Flight Safety Information October 11, 2017 - No. 202 In This Issue Incident: Transavia B738 at Marrakesh on Oct 10th 2017, hard landing Incident: United B738 at San Diego on Oct 10th 2017, rejected takeoff due to engine failure Accident: Cathay A359 near Manila on Oct 9th 2017, turbulence injures 7 Incident: Sky Regional E175 near Chicago on Sep 30th 2017, odour in cockpit EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Beechcraft 350 Super King Air - Gear Up Landing Two Airbus A320 aircraft involved in Ground Collision (Juarez) Damaged A380 to be flown to France to investigate engine blast Spike Aerospace unmanned SX-1.2 demonstrator makes maiden flight USAIG Welcomes Air Charter Safety Foundation's (ACSF) - Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) to its Performance Vector Safety Initiative IBAC Expands, Revises Operations Initiatives at 15-Year Milestone Few Air Force Aircraft Have New, Fully Functional Transponder Singapore, Brunei agree to cooperate in air and marine accident investigations ICAO Lifts Thailand Significant Safety Concern Honeywell Gives Pilots New Cockpit Technology Upgrades With Primus Elite Horizon Air pilots blast Alaska management over service cuts Federal government seeking partner to look at way to create domestic jet biofuel industry (Canada) Richard Branson wants to fly to space in 6 months GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY FAA Event: Lessons Learned from the Crash of Air France 447 Position: Flight Safety Specialist Incident: Transavia B738 at Marrakesh on Oct 10th 2017, hard landing A Transavia Boeing 737-800, registration PH-HSK performing flight HV-5753 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Marrakesh (Morocco), was on final approach to Marrakesh's runway 28 when the crew went around due to gusting winds at 19:41L (18:41Z). The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 10 this time, however touched down hard at 20:11L (19:11Z). The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. The aircraft was unable to depart for the return flight HV-5754 and is currently undergoing a hard landing inspection. The airline reported the aircraft aborted the first approach due to high winds, then touched down hard requiring a hard landing inspection. The passengers waiting for the return flight were taken to hotels. http://avherald.com/h?article=4af86638&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United B738 at San Diego on Oct 10th 2017, rejected takeoff due to engine failure A United Boeing 737-800, registration N76516 performing flight UA-621 from San Diego,CA to San Francisco,CA (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from runway 27 when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed following the failure of the left hand engine (CFM56). The aircraft returned to the apron. The flight was cancelled. A ground observer reported when the aircraft accelerated the engines for takeoff after receiving takeoff clearance "flames began shooting back from the left engine". http://avherald.com/h?article=4af859e3&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Cathay A359 near Manila on Oct 9th 2017, turbulence injures 7 A Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-900, registration B-LRS performing flight CX-157 from Hong Kong (China) to Brisbane,QL (Australia) with 264 passengers and 11 crew, was enroute at FL290 about 50nm south of Manila (Philippines) about one hour into the flight, cabin crew were serving meals, when the aircraft encountered turbulence prompting the crew to enter a high level hold at FL290 to assess the status of passengers and crew. The crew subsequently decided to divert to Manila where the aircraft landed safely about one hour after entering the hold. Six flight attendants and one passenger received injuries and were taken to hospital, but were subsequently discharged. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 3 hours, then continued the journey and reached Brisbane with a delay of 4:15 hours. Passengers reported the flight attendants impacted the cabin ceiling and came down again during the turbulence encounter, that overall lasted up to 10 minutes. Infrared Satellite Image Himawari 8 Oct 9th 2017 06:00z (Graphics: AVH/JMA): http://avherald.com/h?article=4af857ac&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Sky Regional E175 near Chicago on Sep 30th 2017, odour in cockpit A Sky Regional Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of Air Canada, registration C-FUJA performing flight RS-7663/AC-7663 from Toronto,ON (Canada) to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA) with 51 passengers and 4 crew, was enroute at FL340 about 80nm east of Chicago O'Hare,IL (USA) when the first officer noticed a strange smell in the cockpit, simultaneously a RECIRC SMOKE caution indication activated. The flight crew worked the related checklists and decided to divert to Chicago. Cabin crew and passengers reported that there was no smell in the cabin. The aircraft landed on O'Hare's runway 10L and stopped on the runway about 25 minutes after leaving FL340. The crew shut the aircraft down for an inspection by emergency services, emergency services did not find any trace of fire, heat or smoke. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance checked the RECIRC and H-duct areas, tested the recirculation smoke detector without finding a fault, performed an operational test without any anomaly. Bleed System #1 was deferred according to minimum equipment list requirements. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/SKV7663/history/20170930/1235Z/CYYZ/KDFW http://avherald.com/h?article=4af850c2&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Beechcraft 350 Super King Air - Gear Up Landing Date: 10-OCT-2017 Time: 19.56 Type: Beechcraft 350 Super King Air Owner/operator: Air Control Registration: UP-K3504 C/n / msn: FL-216 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Minor Location: Uralsk Airport (URA/UARR) - Kazakhstan Phase: Landing Nature: Calibration/Inspection Departure airport: Uralsk Airport (URA/UARR) Destination airport: Uralsk Airport (URA/UARR) Narrative: A Beechcraft 350 Super King Air aircraft was engaged in a calibration flight at Uralsk Airport, Kazakhstan. After a 3,5 hour flight, the aircraft landed gear up.The three crew members escaped without injury. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=200324 Back to Top Two Airbus A320 aircraft involved in Ground Collision (Juarez) Date: 10-OCT-2017 Time: Type: Airbus A320-232 (WL) Owner/operator: Viva Aerobus Registration: XA-VAK C/n / msn: 6755 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Mexico City-Juarez International Airport (MEX) - Mexico Phase: Pushback / towing Nature: Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: Two Airbus A320 aircraft of Viva Aerobus were involved in a ground contact incident in the hours of darkness. The right-hand wing-tip sharklet of XA-VAK collided with the left-hand horizontal stabilizer of XA- VAV. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=200319 Back to Top Damaged A380 to be flown to France to investigate engine blast By Tim Hepher PARIS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - French investigators are preparing for an intricate operation to repatriate an Air France Airbus A380 passenger jet that was forced to make an emergency landing in Canada after one of its engines came apart in mid-flight, people familiar with the manoeuvre said. The Airbus superjumbo diverted to Goose Bay in Labrador on Sept. 30 after one of its four engines exploded over Greenland, sending the front part of the engine including its 3-metre-wide fan into the ice sheet 37,000 feet below. More than 500 passengers and crew, some of whom had reported a bang and vibration, were picked up on two replacement jets after waiting for hours onboard due to problems in accommodating the world's largest airliner at the remote military airport. But the aircraft itself remained stranded while French-led investigators collected evidence and developed a plan for returning it to France. Making the roughly 2,300 nautical mile (4,260 km) trip will need a switch in engines to help the mammoth jet fly smoothly. First, the rump of the broken engine will be taken off the wing and flown to Wales, where manufacturer General Electric can examine it at its Cardiff repair workshop, the people said. Then a spare engine will be mounted on the right wing in the same outer position as the damaged one. But this will only be used to balance the weight during flight and that engine will not be operable. The people declined to be quoted as the plans have not yet been announced. France's BEA accident agency declined comment. The operation to fetch the double-decker jet is not the only challenging errand triggered by the mid-air explosion. Some parts of the engine were retrieved by helicopter in Greenland on Oct. 6 and dispatched to BEA headquarters in Paris. But investigators still face a tricky search in uncertain weather conditions to try to find other missing elements before they are buried by snow. Although nobody was injured, the engine break-up has led to what could be a lengthy investigation to ensure other aircraft are not exposed to the risk of damage from high-speed engine debris. Experts say such incidents are very rare, however. GP7200 engines used on Air France A380s are made by Engine Alliance, co-owned by GE and Pratt & Whitney. In 2010 a Qantas A380 engine built by UK rival Rolls-Royce blew up shortly after take-off. Investigators cited a poorly manufactured part. (Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Greg Mahlich) Back to Top Spike Aerospace unmanned SX-1.2 demonstrator makes maiden flight The test flight was of an unmanned demonstrator aircraft - not the version pictured here(Credit: Spike Aerospace) Spike Aerospace took to the skies for the first time on Saturday as it tested a subsonic, subscale version of its planned S-512 supersonic passenger plane. The unmanned SX-1.2 prototype demonstrator took off from a private airfield in New England with KrishnaKumar Malu and Mike Ridlon piloting it remotely on the first of a series of seven short flights throughout the day, to prove the validity of the aircraft's aerodynamics. Saturday's flight took place under what the company called perfect weather with winds of 7 to 10 mph (11 to 16 km/h) and the temperature hovering around 70º F (21º C). During the tests, telemetry of the flight characteristics and other performance data were recorded and aircraft's center of mass, balance, and control surfaces were adjusted between flights. "These test flights are providing incredibly valuable information which we can use to refine the design," says Malu. "I am very excited about how helpful these tests will be to our supersonic development program." The data from the tests will be used to modify the design of the full sized S-512. This will be a 22- passenger supersonic jet with a range of 6,200 mi (9,977 km) that's designed to fly over standard airliner routes at Mach 1.6 (1,218 mph, 1,960 km/h) thanks to its low-boom signature fuselage using a modified delta wing design. In addition, it will be one of the first jets to replace traditional windows with video walls providing a stem-to-stern view of the exterior. The S-512 is being developed with the assistance of Siemens, Quartus, Aernnova, Greenpoint, BRPH, and others with a projected flight date of 2021 and first deliveries in 2023. Currently, Spike is making modifications to the SX-1.2 for more test flights in November, followed by construction of the successor SX-1.3 demonstrator. "The SX-1.2 test flights were conducted in a real world situation, and provide significantly more data than wind tunnel tests done in an artificial environment," says Vik Kachoria, President and CEO of Spike Aerospace. "We were able to test not only handling, but also a range of other considerations." Source: Spike Aerospace http://newatlas.com/spike-aerospace-sx-12-maiden-flight/51674/ Back to Top USAIG Welcomes Air Charter Safety Foundation's (ACSF) - Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) to its Performance Vector Safety Initiative New York, New York, Oct. 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USAIG, one of the world's leading aviation-specific insurance providers, proudly welcomes the Air Charter Safety Foundation's (ACSF) Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) to its Performance Vector safety initiative. Performance Vector delivers valuable, forward-looking safety support for USAIG-insured operators of turbine aircraft. Eligible policyholders can choose annually from a range of programs and services delivered by leading providers. The ACSF is a nonprofit aviation safety organization that leads and supports world-class safety performance in the charter, business and fractional ownership aviation segments. "We are pleased to partner with USAIG on this important safety initiative, which has a proven track record of improving safety in those organizations that embrace the ASAP philosophy of using submitted reports for the sole purpose of improving safety," said ACSF President Bryan Burns. A key part of ACSF's strategy is its administration of