Flight Safety Information January 26, 2018 - No. 020 In This Issue Incident: TAP A319 at Lisbon on Jan 25th 2018, bird strike Incident: Thai AirAsia A320 at Utapao on Jul 23rd 2017, runway excursion on landing Runway incursion at Helsinki, Finland, when Challenger 600 entered active runway Gulfstream G200 suffers runway excursion accident on landing at Abuja Airport, Nigeria Police plane carrying top government officials is forced to make emergency landing EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Rise of the drone poses regulation headache for Australia FAA To Block Erroneous ADS-B Signals from Aircraft Florida Airport Completes Runway Safety Upgrade Top officer: Marines 'had a horrible year' with aviation crashes Nigeria: Govt Okays Flight Safety Laboratories, Upgrade for Accident Investigation EU could dash hopes for UK to remain in aviation safety agency Russia's Concorde: Putin proposes supersonic civilian aircraft based on its Tu-160 bomber Saudi aviation authority urged to enable females to work as pilots, flight attendants Mitsubishi Aircraft loses jet order in blow to high-profile project NASA tests light, foldable plane wings for supersonic flights Cancel:...2018 ISASI Military Air Safety Workshop Research Request GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 3 ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April 2018 ACSF Symposium New HFACS workshops for 2018 Save the Date ISASI PNRC KICK-OFF EVENT FOR 2018 (Seattle) Call for Papers - ISASI 2018 Incident: TAP A319 at Lisbon on Jan 25th 2018, bird strike A TAP Portugal Airbus A319-100, registration CS-TTS performing flight TP-1681 from Lisbon to Funchal (Portugal), was in the initial climb out of Lisbon's runway 03 when a bird impacted the windscreen. The crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet, reported reduced power on the right hand engine (CFM56) and returned to Lisbon for a safe landing on runway 03 about 15 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto the next flight. A listener on frequency reported the crew reported a bird strike and reduced power on engine #2, levelled off at 3000 feet, joined a right downwind and landed safely back on runway 03. The airport reported the aircraft received a bird strike onto the windscreen, the crew decided to return to Lisbon to assess the situation. The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto the next flight. http://avherald.com/h?article=4b417403&opt=256 Back to Top Incident: Thai AirAsia A320 at Utapao on Jul 23rd 2017, runway excursion on landing A Thai AirAsia Airbus A320-200, registration HS-BBC performing flight FD-104 from Chiang Mai to Utapao (Thailand), landed on Utapao's runway 18 at 21:24L (14:24Z) but suffered a lateral runway excursion. There were no injuries, the aircraft did not sustain damage. Thailand's AIB rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation reporting the aircraft suffered a lateral runway excursion while landing on Utapao's runway 18. There were no injuries, the aircraft did not receive any damage. The aircraft remained on the ground in Utapao for more than 48 hours. Metars: VTBU 231600Z 01004KT 7000 FEW020CB BKN100 26/23 Q1009 NOSIG= VTBU 231530Z 35006KT 6000 -RA FEW018CB SCT035 BKN100 26/23 Q1009 NOSIG= VTBU 231500Z 27006KT 5000 -RA BR FEW018CB SCT035 BKN100 25/22 Q1009 NOSIG= VTBU 231430Z 29010KT 3000 RA BR FEW018CB SCT035 BKN100 26/23 Q1009 NOSIG= VTBU 231400Z 29008KT 5000 -RA BR FEW018CB SCT035 27/23 Q1008 NOSIG= VTBU 231330Z 27012KT 6000 -SHRA FEW018CB SCT035 29/23 Q1008 NOSIG= VTBU 231300Z 21006KT 8000 FEW020CB 29/23 Q1007 NOSIG= VTBU 231230Z 21004KT 8000 FEW020CB 29/22 Q1006 NOSIG= VTBU 231200Z 21004KT 9000 FEW020CB 29/22 Q1006 NOSIG= VTBU 231130Z 23006KT 9999 FEW020TCU 30/22 Q1006 NOSIG= VTBU 231100Z 20008KT 9999 FEW020 30/22 Q1006 NOSIG= VTBU 231030Z 24006KT 9999 FEW020 31/22 Q1006 NOSIG= VTBU 231000Z 24008KT 9999 FEW020 32/22 Q1006 NOSIG= http://avherald.com/h?article=4b4141a7&opt=256 Back to Top Runway incursion at Helsinki, Finland, when Challenger 600 entered active runway Date: 24-JAN-2018 Time: 10:46 LT Type: Embraer ERJ-190LR (ERJ-190-100 LR) Owner/operator: Finnair Registration: OH-LKF C/n / msn: 19000066 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: None Location: Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL/EFHK) - Finland Phase: Approach Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR) Destination airport: Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL/EFHK) Narrative: Finnair flight AY1550 was forced to go around while on approach to runway 15 at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Finland. The aircraft, an Embraer ERJ-190LR, had been cleared to land when a Bombardier Challenger 600 had reportedly entered the runway. AY1550 was about 2 kilometers from touchdown and performed a go around. A safe landing was carried out at 11:05 LT. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=205058 Back to Top Gulfstream G200 suffers runway excursion accident on landing at Abuja Airport, Nigeria Status: Preliminary Date: Thursday 25 January 2018 Type: Gulfstream G200 Operator: Nestoil Registration: 5N-BTF C/n / msn: 180 First flight: 2007 Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Airplane damage: Unknown Location: Abuja International Airport (ABV) ( Nigeria) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Executive Departure airport: ? Destination airport: Abuja International Airport (ABV/DNAA), Nigeria Narrative: A Gulfstream G200 corporate jet suffered an accident on landing at Abuja International Airport in Nigeria. The aircraft came to rest on the side of the runway. The right hand main landing gear had collapsed. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180125-0 Back to Top Police plane carrying top government officials is forced to make emergency landing after plummeting towards the ground * Queensland Police jet carrying government officials makes emergency landing * The plane was travelling from Brisbane to Townsville for Australia Day event * Those onboard heard loud bangs and could smell smoke in the plane's cabin A Queensland Police jet carrying senior government officials has made a dramatic emergency landing after plummeting while in mid-air. The Cessna plane was travelling from Brisbane to Townsville on Friday when it suddenly plunged towards the ground near Bundaberg. Those onboard - including Police Minister Mark Ryan, Police Commissioner Ian Stewar and Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Martin - heard loud bangs and could smell smoke in the cabin. The group which also included Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Katarina Carroll and Maritime Safety Queensland Captain Patrick Quirk were travelling to meet Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for an Australia Day event. The pilots were forced to return the aircraft to the Government Air Wing in Brisbane at a low altitude and speed for an emergency landing, a government spokesman said. 'Commissioner Stewart immediately took charge, reassuring other passengers and directing them to follow emergency procedures as the pilots turned the plane around,' he said. 'The plane took off at 5.50am and was met under emergency landing at the Government Air Wing by several fire appliances and representatives of Brisbane Airport Corporation just after 7am. 'An investigation will be conducted into the cause of the incident.' Minister Ryan described the incident as a frightening experience. 'But I knew the fantastic and highly experienced pilots of the Government Air Wing were in control,' he said. 'I'm grateful to them for their professionalism, skill, reassurance, and calmness,' Minister Ryan said. The Premier said she was relieved those onboard were safe. 'That's what is most important,' Ms Palaszczuk said. 'Queensland is a big state and air travel is part of doing our job. 'There will be an investigation into what has happened.' Queensland Police have been contacted for comment. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5314893/Queensland-Police-jet-plummets- ground.html#ixzz55HhMAYGR Back to Top Back to Top Rise of the drone poses regulation headache for Australia A shark-spotting drone flying over Bilgola Beach in northern Sydney on Dec 10, 2017. SYDNEY - Australians' enthusiasm for drones is growing, with the devices being used by everyone from farmers to beach lifeguards and commercial photographers. But the proliferation of the devices has raised concerns about their safety, prompting warnings that the nation's new-found obsession could end in catastrophe. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority estimates there are more than 100,000 privately-operated drones in Australia - "most of which are used for sport and recreational purposes," a spokeswoman told The Straits Times. But the precise number is unknown because non-commercial devices typically do not need to be registered. Current rules, which were tightened last October, require private and recreational users to keep drones within line-of-sight and away from airports and aircraft. The devices must be flown during daytime only, kept 30 metres away from other people and cannot fly 120 metres above the ground or places where people are gathered, such as beaches, parks and sports fields. Some states require them to be kept away from wildlife such as whales and dolphins. But there are concerns about whether drone operators are familiar with the rules. There have been near-misses with aircraft as well as incidents in which drones have crashed into apartment windows and landed on cars. Some councils have banned the use of drones over public land and there are growing calls to require users to pass a test. Late last year, Casey Council in Melbourne banned people from using drones outside their own properties unless they had a licence. The penalty for breaking the rule is AU$300 (S$315). "The council has already collected and destroyed two drones that crash-landed, but has not issued any fines," the council's safer communities manager, Ms Caroline Bell, told The Herald Sun last month. The CASA has been penalising users for dangerous flying. It has issued 43 fines to people for breaching one or more rule, each of which can involve a fine of up to $AUS1,050. More serious infringements, or reckless operation which endangers a person, can lead to fines of up to $AUS10,050 or imprisonment. "We look into all reports and where there is sufficient evidence of a safety breach, such as photos or video recordings of the breach and the person controlling the drone, further enforcement action may be taken," the CASA's spokeswoman said. A Parliamentary inquiry has been examining drone safety rules. It was told there were 180 near misses between the devices and other aircraft in 2016. MP and former air crash investigator