Flight Safety Information February 23, 2016 - No. 038 In This Issue PROS 2016 TRAINING Japan Airlines Jet Evacuated After Engine Trouble, Cabin Smoke Sky Kings: Why Some Pilots Are Bad Risk Managers Lithium-ion batteries banned as cargo on passenger flights Japan, EU to negotiate airliner safety pact Hoverboards seized at JFK for fire safety Air India looks to monetise aircraft body, eyes deals with states For Mitsubishi Aircraft, lows still come with the highs American Airlines Miami hub appoints Ralph Lopez as vice president Cessna Citation Latitude achieves European Aviation Safety Agency certification Safety infrastructure under strain amid Asian aviation boom Big penalties, jail time for not registering drones - FAA 16 people kicked off Australian flight Paris Forum dedicated to "Aviation and Space Weather" - 17 March 2016 SMS Industry Forum - 2016 Call for papers for ISASI 2016, Iceland, 17 to 20 October 2016 The 8th Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference Research Survey Request RESEARCH SURVEY...MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY Japan Airlines Jet Evacuated After Engine Trouble, Cabin Smoke TOKYO - More than 150 passengers were forced to evacuate a passenger jet in Japan after an engine problem caused smoke to enter the cabin moments before takeoff, officials said Tuesday. Four people were injured as they abandoned the Japan Airlines Boeing 737 taxiing at the snow-covered New Chitose Airport, which serves the northern city of Sapporo, the local fire department said. Carrying 159 passengers and six crew, Flight 3512 was about to depart for the southern city of Fukuoka at 3 p.m. (1 a.m. E.T) when the crew detected a problem with its right engine, a spokesman for Japan Airlines said. Soon after, smoke and an odor were detected inside the cabin, prompting the crew to evacuate the aircraft. Firefighters said they did not have to extinguish any flames and could not confirm there was actually a blaze. "That is all we know so far," a spokesman for Japan Airlines told NBC News. Two women, aged 74 and 71, injured their hips, a 67-year-old woman hurt her neck and a 22-year-old man complained he was feeling unwell, according to an official at the Chitose Fire Department. http://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/japan-airlines-jet-evacuated-after-engine-trouble-cabin-smoke- n523996 *************** Date: 23-FEB-2016 Time: 15:05 Type: Boeing 737-846 (WL) Owner/operator: Japan Airlines - JAL Registration: JA322J C/n / msn: 35351/3002 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 165 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Sapporo-New Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC) - Japan Phase: Taxi Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Sapporo-New Chitose Airport (CTS/RJCC) Destination airport: Fukuoka Airport (FUK/RJFF) Narrative: Japan Airlines flight JL3512 was evacuated on a taxiway at Sapporo-New Chitose Airport, Japan after the no.2 engine reportedly began emitting smoke. Though once the aircraft had departed to Fukuoka at 14:34 JST, heavy snow forced the plane back to the gate. During the way back to the gate, the right engine was stopped by snow. When the captain tried to restart the engine, a blast was heard and smoke came into the cabin. Four passengers were injured. The weather data at the time of the accident (15:05 JST/06:05 UTC): RJCC 230630Z 34009KT 1400 R01L/0650V0900D R01R/0700V0900D -SHSN FEW003 BKN006 BKN009 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK 1ST003 5ST006 7ST009 A2999 3000NW RJCC 230627Z 33009KT 1000 R01L/0650V0900D R01R/0700V0900N -SHSN VV004 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 RJCC 230625Z 32009KT 0400 R01L/0750V0900N R01R/0800N SHSN VV003 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 RJCC 230622Z 32009KT 0300 R01L/0800N R01R/0800N SHSN VV003 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 RJCC 230621Z 32009KT 0300 R01L/0750N R01R/0800N SHSN VV003 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 RJCC 230615Z 34008KT 0300 R01L/0750N R01R/0700V1500N SHSN VV003 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 RJCC 230613Z 34009KT 0300 R01L/0700V1000N R01R/0700V1500D +SHSN VV003 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 RJCC 230606Z 33013KT 0300 R01L/0800V1800D R01R/1000VP1800D +SHSN VV003 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 (15:06 JST/06:06 UTC, wind 330 degrees 13 knots, visibility 300m, RVR runway 01L variable between 800m and 1800m downward, runway 01R variable between 1000m and 1800m downward, heavy showers of snow, vertical visibility 300 feet, temperature -1 degree Celsius, dew point -1 degree Celsius, QNH 1015 hPa, 29.99 INS) RJCC 230603Z 33015KT 0300 R01L/1000VP1800D R01R/1200VP1800D +SHSNGS VV003 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 SNOW PELLETS RJCC 230600Z 32016KT 0200 R01L/1300VP1800D R01R/1300VP1800U SHSNGS VV002 M01/M01 Q1015 RMK A2999 SNOW PELLETS RJCC 230549Z 34009KT 0200 R01L/1300VP1800D R01R/1600VP1800N SHSN VV003 M00/M01 Q1015 RMK A2998 RJCC 230541Z 35006KT 0900 R01L/P1800N R01R/P1800N SHSN VV008 02/M01 Q1015 RMK A2998 RJCC 230538Z 08005KT 350V120 1500 R01L/P1800N R01R/P1800N -SHSN FEW008 BKN015 02/M02 Q1015 RMK 1ST008 7CU015 A2998 9999E-SE RJCC 230535Z 09005KT 2300 -SHSN FEW010 BKN015 02/M01 Q1015 RMK 1ST010 7CU015 A2998 9999E- S RJCC 230530Z 10006KT 4900 -SHSN FEW010 BKN015 02/M02 Q1015 RMK 1ST010 7CU015 A2998 9999E- SW RJCC 230500Z 12004KT 030V190 9999 -SHSN FEW010 BKN015 BKN025 02/M02 Q1015 RMK 1ST010 5CU015 7CU025 A2998 https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=184754 Back to Top Sky Kings: Why Some Pilots Are Bad Risk Managers When goals get in the way of smart decision-making. Sky Kings Risk Management