Flight Safety Information December 21, 2016 - No. 253 In This Issue CARGO JET IN COLOMBIA CRASHES IN FIREBALL Pilots report brief eruption of Bogoslof volcano (Alaska) Flight controller accidentally sends jet on course toward Mt. Wilson after LAX takeoff Pillsbury: Global, Top-Ranked, Non-Stop Service Searchers for Malaysia Jet Say They May Have Looked Too Far South An anonymous survey of airline pilots sheds light on the risk of depression Chapecoense plane crash: Bolivia blames pilot and airline Air safety continues to improve Allegiant Airlines cancels same flight multiple times, frustrating passengers A black doctor barred from helping on a flight gets an apology Secretary Aviation made PIA acting chairman Pentastar safety and compliance VP receives aviation award Dubai Is Planning the World's Largest Airport Chinese Firm Buys Majority Interest in Diamond Canada (Updated) Experts in Aircraft Security Warning Preparing for air traffic control via satellite Cirrus is betting its future on a 'personal jet' RESEARCH STUDY SURVEY Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship Graduate Research Survey CARGO JET IN COLOMBIA CRASHES IN FIREBALL A cargo plane was in big trouble just after take-off from an airport in Colombia and a man's cellphone video captured it all. PUERTO CARRENO, Colombia (KABC) -- A cargo plane was in big trouble just after take- off from an airport in Colombia and a man's cellphone video captured it all. As the plane nearly hit a dirt road and a tall fence, it sent up a cloud of dust and seconds later, the plane crashed in a fire ball. The Boeing 727 cargo plane had just taken off from the Colombian city of Puerto Carreno, bound for Bogota, but it was never able to get any lift. Only one of the plane's six crew members, a flight technician, survived the crash and was rushed to a local hospital. Aviation experts will examine the cause of the failed flight but said it's possible that the plane's cargo shifted as it took off and caused the crash. http://abc7.com/news/video-cargo-jet-in-colombia-crashes-in-fireball/1666325/ ************** Status: Preliminary Date: Tuesday 20 December 2016 Time: 17:23 Type: Boeing 727-2J0F Adv. Operator: Aerosucre Colombia Registration: HK-4544 C/n / msn: 21105/1158 First flight: 1975-08-22 (41 years 4 months) Engines: 3 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15 (HK3) Crew: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 6 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 6 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 16 km (10 mls) W of Puerto Carreño-Cumaribo Airport (PCR) ( Colombia) Phase: Initial climb (ICL) Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Puerto Carreño-Cumaribo Airport (PCR/SKPC), Colombia Destination airport: Bogotá-Eldorado Airport (BOG/SKBO), Colombia Narrative: A Boeing 727 cargo plane, operated by Aerosucre Colombia, was destroyed when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Carreño Airport in Colombia. One of the six crew members survived the accident. The aircraft took off from runway 24, a 1780 m long runway about 17:20. Videos are circulating online, supposedly showing the accident aircraft on takeoff. The airplane fails to lift off the runway and crosses the airport perimeter fence and road in a nose up attitude. Distance from the end of the runway to the perimeter road is 95 meters. Aerocivil reports the aircraft crashed 10 miles from the airport. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20161220-0 Back to Top Pilots report brief eruption of Bogoslof volcano (Alaska) Several pilots reported a short-lived, explosive eruption of Bogoslof volcano in the Aleutian Islands that sent an ash cloud 34,000 feet in the air, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. The pilots reported the eruption around 4 p.m. Tuesday. They estimated the altitude of the rising ash, according to AVO. Observers said that satellite data showed a discrete, short-lived explosion just before 4 p.m. that sent ash drifting south. Another pilot who passed by nearly an hour after the explosion told the volcano observatory that activity had decreased. Still, AVO found it necessary to raise Bogoslof volcano's status to red and issue a warning alert status, which means a volcanic eruption is imminent, underway or suspected with hazardous activity on the ground and in the air. Around 9 p.m., Bogoslof volcano's status was downgraded to orange, which means that the volcano "is exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption" or that "an eruption is underway that poses limited hazards including no or minor volcanic-ash emissions." According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Bogoslof Island is the largest of a cluster of small, low-lying islands that make up the summit of a large underwater stratovolcano. The volcano rises about 6,000 feet from the Bering Sea floor, but is only 300 feet above sea level at its highest point. There is no ground-based monitoring equipment on Bogoslof volcano, which is located slightly north of the main Aleutian volcanic front, USGS scientists noted in a report about the eruption. "AVO is unable to provide a forecast of future eruptive activity. We will monitor satellite images and data from distant seismic and infrasound instruments for indications of significant explosive activity," the report says. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2016/12/20/pilots-report-eruption-of-bogoslof- volcano-warnings-issued/ Back to Top Flight controller accidentally sends jet on course toward Mt. Wilson after LAX takeoff FAA investigates aircraft incident In this Nov. 27 photo, a plane takes off at Los Angeles International Airport. On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating another plane that flew north instead of south. (John Antczak / Associated Press) The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident in which a passenger jet was given wrong directions by traffic controllers and guided toward the San Gabriel Mountains, where it flew just hundreds of feet higher than the peak of Mt. Wilson before turning around, according to publicly available flight data. Bound for Taiwan, the EVA Air Boeing 777 took off to the east early Friday from Los Angeles International Airport's south runway complex, according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor. After takeoff, the air crew switched from the LAX control tower to the approach control operations in San Diego, which Gregor said was common practice. "The air traffic controller at the approach control who was handling EVA