Flight Safety Information July 28, 2016 - No. 147 In This Issue Four dead in plane crash and fire at Columbia Airport (California) Several people taken to hospital after American Hercules aircraft lands at St. John's airport (Canada) US surveillance Boeing OC-135B aircraft makes emergency landing in eastern Russia American Airlines plane returns to DFW Airport safely after flames visible from engine MH370: Missing jet 'could be further north' Startling admission in MH370 search Jet Fighter Crashes Off Coast of Rio de Janeiro Preventing aircraft accidents through occurrence reporting Tech Glitch: Third Air India Dreamliner Aircraft Grounded Garmin G5 Brings Non-TSO'd Equipment to Legacy Aircraft UTC Aerospace Systems advanced technology to measure health of aircraft Pilots union renews call for sacking of Kenya Airways management Southwest Airlines senior ops honcho's memo reveals meltdown's big impact Pilots union renews call for sacking of Kenya Airways management United Airlines May Be Poised to Drop One of Its Hubs Boeing Posts Rare Quarterly Loss, Mulls Phasing out 747 Boeing's iconic 747 era could come to an end How a Brazilian Cargo Jet Is Taking On the Mighty C-130J Super Hercules Oshkosh Royalty - Hawaii Mars.. Zodiac Arresting Systems:...On-line RCAM Training Airshow Legend Survives Health Scare Aviation sisterhood connects at WomenVenture Embry-Riddle Receives New Diamond Aircraft DA42-VI Fleet at EAA AirVenture 2016 Airline Snapshot:...American Airlines NTSB Course...Title...Managing Communications Following an Aircraft Accident or Incident ISASI 2016, Reykjavik, Iceland...17 to 20 October, 2016 (ISASI) DFW Regional Chapter (DFRC) Summer Meeting, September 8, 2016 Graduate Research Request Graduate Research Survey Four dead in plane crash and fire at Columbia Airport (California) Four people died when their plane crashed at an airport in Columbia on Wednesday, July 27. A twin-engine, four-seat airplane crashed at Columbia Airport on Wednesday afternoon, killing the four people on board, said authorities and a witness to the aftermath. According to the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department, officials received the report of the crash at 4:45 p.m. "The plane was completely engulfed, with surrounding vegetation involved," the department said in a post on its Facebook page. "Emergency crews are on scene." Sgt. Andrea Benson, the department spokeswoman, added that the plane was coming in from the north, hit the runway, veered left and went into a field. None of the people aboard have been identified, she said. "There was no communication" between the airport and the aircraft, Benson said, "so we don't know where they were coming from or where they were going." National Transportation Safety Board staff members will come from Colorado on Thursday to take over the investigation. "We're containing the scene tonight," Benson said, and the runway has been kept open to help Cal Fire mop up. Kye Gunn, an air-ambulance helicopter pilot based at the airport, said his crew was dispatched on a report of a possible patient but knew no more than that. "We walked out the door, saw fire at the end of the runway" and realized right away it was a plane crash, he said. He spoke with a National Guard helicopter pilot who saw the crash. The other pilot told him the plane hit wing first, banked hard and came right at him and his crew, who ran. Gunn added, "It came to rest at the back of our helicopter fuel truck. It was driven away so it wouldn't catch fire." His crew quickly was told to stand down because the crash and fire were fatal, Gunn said. "It turned into a couple-acre fire and caught some vehicles on fire," he said. "By that time. Cal Fire, the Tuolumne sheriff and the CHP were all there, and local fire." Gunn provided the FFA registry number for the plane, which shows it to be a 1958 Cessna 310B owned by a Sonora man. It was not immediately known if the owner was piloting the craft. http://www.modbee.com/news/article92258547.html#storylink=cpy ************* Date: 27-JUL-2016 Time: 16:45LT Type: Cessna 310 Owner/operator: Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Columbia Airport, CA - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Unknown Departure airport: Destination airport: Columbia Airport (O22) Narrative: The aircraft experienced a loss of directional control and subsequent impact with airport terrain upon landing. The aircraft was partially consumed by the post-impact fire and the four occupants received fatal injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=188902 Back to Top Several people taken to hospital after American Hercules aircraft lands at St. John's airport (Canada) Possible loss of cabin pressure Several people were taken to hospital Wednesday night after a United States Air Force Hercules aircraft made an emergency landing at St. John's airport. One report indicates that the plane may have lost cabin pressure on an overseas flight but that has not been confirmed. A number of Eastern Health ambulances were called to the airport at about 10 p.m. The aircraft was seen parked on the tarmac at the Irving hangar with a line of people, including what appeared to be children, disembarking from the aircraft and crew members shining flashlights on the wing and engine areas. The group later boarded a school bus and taxis in front of the facility and were driven to another location. No details were available as to the nature of the injuries. http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2016-07-27/article-4600130/Several-people- taken-to-hospital-after-American-Hercules-aircraft-lands-at-St.-Johns-airport/1 Back to Top US surveillance Boeing OC-135B aircraft makes emergency landing in eastern Russia 'Spy plane' was monitoring Siberia under Open Skies treaty aimed at reducing tension after Cold War. US surveillance Boeing OC-135B aircraft makes emergency landing in eastern Russia. Picture: Alexander Golovko, KP The military aircraft had taken off after a stopover in Ulan-Ude, in the Republic of Buryatia, when the American crew detected a malfunctioning of the landing gear, said Russian reports. The plane was heading for Yakutsk but opted to make an emergency landing at Khabarovsk airport. 'A foreign aircraft made a forced landing in Khabarovsk. All emergency ground services have arrived on site. The flight landed safely at 3 P.M. local time,' said a statement by an airport official. Earlier, Russian Defense Ministry Nuclear Risk Reduction Centre officials announced that a US Boeing OC-135B aircraft would conduct an observation flight over Russian territory between July 25 and 30. There was no official comment from the Eastern Military District on the incident, but an army source cited by Komsomolskaya Pravda Khabarovsk suggested the malfunctioning was 'not coincidental', and perhaps related to recent military exercises in the area. 'They were due to go direct from Ulan-Ude north-northeast to Yakutsk. Just imagine the kind of loop they needed to make to request the landing at approximately the same distance, but to the east?,' said the unnamed source. The plane seats up to 35 people, including the cockpit and maintenance crew and 'foreign country representatives' and crew members from the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). One vertical and two oblique KS-87E framing cameras are used for low-altitude photography approximately 900 metres above the ground, and one KA-91C panoramic camera, which scans from side to side to provide a wide sweep for each picture used for high-altitude photography at approximately 11,000 metres. The Treaty on Open Skies was signed in March 1992 and became one of the major confidence-building measures in Europe after the Cold War. It entered into force on January 1, 2002; 34 states are currently party to the treaty, including Russia and most NATO members. The treaty establishes an unarmed aerial surveillance program whereby signatory states may conduct flights over the entire territory of fellow participants. http://siberiantimes.com/other/others/news/n0688-us-surveillance-boeing-oc-135b-aircraft- makes-emergency-landing-in-eastern-russia/ Back to Top American Airlines plane returns to DFW Airport safely after flames visible from engine An American Airlines plane returned to DFW International Airport late Wednesday after flames shot out from one of its engines. Flight 438, An Airbus A320, was bound for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when the pilot reported an engine problem that was causing compressor stall, the FAA said. The problem caused flames to be seen from one engine. The plane was still at about 2,000 feet when the problem occurred, and the pilot was able to return the flight safely to DFW. No injuries were reported. http://www.dallasnews.com/business/airline-industry/20160728-american-airlines-plane- returns-to-dfw-airport-safely-after-flames-visible-from-engine.ece Back to Top MH370: Missing jet 'could be further north' Discovered debris (red dots) is used to weight the outcomes of multiple simulations The crashed remains from the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 could be as much as 500km further north than the current search area, say scientists in Italy. Their assessment is based on the location of confirmed debris items and computer modelling that incorporates ocean and weather data. They say this has allowed them to determine where the plane most likely hit the water and where future aircraft fragments might wash up. The MH370 search will soon be halted. The Malaysia Airlines flight disappeared in March 2014, en route from Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in China, with 239 passengers and crew on board. Authorities have agreed that "in the absence of new credible evidence" the effort to find the plane on the ocean floor west of Australia will be suspended once a zone covering 120,000 square km has been fully surveyed. That could happen in the next few weeks. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is co-ordinating the search, has previously said it is confident it is looking in the most plausible place. A team led by Eric Jansen, from the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change in Italy, is the latest to try its hand at using modelling to identify the impact site. The approach relies on two years of high-resolution data that describe the currents and wind conditions across the Indian and Southern oceans. Multiple simulations were used to predict where objects might drift given different starting points. These forecasts were then analysed and the greatest weight given to those tracks that best matched the locations of known MH370 debris items. These are the parts of the Boeing 777, such as an engine cowling and wing flap, that have since washed up on the beaches of Africa and Indian-ocean islands. The conclusion is that the main wreckage of the plane is likely to be in the wide search area between 28 degrees South and 35 degrees South that was designated by crash investigators. However, only the southern end of this zone - a priority segment between 32 degrees South and 35 degrees South - is currently being surveyed by underwater cameras and detectors. This still leaves a swathe of ocean floor to the north where Dr Jansen and colleagues say MH370 could possibly be resting today undiscovered. The results suggest the plane could be on the ocean floor to the north of the underwater search area One of the advantages of the type of model produced by the team is that its solutions can be updated as more debris is found. "We use the location where debris is found to create a ranking of the different simulations. So, the simulations that cause debris in all of the locations where this material was found - we rank those higher; and the ones that are not as good at predicting the locations of the debris - we rank them lower. "And then we combine the result. This has the benefit that if new debris is found we only have to repeat the ranking, which is very fast, while the simulations of drift over two years take several hours." This means also that should more debris come to light, the model will refine its solution for where in the ocean the missing jet is most likely to be found. And given that the underwater search is about to be suspended, Dr Jansen says perhaps greater effort should now be directed towards finding more washed-up debris. It is an endeavour that would be low-cost, he argues, but would very much aid the type of research he does, while at the same time possibly yielding additional information on the state of the aircraft in its final moments. Such inferences can be gleaned by examining materials for tell-tale damage. Dr Jansen and colleagues have published their research in the journal Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36904981 Back to Top Startling admission in MH370 search Accusations of a cover-up and lack of transparency have dogged the two-year search for MH370. And while most theories are plainly bonkers, notably that the aircraft ended up at a Russian/Kazakh/Pakistani base, yesterday there was a startling admission from the Joint Agency Coordination Centre. Set up by the Australian government to lead the search for the Malaysia Airlines 777, the JACC has all but confirmed media reports that captain Zaharie Shah had plotted on his home flight simulator a course to the desolate Southern Indian Ocean - the focal point for search efforts. "The simulator information shows only the possibility of planning. It does not reveal what happened on the night of the aircraft's disappearance, nor where the aircraft is located," says the JACC. Nonetheless, the information does strongly suggest that MH370 was crashed deliberately, so it's astonishing and troubling that governments sat on it for so long. A murder-suicide bid by flight crew was always the likeliest scenario, though the JACC maintains that "no pilot intervening in the latter stages of the flight" is the best interpretation of what happened in MH370's final moments. This is an explicit rebuttal of the theory that the aircraft only hit the sea after a controlled glide that took it out of the 120,000sq-km search area defined by the governments of Australia, China and Malaysia. "[The] last satellite communication with the aircraft showed it was most likely in a high rate of descent in the area of what is known as the 7th arc," says the JACC. However, the JACC now also advises that if the aircraft is not found in the remaining 10,000sq-km of search area, the search will be suspended, not ended as it previously indicated. "Should credible new information emerge which can be used to identify the specific location of the aircraft, consideration will be given in determining next steps," it says. http://mro-network.com/opinion/2016/07/startling-admission-mh370- search/13531?dm_i=2H5E,UGAY,638RFJ,28NNU,1 Back to Top Jet Fighter Crashes Off Coast of Rio de Janeiro Pilot ejects from Brazilian navy plane but hasn't been located A Brazilian navy jet fighter crashed Tuesday afternoon during an exercise near Rio de Janeiro. Rio has been on high alert with the Olympic Games approaching, but a spokesman said the exercise wasn't related to the Olympics. RIO DE JANEIRO-A Brazilian jet fighter crashed into the ocean off the coast of Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday afternoon, after it collided with another jet during a military exercise. The pilot was ejected from the plane and hasn't been found, according to the Brazilian navy, which said rescue operations will continue throughout the night. The jet fighters, both AF-1B models (A-4 Skyhawk) belonging to the navy, were based in the state of Rio. The exercise wasn't related to the Olympics, a spokesman said. The navy didn't confirm whether the jets were due to operate during the Olympic Games. Rio is on high alert with the approach of the 2016 Olympics, the opening ceremonies of which begin Aug. 5. Around 85,000 security agents will be deployed to this seaside city, including over 20,000 members of the army, air force and navy. The navy said in a statement that ships, planes and firefighters were all involved in the search for the missing pilot, who hasn't been identified. The second plane was damaged but made its way back to the coast and landed safely. The accident happened off the coast of Saquarema, about 50 miles east of Rio de Janeiro. The AF-1Bs were part of a batch of 12 planes that began to be upgraded by Embraer Defense & Security in 2015. Earlier this month, a jet fighter belonging to the air force crashed in Santa Cruz, a western suburb of Rio. The two occupants were ejected and landed safely. Members of the armed forces recently began patrolling the streets of Rio and carrying out a series of training exercises around the city in the run-up to the Olympic Games. Concerns about security in Rio have been rising following a recent string of terror attacks around the world. Over the past week, Brazilian federal police arrested 12 members of an alleged terror cell that officials suspected of plotting attacks during the Olympics. http://www.wsj.com/articles/jet-fighter-crashes-off-coast-of-rio-de-janeiro-1469579438 Back to Top Preventing aircraft accidents through occurrence reporting Baumgartner Mächler European Union, Switzerland July 27 2016 Introduction Switzerland recently adopted EU Regulation 376/2014,(1) which aims to prevent accidents through the reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation. The regulation defines an 'occurrence' as a: "safety-related event which endangers or which, if not corrected or addressed, could endanger an aircraft, its occupants or any other person and includes in particular an accident or serious incident." Accidents are often preceded by safety-related incidents and deficiencies revealing the existence of safety risks. An important way to learn about these risks is through incident reporting by aviation professionals. Regulation The regulation seeks to create incentives for reporting by recognising the 'just culture' concept, which establishes that aviation professionals should not be punished for actions, omissions or decisions taken by them that are commensurate with their experience and training, but under which gross negligence, wilful violations and destructive acts are not tolerated. The main thrust of the regulation is the translation of the 'just culture' concept into specific and enforceable legal provisions. In particular, the regulation states that information on occurrences cannot be used: to attribute blame or liability; or for any other purpose other than the maintenance and improvement of aviation safety. Accordingly, reporters and other persons mentioned in the report should be protected from blame and punishment. The regulation provides that employees and contracted personnel will not be subject to any prejudice (particularly from their employer or the organisation for which they render services) based on information collected through occurrence reporting systems. To encourage reporting, the regulation establishes that collected safety information will be handled in such a way as to protect the confidentiality of the reporter and other persons mentioned in the report, including through anonymisation of details related to the persons involved. To achieve this, division between departments handling the occurrence reports and the rest of the organisation is recommended. 