Effectively manage risk by maintaining situational awareness and coming up with mitigation strategies for the risks you have thought of beforehand. "You can't teach judgment." "I'm afraid no amount of 'risk management' training is going to change your attitude." These comments were in response to John's May column, "Double Trouble at Denver." John had revealed our incredible series of risk-management failures on a trip in the early '70s - getting caught in a snowstorm in two separate airplanes with mechanical problems. John then expressed our fond hope that other pilots could learn from our mistakes and practice the habit of risk management. Then here in the pages of Flying, another columnist opined, "I am rather skeptical about whether risk management (judgment) is something that can be taught and tested." The readers and the columnist are to be excused. A lot of people confuse risk management with judgment and attitude. Actually, the practice of risk management, as John and I see it, has two main components. The first is a habit of maintaining situational awareness by systematically thinking about risks. The second is coming up with mitigation strategies for the risks you have thought of. On our trip to Denver, John and I clearly failed at both. Regarding situational awareness, we were in the category of "fat, dumb and happy." As we were approaching Denver from the east, the weather was forecast to be good. We didn't have any concerns. Suddenly, the weather got worse with abundant snow and ice. We had been caught by the fickle system known as an upslope condition. We had never heard of an upslope condition. We were very surprised. We had, of course, been taught about counterclockwise circulation around lows (in the Northern Hemisphere) and orographic lift. What we had not been taught was where the topside of a low might combine with rising terrain to create orographic lift with copious snow and ice. That "where" is in eastern Colorado. Many pilots who get into trouble in their flying are, like us, the most surprised people on Earth. The problem is that we don't know what we don't know. In many cases regarding risk management, we are sent out the door as we leave flight training with, "Y'all be careful, hear?" but no systematic training on how to identify and mitigate risks. An ideal way for a learning pilot to develop the habit of maintaining situational awareness is with scenario- based training during which they develop the habit of active risk identification. Much of our aviation knowledge, like counterclockwise flow around a low in the Northern Hemisphere and orographic lift, is an abstraction until we apply it in a practical scenario. A lot of flight instruction is about learning to develop habits like meticulously inspecting our aircraft before taking it into the air, using checklists, fastening seat belts and many, many more. Risk management is just another one of those habits that, once learned, will serve us well for the rest of our flying. These habits are often supported with mnemonics and memory aids such as GUMP, CIGAR TIP and "Black square - you're there." Pilots find them helpful. Risk management comes with its own mnemonics. There's PAVE for putting risks into the categories of Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment and External/internal pressures. Plus, there's C-CARE for Changes, Consequences, Alternatives, Reality and External/internal pressures. The cure to the "fat, dumb and happy" status, like John and I were in on the way to Denver, is relatively simple - learn to use habit patterns and tools to help maintain situational awareness and identify risks. The cure to the risk-mitigation component is more complicated. Many pilots are, like John and I previously were, resistant to mitigating the risks. We've all seen pilots who came to grief after continuing in the face of one mounting risk after another. You had to ask: What were they thinking? What made them accept risks that, in retrospect at least, were unacceptable to everyone else? When other pilots see this they tend to call the offending pilot names like "idiot," "stupid" or "arrogant." But that response is not an adequate explanation or helpful in understanding their behavior. The answer, I believe, lies in the last "E" in both PAVE and C-CARE. It stands for the external and internal pressures that impinge on pilots. These pressures and how they affect pilots vary with the individual, but they fall into at least two identifiable groups. The first group is, fortunately, relatively small. It is the big-shot/showoff/thrill-seeker group. They step into risk. Taking risk is a part of the fun of flying for them. This group knows they are taking risks but are sure they can get away with it. They think risk-taking makes them look like superior pilots. There is a tendency for these pilots to keep on enjoying risk-taking until they, and their passengers, pay the ultimate price. A pilot who lost his pilot's license twice, first for buzzing the Santa Monica Pier and later for illegally selling rides to the public, was eventually killed along with his very unfortunate passenger while attempting to touch his aircraft's tires on the water to produce a water-skiing effect for a video. A Baron pilot killed himself and four passengers attempting the aerobatics he saw performed in a Twin Beech at Sun 'n Fun. He had attempted to do the same maneuvers on an earlier flight, but a pilot- passenger in the front seat had prevented him. These showoff pilots see professionals do things and think they can do them too. They fail to understand that the professionals have worked up to a high level after years of careful training and practice. Plus, professional show pilots are keenly aware of the risks and see