Flight Safety Information February 10, 2016 - No. 029 In This Issue PROS 2016 TRAINING NTSB: New rules needed for air shipments of batteries Indonesia air force plane crashes into home; 3 dead Myanmar military plane crash kills 4 Alaska Airlines Flight Diverts to Denver After Passenger Threatens Crew Gol airline suspends operations in Venezuela over currency dispute Turkish Airlines gets its 300th aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 Is air travel safe for an infant? Air India to dock salaries of pilots refusing to fly at 11th hour Allied Pilots Association Cites Flaw in Oversight of Proposed Not-for-Profit ATC System Deputies: woman drunk, uncooperative on flight to RSW This Plane Flies Itself to an Airport and Lands in an Emergency Flexjet Places Order for 20 of Aerion's $120 Million Supersonic Jets ISASI Military Air Safety Workshop - Deadline extended for abstract submittal Fractional Pilots needed for PhD Research GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST The International Society of Air Safety Investigators SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR THE JEROME F. LEDERER Back to Top NTSB: New rules needed for air shipments of batteries By JOAN LOWY This file frame grab from video, provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shows a test at the FAAs technical center in Atlantic City, N.J. last April, where a cargo container was packed with 5,000 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Accident investigators are recommending the government require air shipments of rechargeable batteries be separated from other flammable cargo to prevent uncontrollable fires that can destroy planes. The National Transportation Safety Board said its recommendation is based on an investigation by South Korean authorities of the destruction of an Asiana Airlines cargo plane in July 2011. (AP Photo/FAA, File) WASHINGTON (AP) - The government should issue more stringent rules for how rechargeable batteries are shipped on planes to prevent uncontrollable fires, the chairman of a federal accident investigations board said Tuesday. Lithium-ion batteries should be separated from other flammable cargo and the amount of batteries in a single cargo pallet or container should be limited, Chris Hart, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said in a letter to the government agency that sets rules for transporting hazardous materials. Rechargeable batteries, which are widely used in consumer electronics like cellphones and laptops as well as some cars, can short-circuit and ignite for a variety of reasons, including when they are damaged, contain defects, are packaged incorrectly, or exposed to extreme temperatures. The recommendation is based on an investigation by South Korean authorities of the destruction of an Asiana Airlines cargo plane in July 2011, Hart said. A fire on board the plane developed on or near two pallets situated close together, one containing lithium-ion batteries for hybrid-electric cars and the other flammable liquids used in the production of television screens. Although it couldn't be determined what ignited the fire, the board is concerned that in the event of an in-flight fire the close proximity of rechargeable batteries to other flammable cargo would increase the severity of the fire and reduce the time the flight crew has to respond, Hart told the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Rechargeable battery fires can burn as hot as 1100 degrees. That's the melting point of aluminum, which is typically used in aircraft construction. Seventeen minutes after the Asiana pilots reported the fire, their Boeing 747 broke up over the South China Sea despite desperate efforts to reach a place to land. Both pilots were killed. At the behest of the battery and consumer electronics industry, Congress passed a law in 2012 prohibiting the government from issuing regulations regarding the shipment of lithium batteries that are more stringent than standards issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. panel. However, NTSB said that PHMSA can issue regulations requiring the separation of rechargeable batteries for other flammable cargo because the 2012 law makes an exception for cases where there is "credible evidence of a deficiency in the international regulations that has substantially contributed to the start or spread of an on-board fire." Separately, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a safety alert Tuesday to U.S. and international air carriers urging them to conduct assessments of the risks of carrying cargo shipments of rechargeable batteries in the bellies of passenger planes. http://news.yahoo.com/ntsb-segregate-rechargeable-battery-shipments-223807283.html Back to Top Indonesia air force plane crashes into home; 3 dead JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - An Indonesian air force plane crashed into a house on the country's main island of Java on Wednesday, killing the pilot and two people in the house, a senior official said. A second person on the plane was missing. The plane was on a routine maintenance flight when it crashed near Abdul Rahman Saleh air force base in Malang, a hilly town in East