Mr Barry O'Sullivan is deputy chairman of the inquiry. He said last year that he believed the current drone regulations were a "catastrophe waiting to happen". He suggested licences may be necessary, likening the current rules to allowing children or unlicensed people to drive cars. "We must get out in front of this so we can restore, as best we can, air safety," he told The Australian Financial Review. The inquiry's final report is due to be released in late March and is expected to call for tougher laws. In anticipation, the drone industry has insisted the current regime is adequate and that more rules would limit the growing use of the devices. Chinese drone manufacturing giant DJI said the current rules are "sensible". "Australia has a real opportunity to be an innovator in this field," Mr Adam Welsh, from DJI, told Sydney's Daily Telegraph on Wednesday. "There's a lot of great use cases for drones in Australia, like using drones to survey things like power lines and utilities." Indeed, the devices are proving useful in Australia. At the nation's beaches this summer, lifeguards have begun using drones to spot sharks and even to perform beach rescues. Elsewhere, they are being used to identify areas where there is a risk of landslides along coastal roads. On January 18, a drone was used by lifeguards to rescue two teenagers who were dragged out to sea while swimming. The drone, which was being trialled, was used to spot the boys then drop a flotation device which allowed them to return to shore. Nonetheless, on Wednesday it emerged that a drone which was part of the same trial had to be crashed into the sea after it suffered a mechanical problem. A lifeguard, who was not named, told The Gold Coast Bulletin the incident showed that drones should not be used for rescues. "The devices should be for observation only," he said. "If a drone was on the scene and couldn't perform a rescue, all it would do is watch someone drown." http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/rise-of-the-drone-poses-regulation-headache-for- australia Back to Top FAA To Block Erroneous ADS-B Signals from Aircraft Since January 2, the FAA has implemented a filter for certain ADS-B equipped aircraft found to be broadcasting erroneous or improper information that could affect the safe provision of air traffic services. "Any aircraft subject to the filter will not have its ADS-B information sent to an ATC facility nor will the aircraft be a client for traffic information services [TIS-B]," the agency said. "Affected aircraft will continue to receive ATC services within radar coverage using secondary radar information." For those aircraft transmitting erroneous information, the Public ADS-B Performance Report (PAPR) will search for the flight ID matching the entered U.S. registry number if it cannot locate the corresponding mode-S code. The FAA could also use the filter for aircraft that are discovered to have other issues, including transmitting non-compliant codes, that could result in erroneous ADS-B information affecting safety of ATC services. The FAA intends to provide individual notice to owners/operators before implementing the filter. This notification describes the reason for applying the filter and steps that must be taken before an aircraft can be removed from it. If an aircraft owner/operator does not respond to an FAA notice of finding regarding an ADS-B avionics issue, the agency might subject that aircraft to the filter without further notice. Owners and operators can identify the ICAO address filtering status of their aircraft by requesting a PAPR. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-01-25/faa-block-erroneous-ads- b-signals-aircraft Back to Top Florida Airport Completes Runway Safety Upgrade Florida's Boca Raton Airport has completed a major safety upgrade by adding an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS) at the departure end of 6,273-foot Runway 23. A similar installation on the opposite end (Runway 5) was completed in July 2016. The airport is one of only a few dedicated general aviation airports to acquire the system. "EMAS is an investment in the future of our airport and the safety of everyone who uses it," said Clara Bennett, the airport's executive director. "This advancement further solidifies the role of the airport as a premier general aviation facility serving South Florida communities." The current project also included LED runway end identifier lights; relocation of threshold light assemblies; and a touchscreen airfield lighting control and monitoring system for the air traffic control tower and the airfield's electrical vault. The airport is also set to begin a second phase of rehabilitation on its control tower. Last year's Phase I consisted of updating the roof, HVAC, plumbing, and fire-control system. This next stage, which will be completed this year, will include replacing the windows and fixtures in the cab and training room. Eighty percent of the nearly $300,000 project will be covered by Florida DOT grants, with the remainder from the airport's capital improvement fund. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-01-25/florida-airport-completes- runway-safety-upgrade Back to Top Top officer: Marines 'had a horrible year' with aviation crashes The Marine Corps' top officer on Thursday said the military branch "had a horrible year last year" with a series of critical aviation mishaps. Gen. Robert Neller made the comments while addressing a string of emergency helicopter landings this month in Japan, which he blamed on readiness issues. He said there had been 12 aviation mishaps last year that resulted in either the loss of aircraft or the deaths of service members. "The majority of them, they were not the result of the material condition of the airplane. I'm just going to leave it at that," Neller said at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event in Washington. His remarks came after a Marine AH-1Z Viper helicopter made an emergency landing Tuesday on Okinawa. A warning light went off in the cockpit during a training exercise and the pilot decided to land. The mishap was the third such incident in January. That was followed by emergency landings by Marine helicopters on Jan. 6 and Jan. 8. "Quite frankly I'm glad that there were precautionary landings because nobody got hurt and we didn't lose an airplane," Neller said. The landings came after a CH-53E Super Stallion's window fell on an Okinawan elementary school in December, and in October another Super Stallion made an emergency landing in a field after an inflight fire. Neller said to combat such incidents, the Marines are looking to increase flight hours for its pilots, upping the average number of hours flown per month from roughly 11 to 16 hours. "Sadly you learn from mishaps ... some of them we still don't know how we ended up where we ended up. ... The critical capability here is we've got to get more hours, we've got to get more time in the airplane," he said. He also said the service is in the process of buying new aircraft and streamlining its parts supply "to get more airplanes on the ramp so that we get more time." Japanese officials, meanwhile, have requested that the U.S. military refrain from flying all Viper helicopters in Japan until they have been checked. Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. said later Thursday that U.S. service members must fly the helicopters as part of the maintenance check process. "You can only do so much with an aircraft on the ground," McKenzie told reporters at the Pentagon's weekly on-camera briefing. "These actions are taken out of an abundance of caution and they don't reflect necessarily a dangerous flying activity or anything else," he added. McKenzie also said he is "not particularly concerned" by the emergency landings in Japan. "I'm not prepared to agree that it represents a ramp up or some kind of aberration." http://thehill.com/policy/defense/370726-top-officer-marines-had-a-horrible-year-in-2017-with- aviation-crashes Back to Top Nigeria: Govt Okays Flight Safety Laboratories, Upgrade for Accident Investigation Federal Government has approved the upgrade of material science, and flight safety laboratories, to enhance accident investigation in the aviation sector. The Guardian learnt that the upgrading to high-tech facilities will aid efficient running of investigation procedure and timely release of findings. In a related development, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), has concluded plans to release another six accident reports by the end of March. The new report will bring the number of recent releases to 16 out of the 27 pending at the Bureau. The flight safety laboratory is where the Flight Data Recording (FDR), and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), otherwise known as the black boxes of aircraft are downloaded. AIB Commissioner, Akin Olateru, at an investigators' training in Lagos, explained that the contract for the laboratories dated back to 2008, and was executed in 2012. However, "If you buy your computer in 2008, and compare it with what we have in 2018, you need to upgrade the software. There must be some upgrade. It is just to upgrade what we have and to incorporate very important component which is the training side of it. "This is part of this contract, to continuously train people on how to use the equipment and the analysis of the data is the one that is most critical and you can't train an expert in one week. It is an ongoing thing and that is the whole essence of the upgrade. Thank God for the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the upgrade was approved on Wednesday for us to do proper accident investigation," Olateru said. He added that in line with global recommendation, accident investigation should be concluded within a year. "When we came in, I did a review. We had 27 pending accident reports. Some dates back to 2005, and we were in 2017. I was wondering what really went wrong. Just like the Commissioner, Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA), Caj Frostell, said accident investigation should be concluded within a year. We set everything in motion. "Funding was another problem. In carrying out accident investigation, you need a lot of resources; manpower and finance. We pushed everything in motion and through the support of the Minister of State for Aviation, he gave us maximum support, and we did what we were supposed to do. To the glory of God, we released 11 reports by December 2017. http://allafrica.com/stories/201801260094.html Back to Top EU could dash hopes for UK to remain in aviation safety agency An Airbus A320 aircraft of German carrier Lufthansa takes off at Duesseldorf International Airport in Duesseldorf, Germany, 18 January 2018. Britain could be excluded