risk mitigation as integral to what they do for a living. The best hope for the showoff/thrill-seeker is to realize that to be anything less than equally focused on risk management is a sign of a rank amateur. The second group potentially includes most pilots, including, I believe, John and me in the '70s. We all became pilots because we were willing to take on a very tough challenge over an extended period of time. We studied a body of knowledge and then submitted to a test on it. We learned difficult skills that we weren't certain, in the beginning, we could master. Nearly every learning pilot says at one time or another, "You know, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do this." Then we soloed and took our lives into our own hands thousands of feet above the ground. We persisted, presented ourselves for evaluation and became certificated pilots. Flying self-selects people who are willing to do all this. They are good at almost everything they do. They are the movers and shakers of every community they belong to. They are hard-wired to complete what they set out to do. This goal orientation is a wonderful characteristic in almost all of life, but as a pilot it can be a risk factor. It tends to make us want to keep on going when good risk mitigation says we should change our plan. An Episcopalian priest who took one of our ground-school classes in the '70s was also a physician. He died on a solo cross-country after being begged by the FBO to come in to talk before he turned around and flew the second leg in worsening weather. He had to get back in time to give a speech to a large crowd. A friend of ours who owned a ski resort was leaving the resort in the evening in his Cardinal when he became disoriented and flew back into the ground. He was late for a meeting back in town. And, of course, John and I continued into worsening weather to maintain our schedule into Denver. We weren't courting risk or showing off. We were simply hard-wired to complete what we set out to do and resistant to anything that reduced the utility of our flying. Like the showoffs, the goal-oriented pilots know they are taking some risk, but they think they can get away with it and they hate to give up on goals. After we had our subsequent accident, John and I spent considerable time reflecting on what it was that made us in particular resistant to mitigating risk. As a result, we came to terms with the concept that while in GA we don't want or need to be as rigid as the airlines, we have to accept reasonable limitations on our utility. We consider our introspection on the subject time well spent and highly recommend it to anyone who flies. http://www.flyingmag.com/sky-kings-why-some-pilots-are-bad-risk-managers Back to Top Lithium-ion batteries banned as cargo on passenger flights Fire risk concerns of pilots and planemakers lead International Civil Aviation Authority to impose restriction until safer packaging becomes available Shipments of lithium-ion batteries pose a safety risk on passenger flights, according to pilots and aircraft manufacturers. The UN aviation agency has prohibited cargo shipments of lithium-ion batteries on passenger aircraft over concerns by pilots and plane makers that they are a fire risk. The International Civil Aviation Organization's 36-state governing council said the prohibition would be in effect as of 1 April and remain in force until a new fire-resistant packaging standard was designed to transport the batteries. Lithium-ion batteries, which are rechargeable, can still be transported on cargo planes. The new packaging standard was expected by 2018, said ICAO council president Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu said in a statement. The ban would be mandatory for states that are members of the ICAO. Shipping lithium-metal batteries - which are not rechargeable - was already banned on planes. Pilots and aircraft manufacturers are concerned that existing standards are not strong enough to contain lithium battery fires. A 2015 working paper by an organisation representing plane makers like Boeing found current firefighting systems on airliners could not "suppress or extinguish a fire involving significant quantities of lithium batteries". But one dangerous goods expert familiar with ICAO's thinking questioned whether a ban on lithium-ion batteries would make passenger planes safer. He said instances of such battery fires usually involved deliberate mislabelling by shippers. "When the industry banned the shipment of lithium-metal batteries, we saw instances of them being passed off as lithium ion batteries," said the expert, who was not authorized to speak publicly. "Those people who are not complying now won't comply with a prohibition." http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/23/lithium-ion-batteries-banned-as-cargo-on-passenger- flight Back to Top Japan, EU to negotiate airliner safety pact BRUSSELS - Japan and the European Union are preparing to start discussing an air safety pact that would make it easier to export and import planes, including the Mitsubishi Regional Jet, sources said Monday. The two sides have already held preparatory consultations on the agreement, which would mean safety certificates valid in the EU are recognized in Japan, and vice versa. The European Commission asked EU member countries to authorize its executive branch to negotiate such a pact with Japan. A meeting of experts on Friday saw EU members approving the launch of negotiations, sources said. The agreement is expected to be finalized soon by ministers. Under air safety agreements, nations mutually approve procedures on aircraft safety, making it unnecessary to secure further approval in the partner countries. Such a pact with Japan would help the MRJ, but it would also benefit the EU, which wants to boost sales in Japan of European passenger jets such as those made by Airbus SAS. Meanwhile, the EU is also set to give the green light to negotiations on an aircraft safety pact with China. A Chinese aircraft manufacturer has already started deliveries of its ARJ21, a competitor to the MRJ. Deliveries of the MRJ, Japan's first small passenger jet, are still some time off. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/02/23/business/japan-eu-negotiate-airliner-safety- pact/#.VsxZrvkrKUl Back to Top Hoverboards seized at JFK for fire safety Remember how hoverboards were such a popular gift this past Christmas, even though they were catching on fire? Now, Reuters has reported that nearly 1,400 of the two-wheeled, self-balancing electric scooters were seized at New York's JFK Airport during the month of December 2015, because the devices were powered with counterfeit lithium-ion batteries that were potential fire hazards. U.S. customs officials said the high number of seized items highlights the concerns about the safety of hoverboards. Most of the hoverboards were made in China and were equipped with batteries stamped with counterfeit trademarks. The total estimated retail value of the devices was nearly US$500,000. Customs officials and members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), along with other federal regulatory agencies, examined the hoverboards after seizure. The CPSC sent a letter to importers, manufacturers and retailers asking them to comply with voluntary safety standards, including those involving lithium-ion batteries, or they could face another seizure, or even a recall. The CPSC said a total of 52 hoverboard fires have been reported, from a total of 24 states, resulting in more than $2 million in property damage, including the destruction of two homes and one vehicle. Dozens of riders have been taken to emergency rooms after falls and collisions due to the devices in recent months. American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have banned hoverboards in carry-on and checked baggage. Additionally, JFG has banned them both inside and outside of its facilities. http://aircargoworld.com/hoverboards-seized-at-jfk-for-fire-safety/ Back to Top Air India looks to monetise aircraft body, eyes deals with states The national carrier is planning to name planes in its fleet after states, and put cling wrap advertisements and photographs of key tourist destinations of the client state on the plane, sources said. (Vipin Kumar/ HT) The next time you fly Air India, don't be surprised if you see pictures of your favourite tourist destinations on the plane's body. The national carrier is planning to name planes in its fleet after states, and put cling wrap advertisements and photographs of key tourist destinations of the client state on the plane, sources said. AI, which has a fleet of 118 planes, is looking to generate around Rs 1 crore from each plane per annum. The proposal, a brainchild of AI CMD Ashwani Lohani, has been discussed with a few state governments, the sources said. "The aircraft exterior can be used as an advertising board where a state can highlight its key tourist destinations. The latter half of the aircraft body will be provided for advertising purpose," an AI official said. "Cling wrapping an aircraft is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration of the US and doesn't cost the airline much as only a sheet has to be pasted on the aircraft body." A couple of years ago, a prominent jewellery brand had proposed advertising its brand on planes, but financials could not be worked out then, sources said. http://www.hindustantimes.com/business/air-india-looks-to-monetise-aircraft-body-eyes-deals-with- states/story-ADVgkbrKtZUvlK6llqo0cL.html Back to Top For Mitsubishi Aircraft, lows still come with the highs The Mitsubishi Regional Jet makes its maiden flight at Nagoya Airport on Nov. 11, 2015. TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Aircraft may have hoped it was leaving its troubles behind when it pulled off the maiden test flight of its regional jet late last year. The manufacturer got another boost on Feb. 16, when it bagged its seventh order for the plane, this one from a U.S. leasing company. Nevertheless, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit is still struggling to overcome its own limited experience as it seeks to develop Japan's first passenger aircraft in half a century. To date, deliveries of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet have been pushed back four times. Mitsubishi Aircraft's quest to confirm the MRJ's safety and earn a type certificate from Japan's transport ministry is taking longer than expected. "We must get things done" Mitsubishi Aircraft officials were caught off guard last December when they visited Seattle, a key base of operations for Boeing. An executive at Aerospace Testing Engineering & Certification (Aerotech), a U.S. company that conducts flight tests on behalf of the American aerospace giant and other clients, asked why the Japanese manufacturer has been running so many taxiing tests. Last fall, Mitsubishi Aircraft taxied the MRJ 13 times in the course of a month. The plane reached speeds of 180kph to 200kph on the ground. The Aerotech executive implied it was a waste of time. Development of the MRJ went into full swing in 2008. The first flight had to be rescheduled five times but finally happened in November. The project team was elated; after all, the last maiden flight of an airliner designed and produced in Japan occurred in 1962, with the YS-11. On Dec. 24, however, Mitsubishi Aircraft announced that the first delivery to ANA Holdings -- the parent of All