Flight Safety Information March 24, 2017 - No. 061 Incident: Emirates B773 at Dubai on Mar 21st 2017, lightning strike Incident: India B788 at London on Mar 22nd 2017, bird strike Germanwings crash families angered by pilot's father Michigan man dies after being struck in head by airplane propeller FAA extends flight prohibition for Libyan airspace NTSB cites jammed elevator in Ameristar MD-83 rejected takeoff accident Midair firestorm: Lithium-ion batteries in airplane cargo spark fear LOC-I, Runway Excursions Top NBAA's 2017 Safety List 21 airlines at LAX will change terminals in May The Philippines' first budget airlines is counting on domestic demand Amateur Radio Gains a Champion in FAA Tower Safety Rules Controversy Pilots' union says AA is leaving standby passengers behind Bombardier's CSeries jet nears approval for London City airport CHC Safety & Quality Summit - Dallas, TX - Opportunities for Sponsorship Research Survey 'POSITION:...INTERNAL EVALUATION PROGRAM (IEP) EVALUATOR Incident: Emirates B773 at Dubai on Mar 21st 2017, lightning strike An Emirates Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration A6-EBU performing flight EK-440 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Adelaide,SA (Australia), was climbing out of Dubai when the aircraft received a lightning strike. In the absence of abnormal indications the crew continued the flight to Adelaide for a safe landing about 12 hours later. An inspection of the aircraft determined that the aircraft could not perform the return flight. The flight was cancelled, the passengers taken to hotels and rebooked onto flights the following day. The occurrence aircraft was able to depart Adelaide about 26 hours after landing and positioned to Dubai as flight EK-2665. The aircraft has not yet returned to service about 20 hours after landing in Dubai. Metars Dubai: OMDB 210000Z 33011KT CAVOK 23/15 Q1013 WS ALL RWY TEMPO TSRA FEW040CB= OMDB 202300Z 33012KT 9999 -RA FEW045 23/16 Q1013 RETS WS ALL RWY TEMPO TSRA FEW040CB= OMDB 202211Z 34015KT 310V010 7000 TSRA FEW040CB SCT045 23/16 Q1012 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 3000 BLDU= OMDB 202200Z 35019KT 9000 NSC 24/15 Q1010 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 3000 BLDU= OMDB 202100Z 35021KT 9000 NSC 25/14 Q1009 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 3000 BLDU= OMDB 202000Z 35017G27KT 7000 NSC 27/16 Q1009 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 3000 BLDU= OMDB 201900Z 34015KT 320V020 CAVOK 27/17 Q1008 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 3000 BLDU= OMDB 201800Z 10012KT 8000 NSC 30/13 Q1006 NOSIG= http://avherald.com/h?article=4a69c120&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: India B788 at London on Mar 22nd 2017, bird strike An Air India Boeing 787-800, registration VT-ANJ performing flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad (India) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was on approach to London Heathrow when a bird impacted the radome and left a large dent. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on runway 09L. The airline reported a bird strike damaged the nose and the weather radar system. The aircraft could not continue for its onward leg to Newark, the rotation London to Newark and back was cancelled. The aircraft is expected to be able to perform the return flight from London to Ahmedabad however. The streamunlined nose (Photo: Mayur Parikhþ): http://avherald.com/h?article=4a69bb6f&opt=0 Back to Top Germanwings crash families angered by pilot's father Andreas Lubitz, the father of co-pilot who crashed 2 years ago the Germanwings flight, killing 150 people in the French Alps, attends a press conference in Berlin, on March 24, 2017. Guenter Lubitz said he believed his son was innocent Families of victims of the Germanwings airline crash have criticised the father of the co-pilot for claiming on the second anniversary of the crash that his son was not responsible. German prosecutors concluded in January that Andreas Lubitz, 27, was suicidal and flew the plane into the ground, killing all 150 people on board. But Guenter Lubitz said on Friday his son was not depressed at the time. Family members criticised the timing of his announcement. His news conference fell on the same day that relatives are commemorating two years since the death of their loved ones. Mr Lubitz's statement is the first public statement by a member of Lubitz's close family since the 2015 disaster. He said: "Up to now, everyone has believed the theory of a co-pilot who was depressed for a long time, who deliberately crashed his plane into a mountain in a planned act. We are convinced this is false." Mr Lubitz has been working with journalist Tim van Beveren Mr Lubitz, 63, said he has been working alongside a journalist, Tim van Beveren, who he called "an internationally recognised aerospace expert". The two men plan to introduce a theory that a carbon monoxide leak in the cabin disabled Lubitz while the captain was locked out of the cockpit. The cockpit voice recorder aboard the aircraft captured the sound of the captain attempted to break through the door with an axe as the aircraft plummeted to earth. The crash killed all 150 people on board Elmar Giemulla, a lawyer for several of the victims' families, said Mr Lubitz's actions were "irresponsible". "I imagine that Mr Lubitz wants to promote a theory that would absolve his son of any responsibility," he told Germany's Rheinische Post newspaper. Mr Lubitz told Die Zeit magazine: "Our son was a very responsible person. He had no reason to plan and carry out a suicide, and certainly not to take another 149 innocent people with him." About 500 people are expected to travel to the French Alpine town of Digne-les-Bains for a church service to comemorate the victims. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39379724 Back to Top Michigan man dies after being struck in head by airplane propeller BRADY TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Authorities say a 52-year-old man has died after being struck in the head by a propeller while trying to start a single-engine airplane in southwestern Michigan. The Kalamazoo County sheriff's department says Michael Westveer of Vicksburg died following the Monday accident at a private airstrip in Brady Township. Undersheriff Paul Matyas says investigators believe the man was trying to hand-crank the propeller of his plane when he was struck. Matyas tells the Kalamazoo Gazette he was found in a field near a hangar after he didn't show up as planned to meet a friend. They're investigating and federal transportation authorities are expected to review the case. http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/03/23/man-dies-after-being-struck-head-airplane- propeller/99550966/ Back to Top FAA extends flight prohibition for Libyan airspace The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a new Notam, extending the flight prohibition for certain U.S. aircraft for the Libyan airspace by another two years. https://cdn.aviation-safety.net/asnnews/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/LibyaFAA-550x217.jpg Back to Top NTSB cites jammed elevator in Ameristar MD-83 rejected takeoff accident Status: Preliminary - official Date: Wednesday 8 March 2017 Time: 14:52 Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-83 Operator: Ameristar Jet Charter Registration: N786TW C/n / msn: 53123/1987 First flight: 1992 Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 109 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 116 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Detroit-Willow Run Airport, MI (YIP) ( United States of America) Phase: Takeoff (TOF) Nature: Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Detroit-Willow Run Airport, MI (YIP/KYIP), United States of America Destination airport: Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD/KIAD), United States of America Flightnumber: 9363 Narrative: A McDonnell Douglas MD-83, registration N786TW, suffered a runway excursion following an aborted takeoff from runway 23L at Detroit-Willow Run Airport, Michigan, USA. The aircraft had been chartered by the University of Michigan Basketball team for a flight to a game in Washington, DC. The aircraft overran the end of the runway, damaged approach lights, went through the perimeter fence and crossed Tyler Road. It came to rest on grassy terrain, 345 meters past the end of the runway, with the rear fuselage across a ditch. The nose landing gear had collapsed. Runway 23L is a 7543 ft long runway. Post-accident examination by the NTSB revealed movement of the control column in the cockpit appeared normal; the control columns were free to move, and the elevator control tabs moved as commanded. However, when investigators tried to move the elevator surfaces by hand, the left elevator moved normally, but the right elevator was jammed in a trailing edge-down position (airplane nose down). Upon further inspection, the right elevator geared tab inboard pushrod linkage was found damaged which restricted movement of the right elevator surface but allowed movement of the control tab. After the damaged components were removed, the elevator could be moved by hand. Examination of the flight data recorder data indicates that during the taxi and take-off roll, the left elevator moved normally, but the right elevator did not move. During takeoff roll, the left elevator began a large airplane nose-up movement (consistent with rotation) at an airspeed of about 152 knots and continued for five seconds to about 166 knots. There was no change in the airplane pitch attitude during this time. The airplane data then are consistent with the takeoff being rejected. The maximum recorded airspeed was about 173 knots. Review of previous flight data showed normal movement of both the left and right elevator surfaces. The airplane flew to Ypsilanti two days before the accident. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20170308-0 Back to Top Midair firestorm: Lithium-ion batteries in airplane cargo spark fear The U.S. and United Kingdom bans on personal electronics in the cabin of some flights from the Mideast and Africa have sparked worry about the risk of fires from lithium-ion batteries stored in cargo. Rechargeable batteries have raised concerns for years because poor packing or manufacturing flaws can occasionally cause catastrophic problems. Storing batteries in cargo raises worry because that's where a fire could spread unnoticed. "Any mishap you have in that checked luggage could cause a small fire, but trigger and light up these flammable materials" such as hair spray or nail polish packed in the luggage, said Michael Mo, CEO of KULR Technology, which is developing technology with NASA to