'Just culture' does not mean full immunity, nor does it absolve aviation professionals of their normal responsibilities. The regulation therefore draws a line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Thus, the protection of aviation professionals under the regulation does not apply in cases of wilful misconduct or: "where there has been a manifest, severe and serious disregard of an obvious risk and profound failure of professional responsibility to take such care as is evidently required in the circumstances, causing foreseeable damage to a person or property, or which seriously compromises the level of aviation safety." Comment While the adoption of the regulation is welcome news, challenges remain. The line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour will not always be clear in practice. A person who considers reporting may not know beforehand whether the authorities will consider his or her actions, omissions or decisions as acceptable. However, if aviation professionals are expected to disclose incidents, it is essential that they trust those who read the reports. Any doubt that filing a report could be used against the aviation professional could destroy trust in the reporting system. The regulation alone will not automatically establish an environment leading to trust and facilitation of reporting occurrences. The concept of a 'just culture' will work only if all aviation stakeholders treat mistakes as learning opportunities and if aviation professionals are given broad protection in case of judicial action. For further information on this topic please contact Andreas Fankhauser at Baumgartner Mächler by telephone (+41 44 215 4477) or email (afa@bmlaw.ch). The Baumgartner Mächler website can be accessed at www.bmlaw.ch. Endnotes (1) EU Regulation 376/2014 (April 3 2014) on the Reporting, Analysis and Follow-up of Occurrences in Civil Aviation, amending EU Regulation 996/2010 and repealing Directive 2003/42/EC and EU Council Regulations 1321/2007 and 1330/2007. http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=cd1e5299-c8e9-459d-8630-f33e6fee671d Back to Top Tech Glitch: Third Air India Dreamliner Aircraft Grounded A snag-hit Air India aircraft that failed take-off from the Heathrow airport on Tuesday is among at least three grounded Dreamliner planes in the airline's newest fleet of 21. With no spare planes available, some passengers were put on other India-bound flights and others were sent to a hotel. An Air India spokesperson confirmed its London-Mumbai- Ahmedabad flight on Tuesday was cancelled owing to a "technical glitch". "Some passengers were accommodated on alternate AI flights to Delhi onward to Ahmedabad and for others hotel accommodation was provided," said the spokesperson. Ashwani Lohani, Air India, chairman and managing director, said, "Problems with Dreamliners have reduced now though not completely stopped. Boeing has been helping us." Snags have been one of the biggest concerns for the AI's Dreamliner fleet. A snag-hit 787 each was benched at Chennai and Mumbai in January this year. Two months later the airline couldn't operate an aircraft each from Paris and Kolkata. In May again, an engineering glitch kept about 250 Hong Kong-bound passengers held up in Mumbai for seven hours. The aircraft was grounded globally soon after launch over complaints of overheated batteries. According to an audit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported by HT, the Dreamliner had encountered 44 major engineering faults between September 2012 and February 2014. http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12237296/tech-glitch-third-air-india-dreamliner-aircraft- grounded Back to Top Garmin G5 Brings Non-TSO'd Equipment to Legacy Aircraft The new equipment's just the beginning of releases under a new STC. The compact sunlight-readable electronic flight instrument can replace vacuum attitude indicators on 562 certificated aircraft makes and models. It's no secret that aviation has introduced hundreds of remarkable cockpit technologies over the years, but as light aircraft owners are quick to point out, "At what price?" Garmin recently took a major step forward in the war against the high cost of electronics by introducing the G5, a compact sunlight-readable electronic flight instrument for certificated aircraft, usable in both VFR and IFR flight. The G5 is a perfect direct replacement for a host of ancient vacuum attitude indicators on some 562 various aircraft makes and models. In addition to replacing old indicators, the G5 delivers a solid airspeed indicator, altimeter, vertical speed indicator and turn coordinator in a single unit. The G5 first emerged in the experimental market and made the transition to legacy aircraft thanks to a Garmin supplemental type certificate. That means a G5 is not only easy-to- install, but inexpensive. The STC is part of the FAA's ongoing initiative to encourage enhancements that improve safety in the existing general aviation fleet. Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing, said, "The FAA's Safer Skies initiative identified vacuum system and gyro failures as a significant contributor to accidents in instrument meteorological conditions among GA, and with the support of the FAA, we're working to address those concerns." http://www.flyingmag.com/garmin-g5-brings-non-tso-equipment-to-legacy-aircraft Back to Top UTC Aerospace Systems advanced technology to measure health of aircraft Flight trials ongoing to evaluate U.S. Air Force's C-5 fleet CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), is releasing its new Pulse™ Health Monitoring System (HMS), a lightweight, scalable vehicle health management system designed to enable real- time evaluation of an aircraft's condition. Pulse™ HMS uses a remote sensor interface, diagnostic and prognostic analytics software modules, and wireless communication capability to perform data collection of the overall health and performance of an aircraft. The data collected can be processed on-board or transferred off-board for storage and further analytic processing. Pulse™ HMS ties seamlessly to existing UTC Aerospace Systems Pulse™ Ground Stations. These stations provide ground analytics solutions that can be loaded onto laptops and tablets for maximum flexibility for both operators and maintenance teams. Together the system and the station offer users a suite of tools that can be used individually or collectively to measure an aircraft's performance. "This is like monitoring systems found in modern automobiles that evaluate tire pressure, fuel consumption, oil condition, drivetrain performance or other aspects, and they provide the driver or mechanic with the necessary information to assist in keeping the vehicle well maintained," said David Larsen, Prognostics and Health Management Systems Program Chief Engineer at UTC Aerospace Systems. The Pulse™ HMS is undergoing flight trials as part of a U.S. Air Force (USAF) contract awarded to Metis Design Corporation. UTC Aerospace Systems licensed the MD7-Pro™ structural health monitoring system from Metis on July 14, 2016, to further expand its aircraft health management solutions. During the flight trials, Pulse™ HMS and the MD7- Pro™ will be used to evaluate the airworthiness of sensing systems aboard the USAF's C-5 Galaxy aircraft. The C-5 Galaxy is one of the largest aircraft in the world and the largest airlifter in the USAF's inventory, having a greater cargo capacity than any other airlifter with a maximum cargo rating of 270,000 pounds, according to the USAF. "Our Pulse™ Health Monitoring System can be scaled up or down through the placement of modules on aircraft to accommodate a customer's needs for different sensors within mission systems and avionics," said Kevin Hawko, manager of Sensors & Integrated Systems, Aircraft Health Business Development at UTC Aerospace Systems. "We are proud to work with Metis Design and to offer flexible and affordable technologies like these which take the industry to higher levels of performance and safety." The capability to wirelessly collect, process, and transfer data through the Pulse™ HMS is designed to allow customers tailored options to pull and analyze selected data. Measured data can be processed as a snapshot in time or as part of a continuous performance monitoring process. This flexibility extends from monitoring a single aircraft up to an entire fleet to determine trends. Production and aftermarket support of the Pulse™ Health Monitoring System will take place at UTC Aerospace Systems' facility in Vergennes, VT. UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. UTC Aerospace Systems supports a global customer base, with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities. Follow the company on Twitter: @UTCAeroSystems. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit the website at www.utc.com or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC. SOURCE UTC Aerospace Systems Related Links http://www.utcaerospacesystems.com http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/utc-aerospace-systems-advanced-technology-to- measure-health-of-aircraft-300305277.html Back to Top Pilots union renews call for sacking of Kenya Airways management Kenya Airlines Pilots Union ( KALPA) has renewed its call for the Kenyan government to change the management of the national carrier Kenya Airways, in order to reverse the successive record loss making streak that has plagued the airline. "The historic losses are a testament to what we have been saying all along that Kenya Airways is in desperate need of new leadership and direction,KAPLA Secretary General, Paul Gichinga ,said in a statement. The historic losses are a testament to what we have been saying all along that Kenya Airways is in desperate need of new leadership and direction The airline reported a net loss of 26.2 bshillings( $258m) in the year ending March, up from a net loss of 25.7 billion shillings, a year ago. Analysts say in In the past five years, the stock has dropped 87 percent . CEO, Mbuvi Ngunze, who took the helm in December 2014, has had a tumultuous reign but remains optimistic that the pride of Africa, which was Africa's dominant airline just five years ago, will experience good fortunes in due time. In February, Kenya Airways turned to global consulting firm McKinsey & Company to draw up a restructuring plan which includes laying off 600 employees, about 15 percent of its workforce. In this turnaround strategy, the airline has shrunk its fleet by almost a third and also sold its valuable take-off and landing slot at London's Heathrow airport. However, the pilots union wants the airline to stop the retrenchment plan saying it is unfair and has further called on the airline to end its partnership with Dutch carrier KLM, arguing that it favours KLM at the expense of Kenya airways. http://www.africanews.com/2016/07/27/pilots-union-renews-call-for-sacking-of-kenya- airways-management/ Back to Top Southwest Airlines senior ops honcho's memo reveals meltdown's big impact Southwest Airline's massive technology outage that caused a near collapse of the carrier's operations nationwide last week continues to reverberate throughout the low-fare airline, and is likely to do so for many days and weeks to come. An internal memo to Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) employees from Craig Drew, senior vice president of air operations, only underscores the magnitude of the meltdown and the damage control with employees that top management is now engaged in as many workers have been outraged by the company's handling of the mess. Southwest Airlines' top management is trying to tamp down concerns about the carrier's... Drew began his memo by noting "the last week has been a trial by fire for us at Southwest Airlines, especially for those of you who were on the front line." Drew went on to praise employees for their efforts, noting "I am extremely grateful for everything you did to preserve the relationships with our customers, answering impossible questions and demonstrating the special nature of our people." Drew tried in his memo to tamp down concerns among many employees that appropriate steps won't be taken to address the meltdown. He wrote, "our technology issue is on the minds of many of you, and I can tell you that the company is swiftly and aggressively investigating the cause so we can mitigate a future breakdown like the one experienced last week." Sources told me Southwest's board of directors have requested an internal investigation. It remains to be seen how exhaustive the investigation will be and whether it will name names if certain of Southwest's management team fell short in executing their responsibilities. But Drew also tried to assure worried employees that the carrier is prepared to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure such a meltdown doesn't happen again: "We have preliminary causation (for the meltdown). However, an event of this magnitude requires a comprehensive investigation. When the analysis is complete, we assume the responsibility of sharing those findings with you," he wrote. The eventual findings could become factors in increasingly protracted contract negotiations with three key labor groups - mechanics, pilots and flight attendants - that have been ongoing for years. Labor has repeatedly blamed Southwest CEO Gary Kelly for dragging his feet on getting new deals done. http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2016/07/27/southwest-airlines-senior-ops- honchos-memo-reveals.html Back to Top Pilots union renews call for sacking of Kenya Airways management Kenya Airlines Pilots Union ( KALPA) has renewed its call for the Kenyan government to change the management of the national carrier Kenya Airways, in order to reverse the successive record loss making streak that has plagued the airline. "The historic losses are a testament to what we have been saying all along that Kenya Airways is in desperate need of new leadership and direction,KAPLA Secretary General, Paul Gichinga ,said in a statement. The historic losses are a testament to what we have been saying all along that Kenya Airways is in desperate need of new leadership and direction The airline reported a net loss of 26.2 bshillings( $258m) in the year ending March, up from a net loss of 25.7 billion shillings, a year ago. Analysts say in In the past five years, the stock has dropped 87 percent . CEO, Mbuvi Ngunze, who took the helm in December 2014, has had a tumultuous reign but remains optimistic that the pride of Africa, which was Africa's dominant airline just five years ago, will experience good fortunes in due time. In February, Kenya Airways turned to global consulting firm McKinsey & Company to draw up a restructuring plan which includes laying off 600 employees, about 15 percent of its workforce. In this turnaround strategy, the airline has shrunk its fleet by almost a third and also sold its valuable take-off and landing slot at London's Heathrow airport. However, the pilots union wants the airline to stop the retrenchment plan saying it is unfair and has further called on the airline to end its partnership with Dutch carrier KLM, arguing that it favours KLM at the expense of Kenya airways. http://www.africanews.com/2016/07/27/pilots-union-renews-call-for-sacking-of-kenya- airways-management/ Back to Top United Airlines May Be Poised to Drop One of Its Hubs The airline giant may need to take drastic steps to revitalize its unit revenue performance in the next year or two. There's a growing contradiction at United Continental (NYSE:UAL). On the one hand, the United Airlines parent company has maintained its commitment to capacity discipline. In the face of weak unit revenue trends, United is holding domestic capacity growth below 2% this year. On the other hand, the company admitted last month that domestic capacity cuts have caused United to lose market share in its hubs over the past five years. It believes this has hurt its unit revenue. UNITED AIRLINES HAS LOST MARKET SHARE IN THE U.S. OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. IMAGE SOURCE: THE MOTLEY FOOL. This puts CEO Oscar Munoz and his management team in a bind. If United Airlines increases its domestic growth rate, it will worsen the current capacity glut, especially if it provokes a response from any of United's competitors. That would almost certainly drive unit revenue down even further. But if it does nothing, United's market share in its hubs will continue to languish. There may be only one way out of this dilemma: downsizing or eliminating one or more of United's remaining hubs. Management recognizes that there is a problem United Airlines first addressed the issue of losing share in its hub markets on an investor call last month. To halt this trend, the carrier is adding capacity in San Francisco and Denver this year, two markets where demand is particularly strong right now. However, United's management team also appears to realize that pivoting to