Flight Safety Information August 7, 2018 - No. 159 In This Issue Incident: Flybe DH8D at Glasgow on Aug 6th 2018, engine shut down in flight Incident: British Airways B789 near Riga on Aug 6th 2018, generator problem Incident: Avia Traffic A320 at Bishkek on Aug 5th 2018, engine problem Plane equipped with survival gear as rescuers try to reach crash site 73-year-old dies after hard landing in hot air balloon LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck. How airplane passengers evacuate is getting a closer look Boeing Named Host Sponsor of IASS 2018 in Seattle Nevada launches drone safety research center An Airline Scans Your Face. You Take Off. But Few Rules Govern Where Your Data Goes EASA Proposes Evidence-based Training Requirements Etihad Airways Adds In-Flight Nurses to Its Services for Travelers With Medical Conditions GE Aviation Pairs With The Original Big Data Experts GE Aviation, Vistara sign $340 million deal for engines supply Aviation mechanics are needed nationwide GAMA: Sales Up For Training Aircraft Student Pilots Given Unlimited Simulator Time in New Air Force Experiment STRATOS STRETCHES NEW JET Position: Assistant Manager, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) POSITION: SAFETY ANALYST FLIGHT OPERATIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE 2018 DFW ISASI Chapter Dinner ISASI 2018 2018 CHC SAFETY & QUALITY SUMMIT October 2nd - 4th, 2018 PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY Incident: Flybe DH8D at Glasgow on Aug 6th 2018, engine shut down in flight A Flybe de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration G-PRPJ performing flight BE-122 from Glasgow,SC to Belfast City,NI (UK) with 69 people on board, was climbing out of Glasgow's runway 23 when the crew needed to shut the left hand engine (PW150) down. The aircraft levelled off at FL100 and continued to Belfast City for safe landing on runway 22 about one hour after departure. The airline confirmed the aircraft landed safely at Belfast City after a technical fault with the left hand engine prompted the captain to shut the engine down. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc0807b&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: British Airways B789 near Riga on Aug 6th 2018, generator problem A British Airways Boeing 787-900, registration G-ZBKA performing flight BA-233 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to Moscow Domodedovo (Russia), was enroute at FL390 about 30nm southeast of Riga (Latvia) when the crew decided to return to London due to a generator (Trent 1000) engine problem, that would have grounded the aircraft in Moscow. The aircraft climbed to FL400 and returned to London for a safe landing about 2:40 hours later. A replacement Airbus A321-200 registration G-EUXI reached Moscow with a delay of 7:20 hours. The airline reported a minor technical problem prompted the return to London. A passenger reported the crew announced a generator issue that would have grounded the aircraft in Moscow prompted them to return to Heathrow. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc07f3e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Avia Traffic A320 at Bishkek on Aug 5th 2018, engine problem An Avia Traffic Company Kyrgyzstan Airbus A320-200, registration EX-32005 performing flight YK-4283 from Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) to Antalya (Turkey), was climbing out of Bishkek's runway 08 when the crew received abnormal engine (V2500) parameters for one engine, stopped the climb at 6000 feet and returned to Bishkek for a safe landing on runway 08. A replacement A320-200 registration EX-32007 reached Antalya with a delay of about 13.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bc07cfd&opt=0 Back to Top Plane equipped with survival gear as rescuers try to reach crash site ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - David Lee, the owner of Sheldon Air Service and a commercial pilot since he was 18, says he knows the pilot trapped on Thunder Mountain as someone who is safe and competent. The plane had been crashed on the side of a mountain for nearly 24 hours at the time. The plane, owned and operated by K2 Aviation, crashed Saturday evening at around 11,000 feet elevation on a knife-edge ridge. At 11,000 feet, Lee says the temperature could have dropped below zero overnight, risking exposure. The plane is equipped with sleeping bags, a cooking stove, a first aid kit and other emergency supplies. Officials say there are five people on board, including the pilot. Two satellite calls were made successfully with the pilot Saturday evening before the last attempted call was made at 8:35 p.m. Katherine Belcher, a spokesperson with the National Park Service, says "there are no confirmation of fatalities" but there have been reports of injuries, but their extent is unknown. "We are extremely grateful for the support of our community both here in Talkeetna, and from our tour partners everywhere," said a spokesperson for K2 aviation A statement was sent from the entire K2 Aviation family, to send their thoughts and prayers "to the families of our guests and the pilot involved in the incident." All K2 flights have been canceled until further notice. A multi-agency rescue mission is underway to try and get the five people successfully off the mountain. Locals in Talkeetna are saying this