Java province, said air force chief Air Marshal Agus Supriatna. Supriatna said the pilot and a technician on the Brazilian-made Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano plane ejected before it crashed. The pilot was found dead near a rice field about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from his parachute, while the technician was still missing, he said. Air force officials had previous said that both people on the plane died instantly. They said a man and a woman living in the house died while being treated at a hospital. A neighbor who witnessed the crash, Slamet, told MetroTV that the plane appeared to be nose-diving out of control with smoke billowing from its tail when it crashed. Like many Indonesians, Slamet goes by a single name. The light attack aircraft is one of 16 bought by the air force in 2013. Malang is 850 kilometers (530 miles) east of Jakarta, Indonesia's capital. http://news.yahoo.com/indonesia-military-plane-crashes-house-2-aboard-killed- 055321148.html ************* Date: 10-FEB-2016 Time: 10:30 a.m. Type: Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano Owner/operator: Indonesian Air Force Registration: TT-3108 C/n / msn: 31400184 Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 2 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Malang - Indonesia Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Abdurrahman Saleh airport Destination airport: Abdurrahman Saleh airport Narrative: The plane crashed into a house, obviously due to a technical failure. Two persons on the ground died, as well as the pilot of the plane. The co-pilot is still missing. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=184344 Back to Top Myanmar military plane crash kills 4 A military officer gestures by the wreckage of a Myanmar military aircraft that crashed in an area close to the airport in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016. A number of military personnel were feared dead after a small aircraft went down in a field near the airport. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo) NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) - Four Myanmar military personnel were killed and one survived Wednesday when an air force utility aircraft crashed after taking off from the airport in the capital Naypyitaw, officials said. An Information Ministry statement identified the aircraft, which crashed in a rice field about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the airport, as a Beech 1900, a 19-passenger twin- engine turboprop no longer in production. Photos of the crashed plane showed that most of its fuselage had burned up. The dead included a major, two captains and a corporal, said Gen. Aung Ye Win of the office of the Myanmar army commander. The sole survivor was another corporal who has been hospitalized. Maung Tin, a farmer, said he was working when he saw the plane crash, and ran over to it to try to break one of its windows with a spade in order to get the passengers out. "As I cracked the glass window and pulled one of them out, fire was all over the plane," he told The Associated Press. http://news.yahoo.com/myanmar-military-plane-crash-kills-4-074035155.html *************** Status: Preliminary Date: Wednesday 10 February 2016 Time: 09:45 Type: Beechcraft 1900D Operator: Tatmadaw Lei (Myanmar Air Force) Registration: 4601 C/n / msn: First flight: Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 0,6 km (0.4 mls) N of Naypyidaw International Airport (NYT) ( Myanmar) Phase: Initial climb (ICL) Nature: Military Departure airport: Naypyidaw International Airport (NYT/VYNT), Myanmar Destination airport: ? Narrative: A Beechcraft 1900D, operating on a check flight, was destroyed when it impacted a field shortly after takeoff from Naypyidaw International Airport (NYT), Myanmar. The aircraft burst into flames and was consumed by fire. One occupant survived the accident, but died later of his injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20160210-0 Back to Top Alaska Airlines Flight Diverts to Denver After Passenger Threatens Crew An Alaska Airlines plane was forced to land midway through its flight after an intoxicated passenger became abusive and threatened crew members, the airline said late Tuesday. Flight 769 was en route from Boston to San Diego on Tuesday evening when the male passenger "became disruptive," according to a statement from Alaska Airline. "He was told to calm down by flight crew, and then became agitated and verbally abusive, even issuing a threat to flight crew," airline spokeswoman Ann Zaninovich said. One passenger, Clair Conroy, told NBC News that the man "was upset the flight attendants would not let him drink the nips [small bottles of alcohol] he brought on" the flight. "He got very belligerent, saying, 'OK, but you know that now we are all going to die.' He kept saying, 'I'm not a terrorist but we're going to die,'" Conroy added. "He then started making threats at the passengers." With the Boeing 737 more than three hours into the journey and cruising at 32,000 feet, the pilot diverted the plane to the closest airport at Denver. This decision was taken "out of an abundance of caution," airline spokeswoman