aggressive growth across the entire route network would not be wise. On the June investor call and again on the company's recent Q2 earnings call, Munoz talked about needing to "refine the mission for each geographic region, hub, and spoke." United's dilemma is further complicated by the company's move to "upgauge" its domestic fleet, following in the footsteps of Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL). As part of this initiative, United will cut its fleet of 50-seat regional jets from more than 250 planes today to fewer than 100 by the end of 2019. They will be replaced by mainline planes in the 120- to 130- seat range. This will force United to either dramatically increase capacity in certain markets (undermining unit revenue) or cut flight frequencies (which could drive away business travelers). UNITED AIRLINES WILL RETIRE MOST OF ITS 50-SEAT JETS BY THE END OF 2019. IMAGE SOURCE: THE MOTLEY FOOL. A few years ago, Delta squared this circle by closing its hub in Memphis and gutting its hub in Cincinnati (which now has fewer than 100 daily flights, down from about 600 a decade ago). This allowed Delta to add larger planes to its fleet and use them to connect traffic through its big hubs in Atlanta and Detroit, rather than splitting that connecting traffic among four hubs. Two hubs are in danger United already closed its Cleveland hub in 2014, after years of weak performance. Considering that it already had three larger hubs within 400 miles of Cleveland, this was an obvious move. However, two more United hubs could potentially be on the chopping block: Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Not coincidentally, those are its only two hub markets where United doesn't hold the No. 1 position in terms of seat share. In Los Angeles, United faces brutal competition from virtually every major airline. Meanwhile, less than 350 miles away, it operates the premiere West Coast airline hub in San Francisco. Rather than fighting a losing battle in LA, it might be wiser for United to shrink significantly there. It can funnel connecting traffic through San Francisco and it even might be able to retain local customers in LA by offering frequent flights to its other hubs. Delta Air Lines has the best margins in the industry despite having no hub in Chicago, suggesting that there's no strategic imperative forcing United to have a hub in every top-tier market. Meanwhile, United's hub at Washington Dulles International Airport is barely more than 200 miles from the carrier's larger and far more profitable Newark hub. United Airlines is in a particularly tough spot in Washington, D.C., because most travelers vastly prefer to fly from Reagan National Airport, which is closer to the city center. Furthermore, the FAA is removing Newark International Airport's slot constraints as of this fall. This would allow United to start adding flights there if it wants to -- something that hasn't been an option recently (at least on peak days). Rather than fighting at a disadvantage against American Airlines, which has a hub at Reagan Airport, United might be better off downsizing in Washington, D.C., while growing at Newark Airport. Decisions coming later this year? United Continental is still trying to work through its long-term network strategy. But United will hold a full investor day conference during the fourth quarter where it will spell out its plans in more detail. There's a good chance that downsizing -- or even closing -- the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., hubs will be on the agenda. http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/27/united-airlines-may-be-poised-drop-one-of-its- hubs.aspx Back to Top Boeing Posts Rare Quarterly Loss, Mulls Phasing out 747 Boeing, absorbing billions in write-downs related to two of its newest commercial jets and a military fuel tanker, reported its first quarterly loss in nearly seven years. Yet revenue for the Chicago aerospace giant rose 1 percent to $24.8 billion, and company shares rose steadily before the opening bell Wednesday. Charges totaling $3 billion before taxes, led to Boeing's first down quarter since the third quarter of 2009, when it lost $1.6 billion. Boeing also signaled in a regulatory filing that it might soon end production of its iconic 747. The double-deck jet - known as the Queen of the Skies - revolutionized air travel by making it more affordable for the masses. The giant jet once stood alone, with more seats than any other jet and a range of 6,000 miles, longer than any other plane. But its four engines and massive size are now seen as negatives - it burns too much fuel and airlines struggle to fill flights with 400 or more passengers. Slowing freight traffic has meant few orders for the cargo version of the plane. "If we are unable to obtain sufficient orders and/or market, production and other risks cannot be mitigated, we could record additional losses that may be material, and it is reasonably possible that we could decide to end production of the 747," Boeing said in the filing Wednesday. No timetable was set, but Boeing needs to keep the manufacturing line open for the next few years in order to fulfill orders, including for two replacement jets for Air Force One, the presidential plane. On Wednesday, Boeing also lowered its full-year earnings to the range of $6.10 and $6.30 per share, from $8.15 and $8.35. The revenue outlook remains the same at $93 billion to $95 billion. Despite the rough quarter, analysts believe that Boeing showed underlying strength and shares gained $1.11 to close at $135.96. The report of a quarterly loss comes days after one of Boeing's key suppliers, Rockwell Collins, publicly called out the company for being behind on $30 million to $40 million in bills for various electronic and cockpit equipment. "Boeing is delinquent and Boeing has contributed to some of our underperformance here this quarter in cash flow, which is disappointing, but we're working that with them," Rockwell Collins CEO Kelly Ortberg said Monday when the company posted earnings. Boeing executives said Wednesday during a conference call that they were trying to meet industry standards and moving to a more orderly cycle. The Boeing Co. reported losses of $234 million. The adjusted per-share loss was 44 cents. Analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research had projected an adjusted loss of 88 cents per share. Boeing had already warned analysts of the heavy charges for the quarter, giving them time to adjust their estimates. The charges this quarter include a $1.2 billion write-down, before taxes, on its 747-8. Boeing attributed the loss to weakness in the air cargo market, saying that the overall number of freighter jets produced will be lower than originally estimated. The company will continue to manufacture one of the giant jets every two months but no longer has plans to double the production rate to one per month in 2019. Boeing also decided against spending money to refurbish and sell its two remaining 787 Dreamliner test aircraft. The jets were built in 2009 and both have spent more than 6,700 hours in flight and ground testing. That charge reached $1.2 billion before taxes. Finally, Boeing took another write-off on the Air Force's KC-46 Pegasus Tanker, a midair refueling plane Boeing is building off its commercial 767 jet frame. Problems were found during recent test flights and Boeing is working to fix them. The Air Force was supposed to take delivery of 18 tankers by August 2017 but the new schedule now targets January 2018. The delay and changes will cost Boeing $354 million before taxes, on top of more than $1 billion in charges already taken on the tanker. The increased revenue mostly came from faster production of Boeing's commercial planes. The commercial division accounts for about two thirds of the company's revenue, with its defense and space divisions making up the rest. Boeing takes a deposit when a jet order is made but doesn't collect the bulk of the cash until a jet is delivered. The company delivered 199 commercial jets during the quarter, up from 197 during the same period last year and 181 two years ago. Boeing shares have fallen almost 7 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has increased 6 percent. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/boeing-reports-quarterly-loss-years-40920098 Back to Top Boeing's iconic 747 era could come to an end Old airplanes, including Boeing 747-400s, are stored in the desert in Victorville, California March 13, 2015. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (Reuters) - Boeing Co could end production of the iconic 747 aircraft as the world's biggest plane maker fights falling orders and pricing pressure on the plane, according to a regulatory filing on Wednesday. Boeing also canceled plans to increase production of the 747 to one plane per month from 2019, and stuck to its earlier plan of halving the production rate in September 2016. http://bit.ly/2as8Z9k Production rate on the 747, which was at 1.5 per month in June 2015, has gradually dropped to 1 a month in July 2016, signaling bad news for the jet's future plan. The company reported smaller-than-expected second-quarter loss on Wednesday helped by strong performances in its jetliner and defense businesses. Boeing warned last week it planned to take $3 billion in pretax charges related to its 787, 747 and KC-46 tanker aircraft programs. Nicknamed 'Jumbo Jet' and 'Queen of the Skies,' the wide-body aircraft is a sought after one among heads of state, including the U.S. President, whose Air Force One is a variant of the 747. The latest version of the 747, capable of traveling the length of three FIFA football fields in a second, is used by Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and Air China amongst others. http://www.businessinsider.com/r-boeings-iconic-747-era-could-come-to-an-end-2016-7 Back to Top How a Brazilian Cargo Jet Is Taking On the Mighty C-130J Super Hercules Why fly a turboprop when you can fly a jet? Lockheed's C-130 Hercules is the plane that never dies. A tactical-that is to say "medium- sized"-cargo plane, it's the go-to when the situation doesn't call from something as titanic as a C-17 Globemaster or A400M Atlas. But the C-130 is no spring chicken. Around the world, the trusty planes are aging out and due for replacement. Enter the KC-390: a twin-jet, T-tail airlifter built by Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, known previously for its regional airliners, and now for the largest aircraft ever built in South America. Sure, there's already a C-130 replacement in the form of Lockheed's larger, more modern C-130J Super Hercules, but the similarly-sized KC-390 can fly faster and higher thanks to its use of turbofan jet engines instead of turboprops like the C-130J. A fly-by-wire digital airplane which can carry up to 57,000 pounds of cargo at a maximum speed of 540 mph, the KC-390 beats out the C-130J's max carrying weight (42,000 pounds) and max speed when at full capacity (416 mph). Depending on the configuration, that means the KC-390 can tote: 80 troops, or 66 paratroopers, or three HUMVEEs, or a Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk helicopter, or a LAV-25 combat vehicle. KC-390 BEATS OUT THE C-130J'S MAX CARRYING WEIGHT AND MAX SPEED WHEN AT FULL CAPACITY. That's thanks to its International Aero Engines V2500-E5 turbofans, rated at 31,330 pounds of thrust each, which also allow the KC-390 to cruise up to 36,000. Theses engines are specially adapted for military use, but at their core they're the same, highly-common engines that power airliners like the Airbus A320 and McDonnell Douglas MD-90. Ultimately, like the C-130J Super Hercules, the KC-390 is ready for any mission from troop transport to cargo airdrop to aerial refueling to search and rescue and aerial firefighting. It can just do it while carrying more. And do it faster, covering greater distances in a single crew duty day and flying more missions using the same amount of flight hours. That better top speed has real, practical benefits in the field. Embraer points out that in a search and rescue mission with a pretty typical 1,250 nautical mile radius, a KC-390 could cover the ground two hours faster than even the fastest turboprop. But the jet engines are not without their downsides. The KC-390 consumes more fuel than the C-130J-a pretty natural outgrowth of its increased speed. And while the KC-390 is designed to operate from short, unimproved airstrips just like the C-130J can, Embraer hasn't specified the plane's exact takeoff and landing distances, and critics argue that its turbofans are more susceptible to damage by foreign objects when operating at sites that are a little rough. CRITICS ARGUE THAT ITS TURBOFANS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE BY FOREIGN OBJECTS. Fortunately in cases like that, pilots should have plenty of situational awareness thanks to the KC-390's avionics suite, with five multi-function displays and daylight and thermal imagery generated by a nose-mounted synthetic vision system. That, and oversized cockpit windows, which Embraer claim that pilots just love. Elsewhere in the cockpit, active side-sticks combine with the digital flight control system for precise hand-flying control. And, like any good tactical airlifter, the KC-390 has self- protection systems including ballistic protection against small arms fire, critical systems redundancy, radar, laser, and missile approach warning receivers and infrared countermeasures. The first KC-390 prototype flew in February 2015 and the first production aircraft are slated to be delivered to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) in 2017. Eventually 28 aircraft will replace and complement the FAB's C-130s which are 40 years old on average. And since the KC-390 exceeds the C-130's performance in terms of payload, speed/altitude and cost, there's a good chance it might take over entirely. And not just in Brazil either. An extra sales point, reaffirmed at the recent Farnborough Air Show, is that Embraer has teamed with Boeing to market and support the KC-390 worldwide. That'll make competing with the C-130J less of a Herculean task. http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a22057/kc-390vs-c-130-super-hercules/ Back to Top Oshkosh Royalty - Hawaii Mars 'It's aviation royalty': World's largest water bomber plane with a 200-foot wingspan hits the market for $3million - with fans paying $125 just to see it up close! * Hawaii Mars is the world's largest water bomber and dubbed 'aviation royalty' * US Navy built Martin Mars model as troop and freight carriers in the 1940s * They were later converted to seaplanes with an ability to carry 7220 gallons It's the world's biggest water bomber - with a 200-foot wing span wider than a 747 jumbo jet and the ability to carry 7200 gallons of water. And now it's up for sale. CNN reports that plane buffs have been shelling out $125 each to view the plane up close on a lake in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture air show is being held. Flight of fancy: Plane buffs have been shelling out $125 each to view the plan up close on a lake in Oshkosh, Wisconsin Wings of speed: US Navy built Martin Mars model as troop and freight carriers in the 1940s It will also fly several demonstrations during the event shows. THE MARTIN MARS: THE STATS * Only six Martin Mars plans were ever made as part of a US Navy program in the Second World War. * They were supposed to be long-range troop and freight transport but were converted to water bombers. * It is the largest flying boat ever operationally - * Its height is 38 feet while it is 120 feet long and has a wing span of 200 feet (similar to a commercial 747 jumbo jet. * The plane can carry 7200 gallons of water and travel close to the water at about 80miles/hr. Source: Experimental Aircraft Association According to the EAA, the plane is the last of its kind after only six of the Martin JRM Mars seaplanes were made for the US Navy during the Second World War. They were built as long-range troop and freight transport to fly between Hawaii and the mainland United States. But they were later converted to water bombers and given the ability to carry enough water to cover 4 acres of land in a single pass. 'There aren't many airplanes that have never been to Oshkosh, but this is one of them, so this is both literally and figuratively a huge addition to this year's lineup,' said Rick Larsen, EAA's vice president of communities and member programs in a statement. 'Among flying boats, only the legendary Spruce Goose is bigger, but the Martin Mars is the largest ever to be operational on a regular basis.' The most frequently asked question regarding the Mars is How do they pick up their water?. This part of the flying operation is, perhaps, the most demanding in terms of teamwork among the crew. The Captain executes a normal landing, keeps the the aircraft 'on the step' and allows the speed to decrease to 70 knots. He then passes engine power to the Flight Engineer and selects the scoops to the 'down' position. The ram pressure for injecting the water into the tanks is such that the aircraft is taking on water at a rate in excess of a ton per second. To account for this added weight, the Flight Engineer must advance the throttles to maintain a skimming speed of 60-70 knots to ensure the aircraft remains on the step. Pickup time is, on average, 25 seconds. When the tanks are full, the Captain will have the scoops raised, call for takeoff power from the Flight Engineer and carry out a normal loaded takeoff. Once airborne, the foam concentrate is injected into the water load (normally, 30 US gallons of concentrate into the 7,200 US gallon water load) where it is dispersed and remains inert until the load is dropped. Once dropped, the tumbling action causes expansion which converts the water load into a foam load. This process is repeated for each drop. In other words, this vital team. The plane's owner, Wayne Coulson, reportedly said he had decided to put the plane up for sale after the governments of British Columbia and Alberta did not offer his firm contracts during the latest wildfire season. His other plane is the Philippine Mars, also out of the Martin Mars fleet, and the price tag for each plane is £3 million each. 