flight could have echoes of a 2003 crash, when a McKinley Air Service plane ferrying climbers and a sightseer crashed into South Hunter Pass, killing everyone on board. http://www.ktuu.com/content/news/This-could-be-the-worst-aviation-disaster-on-Denali-in-history-says-veteran-pilot-490109731.html ********** Date: 04-AUG-2018 Time: c18:00 LT Type: de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver Owner/operator: K2 Aviation Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Kahiltna Glacier area, Denali National Park, AK - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Talkeetna Destination airport: Talkeetna Narrative: A de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver operated by K2 Aviation on a sight-seeing flight with 4 Polish tourists went missing on Saturday 4 August 2018 and a rescue operation commenced. The pilot allegedly reported on his satellite phone that there were injuries, but authorities couldn't get details before the satellite connection failed. A spokesperson for the National Parks Service, said they were hopeful crews would reach the crash site Monday 6 August. The aircraft was located Monday, August 6, 2018 A park ranger was winched down and after digging through the snow confirmed 4 fatalities. The fifth occupant onboard, the pilot, has not been located but is presumed dead. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=214087 Back to Top 73-year-old dies after hard landing in hot air balloon PARK COUNTY, Colo. - Colorado authorities have identified a woman who died after a hot air balloon she was traveling in had a hard landing. The Park County coroner's office says 73-year-old Dana Haskell of Columbus, Neb. died Friday evening. Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, previously said that two pilots and nine passengers were aboard when the balloon made a hard landing on Friday morning. Haskell was flown to a hospital in Colorado Springs, where she died. The balloon, operated by Colorado Hot Air Balloon Rides, collapsed when it landed near Hartsel. The coroner's office says the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration also are investigating the incident. Hartsel is about 65 miles southwest of Denver. A hot air balloon crashed Friday morning in Park County, and one woman was flown to Colorado Springs in critical condition. The crash happened in the area of Hartsel, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The balloon was scheduled to land after an hour in the air, but it had a hard landing and the balloon collapsed. Eleven people were aboard, and two of them were injured. One woman was transported by Flight for Life to Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, according to Park County officials. Neither of the victims were identified Friday. The balloon was operated by Colorado Hot Air Balloon Rides. The NTSB says a preliminary report on the crash will be released in the next few weeks, and a final report may take up to six months. https://www.krdo.com/news/73-year-old-dies-after-hard-landing-in-hot-air-balloon/777781844 Back to Top Back to Top How airplane passengers evacuate is getting a closer look • It's a topic that is getting renewed attention this year with the release of two NTSB reports. On Oct. 28, 2016, American Airlines Flight 383 sped down the runway at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport for a flight to Miami when the Boeing 767 aircraft came to a sudden stop and a fire erupted around the right engine. Within seconds, the plane's flight attendants had begun to evacuate the plane, with the first passenger exiting down an overwing slide 31 seconds after the plane came to a stop. Less than two minutes later, all 161 passengers on board were off the plane as the fire continued to burn. But in those early moments as they went down the slide, the left engine was still spooling down, and the forceful jet blast knocked over a passenger on the tarmac, causing serious injuries. "American Flight 383 came too close for comfort," the NTSB's chairman Robert Sumwalt said during a hearing about the accident, which also resulted in minor injuries to 20 others on the plane. How passengers evacuate an aircraft during an emergency - and how crews are trained to conduct those evacuations - has been a recurring concern for the safety agency over the last two decades. It's a topic that is getting renewed attention this year with the release of two NTSB reports investigating accidents that had evacuation-related issues and the launch of an audit by a federal watchdog. At the request of federal lawmakers, the Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General launched an audit this summer to study Federal Aviation Administration evacuation standards that haven't been significantly updated since 1990, according to the inspector general. Of particular interest is how air travel has changed in the decades since many of the safety rules were put in place, with more densely packed aircraft, tighter seats and more passengers carrying on baggage, which some dangerously try to take with them as they evacuate during emergencies. "A lot of this fits into the natural evolution of safety standards; we need to always be examining the results of what happens," said Mark Millam, vice president at the nonprofit Flight Safety Foundation. "Are we getting more successful at passenger