instructed the pilot to make a left turn to a 180-degree heading," he said. "She meant to tell the pilot to make a right turn to a 180-degree heading." Following the controller's instructions, the pilot turned left. The move sent the plane in the wrong direction, Gregor said. Instead of flying south, the aircraft flew north toward the San Gabriel Mountains and an Air Canada jet that had departed from the north runway complex at LAX. When the controller realized the mistake, she "took immediate action to keep EVA safely separated" from the second aircraft as well as ground terrain, Gregor said. She issued the EVA pilot a series of instructions to help him turn south. "The controller wanted to make sure the EVA aircraft was safely above or away from nearby terrain," he said. The conversation between the pilot of EVA 015 and the controller was posted by VASAviation on Youtube. At one point during the flight, the controller asks the pilot, "What are you doing? Turn southbound now." A graphic depiction of the aircraft's flight path, altitude and speed on the website Flightradar24.com shows the plane turning north and flying over Pasadena toward the San Gabriel Mountains. Just five minutes after takeoff, the plane is hovering 5,000 feet over Eaton Canyon when it begins turning away from the mountain range and heading south. As the aircraft banks directly to the south of Mt. Wilson, it continues to gain altitude and appears to fly between 500 and 800 feet higher than the Mt. Wilson Observatory, which stands roughly 5,710 feet high, according to the website data. The aircraft's lateral distance from the mountain peak appears to be between 500 and 600 meters. In a statement issued Tuesday, EVA Air said, "Our flight was never too close to other aircraft or to the mountains." The pilot of the aircraft was directed to take off from Runway 7 and complied with the air traffic controller's direction and speed instructions. "EVA is working in full cooperation with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and related authorities in the investigation of this situation," the statement said. FAA regulations require that airliners be separated by at least 3 miles laterally, or 1,000 feet vertically. The regulations also require airliners to be at least 3 miles away laterally or 2,000 feet vertically above obstacles such as mountains. Asked whether the aircraft had violated those restrictions, Gregor said the FAA was looking into how high the aircraft was flying above the ground northeast of the airport. At least one Altadena resident reported hearing the low-flying plane, KABC-TV reported. "The question is how close did they come to the terrain?" said Jon Russell, an air transport pilot and the Western-Pacific regional safety coordinator for the Air Line Pilots Assn. "Did a terrain warning sound in the cockpit?" FAA officials said Tuesday afternoon that they did not know whether such a warning occurred. The flight had 353 people on board, including five infants, an airline spokeswoman said. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-faa-investigation-plane-wrong-direction- 20161220-story.html Back to Top Back to Top Searchers for Malaysia Jet Say They May Have Looked Too Far South The police inspecting a piece of debris on the French-administered island of Réunion, off the southeastern coast of Africa, in July 2015. It was later identified as from the missing Malaysia Airlines plane. Credit Lucas Marie/Associated Press SYDNEY, Australia - Weeks away from ending their search of a remote stretch of the southern Indian Ocean for debris from a Malaysian jet that vanished in 2014, investigators acknowledged on Tuesday that they might have spent the past two years looking too far south. Experts said in a report that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people on board, was most likely resting on the seabed in an area partly searched in late 2014 and early 2015. The searchers then moved south along a long arc thought to be the jet's trajectory, off Australia's southwest coast. They now want to expand the 46,000-square-mile search by around 9,700 square miles, to cover a new zone to the north, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in the report, which was issued along with analysis from Australia's science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. Despite the new analysis, Darren Chester, the Australian infrastructure and transport minister, said the search would end soon unless specific new information about the location of the wreckage emerged. Mr. Chester said Australia, China and Malaysia had agreed in July that the search area would not be expanded unless "credible evidence is available that identifies the specific location of the aircraft." A team led by Australia has been searching for the jet, which disappeared in March 2014 after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, on a flight bound for Beijing. It instead flew south for unknown reasons, and the authorities say they believe it crashed into the ocean. A search of the seabed has been fruitless, but pieces of debris that have drifted to shore have been confirmed to have come from the plane. The science agency said in its own report on Tuesday that its scientists, by modeling wind and ocean currents and tracking replica plane parts in the ocean, "had come up with a location of the aircraft that is much more precise than we thought possible." The agency recommended searching along the northern third of the arc that experts had previously mapped out, based in part on the plane's electronic communications with a satellite. "We believe that the aircraft is on the seafloor within that area," David Griffin, a scientist in the agency's oceans and atmosphere division, said by telephone. "Very close to the arc is the most likely place, but also very likely is an area 25 nautical miles to the west of the arc." That area was partly searched in late 2014 and early 2015. Australia is leading the search for the plane and is shouldering most of the costs, though China and Malaysia are also involved in decisions. Most of the passengers on the plane were Chinese. The search zone was expanded once before, in April 2015, when it was doubled to the current 46,000 square miles. About 90 percent of that area has been searched. A spokesman for the Transport Safety Bureau, Daniel O'Malley, said on Tuesday that the authorities were confident that if the plane were in the area already searched, it would have been found. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/20/world/australia/malaysia-airlines-flight- mh370.html?