Flight Safety Information June 6, 2017 - No. 113 Accident: American B763 near Paris on Jun 4th 2017, fumes on board injure two cabin crew, passengers EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Ethiopian Airlines Wins African Airline of the Year Man Arrested After Leaving Threat Note in Aircraft Toilet NASA brainboxes work on algorithms for 'safe' self-flying aircraft New Bonus: $455K Over 13 Years for Air Force Fighter Pilots Jet launches cadet training programme (India) Take This Boeing VVIP 787 Business Jet to Tahiti United Airlines suspends flights to Venezuela starting July 1 Air Force Eyes Replacing B-52 Engines Airbus says may have to cut A380 production further Pilots, Congress weigh on Trump's plan to privatize air traffic control Helicopter Association International Strongly Opposes President Trump's Air Traffic Control Privatization National Air Transportation Association Responds to Trump Administration Proposal to Corporatize the Nation's Air Traffic Control System [Live Webinar] Using an Integrated Management System to Improve Business Performance for Airlines Position Available: Assistant/Associate Professor - Tenure Track Faculty - Aviation Technology. Safeskies 2017 Conference Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award Nominations Invited Research Survey Accident: American B763 near Paris on Jun 4th 2017, fumes on board injure two cabin crew, passengers suffer from nausea An American Airlines Boeing 767-300, registration N377AN performing flight AA-65 from Zurich (Switzerland) to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 151 passengers and 11 crew, was enroute at FL340 about 120nm northwest of Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) when the crew decided to turn around and divert to Paris Charles de Gaulle reporting fumes on board. The aircraft landed safely in Paris about 35 minutes later. Emergency services transported two flight attendants to a hospital. A passenger tweeted there were fumes on board causing two flight attendants to become ill and incapacitated. A number of passengers complained about nausea and headache, however, the passengers were kept on board for about 4 hours until the flight was cancelled. The aircraft had already been a replacement aircraft flown in from Madrid,SP (Spain) and had departed Zurich with a delay of 8 hours (editorial note: the incoming flight AA-64 departing JFK on Jun 3rd had been cancelled prior to departure). The airline reported the aircraft diverted to Paris due to an odour on board. The aircraft is being examined. N377AN is still on the ground in Paris about 25 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4a9ecf5a&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Ethiopian Airlines Wins African Airline of the Year Ethiopian Airlines has been named the African Airline of the year, 2016, in recognition of its continued rapid growth, increased profitability and outstanding contribution to aviation development in Africa. A statement by the airline on Monday in Abuja, disclosed that the award was announced at the 26th Annual Air Finance Africa Conference and Exhibition held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Meseret Bitew, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Ethiopian Airlines, said that the airline was pleased to win the award for the second time in a row. Mr. Bitew added that the feat was a testimony of the airlines' commitment to serve the people of Africa. "The commendable success of Ethiopian Airlines attributes to the visionary leadership of Ethiopian management and the hard work of thousands of Ethiopian employees who work hard around the clock. http://allafrica.com/stories/201706060033.html Back to Top Man Arrested After Leaving Threat Note in Aircraft Toilet Man Arrested After Leaving Threat Note in Aircraft Toilet Virgin Australia said the 68-seat Flight 1174 from Sydney to the New South Wales state town of Albury was met by police "due to a security incident on board." (Image: Reuters) Sydney: A passenger was arrested after an Australian domestic airliner landed in a regional airport on Tuesday because of a note found near a toilet, police said. Police would not comment on a report in The Australian newspaper alleging that the passenger wrote on a sick bag that he had stashed a bomb on the Virgin Australia ATR 72 twin- engine turboprop plane. Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that a single-word note was found near the toilet. "Police and emergency services went to the airport after receiving information that a note was located in the toilet area of the aircraft," a police statement said. "The aircraft landed safely and a man was arrested." Virgin said the 68-seat Flight 1174 from Sydney to the New South Wales state town of Albury was met by police "due to a security incident on board." Police said they took less than five minutes after the plane landed to get the passengers off. Passenger Wendy Willett said she did not know about any security concerns until their plane had been surrounded by police. "The minute we came to a halt, they started yelling, 'Evacuate, evacuate,'" she told ABC. Another passenger said he heard cabin crew saying: "Leave