an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) under an agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Most flight departments offer employees a way to report safety hazards or concerns, but such programs can want for in-house capacity or expertise to process reports in a systemic way, and often lack means to share information for industry-wide benefit. The ASAP addresses those gaps by providing a robust process to collect, analyze and propose corrective action for reported safety hazards, incidents or concerns. De-identified data from ASAP reports is also archived into a growing database of safety information to support learning and continuous improvement across the industry. Participating organizations execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ACSF and the FAA, and their employees gain a straightforward way to make reports online. "ACSF's ASAP puts reliable follow-through and information sharing in place for employee safety reports, without the flight department having to do that for itself. That cuts administrative overhead for busy operators while at the same time represents a clear step toward fostering a positive safety culture. We are delighted to connect our policyholders with the ACSF ASAP," said Paul Ratté, USAIG's Director Aviation Safety Programs. An event review committee with members from ACSF, FAA and ASAP-participating organizations reviews every report, identifies and communicates corrective actions as appropriate, and approves qualifying reports for archiving. This frees participating organizations from those functions and ensures a standardized, unbiased and timely process. To foster an open and non-punitive context, the FAA applies favorable consideration for reports where violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) may be implied, but no malicious intent is indicated. In keeping with the ASAP MOU and the FAA's new compliance philosophy, no FAA administrative or enforcement action is used for reports accepted into ASAP. ACSF is approved by the FAA as an ASAP program manager for Part 91 flight departments, Part 135 charter operators and 91K program managers in all FAA Regions in the lower 48 states. The requirements to become an ACSF ASAP participant are: Execute an ASAP Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between own organization, ACSF and FAA With the addition of the ACSF ASAP to USAIG's Performance Vector program, eligible policyholders can now apply their annual safety benefit toward enrolling or annually renewing their ASAP participation. Fees for ACSF membership and ASAP participation are predicated on the operator's fleet and workforce size, respectively. For policyholders with 25 or fewer employees and/or fleets up to six total aircraft, selection of the USAIG Performance Vector ACSF ASAP option results in USAIG covering both the annual ACSF membership dues and the annual ASAP administrative fee. Policyholder organizations larger than that can still utilize this offer, but must self-address their ACSF membership, and USAIG will cover the annual ASAP administrative fee. For additional information about the USAIG Performance Vector program and for details concerning benefits of an ACSF organizational membership, click here or contact Paul Ratté, USAIG Director of Aviation Safety Programs at: safety@usaig.com. Visit USAIG at the NBAA convention in Las Vegas from October 10-12, booth #C11032. USAIG's team of aviation insurance and safety experts will be on hand to answer questions and talk about this new initiative. About USAIG United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG) provides a full spectrum of coverage options for owners, operators, manufacturers and maintainers of corporate, private and commercial aircraft. In 1928, our founders - World War I pilots and businessmen David Beebe and Reed Chambers - saw the need for an insurance company that truly understood aviation. We remain a world aviation insurance leader delivering innovative, custom-tailored insurance products and services, including Performance Vector safety programs and Performance Vector PLUS good experience returns. Additionally, USAIG has established Performance Vector Unmanned specifically for UAS policyholders by providing the added benefit of safety services at no cost to the insured. United States Aviation Underwriters, Inc. manages USAIG, maintaining the industry's largest network of underwriting and field claims offices. USAU's wholly owned subsidiary, Toronto-based Canadian Aviation Insurance Managers manages the Canadian Aircraft Insurance Group insurance pool. USAIG is a subsidiary of General Re Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company. Follow us on Twitter @USAIG_CAIG, Facebook & LinkedIn. usaig.com About Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) The ACSF is a non-profit membership organization with common safety goals. The ACSF's vision is to enable on-demand charter providers and fractional program managers the ability to achieve the highest levels of safety in the aviation industry through: 1) Promotion and facilitation of risk management programs; 2) Advocacy for industry adoption of one common audit standard; 3) Dissemination of safety information; and 4) Creation of additional programs that advance the goals of the Foundation. Please visit their website at acsf.aero. http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/USAIG-Welcomes-Air-Charter-Safety-Foundation- s-ACSF-Aviation-Safety-Action-Program-ASAP-to-its-Performance-Vector-Safety-InitiativeUSAIG- one-of-the-world-s-leading-aviation-specific-1003701887 Back to Top IBAC Expands, Revises Operations Initiatives at 15-Year Milestone The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) is expanding its business aircraft operations standards program (IS-BAO) with new leadership and objectives as it incorporates feedback from stakeholders and develops tools to meet operators' needs into the next decade. Dubbed IS-BAO Vision 2020, the new initiative is designed to respond to a "listening tour" the organization undertook and includes input from operators and standards auditors at focus groups, industry roundtables and direct feedback. The organization's IS-BAO program is a voluntary, global, best-safety-standards code designed for and by the business aviation industry. Begun in 2002 with Coca-Cola and Entergy Corp. as its first participating operators, IS-BAO is built upon International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practices, with the safety management system (SMS) concept at its core. After 15 years of success among nearly 800 business aircraft operators