prevent lithium batteries from overheating. "A much bigger fire in the cargo space is nothing that anybody wants." Incidents of rechargeable battery fires are exceedingly rare, either in aviation or elsewhere. Government security officials said they worked with the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure that electronics and their batteries are packed and shipped safely. The electronics ban applies to non-stop flights of nine airlines from eight countries in the Mideast and Africa. For example, the FAA guidance discouraged airlines from collecting all electronics in a single bin at an airport gate to be checked, to prevent jostling and avoid damaging batteries. George Kerchner, executive director of the trade group PRBA - the Rechargeable Battery Association, said international standards for more than a decade have allowed electronics in checked luggage and spare batteries in carry-on bags. "We're not aware of any additional risk that this presents," Kerchner said. "The industry obviously has an outstanding record for safety. There are millions of electronic devices that people use every day and the record reflects that." Concerns about lithium batteries typically focus on large-scale shipments aboard cargo planes. Battery shipments were implicated - but not proven as the cause - in fiery crashes of an Asiana Airlines flight near South Korea in 2011, a UPS flight in United Arab Emirates in 2020 and a UPS flight in Philadelphia in 2006. FAA testing later found that halon gas used to suppress fires on planes doesn't work well on batteries in a chemical reaction called a thermal-runaway, where temperatures reach 800 degrees Celsius. A 2015 FAA report found "the uncontrollability of lithium battery fires can ultimately negate the capability of current aircraft cargo fire suppression systems, and can lead to a catastrophic failure of the airframe." The International Civil Aviation Organization, a branch of the United Nations that sets non-binding policies for airlines, decided last year to ban bulk shipments of lithium-ion batteries on international passenger flights. On cargo flights, the batteries must be charged to no more than 30%, to reduce the likelihood of fires. But after the Obama administration sought to adopt the international standard for domestic flights, the Trump administration has frozen the regulation for further review. On a smaller scale, the Transportation Department banned Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones from airlines in October after nearly 100 reports of the devices overheating and sometimes injuring owners. The manufacturer halted production of the device after updated versions continued to overheat, following a recall of the first version. Airlines adopted special gloves and bags to hold overheating phones and smother them of oxygen, thus preventing the spread of a fire. Incidents involving batteries are exceedingly rare. But the FAA counted 138 aviation incidents involving lithium batteries as cargo or luggage from March 1991 through December 2016, which the agency said might not be a complete list. Incidents included: ?A fire in the overhead bin of a Delta Air Lines flight from Honolulu to Atlanta on Dec. 3 was traced to a laptop. Three halon extinguishers and two water extinguishers were used to smother the fire. ?A fire in a checked bag aboard a United Airlines flight from Newark to San Juan on Aug. 13 was blamed on two spare lithium batteries in their charging unit in a checked bag. ?A Delta flight from Newark to Detroit on Aug. 5 was delayed when a lithium-battery charger in a seatback pocket caught fire, and the passenger extinguished it in the lavatory, which set off the smoke detector. The flight was delayed 34 minutes. The FAA allows electronics with lithium-ion batteries to fly in checked luggage or carry-on bags. But the FAA restricts spare lithium batteries to carry-on bags because of risk of damage while jostling. The FAA concern is that loose batteries could short-circuit - causing extreme heat or even a fire - if they come into contact with keys, coins, tools or other batteries. The FAA recommends packing loose batteries in their original packaging or a battery case. If batteries stay inside the laptop or camera, FAA says another key is to make sure the device is turned off and can't be turned on accidentally, to prevent overheating. "The batteries must be protected from damage and short circuit or installed in a device," the FAA said in its "pack safe" advice for travelers. "Battery-powered devices -particularly those with moving parts or those that could heat up - must be protected from accidental activation." Mo, the expert who was attending the International Battery Seminar in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said he is concerned that rough treatment of checked luggage could damage batteries. "This is an extremely volatile situation," Mo said. But Kerchner, of the battery-industry group, said current regulations ensure that batteries are safe for travel. "There are adequate safeguards in place to address these concerns that occasionally pop up, like the Samsung recall, for example," he said. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/03/22/electronics-ban-lithium-ion-batteries/99502856/ Back to Top LOC-I, Runway Excursions Top NBAA's 2017 Safety List NBAA's latest annual list of top safety focus areas, released today, includes loss of control in flight (LOC-I); runway excursions; single-pilot accident rate; procedural non-compliance; ground-handling collisions; distractions; scenario- and risk-based training; and airspace complexities. The NBAA Safety Committee used a data-driven review to identify these topics as primary risk-mitigation targets for all business aircraft operators. "The safety focus areas identified by the Safety Committee underscore the most significant aircraft operations-related risks challenging our industry," said NBAA Safety Committee chair David Ryan. "Based on NBAA's safety policy, our team is committed to continue collaborating with regulators, members and other industry stakeholders to develop tools and best practices that address these challenges head-on. The committee will also continue to monitor its progress and effectiveness through our safety assurance function." In addition to the 2017 list, the committee continues to promote and focus on its five foundations of safety: professionalism, safety leadership, technical excellence, risk management and fitness for duty. "We remain adamant in our belief that active, effective safety management starts with adopting these five foundations, with the ultimate goal of enhancing business aviation safety," Ryan said. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-03-23/loc-i-runway-excursions-top- nbaas-2017-safety-list Back to Top 21 airlines at LAX will change terminals in May The switch comes around Mother's Day weekend In May, 21 airlines-including Los Angeles International Airport's biggest carrier, Delta-will shuffle to new terminals over a weeklong period in what LAX is calling a move never before seen at a major airport. The move is part of a modernization effort that will include upgrades to two terminals over the next few years, according to Los Angeles World Airports, which operates LAX. Most of the work will happen on May 12, 14, and 16, after the last flight of the day and into the early morning hours of the following day, LAWA says. Delta will move from Terminals 5 and 6 to Terminals 2 and 3. During the relocation, Delta could operate out of as many as four terminals at once (2, 3, 5, and 6). Once the airline moves into its new digs, Delta plans to invest $1.9 billion in Terminals 2 and 3 over the next seven years. Delta says the company will be in "constant communication" with passengers while the move is taking place, offering real-time updates via text messages, emails, and the company's app. Los Angeles World Airports LAWA offers some tips for travelers worried about showing up in the wrong place: Double-check departure gates before leaving for the airport, get to the airport earlier than usual, and print out boarding passes at home. The airport will add about 500 new wayfinding signs, extra staff, and special shuttles to help people get to the correct terminal. "While moving 21 airlines over three nights is a monumental task, Delta and the LAWA team have been planning and preparing for months to ensure a smooth transition," says Commission President Sean Burton in a statement. Delta's move is just one part of a slew of upgrades planned for the airport, Burton says. Several terminals have recently undergone flashy makeovers, and work is underway on a major overhaul of LAX that will bring a centralized car rental facility and an AirTrain-style people mover. That transformative project is supposed to be finished by 2023, in time to welcome visitors to the Olympics that Los Angeles might be hosting in 2024. http://la.curbed.com/2017/3/23/15042498/lax-airport-delta-changing-terminals-may Back to Top The Philippines' first budget airlines is counting on domestic demand A Cebu Pacific jet takes off from Manila airport. Cebu Pacific is set to achieve record results for the last financial year, said Lance Gokongwei, president and chief executive of the Philippines' first budget airline. "We have about 58 to 60 percent of the domestic market now ... And naturally, we benefited from lower oil prices, so we did very well last year," Gokongwei told CNBC's "Managing Asia." Most of those record profits will be re-invested into acquiring planes with higher fuel efficiency, which will in turn result in more competitive airfares for Cebu Pacific customers, Gokongwei added. The budget airline is part of JG Summit Holdings, the second largest conglomerate in the Philippines which began as a simple corn starch plant. As president and COO of conglomerate JG Summit Holdings, Gokongwei also holds various leadership roles in the JG Summit's fast-moving consumer goods and property arms. As premium airlines in the region run into turbulence, Cebu Pacific is going all in with a twofold strategy aimed at improving competitiveness. The first of those strategies involves working around the limited aviation infrastructure in the Philippines, which together with an uptick in air travel demand, has led to congestion. "We have a limited slot situation in Manila. The airport there is quite slot-limited so our strategy is to up- gauge the existing slots we have by putting in larger aircraft," Gokongwei said. Cebu Pacific will be ramping up productivity by replacing its existing Airbus 319 and 320 models with the Airbus 321neo. The 321 model has 230 seats compared to the existing 180 seats onboard the Airbus 320. The airline has committed $4 billion to a fleet upgrading