Flight Safety Information July 17, 2018 - No. 143 In This Issue Incident: Alliance F100 near Longreach on Jul 16th 2018, engine failure Accident: Flybondi B738 at Iguazu on Jul 15th 2018, tail strike Incident: Canada Rouge B763 near Quebec City on Jul 2nd 2018, several system messages Delta flight makes emergency landing at KCI LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. DGCA to license air traffic controller after poor ranking in safety audit (India) Jobs go up in smoke for Air China vape pilots Airlines prepare for flying in hotter temps as climate change brings more extreme heat FSF, Airbus Seek Nominations for Human Factors Award Are You Ready to Fly Without a Human Pilot? Saudi aviation academy to train first women pilots Flying high with Flaris - the 'world's smallest business jet' ASTON MARTIN AND ROLLS-ROYCE JOINED FORCES TO DESIGN THIS LUXURIOUS SELF-FLYING JET United Airlines buying four more Dreamliners and 25 Embraer E175s 'Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance from SCSI POSITION AVAILABLE:...MANAGER OF INFLIGHT TRAINING 2018 CHC SAFETY & QUALITY SUMMIT October 2nd - 4th, 2018 PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS 64th Air Safety Forum - Join Us! HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - New Online Course - Fall 2018 GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY - 1 Incident: Alliance F100 near Longreach on Jul 16th 2018, engine failure An Alliance Air Fokker 100 on behalf of Qantas, registration VH-UQC performing flight QQ-2700/QF-2700 from Brisbane,QL to Mount Isa,QL (Australia), was enroute at FL320 about 20nm eastsoutheast of Longreach,QL (Australia) when an engine (Tay 650) failed prompting the crew to divert to Longreach for a safe landing about 40 minutes later. A replacement Fokker 100 registration VH-XWS positioned to Longreach, continued the flight and reached Mount Isa with a delay of 6:45 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UTY2700/history/20180715/2345Z/YBBN/YBMA http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb3c9f1&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Flybondi B738 at Iguazu on Jul 15th 2018, tail strike A Flybondi Boeing 737-800, registration LV-HQY performing flight FO-5450 from Mendoza,MD to Iguazu,MI (Argentina), landed on Iguazu's Catarates Airport's runway 31 at about 23:28L (Jul 16th 02:28Z). The aircraft was due to depart as flight FO-5433 to Cordoba,CD (Argentina), the flight was cancelled however. According to Mode- S data the aircraft did not become airborne for that flight. Argentina's JIAAC reported LV-HQY suffered an incident at 03:30Z (Jul 16th), there were no injuries, the damage to the aircraft is being assessed. The JIAAC have opened an investigation into the occurence. It thus remains unclear whether the tail strike happened during landing on flight FO-5450 or on departure for flight FO-5433 which possibly could have prompted a rejected takeoff (which would have remained invisible to the Mode-S receiver in use). Aviation sources in Argentina are considering a mass and balance problem (which tend to lean towards the takeoff scenario as does the time stamp given by the JIAAC) and report structural damage. The airline reported a technical flaw in the takeoff process for flight FO-5433 to Cordoba forced the aircraft to return to the apron, the flight was cancelled. Metars: SARI 160500Z 05005KT CAVOK 21/17 Q1015= SARI 160400Z 05004KT CAVOK 21/16 Q1015= SARI 160300Z 05005KT CAVOK 23/18 Q1015= SARI 160200Z 05004KT CAVOK 23/17 Q1014= SARI 160100Z 05005KT CAVOK 23/17 Q1014= SARI 160000Z 05004KT CAVOK 23/17 Q1013= SARI 152300Z 36006KT CAVOK 23/17 Q1012= The tail seen at the apron the following morning: http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb39191&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canada Rouge B763 near Quebec City on Jul 2nd 2018, several system messages An Air Canada Rouge Boeing 767-300, registration C-GDUZ performing flight RV-1902 from Montreal,QC (Canada) to Athens (Greece) with 290 people on board, was enroute at FL310 about 130nm northeast of Quebec City,QC (Canada) when the crew received a number of EICAS messages including "ELEV FEEL", "R ENG HP SOV", "WINDOW HEAT" and "FWD EQUIPT COOLING", the crew did not notice any anomaly in the aircraft's handling. The crew requested a diversion to Quebec City and dumped fuel. The aircraft landed safely in Quebec City about 45 minutes after the decision to divert. The Canadian TSB reported due to deteriorating weather conditions the crew declared PAN PAN to receive priority and landed overweight having dumped 7 tons of fuel. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ROU1902/history/20180702/2055Z/CYUL/LGAV http://avherald.com/h?article=4bb3c23b&opt=0 Back to Top Delta flight makes emergency landing at KCI, Alaska Air flight also reports pressurization issue The Delta plane was inbound from Detroit. The Alaska Air flight was heading to LAX. KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Delta Airlines Flight 923 made a landing with a fuel emergency around 5 p.m. Monday afternoon at Kansas City International Airport. The Boeing 717 coming from Detroit Metropolitan Airport landed safety, and equipment from the Kansas City Fire Department sprayed the plane down with fire retardant. Firefighters were at the scene to address any additional emergencies. The plane had 117 people on board and KCI officials said it had 6.2 hours of fuel remaining. A second plane, an Alaska Airlines plane, also made an emergency landing at KCI Monday. Alaska Air flight 1092 was was en-route from Dulles to LAX when it encountered a