Nippon Airways -- would be pushed back by about a year. Nobuo Kishi, senior executive vice president and chief engineer at Mitsubishi Aircraft, attributed the delay to the need for changes in flight control, fuselage strength and other tests. To obtain a type certificate for commercial aviation, a manufacturer must meet a huge array of safety requirements. But in general, the company is having a hard time devising strength and performance tests to prove that its plane passes muster. "Our defense equipment section, which has been involved in the development of combat planes, has participated [in the MRJ project]," a Mitsubishi Heavy executive said. "But it is unable to fully utilize its knowledge because of differences in the systems of fighter and commercial aircraft." Hiromichi Morimoto, Mitsubishi Aircraft's president, in late December told reporters: "We would like to act on the fly but can't. We must get things done." Problematic approach? Morimoto's comment indicates there may be something to the Aerotech executive's view that Mitsubishi Aircraft is spending too much time on certain tests. Some say its whole approach to problem-solving is, in fact, problematic. Mitsubishi Aircraft's policy is to make changes whenever issues crop up. This seems logical: Unlike the planes of half a century ago, modern aircraft are more structurally complex and rely heavily on software. But a Boeing official suggested this is the wrong way to go about development. Problems, the official said, should be addressed all at once. Trying to fix them one by one simply stalls development, he said. Some Mitsubishi Aircraft executives have raised concerns about how often Morimoto has to travel to consult with executives of the parent company. Mitsubishi Aircraft is based in Toyoyama, Aichi Prefecture; Mitsubishi Heavy is headquartered in Tokyo. The Mitsubishi Heavy bosses, they say, pepper Morimoto with questions -- such as whether it is really necessary to have so many U.S. engineers involved in the project. Mitsubishi Heavy sent Morimoto to Mitsubishi Aircraft to replace Teruaki Kawai last April. The parent wanted to strengthen its grip on the subsidiary, but the MRJ project has not accelerated. Mitsubishi Aircraft is supposed to be the first to deliver planes equipped with new, fuel-efficient engines from U.S. manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. But Brazilian rival Embraer is to begin deliveries of a new jet fitted with the same engines in 2018. Any further delays could cost Mitsubishi Aircraft business opportunities. There is no denying that an airliner is an incredibly complex system, with some 1 million parts -- 30 times more than a car. A careful production process is clearly necessary to ensure quality and safety. But the Japanese company also risks losing the trust of carriers if it persists with its delay-prone methods. For now, Mitsubishi Aircraft seems to be sticking to its guns. "As a newcomer, we have to develop [the jet] in a step-by-step and safety-oriented manner," Morimoto said. http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/For-Mitsubishi-Aircraft-lows-still-come-with-the-highs?page=2 Back to Top American Airlines Miami hub appoints Ralph Lopez as vice president * Lopez has been with American for more than 10 years * Former managing director at London Heathrow, LaGuardia and Newark operations * Succeeds Marilyn DeVoe, retiring this summer after 40 years American Airlines employees at the ticket counter at Miami International Airport. Airline industry veteran Ralph Lopez will be the vice president of the Miami hub operations at MIA following the retirement of longtime American executive Marilyn DeVoe, the airline announced Monday. American Airlines Group Inc. announced Monday that Ralph Lopez, a 20-year company veteran, will be vice president of the Miami hub operations at Miami International Airport following the retirement of longtime American executive Marilyn DeVoe. Lopez will be in charge of the Miami hub's 11,000-plus employees. Ralph Lopez, new vice president of American Airlines' Miami hub operations at MIA, will succeed longtime American executive Marilyn DeVoe, the airline announced Monday. Previously, Lopez served as managing director at American's hub at London's Heathrow Airport and the New York operation for LaGuardia Airport & Newark Liberty International Airport. Prior to that, Lopez spent nearly 10 years leading airline operations at various airports in Latin America and the Caribbean, including San Juan, Puerto Rico; Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; and Kingston, Jamaica. DeVoe, who has led the Miami hub since 2010, will retire this summer after 40 years with the company. She joined American in the finance department and went on to become vice president of the Dallas/Fort Worth hub operations and vice president of customer services planning. As Miami's dominant carrier, American has long been a significant contributor to local civic causes. The airline holds the naming rights to the downtown arena where the Miami Heat play. American Airlines carried more than 26.8 million passengers through MIA, more than 10 times the next leading airline, Delta, according to airport records. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article61784822.