worldwide, the IS-BAO team came away from its listening tour with a mandate to streamline and modernize its efforts. Among major recommendations is a step-by-step process for new and/or small operators, adding value for more established operators and consolidating and refreshing its existing standard. The result is IS-BAO's Vision 2020 program, which includes a variety of features. For example, it incorporates a new audit management system for operators and auditors, and improved IS-BAO Standards Board representation in conjunction with a new IS-BAO Standard Quality System. The auditing process has been improved through new standardization initiatives. Also, IS-BAO will directly engage with worldwide regulatory authorities. Under Vision 2020, the standard's process flow has been consolidated for efficiency and to reduce operator and auditor workload. The standards document also has been realigned in support of IBAC's common-core SMS. The effective date has been extended, to July 1, 2018, while the new applicability date is July 1, 2019, changes designed to allow more operator flexibility and gradual implementation. The standard also incorporates best practices submitted by operators through existing NBAA and EBAA safety committees. To help implement all the changes resulting from its listening tour, IBAC is adding three new professionals, including one with responsibility for the organization's business aircraft handling program, IS-BAH. Lawrence "Fletch" Fletcher becomes audit manager for IS-BAH, and will assist Terry Yeomans, IS-BAH director. Fletcher comes from the IS-BAO program, where he served as its audit manager. Daniel Devraignes takes on the role of audit manager for IS-BAO, after serving as its audit accreditation manager. And Yvonne Marinus, with experience as an IS-BAO auditor, will become IS- BAO's auditor accreditation manager. Both Devraignes and Marinus will assist IS-BAO director Ben Walsh. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-10-10/ibac-expands-revises- operations-initiatives-15-year-milestone Back to Top Few Air Force Aircraft Have New, Fully Functional Transponder The Air Force Academy's aircraft are outfitted with the latest version of the satellite-based transponder known as the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B. But the rest of the Air Force's aircraft inventory may be falling behind. The academy's 27 training planes are the only part of the Air Force inventory to be fully retrofitted with the transponder, according to the service's data recently provided to Military.com. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ruling in 2008 to establish regulations and procedures for transitioning to ADS-B. The technology uses global positioning satellites rather than radar to determine an aircraft's location, airspeed and other data, and broadcasts that information to a network of ground stations. The FAA requires the transponder by 2020 for all aircraft flying at or above 10,000 feet. Two C-130J Hercules - the latest models of the airlift cargo plane - also have ADS-B out of the 77 total J models the service has in its inventory. Fighter and attack aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II all have "to be determined" status when they will incorporate ADS-B, the service said. Between fiscal years 2023 and 2025, the B-2 Spirit, B-1B Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bombers, along with the F-22 Raptor, are set to get the new technology, according to Air Force data. The E-4B - a militarized version of the Boeing 747-200 known as the "Doomsday plane" for its command-and-control capability in the event of a nuclear attack - will comply by fiscal 2019, the data shows. Air Force aircraft otherwise fully compliant? Zero. Whether the FAA has extended the 2020 deadline for the service is unclear. "In an effort to enhance safety and efficiency inside the nation's airspace, the Air Force is working with the FAA to mitigate operational concerns and acquire the appropriate ADS-B accommodation," Capt. Emily Grabowski told Military.com on Tuesday. Last year, lawmakers held a hearing on the issue, sounding the alarm the Air Force would likely miss the crucial Jan. 1, 2020, deadline, leaving U.S. Air Force training and flight operations in limbo. Air Force officials argued that the high pace of operations overseas is delaying its ability to outfit aircraft with new transponders. Because the service isn't able "to sit the entire fleet down and look at what each aircraft needs" due to ongoing missions, it's likely going to miss the date, Maj. Gen. Timothy Fay, then-director of strategic plans at Air Force headquarters, said in 2016. He is currently deputy commander for U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. Fay, alongside then-Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, who is now a four-star heading Air Combat Command, said officials would petition the FAA for exemptions for certain aircraft if it knows it will miss the deadline to update them. The academy aircraft ready to go include: the Cirrus Aircraft SR-20 T-53A; Cessna 150 T-51A; Cessna 172 T-41D; De Havilland DHC-6 UV-18B; DG Flugzeugbau GmbH DG-1001 glider TG-16; Schempp-Hirth dual glider TG-15A; and the Schempp-Hirth solo glider TG-15B. https://www.dodbuzz.com/2017/10/10/air-force-aircraft-new-fully-functional-transponder/ Back to Top Singapore, Brunei agree to cooperate in air and marine accident investigations Both sides will work together to share investigation facilities, equipment, resources, experience and training opportunities relating to aircraft and marine accident and incident investigations. Singapore and Brunei have agreed to share resources and expertise in air and marine accident investigations, as part of plans to enhance cooperation between the two countries. The deal was sealed in a memorandum of understanding inked between Singapore's Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Brunei's Ministry of Communications (MOC) on Tuesday (Oct 10). Both sides will work together to share investigation facilities, equipment, resources, experience and training opportunities relating to aircraft and marine accident and incident investigations, MOT said. The agreement was signed in Singapore on the sidelines of the 44th Senior Transport Officials Meeting by Mr Loh Ngai Seng, MOT's permanent secretary and his Bruneian counterpart Haji Azhar Haji Ahmad. Mr Loh said that the agreement signifies "our close cooperation with Brunei Darussalam in enhancing the capabilities and professionalism of our air and marine safety investigators. Singapore will continue to work with