'Hawaii Mars has reached the end of its career,' Coulson told CNN. 'It's now time to reinvent it into something different than what it is.' 'We're going to be very selective on where these airplanes go. They're aviation royalty.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3711018/It-s-aviation-royalty-World-s-largest- water-bomber-plane-200-foot-wingspan-hits-market-3million-fans-paying-125-just- close.html#ixzz4FhKmQE1S Back to Top Zodiac Arresting Systems: On-line RCAM Training Back to Top Airshow Legend Survives Health Scare Dr. Robert Liddell, R.A. Bob Hoover, and Michael Herman (left to right): Fred George OSHKOSH, Wisconsin-Legendary airshow performer R.A. Bob Hoover almost "Went West" on the eve of this year's EAA AirVenture Oshkosh due to life-threatening anemia. It could have deprived his body of oxygen as effectively as carbon monoxide poisoning. Fortunately, Dr. Robert Liddell was visiting the 94-year-old Hoover at his home in Palos Verdes, California. Liddell, who was director of aviation medicine for Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (nee Civil Aviation Authority) from 1988 to 1997, noted Hoover's shortness of breath and other signs of anemia. He immediately called a local hospital to order blood tests. But the hospital would not take orders from a non-U.S. licensed physician. That's when Michael Herman-Hoover's longtime friend, personal Citation CJ3 air chauffeur and CEO of North American Communications-came to the rescue. Herman called Dr. Ned Chambers in San Diego and asked him to confer with Liddell. Chambers immediately ordered the required blood tests at a local hospital. The results were clear and convincing. Hoover's hemoglobin levels had indeed dropped precipitously to 7.7 gm/dl from the normal 15 gm/ dl. Chambers then ordered a large transfusion of blood, packed with extra hemoglobin, to cure the anemia. Quickly, the extra-strength transfusion produced the desired results. Hoover's anemia vanished and he felt re-energized, ready to fly with Herman and Liddell to meet and greet all his friends and admirers at AirVenture 2016 here. "Everyone has come close to going over the cliff at one time or another," says Hoover, who narrowly escaped death more than a dozen times during his fighter pilot, test pilot and airshow careers. "This is the second time that Dr. Rob Liddell came to my rescue. The first was in 1994, when FAA pulled my medical certificate. Dr. Liddell and I have been lifelong friends ever since." In 1994, two FAA inspectors watched Hoover perform at airshows and declared his cognitive skills had deteriorated, rendering him unfit to fly. FAA's Federal Air Surgeon subsequently revoked Hoover's medical certificate. Hoover no longer was able to fly in airshow events, most of which were booked years in advance. Some of those airshows were in Australia. At the urging of Australian airshow promotors, Liddell intervened. He called Dr. Lawrence Marinelli, an FAA aviation medical examiner based in Los Angeles who was also licensed by Australia's CAA to perform medical exams on its behalf. Marinelli subjected Hoover to several cognitive tests and a stringent aviation medical exam that he passed with flying colors. Hoover then traveled to Australia and went through a battery of written, oral and flight tests that resulted in his earning Australian commercial multi-engine land pilot ratings. He was then able to perform in several Australian airshows and air races. With Hoover's unqualified successes down under, the FAA eventually reversed itself and restored Hoover's U.S. pilot medical certificate, much to the delight of his U.S. supporters. Herman candidly says that Hoover is stubborn, a pilot who remains wary of doctors. "He doesn't even have his own doctor. He needs a good personal physician who will be an advocate for him." Herman believes that only by having such a strong professional relationship with a personal physician can a pilot hope to get treatment when it is urgently needed, considering the current state of medical care in the U.S. http://aviationweek.com/oshkosh-2016/airshow-legend-survives-health-scare Back to Top Aviation sisterhood connects at WomenVenture OSHKOSH - Marissa Naude wants to be an airline pilot. The 21-year-old from Port Alfred, South Africa, is already on her way to achieve that dream as she's a flight instructor at the biggest air school in South Africa, 43 Air School. She was in Oshkosh for the first time this week for the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture, where she participated in WomenVenture with at least 2,000 other women on Wednesday. It was exciting to be around other women in aviation; to hear their stories, understand the struggles and successes each other has in the field and generally be a part of what she said is an elite group of women. And it's not just a group of women with a common hobby - it's more like a sisterhood, she said. "You only know if you're a part of it," Naude said. WomenVenture is a time for the women to connect through those shared experiences, to build up and support each other - and to celebrate the things each of them are accomplishing. The women are pilots, mechanics, homebuilders, airport managers, flight attendants - name a role in aviation and there's probably a woman representing it in the photo they took in Boeing Plaza. For Naude, meeting other women and having conversations with them is not something she gets to do much of living in South Africa, where not very many women are pursuing careers in aviation, she said. Her mentor is her father, who is also a pilot and is why her passion for aviation started at a young age. "We don't have the legends like you do here," she said, referring to the Women Airforce Service Pilots who participated in the day's events. She met Rita Doyle, of Beaver Creek, Ohio, who's also a pilot, while waiting for the photo. The two chatted and enjoyed each other's company in the shade of another plane on view in the plaza. Doyle has been attending AirVenture since the 1970s. WomenVenture is always fun and she always makes connections like she did Wednesday with Naude, she said. "It's exciting to see that many women in one place with a different kind of something in common," she said. And no one does aviation like women do, they chuckled. Naude is one of thousands of young women who have found their passion in the sky or see an aviation-related career as their future. Pat Prentiss, who was president of The Ninety-Nines from 2006-2008, said women are making more of a statement in the field. "The door is opening wider and quicker," she said. When she entered the field in the 1970s, women were still striving to make their mark in aviation. There weren't women mentors to guide others through the process. Instead, Prentiss learned from men, then worked hard to eventually fly corporate jets for 26 years before retiring. Times have changes since she first entered the field, she said. The key to keeping that momentum going, Prentiss said, is to continue exposing girls and young women to the field; providing them mentors and financial assistance. The Ninety-Nines and Women in Aviation International have each awarded more than $10 million to girls and women who are breaking into the aviation field, and the number of applicants continues to grow. The Ninety-Nines three-year-old Fly Now scholarship had more than 104 qualified applicants this year, Prentiss said. The scholarship awards student pilots as they complete four milestones: pass the Federal Aviation Administration or equivalent exam, complete their first solo flight, complete a solo cross-country flight and receive the FAA or equivalent flight certificate. http://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/news/local/oshkosh/airventure/2016/07/27/aviation- sisterhood-connects-womenventure/87632328/ Back to Top Embry-Riddle Receives New Diamond Aircraft DA42-VI Fleet at EAA AirVenture 2016 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has completed acceptance of a new fleet of AUSTRO ENGINE jet-fuel piston engine-powered DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA42-VI with the formal delivery of the last of 10 aircraft this week at EAA AIRVENTURE 2016 in Oshkosh, Wis. Dr. Karen A. Holbrook, Interim President of Embry-Riddle, accepted the aircraft and Diamond's contribution of $65,000 to top up the existing endowed scholarship fund to $100,000 from Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. CEO Peter Maurer on Tuesday during a presentation at Diamond's booth at the annual air show event. "Scholarship support from industry is a vital part of not only attracting future aviators, but also retaining these passionate and talented students," Dr. Holbrook said. "With this endowment, Diamond is leading by example. They are proving their commitment to investing in future aviation talent." The DA42-VI is the flagship of Embry-Riddle's fleet and will be used to provide multiengine training at its Daytona Beach, Fla., campus. Compared to conventional