program that would see it acquiring 46 new planes between now and 2021. The airline's second strategy involves developing and investing in 5 additional hubs outside Manila, including Cebu, Davao and Ilo Ilo. Smaller aircraft will be used to provide direct access along those routes, Gokongwei said. Giving Cebu Pacific an additional boost could be the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's plans to ramp up infrastructure spending. Gokongwei said there are plans to "build out the 5 airports outside of Manila." "Before, travelling by air was considered something only the elite did and now, everyone in the Philippines has access to fly through democratized travel," Gokongwei said. http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/24/the-philippines-first-budget-airlines-is-counting-on-domestic- demand.html Back to Top Amateur Radio Gains a Champion in FAA Tower Safety Rules Controversy: The owners of certain Amateur Radio towers have a friend in FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, who feels that tower-marking provisions required under the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016, now Public Law 114-190 https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ190/PLAW-114publ190.pdf, "could use tweaks." In a March 10 blog post https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/blog/2017/03/10/ new-tower- marking-provision-could-use-tweaks, O'Rielly expressed his belief that thousands of tower owners in the US could face expensive, unnecessary retrofits resulting from the law's unintended consequences. The new FAA law would impose additional marking requirements for a small number of Amateur Radio towers, however. O'Rielly said §2110 -- the section of the new law that requires improved physical markings and/or lighting on towers of between 50 and 200 feet -- is too broad. O'Rielly said that §2110 appears intended to address dangers to small, low-flying aircraft, such as crop dusters, from temporary meteorological testing towers (METs), among others, but that if implemented literally, "the provision will force expensive retrofits to potentially 50,000 existing towers," including cell and broadcast station towers and all new towers meeting the law's broad definition, "all with little gain to air safety," he said. The law instructs the FAA to enact rules similar to state-level statutes now in place that are aimed at improving aircraft safety in the vicinity of METs set up in rural areas. In the wake of fatal crop dusting aircraft collisions with METs, often erected on short notice, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended in 2013 that states enact laws -- sometimes called "crop duster" statutes -- requiring marking and registration of METs. "Mandating new marking and/or lighting burdens for certain temporary aerial towers to aid agricultural pilots is a laudable goal," O'Rielly commented. "However, the new statutory provision may have been drafted broader than intended and, as a result, it unnecessarily captures permanent communications towers that have little overall impact on agricultural air safety." While some state crop duster laws have exempted Amateur Radio towers, the federal legislation does not. ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, has said, however, that the list of exemptions in the federal legislation restricts the application of the new rules to a very small subset of Amateur Radio towers. ARRL hopes to meet with FAA officials to discuss the issue. Although O'Rielly did not mention Amateur Radio towers as a concern, he did allow that a small legislative fix to exempt certain towers or to require the FAA administrator to do so "would be appropriate." https://www.eham.net/articles/38869 Back to Top Pilots' union says AA is leaving standby passengers behind The head of the pilots' union says American Airlines is leaving thousands of standby passengers at the gate to make sure that flights depart on time. Dan Carey, president of the Allied Pilots Association, said Thursday that nearly 20,000 passengers were denied boarding in February even though there were empty seats. He called it intolerable. American carried more than 14 million passengers last month. The airline has been trying to improve its on-time performance. It ranked eighth among the nation's largest 12 airlines at on-time arrivals in 2016, but rose to third in January, the latest month for which government figures are available. American did not immediately comment. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/pilots-union-aa-leaving-standby-passengers-46336564 Back to Top Suit filed in Charleston over missing Malaysia Air jet transferred Messages and well wishes were displayed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in March 2014 after Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared. File A lawsuit brought against Boeing Co. by the South Carolina representative of 44 passengers presumed killed when a Malaysia Airlines jet vanished in 2014 has been transferred. The case is being moved from federal court in Charleston to Washington D.C., where more than 30 related complaints have been consolidated, according to an order. Attorneys filed the South Carolina lawsuit against the planemaker earlier this month on behalf of Gregory D. Keith. It seeks a jury trial and unspecified financial damages. Keith, a Charleston lawyer, is "the special