our friends in the region to expand training opportunities and exchanges in this area". On the Singapore side, the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau, under the MOT, is responsible for conducting independent safety investigations into air and marine accidents and incidents and making recommendations to enhance the safety of air and sea transport. The Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Investigation Division under Brunei's MOC, is responsible for the conduct of safety investigations into air, marine and road occurrences for the enhancement of transportation safety. https://www.gov.sg/news/content/the-straits-times---singapore-brunei-agree-to-cooperate-in-air- and-marine-accident-investigations Back to Top ICAO Lifts Thailand Significant Safety Concern The United Nations aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), has removed Thailand's Significant Safety Concern on its website, following a recent visit by ICAO auditors. In 2015, Thailand was penalised by ICAO over the inadequate safety oversight of Thai registered carriers. Afterwards, the US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Agency, downgraded Thailand to Category II status, restricting all Thai carriers from flying into the United States. The UK Civil Aviation Authority's technical cooperation arm, CAA International (CAAi), has been supporting CAA Thailand (CAAT) since April 2016 to help lift the safety "red flag". CAAi experts have been on the ground in Thailand, providing expert assistance to help CAAT recertify all 20 airlines to the international standards of ICAO. Additionally, CAAi has supported CAAT on the preparation for the ICAO visit, resulting in the Significant Safety Concern being successfully removed by ICAO. Maria Rueda, CAAi Managing Director said, "We are delighted for CAA Thailand, the Thai aviation and tourism industry and air passengers from around the world travelling to Thailand that ICAO has removed the Significant Safety Concern. With almost 800,000 passengers1 flying to Thailand from the UK alone last year, it is vital the country has an internationally recognised regulatory framework to keep the travelling public safe and to best support the levels of market growth anticipated in the region in the years to come". Efforts to strengthen the Thai aviation regulator's oversight capability will continue. In collaboration with CAAi, the next phase of the cooperation agreement will address CAAT's corporate regulatory systems and other strategic sustainability needs, along with new Regulations and Guidance materials, to ensure CAAT is a strong and autonomous aviation regulator. Dr. Chula Sukmanop, Director General of CAA Thailand said, "CAAi has played a very big part in our success from the beginning. The system they suggested for the recertification process and their assistance in its implementation paved the ways for our completion of the actions to resolve the significant safety concern, leading to the lifting of the red flag". For more information, please contact: Stuart Coates, Senior Manager - International Marketing & Communications; stuart.coates@caa.co.uk Back to Top Honeywell Gives Pilots New Cockpit Technology Upgrades With Primus Elite LAS VEGAS, Oct. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) is expanding its Primus Elite® cockpit offerings with new Federal Aviation Administration certifications for Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer and Fairchild-Dornier aircraft. This provides business jet operators with a simple display upgrade option that delivers advanced functionality and improved visual clarity. In addition, Honeywell has regulatory approval for its Primus Elite Advanced Features software upgrade, enabling pilots to use the Synthetic Vision System to help them be more aware of their surroundings and increase safety. "We know business jet operators are continually looking for ways to update their fleet without having to purchase new aircraft," said Allison Haugen, director of Product Management, Honeywell Aerospace. "Honeywell is committed to helping pilots and operators transform their fleet and move into the digital age by providing more cockpit upgrade options. We are working with equipment manufacturers and aftermarket partners to provide access to the latest cockpit technologies inside operators' own aircraft." The new Primus Elite Supplemental Type Certifications (STC) allow operators to gradually update their systems at a lower cost rather than invest in a full cockpit upgrade up front. With a one-to- one upgrade, operators can install Honeywell's DU875 liquid-crystal displays (LCD), which are more reliable and are seven pounds lighter than the DU870 cathode-ray tube displays, which are now obsolete. Once all cockpit displays have been upgraded, pilots will have access to more advanced technology such as electronic charts and maps, graphical weather, and video inputs through the Primus Elite upgrade program. Finally, Honeywell has recently certified the Primus Elite Advanced Features software upgrade via STC as well. The update, available to operators with the new LCD displays and the Primus Elite cockpit upgrade, gives pilots access to the Synthetic Vision System, a 3-D color image of runways, terrain and obstacles that gives pilots a clearer view of their flight path. This feature is especially valuable when flying into an unfamiliar airport in the dark or in bad weather. Honeywell's Primus Elite Supplemental Type Certificates The Primus Elite cockpit upgrade improves safety and comfort for pilots by providing more situational awareness through enhanced flight-control monitoring and with an upgraded graphical user interface that displays information in pilots' primary field of vision, helping them make inflight decisions more quickly. For operators, upgrading their cockpits to Primus Elite can make their current aircraft feel new again while reducing the cost of ownership and increasing aircraft value. New STCs for Honeywell's Primus Elite include: Approved Model List STCs that allow operators to replace the DU870 CRT with the DU875 LCD are available for Bombardier Global Express and Learjet 40/45; Cessna Citation X, Bravo, Excel Ultra and Encore; Dassault Falcon F900/EX; Dornier 328; and Embraer Legacy 600/650 aircraft. New STCs for the Primus Elite Advanced Features software upgrade for the Dassault Falcon F900C/EX platforms, providing pilots with access to Honeywell's Synthetic Vision System. Primus Elite is currently certified and available for many business aviation platforms such as the Bombardier Global XRS and Global 5000, Fairchild-Dornier DO-328, and the Dassault Falcon F900C. PEAF is available for Gulfstream aircraft including the GIV, GIV-SP and GV. To learn more about Primus Elite, visit Honeywell's website. Honeywell will also be at the National Business Aviation Association show in Las Vegas at booth #N5100 Oct. 10-12. Visit Honeywell's booth to learn more and ask any questions. Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft, and its turbochargers are used by nearly every automaker and truck manufacturer around the world. The Aerospace business unit develops innovative solutions for more fuel-efficient automobiles and airplanes, more direct and on-time flights, safer flying and runway traffic, along with aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity services, logistics, and more. The business delivers safer, faster, and more efficient and comfortable transportation-related experiences worldwide. For more information, visit www.honeywell.com or follow us at @Honeywell_Aero and @Honeywell_Turbo. Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 software-industrial company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace and automotive products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/honeywell-gives- pilots-new-cockpit-technology-upgrades-with-primus-elite-300533672.html SOURCE Honeywell http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Honeywell-Gives-Pilots-New-Cockpit-Technology- Upgrades-With-Primus-Elite-1003663863 Back to Top Horizon Air pilots blast Alaska management over service cuts Pilots at Horizon Air, the Portland, Oregon-based regional subsidiary of Seattle-based Alaska Air Group, have publicly blamed Alaska management for service cuts and aircraft deferrals. In a public letter published as a full-page ad in The Seattle Times, the executive committee of Teamsters Local 1224-the Portland affiliate of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) union representing Horizon's pilots-said the pilot shortage Alaska management has cited for preemptively canceling hundreds of Horizon flights and deferring deliveries of Embraer E175 aircraft is not the "full story." While acknowledging the reality of the pilot shortage, which the union leaders say is driven by the time and cost required to become a commercial airline pilot in the US, the letter writers accuse Alaska management of failing to "seriously" prepare for it, imperiling the future of Horizon. The airline has canceled 1,300 flights in September and October combined, citing the pilot shortage. "The pilot shortage at Horizon Air was not unexpected," the letter stated. "And, despite what you may have heard, it did not take management at Horizon and Alaska Air Group by surprise. Horizon management has been aware of the pilot shortage since 2012 or earlier, with internal managers, external advisors, and union representatives sounding the alarm about the likely impact to Horizon and Alaska Air Group. For reasons we do not understand, neither Horizon nor Alaska Air Group took these warnings seriously." Horizon operates a fleet of more than 60 aircraft, a mix of E175s and Bombardier Q400s. The union leaders noted that Alaska initially sought pay concessions from the pilots to cope with the shortage, which the pilots "reluctantly" accepted in exchange for Horizon being the exclusive provider of Alaska Airlines' regional flights on new aircraft with at least 30 seats. But Alaska later acknowledged that had been the wrong response and raised pilot pay earlier this year, the pilots said. "These [pay increases] were too little, too late; the damage had already been done," the pilots wrote, adding, "We are concerned that Horizon and Alaska Air Group, from an inability to recognize market conditions, are endangering not only the livelihoods of Horizon's many hard-working employees, but also the economic viability of Alaska Airlines." The pilots said "short-term fixes and knee-jerk responses"-including contracting new E175 flying on SkyWest Airlines aircraft-"only make the situation worse, both for Horizon and for Alaska Air Group." Management needs a "long-term plan" to address the pilot shortage, the union leaders wrote. This should include financing "pilot training in a meaningful way, with union involvement and help to make new pilot training successful," the pilots said. In response, an Alaska Air Group spokesperson told ATW: "We had a challenging summer at our regional airline, Horizon Air. We believe that growing demand for air travel has contributed to the industry-wide pilot shortage. We failed to see and respond to this change fast enough, which resulted in scheduled reductions and some flight cancellations." The spokesperson said Alaska has taken "numerous steps" to address the situation, including increasing pilot recruitment efforts, raising Horizon pilots' pay to "industry-leading levels" and offering new Horizon pilots signing bonuses. "Also, to speed up the introduction of new pilots into the Horizon operation, we're doubling the size of our training department," the spokesperson said. "We're well on the way to returning to the reliable on-time service our [passengers] deserve." http://atwonline.com/labor/horizon-air-pilots-blast-alaska-management-over-service-cuts Back to Top Federal government seeking partner to look at way to create domestic jet biofuel industry (Canada) The government signed an international agreement to make the airline industry carbon-neutral by 2020 and biofuels are currently the only way to meet that target Airlines looking to use renewable fuel face a number of hurdles, including limited supply.Tyler Anderson/National Post/File OTTAWA - The federal government is looking at the potential of producing jet biofuels, in light of an international agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry. Natural Resources Canada is looking for a company to design a "roadmap" for the development of a domestic aviation biofuel industry, according to a procurement document recently posted online. "The potential for Canada is not only in production of a cleaner biojet fuels (sic) but also in the development of new technologies than (sic) can be exported," it reads. The document notes that Canada imports 40 per cent of its jet fuel consumption. In October 2016, the government signed onto an international agreement to make the airline industry carbon-neutral by 2020. Canada also aims to cut aviation emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2050. Biofuels are about the only way to meet that target, says Geoffrey Tauvette, director of fuel and environment at WestJet, since there are no electric planes on the way anytime