AVGAS powered twins, the fleet of 10 aircraft is expected to generate more than $3 million in fuel savings alone, over the next eight years. Embry-Riddle has the largest suite of DA42's of any flight training institute of higher education in the United States and Canada. In addition to the fleet at the Daytona Beach campus, there are four DA42's currently used for flight training at Embry-Riddle's Prescott, Ariz., campus. "We are proud of our long-standing relationship with Embry-Riddle and commend them on their vision regarding new technologies," said Maurer, President and CEO of Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. (Canada). "These aircraft are expected to be in operation at Embry-Riddle through 2024 and as such it was of particular importance for the university to consider the advanced technologies that only Diamond delivers. We are particularly proud of the exemplary safety record that the DA42 has accumulated in North America." The DA42-VI is the newest version of Diamond's technology-leading light piston twin, the first certified general aviation piston aircraft to combine modern technology airframe, avionics and powerplants. Nearly 1,000 DA42's have been delivered since its introduction 10 years ago, outselling all other certified piston twins combined. The all-carbon composite DA42's are equipped with efficient, clean and reliable turbo-diesel AUSTRO engines, Garmin G1000 with 3-axis Automatic Flight Control System and optional electrically driven air conditioning. "Our strong relationship with Diamond within both of our flight programs at our Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses combined with the advanced technology, a shared commitment to being environmentally responsible and the simple fact that our students love flying them makes this an exciting step forward for our university," said Ken Byrnes, Chair of the Flight Department at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus. "The completely modernized aerodynamics, airframe, jet-fuel piston engines and glass cockpit appeal to the students, while the low-noise signature and eco-friendly design and functionality are important not only to the university, but our local community." Media Contact: Melanie Hanns, Director of Media Relations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; (386) 226-7538; melanie.hanns@erau.edu http://news.erau.edu/headlines/embry-riddle-receives-new-diamond-aircraft-da42vi-fleet-at- eaa-airventure-2016/#sthash.9Jb0Aibx.dpuf Back to Top Airline Snapshot: American Airlines Back to Top NTSB Course Title Managing Communications Following an Aircraft Accident or Incident Co-sponsor Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) Description The course will teach participants what to expect in the days immediately following an aviation accident or incident and how they can prepare for their role with the media. ID Code PA302 Dates, Tuition and Fee September 29-30, 2016 $1034 early registration, by August 28, 2016 $1134 late registration, between August 29 - September 24, 2016 $100 processing fee will be added to tuitions for all offline applications. A tuition invoice can be ordered for a $25 processing fee. Note: payment must be made at time of registration. Times Day 1: 8:30am - 5pm Day 2: 9am - 3pm Location NTSB Training Center * 45065 Riverside Parkway * Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Status OPEN. Applications are now being accepted. Apply to Attend SIGN UP FOR THIS COURSE HERE http://www.ntsb.gov/Training_Center/Pages/PA302_2016.aspx CEUs 1.3 Overview * How the National Transportation Safety Board organizes an accident site and what can be expected in the days after an aviation disaster from the NTSB, FAA, other federal agencies, airline, airport, media and local community * Strategies for airline and airport staff to proactively manage the communication process throughout the on-scene phase of the investigation * How the NTSB public affairs officers coordinate press conferences and release of accident information and what information the spokespersons from the airport and airline will be responsible to provide to the media * Making provisions for and communicating with family members of those involved in the accident * Questions and requests likely encountered from the airlines, airport staff, family members, disaster relief agencies, local officials and others > Comments from course participants > See the 219 organizations from 28 countries that have sent staff to attend this course Performance Results Upon completion of this course the participant will be able to: * Be better prepared to respond to a major aviation disaster involving a flight departing from or destined for participant's airport * Demonstrate greater confidence in fielding on-scene questions about the many aspects of the investigation and its participants, including what types of specific information may be requested * Identify the appropriate Public Affairs roles for the various organizations involved in an accident investigation. * Be more productive in the first few hours after an aviation disaster by understanding which tasks are most important and why * Perform job responsibilities more professionally and with greater confidence given the knowledge and tools to manage the airport communications aspect of a major aviation disaster Who May Attend This course is targeted to who, in the event of an aviation disaster, will need to provide a steady flow of accurate information to media outlets and/or other airport, federal or local authorities. Accommodations Area hotels and restaurants Airports Washington Dulles International (IAD): 10 miles Washington Ronald Reagan National (DCA): 30 miles Baltimore/Washington International (BWI): 60 miles More Information Email StudentServices@ntsb.gov or call (571) 223-3900 http://www.ntsb.gov/Training_Center/Pages/PA302_2016.aspx Back to Top ISASI 2016, Reykjavik, 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 will 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. Registration and details of the main seminar, tutorial and companion programmes are available at www.esasi.eu/isasi-2016. We look forward to seeing you in Iceland Back to Top RSVP by contacting Erin Carroll, DFRC President by September 1 Email: erin.carroll@wnco.com or Telephone: (214) 792-5089 Back to Top Graduate Research Request You are being invited to consider taking part in a research survey on the influence of the psychological contract (the unwritten expectations between an employee and their employer) on a pilot's safety behaviours. I am seeking to understand if this part of the employment relationship has an influence on the safety behaviours of pilots. My focus is primarily on the European aviation environment. This survey is being undertaken as part of my Master of Science (MSc) in Air Safety Management at City University, London. I am undertaking this research in a purely independent capacity for my own personally funded studies. The results of this survey will only be used to support my dissertation. All data will be kept anonymous. No personally identifiable information will be collected. All answers reported in the analysis of the survey will be made without any connection to you. If you have experience working as a pilot, preferably for a European commercial air transport operator, and wish to take part please click on the link below. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/pilotspsycon Thank you for your support Kathryn Jones Back to Top Graduate Research Survey Helicopter Pilot Trust in Automation Study My name is Nick Currie and I am a helicopter pilot currently working towards my Masters of Aviation Safety at Florida Institute of Technology. Part of my program requires me to research a topic related to my field of expertise in order to satisfy the requirements of a Master's level thesis. My thesis is focused on the topic of trust in automation. More specifically, how much helicopter pilots trust two types of Enhanced Flight Vision Systems(EFVS): Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) and Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS). The most common type of EVS technology is Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR), and the most common type of SVS technology is a 3D moving map display. I am interested in gathering responses from any helicopter pilot regarding their trust in each of these system's capabilities. If you have used one, both, or neither of the systems, I am still very interested in gaining your input in this study. Ultimately, by completing this research, I hope to develop a list of recommendations to improve EFVS automation to aid the pilot in accomplishing their primary tasks. The survey (see link below) takes no more than 10 minutes, and it asks a series of 12 questions on each display. Please consider taking a few minutes of your time to help improve this growing field of cockpit automation. Thank you for your time and consideration. Survey Link - https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2788023/Enhanced-Flight-Vision-Systems Nick Currie Curt Lewis