Zaninovich said. Police boarded the plane and escorted the man out of the aircraft. Cellphone footage showed many in the cabin applauding as officers led the man down the aisle. The other passengers remained on the plane and after an approximately 45-minute delay the aircraft took off again for San Diego, where it landed around 10:20 p.m. (1:20 a.m. ET Wednesday), according to Flight Aware. Heath Montgomery, spokesman for Denver International Airport, said in a recorded media message that the flight was diverted because of a "possible passenger disturbance," but added that there had been no charges brought in relation to the incident. She did not identify the passenger. The Denver Police Department said it did not have any information and told NBC News to contact the FBI's local field office, which was not immediately available for comment early Wednesday. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alaska-airlines-flight-diverts-denver-after- passenger-threatens-crew-n515581 Back to Top Gol airline suspends operations in Venezuela over currency dispute Brazil's Gol airline announced Tuesday that it has temporarily suspended operations in Venezuela because of the difficulties the company encounters when it tries to send money back to its home country. "Gol temporarily suspended its operations in Caracas, Venezuela until the issue of repatriation of company resources in the country is resolved," the airline said in a statement. The Brazilian firm, which had already reduced the weekly frequency of its flights, said that all affected passengers are being rescheduled on other airlines. According to the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper, Gol has tried for several months to repatriate 351 million reais ($89.7 million) that are blocked in Venezuela, though the company has not confirmed that amount to EFE. Exchange controls have been in effect in Venezuela for more than 10 years, so that payment of debts in a foreign currency depends on the country making it available through various mechanisms. According to the International Air Transport Association, or IATA, the Venezuelan government owes close to $4 billion to airlines providing flights to and from the country. Folha de Sao Paulo noted that Gol has been in constant talks with the Venezuelan government in an attempt to repatriate the money at a favorable exchange rate, but no agreement has yet been reached, despite the mediation of the Brazilian Embassy and IATA. EFE http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2016/02/09/gol-airline-suspends-operations-in- venezuela-over-currency-dispute/ Back to Top Turkish Airlines gets its 300th aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 Turkish Airline's fleet reached the 300th aircraft milestone with an A330-300, handed over during a ceremony in Istanbul. To be deployed on medium- and long-haul routes in developing the airline's growth strategy, this aircraft is fitted with "made in Turkey" galleys and economy-class seats. Turkish Airlines is a long-time operator for Airbus jetliners, starting in 1984 with the A310. Today, it operates some 160 Airbus-built aircraft, including more than 50 from the A330 Family. M. ?lker Ayc?, board chairman, Turkish Airlines noted that Turkish Airlines has set great targets to take measured steps towards becoming the world's leading airline. Indicating that Turkish Airlines has also acted as a diplomatic pioneer due to the far-reaching flight network, Ayc? said, "As Turkish Airlines, we are at the top among the fastest growing airlines worldwide. Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Turkish Airlines today is a 4-star airline with a fleet of 300 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 284 destinations worldwide -235 international and 49 domestic. Turkish Airlines received its 100th aircraft in August 2006, 73 years after its establishment. Nearly seven years later, in March 2013, its fleet reached 200 aircraft." Airbus has a long-standing relationship with Turkish Airlines dating back to 1984 when it added the first A310. Today the carrier operates 159 Airbus aircraft including 53 A330 variants. The A330 family includes freighters, VIP, and military transport/tanker variants, and has now attracted more than 1,600 orders. http://www.stattimes.com/index.php/turkish-airlines-gets-its-300th-aircraft-an-airbus- a330-300/ Back to Top Is air travel safe for an infant? By Mayo Clinic News Network Air travel is appropriate for most infants. Before you fly with your baby, however, consider: Your baby's age. Generally, age doesn't affect an infant's ability to handle air travel. However, your baby's doctor might discourage unnecessary air travel shortly after birth. Keep in mind that newborns have developing immune systems and that air travel might increase their risk of catching an infectious disease. Your baby's ears. Changing cabin pressure during a flight causes temporary changes in middle ear pressure, which can trigger ear pain. To help equalize the pressure in your baby's ears, encourage your baby to suck on a bottle or pacifier during takeoff and landing. If your baby is ill, ask his or her doctor whether you should postpone the flight. Your baby's