your luggage. Get out and run, run, run." But a Virgin official said the words apparently came from a passenger caught up in the commotion. The passenger had not been charged by late on Monday. http://www.news18.com/news/world/man-arrested-after-leaving-threat-note-in-aircraft-toilet-1423653.html Back to Top NASA brainboxes work on algorithms for 'safe' self-flying aircraft Where's my self-driving plane? Nowhere, it's a feasibility study* It's the fear of anyone who watches Snakes on a Plane and books a flight - what if your plane crashes? Now take a deep breath and imagine that you're travelling on a plane or rocketship with no pilot. A new NASA research project hopes to find ways to certify unmanned autonomous aircraft systems for safety. The easy part, says Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist Philip Koopman - who studies the safety of autonomous systems such as cars or drones and is not involved in the research - is when the plane is cruising. One reason self-driving cars have a lot of trouble getting certified for safety is that they often have little time to react to obstacles. (Concrete wall. Boom.) Although safety will require much more research and planning, and planes can't simply "pull over" like cars, the skies are a lot less crowded than the ground, he says, so planes will naturally have more time to react or use failsafes (such as circling). Take-off and landing would be the hardest to validate for safety because aircraft sometimes only have half a second to react, he says. "The technology has to mature some," he says. The NASA feasibility study seeks to create algorithms that can help give users confidence in the decisions they make, in order to some day help autonomous system certification, according to a press release. It's one of three new investigations this year for NASA's Convergent Aeronautics Solution project, which conducts short-term tech experiments to try to solve problems in aeronautics. Others include making sure drones are ready to fly and quantum communication networks for drones. The autonomous system certification feasibility study will conclude in about 24 to 30 months. ® https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/05/nasa_research_self_flying_aircraft_algo/ Back to Top New Bonus: $455K Over 13 Years for Air Force Fighter Pilots A fighter pilot conducts pre-flight checks inside an F-35A Lightning II before a training mission April 4, 2013, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Brett Clashman) The Air Force on Monday unveiled a tiered bonus system to combat a chronic pilot shortage, with bonuses of up to $455,000 over 13 years for fighter pilots. And while the benefit clearly takes aim at fighter pilots, it's also designed to target aviators across a number of platforms, including drones, and for periods of as short as one year. "Pilot retention right now is in a crisis when it comes to fighters, and we're changing around the way we do incentive pay," Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said in announcing the initiative during a breakfast in Washington, D.C. The bonus "will encourage pilots to stay where they are needed most," she said. The new Aviation Bonus Program is an expansion of Aviator Retention Pay and puts into place the cap authorized for the incentive under the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. It also details for the first time the "tiered" benefit, with specific amounts based on specialty area. $35K a Year for Fighter, Drone Pilots Fighter and drone pilots are slated to receive the highest maximum bonus of $35,000 a year, while special operations combat systems officers the least at $10,000. Here's a look at the different tiers for the bonus, according to figures released by the Air Force: Tier 1 -- Fighter Pilot (Air Force Specialty Code: 11F) Bonus eligibility based on one-year, two-year, five-year, nine-year, or up to 24 years of aviation service (13-year maximum) commitments. Maximum annual bonus: $35,000. Tier 2 -- Bomber Pilot (11B)/Special Operations Pilot (11S)/Mobility Pilot (11M) Bonus eligibility based on one-year, two-year, five-year, or nine-year commitments. Maximum annual bonus: $30,000. Tier 3 -- C2ISR Surveillance Pilot (11R)/Combat Search and Rescue Pilot (11H) Bonus eligibility based on one-year, two-year, or five-year commitments. Maximum annual bonus: $28,000. Tier 4 -- RPA Pilot (18X/11U/12U/13U) Bonus eligibility based on a five-year commitment. Maximum annual bonus: $35,000. Tier 5 -- Combat Search and Rescue Combat System Officer (12H) Bonus eligibility based on a five-year commitment. Maximum annual bonus: $20,000. Tier 6 -- Fighter Combat Systems Officer (12F)/Bomber CSO (12B) Bonus eligibility based on a five-year commitment. Maximum annual bonus: $15,000. Tier 7 -- Special Operations Combat Systems Officer (12S)/C2ISR Surveillance CSO (12R) Bonus eligibility based on a five-year commitment. Maximum annual bonus: $10,000. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/06/05/new-bonus-455k-13-years-air-force-fighter-pilots.html Back to Top Jet launches cadet training programme (India) NEW DELHI: To meet its growing crew requirement, Jet Airways has launched of a new commercial pilot license (CPL) cadet pilot training programme aimed at creating more than 380 professional pilots over the next five years. The programme has been started in collaboration with CAE, a big training solutions provider to commercial airlines. As part of the agreement, the first set of 60 cadets will begin training in the second half of 2017, with ground school and flight training at CAE's flight academies in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, and Gondia (NFTI), India. Thereafter, cadets will continue with Boeing 737 type-rating training at CAE's training centre in Bengaluru, India. Upon successful completion of their training programme, the selected candidates will be employed by Jet Airways, the airline said in a statement. "At Jet Airways, we pride ourselves for leveraging best-in-class technology and innovation in all aspects of our business. That extends as much to our advanced cadet pilot training programme. With the introduction of this training programme, we're creating fresh batches of highly skilled cockpit crew to augment our in-house talent pool. We are delighted to launch a new ab-initio pilot training programme with the world's leading training organisation, our longstanding partner in training CAE. The training module is designed to provide meaningful training in a consistent manner with similar level of content engagement to all pilots." said Amit Agarwal, acting CEO of Jet Airways. "CAE has been providing world-class training to our pilots for more than 10 years; we are confident that they will play a fundamental role in the creation of our future pilots, helping us recruit and select top talent," he added. "As the demand for professional pilots is on the rise globally, we are proud to support our long-standing airline partner's initiative to create future competent pilots. CAE is honoured to partner with Jet Airways through the launch of this new pilot training programme and remains committed to continue delivering high-quality training." said Nick Leontidis, Group President, Civil Aviation Training Solutions, CAE. CAE and Jet Airways have partnered for over a decade, including the provision of maintenance support services at CAE's Bengaluru training centre. Jet Airways currently owns four CAE-built full-flight simulators, including one Airbus A330 FFS, two Boeing 737NG and one Boeing 777-300ER FFS. The six-bay CAE training centre is located near the Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli. Operational since late 2008, it is the first non-airline training centre to earn approval as a fixed-wing Type Rating Training Organisation (TRTO) by India's DGCA. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/jet-launches-cadet-training- programme/articleshow/59001398.cms Back to Top Take This Boeing VVIP 787 Business Jet to Tahiti Deer Jet offers a 7-night Dream Journey to Tahiti aboard the first custom Boeing VVIP 787 business jet. Deer Jet, a private-jet operator based in China, last year acquired the first customized Boeing VVIP 787 business jet available for luxury charters, and this year the company announced it's launching journeys to Tahiti aboard its "Dream Jet." The journey will take guests across the South Pacific Ocean from Hong Kong to Tahiti, providing custom in-flight accommodations and onboard stewards who provide "seven-star hospitality," the company says. The seven- night "Dream Journey" also includes a stay in the presidential suite of the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. The 787's spacious interior comprises more than 2,300 square feet, luxuriously decorated with handpicked amenities and fully equipped with video and audio options. The cabin also includes a lounge and dining area, a private bedroom and bath, and plenty of room for entertaining or relaxing. Large windows, ultra-clean air filtering, and extra-low pressurization create an environment of ultimate ease and comfort. The ultra-long-range 787 can cruise at 561 mph for up to 10,000 miles, providing nonstop flights to virtually anywhere. Deer Jet Boeing VVIP 787 business jet Dream Jet In Tahiti, guests can enjoy all the amenities the tropical island is famous for: days of blue skies, sunshine, and serene beaches, nights of traditional dance performances, cool sea breezes, and fine dining. The company says it plans to offer more luxe adventure destinations soon. The 787 is based at Hong Kong International Airport and operated by Deer Jet's subsidiary, Hong Kong Jet. http://robbreport.com/automobiles/aviation/take-this-boeing-vvip-787-business-jet-to-tahiti-2715602/ Back to Top United Airlines suspends flights to Venezuela starting July 1 United Airlines will suspend flights to Venezuela on July 1, amid civil unrest in the South American country. (Mel Evans / AP) United Airlines Inc. will suspend flights to Venezuela next month, a move that further cuts off access to the Latin American nation engulfed in violent political protests and economic chaos. The daily service between Houston and Caracas will be canceled because of low demand, United spokesman Charles Hobart said in an email. "Because our Houston-Caracas service is not meeting our financial expectations