Flight Safety Information April 11, 2017 - No. 073 Incident: ASL France B734 at Marseille on Apr 10th 2017, smoke in cockpit Incident: Lufthansa A320 at Manchester on Apr 10th 2017, engine shut down in flight Incident: Envoy CRJ7 at Nashville on Apr 9th 2017, hole in flaps A historical aviation foundation told to vacate Mesa hanger EgyptAir obtains highest aviation safety rates Brazil to sign decree for full international ownership in airlines San Francisco airport can now record all visitors' license plates Airplane cell phone calls won't be allowed in US any time soon Video of United passenger dragged off aircraft causes outrage New plane-tracker app lets you watch real-time aircraft soar across the globe on incredible live 3D Stop-Loss an Option for Air Force to Keep Departing Pilots Blended winglets rack up 7 billion gallons of jet fuel savings DESPITE TRUMP CRITICISM, U.S. NAVY PURSUES EXPENSIVE FIGHTER JET PROGRAM Navy's fix-it plan for grounded jet trainers expected Friday Book Your Hotel Now! -...IATSBA Conference - April 26 - April 29, 2017 SAFE Encourages Pilot Input on GA Runway Incursions (Survey) Research Survey Incident: ASL France B734 at Marseille on Apr 10th 2017, smoke in cockpit An ASL Airlines France Boeing 737-400 freighter, registration F-GZTJ performing freight flight 5O-773 from Marseille to Ajaccio (France), was climbing out of Marseille when the crew reported an odour and smoke in the cockpit. The crew stopped the climb at about FL110 and returned to Marseille for a safe landing about 15 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-400 registration F-GZTI reached Ajaccio with a delay of about 2.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 20 hours, then resumed service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4a7743c0&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa A320 at Manchester on Apr 10th 2017, engine shut down in flight A Lufthansa Airbus A320-200, registration D-AIUJ performing flight LH-943 from Manchester,EN (UK) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany) with 124 passengers, was climbing out of Manchester's runway 23R when the crew stopped the climb at about 3000 feet, shut an engine (CFM56) and returned to Manchester for a safe landing on runway 23R about 15 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. The airline reported a technical irregularity, however not a bird strike, prompted the crew to shut the engine down and return to Manchester. The passengers were rebooked onto other flights. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Manchester about 9.5 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4a773ee2&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Envoy CRJ7 at Nashville on Apr 9th 2017, hole in flaps An Envoy Canadair CRJ-700, registration N505AE performing flight MQ-3396/AA-3396 from Chicago O'Hare,IL to Nashville,TN (USA), completed a seemingly uneventful flight following departure from O'Hare's runway 28R by a safe landing on Nashville's runway 20R about 55 minutes after departure. The FAA reported however a post flight inspection revealed a hole in one of the flaps. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 8 hours, then positioned to Chicago, remained on the ground for another 10 hours, then resumed service. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL3396/history/20170409/1529Z/KORD/KBNA http://avherald.com/h?article=4a77383d&opt=0 Back to Top A historical aviation foundation told to vacate Mesa hanger Mesa tells preservation group to leave Falcon Field The Wings of Flight Foundation may soon have to leave their hanger at Falcon Field. (Source: 3TV/CBS 5) Mesa officials say the foundation's lease wasn't renewed and gave the lease to a local helicopter company. (Source: 3TV/CBS 5) From 1941 to 1945, Falcon field was home to British aviators who came here to learn to fly. (Source: 3TV/CBS 5) The Wings of Flight Foundation at Falcon Field has been told by the City of Mesa they must vacate their hanger and find a new home. The foundation has been using one of the last remaining World War II hangers at the field. From 1941 to 1945, Falcon field was home to British aviators who came here to learn to fly. The 20,000-foot square hanger is one of the last landmarks from that time. The Wings of Flight Foundation owns several WWII trainer aircraft, similar types used at the airfield all those years ago. The foundation says the hangar is a part of that history and they don't want to lose it. Mesa officials say the foundation's lease wasn't renewed and gave the lease to a local helicopter company which plans to expand operations. The City says this is all in an effort to boost the economy. As for Wings of Flight, members are trying to negotiate to have their lease renewed but understand that it might be an uphill battle. They've started a petition to stay as well. The City of Mesa says they want the foundation to stay at Falcon Field and are working on finding them a new hanger. http://www.azfamily.com/story/35117926/a-historical-aviation-foundation-told-to-vacate-mesa-hanger Back to Top EgyptAir obtains highest aviation safety rates The chairman of EgyptAir, Safwat Mesallam, has declared that the fleet of EgyptAir airlines, EgyptAir Express and EgyptAir Cargo reached the highest aviation safety rates with a 0.42 Ratio. A press release by EgyptAir Holding Company said that when the program was applied in the European Union, the ratio surpassed 2.6, which indicates a critical rate 'at meantime' according to the Safety Assessment for Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) agency. The current ratio was achieved as a result of the strict system of safety and quality imposed by a team from the company to check the airplanes, guaranteeing they would not get any remarks. http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/egyptair-obtains-highest-aviation-safety-rates Back to Top Brazil to sign decree for full international ownership in airlines: source FILE PHOTO: Airplanes are seen at Congonhas airport in Sao Paulo February 12, 2015. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker Brazilian President Michel Temer will sign on Tuesday a decree allowing foreign companies to own 100 percent of local airlines, as part of measures aimed at increasing investment in the tourism industry, a government source told Reuters on Monday. Temer will sign the decree at a ceremony with the Tourism Minister Marx Beltrão, the source said. Reuters first reported in January that the government was drafting the measure. Last year, former President Dilma Rousseff issued a decree lifting the limit on foreign ownership of airlines to 49 percent from 20 percent. As part of the new measures the government will also, according to the source, subsidize airlines to fly to remote areas that are poorly served by flights, such as parts of the Amazon. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-airlines-ownership-idUSKBN17D08M Back to Top San Francisco airport can now record all visitors' license plates It's supposed to be for revenue, but it's a big privacy concern. When you drive to the airport, you expect a certain amount of tracking, if just from security cameras. However, San Francisco International Airport might be taking things a step too far. The travel hub recently received approval from the Airport Commission to collect the license plate info for everyone who uses its roads and garages, storing that data for over 4 years. It's ostensibly meant for collecting revenue from parking and commercial drivers like taxis, but SFO has permission to release that info to both local law enforcement and the FBI. Needless to say, that's raising eyebrows among privacy advocates. The ACLU's Matt Cagle warns KQED that the airport could become a "honeypot" for police wanting to collect information about anyone paying a visit, whether or not they're suspected of committing a crime. Also, it's not clear why SFO needs to preserve all that license plate data for so long. If there isn't reason to hold on to plate info (whether for crime reports or long-term parking), shouldn't it be erased within a matter of days? In theory, this is legal: the airport implemented its new policy in response to a law that required public disclosure and security measures for license plate data collection. The very act of scooping up license plates is theoretically legal, then. The question is whether or not SFO is managing that info in a responsible way, and it's not clear that this is the case. About 53 million passengers go through the airport every year, and many of them drive to get there. While this could help catch car thieves and terrorists, it could also help less scrupulous authorities track the movements of activists and other innocents. https://www.engadget.com/2017/04/10/san-francisco-airport-records-all-visitor-license-plates/ Back to Top Airplane cell phone calls won't be allowed in US any time soon FCC chair drops 2013 plan to allow voice calls during airplane flights. A 2013 proposal to allow cell phone calls during airplane flights will be thrown out by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC prohibited in-flight phone calls in 1991 because of concerns about interference with wireless networks on the ground. Advances in technology have eliminated those concerns, but tech hasn't changed the fact that in-flight phone calls could be annoying to fellow passengers. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is proposing that the FCC terminate the proceeding that might have lifted the in- flight call ban. "I stand with airline pilots, flight attendants, and America's flying public against the FCC's ill-conceived 2013 plan to allow people to make cellphone calls on planes," Pai said. "I do not believe that moving forward with this plan is in the public interest. Taking it off the table permanently will be a victory for Americans across the country who, like me, value a moment of quiet at 30,000 feet." Using phones for texting and Internet use will still be allowed. Then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler circulated a proposal to lift the in-flight calling ban in November 2013, saying that "modern technologies can deliver mobile services in the air safely and reliably, and the time is right to review our outdated and restrictive rules." At the time, the FCC said its only role was to "examine the technical feasibility of the use of mobile devices in flight" and that the Department of Transportation would still be responsible for determining whether "allowing voice calls is fair to consumers." Wheeler's proposal received extensive criticism and the FCC never finalized it. Other government officials and lawmakers proposed additional bans that would have prevented in-flight calls even if the FCC ban was eliminated. For example, US Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in December 2013 that his department would consider imposing its own ban on in-flight calls. In February 2014, the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted to ban cell phone calls during flights. These proposals weren't implemented, but nothing changed in practice because the FCC ban remained in place. Even if the FCC ban is lifted, airlines would not have to allow voice calls on their flights. But after today's news, it doesn't appear likely that passenger phone calls will be allowed on planes any time in the next few years. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/04/ban-on-in-flight-cell-phone-calls-wont-be-lifted-by-fcc/ Back to Top Video of United passenger dragged off aircraft causes outrage Screenshot from video posted on Youtube by a passenger on the United Airlines flight Sunday. Video of a passenger being forcibly and roughly dragged from a United Airlines flight by law enforcement officers created outrage from customers and social media observers. In an account reported by several US and international publications April 10, the male passenger was apparently ordered to give up his seat because the April 9 flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, United Express 3411, was over-sold and airline gate staff could not get anyone to volunteer to give up their seats. It appears that United needed at least four seats for flight crew who were enroute to their next shift. The video, taken by a passenger in a nearby seat and widely disseminated, shows three uniformed men wearing radio equipment and security jackets speaking with a man seated on the aircraft. The video clearly shows one of the men grabbing the passenger, who screams, then dragging him on the floor by his arms toward the front of the aircraft. In the struggle, the passenger appears to hit his head against the headrest. United's CEO has acknowledged the incident and called it "upsetting". In its initial response, via Twitter on April 10, United said: "Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville [Kentucky] was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate. We apologize for the overbook situation. Further details on the removed customer should be directed to authorities." But after reactions to the video and United's initial response exploded on social media early April 10, United CEO Oscar Munoz released a second statement, saying, "This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers. Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened. We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation." Reports say that United gate employees offered $400 and a hotel stay, and asked for one volunteer to take another flight to Louisville the next day. Despite a lack of response, passengers were allowed to board the flight. Once the aircraft was filled, an announcement was made that four passengers must give up their seats to stand-by United employees that were scheduled to work a flight from Louisville. Passengers were advised that the flight would not take off until the United crew had seats, and the offer was raised to $800. No one volunteered. Next, a manager came on board the aircraft and announced a computer would select four people to be taken off the flight. The first couple selected agreed to leave the aircraft, but the second couple included the man in the video. No explanation has been given as to why United gate agents allowed people to board before they had the required number of seat give-ups, or why the airline was relying on a customer give-up situation to get its employees to their workplace. http://atwonline.com/airlines/video-united-passenger-dragged-aircraft-causes-outrage Back to Top New plane-tracker app lets you watch real-time aircraft soar across the globe on incredible live 3D map * Airspace Explorer shows planes above UK and around the world for iPad users * NATS provides the data, which allows people to select individual flights * The view can be rotated to see all the different planes in the sky at once A new plane-tracker app allows people to watch real-time aircraft soar across the globe on an incredible live 3D map. Airspace Explorer shows planes above the UK and around the world for iPad users. NATS provides the data, which allows people to select individual flights showing the plane's route, altitude, speed and type. The view can be rotated to see all the different planes in the sky. A new plane-tracker app allows people to watch real-time aircraft soar across the globe on an incredible live 3D map Its website states: 'Firstly, in addition to providing information on flights and airports, our app provides information on the airspace itself. 'We show the Flight Information Regions (FIRs) that comprise the airspace around the world and the controlled airspace structures that make up the FIRs in UK airspace. 'Play with the app and learn about the difference between controlled and uncontrolled airspace and the different types of airspace structures that exist. You can also see the Sectors that we use in the UK to divide up the airspace and allocate Air Traffic Controllers to manage. 'Secondly, unlike other flight tracking apps, our app includes some UK radar data for showing aircraft positions. 'We don't display all of our radar data, as a number of aircraft, such as most military and police aircraft, are removed. 'Even with aircraft removed, the inclusion of radar helps to increase aircraft coverage and the radar often picks up and displays smaller aircraft that other apps don't track. NATS provides the data, which allows people to select individual flights showing the plane's route, altitude, speed and type 'Thirdly, we provide a 3D view of the airspace. The 3D views help to provide a sense of the relative altitudes of aircraft and the shapes and sizes of the controlled airspace areas in the UK. 