breathing. During flight, air pressure in an aircraft cabin is lower than air pressure on land. Although this temporary change in oxygen level doesn't seem to pose problems for otherwise healthy babies, your baby's doctor might recommend supplemental oxygen if your baby has an underlying respiratory condition. If your baby was born prematurely and has a history of lung disease, your baby's doctor might recommend postponing air travel until age 1 or later. Your baby's safety seat. Most infant car seats are certified for air travel. Although airlines typically allow infants to ride on a caregiver's lap during flight, the Federal Aviation Administration recommends that infants ride in properly secured safety seats. If you choose not to purchase a ticket for your infant, ask about open seats when you board the plane - in case one can be assigned to your infant. For the most room, choose bulkhead seats if you can. If you're tempted to give your baby an over-the-counter medication to encourage sleep during the flight - such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others) - be cautious. The practice isn't generally recommended, and sometimes the medication can have the opposite effect. If you still think that medication might be the best option for your baby, talk to your baby's doctor first. He or she might recommend a test dose at home to be sure the medication has the intended effect. It's also important to think about how you'll occupy your baby during the flight. You might bring on board a teething ring, pacifier, special blanket or stuffed animal, and age- appropriate toys and books. If your baby is fussy while you're in the air, take occasional breaks to walk up and down the aisle - as long as the crew approves moving throughout the cabin. In addition, be prepared to feed your baby during the flight. Baby formula, baby food, expressed breast milk and juice are allowed on board in reasonable quantities, according to the Transportation Security Administration. You can take your baby out of his or her safety seat for nursing whenever the crew approves moving throughout the cabin. Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert- answers/air-travel-with-infant/faq-20058539 Back to Top Air India to dock salaries of pilots refusing to fly at 11th hour Air India has decided to dock salaries of pilots who pull out of flights for which they are rostered, National carrier Air India (AI) has decided to dock salaries of pilots who pull out of flights for which they are rostered for at the eleventh hour. According to the new pay structure cleared by the government, if a pilot refuses to operate a flight, which he has been rostered for, he would be liable for reduction of double flight hours from his flying allowance. The new pay structure, as first reported by HT on January 16, includes stiff penalty clauses and requires pilots to fly a minimum 40 hours a month to be entitled to their monthly salary. In the event of refusal four hours prior to the departure, double the number of hours will be deducted for the scheduled flight of up to six hours. "For flights more than six hours, a flat deduction of 14 hours will be made from the guaranteed flying allowance," says the government order. "The guaranteed hour will be payable only if the pilot has made himself available for flying duties for 150 days in a period of six months. Further, the guaranteed 70 hours will be payable only if the actual flying is more than 40 hours." "These steps will help instil the much-needed discipline in the airline. It would also help cut down delays and improve AI's on-time performance," said aviation expert Subhash Goyal. Pilots can be told about roster changes through SMS, telephone, WhatsApp, email, said the new salary order. "Non-acceptance of change of flight communicated will amount to refusal of the flight. Non-acknowledgement will also be taken as refusal of the flight," the order added. "This move was necessitated as there had been cases where pilots would not take calls on their mobiles. So it had become a real problem to convey the flight schedule to some of them," said a senior AI official. The new salary order, which was implemented from January 1, 2016, also brings to an end the acrimonious issue of "pay parity" between the erstwhile Indian Airlines (AI) and Air India pilots. According to the order, all pilots irrespective of the aircraft they fly will get a fixed monthly salary for 70 hours of flying. "CMD Ashwani Lohani has started delivering on his promises. A uniform pay structure was much needed," Goyal said. While salaries of erstwhile IA pilots will go up, those of AI will take a hit even as the total pilot wage bill of around Rs 1,000 crore will increase by about `60 crore. http://www.hindustantimes.com/business/air-india-to-dock-salaries-for-refusing-to-fly-at- 11th-hour/story-FrmLAb3L23MiMVVzfrDLgN.html Back to Top Allied Pilots Association Cites Flaw in Oversight of Proposed Not-for-Profit ATC System FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Allied Pilots Association, certified collective bargaining agent for the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, expressed its opposition to a key element of the