pressurization issue. That flight made an emergency landing at KCI where it headed straight for a gate. http://www.kmbc.com/article/delta-flight-makes-landing-with-fuel-emergency-at-kci/22179030 Back to Top Back to Top DGCA to license air traffic controller after poor ranking in safety audit (India) According to the latest ICAO audit data, India is placed below neighbouring Pakistan, Nepal and many other countries India and UN global aviation watchdog International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has differed on a fundamental concept on the authority to license Air Traffic Controller. The difference has resulted in global aviation watchdog ICAO giving a low score to India after safety oversight audit. Senior Civil Aviation Ministry officials on Monday said India's score after the latest ICAO audit fell to 57.44 per cent from the previous level of 65.82 per cent. According to the latest ICAO audit data, India is placed below neighbouring Pakistan, Nepal and many other countries. Following that the government has decided to entrust the regulation of air traffic controllers with the DGCA. The DGCA is currently developing a system to oversee the controllers of AAI, which once in place, would improve the effective implementation levels as required by the ICAO. The ICAO told the ministry that there was a need for an independent regulatory oversight by the DGCA on the AAI with respect to air traffic controllers, the officials said. At present, the AAI is regulating as well as providing services of air traffic controllers. According to DGCA chief B S Bhullar, if the ICAO had not taken this aspect into consideration, then India's score after the audit would have been 71.13 per cent. The ICAO carried out a detailed audit of India under the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme in November 2017 and again another team came in February this year. The score is based on eight audit areas, including primary aviation legislation and aviation regulations, civil aviation organisation, personnel licensing and training. According to the latest ICAO audit data, India is placed below neighbouring Pakistan, Nepal and many other countries. Choubey asserted that the ICAO did not raise any serious safety concerns after the audit. The safety and security of Indian aviation sector would not be compromised, he added. Meanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration today started an audit of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The audit would cover three key areas - operations, airworthiness and pilots' licensing mechanism. Since 2013, this would be the third audit of the domestic aviation regulator by the FAA. In 2013, the American regulator had downgraded the safety ranking of the Indian aviation sector and it was restored only in 2015. https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/dgca-to-license-air-traffic-controller-after- poor-ranking-in-safety-audit-118071601335_1.html Back to Top Jobs go up in smoke for Air China vape pilots Air China will fire the pilots of an aircraft that plummeted 25,000 feet in 10 minutes, after a vaping incident gone wrong. "After an investigation to verify the incident, the decision is to suspend the related crew from flying and terminate the contracts in accordance with the law. The crew members who are responsible for the incident have been seriously dealt with," the airline said on Friday night. Its statement, issued on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo, also recommended that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) revoke the pilots' licenses after completing their own investigations. Flight CA106 left Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday evening for the northeastern city of Dalian, carrying 153 passengers and nine crew members. Half an hour later, oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling, and the plane descended to 10,000 feet. The Boeing 737 subsequently climbed back to 26,000 feet and arrived safely at its destination. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft was not damaged. The CAAC, which seized the aircraft's flight data and voice recorders and interviewed crew members, said preliminary investigations found that the co-pilot had, without telling the pilot, tried to turn off a circulation fan in order to prevent smoke or smells from his e-cigarette from reaching the cabin. "[But the co-pilot] mistakenly switched off the air-conditioning unit that was next to it, resulting in insufficient oxygen in the cabin and an altitude warning," said Qiao Yibin, of the authority's safety office, at a press briefing on Friday, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. Air China's website says smoking is strictly prohibited on all its flights. It is clearly stated that e-cigarettes are also banned. Chinese airlines are now rated among the safest in the world. Hopefully airlines and crews will learn from this incident On Friday, the airline said it had immediately launched an investigation into the incident and checked on "weak links" to rectify safety measures across the company. Reacting to Air China's statement, Will Horton, a Hong Kong-based analyst for the CAPA Centre for Aviation, said on Twitter that it was a "big showing" from the airline, although it might not address all the issues. Big showing from Air China, but has it said what remedies it will take internally? Firing those involved and suggesting license revoking quells the public but doesn't address underlying problem(s). Air China has also suggested to CAAC that the regulators cancel the licenses of the pilots involved in the