'You can pan, zoom and move around the airspace in 3D and view flight paths in and out of airports to gain a sense of the approach and departure routes the aircraft fly. The organisation's air traffic control systems handle more than 2.2 million flights and 220 million passengers in the UK skies every year. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4399562/New-plane-tracker-app-lets-watch-real-time- aircraft.html#ixzz4dwha0ECG Back to Top Stop-Loss an Option for Air Force to Keep Departing Pilots 'If I can't put warheads on foreheads, then [ISIS] is winning' U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Matthew Bruch, an aerial photographer with 1st Combat Camera Squadron, takes a self portrait during a flight in an F-15D. (Matthew Bruch/U.S. Air Force) Faced with pilots leaving the Air Force in droves for the airlines, top generals are considering the option of forcing some to stay in the service against their will, a senior Air Force general told CQ Roll Call. Gen. Carlton Everhart, chief of the Air Mobility Command, said in an interview that he and other senior Air Force generals will join Gen. David Goldfein, the service's chief of staff, alongside representatives of the other armed services, in a meeting with U.S. airline executives May 18 at Andrews Air Force Base. The goal of the meeting will be to find ways to solve the exodus of Air Force pilots to the industry in a way that is mutually acceptable for the U.S. military and the airlines - without the Air Force having to resort to "stop-loss," a means of forcing Air Force personnel to stay in the service beyond the period of their commitment. Everhart said he has already told airline executives that stop-loss is an option. "I said to the industry ... if we can't meet the requirements, the chief could drop in a stop-loss - and you need to understand that," he said. The shortages, especially in fighter pilots, are beginning to hurt the Air Force's fight against the Islamic State, or ISIS, Everhart said. "If I don't have pilots to fly, the enemy has a vote, and if I can't put warheads on foreheads, then [ISIS] is winning," he said. 'Not good' With Air Force pilots leaving the service in great numbers, there is growing talk of boosting bonuses to retain them. But money, it turns out, is usually the least important reason a pilot stays or goes. That doesn't mean an increase to the $35,000 annual enticement that is available to pilots after a decade of service would necessarily be a bad idea. But the pilot shortage - a hot topic this year in Congress's defense committees - may be more a function of pilots being pushed out by the declining state of Air Force readiness than about the pull of big bucks in the airline industry, according to lawmakers and military leaders. There are not enough pilots today across all the U.S. military services, but nowhere is the shortage as bad as in the active-duty Air Force, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, which are some 1,550 short of the 20,300 required pilots, officials testified this month. An estimated 950 of the missing Air Force pilots are supposed to be in fighter jets. "The upshot is: The numbers are not good," said Tom Cotton, the Arkansas Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland, which oversees many Air Force programs, at a March 29 hearing. But just as important as the shortage of pilots is a dearth of maintenance personnel, said Everhart, whose command oversees the Air Force's support fleet - comprising transport, refueling, aeromedical and VIP aircraft. The maintenance shortage has gotten far less attention than the pilot issue, but the Air Force was some 3,400 short of its required number of maintenance personnel at the end of 2016, even though the required number has dropped, officials say. In response, the service is hiring more and more maintainers with less and less experience, officials say. And now the service is also beginning to lose other key types of skills to the civilian sector - from air traffic controllers to cyber warriors, Everhart warned. Readiness roots The problem is something of a contradiction, inasmuch as service members are either overworked or underused, Everhart and others say. First, when pilots, maintainers or air traffic controllers leave the service in great numbers, those who remain in the Air Force have more work to do. And the Air Force has been working overtime not just since 9/11, but for a decade before that in enforcing a no-fly zone over Iraq after the first Gulf War. The frequent and lengthy deployments put strains on families. Pilots deploying to such a degree do not have enough time to train for missions other than what they had been doing in the war zone, officials say. At other times, however, pilots are not flying enough. When they return to stateside bases, Air Force pilots spend less and less time in the air - which was, after all, the reason they entered the service. Pilots are flying less partly because the degraded condition of aging fleets of aircraft, combined with often insufficient funds for training exercises, have made planes less and less available to fly, Everhart and others say. The shortage of maintainers also drives down aircraft availability. To top it off, pilots are increasingly called on to perform administrative tasks, instead of flying, because