Flight Safety Information June 8, 2016 - No. 112 In This Issue FAA: military testing could leave GPS unreliable for pilots across West in June Reports: EgyptAir plane forced to land after bomb threat Two SC fighter jet pilots unhurt after mid-air collision Corporate Jet Slides Off Runway At Gainesville Regional Airport Dutch: Can E190 Man-Machine Interface Be Improved? Citing safety concerns, Air India crew barred from operating flights with family Challenge To FAA Drone Authority Quietly Playing Out In Connecticut Federal Court How to Stop Mysterious Plane Crashes Cirrus Jet Now on Final Approach to FAA Certification Alaska Airlines operates first flights with Minnesota-made corn-based jet fuel Airbus A380: The Death Watch Begins FAA Approves BendixKing In-Flight Internet for GA Aircraft Could Miami be getting a non-stop flight to Asia? American Airlines strikes a deal to get better WiFi for passengers Ethiopian Airlines to establish Bangkok as hub 2016 FAA Asia-Pacific Flight Standards Meeting July 19-21 ARGUS Charter Operator Flash Survey PhD Research Request FAA: military testing could leave GPS unreliable for pilots across West in June The Federal Aviation Administration is warning pilots that GPS testing could leave the global-positioning signals "unreliable or unavailable" across much of the West for six days in June. The testing that began Tuesday based in Southern California could hurt flight controls for a specific kind of business jet, the FAA warned. But the testing shouldn't affect commercial airliners, according to experts. "I think there are safeguards in place," said John Cox, a former airline pilot and now president of consulting firm Safety Operating Systems. Pilots and air-traffic controllers will keep an eye on planes within the warning area for any flight abnormalities, he said. But if pilots hear by radio about strange GPS signals in a given area, they could adjust altitude or navigate around the problem as if it were bad weather, he said. "You route around it as if it were thunderstorms," Cox said. The testing centered at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division based in China Lake, Calif., could affect aircraft at least 50 feet off the ground within hundreds of miles of the base to as high as 40,000 feet above sea level nearly 550 miles away. The affected area is the shape of an upside-down layer cake, with the largest layer 40,000 feet high spanning California and Nevada, and stretching across much of Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Arizona. "This FAA flight advisory was issued in support of routine research, development, and test and evaluation efforts conducted at China Lake," the base said in a statement. "We regularly coordinate with the FAA through a standardized national process for these types of tests, which have been conducted here for more than 25 years." China Lake, which tests weapons and avionics for tactical aircraft, encompasses 1.1 million acres, which makes it larger than Rhode Island. The FAA alert was posted for pilots on Saturday and contained a specific warning that GPS interference could affect flight-stability controls for Embraer Phenom 300 aircraft, a type of executive jet. The FAA said pilots of those aircraft should avoid the testing area and "closely monitor flight control systems due to potential loss of GPS signal." Embraer didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The company's web site says 330 of the planes are flying worldwide. The planes carry six people and fly nearly 2,300 miles at up to 520 mph. The GPS testing could be conducted from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pacific daylight time on June 7, 9, 21, 23, 28 and 30. Pilots were instructed that additional alerts would be posted a day before tests, and that tests could be reduced or canceled with no notice. Glen Winn, an instructor at the University of Southern California who worked for United and Northwest airlines, said the specific warning about the Embraer was interesting because those business jets are growing in popularity. But he said commercial airliners have enough backup systems that they shouldn't be affected. "They alerted everyone, and that's good," Winn said. "It won't affect commercial aviation because there are so many other backup systems that are wired into the programming for the airliners." http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/06/07/faa-military-testing-could-leave-gps-unreliable-pilots- across-west-june/85562276/ Back to Top Reports: EgyptAir plane forced to land after bomb threat An EgyptAir passenger plane from Cairo to Beijing was forced to make an emergency landing Wednesday due to a bomb threat, according to media reports. The plane later resumed its flight to Beijing, the Associated Press reported. The plane landed in Uzbekistan three hours after taking off from the Egyptian capital after an anonymous caller phoned security at the Cairo airport and said a bomb was on the plane, the AP reported, citing Egyptian officials. It said the security agents contacted the aircraft and ordered it to land at the nearest airport. Officials said all the 135 passengers and crew were evacuated from the Airbus A-330-220 and the plane was searched. No bomb was found. The incident comes weeks after an EgyptAir plane travelling from Paris to Cairo crashed in the Mediterranean Sea on May 19, killing all 66 people aboard. The search continues for the black boxes. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/06/08/report-egyptair-plane-makes-emergency- landing-after-bomb-threat/85588134/ Back to Top Two SC fighter jet pilots unhurt after mid-air collision LOUISVILLE, GA (WJBF/WNCN) - Two F-16 fighter jets collided during routine night-flying operations over Jefferson County, Georgia, officials with the South Carolina National Guard said. It happened just after 9:30 Tuesday night. Both pilots of the single-seat aircrafts ejected safely. One pilot was found immediately. The second pilot was found after a two-hour search. Officials say both pilots are expected to be fine. The cause of the collision is under investigation. Officials say a safety board has been activated and the U.S. Air Force will be conducting a detailed safety investigation. The South Carolina Air National Guard will hold press briefing with the 169th Fighter Wing Commander, Col. Nicholas Gentile later this morning. Stay with CBS North Carolina for updates on this breaking news. http://wncn.com/2016/06/08/two-sc-fighter-jet-pilots-unhurt-after-mid-air-collision/ Back to Top Corporate Jet Slides Off Runway At Gainesville Regional Airport The main runway at Gainesville Regional Airport was temporarily closed after a corporate Cessna Citation slid off the runway. The jet was flying in from Boston during heavy rains when it landed partially off the runway just before 11:30 p.m. last night. Two pilots and one passenger were on board, according to a news release from the airport. The plane went slightly off-track, skidding over 1000 feet before stopping in a ditch on the side of the runway, according to report from Gainesville Fire Rescue. A crane was needed to remove the 14,000 pound plane from the runway Tuesday morning due to damaged landing gear. At least two flights coming in from Atlanta were redirected to Jacksonville International Airport and a Delta 100-seat aircraft scheduled for arrival Monday at 9:30 p.m. was rescheduled to Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Two departures scheduled to leave the airport on Tuesday morning were also delayed for about three hours until the jet was removed. The runway was cleared shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. The jet is being stored in a secure hangar pending further investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and FAA, however, officials say that rain is likely the cause. http://www.wuft.org/news/2016/06/07/corporate-jet-slides-off-runway-at-gainesville-regional-airport/ Back to Top Dutch: Can E190 Man-Machine Interface Be Improved? The Dutch Safety Board (DSB) is questioning whether Embraer can improve the man-machine interface for the E190 autoland system, based on three hard-landing incidents. In its May 31 final report on the October 2014 hard landing of a KLM Cityhopper E190 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the DSB says the incident "raises the question of whether safety benefits can be achieved" by modifying the interface. The KLM Cityhopper pilots thought they configured their avionics for an autolanding at the completion of a Category 1 instrument landing system (ILS) approach at Schiphol. Typically for a Cat. 1 procedure, the crew will have the runway in view before descending below 200 ft., and will turn off the autopilot before reaching 50 ft. to manually "flare" the aircraft, raising the nose for a soft touchdown. Pilots are also allowed to use the autoland system, which automatically flares the aircraft. However the KLM Cityhoppper crew did not correctly program the avionics for an autoland, leaving the autopilot to fly the aircraft down to the runway without consideration for a landing flare. At 50-ft. altitude, the captain noted the issue and pulled back on the control column to raise the nose. But the delayed reaction, combined with the autopilot remaining engaged until 9 ft. above the runway, resulted in a hard landing measuring 2.78g. Both pilots recently had converted to flying the E190 (a process that requires 8-10 automatic landings in the simulator and two during line training), but this was the first time either had performed an automatic landing following a Cat. 1 approach in limited visibility conditions in that aircraft. To configure the E190 for autoland, pilots prior to the start of the final approach must set the flaps at a certain value (flaps 5) and must select radio altitude versus barometric altitude using a "minimums" selection knob on the instrument panel. "This differs from the procedure in aircraft types previously flown by the crew (Fokker 70/100 and Boeing 777) where the (selection knob) does not have a function in activating the autopilot's autoland