_r=0 Back to Top An anonymous survey of airline pilots sheds light on the risk of depression Data on depression rates among pilots have been hard to come by, but a new study that surveyed active pilots found that nearly 13 percent met the threshold for depression - and about a third as many reported having suicidal thoughts. Why it matters: The 2015 crash of Germanwings Flight 9525, which was caused intentionally by a co-pilot who had undergone treatment for suicidal tendencies, killed all 150 people on board and sparked a conversation about mental health among pilots. This study, published in the journal Environmental Health, is the first to examine the mental health of airline pilots outside the context of a crash investigation, regulator- mandated health exam, or identifiable self-reports. It's thought that pilots are extremely reluctant to seek mental health treatment given the stigma and professional implications mental illness holds in the industry. "Our results should not be surprising," said Joseph Allen, an assistant professor of exposure assessment science at Harvard and the study's senior author. "The idea that pilots can be susceptible to mental health issues just like the rest of us should not be shocking. Unlike the rest of us, though, not all pilots have the ability to seek treatment or counseling due to fear of repercussions." The nitty gritty: The researchers collected 1,837 anonymous survey responses from airline pilots around the world, whom they solicited with emails and advertisements through pilot unions, professional groups, and aviation publications. The survey covered various work and health topics, and included several questions that called on specialized pilot knowledge, to confirm that the volunteers were indeed pilots. They evaluated participants' likelihood of depression based on nine questions often used in clinical settings, and additionally asked if participants had ever been diagnosed with depression or sleep disorder. They found that while only 3.1 percent of pilots had been diagnosed with depression, nearly 13 percent met the threshold for a depression diagnosis. That rate is on par with other stressful occupations, including military personnel and police officers, but is about twice as high as the general US population. Depression was at higher levels among pilots who use sleep-aid medication and pilots experiencing sexual or verbal harassment. Researchers also found that 4.1 of pilots reported having thoughts of being better off dead or self-harm within the past two weeks. You should know: In light of the study's release, Allen said he hopes airlines can create an environment in which pilots feel more comfortable coming forward to seek treatment. And, Allen emphasized, the new findings, while informative about pilots' mental health, shouldn't change passengers' confidence in flying. "Flying is the safest form of transportation, and this study doesn't change that," Allen said. "The Germanwings pilot wasn't just suicidal. He was homicidal. I think it's critical the flying public hears that." Read the original article on STAT. http://www.businessinsider.com/depression-airline-pilots-survey-2016-12 Back to Top Chapecoense plane crash: Bolivia blames pilot and airline Media captionThe recording captures the final moments of the plane before it crashed A Bolivian investigation into a plane crash that killed 71 people last month, including dozens of Brazilian football players, has concluded that the pilot and the airline were directly responsible, an official says. The plane, operated by Bolivian airline LaMia, plunged into a mountainside near the Colombian city Medellin. Only six people survived. An audio recording of the pilot suggested the aircraft ran out of fuel. A Colombian investigation continues. 'Crew gave no warning' LaMia's chief executive, Gustavo Vargas Gamboa, and his son, Gustavo Vargas Villegas, a former official with Bolivia's aviation authority, are being held pending trial. They deny wrongdoing. The pilot, Miguel Quiroga, who was also a co-owner of the airline, died in the crash. In a leaked tape, he can be heard warning of a "total electric failure" and "lack of fuel". However, he did not make a formal distress call. "The evidence is conclusive, the direct responsibility of this event falls on the pilot and the airline company," Bolivia's Public Works and Services Minister Milton Claros told reporters. He oversees the country's aviation authority. The aircraft had been transporting Brazil's Chapecoense soccer team to the biggest game in its history, the final of the Copa Sudamericana. LaMia announced compensations of $165,000 (£134,000) to the victims' families and survivors, Brazilian website G1 reported. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38389553 Back to Top Air safety continues to improve If you are nervous about flying you can comfort yourself with the thought that it's getting safer all the time - unless, of course, you go to Russia or any other of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. The Independent Air Transport Association (IATA) has been campaigning strongly to improve air safety - all South Africa's full-service airlines have passed its strict audit to ensure that they follow best practice - and according to its annual report, 2006 was the safest year on record. There was only one accident for every 1.5 million flights by Western-built aircraft and the rate for IATA member airlines was only one for every two million flights, which makes it far safer than driving to your nearest shop. For years, Africa was the most risky region to fly over and we are still the second-most dangerous. But most of these accidents involved badly maintained older aircraft, many built in Eastern Europe. And, even on our continent, the accident rate dropped last year to 4.31 for every million flights and none involved any of the leading international airlines. In Russia and the CIS states, however, the accident rate was 13 times the global average with 8.6 Western-built jet aircraft lost for each million flights. So, if you fly there make sure it is with an IATA member airline. However, IATA is still campaigning for greater safety, with air crew trained to avoid landing in bad weather conditions, which cause 43 percent of accidents and a new programme to improve communication in English between pilots and air traffic controllers. Giovanni Bisignani, its director general and chief executive, has pointed out that the accident rate must be reduced still further, since demand for air travel is increasing at