we have decided to suspend it, effective July 1," he said. The Venezuelan government has faced almost two months of anti-government protests. It has drastically cut imports of food and medicine in order to conserve the cash needed to pay bondholders, as oil production declines and international reserves hover near a 15-year low. United, whose flights to Caracas have been popular with oil executives in Texas and Venezuelans living in the U.S., is the latest in a string of airlines to pull out or cut exposure to socialist Venezuela. Only last month, TAP-Transportes Aereos Portugueses stopped selling plane tickets in Venezuela because it wasn't getting the money from those sales. When electricity supplies are maintained in disaster areas, it's because at BASF, we create chemistry. Last year, carriers asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for antitrust immunity so they could discuss ways to retrieve $3.8 billion held hostage by Venezuela's economic collapse, with the government virtually halting repatriation of past ticket sales made in bolivars, the local currency. American Airlines Group Inc., which had been the largest carrier by capacity to Venezuela, took a $592 million special charge in 2015 to write down the value of its ticket sales in bolivars. Delta Air Lines Inc. has also written down the value of past Venezuelan sales in bolivars. It has cut flights dramatically since 2014. Last year, Chile-based Latam Airlines Group SA also suspended its Caracas service from Brazil, Chile, and Peru; Grupo Aeromexico SAB ended flights between Venezuela and Mexico City; and Deutsche Lufthansa AG dropped its flights from Frankfurt. Air Canada left Caracas in March 2014, citing the civil unrest. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/news/ct-united-airlines-suspends-flights-to-venezuela-20170605-story.html Back to Top Air Force Eyes Replacing B-52 Engines U.S. Air Force Airmen from 96th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron execute air operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve against the Islamic State on Feb. 13, 2017. The Air Force has set aside $10 million in its fiscal 2018 budget request for risk-reduction efforts in support of a potential future B-52 bomber re-engining program. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jordan Castelan) The Air Force has set aside $10 million in its fiscal 2018 budget request for risk-reduction efforts in support of a potential future B-52 bomber re-engining program. If approved, the move could be a crucial first step to boost the service life of the B-52 Stratofortress long-range bomber - already pushing more than 60 years in its lifespan. The budget also includes $227 million for B-52 modifications, Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrews said in an email to Military.com. In total, the request allocates $1.34 billion across fiscal 2018 to 2022 to support efforts including a radar modernization program; Combat Network Communications Technology; the 1760 internal weapons bay upgrade; and tactical data link integration, McAndrews said. For example, the internal weapons bay upgrade, or IWBU, "nearly doubles the number of [GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions] a single plane can carry," said Capt. Kenny, a 96th Bomb Squadron instructor weapon systems officer whose last name was withheld for security reasons. "This new capability also extends our range by reducing the amount of drag that external weapons produce," he said in a 2016 Air Force release. Lawmakers have prioritized the need to modernize, given that the Air Force anticipates flying the B-52 into the 2040s. The aircraft, known throughout the force as the BUFF, or "Big Ugly Fat Fellow," could gain better fuel- efficiency if the engines are replaced, officials have said. "Air Force leadership has ... acknowledged that new engines would provide a 95 percent reduction in engine maintenance, virtually eliminating engine overhauls and reducing fuel consumption by 30 percent," Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo of Guam said May 25 during a House Armed Services Committee's Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee hearing. "Does the Air Force have a plan to re-engine the B-52 to take advantage of benefits that would afford in terms of future cost avoidance and operational benefits?" she asked. Testifying at the hearing about the Air Force's fiscal 2018 budget request were Lt. Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, the military deputy at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition; Lt. Gen. Jerry D. Harris, deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements; and Maj. Gen. Scott A. Vander Hamm, assistant deputy chief of staff for Air Force operations. "So we ... do realize that the engines we have on the B-52 are not going to last through the life of the program. We're either going to have to do a service-life extension program or we'll have to procure new engines," Bunch said. "We're looking at all of those options right now. We have some money in the '18 budget to do some of those initial analyses and look at all those alternatives," he said, referring to the $10 million in risk-reduction efforts. Bunch added that the re-engining effort would not be simply for fuel savings, but would extend to tanker savings, operational implications, and manpower savings "by not having to use as many maintainers on the flight line to be able to maintain those older engines, as well as what you talked about with the time it stays on the wing and the operational viability." The B-52, under Air Force Global Strike Command, has been invaluable in efforts such as Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and most recently in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. After a decade in the Pacific, the aircraft was replaced last year by the B-1B Lancer as part of the military's continuous bomber presence mission in the theater. Most recently, B-52s deployed to RAF Fairford, England, last week to take part in a series of upcoming war games across Europe, the Air Force said. https://www.defensetech.org/2017/06/05/air-force-eyes-replacing-b-52-engines/ Back to Top Airbus says may have to cut A380 production further CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) - Airbus , Europe's largest aerospace company, raised the prospect on Monday of a new cut in production of its A380 superjumbo because of weak sales but pledged to try to make sure the struggling project still breaks even. Airbus already plans to cut production to one superjumbo a month in 2018 from an unspecified level now and has said it needs to win more sales this year to maintain output at that new level, called rate 1 by the company's executives. At the same time, Airbus is trying to reduce its industrial costs to prevent financial losses, pending what it believes will be an upturn in sales as global air traffic continues to grow. "My first job is at least to adapt to the assumptions that we have for rate 1 in 2018, which is being done," Programmes Head Didier Evrard told reporters. "Doing that is our first goal and meanwhile (sales chief) John (Leahy) is trying to sell more to A380 customers." Asked whether Airbus could have to cut production again, Evrard said, "Yes, it is likely that we may have to go below rate 1... and we will continue to study opportunities to (make) our program as healthy as possible on the financial side." Airbus shares fell 1.1 percent. Leahy told the same briefing that Airbus was working to reduce the A380 breakeven level to less than one a month. But he insisted he saw a future for the world's largest airliner as air traffic continues to double every 15 years. Both executives were speaking on the sidelines of an annual meeting in Mexico of about 200 airline leaders hosted by the International Air Transport Association. Airlines have been ordering fewer large four-engined jets such as the A380 and Boeing 747 in favor of smaller but efficient twin-engined models. Boeing plans to launch a new version of its 737 MAX family, the 737 MAX 10, at this month's Paris Airshow, though Leahy said it would be a "marginal airplane". He confirmed Airbus was looking at enhancements to its rival A321neo model, which has heavily outsold the 737 MAX equivalent, but said it was a routine annual product review. Leahy said Boeing had a "crisis" in the middle of the market, having ceded it to the A321neo, and he was not worried by the Chicago-based manufacturer's efforts to develop a new aircraft in the roughly 220-260 seat segment. After years of booming orders, Airbus expected a "very, very slow" year of orders, he said. The 67-year-old, who has overseen the sale of more than 10,000 aircraft, said he would step down "sooner rather than later" and that his role would be filled by his current deputy, executive vice-president Kiran Rao. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/airbus-eyes-further-reduction-a380-output-161657292--finance.html Back to Top Pilots, Congress weigh on Trump's plan to privatize air traffic control President Trump is proposing to take the job of air traffic control away from the FAA and hand it over to a private business. WASHINGTON (KGO) -- President Trump is proposing to take the job of air traffic control away from the FAA and hand it over to a private business. "Americans can look forward to cheaper, faster and safer travel," said President Trump. The president argues that moving air traffic control to a non-profit corporation will quickly modernize the system. "At a time when every passenger has GPS technology in their pockets, our air traffic control system still runs on radar and ground-based radio systems," explained Trump. "You cannot assign safety to a private organization." Pilot and ABC News aviation consultant, John Nance, says GPS is not the silver bullet solution to tracking airplanes that the president suggests. "Because of the vulnerability of our GPS satellite array, it could be knocked out with one hostile act, one nuclear explosion," said Nance. "FAA is no longer funding the system as it should be." But pilot and member of the pilots union, ALPA, Dick Deeds, believes privatization will create more efficiencies in the system. "For the airlines, it will save them money. For the passengers, it's better they'll get from point to point faster, and