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Cessna Citation Latitude achieves European Aviation Safety Agency certification WICHITA, KS - Cessna Aircraft Company today announced its Cessna Citation Latitude midsize business jet has received certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) with deliveries underway in the region. "We are thrilled to offer the Citation Latitude to our European customers," said Kriya Shortt, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing. "This aircraft is ideally suited for this market and can provide customers non-stop access to key destinations throughout the continent as well as North Africa and the Middle East. Customer input was a key driver in the development of the Latitude, which brings the amenities of large cabin aircraft at a midsize acquisition price and best-in-class operating costs." With a maximum range of 5,278 kilometers (2,850 nautical miles), the Latitude can easily fly non-stop from locations throughout Europe such as London to St. John's or Lisbon to Moscow. It also recently received certification to operate into and out of La Mole Airport - a popular European vacation destination in St. Tropez, France. The Latitude joins a short list of aircraft able to operate at La Mole, which requires this special authorization due to the strict aircraft performance requirements, dense terrain and heavy airport traffic at the airport. Throughout the past year, three Latitude demonstrator aircraft have been on a worldwide tour, travelling to more than 20 countries and stopping at major industry trade shows such as the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE), the Dubai Airshow and most recently the Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas. http://www.eturbonews.com/68609/cessna-citation-latitude-achieves-european-aviation-safety-agenc Back to Top Safety infrastructure under strain amid Asian aviation boom February 19 2016 11:12 PM Amid the smoking exhaust ports, advanced avionics and parents taking photographs of their children in mock-up cockpits, real business deals are made at airshows throughout the world. The Singapore Airshow, which ends tomorrow, has been no different. In 2014, 1,018 companies from 47 countries secured deals worth $32bn at the biannual showcase, a 3% increase from the previous edition. Increasing participation - 14% more companies took part in 2014 compared to 2012 - is one of many indications that Asia's aviation sector has flourished in recent years. Asia's fleet of commercial aircraft has doubled in the last decade to nearly 6,000, plane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing estimate. Airlines in the Asia Pacific will need 12,500-to-15,000 new aircraft in the coming 20 years, the firms predict. But behind the unprecedented growth in air travel, there are growing concerns that Asia's safety infrastructure is not keeping up. An International Air Transport Association (IATA) safety report for 2014 showed there were 14 aviation accidents in the Asia Pacific, more than any other region in the world. The year 2015 was a better for Asian airlines, according to the latest IATA report released last week, but the region still had a higher rate of serious jet crashes per flight than Europe or North America. While Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Australia's Qantas have topped recent aviation safety rankings, the German-based Jacdec aviation database puts five Asian airlines in the bottom six of its 2016 safety ranking. Regulatory oversights and weak safety management systems were the areas most responsible for air traffic accidents in Asia between 2010 and 2014, the IATA has said. Poor regulation has become an acute problem for Thailand, one of the region's biggest tourist destinations. Thailand's aviation authority was downgraded separately by the United Nation's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and by the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2015. The US body deemed that Thailand "lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards". The other area highlighted by the IATA - the lack of a systematic approach to managing safety - includes problems with training and maintenance. Flying schools in Indonesia are struggling to cope with a demand for some 600 new pilots every year. After the crash of AirAsia flight QZ8501 from Indonesia in December 2014, investigators called for better pilot training for unexpected situations during flight. Most analysts, however, agree that governments across South-East Asia are beginning to take steps to meet safety standards. Thailand's military government set up a task force to meet the challenges of the ICAO downgrade. A similar step by the Filipino government several years ago resulted in the ICAO removing the country from its "significant safety watch list" in 2013. http://www.gulf-times.com/story/480659/Safety-infrastructure-under-strain-amid-Asian-avia Back to Top Big penalties, jail time for not registering drones - FAA The Federal Aviation Administration say unregistered drone users could now face fines as high as $250,000 for flying their UAVs or the possibility of up to three years in jail. On Monday, the FAA announced that a total of 368,472 drones had been registered with agency, surpassing the number of airplanes on record with the federal government. The FAA announced the registration rules last December with a February 19 deadline. With the deadline now passed, the agency said: "Failure to register an aircraft may result in regulatory and criminal sanctions." "The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500," the FAA said in a frequently asked questions post on its website. "Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years." According to The Hill, FAA administrator Michael Huerta was encouraged by the response to the drone rules after an increase in reports of sighting by commercial airline pilots. "The speed with which we were able to roll this out is a testament to the invaluable input we received from the diverse task force of stakeholders we brought together to work on this issue," Huerta said in a recent speech at a drone policy summit in Washington, the Hill reported. There had