the Air Force downsized its office staff to save money. "It's all connected," Everhart said. The Pentagon's overall budget is still one of its largest ever, despite a downturn in spending since the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the enactment of budget caps. Nonetheless, the aging of the military's inventory, exacerbated by the wear and tear of war, have left equipment less ready than is normal or desirable. It may or may not be a crisis, but it is certainly a problem, experts say. Love and money In surveys, pilots list money as less important than non-monetary factors in decisions to stay in or leave the military. An imbalance between work and family life and an excess of administrative tasks are ranked higher as reasons for leaving than insufficient salary or bonuses. "Military pilots serve for love of country and for love of flying," said Jackie Speier of California, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, at a March 29 panel hearing on the issue. Trying to "throw more money at the problem" in the form of higher bonuses will not necessarily help, she said. Indeed, military officials confirmed under questioning at the House Armed Services hearing that they are not sure if anyone stayed in the service because of the bonus. Everhart said he doubts the money was the reason anyone stayed. He points to his heart when asked what keeps pilots in the Air Force. To be sure, money still matters to some degree. U.S. airlines began a hiring binge as the economy improved in recent years, and they offer Air Force pilots lucrative salaries. Air Force pilots are attractive targets for airline recruiters, because military pilots are considered proficient with half the flight hours of nonmilitary pilots. And because the airlines began in 2009 to allow pilots to fly until the age of 65, up from 60, military pilots could look forward to a lengthier commercial career after leaving the service. The giant sucking sound from Air Force pilot ranks is only expected to grow louder in the years ahead. "If you look at the projections I've seen, I think this is going to be a problem for a while," Everhart said. "Ten, 15, 20 years from now." http://www.rollcall.com/news/policy/stop-loss-option-air-force-keep-departing- pilots#sthash.MLX5Dh2P.dpuf Back to Top Blended winglets rack up 7 billion gallons of jet fuel savings Aviation Partners says the blended winglet technology it developed with Boeing has saved airlines and business jet operators an estimated seven billion gallons of jet fuel. Seattle-based Aviation Partners' trademarked blended winglets are airplane wing-tip additions that reduce drag to improve fuel efficiency Blended winglet tips, like the one seen here on the wing of a Boeing Business Jet, are helping airlines and business jet operators save billions of gallons of aviation fuel because they reduce drag on the wings, Aviation Partners says. Through a joint venture with Boeing (NYSE: BA), Aviation Partners' advanced winglets are equipped on some Boeing 737, 757 and 767 aircraft and Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) planes. Winglets reduce drag caused by called "wingtip vortices," the twin tornados formed by the air pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of a jet wing. (NASA explains the technology here.) By reducing the drag, blended winglets increase fuel efficiency and thus boost the range of an aircraft equipped with them. The curved, blended winglets have proven to be 60 percent more effectiveness over conventional winglets that are angled rather than curved, Aviation Partners said. Aviation Partners offers a continuously rising fuel savings estimate on its website and expects the amount of aviation fuel saved to exceed 10 billion gallons by the end of 2019. Aviation Partners says its blended winglets now fly on more than 7,000 individual jets and over 20 airplane types, including the French Dassault Falcon 2000, 900 and 50 series, the Hawker 800 series, and Gulfstream II aircraft. http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/04/10/blended-winglets-rack-up-7-billion-gallons-of- jet.html Back to Top DESPITE TRUMP CRITICISM, U.S. NAVY PURSUES EXPENSIVE FIGHTER JET PROGRAM The U.S. Navy is pursuing plans to purchase an advanced fleet of aircraft despite the protests of President Donald Trump. Lockheed Martin's F-35 has been described by some as the most costly weapons system in history, and the Navy's plans to put the aircraft into service as part of its Joint Strike Fighter program have prompted a major debate within the defense industry. The Navy's F-35C variant, capable of landing on aircraft carriers, would ultimately replace aging squadrons of Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets, aircraft that are popular among much of the military's top brass. Putting the F-35s into service would cost the Navy nearly $400 billion, a price tag that prompted the president's criticism. "The Navy still plans to procure two squadrons of Boeing's F/A-18 and two squadrons of Lockheed Martin's F-35C variant, which can take off and land on the deck of an aircraft carrier," Navy Adm. Bill Moran said Tuesday at the Navy League's Sea Air Space symposium, according to Politico. In December, Trump took to Twitter to describe the F-35 program's costs as "out of control." His tweets, which suggested that the funds would be better used elsewhere in the military, reportedly caused Lockheed Martin's stock to fall by as much as 5 percent. A month later, after Trump had been sworn