a rate of between five percent and six percent a year. Our domestic airline market in South Africa still seems to be growing. Low-cost airline kulula.com says it has sold more than one billion tickets online and has carried more than seven million passengers to date. Carl Scholtz, its executive manager for IT, says 80 percent of its seats are sold online and its website gets more than half a million visits each month. Kulula is a division of British Airways/Comair, which is one of several airlines adding to its route network. It launched a regular weekly flight to Mauritius in November, which had to be supplemented with two more a week during the holiday period. It reverted to one flight a week in January, but demand has continued to be encouraging and it will launch a second flight, on Wednesdays, from June 27. It competes on the route with SAA, which flies from Johannesburg and with Air Mauritius, which flies from Cape Town and carries SAA passengers under codeshare arrangements. SA Airlink narrowly avoided a strike by pilots belonging to the Solidarity trade union earlier in April when management agreed to raise their salaries to the same level as those earned by Comair pilots. It would have come at a particularly awkward time for Airlink, which is also increasing its route network by introducing flights to Harare and Lusaka from Johannesburg next month. The Lusaka service will start with two flights a day and the Harare service with two a week until August when it is planned to increase that, also to two a day. With all the troubles reported from Zimbabwe it seems a strange time to introduce a new service there, but I understand that Airlink might have lost the air traffic rights obtained last year if it did not use them. But in addition to this, Rodger Foster, the chief executive, tells me there is plenty of demand from business people for flights to Harare timed to allow return the same day. He says that in spite of the collapse of Zimbabwe's currency plenty of business is still being carried on there, but in US dollars. http://www.iol.co.za/travel/travel-tips/air-safety-continues-to-improve-883242 Back to Top Allegiant Airlines cancels same flight multiple times, frustrating passengers IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Passengers flying Allegiant Airlines out of Idaho Falls Regional Airport to Mesa, Arizona, spent the weekend stranded in Eastern Idaho. The airline canceled the same flight three times in three days. "I'm ready to be home," said JoAn Kelly, a stranded passenger. "I miss the 75 degree weather." The airport calls the situation a "perfect storm of events." Last Thursday, Allegiant Airlines canceled their Phoenix-Mesa flight due to mechanical problems with the Airbus 319 aircraft after it arrived in Idaho Falls. The flight was rescheduled for Friday, but Allegiant canceled the flight again due to weather conditions at the airport. The director of the Idaho Falls Regional Airport said the two other carriers flying out of IDA United Airlines and Delta Airlines had no problems. "We have documentation that other airlines were using the runway and runway conditions were actually acceptable," the airport director, Craig Davis, said in a phone interview. "The runway was clear enough to allow airline operations as we had plowed, broomed, deiced and sanded it to obtain an appropriate braking action friction level based on FAA regulations) national notice to airman (NOTAM's) were issued and other airlines were taking off and landing during the time they canceled the flight," Davis added later in a written statement. "Remember it is the pilot in command and the individual airlines choice whether to operate their aircraft or not." Allegiant then rescheduled the flight for a third time. The plane was scheduled to leave Idaho Falls Saturday evening. As passengers were getting ready to board the plane, Allegiant canceled the flight. "While Allegiant Airline employees were positioning the jet bridge No. 2 onto the aircraft to finally load this flight, the jet bridge electrical inverter burned out and left the jet bridge (un)usable," Davis said in a statement to KIFI/KIDK. Davis said Allegiant was using the taller and larger Airbus 319 for the Saturday flight. He said typically the airline uses the shorter MD-80 aircraft. With the electrical inverter on the jet bridge burned out, Allegiant and the airport worked to find a work-around. "Airport staff did their best to try to find a solution to help Allegiant including trying to use our other jet bridge No. 1 which does not go high enough for this Airbus aircraft. We tried the airports and the FBO's portable air stairs which also do not go high enough to reach the Airbus door," Davis wrote in his statement. "Allegiant made the decision on Saturday night to cancel the flight permanently." KIFI/KIDK contacted Allegiant Airlines for a statement. In a voicemail left for reporter Chris Oswalt a spokesperson said it disputes the airport's stance, saying the plane was the right size for the jet bridge. The spokesperson said passengers were given a $250 voucher for future flights. The airport says it will look to budget $50,000 next year to buy a backup portable air stair unit, a cost the airport's director said he tried to split with Allegiant in the past. "Last year I met with Allegiant Airlines and offered to cost-share the purchase of an appropriate portable air stare unit," Davis said. "However, they declined the offer saying they did not have the funds." Allegiant Airlines eventually got passengers flown out, but not without problems. The fourth flight out of IDA was delayed Sunday evening because the crew was late to arrive after being delayed by weather at a different airport. JoAn Kelly says she finally landed at her Arizona destination around 10 p.m. Sunday. "Just landed," she wrote in a text message. "Yahoo! Now, a two-plus hour drive to Tucson." http://www.localnews8.com/lifestyle/travel/allegiant-airlines-cancels-same-flight- multiple-times-frustrating-passengers/222328759 Back to Top A black doctor barred from helping on a flight gets an apology - and triggers a policy change In October, physician Tamika Cross took a Delta Air Lines flight home from the wedding of a childhood friend. A man fell ill and a call went out for medical help. But when Cross tried to come to his aid, a flight attendant dismissed the young, black doctor. "We are looking for actual physicians or nurses," the flight attendant said, according to Cross. The story, shared via Facebook, triggered thousands of comments, and an outpouring of stories from minorities and women who had faced skepticism from people who didn't think they looked like doctors. Now, Cross's experience has helped trigger changes in Delta policy. As of Dec. 1, the airline has stopped requiring medical professionals to furnish credentials before assisting passengers. From left to right, Allison Ausband, a senior vice president at Delta Air Lines, with physicians Tamika Cross and Wayne Riley. (courtesy of Tamika Cross) From left to right, Allison Ausband, a senior vice president at Delta Air Lines, with physicians Tamika Cross and Wayne Riley. (courtesy of Tamika Cross) "When situations like the one described by Dr. Cross arise, we have a responsibility to our employees and our customers to review the circumstances and our policies for opportunities to listen, learn and improve," said Allison Ausband, senior vice president for In-Flight Service in a statement. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Delta put out a statement saying that the airline's policy was to request medical credentials before allowing a sick person to be treated in-flight. Cross did not show her credentials, but another passenger did, the airline said. Cross saw two problems with that. Medical doctors don't necessarily carry their hospital badge or have a medical license on hand, particularly if they're flying home from a wedding or going on vacation. And the policy was being implemented inconsistently; Cross had heard from diverse groups of people, who had sometimes been asked for credentials and sometimes not when trying to help sick passengers on flights. Delta invited her to meet with executives at its headquarters, and Cross went. She asked Wayne Riley, a mentor and past president of the American College of Physicians to come with her. He told Delta executives that he had assisted with passengers in distress on several Delta flights over the years and never been asked to prove he was a doctor. "Delta found that there is no legal or regulatory requirement upon the airline to view medical professional credentials. And, as it becomes more and more common for medical licenses to be verified online, physicians and nurses often do not carry a license with them and some states no longer issue wallet versions," the airline said in a statement. The company will also next year expand its diversity and inclusion training to "frontline employees," including flight attendants, the statement said. Cross's story forced out into the open a discussion that has been bubbling under the surface for years, as it has become clear that every day people of color face unintentional bias. These are different from overtly racist beliefs, but can influence people's behavior in ways that appear similar. Implicit biases may lead us to make quick assumptions -- for example, assuming a doctor will be a white man -- even when our rational minds know otherwise. Cross was hurt and angered by the way she was treated on the flight, but such attitudes are a depressingly common experience. She spoke out because the incident could have put a man's life in danger. Cross said she's satisfied with the apologies received, including from Delta's chief executive, Ed Bastian. She's pleased that something good could come out of a negative experience. Wonkbook newsletter "I think we were able to get some things changed that were outdated with a major corporation and do things to make other medical professionals feel comfortable offering assistance when they're 30,000 feet in the air," Cross said. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/20/a-black-doctor-barred- from-helping-on-a-flight-gets-an-apology-and-triggers-a-policy- change/?utm_term=.747b9fe284ef Back to Top Secretary Aviation made PIA acting chairman KARACHI Secretary Aviation Irfan Elahi has been made acting chairman of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The decision is made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as former PIA Chairman Azam Saigol had resigned on December 13. It is pertinent to mention that Saigol forwarded his resignation to the PIA board of governors citing 'personal reasons' few days after the unfortunate PIA PK 661 crash. http://dailytimes.com.pk/pakistan/21-Dec-16/secretary-aviation-made-pia-acting- chairman Back to Top Pentastar safety and compliance VP receives aviation award Mike Baker, vice president of safety and compliance at Pentastar Aviation, is a recipient of the Dr. Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award by the National Business Aviation Association. Pentastar Aviation president and CEO Greg Schmidt made the announcement. This is the inaugural year for the award that recognizes aviation professionals in honor of Kern who is a distinguished U.S. Air Force veteran, cofounder of Convergent Performance and author of five books. Baker is one of 19 recipients of the award. Employed at Pentastar Aviation for 34 years, Baker has leadership and senior management experience with repair station operations and on-demand air carrier operations. Pentastar Aviation is located at the Oakland County International Airport in Waterford Township. For more information, visit www.pentastaraviation.com. http://www.theoaklandpress.com/business/20161221/pentastar-safety-and-compliance- vp-receives-aviation-award Back to Top Dubai Is Planning the World's Largest Airport Dubai to Build Biggest Airport Already a major international airport hub, Dubai is now planning to build the world's biggest airport, according to Bloomberg. The city will likely spend $35.7 billion to develop a second airport which will spread across 35,000 acres and be able to accommodate 220 million passengers annually. Al Maktoum International Airport opened in Dubai in 2010, although only a handful of airlines currently operate there. However the new multi-billion dollar investment will make the airport the biggest in the world when completed in an estimated 12 years. Over the past five years, traffic at Dubai airport has increased 13 percent. It is expected that 83 million people will have passed through the airport this year. Last year that number was 78 million and it is expected that it will rise to 90 million next year, making it the busiest in the world. The airport already has the most international passengers passing through its terminals. Al Maktoum International Airport will open in the south of the city, close to the site of the 2020 World Expo. By the year 2025, Dubai hopes to move Emirates, its flagship carrier, to the new airport. The two airports are expected to serve a combined 146 million passengers by