from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after it quits the EU, raising the prospect of increased certification costs for airlines and manufacturers and dashing London's hopes of keeping its membership. EASA ensures airlines respect safety rules and certifies aerospace products across the bloc, helping to bring down the costs of development and production within the industry. In addition, the EU has a bilateral agreement with the United States under which they accept each other's certifications. The EU is preparing its negotiating position for its future relationship with Britain and appears to be taking a hard line on aviation. "UK membership of EASA is not possible," the European Commission said in slides presented to member states last week which will inform its negotiating position for a transitional agreement and the future relationship with Britain. The Commission sketched out a vision of the UK having an aviation agreement with the EU along the lines of those the bloc has with the United States and Canada. Membership of EASA is contingent upon accepting the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union, something Britain has ruled out. The British government, airlines, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have all called for Britain to remain a part of EASA once it quits the EU in March 2019, to ensure cooperation on safety continues and avoid increased certification costs. Should the UK leave EASA, its manufacturers would have to pay for FAA certification to sell their products in the United States and maintenance facilities would have to pay to be certified as meeting FAA standards. "It makes no sense to recreate a national regulator. At best, you replicate the vast majority of European regulation, and you'd have to do it over an extended period of time. At worst, you create unnecessary barriers," CAA Chief Executive Andrew Haines said in a speech in September. If Britain is not allowed to remain a part of EASA, the CAA would have to take over its responsibilities in making sure airlines respect safety rules and manufacturers and maintenance companies meet standards, raising questions about whether it has the capacity to do that. Haines said the CAA was purposely not planning for that scenario "as it would be misleading to suggest that's a viable option." UK aerospace industry body ADS, which counts Airbus as a member, said last week it would take approximately 5-10 years for the CAA to rebuild its safety regulation capability to take over EASA's current responsibilities. In the slides, the Commission says there could be a bilateral aviation safety agreement with the UK where both sides have separate certification systems. If there is "reciprocal trust", there could be a simplified certification process of products from the other side, but no mutual recognition. The head of the US FAA was in Brussels in December to call for clarity on the safety regime Britain would operate under post Brexit, saying it would be highly costly for manufacturers if Britain left EASA as the FAA would have to make its own findings, "manufacturer by manufacturer." "Seeking new aviation arrangements is a top priority and we aim to have the new arrangements in place before the day of exit," said a spokesman for Britain's Department for Transport. Air safety management in the EU National air safety authorities in the EU are gradually handing over their powers to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is about to become a 'one-stop-shop' for managing the bloc's airspace, amid business fears that additional rules could hamper their competitiveness. https://www.euractiv.com/section/aviation/news/eu-could-dash-hopes-for-uk-to-remain-in- aviation-safety-agency/ Back to Top Russia's Concorde: Putin proposes supersonic civilian aircraft based on its Tu-160 bomber * Vladimir Putin today vowed to build a new luxury passenger high speed jet * It will be based on fearsome Tu-160 nuclear bomber used against ISIS * He wants to sell flights to wealthy business-people to make money for Russia Vladimir Putin today vowed to create a son of Concordski - a jinxed Soviet airliner now in the scrapyard - to fly VIPs around the world. He is basing his ambitious vision of new luxury passenger high speed jet on the fearsome Tu-160 nuclear bomber which sends shivers throughout the West. The Kremlin leader wants a civilian version of the long range strategic bomber to earn roubles to support the low-flying Russian economy. The Tu-144, nicknamed Concordski and made by Tupolev, became a laughing stock in the Soviet era, and never rivalled the Anglo-French Concorde 'The Tu-144 was out of production because a ticket cost an average salary in the country,' said Putin referring to the problems of making the plane a viable option in the communist era. He neglected to mention the technical problems on designs stolen by KGB spies from the West. 