mode," the DSB said. "The indications of the (autopilot) did not lead the pilots to suspect that the aircraft was actually configured for a manual landing," the DSB said. The aircraft was in a valid configuration (using the autopilot for the approach), which meant there were no error messages, giving both pilots "no reason to think that the aircraft was not flying in the correct mode for an ILS Cat. 1 approach, followed by an automatic landing," the DSB said. Damage found in a postincident inspection included bent rods on the left landing gear and the innermost right-wing flap. KLM Cityhopper, in its response to a draft version of the report, noted that the damage could have occurred before the incident. "Thus, the classification of this occurrence and the obligation to investigate this occurrence is debatable," the airline said. The DSB responded that it assumed the damage was linked to the hard landing and that, regardless, it was "free to investigate any occurrence, regardless of how it is classified." Due to what the DSB called "room for interpretation" in the airline's procedures for reporting incidents, KLM Cityhopper did not notify the DSB of the hard landing until 20 days after the event. That meant investigators had access to digital flight data recorder information but no cockpit voice recorder tapes. The DSB also noted that the "crew's recollections were possibly not as sharp." The DSB said a similar hard landing occurred in 2009 with a KLM Cityhopper E190 attempting to perform an autolanding in Hamburg. More recently, the crew of a KLM Cityhopper E190 landing at Schiphol in October 2015 assumed incorrectly that the autoland system was engaged when it was not, resulting in a hard landing. The DSB noted the Brazilian investigating authority and Embraer stated they had "no knowledge of similar occurrences." While the DSB did not make a recommendation on the man-machine interface, it noted that KLM Cityhopper carried out a parallel investigation and found, among other things, that the user interface between the aircraft's automation and the pilots makes it possible for such incidents to occur. KLM Cityhopper has modified its procedures and uses the incident as a discussion topic during refresher training. The DSB stated the carrier also is examining how "the procedures relating to reporting incidents and the followup actions can be improved." www.aviationsafety.com Back to Top Citing safety concerns, Air India crew barred from operating flights with family If Air India's automated flight rosters schedule family members on the same flight they should volunteer to get it changed. Air India has barred its pilots and flight attendants from operating flights with spouses, siblings and children as fellow crew members. Unlike private domestic carriers, many crew members in AI have relatives working in the same company. The oldest Indian carrier employs pilots who have married co-pilots and colleagues tasked with cabin service. Many of their children and siblings are also employed with the airline. The national carrier, which issued the order on Monday, said that the move was for maintaining air safety. "It has been noticed that on occasion flight duties being performed by immediate family members on the same flight either as pilot-in-command, co-pilot or cabin crew. In the interest of flight safety, immediate family members ie wife, husband, children, sisters and brothers performing flight duties on the same flight is henceforth prohibited," the airline said in a circular. It added that, in case, the automated flight rosters schedule family members on the same flight they should volunteer to get it changed. AI chairperson and managing director Ashwani Lohani told Hindustan Times that there hadn't been any instance of air safety lapses owing to family members operating a flight. "It has more to do with discipline," he said. Crew members, however, felt that the move could hamper their personal life. "Now with separate flying, we will hardly get to spend any time with each other. Most of our flight schedules include up to 4 days of outstation stay," a senior flight attendant operating long distance international flights said requesting anonymity. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/air-india-crew-barred-from-operating-flights-with- relatives/story-5aO33GQQPYw9G9NTtYsYzN.html Back to Top Challenge To FAA Drone Authority Quietly Playing Out In Connecticut Federal Court John Goglia CONTRIBUTOR I write about the airline industry and aviation safety. A man controls an AR. Drone made by parrot with an iPad. (Photo by Miguel Villagran/Getty Images) With little media attention, a hard fought battle is being waged in a federal district court in New Haven, Connecticut over whether small drones - so-called model aircraft - are indeed aircraft subject to FAA jurisdiction. This would be the first judicial decision regarding FAA authority to regulate small hobby drones. While many believe the issue was settled by the Pirker case, that case was a decision by the NTSB, an administrative agency