administrator" for all surviving family members and the estates of 44 passengers on Malaysian Airlines flight 370, according to the complaint. Most were Chinese citizens. The lawsuit alleges that manufacturing defects in the Boeing-made 777 led to "a massive and cascading sequence of electrical failures" that disabled critical onboard systems and made it "impossible for the crew to navigate the plane or ... communicate" with ground personnel before running out of fuel and crashing into the Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014. The jet was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew members. While some wreckage has been recovered over the last three years, the location of the 777 has never been determined. The 3-million-square-mile multinational search, described as the largest and costliest in aviation history, was suspended Jan. 17. "The loss and inability to find the plane is substantially the result of Boeing's decision not to equip the lost plane with readily available and reasonable alternative technologies that would have permitted the lost plane's precise location to be tracked in real-time anywhere on the planet," according to the lawsuit. The case was filed in South Carolina partly because the aerospace giant has major business operations in the state. Boeing builds the 787 Dreamliner and supports other aircraft programs from several locations in North Charleston. The case has been reassigned to U.S. District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson in Washington. http://www.postandcourier.com/business/suit-filed-in-charleston-over-missing-malaysia-air-jet- transferred/article_443261d6-0f1d-11e7-9ac6-47bb0f316587.html Back to Top Bombardier's CSeries jet nears approval for London City airport (Reuters) - Bombardier Inc said its CSeries will soon become the largest commercial aircraft capable of landing at London City Airport, a feat the Canadian planemaker expects will whet buyer interest at a time of sluggish market demand for new jets. Bombardier, which this week completed a series of dedicated flight trials, expects to receive "steep approach" certification in the second quarter so that airlines can land the 110-seat CS100 variant at the urban airport, which has the challenge of a shorter runway, spokesman Bryan Tucker said. The certification would allow CSeries customer Swiss Airlines to operate at London City, which is a four-mile drive from the capital's main financial district. "We expect this to generate interest from other operators as the aircraft demonstrates its capabilities," Tucker said. The arrival of the lightweight, carbon-composite CSeries at London City could boost Bombardier in the run- up to the industry's showcase Paris Air Show in June. It comes as planemakers are bracing for another bout of softer sales in 2017 after a prolonged order boom peaked in 2014. Planemakers are having to battle harder for business amid a glut of new planes and concerns over the economy. "We've been binging on orders," said Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia, who expects muted demand in 2017. Because of its lighter weight than most aircraft of its size, the Canadian jet can fly direct to New York from London City when carrying about 40 passengers in exclusively business-class seating. UK startup Odyssey Airlines and Geneva-based private charter operator PrivatAir have both announced plans to operate the plane out of the airport, with Odyssey planning services to North America and the Middle East. A number of operators have tried and failed to make money on banker-friendly London City-New York services, which until now have had to stop in Ireland for fuel on the westbound journey due to prevailing headwinds. Although it has won accolades for fuel savings and a smooth entry into service with Swiss in 2016, the CSeries has not received a substantial order since the sale of 75 CS100 jets to Delta Air Lines nearly a year ago. [nL2N17V0HR] An earlier order for 45 130-seat CS300 versions to Air Canada was completed in June. [nL4N19K3E0] After relaunching the programme with steep discounts to boost sales following production delays, Bombardier is coming under pressure to secure profitable new sales in the run up to the Paris show. "We are comfortable where we are at this point," Tucker said of CSeries' existing sales. As of December 2016, the CSeries had recorded 360 firm orders and most capacity is sold out through 2020, he said. http://www.nasdaq.com/article/bombardiers-cseries-jet-nears-approval-for-london-city-airport-20170324- 00166 Back to Top Back to Top Research Survey Dear Aviation Colleague, my name is Arjun Rao. I am research associate at the Center for Aviation Studies at the Ohio State University. My colleagues and I would greatly appreciate your response to a short survey to better understand pilots's use of weather information products during flight. Participation in this survey is voluntary. All answers reported in the analysis will not bear any connection to you or any response that you might provide. Thank you very much in advance for your participation on this survey. Your responses are greatly appreciated and will help our efforts to improve GA safety. The link to the survey is : https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3yJ3oNLMYh4lO17 Please let me know if you have any questions/would like me to provide additional