alcohol A Muslim flight attendant disciplined for refusing to serve alcohol has filed a federal complaint in Detroit. Attorneys for Charee Stanley filed the complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Tuesday. Stanley is a flight attendant with ExpressJet Airways, working with Detroit-based management and crew. When she converted to Islam about two years ago, Stanley says she arranged for fellow flight attendants to serve alcohol on her behalf. She says that arrangement worked out fine until one employee filed a complaint about having to do extra work last month. That employee also made comments about her Islamic headdress and expressed other anti-Muslim sentiments, according to Stanley. Stanley, who was placed on unpaid leave in mid-August after that complaint, said ExpressJet should accommodate her religious beliefs. "I don't feel like I should have to choose between practicing my religion properly and earning a living," Stanley said. Lena Masri, staff attorney with the Council on American Islamic Relations-Michigan, says that by law, employers must provide "reasonable accommodations" for an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs - provided that accommodation doesn't cause an "undue burden" for the employer. "In this situation, there has clearly been no undue burden on the employer, as this request [was] accommodated for some time and there has never been any issue," Masri said. CAIR-Michigan director Dawud Walid added the organization is seeing more workplace discrimination cases. "Her case is symptomatic of broader problem of Islamophobia that seems to be growing," Walid said. Stanley's attorneys say that if the EEOC complaint doesn't resolve the issue, a federal lawsuit could be filed. In a statement, an ExpressJet spokesman said the airline is "an equal opportunity employer with a long history of diversity in our workforce" - but isn't able to comment on an employee's "personnel matters." http://michiganradio.org/post/muslim-flight-attendant-files-complaint-after-discipline-refusing-serve- alcohol#stream/0 Back to Top Russia to Design Wide-Body Jet With China to Take On Boeing Russia plans to work with China on a wide-body aircraft that would compete with jetliners from Boeing Co. and Airbus Group SE and aims to sign an accord by the end of this year. The government is ready to fund the initial stage of the project, which will focus on the design of a new twin-aisle plane, Deputy Industry Minister Andrey Boginsky said in an interview near Moscow. The collaboration may later be expanded to include the development of an engine, he said. A Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 operated by OAO Aeroflot. A Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 operated by OAO Aeroflot. Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg Russia's United Aircraft Corp. and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, known as Comac, are discussing a work plan and obligations as they seek to firm up a memorandum of understanding signed in May 2014, Boginsky said. President Vladimir Putin is pursuing ties with Beijing as a counterweight to U.S. and European influence after relations with western powers soured over the conflict in Ukraine. He can boast little progress to date, with the Chinese economic slowdown and a plunge in oil and commodity prices causing Russia-China trade to slump 29 percent in the first half of 2015 to $30.6 billion, threatening his $100 billion target for the year. The plan to design a viable wide-body jet may need as much as $20 billion of investment, according to Oleg Panteleyev, head of research at Aviaport.ru. Global airlines will need as many as 8,830 wide-bodies in the next two decades with demand in China alone reaching 1,500 aircraft, according to Boeing estimates. The U.S. manufacturer and Airbus have a duopoly on production of twin-aisle jets, unlike the more crowded narrow-body market where competitors have planes at various stages of development. United Aircraft plans to target market share beyond just Russia and China, according to an e-mailed comment from Sergey Loktionov, a spokesman for the state-controlled company. A media relations officer from Comac declined to comment on the matter. The countries also plan to sell Russia's Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional plane in China and other Asian markets under a framework agreement to create a leasing company that was signed in May of this year. Russia and China aim to compete separately with Boeing and Airbus in the market for 100-seat-plus jetliners, the biggest segment in the industry. UAC is developing the MC-21 and Comac the C919, with the Russian plane due to fly for the first time in 2016 and the Chinese aircraft as early as this year. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-01/russia-seeks-accord-on-new-wide-body-plane-with- china-this-year Back to Top Russia's Hypersonic Jet To Fly By 2019 Despite Funding Constraints Russia, China and the U.S. are locked in a hypersonic jet race. China has successfully tested its Wu-14 hypersonic glide vehicle that can travel at 7,000 miles per hour. Now Russia's Gromov Flight Research Institute (LII) has said that its latest GLL-AP-02 hypersonic jet vehicle will fly in "three to four years." Russia GLL-AP-02 Hypersonic Jet Project affected by lack of funding, technical issues Moscow tested its nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle Yu-71 in February, which was a failure. Yu-71 is being developed under the top secret Project 4022, according to Jane's Intelligence. It will be capable of piercing the U.S. missile defense systems. Jane's Intelligence estimates that Russia may deploy up to 24 Yu-71 hypersonic vehicles by 2025. Gromov Flight Research Institute officials told FlightGlobal at the MAKS air show in Moscow that work on the hypersonic GLL-AP-02 was progressing well. Of course, technical issues and funding constraints due to the country's deteriorating economy have slowed the progress. But they were expecting to complete it by 2019. Lack of funding is just one of the several difficulties, given the ambitious nature of the project. Russia's answer to Boeing X-51 GLL-AP-02 is Russia's answer to China's Wu-14 and the United States' The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) X- 51. The Russian company said that Western sanctions did not have any impact on the project. They plan to press ahead to build on the hypersonic flight data collected in previous experiments. The project has both civilian and military applications, said Gromov Flight Research Institute. That's not the only Russian project the Western countries should be scared of. Russia is set to start inducting the fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA into its Air Force by late 2016 or 2017. Last week, the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG said it was developing yet another fifth generation fight jet that will be based on Mikoyan Project 1.44. It will boast of advanced avionics, supercruise, super-maneuverability, and stealth technology. However, this project may take years before it enters the active service. http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/09/russias-hypersonic-jet-to-fly-by-2019/ Back to Top New Space Station Crew Will Launch Into Orbit Tonight: Watch Live Three new crewmembers will blast off toward the International Space Station late tonight (Sept. 1) and you can watch the liftoff live online. Cosmonaut Sergei Volkov of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Andreas Mogensen of the European Space Agency and Aidyn Aimbetov of the Kazakh Space Agency are scheduled to blast off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 12:37 a.m. EDT (0437 GMT/10:37 a.m. Baikonur time). NASA will begin live coverage of the launch at 11:45 p.m. EDT (0345 GMT) and you can watch the broadcast on Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV. The astronauts are scheduled to arrive at the station on Friday, Sept. 4, at 3:24 a.m. EDT (0724 GMT). NASA will also provide live coverage of that event. The arrival of the three new crewmembers will bring the total crew count on the station to nine. This is the first time nine crewmembers have been on board the orbiting laboratory simultaneously since November 2013, according to a statement from NASA. Mogensen and Aimbetov will serve short-duration stints, returning to Earth on Sept. 12, along with Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who is already on the station. Volkov will stay on the station for six months, joining American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko in the second half of their yearlong mission, the longest mission ever completed aboard the International Space Station. http://news.yahoo.com/space-station-crew-launch-orbit-tonight-watch-live-211432270.html Back to Top Upcoming Events: Fundamentals of IS-BAO September 15, 2015 St. Louis, Missouri USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1660854 IS-BAO Auditing September 16, 2015 St. Louis, Missouri USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1660878 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 AViCON - Aviation Insurance Conference September 10th and 11th, 2015 Stevensville, MD 21666 http://www.rtiforensics.com/news-events/avicon Southern California Aviation Association "Safety Standdown" September 14, 2015 Carlsbad, CA http://tinyurl.com/pg2yh4g 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/ Safeskies 2015 Aviation Safety Conference 22 to 24 September 2015 Realm Hotel, Canberra www.SafeskiesAustralia.org BARS Auditor Training October 6-8, 2015 Dubai, United Arab Emirates http://flightsafety.org/bars/auditor-training OSHA & Aviation Ground Safety Training Course (ERAU) Oct. 19-23, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aviation Safety Program Management Training Course (ERAU) Oct. 26-30, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aircraft Accident Investigation Training Course (ERAU) Nov. 2-6, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/cmas Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) Seminar (ERAU) Nov. 17-19, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/sms Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Seminar (ERAU) Dec. 8-10, 2015 Daytona Beach, FL www.erau.edu/uas New HFACS workshop Las Vegas December 15 & 16 www.hfacs.com 'DTI QA & SMS Workshops are Back in Town!' (Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Melbourne FL, and YOUR town just contact us) www.dtitraining.com Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Staff Engineer ALPA https://jobs-alpa.icims.com/jobs/1193/staff-engineer/job Curt Lewis