cabin pressure incident earlier this week, according to the Reuters wire. Aviation experts also questioned the pilots' decision to continue with the journey despite having used up emergency oxygen supplies after the sudden descent. David Newbery, president of the Hong Kong Airline Pilots Association and a Cathay Pacific Airways pilot, said: "If the oxygen masks had been deployed, it would be foolhardy to [continue flying] because there would be no oxygen left in the event of a subsequent depressurization." Geoffrey Thomas, editor-in-chief of the AirlineRatings website, which produces an annual air safety ranking, said: "China and Chinese airlines are now rated among the safest in the world, with an excellent safety record in recent times. Hopefully airlines and crews will learn from this incident." Following the mid-flight drama, the four-year-old plane was flown without passengers to Beijing on Wednesday night and has not been used for any flights since, according to tracking website FlightRadar24. https://www.inkstonenews.com/china/air-china-set-fire-e-cigarette-pilots-who-forced-plane-drop-25000- feet/article/2155404 Back to Top Airlines prepare for flying in hotter temps as climate change brings more extreme heat * The busiest air travel days of the year are usually in the summer, when extreme heat is becoming more frequent. * Thunderstorms are less predictable than snow storms, presenting a logistical challenge to airlines. * American's regional jets can now fly at higher temperatures after a 120-degree day last year grounded some flights in Phoenix. It's less than a month into the summer and triple-digit temperatures have already shattered records in many cities across the country, like around Los Angeles area where it hit 114 degrees in Burbank and 120 degrees in Chino on July 6. That's as hot as last year's brutal summer when temperatures hovered around 120 degrees in Phoenix and prompted American Airlines to cancel more than 40 flights at its hub there. The regional jets that feed big airlines' couldn't operate with temperatures above 118 degrees. The extreme heat that has come with climate change is prompting airplane manufacturers to test their fleets for increasingly hotter temperatures. While travelers are used to flight cancellations in blizzards, the unpredictable storms and extreme heat of warmer months present airlines - and passengers - with some of the most challenging conditions of the year. The gradual warming of the earth that has come with climate change is causing more frequent and more severe swings in weather patterns across the globe. That means more days of extreme heat that airlines didn't have to worry about before. "Last summer was a wake-up call for us," said Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for American Airlines, the world's largest carrier by traffic. Once the busy summer travel season was over, Feinstein said the airline approached Montreal-based Bombardier, the manufacturer of the regional jets that were grounded in the heat wave, to see if the planes could fly at higher temperatures. The company won that approval from U.S. and Canadian regulatory agencies in May, said Bombardier spokeswoman Nathalie Siphengphet. The maximum temperature at which Bombardier CRJs can fly depends on altitude, but from Phoenix, it's now around 123 degrees Fahrenheit, up from about 118. Bombardier's competitor, Brazil's Embraer has taken similar steps and its new E190 E2 regional jet, which started service this April, can operate at higher temperatures than previous models. "Rising temperatures have been an important design consideration for Embraer," the company said in a statement. Higher temperatures could make flying more unpleasant for travelers. A 2017 University of Reading study based on computer models found that hotter air could increase strong turbulence in the coming decades by generating instabilities in air flows at high altitudes. "It's normal to break some records every year," said Adam Allgood, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "It's much easier to break a record high than a record low because the trends are toward warming." More flights are generally canceled during the winter months than during the summer in the U.S., according to flight-tracking site FlightAware, but thunderstorms can be tough to forecast. Compared with large, slow-moving winter storms, or even hurricanes, thunderstorms can develop suddenly and dissipate within an hour. That can leave passengers in the lurch with long delays when bad flying weather hits big hubs like Delta's in Atlanta or American's that serves Dallas-Fort Worth. Delta learned that the hard way during a meltdown in April 2017, when thunderstorms lingered over Atlanta longer than expected and it canceled more than 3,000 flights over spring break. Crews were out of position to restaff new flights, frustrating travelers and dragging the problem out for about a week. Delta has since added staff to its crew-tracking team and enhanced software to predict which crew members might run into cancellations or delays that would further disrupt flights, spokesman Michael Thomas said. That helps it foresee potential problems and make sure needed crew members aren't flying to destinations where flights can't take off, which can compound bad-weather chaos, he said. United spokesman Charlie Hobart said the airline has taken similar steps to improve restaffing around unpredictable weather delays. Delta and American say they have also enhanced self-service applications for passengers to rebook themselves if a flight is canceled. This will be the first summer a feature on American's rebooking tool will be widely available for travelers. "From a customer perspective, the best place to do that is before they get to the airport," said American Airlines' Feinstein. Airlines routinely allow travelers to travel on different dates ahead of a blizzard or hurricane, or if or even if thunderstorms are expected. In warmer months, there's often less lead time. On "the bridge" at its cavernous operations hub Fort Worth, American's customer service agents who track airline mentions on social media sit near those who make the call to cancel or delay a flight - cutting the response time between an angry tweet and getting a customer rebooked on another flight. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/06/flying-the-summer-months-is-a-headache-for-airlines-and- passengers.html Back to Top FSF, Airbus Seek Nominations for Human Factors Award ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Nominations are now open for the FSF-Airbus Human Factors in Aviation Safety Award, which will be presented at Flight Safety Foundation's 71st annual International Air Safety Summit (IASS 2018) on Nov. 12-14, 2018, in Seattle, Washington. The FSF-Airbus Award was established in 1999 to recognize "outstanding achievement in human factors contributions to aviation safety." The award was instituted by the Foundation and sponsored by Airbus to encourage human factors research that would help reduce human error -- one of the most common elements in aviation accidents. The award is presented every other year, or as warranted, to an individual, group or organization for a one-time contribution or sustained contributions in the field of human factors. Dr. Tony Kern, founder and CEO of Convergent Performance, a noted author and a leading authority on human performance in time- constrained, error-intolerant environments, won the award in 2015. To submit a nomination, please fill out the nomination form, and return the form and a one-page letter supporting your nomination by Sept. 10, 2018. The winner will be notified after selection by the award committee. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12420595/fsf-airbus-seek-nominations-for-human-factors- award Back to Top Are You Ready to Fly Without a Human Pilot? A simulator used for training pilots in Singapore. Some think automation could obviate the need for human pilots, but experts say the technology, the industry and the passengers are not quite ready for fully autonomous flying.CreditOre Huiying/Bloomberg On a recent visit to the Southwest Airlines headquarters in Dallas, I got to fly a Boeing 737. Or, at least, I got as close as someone who is not a licensed commercial pilot can: I sat at the controls of a multimillion-dollar simulator and learned how to "land" at La Guardia Airport in New York City. Honestly, it was easier than I expected. My instructor at the airline's new Leadership Education and Aircrew Development Center dropped a see- through panel down between my face and the windshield, and explained how to read the indicators. Right in front of my eyes there was a small green circle and a slightly larger green circle. All I had to do to get on the ground safely, he said, was keep the smaller circle inside the larger one by adjusting the airplane's pitch. Autopilot features vary by aircraft type and airline, with some planes even able to land themselves under certain conditions. Southwest uses an autopilot technology that assists pilots during every part of the flight, including descent, but I experienced firsthand how the airline's pilots are ultimately responsible for landing their planes safely. I kept the plane as level as I could as computer-generated facsimiles of low-rise Queens buildings and the Grand Central Parkway slipped quickly beneath me. Controls around me adjusted themselves to keep us moving at the right speed, and with a big bump I made it onto the runway. The simulator, again by itself, came to a stop near Terminal B. I stepped out of the simulation with a renewed appreciation for the sophistication of autopilot, but also for the human pilots who make sure planes operate safely. With airline industry watchers in a seemingly perpetual state of worry about a pilot shortage, some think automation could obviate the need for those human pilots altogether. But, most experts say, the technology, the industry and the passengers are not quite ready for fully autonomous flying. "From what I see, could it happen in the distant future? I think it probably could. Will it happen in the near future? I don't think so," said Michael Wiggins, the chairman of the aeronautical science department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. "Right now, any progress toward that area should be done very slowly, very measured and only after a bunch of research with results that suggest we should do that." For almost as long as planes have been in the sky, aviators and manufacturers have worked to make flying a simple experience for pilots and a smooth one for passengers. "Automated flight controls go back into the 1920s, and through World War II they had rudimentary autopilots," Dr. Wiggins said. "The idea was that the automation would relieve the pilots of very routine flying and monitoring tasks and would allow them to focus on situational awareness and other monitoring duties they have to take care of." As those autopilot features grew more sophisticated through the 20th century, Dr. Wiggins said, flying also grew safer because the systems were able to detect problems more quickly and effectively than human pilots could. A person in the cockpit might not see a single needle