which reviews FAA enforcement cases against pilots and other aviation operators. As many of you know, the FAA fined Mr. Pirker for allegedly operating a small drone in a careless or reckless manner over the campus of the University of Virginia. Although the case eventually settled, the issue of whether a small drone or model aircraft was subject to FAA authority was litigated before an administrative law judge (who ruled against the FAA) and then on appeal, the NTSB determined that a drone was an aircraft and subject to the FAA's prohibition on careless or reckless operation. But that NTSB decision is not the final word on whether small drones are indeed aircraft. And it is not binding on the federal court that is reviewing a challenge to FAA administrative subpoenas issued to a Connecticut father and son, Austin and Bret Haughwout. The FAA is investigating the Haughwouts for two videos that went viral - one of a modified drone firing a weapon and another of a modified drone flaming a turkey on a spit. The Haughwouts have refused to submit documents subpoenaed by the FAA and to appear for depositions unless a court orders them to do so. The case unfolding in Connecticut right now is the FAA's attempt - through the Connecticut US Attorney's Office - to force the father and son to comply with the FAA's demands. I spoke recently to the pro bono attorney designated by the judge to represent the Haughwouts, Mario Cerame of the Randazza Legal Group. Mr. Cerame told me that at the heart of his challenge to FAA authority is the FAA's definition of "aircraft" which he contends "is crazy" and would cover any contrivance that flies, including "paper airplanes, bullets and flags." At a hearing in March, Judge Jeffrey Meyer ordered the parties to further support their arguments regarding FAA authority over small drones. Oral argument is set for July 6 at 10 am at the federal court house in New Haven. Mr. Cerame admits that for his clients to win, the Judge would have to determine that the FAA's position was "obviously wrong." The Assistant United States Attorney handling the matter for the FAA was not able to comment because the matter is in litigation.. http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2016/06/07/challenge-to-faa-drone-authority-quietly-playing-out- in-connecticut-federal-court/#53a684007ab5 Back to Top How to Stop Mysterious Plane Crashes BY: Adam Minter When Air France Flight 447 crashed in the Atlantic in 2009, it took two years and more than $25 million before investigators found it. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared in 2014 and still hasn't turned up. EgyptAir 804, lost on May 19, is somewhere on the bottom of the Mediterranean, but until investigators can dredge up its "black box," they won't know why it went down. All these incidents raise the same question: In an age of ubiquitous surveillance and digital tracking, how is it possible that planes don't transmit their cockpit data in real time? After Flight 370 disappeared, the aviation industry drafted a policy requiring that airlines track a plane's position every 15 minutes. But because the industry couldn't agree on what technology to use or how, the policy is vague, contentious and won't take effect until 2021 -- seven years after Flight 370's disappearance. In a way, however, it's also beside the point. For years, airlines claimed that the cost of sending and storing cockpit data would be prohibitive, especially given that crashes are so rare. But now, with new satellites and other technology turbocharging inflight internet, that argument is quickly faltering. Over the past two years, international passengers like me have been able to take it for granted that we can stay connected at 35,000 feet. In-flight credit card transactions are routine. Next-generation WiFi is enabling even high-bandwidth applications, such as gaming, on board. But broadband pipes can do more than simply transmit entertainment. They can also send information back to the ground, which is where things get really interesting. Honeywell Aerospace envisions a near future in which planes stream data about their wings, brakes and other components, allowing maintenance issues to be addressed on board. Boeing's Airplane Health Management system is already solving problems mid-flight: When one crew detected an engine temperature problem, the company says, they "began an air turnback, but after AHM interrogated the central maintenance computer and investigated the airplane's history, the operator determined that the flight could continue." As such technology improves, a lot of new possibilities should open up. For starters, airlines should be able to reduce delays and cancellations, operate more efficiently, and cut costs by studying how planes perform on different routes and under different conditions. They should also be able to stream black-box data. Last year, Qatar Airlines announced that it would do just that. Its system, which uses satellite broadband, sends information to a flight control center every five seconds. Canada's FLYHT