that time. The airport will be at the center of Dubai World Central, a 54-square mile development which will also include residences, offices and a golf course. http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/worlds-largest-airport-dubai Back to Top Boeing plans to cut commercial aircraft workforce in 2017 SEATTLE - The Boeing Co. said Monday it would cut the workforce in its commercial airplanes unit in 2017, adding to the about 8 percent cutback the company has already implemeneted over the past year, according to media reports. The company is hoping to achieve the cuts through a voluntary layoff program in early 2017. However, involuntary layoffs may become necessary in some cases, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said in an internal memo obtained by multiple media outlets. No specific target for job cuts has been identified, but this year's job cuts reportedly include a 10 percent reduction of executives and managers. Boeing officials said they would also focus on reducing non-labor costs next year amid a tough competitive environment for its aircraft business. A spokesman for the commercial airlines unit said that employees participating in the voluntary layoff program will receive a lump sum payment of one week's pay for each year served, up to a maximum of 26 weeks. A message sent by Boeing Vice Chairman Ray Conner and Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister said the company needs to do more to reduce costs. " ... we will need to continue to reduce the size of our workforce next year. By the end of this year, we anticipate a reduction of 8 percent in total BCA employment since January. This includes a 10-percent reduction of executives and managers. In 2017, we will continue to focus efforts on matching employment levels to business and market requirements. Once again, we will accomplish these reductions through a combination of attrition, leaving open positions unfilled where appropriate, and offering a VLO program in early 2017. Where needed and in some circumstances, we may also need to use involuntary layoffs." http://komonews.com/news/local/reports-boeing-plans-to-cut-commercial-aircraft- workforce-in-2017 Back to Top Chinese Firm Buys Majority Interest in Diamond Canada (Updated) A Chinese conglomerate has bought majority control of Diamond Aircraft's London, Ontario, factory, the company confirmed today. Wanfeng Aviation, a subsidiary of a larger holding company, completed a deal on Dec. 13 that conveys 60 percent of Diamond Aircraft Canada to Wanfeng. Diamond's Austria company remains unaffected by the agreement, except some production will be moved from Austria to Canada. Peter Maurer, Diamond Canada CEO, told AVweb Tuesday that the new DA62 twin and DA40 single--both the diesel and gasoline version--will be moved to Canada in their entirety. Heretofore, the aircraft components have been manufactured in Austria and shipped to London for final assembly. Maurer said the factory in London will expand its production capability and workforce to manufacture those aircraft. The DA20 single will continue to be built in Canada. Meanwhile, Diamond Austria will continue to build the DA42 twin and other aircraft in its developmental works. The company's service networks will remain in place, Maurer said. Significantly, Diamond Canada will retain rights to the suspended single-engine D-Jet, which has been under development since 2005. Maurer said substantial work has been done on the project and that it will be reviewed for possible resumption. Wanfeng is based in Zhejiang and includes aircraft manufacturing, robotics and financial services in its business portfolio. Diamond currently manufactures aircraft in China, but the Wanfeng deal has no bearing on that operation. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Diamond-Aircraft-Reportedly-Sold-to-Chinese- Interests-228221-1.html Back to Top Experts in Aircraft Security Warning Security experts are warning that vulnerabilities in aircraft on-board computer systems could allow hackers to steal personal and financial data from passengers and interfere with on-board displays. Ruben Santamarta, principal security consultant at pen testers IOActive, studied Panasonic Avionic IFE (In-flight Entertainment) systems used by a number of airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, United, Iberia and American Airlines. After playing around with his IFE screen on a flight two years ago, Santamarta found he could access debug information. Once on terra firma he used those keywords as a starting point and was able to find hundreds of firmware updates for the systems - which vary somewhat from airline to airline - publicly available online, including the latest versions deployed on aircraft. After reverse engineering, he discovered several vulnerabilities which could theoretically allow hackers to remotely control IFE systems "in some scenarios." He explained: "On the IT side, compromising the IFE means an attacker can control how passengers are informed aboard the plane. For example, an attacker might spoof flight information values such as altitude or speed, and show a bogus route on the interactive map. An attacker might compromise the CrewApp unit, controlling the PA, lighting, or actuators for upper classes. If all of these attacks are chained, a malicious actor may create a baffling and disconcerting situation for passengers." Santamarta also claimed that it's "technically possible" for hackers to obtain personal information including credit card details thanks to back-ends which tie back to frequent flyer and similar data. However, the ability to "cross the 'red line' between the passenger entertainment and owned devices domain and the systems controlling the aircraft itself is heavily dependent on "the specific devices, software and configuration" used, he claimed. "We cannot definitively say if an attacker could or could not get to the aircraft controls domain as a result of the vulnerabilities identified, as it would depend on the specific configuration of the system on a plane," Santamarta told Infosecurity. "In theory all aircraft/airlines should have physical domain separation." He added that the IFE systems studied can't resist "solid attacks from skilled malicious actors." "However, Avionics is usually located in the Aircraft Control domain, which should always be physically isolated from the passenger domains," Santamarta claimed. "Where that's the case, there's absolutely no chance of hackers hijacking main flight controls. However, this doesn't always happen. This