move on a single gauge, but a computer can detect that kind of warning sign and send out a more noticeable alert. Sweeping technology improvements over the last 50 to 60 years have made flying safer than ever before. The large planes that once flew the longest flights in the world required three or even four people on duty in the cockpit simultaneously. Now, updated versions of those same aircraft or newer, more efficient airframes that replaced them can be managed by two pilots just as effectively. Capt. Tim Canoll, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said automation had largely been a boon to his union's members. "At a very high level, it really has done a lot of amazing things for us and it has made us incredibly safe, and that's why we embrace it so much." Self-piloting airplanes would have to do more than fly. They would also have to navigate crowded airports like La Guardia in New York City, shown here, and troubleshoot unexpected situations that arise at all stages of the trip.CreditMary Altaffer/Associated Press But, he said, he thinks planes are more or less as automated as they are likely to get. "We will see advancements, further advancements in automation, but they will be on the margins instead of earthshaking," he said. "And I say that because if you look at the most modern aircraft now, they have fully automated landing capability for very low visibility" and other automated controls. The next most likely developments in automation, he said, will revolve more around predicting and detecting maintenance-related issues. But John Schmidt, the global managing director for the aerospace and defense practice at Accenture, said there was more to automation in aviation than that. "Every time a 787 takes a flight it generates a terabyte of data," he said. "We use a fraction of that data today." The engines alone track data on 5,000 parameters. Companies are starting to use artificial- intelligence software to better interpret that data, which leads to better maintenance practices and more efficient equipment usage. Mr. Schmidt also said he was more bullish about the future of automated flight controls. "The technology to be able to do all the things that a pilot does on an unmanned aerial vehicle today exists," he said. "Is that going to happen in the next year? No. Is that going to happen sooner than we think? Yes." Regulators are already taking steps toward downsizing the role of humans on the flight deck. The bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration included language to provide funding to study single-pilot operations for cargo planes, a move that the Air Line Pilots Association opposed. Captain Canoll said that a single-pilot aircraft must be safe to fly without anyone at the controls in case the pilot takes a bathroom break or becomes incapacitated. "The security of a sole human in the cockpit is not something we've accepted, nor should we accept in the long term," he said, adding that the two-pilot system had made aviation extremely safe while keeping operations efficient. Students at Lufthansa Aviation Training in Goodyear, Ariz., in May. As thousands of pilots near retirement, some industry watchers worry about a shortage.CreditConor E. Ralph for The New York Times Meanwhile, major aircraft manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing are pushing the technological boundaries. "As technology continues to improve, automation becomes more reliable and can manage more tasks and more sophisticated ones. In parallel, the role of the pilot is evolving," Airbus said in an email statement. "The pilotless aircraft is not only a matter of technical feasibility, but also social acceptability (not only the industry, but also the traveling public)." Boeing seems even more ready to embrace fully autonomous flight. In an email, Paul Bergman, a spokesman for the company, said it was more actively investigating the potential for unmanned commercial flight. "The safe integration of unmanned aerial systems into national airspace is vital to unlocking their full potential," he said. "Boeing's systematic, risk-based approach to integration ? that incorporates lessons learned from more than a century of experience in manned flight ? can protect the safety and security of our current airspace while opening up new opportunities for unmanned systems." The company is also exploring ways to further enhance current autopilot features. "This year Boeing will explore the fundamentals of automating the manual airplane tasks that remain with the goal of enhancing safety and reducing pilot workload," Mr. Bergman said. Both Boeing and Airbus will exhibit new technologies at the Farnborough Airshow in England, which takes place every other year. The show, which opens Monday and will run through Sunday, provides a chance for companies across the aerospace industry to show their latest wares to prospective clients, and exhibitors often use the opportunity to announce major developments or new products. But it is unlikely that a fully autonomous commercial plane will make an appearance this year. Part of the challenge in bringing that kind of technology to fruition, said Dr. Wiggins, is that self-piloting airplanes would have to do more than just fly. They would also have to interact with all the complex parts of the air transportation network. "I think we're farther away from it than some people would like, and I think we're probably closer to it than some other people would like," he said. "Should we continue researching this? I think so. Should we jump into it headlong without understanding the full ramifications of it? I think not." https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/16/business/airplanes-unmanned-flight-autopilot.html Back to Top Saudi aviation academy to train first women pilots DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - A flight school in Saudi Arabia is opening its doors for women, following the end of a decades-long driving ban in the deeply conservative Muslim country where many social restrictions are easing. Dalia Yashar, one of the first Saudi students who registered to become a commercial pilot, stands in front of the registration centre, CAE Oxford ATC, where Saudi women can pursue their carrier as a commercial pilots, at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2018. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed Oxford Aviation Academy, a leading trainer and crew recruiter, has already received applications from hundreds of women hoping to start lessons in September at a new branch in the eastern city of Dammam. "People used to travel abroad (to study aviation), which was difficult for women more than men," said applicant Dalal Yashar, who aspires to work as a civil pilot. "We are no longer living in the era were women were allowed (to work) in limited arenas. All avenues are now opened for women. If you have the appetite, you have the ability," she said. The academy is part of a $300 million (£226.7 million) project that includes a school for aircraft maintenance and an international center for flight simulators at the airport. Students receive three years of academic and practical training, said executive director Othman al- Moutairy. A decades-long ban on women driving, long seen as an emblem of women's repression in the country, was lifted last month, as part of sweeping reforms pushed by powerful young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman aimed at transforming the economy and opening up its cloistered society. The lifting of the prohibition was welcomed by Western allies as proof of a new progressive trend in Saudi Arabia, but it has been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent, including against some of the very activists who previously campaigned against the ban. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-women-pilots/saudi-aviation-academy-to-train-first-women- pilots-idUSKBN1K6281 Back to Top Flying high with Flaris - the 'world's smallest business jet' Test flights begin for the Flaris LAR 1, a personal jet small enough to fit in your garage. Flaris - the 'world's smallest business jet' Heralded as the 'world's smallest business jet', the Flaris LAR 1 is currently under development and is set to change the small jet industry. Designed for customers needing to travel quickly for business or pleasure, the four-seat, single-engine, small business jet will have a cruising speed of 700km/h and a maximum range of 3,302 kilometres. The aircraft can carry a maximum of five people, plus luggage, and can take off from a runway as small as 200 metres. "The Flaris attracts huge interest, from those in business, politics and the aviation industry," says Sylwia ?adzi?ska, the manufacturer of the jet. "One of the prospective buyers, who was delighted by our plane was the pilot and lead singer of Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson." The price is about US$2million and it is reported that Dickinson has already expressed interest in purchasing several planes. Flaris Potential consumers are particularly attracted by its functionality. It is small enough to fit in a garage, thanks to its detachable wings, and is easy and intuitive to fly so that only a pilot license is needed. It weighs just 700 kilograms yet is extremely durable thanks to being made of state-of-the-art carbon fibre, and will be equipped with an American-built Williams International FJ33-5A turbofan engine. It comes complete with a Garmin G600 glass flight deck and a whole-aircraft parachute. The Flaris is also incredibly fast, owing to its lift-to-drag ratio, which mimics a glider. But don't add it to your Christmas list yet - the aircraft is still in its testing phase, even though it debuted in the 2013 Paris Air Show. It will likely be sold first in the US as an experimental vehicle. You will probably have to place your order in the next few years, once it receives approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency. https://www.theceomagazine.com/lifestyle/aviation/flying-high-with-flaris-the-worlds-smallest-business- jet/ Back to Top ASTON MARTIN AND ROLLS-ROYCE JOINED FORCES TO DESIGN THIS LUXURIOUS SELF- FLYING JET * James Bond would approve. Aston Martin took on the seas in style with the ultra-luxe Project Neptune personal submarine. Now they've set their sights on the skies. The supercar manufacturer joined forces with Rolls-Royce to create the Volante Vision Concept, an autonomous personal jet capable of hitting 200 mph. Designed with the urban commuter in mind, the concept aircraft is powered by a gas turbine hybrid propulsion system created by Rolls-Royce. Cranfield University, an England-based institution that developed vertical take-off and landing technologies employed by military jets, collaborated with the luxury car companies to create a tri-rotor propeller set-up capable of VTOL. Aston Martin Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Simon Sproule elaborated on Cranfield University's proven pedigree: "Their heritage in VTOL systems is quite strong," Sproule told Auto Express. "They did the Harrier system and they currently do the system for the new F-35 Lightning which has just started service with the air force." A fighter-style canopy opens to