Aerospace says it installed 400 of its $100,000 streaming black boxes for about 50 customers. Its system only activates when software detects a problem with a plane, thereby saving bandwidth. So far, regulators haven't issued any rules on how to manage streamed black-box data. And they should avoid doing so in a way that stalls out further innovation. But the International Civil Aviation Organization -- a UN agency that acts as a de facto global regulator -- should consider requiring satellite broadband for all new airplanes. It should also be thinking about security measures, such as how best to segregate critical cockpit data from cabin data, such as entertainment. And a clear protocol for who has access to streamed black-box data after a crash should be defined. Meanwhile, there's a data revolution happening in the skies. It should make flying safer, faster and more predictable for everyone. More important, it should ensure no plane ever disappears again. http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-06-08/how-to-stop-mysterious-plane-crashes Back to Top Cirrus Jet Now on Final Approach to FAA Certification Cirrus Aircraft plans to have all certification paperwork for its SF50 Vision jet to the U.S. FAA by the end of June. Thus, it expects approval for the single-engine jet from the agency this summer. (Photo: Cirrus Aircraft) The Cirrus SF50 Vision jet is on final approach to likely obtain U.S. FAA certification this summer. Yesterday, engine maker Williams International announced that the aircraft's FJ33-5A engine had received FAA type certificate approval. A spokesman for Duluth, Minn.-based Cirrus Aircraft told AIN today that the company is finishing up SF50 development work and reports, is engaged in function and reliability testing and plans to have all type certificate documentation to the FAA by the end of this month. It has also sent the SF50 type rating and training course to the FAA for approval. Meanwhile, airframe component production is ramping up at Cirrus's Grand Forks, N.D. plant and "four to five" customer SF50s are on the production line in Duluth. Cirrus claims more than 600 deposit-backed orders for the $1.96 million (2012) single-engine jet. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2016-06-07/cirrus-jet-now-final-approach- faa-certification Back to Top Alaska Airlines operates first flights with Minnesota-made corn-based jet fuel Gevo Inc.purchased this ethanol plant in Luverne, Minn., and upgraded it in 2012 to produce another, higher-value alcohol called isobutanol. The company said Alaska Airlines will operate the first commercial flights Tuesday using a fuel blend utilizing isobutanol produced at the Luverne plant. The first commercial jet flight powered with biofuel made in Minnesota took place on Tuesday. Gevo Inc. announced that Alaska Airlines scheduled two flights Tuesday using a fuel blend utilizing isobutanol produced at Gevo's plant in Luverne, Minn. The isobutanol, fermented from corn, is converted into a jet fuel at Gevo's biofuel refinery in southeast Texas. Alaska Airlines is using a mix of 20 percent isobutanol-based fuel and 80 percent conventional jet fuel, said Pat Gruber, CEO of Denver-based Gevo. Gruber was scheduled to be on the first flight, which went from Seattle to San Francisco. "It's the first time anyone has flown (commercially) on corn carbohydrates," he told the Star Tribune. A second flight from Seattle to Washington D.C. was also scheduled. The U.S. military has used Gevo's isobutanol-based fuel in Black Hawk helicopters. Gevo has sold its corn- based jet fuel to other airlines, but the Alaska Airlines flight marked its first use on a commercial flight, Gruber said. Currently, Gevo's plant in Luverne produces primarily ethanol, but the company is betting big on isobutanol. "It has the potential to be the lowest-cost jet fuel," Gruber said. Gevo's stock closed Tuesday at 60 cents, up 20 cents or 50 percent. http://www.startribune.com/alaska-airlines-to-operate-first-flights-with-minnesota-made-corn-based-jet- fuel/382123681/ Back to Top Airbus A380: The Death Watch Begins Richard Aboulafia - CONTRIBUTOR I cover aircraft markets, industry dynamics and strategies. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. A British Airways Airbus A380-800 descends for a landing at Washington Dulles International Airport as seen, Wednesday, June 1, 2016 in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Last week saw an astonishing moment of frankness from the A380's biggest customer. Tim Clark, President of Emirates, told Bloomberg that not only had discussions on a new re-engined A380neo version of Airbus's 525-seat jet "kind of lapsed," but that his "main concern is that they stop producing the plane." This was the first intimation that sudden death is a possibility for the troubled super jumbo. And the numbers highlight this risk. It has been years since there was any significant commercial demand for the A380, aside from Emirates steadily growing its position to 142 orders. In April, Airbus executives admitted