proposed not-for-profit air traffic control system Congress is now considering. Under the proposed Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act, the not-for- profit air traffic control system would be governed by a board of directors representing the aviation system and public interest. The Act specifies that the board would include a pilot member to be appointed by "the largest certified collective bargaining representative of airline pilots." "It makes no sense to limit participation to pilots who happen to be represented by a particular collective bargaining agent. There are numerous organizations that speak for our nation's professional pilots, each with well-qualified subject-matter experts. All should be eligible to participate," said APA President Capt. Keith Wilson. "The pilots who fly for American Airlines, the world's largest passenger carrier, can bring to bear a wealth of relevant air traffic control-related expertise. The same holds true for fellow pilots who fly for other large carriers such as Southwest Airlines and United Parcel Service. "APA is mobilizing its pilots who are represented by members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to contact their legislators," he said. "It's essential that the lawmakers on this committee remedy this obvious flaw in the proposed ATC governance structure before the Act becomes law." Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association - the largest independent pilots union in the United States - is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union's website is www.alliedpilots.org. American Airlines is the world's largest passenger airline. Contacts APA Captain Dennis Tajer, 847-902-8481 or Gregg Overman, 817-302-2250/817-312-3901 http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160209006432/en/Allied-Pilots-Association- Cites-Flaw-Oversight-Proposed Back to Top Alaska Air said to choose Embraer for 30 regional jets Alaska Airlines reportedly will order 30 regional jets made by Embraer of Brazil, with options to buy 30 more. The firm order for E175 jets is worth about $876 million after standard industry discounts, and represents a win for Embraer over Bombardier of Canada. Alaska Airlines has chosen the E175 made by Embraer of Brazil for its pending order of 30 regional jets, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday afternoon. It also has purchase options to take 30 more on similar terms, the Journal said. The firm order is worth $1.3 billion at list prices. However, market data from aircraft valuation firm Avitas pegs the real price after standard industry discounts at about $876 million. Alaska Airlines management said in an earnings conference call three weeks ago that the company was "in the final phase" of making a deal and would "place an order for 30 large regional jets in the first quarter of 2016, with deliveries starting in 2017." These are smaller commercial jets - with four-abreast cabins seating 76 passengers - flown by Alaska subsidiary Horizon Air. The contenders for the order were Embraer's E175 and the CRJ900, made by Bombardier of Canada. Embraer's win is a blow to Bombardier, which ran into serious financial trouble developing its larger CSeries jet. Now its smaller aircraft are being supplanted at Alaska, where it has in the past supplied CRJ700 jets and Q400 turboprops. Alaska chief financial officer Brandon Pedersen explained in the earnings call that the new regional jet order is partly to expand the fleet and partly "to replace 15 Q400s that are scheduled for lease return in 2018." Even before this new order, Alaska had said it would be replacing its remaining eight CRJ700s with E175s and announced plans to grow the number of E175s to 23 by the end of 2017. The expected new order would further expand the E175 fleet. Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said "no final decision has been made, no documents have been signed and our board of directors has not approved any new jet purchase." The Journal reported that the deal with Embraer is expected to be approved at an Alaska Air board meeting Wednesday. At the beginning of this year, Alaska Air Group's fleet consisted of 147 Boeing 737s, five Embraer E175s, 52 Bombardier Q400s, and in addition the eight Bombardier CRJ-700s, which are operated by SkyWest on Alaska's behalf. http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/alaska-air-said-to-choose- embraer-for-30-regional-jets/ Back to Top This Plane Flies Itself to an Airport and Lands in an Emergency THE AIRCRAFT PARACHUTE IS one of the coolest aviation safety technologies of recent years. In the event of trouble-an engine failure, a collision, loss of control-yank a lever, watch a chute blast out of the fuselage, and float safely to the ground. It's a clever system credited with saving more than 300 lives since its introduction more than a decade ago. But it's not terribly sophisticated. The pilot is at the mercy of gravity and wind, and could land in the ocean, on a freeway, or on a mountainside far from help. Diamond Aircraft says it has a better idea: an autonomous system that takes over in an emergency, flies the plane to an airport, and lands it safely. It sounds fanciful, but