reveal a 1+2 seating configuration styled with lavish features fit for one of James Bond's DBs. Aston Martin President and CEO Andy Palmer explained what makes the Volante Vision Concept a practical solution to traveling in ever-growing cities. "With the population in urban areas continuing to grow, congestion in towns and cities will become increasingly demanding," Palmer said. "We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility." "Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation" he added. "The Volante Vision Concept is the ultimate luxury mobility solution." https://www.maxim.com/rides/aston-martin-veloce-vision-jet-concept-2018-7 Back to Top United Airlines buying four more Dreamliners and 25 Embraer E175s United launches first international route on 'stretch' Dreamliner United's new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at LAX's Terminal 7, gate 74, on Oct. 26, 2014 prior to launching nonstop service to Melbourne, Australia. United Airlines United Airlines is buying four more Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 25 more Embraer E175 jets as the carrier looks to update its fleet with newer, fuel-efficient planes. United says the new Dreamliners - the 787-9 variant - will help it phase out older widebody jets in its fleet. The 787-9s are the longest range of Boeing's three Dreamliner variants. The jets included in the latest order will be delivered with the carrier's new "Polaris" business-class seats. United already has about three dozen Dreamliners in its fleet. Of those, 12 are smaller Boeing 787-8 variants and the others 787-9s. United also had previously ordered 14 787-10s, the biggest Dreamliner variant. United has said it expects to have three of those in its fleet by the end of 2018. "These new 787 aircraft are another step in our widebody replacement strategy, and we will continue to roll out new announcements in the future as we implement our comprehensive fleet plan," Gerry Laderman, United's senior vice president of finance and acting chief financial officer, said in a Monday statement about the latest order. United did not specify what aircraft the newest 787s would help it replace. However, reports in May suggested United was in talks with both Boeing and Airbus for a purchase that would help it replace the roughly 50 Boeing 767s currently in its fleet. (More: Report: United looking to replace Boeing 767 widebody jets) As for the Embraer order, United says the 25 E-175 jets will replace 25 Bombardier CRJ-700 that are operated by its United Express affiliates. United's existing Embraer E175s flying for its regional partners are configured with 76 seats while its CRJ-700s seat 70. However, FlightGlobal reports "United will take the SC variant (of the E175), which is configured with 70 seats instead of the US standard of 76 seats." That's apparently raised some concern among United's pilots union, which -- according to the FlightGlobal report -- has called for the new E175s to be brought into mainline flying instead of being placed with a United Express affiliate. "This aircraft is designed to hold over 80 seats and will be flown to outsourced express carriers in the 70- seat configuration," the United chapter of ALPA says to FlightGlobal. "Revenue plummets and costs skyrocket. Bringing this flying back to mainline United Airlines will lower costs, increase revenue, and allow United to once again control its product." The first of the new Embraers will begin arriving next year while the first of the newly ordered 787s are scheduled to be delivered in 2020. United's announcement overlapped with the biennial Farnborough Airshow in England where both Boeing and Airbus have claimed a number of new aircraft orders. (More: Farnborough 2018: Boeing, Airbus rack up orders as giant airshow opens) Reuters adds additional context on Monday's orders, noting the deal "was previously listed as unidentified in Boeing's backlog." It would have a value of $1.1 billion at list prices, though carriers typically receive substantial discounts on such orders. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/07/16/united-airlines-fleet-boeing- 787-embraer-e-175/789675002/ Back to Top Back to Top POSITION AVAILABLE: MANAGER OF INFLIGHT TRAINING What does a Manager of Inflight Training do for Allegiant? The Manager of Inflight Training & Standards reports to the Director of Inflight Training, Standards & Compliance and has the responsibility of providing direction to the Inflight Training department, including all curriculum development. In addition, this position will ensure that all Inflight training initiatives are delivered in accordance with all company Safety standards and are in compliance with all FARs and FAA approved training programs. What are some of the daily duties of a Manager of Inflight Training? o Responsible for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of all training programs for Flight Attendants o Ensure all Inflight training curriculum meets regulatory requirements as well as company guidelines o Manage all training scheduling o Manage curriculum design and development in accordance with industry leading standards and Inflight safety & compliance team recommendations o Oversee the daily operation of all Inflight training facilities across the Allegiant system including classrooms and training devices o Manage all Inflight Field Instructors, Air Transportation Supervisors, Inflight Mentors and their respective programs o Other duties as assigned What are the minimum requirements to be a Manager of Inflight Training? * Bachelor's Degree or equivalent related experience * Two (2) years of