also been a step up in complaints from law enforcement and firefighters encountering the drones while trying to put out fires, especially during last summer's spate of forest fires in California. "It's proof that when government and industry partner, we can innovate, cut through red tape, and use technology to tackle emerging risks," Huerta said. The FAA imposed a $5 registration fee which was met with objection from drone advocates calling it a "drone tax." In response the FAA granted applicants a refund for signing up within the first 30 days. The registration fee is valid for three years. As of Monday evening, a drone user could still register on the website. https://www.rt.com/usa/333325-jail-time-unregistered-drones/ Back to Top 16 people kicked off Australian flight A group of 16 people were kicked off a Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Sydney Monday night for being drunk and rowdy. The flight was delayed 90 minutes because of the disruption. Photo by Tupungato/Shutterstock MELBOURNE, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A group of up to 16 drunken and rowdy passengers first delayed, then were kicked off a flight from Melbourne to Sydney on Monday evening. As the Jetstar plane sat on the tarmac, a small group of passengers became disruptive and eventually were told to leave the plane. Their traveling companions chose to join them. The fight was delayed about 90 minutes while the group disembarked and their luggage was removed from the baggage compartment. Budget airline Jetstar defended the decision to remove the passengers, despite the delay. "We don't tolerate disruptive behavior by passengers on our flights, so our crew made a decision with the captain that a number of passengers would not travel on one of our Melbourne to Sydney services overnight," a Jetstar spokeswoman said Tuesday. "We take safety and security seriously and have strict rules on alcohol use, including the right to deny boarding or offload intoxicated passengers," she said. "Unfortunately the actions of this group interrupted the travel plans of other customers." http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/02/23/16-people-kicked-off-Australian- flight/5941456200061/ Back to Top Paris Forum dedicated to "Aviation and Space Weather" - 17 March 2016 Si ce message ne s'affiche pas correctement, cliquez ici SMS Industry Forum - 2016 Greetings everyone! With the release and implementation of 14 CFR Part 5, American Airlines Corporate SMS team will be hosting the Safety Management System (SMS) Industry Forum. This event will include speakers from the FAA and industry partners and provide interactive SMS learning workshops, tips and tools. The SMS Industry Forum is scheduled for May 10-11, 2016, (travel days May 9 and May 12), in Fort Worth, Texas. The meeting will begin on Tuesday, May 10th at 8:00 a.m. Meeting location and lodging information is listed below. There is no official room block for this event. Attached is a registration form. If you plan to attend, please fill out the form and return it to safety.assurance@aa.com at your earliest convenience. If you have additional folks coming, please have them fill out the registration form as well. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. We look forward to seeing you in May! Thank you, Shelley Corzo Corporate SMS, American Airlines 817-967-1010 **************** Back to Top Call for papers for ISASI 2016, Iceland, 17 to 20 October 2016 The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) will hold their 47th annual seminar at the Grand Hotel Reykjavik, Iceland, from the 17 to 20 October 2016. The seminar theme is: "Every link is important" Papers are invited to address this theme in conjunction with other contemporary matters on aviation safety investigation, including recent case studies, new investigation methods and aviation safety trends or developments. For those interested in presenting a paper, submissions of abstracts are due by 15 April 2016. Abstracts should include a title and up to 300-word summary of the main points of the proposed paper. Please also include your name(s), affiliation, position, and a brief resume. Submissions, or any inquiries regarding submissions, are to be sent to: papers-ISASI2016@ESASI.EU. The panel reviewing the submitted abstracts will consider criteria such as the quality of the paper and the relevance to the seminar theme and air safety investigation. The panel will also endeavour to ensure that a broad range of topics are covered during the seminar. Decisions on the selected abstracts will be made by the 1 June 2016 and details on the required format of the papers and presentations will be issued at that time. Presenters will be required to submit their papers by 1 August 2016. Further information on ISASI16 is available at www.esasi.eu/isasi-2016. Back to Top The 8th Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference will be held at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, October 24-27, 2016. The conference aims to inform the international aviation community about recent, ongoing, and planned research in transport category airplane fire and cabin safety. The conference is jointly sponsored by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). The Cabin Safety Evacuation and Operational Issues sessions of the conference will comprise studies related to in-flight safety, and crash/post-crash survivability. Traditionally, research topics have included exit and escape slide performance, aircraft interior arrangements, water survival equipment standards, cabin crew procedures, passenger education, and evacuation computer modelling, presented by researchers from around the world. The crash dynamics sessions will include studies