the German firm, which manufactures small single- and twin- engine aircraft, recently made a successful landing using technology it's spent a few years developing. Diamond calls it an "electronic parachute," though it's actually an advanced autopilot, and it follows a trend we're seeing in cars, where automakers are packing their cars with more active safety systems to minimize the risk of a crash and increase the odds of surviving one unscathed. Instead of letting the plane float gently to the ground and land wherever, the system guides the plane to a runway. Company CEO Christian Dries says the underlying navigation system is sophisticated enough to guide the plane not just to the nearest airport-which might be a remote, unattended airfield-but to a staffed airport, with people who can help. The key to the system is an ability to discern if the pilot is incapacitated. In this way, it mirrors technology designed to recognize a pilot suffering from hypoxia (a lack of oxygen, which can happen if the plane's oxygen system fails). If the software detects a problem- for example, the pilot fails to take the proper steps to begin a descent toward the airport- it emits an audio alert instructing the pilot to respond. If the pilot fails to do so, "the system will follow a kind of decision tree" before taking control of the plane. But whereas a hypoxia system is designed to guide the plane to a lower altitude (where richer air would revive the pilot), Diamond's technology will actually land the plane. Of course, this won't save a plane in the event of engine failure or a midair collision, that's where the more conventional aircraft parachute does its best work. Still, loss of control by the pilot is the leading cause of fatal accidents in the US, so Diamond's system has real potential. Dries says it should hit the market next year as an option on Diamond airplanes, and add about 10 percent to the cost of the aircraft. That's another $80,000 to $100,000 when added to a nice twin-engine plane. Pricey, yes, but few will mind paying for the piece of mind when they're already spending close to $1 million, says Larry Anglisano, editor of Aviation Consumer magazine. That said, the tech will have detractors. "I suspect any type of small airplane autonomy- no matter the margin of safety-will be dismissed by old-school pilots who grew up in the day of stick and rudder," Anglisano says. As with cars, there will always be those who believe they're better than the machine. http://www.wired.com/2016/02/this-plane-flies-itself-to-an-airport-and-lands-in-an- emergency/ Back to Top Flexjet Places Order for 20 of Aerion's $120 Million Supersonic Jets Aerion AS2 Supersonic Jet The supersonic-jet maker Aerion recently announced that the flight-service provider Flexjet has placed a firm order for 20 examples of the Aerion AS2 supersonic jet-for which the company began taking orders last year-making Flexjet the first fleet operator for the plane, the first publically available supersonic jet since commercial supersonic travel ended in 2003. Each jet is priced at $120 million, for a total order potential of $2.4 billion. Aerion says the AS2 will carry 8 to 12 passengers in a 30-foot-long cabin at speeds as fast as Mach 1.5 (990 mph). With a range of up to 5,466 miles, the AS2 cuts transatlantic travel time by 3 hours and shortens trans-Pacific routes by 6 hours or more. Flexjet chairman Kenn Ricci called the airplane a "potential game changer for business travel." Flexjet and Aerion will work together to design a custom, premium cabin interior for the Flexjet fleet. Aerion says for busy international travelers, all that extra speed quickly adds up to more productive days and even weeks over the course of a year. For example, a typical long-range business jet that would log about 250,000 miles in a year would fly for about 500 hours, while the same miles could be covered in the AS2 in about 300 hours. The difference for travelers is the equivalent of 25 8-hour workdays. Aerion also announced that its partnership with Airbus Group has grown, and the company is now looking for a site to build a manufacturing facility. Airbus will expand the resources it is contributing to the program, which include engineering, logistics planning, and management support. "The farther we proceed along the development path with Aerion, the greater our enthusiasm for this program and the deeper our commitment," says Allan McArtor, chairman and CEO of Airbus Group. "Under our new agreement, our two companies are working as one, to bring Aerion's supersonic AS2 to the business-jet market." The first flight is expected for 2021, with first deliveries of the jet expected for 2023. (aerionsupersonic.com; flexjet.com) http://robbreport.com/aviation/flexjet-places-order-20-aerions-120-million-supersonic- jets#sthash.yiRkUDeu.dpuf Back to Top Back to Top Fractional Pilots needed for PhD Research Dear Fractional Jet Pilot, Fractional jet pilots have achieved an amazing safety record over the last 25 years. Research shows that your pilot group has achieved significantly better safety results when compared with similar jet pilot groups. This research investigates why are fractional jet pilots