experience as a flight attendant, Allegiant preferred * Two (2) years of Inflight training experience * One (1) year experience supervising others What other skills, knowledge, and qualifications are needed to be a Manager of Inflight Training? * Must pass Allegiant Flight Attendant Training and maintain currency * Ability to work well with others and communicate effectively with people at all levels * Ability to read and write English * Professional demeanor, excellent written, verbal and presentation skills * Proficient in the use of PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office Products * Strong knowledge of FAA regulations and related requirements * Must have a valid passport and driver's license * Must pass a background check and pre-employment drug screen * Must have authorization to work in the U.S. as defined in the Immigrations Act of 1986 What are the physical requirements of a Manager of Inflight Training? Ability to work in an office environment, with work onboard an aircraft and ability to meet all physical requirements of the Flight Attendant position. APPLY HERE Allegiant is an equal opportunity employer and will not unlawfully discriminate against qualified applicants or Team Members with respect to any terms or conditions of employment based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, military service status, union/non-union activity, citizenship status, or other characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top 64th Air Safety Forum - Join Us! safetyforum.alpa.org July 30 - August 2, 2018 | Washington, DC CONFIRMED KEYNOTES INCLUDE * Senator Tammy Duckworth * Capt. Tim Canoll - President, Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l * The Honorable Dan Elwell - Acting Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration * The Honorable Howard "Skip" Elliott - Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) * Mr. Paul Rinaldi - President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association PANELS INCLUDE(visit safetyforum.alpa.org for panel descriptions) * Fire In The Hold: Anticipating/Preventing Fires from Passenger Checked Baggage * Meet the Doctors * Pilot Peer Support: The Next Phase In ALPA's Approach to Pilot Wellness * Disruptive Passengers: Keeping Problems Off the Airplane * Data Mining for Safer Skies * Flight Deck Access in the Post 9/11 Age * Pilots & Controllers -- Managing Change in an Evolving NAS AGENDA AT A GLANCE (visit safetyforum.alpa.org for agenda details) MONDAY, JULY 30 (all Monday sessions are invite only) 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. General Session (Open only to ALPA Members) 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. ASO Workshops, Council Meetings, Trainings, Jumpseat Forum & Aviation Security Forum TUESDAY, JULY 31 (all Tuesday sessions are invite only) 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. - ASO Workshops, Council Meetings, Trainings, Jumpseat Forum & Aviation Security Forum WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. - Jumpseat Council Meeting (ALPA members only) 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Ask Your ASO (ALPA members only) 12:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Air Safety Forum (open to the public) THURSDAY, AUGUST 2 (open to the public) 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Air Safety Forum 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - ALPA Air Safety Forum Awards Reception 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. - ALPA Air Safety Forum Awards Banquet THANK YOU SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS! Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities available. Email airsafetyforum@alpa.org for more information. Back to Top This course was created in collaboration with Curt Lewis's Flight Safety Information. Learn more from Beyond Risk Management Producer, Captain Elaine Parker, at https://vimeo.com/273989821 Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Dear pilots, My name is Michail Karyotakis, F-16 Fighter Pilot and postgraduate student 'Air Safety Management' at City University of London. Currently, I am working on my research project, which is the final part of my studies at City to gain a Master of Science (MSc) degree. My research project, entitled 'Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the 21st century. On attaining safer UAS flights based on current and future challenges and considerations.', aims to determine how UAS flights can become safe enough, so manned and unmanned air operations could be conducted simultaneously without compromising the safe performance of the entire aviation industry. To support my project research with data I have created a web survey for pilots, and via this way, I kindly ask your help by participating in the survey. The survey is not affiliated with any airline, training organisation, or any other. Participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous (if desired by the participant). The survey will take about 12 minutes of your time to complete and is open for participation until 13 August 2018. Also, I would be very grateful if you could forward this message to other pilots in your contact list or spread the word in the airline or air force you are working for. Please click the link below to enter the survey: SURVEY WEB LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LC6RXZN Thank you in advance for your time and patience. Your participation is highly appreciated. Kind regards, Michail Karyotakis * Mobile phone number: +30 6983514058 * Student email: michail.karyotakis@city.ac.uk Curt Lewis