in, his defense secretary, James Mattis, ordered a comparison of the F-35 and F/A-18s. Around the same time, the F/A-18's manufacturer, Boeing, began circulating a document suggesting that updating the F/A-18 fleet would be more efficient than purchasing the F-35s, and that F-35s would leave the Navy with "significant capability gaps against emerging threats," according to the Navy Times. The series of events raised doubts as to the F-35's future in the military. http://www.newsweek.com/us-navy-purchase-most-expensive-fighter-jet-trump-581560 Back to Top Navy's fix-it plan for grounded jet trainers expected Friday The Navy hopes to announce on Friday the plan to fix its grounded T-45C training jets and their troubled oxygen systems, according to a Navy spokeswoman. The jets were originally grounded last week for three days after a boycott by hundreds of pilots, including Vice President Mike Pence's son, who did not feel safe in the cockpit due to a faulty oxygen system. But on Saturday, the Navy announced it would extend what it calls an "operational pause." Cmdr. Jeannie Groeneveld said the extension is expected to last until Friday, when the service will announce what the "road ahead" will be for the aircraft, which is used to train Navy and Marine aviators. The service said it needed more time to review engineering data and develop a plan for dealing with problems in the jet's life support system that can lead to higher rates of hypoxia, a dangerous condition that can disorient pilots. "This will remain our top safety priority until we fully understand all causal factors and have eliminated [physiological episodes] as a risk to our flight operations," Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker, the commander of Naval Air Forces, said in a statement released Saturday. Shoemaker was traveling to three U.S. training sites to speak directly with worried pilots. Last week, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson was questioned about the pilot boycott during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. He called the oxygen system mishaps a "vexing problem" and said the service was pulling out all the stops to fix it. Two T-45s from Texas and Mississippi were transported to Naval Air Systems Command over the weekend for a full evaluation by engineers and other staff, according to the Navy. The team is looking for a solution to the oxygen system used by pilots when the aircraft is flown above 10,000 feet. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/navys-fix-it-plan-for-grounded-jet-trainers-expected- friday/article/2619908 Back to Top Book Your Hotel Now! - IATSBA Conference - April 26 - April 29, 2017 April 10, 2017 Dear Current and Past IATSBA Members, Regular registration rates for this year's conference expire after this Wednesday, April 12th. After that, late registration fees will apply and the price of attending the conference will rise by $25-50. So be sure to check out the full agenda and register today if you have not done so already. I look forward to seeing you in Seattle. If you have any questions or difficulties with registering or booking your room, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Vincent C. Lesch Membership Director International Air & Transportation Safety Bar Association www.iatsba.org IATSBA P.O. Box 3035 Fredrick, MD 21705-3035 Back to Top SAFE Encourages Pilot Input on GA Runway Incursions (Survey) Active general aviation (GA) pilots are being asked to help an ongoing study of GA runway incursions by completing a new online questionnaire. The FAA has said that runway incursions - a vehicle or aircraft on the ground endangering aircraft landing or taking off - average three per day and are a "serious safety concern." GA pilots are involved in about 80 percent of runway incursions. "The question is, what are GA pilots doing, or not doing, that results in so many runway incursions?" said Professor Donna F. Wilt of the Florida Institute of Technology College of Aeronautics. "By analyzing such occurrences we can help mitigate those dangerous situations." The study is being conducted by the FIT College of Aeronautics, Hampton University Department of Aviation and Purdue University Department of Aviation Technology. It is funded through the Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability (PEGASAS), and the FAA Center of Excellence for GA. SAFE is a partner of PEGASAS. The questionnaire will be available from April 1 through April 30, 2017. To take the new questionnaire, click here or click on or copy and past the URL below. The questionnaire is also available on the SAFE web site at www.SAFEPilots.org and will be available at the SAFE booth at Sun 'n Fun. SAFE is encouraging its members to participate in the project. Direct Link URL: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiJFFh52kh_afnEN7qoBRoliQvqLSUhksMQAGDGbO- EcDweg/viewform?usp=sf_link For more information, contact the project's Principal Investigator, Dr. Scott Winter. SAFE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting aviation education at all levels of learning. SAFE is a recognized leader in pilot training reform, safety education, and the mentoring of aviation educators. For information on free resource materials and membership, go to www.safepilots.org. Scott Winter Assistant Professor of Aviation Science College of Aeronautics, Florida Institute of Technology 321-674-7639 (Office) 218-269-9376 (Cell) 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/ Curt Lewis