'There is a different situation now,' he explained. Large companies have emerged that could use the jet.' He suggested it would be quicker to fly on his planned son-of-Concordski from Russia to the US than to cross his vast country. Putin set out his plan during a visit to Kazan where he saw a seven-minute demonstration flight by the newest version of the Russian strategic bomber Tu-160, called the Pyotr Deynekin. Chief of the United Aircraft Corporation Yuri Slyusar told Putin his designers already had a project of a supersonic civilian liner. The Kremlin chief is standing for re-election next year aiming to become the longest servicing Kremlin leader since Stalin. Once certified the nuclear-capable military aircraft will join a fleet of 11 regular Tu-160s and five upgraded Tu-160s, a key part of the Russian arsenal. Putin was accompanied by close ally Sergei Shoigu, the hawkish Russian defence minister. The upgraded bomber is a 'serious step in the development of high-tech industries and strengthening the nation's defence capabilities,' said the Russian strongman. The four-engine supersonic bomber developed in the 1980s is the largest combat plane in the world. During Russia's campaign in Syria, the military used the Tu-160s to launch log-range cruise missiles at militant targets. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5312485/Putin-proposes-new-supersonic-civilian- aircraft.html#ixzz55HlQJj5s Back to Top Saudi aviation authority urged to enable females to work as pilots, flight attendants JEDDAH: Saudi Shoura Council member Dr. Eqbal Darandari has called for the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and Saudi airline companies to support Saudi women working as pilots, co- pilots and flight attendants. Empowering women in business and finance is a substantial part of fulfilling the Kingdom's 2030 Vision, Darandari said, and required increasing women's participation in the workforce, enhancing their economic role and providing fair and appropriate opportunities for them alongside their male counterparts. "Lately, many opportunities have sprouted up for women in the aviation field; women are working in air control, occupying operational and administrative roles, which is good, but airlines take one step forward and two steps back when it comes to pilot and flight attendant positions," Darandari told Arab News. Darandari said increasing numbers of female students on scholarships were majoring in aviation and related sciences, and others who had valid pilot (and co-pilot) licenses were waiting because they could not use them in the Kingdom. "Saudi women have already proven their worth in the aviation spectrum, and we've seen Saudi women piloting aircraft outside the Kingdom; now it's time for the GACA to take the initiative. Saudi women deserve to find work in their own country, and it can start small, through piloting domestic flights," Darandari said. Darandari considers Saudi aviation companies' focus on hiring only non-Saudi women unfair. "I don't know whether it's distrust or fear, or perhaps an exaggerated interpretation of religion, but withholding such opportunities from women under the guise of overprotectiveness is unheard of anywhere else in the world. As long as women are prepared and committed to the requirements and demands of such a job, why hesitate?" Darandari said women throughout the world worked in the aviation field, including Muslims and conservatives, and that Saudi women were in no way less capable or qualified. "Giving women the opportunity to pilot an airplane or tend to its flyers will enable many Saudi women to fulfill their dreams of being called a captain or flight attendant. Being religious, conservative and upholding traditions and customs never went and never will go against honorable work and the pleasure of serving one's country. It's about time we hear of captain Johara and flight attendant Moudi wishing us a pleasant flight." http://www.arabnews.com/node/1233296/saudi-arabia Back to Top Mitsubishi Aircraft loses jet order in blow to high-profile project TOKYO (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp said on Friday that Eastern Air Lines has canceled an order for 20 of its Mitsubishi Regional Jets, or MRJs, the first cancellation for the long-delayed commercial aircraft. The loss is a blow to parent Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd's project to build Japan's first commercial aircraft in 50 years. The venture has been delayed five times and seen costs spiral and given rivals a leg up as a result. While the cancellation leaves Mitsubishi Heavy with 213 firm orders from six customers, two more sizable orders from U.S. buyers for a combined 150 jets "are troubled", Leeham Co analyst Bjorn Fehrm said in a note to clients. Negotiations in the U.S. to change clauses with pilot unions that limit the size of the aircraft that regional airlines can fly have not been altered as hoped, he wrote, meaning U.S. buyers SkyWest Inc and Trans States Holdings Inc are still not allowed to fly the 90-seat MRJ. Despite the repeated delays, Hisakazu Mizutani, president of Mitsubishi Aircraft, expressed confidence in December that the manufacturer was on track to begin deliveries by mid-2020. "We can just about make it," he said at the time. Japan Airlines Co Ltd has ordered 32 jets, while launch customer ANA Holdings Inc has ordered 15. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mhi-orders-cancellation/mitsubishi-aircraft-loses-jet-order-in- blow-to-high-profile-project-idUSKBN1FF0IG Back to Top NASA tests light, foldable plane wings for supersonic flights They have aerodynamic benefits for subsonic planes, too. NASA Planes that can fold their wings to different angles while in the air have the potential to fly faster than their peers, and NASA has recently made headway into their development. The space agency has conducted a series of test flights proving that it can control the wings it designed to move into any position and that they have aerodynamic benefits. While the technology has existed for a long time, it typically requires the use of heavy hydraulic systems. NASA's version doesn't need that kind of machinery: it relies on the properties of a temperature-activated material called shape memory alloy instead. Upon being heated, the alloy activates a twisting motion in the tubes serving as the wings' actuator, moving the wings' outer portion up to 70 degrees upwards or downwards. The foldable wings will give typical planes like commercial airliners a way to adapt to different flight conditions. They can give pilots more control over their aircraft and could even lead to more fuel efficient flights. Planes designed to fly at supersonic speeds (faster than the speed of sound), however, will get more out of this technology. As Matt Moholt, the principal director of the Spanwise Adaptive Wing project, said: "There's a lot of benefit in folding the wing tips downward to sort of 'ride the wave' in supersonic flight, including reduced drag. This may result in more efficient supersonic flight. Through this effort, we may be able to enable this element to the next generation of supersonic flight, to not only reduce drag but also increase performance, as you transition from subsonic to supersonic speeds. This is made possible using shape memory alloy." The team now plans to continue developing the technology until the foldable wings can move both up and down during a single flight. At the moment, they can only fold in a single direction in the air, and team members have to rearrange the hardware every time they want to test if the wings can move in the opposite direction. They'll be busy making that happen within the year, since they're aiming to conduct the next batch of test flights by summer of 2018. https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/25/nasa-tests-foldable-plane-wings/ Back to Top Cancel: 2018 ISASI Military Air Safety Workshop Due to unforeseen circumstances, the 2018 ISASI Military Air Safety Workshop has been cancelled. Please check the ISASI website for information on future Military Air Safety related events. www.isasi.org Back to Top Research Request Florida Institute of Technology's College of Aeronautics is studying how information is being integrated on the flight deck and human factors implications for pilot decision making. We are recruiting pilots who have experience with multiple sources of traffic, weather or navigation information on the flight deck (e.g., Onboard Weather Radar, SiriusXM Weather, ACARS, FIS-B/TIS- B (ADS-B weather/traffic), TCAS, weather or traffic apps on an Electronic Flight Bag, etc.). If interested, please click the link below to take a brief and anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. We appreciate your participation! https://fitpsych.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4N1Rj2xw46mBrA9. For more information, please contact Dr. Meredith Carroll at mcarroll@fit.edu. Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 Ph.D. Research Survey Request - Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card Research Title: General Aviation Pilot Acceptance and Adoption of Electronic Flight Bag Technology Researcher: Troy Techau If you are you a pilot and have flown in general aviation (14 CFR § 91) in the past year, you can fill out a survey and get a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. I'm Troy Techau, a Ph.D. Candidate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and the title of my research is General Aviation Pilot Acceptance and Adoption of Electronic Flight Bag Technology. Why do some general aviation pilots choose to use electronic flight bags (EFBs), and others choose not to use EFBs during their flight operations? I'm interested in the opinions of pilots that use EFBs as well as those pilots that do not use EFBs. As an incentive for completing the survey, you'll have the option of entering a drawing to win a $100 Amazon gift card. The survey is anonymous, and should take at most 15-20 minutes. Please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/efb4 to get started! Questions? Contact me at techaut@my.erau.edu, or Dr. Steven Hampton at hamptons@erau.edu. Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 2 Attention pilots, I am currently a human factors graduate student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University conducting a study into the effects of voice gender on pilot perceptual processes as part of my thesis research. The study is aimed at further investigating how speaker voice gender can affect an individual's perception while task saturated, specifically how different air traffic controller voice genders can affect the time it takes a pilot to perceive their instructions. All potential participants should hold no more than a private pilot certificate, be non-professional pilots, have no prior military flight experience, and be at least 18 years of age. This study requires a 30-minute in-person data collection trial to be conducted at the San Carlos Airport (SQL) in San Carlos, CA, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, please visit www.bit.ly/2FKfORA, or email Tucker Lambert at lambert5@my.erau.edu Thank you, again. Your help is greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Tucker Lambert (650) 200-8426 