focusing on aircraft-level crash impact performance, as well as studies that address new and emerging occupant injury criteria. These sessions will also include studies regarding the use of analytical modeling in various aspects of occupant protection, particularly where gathering statistically meaningful empirical data is difficult. Previous conference sessions have addressed ditching behavior, energy absorption characteristics of nonmetallic materials, and human tolerance to high levels of lateral loading, among many others. The fire safety sessions will include presentations on research in lithium battery fire hazards and mitigation, engine/powerplant fire protection, cabin/cockpit fires, magnesium use in aircraft cabins, fire test method development (interior materials), cargo fire protection, and advanced fire research. Previous conference sessions have addressed battery fires, development of new test methods for Appendix F, fire research projects in Europe, full scale lithium battery testing, fire research materials and characterization. 2013 conference proceedings are available at http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/2013Conference/proceedings.asp. Conference registration is free and is open to anyone with an interest in aircraft fire and cabin safety research. Past attendees have included aviation safety professionals in the areas of engineering, design, operations, maintenance, and research. Attendance at this year's conference is expected to reach 600- 700. Conference registration and hotel reservation details are available at http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/2016Conference/conference.asp. Conference presenter bios and presentation abstracts will be available on this website a few months prior to the conference date. Please contact April Horner, CMP, Conference Manager, with any questions at april.ctr.horner@faa.gov. Back to Top Research Survey Request For my Research on future cockpit layouts, I kindly request 10 minutes of your time to answer the attached survey. The topic Gamification might surprise some, but it is a growing discussion for modern workplaces and its often fatiguing conditions. http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PilotInteractionInModernCockpits/ Thank you, Capt. Tilmann Gabriel MBA FRAeS ISO/IEC 17024 Certified Global Aviation Expert Assistant Professor Programme Director MSc Air Transport/Aircraft Maintenance Management City University of London Back to Top RESEARCH SURVEY MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY Hi, my name is Daniel Danczyk. I am soliciting participation in my survey on mental health and flying. If you are involved in seeing pilots with mental health or substance abuse issues, or are involved in their cases, please complete my anonymous survey (link below). On average, completion takes no more than 5- 7 minutes. You do not need to be a clinician to participate; I am looking for anyone that is involved in the medical treatment or certification of pilots, whether they are doctors, airline employees assisting with monitoring, private consultants, HIMS participants, government, or other experts. Below the survey link is a more detailed description of my study including consent and contact information. Thank you so much for your time! Daniel Danczyk, MD Fellow in Aerospace Medicine AME/Flight Surgeon/Pilot/Psychiatrist Mental Health and Flying Survey https://src.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0xLGAkp4CAtv36d STUDY/CONSENT INFORMATION IRB #: 15-008911 Mayo Clinic: Office for Human Research Protection Protocol Title: Airline transport pilots and mental health: A Comparison of the medical certification process between the U.S. and various European countries. Principal Investigator: Lawrence Steinkraus, MD You are being asked to participate in a research study about pilots and their mental health. The purpose of this research is to study how mental health medical certification is processed for pilots in their respective country. You are being invited to participate because you are involved in some aspect of their aeromedical- mental health certification. If you agree to participate you will be asked to complete an online anonymous survey questionnaire. This will take no more than 10-15 minutes of your time. No information will be recorded about you other than your country of origin. Confidentiality will be maintained by NOT being able to trace back your responses to you. In other words, your survey response will be assigned a random number for tracking/statistical purposes but cannot be traced back to you. You will receive no payment for your participation. There are no known risks to you from taking part in this research study. You may refuse to answer any question(s) that you do not wish to answer. The benefits which may reasonably be expected to result from this research study are to improve the process for mental health medical certification of pilots in your country. Please understand your participation is voluntary and you have the right to withdraw your consent or discontinue participation at any time without penalty. Your submission of the survey questionnaire signifies your consent to participate. Moreover, your current or future medical care at the Mayo Clinic will not be jeopardized if you choose not to participate. If you have any questions about this research study you can contact my co-investigator, Dr. Daniel Danczyk, at danczyk.daniel@mayo.edu. If you have any concerns, complaints, or general questions about research or your rights as a participant, please contact the Mayo Institutional Review Board (IRB) to speak to someone independent of the research team at 507-266-4000 or toll free at 866-273-4681. Curt Lewis