means that as long as there is a physical path that connects both domains, there is potential for attack." The issues highlighted in the research were reported to Panasonic in March 2015, although IOActive is unsure whether improvements have been made to mitigate the risks in all software versions and airlines. It should also be clarified that this paper differs from the now famous IOActive research from 2014 detailing how a Jeep could be remotely hacked in that the latter featured a practical demo of exactly this. http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/security-experts-in-aircraft/ Back to Top Preparing for air traffic control via satellite An aircraft from the Netherlands Aerospace Centre carried a prototype Iris terminal connected to Inmarsat's next-generation SwiftBroadband-Safety satellite service. Credit: Inmarsat ESA recently completed its first flight trials using satellites to help bring Europe closer to its goal of modernising air traffic control. The trials are part of the public-private partnership between ESA and UK satellite operator Inmarsat to deliver high-capacity secure digital data links via satellite for air-ground communications for cockpit crews over European airspace under ESA's Iris Precursor programme. By 2019, Iris Precursor will provide air-ground communications for initial '4D' flight path control, pinpointing an aircraft in four dimensions: latitude, longitude, altitude and time. This will enable precise tracking of flights and more efficient management of traffic. An aircraft from the Netherlands Aerospace Centre carried a prototype Iris terminal connected to Inmarsat's next-generation SwiftBroadband-Safety satellite service as it took off from Amsterdam. During four flights to different destinations in Europe, the connection between the aircraft and ground networks was tested extensively and air traffic control messages were exchanged. The connection was maintained even when the aircraft switched satellite beams. Captain Mary McMillan, Inmarsat's Vice President of Aviation Safety and Operational Services, said: "As air traffic volume continues to increase, the digitisation of the cockpit is one of the ways to alleviate current congestion on traditional radio frequencies and optimise European airspace. "Using the power and security of satellite connectivity through Iris clearly changes the game in comparison to the ground technology in use today." These flight trials complement a separate test flight by Airbus with Inmarsat and other partners in March this year, providing initial 4D flight path control and data link communication exchanges between the pilot and air traffic control. At the end of next year, Inmarsat plans a second phase of flight trials to validate the Iris technology. The next step is to use Iris on commercial flights in a real air traffic management environment. "ESA's Iris programme is forging ahead as part of Europe's long-term goal to modernise air traffic control. A stepped approach and good collaboration between public and private partners is bringing excellent results," commented Magali Vaissiere, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA. Iris is part ESA's collaboration with the Single European Sky effort of the European Commission, Eurocontrol, airport operators, air navigation providers and aerospace companies in a push to boost efficiency, capacity and performance of air traffic management worldwide. http://phys.org/news/2016-12-air-traffic-satellite.html#jCp Back to Top Cirrus is betting its future on a 'personal jet' Cirrus unveils the Vision Jet Duluth's Cirrus Aircraft delivered the first so-called personal jet, the Vision Jet, on Monday. Dan Kraker | The first so-called personal jet hit the market on Monday when Duluth-based Cirrus Aircraft handed over the keys of its long-awaited Vision Jet. Now, after Cirrus put over a decade of work into the jet, the question is how big the market for such an aircraft will be. The Vision carries a $2 million sticker price. It's a small seven-seat plane with the speed and range of a larger jet, but designed to be flown by the owner. Joe Whisenhunt, a real estate developer from Little Rock, Ark., became the first owner of a Vision. When he picked up the plane on Monday, hundreds of Cirrus employees gathered to watch. It was Whisenhunt's 11th Cirrus aircraft. "That's what we affectionately call a 'really good customer,' " Cirrus co-founder and CEO Dale Klapmeier said to the crowd. Cirrus has won over a lot of loyal customers like Whisenhunt with its sleek four-seat piston engine aircraft that features an innovative full-plane parachute. Now it's banking on its new plane to attract even more pilots. Klapmeier says a "personal jet" was part of the vision for Cirrus from day one. "The thinking of this started when we started the company over 30 years ago," he said. "Literally working on this airplane for the better part of 15. And the entire company had a part in this in the last 10." For a while, it didn't look like the Vision jet would ever come into focus. Cirrus was hit hard by the 2008 recession and it laid off hundreds of employees. But five years ago, a Chinese aviation company bought Cirrus and injected $100 million into developing what would become the Vision. Now, Klapmeier says about 600 customers have plopped down $100,000 each to reserve one. It'll take several years to fill those orders. "We tried to design the system so we could build just over 100 a year, every year," he said, "but it takes a lot of work to get there." Cirrus is also celebrating the opening of a new $12.7 million facility in Duluth where the jet will be finished and painted. Cirrus unveils the Vision Jet The Vision carries a $2 million sticker price. It's a small seven-seat plane with the speed and range of a larger jet, but designed to be flown by the owner. Dan Kraker | MPR News The state contributed $4 million to it, and the city of Duluth added another $8 million. Mayor Emily Larson says the new building is expected to add 150 jobs, boosting Cirrus' total workforce in Duluth to around 850. "Just those 150 jobs annually is $4 million to our economy," Larson said. "That's family sustaining wages, those are good jobs." Cirrus is the largest company in Duluth's aviation maintenance and manufacturing sector, which Larson says injects $1 billion into the region's economy. The company's future is now staked in the Vision Jet's success, Cirrus' Klapmeier said. "Our survival moving forward is based on growing a company, that continual growth, we're going to double the size of the company now with the Vision jet," he said. Several other manufacturers were also developing small jets, but all were waylaid by the recession and they haven't recovered to enter the market as fast as Cirrus. Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst at the Teal Group, said he doesn't doubt Cirrus' ability, but questioned whether there's a market for personal jets. "At the end of the day, jets are usually used for people who want some kind of capability for business use," he said. "And then there's general aviation, which is more for people who like to fly. It's not really clear that there's much of a market in the middle." About 20 years ago, several companies developed planes known as "very light jets" in the $4 million range, Aboulafia said, thinking there would be a huge market for them. "Everyone had these dreams of literally thousands of very light jets, and it turned into almost exactly nothing," he said. Klapmeier says he wishes he had more competition, saying Cirrus would be more successful with a bigger industry. But he's not worried about demand for the Vision Jet. "In most products, there's some risk being first," Klapmeier said. "But not in this. It's clear the market wants this product. It's clear our customers want this product." https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/12/20/cirrus-betting-its-future-personal-jet Back to Top RESEARCH STUDY SURVEY Hello, I'm Dr. Tim Holt and I'm currently the Program Chair for Aeronautics and an Associate Professor with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ. In this position I'm responsible for faculty, curriculum, course updates, course alignment, etc... Furthermore, I teach undergraduate courses in aeronautics, safety, unmanned systems, and airport management for the Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics program. To this day, there are no reported statistics of general aviation pilots that have survived hypoxia during normal flight operations. More often than not there are tales of pilots getting themselves into a hypoxic situation and not surviving; rarely do people hear of those that survive. This leaves the aviation community unsure of the common circumstances that these pilots find themselves that create a hypoxic state, as well as whether or not that reported the occurrence to the proper establishments. The data collected from this survey issued to general aviation pilots, will hopefully give insight as to how best to prevent these occurrences from happening, as well as promote a healthy safety culture to report these events. It is with this in mind that we decided to embark on this research study. This survey is completely anonymous and individual responses will not be recorded. It should only take 5-10 minutes to complete. The link to the survey will provide you the Informed Consent and contact information of the researchers involved in the study. Thank you in advance, it's truly appreciated. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GAHYPOXIA Back to Top Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship The Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship was established by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to shape the next generation of aviation researchers, honoring the late Najeeb Elias Halaby, an eminent aviator and administrator, for his vision and more than five decades of extraordinary contributions to aviation (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/halabyfellowship.pdf). The Fellowship The recipient of a Najeeb E. Halaby Graduate Student Fellowship will spend three months (in 2017 or early 2018) in residence with NCAR's Aviation Weather Research Program, which Mr. Halaby was instrumental in establishing in the 1980s. As the nation's leader in addressing aviation weather research, NCAR plays a unique role in meeting user needs by transferring research results to operations through its Research Application Laboratory (http://www.ral.ucar.edu/). The Fellow will conduct research broadly aimed at improving the integration of weather into decision support tools for enhanced mitigation of weather sensitivities (e.g., weather impact avoidance) and management of air traffic. The Fellowship will provide: * a monthly stipend for three months, including temporary living expenses * round-trip travel expenses to and from Boulder, CO * travel to a conference to present results * page charges for one publication of key results Eligibility and Application The Halaby Fellowship targets graduate students (late Masters or early PhD level) enrolled in an aviation-relevant department or program of a domestic or international university. Interested candidates should have advanced research skills, far-reaching vision, and dedication to get things accomplished. Consideration for this Fellowship will be given to candidates based on the following submitted material: * Curriculum vitae * Proposal (maximum five pages) presenting the research to be conducted at NCAR, the anticipated outcome of that, and how the proposed effort ties into the candidate's ongoing graduate research project(s) * Contact information for three references (one of which should be the student's primary advisor) NCAR will accept applications for the Halaby Fellowship each year. Email Applications by February 28, 2017 to halabyfellowship@ucar.edu Back to Top Graduate Research Survey HI! My name is Amber L. Hulsey, A.B.D. and I am currently working on my dissertation for my Ph.D. entitled, "Human Trafficking: Flying Under the Radar." My dissertation examines the extent to which human trafficking occurs by air as a mode of transportation compared to land and sea. Additionally, the study examines the actions that can be taken to combat human trafficking into and within the United States. The theoretical lens to which this study uses is Human Security Theory. This survey is completely anonymous, has undergone Institutional Review Board and has been approved. If you have any questions or would like to contact me for any reason, please email me at amber.hulsey@usm.edu. The survey will be open from December 7- December 21st. Please share this on all social media accounts, with your friends, family, and with your colleagues. Upon completion of this study, I will share the findings with various government and NGO's to aid in eradicating human trafficking. Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HTinUSA Thank you so much for taking the time to complete this survey and more importantly, for helping aid in the research to combat human trafficking by air. Curt Lewis