the system would be safer," he said. "This is hugely controversial," said Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), He believes there are democrats and republicans on the House Transportation Committee, who are opposed to the plan. "The idea that we would take the safest system in the world and the most complicated, and suddenly privatize it, that's crazy," he said. Huffman says the president's plan will be tough to pass. http://abc7news.com/news/pilots-congress-weigh-on-trumps-plan-to-privatize-air-traffic-control/2067196/ Back to Top Helicopter Association International Strongly Opposes President Trump's Air Traffic Control Privatization Plan June 5, 2017 Alexandria, VA - Helicopter Association International (HAI) today joined other national organizations in opposing privatization of the nation's air traffic control (ATC) system. These organizations signed a joint letter to President Donald Trump, expressing concerns that the plan would directly and significantly benefit the airline industry while destabilizing the current successful ATC system and raising costs through user fees that would be passed on to consumers. "All stakeholders on both sides of this issue acknowledge that we already have the safest, most efficient air traffic control system in the world," said Matt Zuccaro, president and CEO of HAI. "So what problem are they trying to solve?" "This initiative appears to be an effort by the airlines for more control of the airspace and the airports," continued Zuccaro. "As we all witness the airlines struggling with their own internal technology issues and related problems, does it really make sense to hand over control of the best ATC system in the world to them?" Part of the administration's stated reason for pushing privatization is the FAA's delay in rolling out NextGen technology, its plan to update U.S. air traffic control. The helicopter industry has already embraced, implemented, and benefited from the initial phase of the new NextGen technology put in place by the FAA. HAI respectfully disagrees with President Trump's description regarding the available technology within the current system. "The President's concern about flight delays being caused by the lack of system advancements is puzzling in light of the findings of Rep. Peter Defazio (D-Ore.), the ranking minority member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who found that the airlines themselves cause approximately 60 percent of flight delays," said Zuccaro. "If the supporters of a private ATC are sincerely interested in improving ATC technology, let's privatize the technological development and implementation portion of ATC and keep the world's best-operating ATC system where it belongs, under the control and watchful eye of the Federal Aviation Administration and Congress," said Zuccaro. While the Trump administration says its ATC privatization plan will save the American public money, there is no clear explanation how that would happen or how much money will be saved. The administration's plan would cancel the existing aviation taxes that currently fund ATC and transfer to a user fee system. What is left unsaid was what those user fees would be; the amount of funding required to set up, transition to, and support the private ATC entity; and the effect of user fees on flight activity and associated revenue. The economic viability of ATC privatization and its ultimate effect on the public and industry is unknown. "The Administration wants you to think this issue is only about technology and safety that will benefit all stakeholders," said Zuccaro. "In my view, it's a move to give control of the air traffic control system to the airlines. I found it interesting that the President chose to surround himself with representatives of the airlines at his announcement, during which he failed to even mention general aviation. "It seems obvious that a private ATC entity controlled by an oversight board with a majority of seats held by the airlines will support their own initiatives and interests to the detriment of general aviation and other affected parties," Zuccaro said. Advancing the latest technology into the U.S. air traffic control system is a great idea that will benefit all parties and which HAI supports. Privatizing ATC and relinquishing control of the system to one stakeholder is not. This plan doesn't fix the NextGen issue; instead it destabilizes our current, world-class ATC system and passes on the cost to consumers. HAI hopes that the current proposal will spark a meaningful conversation between all aviation stakeholders and the Trump administration and Congress. Let's work together to achieve our common goal of a National Airspace System that has technology that is second to none, equal access for all stakeholders, and a top priority of safety. ### HAI is the professional trade association for the civil helicopter industry. HAI's 1,500+ organizational members and 1,800 individual members safely operate more than 4,500 helicopters approximately 2.3 million flight hours each year in 73 nations. HAI is dedicated to the promotion of the helicopter as a safe, effective method of commerce and to the advancement of the