that output in 2017 could be as low as 20 aircraft. This is far below the 30 aircraft needed for annual recurring breakeven (this excludes program nonrecurring costs; there is no way to even begin to recover the $25-30 billion or so invested in the development of this aircraft). Plummeting output reflects a creaky order book. Emirates still has 65 outstanding orders, on top of the 77 jets it has already taken. In theory, there are another 67 A380 orders on backlog. But many of the remaining jets have little or no chance of being delivered. Qantas's remaining eight planes have been deferred indefinitely. Ten "undisclosed customer" orders are basically dead. Virgin Atlantic's ever-deferred order for six is basically dead too. Amedeo, a speculative and poorly conceived leasing venture, will not take any of its 20 orders. All told, we can only identify 18 truly firm non-Emirates A380 orders on backlog. Clearly, Emirates will need to do the heavy lifting in terms of line program sustainment. Emirates took its first A380 in 2008, with 72 delivered through the end of 2015. That's an average of nine per year. But as demand elsewhere has vanished, Emirates has been forced to ramp up its intake. In 2015, Emirates took 14 of the 27 A380s delivered. How long can this keep up? Emirates has just reported its first annual sales decline in a decade. Its load factor dropped 3.1 points to 76.5%. Its yield fell 10%. Ramping up capacity hardly seems like the right move now. Meanwhile, Emirates has ordered 150 Boeing BA +0.02% 777-9Xs, with deliveries starting in 2020. This jet has the same range as the A380, more belly cargo, just 25% fewer seats (the discounted ones, of course) and has two fewer engines. They're more modern engines, too. Thus, the question becomes, how long is Airbus willing to lose money, particularly when there's no doubt about the ultimate outcome? Assuming that next year's rate of 20 isn't too ruinous, and assuming that Emirates can keep taking 14 per year (despite declining traffic growth rates and falling load factors), that means Airbus can sustain about three more years of production (14 Emirates planes per year, plus six for other customers). But then again, since Airbus is losing money on all of these planes, Tim Clark is correct to worry that Airbus could simply end the program at any time. Teal Group has always provided the most pessimistic A380 forecast. But it turns out we may have been much more optimistic than reality. http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardaboulafia/2016/06/06/airbus-a380-the-final- countdown/#40085f3861b6 Back to Top FAA Approves BendixKing In-Flight Internet for GA Aircraft BendixKing's in-flight internet product, AeroWave 100, is now approved for installation in several general aviation aircraft. BendixKing Aero 100 The FAA approved installation of the AeroWave 100 in several general aviation aircraft. In-flight internet just got more accessible for general aviation aircraft. BendixKing this week announced the FAA has approved installation of its AeroWave 100 in-flight internet product on several popular turboprop and turbine airframes. The approved model list includes Cessna Mustang, M2, CJ2, CJ3, CJ4, Caravan, Embraer Phenom 100 and 300, Pilatus PC-12, Daher TBM 700/850/900, Textron King Airs, Mitsubishi MU-2 and Turbo Commanders. More models will be added to the list in time, according to a statement from BendixKing. "Now a broader range of general aviation aircraft can easily get a low-cost, in-flight internet capability which enables a world of services for both passengers and crew," says BendixKing president Justin Ryan. The AeroWave 100, an Inmarsat Class 15 system, provides worldwide internet access for a prepaid $40 per month service plan. The AeroWave 100 retails for $24,995 with an installation kit and standard ARINC 600 tray included, or $27,495 with the addition of a cooling fan. Optional certified Wi-Fi routers in data- only and voice-data packages are also available for purchase. http://www.flyingmag.com/faa-approves-bendixking-in-flight-internet-for-ga-aircraft Back to Top Could Miami be getting a non-stop flight to Asia? * Cathay Pacific Airlines is considering a plane capable of direct flights from Miami to Hong Kong * The Miami-Dade Aviation Department has spoken with Cathay about the potential nonstop flight * Decision likely some months away One of Cathay Pacific's cargo planes unloading at Miami International Airport Miami-Dade Aviation Department Miami's business community may finally be able to spread its wings to Asia. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. is considering a proposal from Airbus Group SE for a larger version of the newest A350 wide-body model, Cathay CEO Ivan Chu told Bloomberg News in a recent interview. The larger model could potentially allow for a non-stop, direct flight between Miami and Hong Kong - service long coveted by local business leaders. Cathay Pacific CEO Ivan Chu with Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González Miami-Dade Aviation Department Cathay, Asia's largest international airline by passengers, already has 48 A350's on order. A variation dubbed the A350-8000, could offer trade capacity for an extended operating range. According to Chu, the standard A350 is able to serve other destinations on the east and west coasts of the U.S, but not Miami or other Latin American destinations. Christine Barney, chairwoman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, applauded the progress. "Miami is just at the beginning of its journey to become 'China ready' and one of the key factors in getting closer to achieving that status is a direct, nonstop flight to and from mainland China," Barney said. "I think there is tremendous amount of opportunity in a partnership with China, even beyond real estate and tourism. Our banking, transportation and even construction industries are of great interest to the Chinese." Chu's comments to Bloomberg followed a meeting between Miami-Dade Aviation Department representatives and the airline at the recent International Air Transport Association annual meeting in Dublin, Ireland, said Greg Chin, the aviation department's communications director. The conference is the world's largest meeting of airline leaders. "The strength of the Miami market and our lucrative route network throughout the Americas continue to draw the attention of the world's top airlines," said Aviation Department Director Director Emilio T. González in a June 7 press release. "We were proud to be invited to this year's AGM and advance our discussions with carriers who are considering air service from MIA to Asia..." Local business leaders have long sought a a direct Asia flight. More than 400,000 passengers flew from Miami to Asia in 2015, according to Sabre Gobal Demand data, according to MIA. To further the effort for an Asian direct flight, the aviation department created the MIA-Asia Task Force last year of 39 community and business groups, including the Japanese Business Association and The Greater Miami Beach Hotel Association. A survey commissioned by MIA found 86 local organizations generate more than $20 million in annual travel to Asia. According to Chin, Miami can physically accept the larger version of the A3150. Currently, Cathay provides cargo service to MIA via other U.S. airports. The airline is owned by the Swire Group, which also owns Swire Properties, developer of the recently opened Brickell City Centre mixed-used development. Jaap Donath, senior vice president of research & strategic planning with the Beacon Council, the county's public-private economic development agency, said direct flights could encourage Chinese investment in South Florida. "A direct flight would be very helpful for potential Chinese investors. We could see increased interest in investments particularly from companies in logistics that move cargo from the around the world into Latin America," said Donath. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article82334607.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top American Airlines strikes a deal to get better WiFi for passengers The airline has chosen ViaSat to speed up the internet offered on its newest fleet of Boeing 737 MAX planes. The change reflects larger trends in the industry, with airlines investing heavily to attract lucrative business class travelers. The spotty WiFi on many flights just won't do for getting important work done mid-air, and American Airlines is trying to change that for its passengers. The airline has struck a deal with ViaSat, a broadband services and technology company that provides internet for major airlines including United and JetBlue, to be American's newest in-flight WiFi provider. The agreement follows a legal disagreement with Gogo, American Airlines' other internet partner. In February, American sued Gogo, arguing that its internet service was too slow, and stated its intention to switch to a different carrier. American later dropped the suit after it reached an agreement with both ViaSat and Gogo. Recommended: 'Full Upright and Locked Position': 7 (sometimes sobering) facts about air travel Under the terms of the deal, ViaSat will provide internet on 100 of American's new Boeing 737 MAX planes, and Gogo will improve its internet speeds on 140 of the 560 American jets where it currently offers service. Only smaller, regional planes will keep the old Gogo internet. In the SEC filing, made Friday, American is able to entirely deinstall Gogo at any time if it so chooses. "We believe we are now approaching the end of an era where passengers have paid very high prices for very slow connections," ViaSat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg said in a press release. "Our agreement highlights a significant initial step for American to deliver an onboard Wi-Fi experience every passenger will want to use." The upgrade highlights the shifting economics of the airline industry, which increasingly prioritizes attracting the highest-paying customers over passengers in economy class. Business class is now one of the most lucrative segments of air