information. Once again, we appreciate your help. Regards, Arjun ************************************************** Arjun H. Rao, Ph.D. Research Specialist The Ohio State University Center for Aviation Studies Room 125, 140 West 19th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210 614-688-2634 rao.119@osu.edu https://aviation.osu.edu/ Back to Top POSITION: INTERNAL EVALUATION PROGRAM (IEP) EVALUATOR OVERVIEW The Internal Evaluation Program (IEP) Evaluator - Flight Operations conducts comprehensive, quality assessments of Endeavor Air's management systems to ensure they produce functional operations that are safe, compliant and meet the company's business needs. This position focuses primarily on Flight Operations and the Operations Control Center (OCC). RESPONSIBILITIES * Support regulatory compliance of the Flight Operations, OCC, and other departments as needed by identifying and assessing potential exposure to noncompliance findings by government agencies. * Perform in-depth evaluations, audits, and inspections as a part of an ongoing Internal Evaluation Program to continually assess the adequacy of managerial controls and processes in operations department systems and other functional areas of the company. * Conduct extensive research into existing company systems to assess where gaps may exist that may lead to safety, quality or regulatory deficiencies. The FAA quality attributes of System Safety will be used as a standard, as well as IATA's Standards and Recommended Practices (ISARPs). * Evaluations will include interviews with individuals at all levels of the organization (front line employees to company officers) in order to determine how well the current managerial systems are working. This will include in-briefing and out-briefing sessions to top department leaders when conducting full-scale evaluations. * Identify and issue findings, concerns and observations via the company's quality management software (Q-Pulse), with substantiating evidence, to help auditees determine the causes of deficiencies and to gain visibility to improvement opportunities in operational and safety systems. * Perform review of submitted Corrective Action/Preventative Action (CA/PA) responses to determine if the root cause analysis and corrective actions proposed by the audited manager are likely to be effective in correcting the discrepancy identified by the Evaluator in the CA/PA. * Perform follow-up evaluations of previously identified issues to assure corrective actions were completed and are effectively successful in preventing recurrence. * Verify the implementation of solutions and risk controls within a specific time. * Initiate, recommend, or provide resource assistance to those developing solutions to findings or concerns through process design, accountability elements or other best-practice components. * Document findings and concerns identified in reports and records. * Present IEP reports that present details regarding specific systemic problems and the assessed effectiveness of implemented controls, especially safety risk controls, or broader solutions. * Ensure Endeavor Air operational policies and procedures are in compliance with FAA regulations, company standards, partner carrier expectations and industry best practices. * Identify deficiencies and safety hazards in Endeavor Air operations programs and assist department managers, when appropriate, in developing action plans to correct those deficiencies. * Train others on the IEP team in specific areas of personal expertise to allow an exchange of investigative knowledge and process understanding. * Prepare monthly internal evaluation reports as specified by Safety Department management. * Provide oversight and assessment of SMS performance within functional areas being evaluated. * May involve long periods of sitting; computer work, in a typical office environment. * Other duties as assigned. JOB QUALIFICATIONS * Bachelor's degree or a combination of education and related experience * 2 years of management experience in airline flight operations or multiple years of management responsibilities in other industries * Airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate with turbojet rating preferred * Knowledge of 14 CFR Part 121 and Part 5 regulations and guidance, as applied to flight operations * Experience working as a quality assurance auditor or evaluator for an air carrier or within another industry preferred * Reliable and self-motivated * Analytical, interpretive and organizational skills * Ability to multi task efficiently and effectively to meet deadlines * Interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills and able to work with all levels of an organization * PC proficient in Microsoft Office software, specifically Word, Excel, and Outlook * Ability to work additional hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as needed * Some physical exertion such as pulling, pushing, reaching, bending, standing, walking and light lifting of boxes, bags, files, etc. not in excess of 30 lbs. * Up to 10% travel as needed HOW TO APPLY Please complete the online application at www.endeavorair.com/careers. Endeavor Air offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, sick and much more. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Endeavor also offers free and reduced rate pass travel privileges on Delta Air Lines. Curt Lewis