international helicopter community Back to Top National Air Transportation Association Responds to Trump Administration Proposal to Corporatize the Nation's Air Traffic Control System Washington, DC, June 5, 2017 - Today, the Trump Administration released additional details about its proposal to corporatize the nation's air traffic control system. The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is the voice of general aviation business, representing fixed base operators, on-demand air charter, aircraft maintenance and overhaul facilities, and business aircraft and fractional ownership fleet management. NATA members range in size from large companies with international presence to smaller, single-location independent operators that depend exclusively on general aviation for their livelihood. The following can be attributed to National Air Transportation Association President Martin H. Hiller: "It's difficult to see how one 'Makes America Great Again' by emulating foreign air traffic control systems that are smaller and demonstrably less safe than our own. The Trump proposal introduces significant uncertainty to the world's largest, most complex and safest air traffic control system, offering a radical solution to issues that can be addressed within the FAA's current framework. Surprisingly, the proposal also makes little business sense, it does nothing to address the need for additional airport infrastructure investment but adds significantly to annual budget deficits and increases the costs to be borne by the non-flying public. This is yet another Trump Administration slap at rural America. The Administration recently proposed slashing support for rural air service but now talks about maintaining rural access. What are those services and how do you maintain them? Instead, the Trump proposal indicates access for rural America will be limited to their willingness to pay whatever the airlines demand. Corporatizing air traffic control further limits the public's ability to address issues of concern, removes transparency in ticket costs and undermines general aviation. General aviation groups will share those concerns in a joint industry letter to President Trump later today." On the pace of air traffic modernization "To ensure safety, air traffic control modernization is a deliberate process and it is misleading to think privatization will change that. In fact, most current delays are attributed to airline systems, suggesting that just because something is done by the private sector does not make it necessarily better." On separating FAA's safety and air traffic control functions "The proposal forces the FAA to accept potentially profound changes in air traffic procedures without allowing for the scrutiny that has given us the world's best safety record. There is no conflict of interest at the FAA, the Aviation Safety and Air Traffic organizations are already separate entities inside the agency. The Trump proposal is a step-back, to a time when effort was wasted because air traffic systems were developed without a clear understanding of total safety requirements and subsequently had to be modified or scrapped." On reducing public accountability while adding to deficits "The FAA (including air traffic) is funded almost exclusively from current aviation taxes. The Administration proposal adds to the annual budget deficit by $46 billion and increases the amount of revenue expected to be paid from the non-traveling public. The proposed scheme would make it impossible for the flying public to determine how much of the cost of their airplane ticket can be attributed to air traffic control. Worse, reducing public oversight means citizens will have no recourse for addressing concerns like noise, and system users will be at the mercy of the Secretary of Transportation to determine what's a fair cost." FAA issues can be addressed within the agency's current framework "The Administration is correct in its call for FAA to migrate to a performance-based regulatory framework. And there is even more that can be done within the agency's current framework, including modifying the budget rules to protect the FAA from the uncertainties created by sequesters and government shutdowns. Finally, reclaiming the hundreds of millions of dollars lost annually to the Highway Trust Fund and increasing the use of the performance-based contracting are all readily achievable steps that do not require the radical and potentially dangerous step of corporatizing air traffic control." # # # The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for over 75 years. Representing nearly 2,300 aviation businesses, NATA's member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies. For more information about NATA, please visit www.nata.aero, www.twitter.com/nataaero or www.facebook.com/nataaero. Back to Top Safety, Risk and Quality Management for Airlines: Using an Integrated Management System to Improve Business Performance Join us on Wednesday, June 14 - 2:00 PM ET Please make sure you adjust the time for your time zone. Safety, Risk, and Quality is a top priority among airlines. Now, more than ever, stakeholders are putting forth SMS, EHS and QMS