soon. "I think it's great that (the government has) heard our message that for aviation, we really have no other choice," he said. Traditional biofuels such as ethanol don't work in airplanes because of their low energy density and the fact that they freeze at low temperatures, said Jack Saddler, a professor of bioenergy at the University of British Columbia. Instead, most jet biofuel comes from forest biomass and food waste, like used cooking oil. The federal government seems keen on the possibility of producing biofuel from forestry scraps, including branches and bark. "There is strong interest from airlines and forest industry stakeholders in exploring the possibilities of producing biojet from forest biomass, in particular from industrial residues," a department spokesperson told the Post in an email. Jet biofuel is only just entering the commercial market. Saddler pointed to AltAir Fuels, a California- based refiner, and Neste Oil, a Finnish company with refineries in Rotterdam and Singapore, as some of the main suppliers. Some airlines are beginning to mix biojet into their fuel, he said, but only in small quantities. "I think that's a kind of way to show everybody it's safe," he said. Other airlines, including Air Canada, have only conducted flight tests using biofuel. But airlines looking to use renewable fuel face a number of hurdles, including limited supply. The fuel is expensive relative to conventional jet fuel, Saddler said. "We live in a good old capitalist society, so there's not really the economic benefit to do it right now." Saddler said a domestic jet biofuel industry would likely require government subsidy. "Anything new usually does, because you're trying to displace something," he said. "There will need to be some sort of policy driver to establish it." For now, the government is looking for a study of feedstock volumes required to support a jet biofuel industry in Canada, existing and emerging technologies in the field and policies that would support the industry. "There's a lot of steps to get there, but I think we have the right ingredients to make it work," Tauvette said. Saddler said he hopes the government will approach his research team at the University of British Columbia, which has been studying aviation biofuel for years. "They've kind of come late to the party," he said, adding that he attended a recent meeting with the department where the roadmap was discussed. "Our sense was that we hope these guys get up to speed fast. We kind of missed them for the last few years." http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/federal-government-seeking-partner-to-look-at-creating- domestic-jet-biofuel-industry Back to Top Richard Branson wants to fly to space in 6 months Richard Branson wants to be in space, and he thinks he'll get there soon. According to an interview with Branson by Business Insider Nordic, the Virgin Galactic founder hopes that his spaceflight company will be in space in 3 months, and that Branson himself will fly in about 6 months. "We are hopefully about three months before we are in space, maybe six months before I'm in space," Branson said during the interview. This is in line with previous timelines put forth by the company, but it's a bit more solid than other recent predictions Branson has made. Branson's projection comes as vice president and head of the National Space Council Mike Pence visits Virgin Galactic in Mojave, California Tuesday. Pence's visit to Virgin's facilities makes sense in no small part because Branson's company is expected to be one of the first private entities to fly paying customers to space from U.S. soil. Commercial spaceflight is a key part of U.S. innovation in space. From Virgin Galactic to SpaceX to Blue Origin, these private companies are driving spaceflight in the U.S. forward, and it's clear from this visit that Pence understands that. Branson plans to be on the first commercial flight of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space plane, which is currently in the process of flying a number of glide test flights before starting powered tests later this fall using its rocket booster. Those rocket-powered flights should bring the craft to space, 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, above the ground. A ticket to take the suborbital rocket ride with Virgin Galactic costs $250,000. There's plenty of reasons to doubt Branson's new timeline, however, since it comes after years of projections that haven't come to pass. Previous Branson predictions would have had Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo flying its hundreds of customers to space already, but a fatal accident in October 2014 set Virgin Galactic back. The SpaceShipTwo crash killed one test pilot and severely injured another, destroying the company's first space plane in the process. http://mashable.com/2017/10/10/virgin-galactic-richard-branson-spaceflight-6- months/#7tOw2vBk58qi Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY My name is Mark Patrick Collins. I am a master's student in aviation and transportation at Lewis University. I am writing my thesis on the future market for Large Unmanned Cargo Aircraft (LUCA) and have prepared a market research survey questionnaire. Please find a link to the market research questionnaire: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LargeUCA The objective of this thesis is to develop more discussion on this topic and explore the possible marketing potential so to help enable the industry to move forward at a faster pace. We would like to get as many participants as possible working in the aviation industry. This questionnaire should only take several minutes to complete and is completely anonymous and confidential. Thank you for your time and assistance in this project! Regards, Mark Patrick Collins MSAT Student Lewis University markpcollins@lewisu.edu Back to Top FAA Event: Lessons Learned from the Crash of Air France 447 Topic: An overview of the tragic crash of Air France 447 and the Lessons Learned Date and Time: Thursday, October 12, 2017, starting at 19:00 Eastern Daylight Time Download Calendar File Speaker(s): Captain Shem Malmquist Brief Description: This seminar will mainly focus on the understanding of the human role in accidents, weather and system training with particular emphasis on Air France 447. Your presenter, Shem Malmquist, is currently a B-777 Captain operating international routes. He has a broad experience ranging from teaching aerobatics and instructing in a wide variety of both GA and transport aircraft in addition to academic research and safety investigations. He