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 3 I am a student with City University in London doing my MSc in Air Transport Management and conducting a survey for academic research on the Importance of Pilot Mental Health and Peer Support Group and would be grateful if you could complete the survey below: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/B3HGHVV Thank you in advance! Bilal Farid Back to Top ISASI Kapustin Memorial Scholarship Applications Due in April Applications for the 2018 ISASI Rudolph Kapustin Memorial Scholarship must be submitted on or before April 15, 2018, says ISASI Secretary Chad Balentine, who serves as Scholarship Committee Chairman. Balentine noted that this worthy program is designed to encourage and assist college-level students interested in the field of aviation safety and aircraft occurrence investigation. ISASI funds the Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship through donations and will provide an annual allocation of funds for the scholarship if funds are available. Applicants must be enrolled as full time students in an ISASI recognized education program, which includes courses in aircraft engineering and/or operations, aviation psychology, aviation safety and/or aircraft occurrence investigation, etc. Applicants must have major or minor subjects that focus on aviation safety/investigation. A student who has received the annual ISASI Rudolf Kapustin Memorial Scholarship will not be eligible to apply for it again. Students who wish to apply should go to http://isasi.org/Documents/Forms/ISASI%20Rudolf%20Kapustin%20Memorial%20Scholarship%20Form%20Jan%2010%202018%200923.pdf for guidelines and the application form. Chad Balentine ISASI International Secretary Kapustin Scholarship Selection Committee Chairman email: chad.balentine@isasi.org Phone: 703.689.4225 Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top ISASI PNRC KICK-OFF EVENT FOR 2018 (Seattle) To All PNRC Members: First, allow me to introduce myself, John Purvis, as the newly acting President of PNRC. I was asked to take over the reins as President, when Anna Bernhardt took a position with IATA in Montreal. The other Officers remain in place. Invitation to Attend Museum of Flight Event Following are details of an excellent opportunity to be a part of what should be an interesting panel discussion, "Safety by Design", at the Museum of Flight on Saturday, 10 February at 1:00 p.m. This event will coincide with the opening of the new J. Kenneth Higgins Aviation Safety Exhibit at the Museum. PNRC members who plan to attend will gather in the Museum's Wings Cafe at 11:30 a.m. on February 10th for lunch, social time and discussing possible PNRC program plans for 2018. Your PNRC Officers are looking for your feedback on what you might like to see by way of future efforts to expand our programs and membership. If you're able to attend Some of you may be members of the Museum of Flight - but for those who are not, the normal Museum admission fee for the February 10th event directly supports the valuable work of that great organization. The fee will allow attendance at the panel discussion, along with the other interesting events that day. But the most important event is, of course, the opening of the Museum's newest exhibit, the J. Kenneth Higgins Aviation Safety Exhibit, highlighting aviation safety and the "Safety by Design" panel discussion featuring some of the world's experts in the field. Note the panelists listed below. Following the panel, attendees will be offered small group tours of the safety kiosk and associated exhibits by a team of Museum docents. Remember . . . . Your admission allows you to visit the entire Museum that day. The Museum's new Aviation Pavilion is now open to showcase the collection's larger airplanes, such as Concorde, B-29, B-17, Boeing 247, the #3 787, the #1 727, 737 and 747, etc. Details from the Museum's website: The Museum will kick off the opening of its newest exhibit highlighting aviation safety with a panel discussion featuring some of the world's experts in the field. The new J. Kenneth Higgins Aviation Safety Exhibit is unique, laying out the many complex issues that have made commercial aviation by far the safest mode of transportation in the world. And it explains the many components of aviation safety by associating them with aircraft already on exhibit within the Museum. The panelists: * Accident investigation: John Purvis, Boeing Chief Investigator (ret) and Museum Trustee * Airspace and Operations: Captain Steve Fulton, airspace expert and Museum Trustee * Regulatory functions: Captain Thomas Imrich, FAA & Boeing test pilot (ret) * Flight Deck: Peter Morton, Boeing Flight Deck designer (ret) and Museum Trustee * Exhibit design: Cody Othoudt, Museum Exhibits principal for the Safety Exhibit o Moderator: Captain Steve Taylor, President Boeing Business Jets (ret) and Museum Trustee Following the panel, attendees will be offered small group tours of the safety kiosk and associated exhibits by a team of Museum docents. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, February 10th! Don't forget . . . lunch at the Wings Cafe at 11:30 a.m., with the "Safety By Design" panel discussion at 1:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please let us know. John Purvis President - ISASI Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter 206-244-5958 jwpurvis@earthlink.net Curt Lewis