travel. According to an analysis by the Global Business Travel Association, spending on business travel climbed to $1.25 trillion in 2015, up 6.5 percent from 2014. The bulk of that increase now comes from China, although American business travelers still make up the overall majority. The expectations of business class passengers have risen as flights have gotten longer, and airlines are adjusting accordingly. Some, including Delta and Air Canada, have even gotten rid of first class entirely to shift their luxury efforts solely to the business class set. Airlines invest thousands of dollars in updating their business class seats to make them more attractive; Just designing one business-class seat costs upwards of $80,000, according to the New York Times. Because business-class seats can also typically lie flat, introducing more of them can mean constricting the already-tight legroom in coach class. But it pays off for the airlines. In 2014, 10 percent of American's revenue on the route between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport came from tickets that cost more than $3,600. However, the airlines still throw a bone to economy class travelers here and there. In February, United Airlines reintroduced free snacks to economy class on its domestic flights. http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2016/0606/American-Airlines-strikes-a-deal-to-get-better-WiFi-for- passengers Back to Top Ethiopian Airlines to establish Bangkok as hub Ethiopian Airlines is looking to develop a Southeast Asian hub at Bangkok, according to reports by the Ethiopian State News Agency. The airline is planning to use its existing facilities and fifth freedom permissions to establish routes out of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport to destinations including Singapore and Indonesia. In November 2016, the carrier plans to launch a connecting schedule for its 7X-weekly Addis Ababa- Bangkok service that will connect to Hanoi, Vietnam. The Hanoi flight will add to existing connections from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Manila, Philippines. It plans to introduce the Singapore Changi and Soekarno-Hatta, Jakarta, connections by March 2017. A spokesperson for the airline said it would be "pushing Thailand as a new hub into Southeast Asia" over the next year, particularly for travelers in the foreign worker category working in the construction and mining industries, as well as in "independent traveler" tourism. The carrier also plans to use Boeing 787s to replace its 767 aircraft on Southeast Asian schedules. http://atwonline.com/airports-routes/ethiopian-airlines-establish-bangkok-hub Back to Top The deadline is fast approaching to reserve your hotel room for the 2016 FAA Asia-Pacific Flight Standards Meeting July 19-21 at the Westin City Center Hotel in Washington, DC. A special discounted rate of $174/night (exclusive of taxes) has been reserved for conference participants. This rate includes daily breakfast for one person. Click here to reserve your room now! To receive this special rate, you must reserve your room by June 18(subject to availability). Still haven't registered to attend the conference? Please visit the conference website to get the latest information and to register: www.regonline.com/2016-AsiaPacificFlightStandardsMeeting. The deadline to register for the conference is Wednesday, June 29. Questions? Email us at ConferenceSupport@sidemgroup.com. Back to Top ARGUS Charter Operator Flash Survey Dear Air Charter Operators, We are asking for your help in collecting some quick metrics to assess revenue vs. non-revenue flight activity within the charter industry. This is a very short one-question survey that will take less than a minute of your time! Survey Link: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07ecqh07moiomz0q4d/_tmp/questions Back to Top PhD Research Request Fellow Helicopter Crewmember, This is a request for you to participate in a research study for my doctoral degree, the purpose of which is to study the relationship between safety management systems, incidents and accidents, and company performance for small helicopter companies with less than 5 aircraft and in the last 10 years. This research is in conjunction with safety efforts by the US Helicopter Safety Team and the Helicopter Association International. To participate, you must be between age 21 to 60 (federal/university requirement), had some type of aircrew experience with a small civil helicopter organization (less than 5 aircraft) and in the United States in last 10 years. Current helicopter student pilots can participate. Please follow the link below and fill but if you start, please finish the survey. It will only take about 12 minutes to complete. The survey does not include any identifiable data about the crewmember, places of employment, or OEM. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5VPCZZ5 Thank you for your participation! Principal Investigator Scott Burgess Doctoral student at Northcentral University S.Burgess4793@email.ncu.edu Curt Lewis