holds a Masters Degree in Human Factors in Aeronautics through Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in addition to degress from other universities. Mr. Malmquist recently co-authored a book titled 'Angle Of Attack:Air France 447 and the Future of Aviation Safety'. This is sure to be an extremely informative seminar! Door Prizes and Refreshments! Select Number: SO1578776 Location of Seminar: FIT Aviation - Melbourne International Airport 801 Harry Goode Way Melbourne, FL 32901 Directions to Venue: I-95 to (Exit 180) US-192 East, left on Evans, right on NASA Blvd, left on Grumman Place, right on Tower Access Road to Harry Goode Way to FIT Aviation Seating: 80 seats at the facility, 15 remaining for online registration. Registration Information: Click here to register online now! Sponsoring Division: Orlando FSDO FAASTeam Contact Information: RICHARD FUNCHEON Phone: (772) 713-1526 funcheon@yahoo.com Additional Event Information & Acknowledgement of Industry Sponsor(s): Special Thanks to our sponsors: FIT Aviation (for the use of facilities) Space Coast FAASTeam Orlando FAA FSDO Melbourne Area Pilots Association (MAPA) - (Door Prizes & Refreshments) Fallon Aviation (Door Prizes) King Schools (Door Prize) Richard Funcheon, Ceritified Aircraft Appraiser (Door Prize) Equal Access Information: The FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) is committed to providing equal access to this meeting/event for all participants. If you need alternative formats or services because of a disability, please communicate your request as soon as possible with the person in the "Contact Information" area of the meeting/event notice. Note that two weeks is usually required to arrange services. Credit Applicability: Basic WINGS 1 Credit for Basic Knowledge Topic 3 Advanced WINGS ½ Credit for Advanced Knowledge Topic 2 Master WINGS ½ Credit for Master Knowledge Topic 2 FAASTeam Project Information: National Project: Other Additional Event Documents: SO1578776F.pdf Back to Top Flight Safety Specialist The Safety Specialist position assists the Director, Aviation Safety in the execution of the comprehensive NetJets Safety Program. This includes reviewing, evaluating and processing safety reports, analyzing data, assessing risks and making recommendations on how to minimize the risks involved in NetJets flight and maintenance operations. Assist the Director, Aviation Safety in development and execution of the NJA safety programs through: 50% - Evaluate, analyze and process safety reports submitted to any of the NJA administered Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP) including but not limited to: (i) Investigating the issues raised in each safety report (ii) Make recommendations to management regarding changes to policy, procedures and practices to enhance safety (iii) Collection and analysis of policy, maintenance records, and fatigue assessments to determine if safety enhancements are available or warranted. (iv) Provide opinion and interpretation of collected materials to the ASAP ERC. (v) Act and speak on behalf of NJA as the ASAP Event Review Committee (ERC) representative on a rotating basis. (vi) Administer corrective actions in response to ASAP ERC findings. 20% -Participate in, or conduct research into irregular events occurring during NJA flight operations 10% - Research and analyze trend data in the NetJets Safety Program and other industry data. 10% - Track ASAP related safety recommendations and corrective actions to ensure that follow-up actions have been taken that are effective. Determine if the actions have been effective and if not, make recommendations for additional changes or corrective action. 5% -Contribute to the production of the NetJets Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) quarterly newsletters. 5 % - Acts as an information conduit to bring safety of flight issues to the attention of management and to deliver safety information to NJA employees. QUALIFICATIONS: Associate's Degree Course of Study/Major: Safety Management, Aviation Management, Business Management or related degree Type of Credentials/Licenses: Commercial Instrument / ATP with 750 hours minimum flight time Related Work Experience: 2 years or equivalent experience * Must be able to work independently and use independent discretion and judgment * Exposure to responding to irregular events as well as identifying, evaluating and writing risk assessments for said events. * Familiarity with safety analysis, trending and risk assessment. * Ability to use sound judgment in analyzing reports, assessing risks and making recommendations * Must possess a demonstrated high degree of personal and professional integrity with the ability to maintain confidentiality. * Detail oriented characteristics with an ability to prioritize multiple objectives in a dynamic environment with constantly shifting priorities. * Strong verbal and written communication with the ability to write effective reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals. * Technical computer expertise and proficient knowledge in commercial off-the-shelf applications, such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). * Must be effective working both individually as well as in a team environment with the ability to interact in a tactful manner. * Able to read and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures and governmental regulations with a working knowledge of applicable Federal Aviation Regulations. * Demonstrated ability to interact with people at varying levels of authority. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree Course of Study/Major: Safety Management, Aviation related degree or equivalent Type of Credentials/Licenses: Two pilot cockpit experience or training in scheduled or unscheduled operations Work Experience:4 or more years * Operational Experience within Aviation Safety, Flight Operations, or equivalent transportation industry. * Professional training and/or education in safety or investigation fundamentals. * Experience or training in Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) * Professional experience and/or education in aviation safety investigations with particular experience or training in Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). * Professional experience and/or education in aviation safety. * Demonstrated public speaking and presentation skills with the ability to effectively present on both the individual level and to large audiences, including NJA employees, industry professionals and federal agencies. **TO APPLY: https://www.netjets.com/careers, requisition #1755** Curt Lewis