initiatives that leverage common management frameworks like ISO. An Integrated Management System (IAMS) can provide a single information management solution to centralize data management and reporting. In this session, we will demonstrate EtQ Reliance and its ability to be a single solution for SMS, EHS, and QMS. EtQ will explore the technology considerations when implementing an IAMS for your business, how to integrate it with other business systems, and how to generate meaningful reports and dashboards. Speakers: Sean Salvas, HSEQ Product Manager, EtQ Tom Barlow, Pre-Sales Engineer, EtQ Can't attend, but still want a copy of the recording? Register anyway and we'll email it to you following the webinar. Register for the Webinar Now EtQ, Inc. is a complete Aviation Safety, Quality, and Environmental Health and Safety Management provider dedicated to delivering leading edge software solutions. EtQ is focused on emerging technologies and dedicating resources to assure that EtQ software maintains compatibility with industry leading standards and best-of-breed functionality. www.etq.com Back to Top Assistant/Associate Professor - Tenure Track Faculty - Aviation Technology Position: Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate Professor in Aviation Technology; Starting date: August 2017 Qualifications: Master's degree in any of the following: Aviation, Business, Education, Engineering, or aviation management related discipline. Must have a minimum of 18 graduate hours in aviation related courses. Three years aviation industry experience. Completion of an appropriate doctorate degree will be required within 5-years. Responsibilities: Teaching undergraduate courses and assuming a leadership role in the management of the department's Aviation Technology degree programs. Other responsibilities include serving on University committees, curriculum development, academic advisement and performing appropriate scholarly research and professional service within the guidelines of the University. Salary: Commensurate with qualifications The University: Indiana State University enrolls approximately 14,000 students in six colleges/schools. Please visit the University homepage at http://www.indstate.edu for details. Department: The Aviation Technology Department in a part of the College of Technology and currently offers the following BS degrees: Professional Aviation Flight Technology, Aviation Management, and Unmanned Systems. Application: Attach a letter of application, cover letter, vitae/resume, and your B.S. and Master's transcripts to the online application at http://jobs.indstate.edu/postings/16411. For full consideration, applications must be submitted by June 15, 2017. The position will remain open until on- campus interviews have been scheduled. If you have questions please contact Dr. Richard Baker, Chair, Faculty Search Committee, Department of Aviation, Indiana State University, Terre Haute IN 47809. richard.baker@indstate.edu; (812)237-2641 Indiana State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All are encouraged to apply including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. Back to Top Safeskies 2017 Conference The thirteenth biennial Safeskies aviation safety conference, Safeskies 2017, will be held from October 3 to 5, at the National Convention Centre, Canberra, Australia. Visit www.SafeskiesAustralia.org for details of program and registration. Back to Top Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award Nominations Invited The Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Foundation and Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) are accepting nominations for the 2017 Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award. Presented since 1956, the honor recognizes notable achievement in method, design, invention, study or other improvement in aviation safety. The award's recipient is selected for a "significant individual or group effort contributing to improving aviation safety, with emphasis on original contributions," and a "significant individual or group effort performed above and beyond normal responsibilities." www.ltbaward.com Nominations, which should include a one- to two-page narrative, can be submitted via the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation website. Nominations will be accepted through June 14. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-05-11/laura-taber-barbour-air-safety-award- nominations-invited Back to Top Research Survey Dear Participants, You are being requested to participate in a research study on risk. This study is expected to take approximately 5 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be at least 18 years old and a pilot. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out before study completion, your data will be destroyed immediately. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYQv1wQ7ti8p8uE6rjWsAsoTvRe23hvVCR4LSvJheUNMt72Q/viewform?usp=sf_link For more information, please contact: Dr. Stephen Rice Stephen.rice2@erau.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! Dr. Stephen Rice, Associate Professor, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Curt Lewis