better than these other pilot groups? Is it due to training/skills, safety culture, union or company leadership? Safety culture has been studied for over a decade at the commercial airline level, and has consistently demonstrated a predictive capability. In recent years, safety culture has been concluded to predict safety performance. Safety culture is an important factor to investigate. My name is Kevin O'Leary and I am a Ph.D. candidate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I am completing my dissertation by researching the safety culture of fractional jet pilots. This research has the potential to begin the understanding of why fractional pilots have a superior safety record. Due to the nature of this research, the survey respondents have been required to be pre- qualified to participate in this survey. Please follow the link below and fill out the pre-qualification form so that your pilot status can be verified. After verification, an untraceable survey link will be emailed to your email address. This link will be completely separate and remain separate from your pilot verification data. Your identity will never be disclosed and is not connected with the survey answers you provide. The research survey you will receive after completing the pre-qualification form will not include any identifiable data about the pilot, pilot's place of employment or the aircraft primarily flown. The research survey will take about 11 minutes. Please note that these responses will generate a donation to the Corporate Angel Network and potentially improve general aviation safety. https://www.research.net/r/Curt-Lewis-PreQual Thank you very much for your help! Principal Researcher Kevin O'Leary Ph.D. Candidate Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 617-600-6868 Olearyk1@my.erau.edu Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST I am originally from South Africa where I worked as a Multimedia Designer and Lecturer for over a decade. I moved to Dubai, UAE in 2013 and am currently pursuing a career in Aviation Safety. My father is in aviation, my wife is in aviation along with all our friends. I finally got the hint. I will be completing a MSc. in Aviation Safety with this final research project. The scope of the research is: 'Evaluating the perception of stress among air traffic controllers in the United Arab Emirates as a safety risk to operational performance'. I am interested in the views of ATC operators from around the world to help establish a baseline for the research and gain further insight into the ramifications of stress in this sector on a global scale. The link to the survey is as follows: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/InternationalATCStress I look forward to the feedback. Kind Regards, Gary Peck MSc Aviation Safety Emirates Aviation University Back to Top The International Society of Air Safety Investigators SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR THE JEROME F. LEDERER AWARD CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS. No nominations for the award were received this past year. Usually we get one to three nominations per year. Surely there are some deserving investigators among us. Therefore, I urge ISASI members to nominate a person or persons who you believe deserves consideration for this award. The ISASI Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the 2016 Jerome F. Lederer Award. To be considered this year, your nomination letter must be received by May 31, 2016 The purpose of the Jerome F. Lederer Award is to recognize outstanding contributions to technical excellence in accident investigation. The Award is presented each year during our annual seminar to a recipient who is recognized for positive advancements in the art and science of air safety investigation. The nomination process is quite simple. Any member of ISASI may submit a nomination. The nominee may be an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. The nominee is not required to be an ISASI member. The nomination may be for a single event, a series of events or a lifetime of achievement. The ISASI Awards Committee considers such traits as duration and persistence, standing among peers, manner and techniques of operating, and of course achievements. Once nominated, a nominee is considered for the next three years and then dropped. After an intervening year, the candidate may be nominated for another three-year period. The nomination letter for the Lederer Award should be limited to a single page. This award is one of the most significant honors an accident investigator can receive; therefore, considerable care is given in determining the recipient. Each ISASI member should thoughtfully review his or her association with fellow investigators, and submit a nomination when they identify someone who has been outstanding in increasing the technical quality of accident investigation. Additional information regarding the award can be found on the ISASI website. Nominations should be mailed, or e-mailed to the ISASI office or directly to the Awards Committee Chairman, Gale Braden, 13805 Edmond Gardens Drive Edmond, OK 73013 USA, email address, galebraden@cox.net www.isasi.org Curt Lewis