evacuations?" Phone trouble As the American Airlines Flight 383 evacuation unfolded, a flight attendant attempted to call the cockpit on the plane's interphone system to alert them about the running engine but pressed the wrong numbers. Another couldn't remember how to use the phone, which varies between airplane types, and the NTSB could not determine whether a third had difficulty reaching the cockpit using the phone or failed to place the call entirely. Similar problems with phone systems were encountered on an American A330 flying out of London in June 2016 that was evacuated at the gate when smoke began to fill the cockpit, according to a report from British aviation authorities. In its investigation of the Chicago incident, the NTSB noted the two different phone models on older and newer 767 aircraft, and more broadly, that key layouts are not standardized across systems. The agency also said recurring training for flight attendants lacked hands-on practice with the phones. Concerns about flight attendant-pilot communications were raised by the NTSB as far back as 2009, when it called on the FAA to update guidance and training for flight crews during emergencies. Communication issues were identified in three other 2015 evacuations, two of which were started while engines were still running. An FAA spokesman said that updated guidance on evacuation communication has been drafted and is undergoing review, with plans to publish by the end of this year after a public comment period. American Airlines has incorporated lessons from the 2016 incidents in Chicago and London into its training on aircraft phones, spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said. The company has a flight safety task force that continuously reviews and updates training and safety practices, she said. "That event did highlight certain impediments in intercrew communication," she said. "We never stop learning. Any kind of an event or incident, assessments are made and changes are made as appropriate." Evacuation standards Emergency evacuations have also been under scrutiny in the long-running battle over shrinking airline seats, with the consumer group Flyers Rights petitioning and eventually suing the FAA on claims that current standards don't account for modern cabin conditions. The FAA sets standards for minimum aisle widths and exit sizes, emergency lighting and exit sign placement, and the number and location of exits. These contribute to the ultimate test for aircraft evacuation certification: Can it be unloaded of passengers in an emergency in 90 seconds or less? Live drills are conducted and filmed by plane manufacturers with paid volunteer passengers who don't know when the evacuation will begin. Flyers Rights challenged the results of these tests, arguing that they don't account for the narrower distances between seats and the added girth of the average passenger in 2018. Although the group initially found some support from an appellate court judge last year who ordered a review by the FAA in what she dubbed as the "case of the incredible shrinking airline seat," the FAA released a report in July refuting many of Flyers Rights' claims and said it does not plan to take further action to regulate seat sizes. In its report, the FAA said that exiting a seat typically takes passengers only a few seconds - even with a cramped 28 inches between rows. "The FAA continues to regard the issues and requested actions from your petition as having a lower priority than the other issues before the FAA," the agency wrote in its report. "Given the FAA's limited rulemaking resources, those resources will be dedicated to higher priorities." Leave the luggage Perhaps the greatest evacuation-related concern by airlines and safety regulators is the one they have the least control over: passenger behavior. As a flight attendant ushered passengers off the 2016 American flight, one approached the exit with a carry-on bag in hand. The attendant tried to take the bag away, but the passenger refused, and the flight attendant realized that the struggle was delaying others from evacuating the burning aircraft. The passenger continued down the emergency slide. At all three exits used during the evacuation, passengers tried to exit with carry-on bags, according to the NTSB. "Things can be replaced. People can't. Pilots and flight attendants need your cooperation, as a passenger, to perform safe and orderly evacuation," the NTSB's Sumwalt said. Industry officials have also seen a troubling rise in people taking pictures, video or posting on social media during emergency situations. "Get off the plane as fast as possible," said Mohr, the American Airlines spokeswoman. "And don't be taping it because you're slowing down the evacuation and putting human lives at risk." https://www.heraldnet.com/business/how-airplane-passengers-evacuate-is-getting-a-closer-look/ Back to Top Boeing Named Host Sponsor of IASS 2018 in Seattle ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Boeing Company will serve as the host sponsor of Flight Safety Foundation's 71st International Air Safety Summit (IASS 2018) Nov. 12-14 in Seattle. Boeing is a long-time supporter and Benefactor member of the Foundation. "We are extremely pleased that Boeing has agreed to be the host sponsor of this year's IASS," said Foundation President and CEO Jon Beatty. "IASS has a tradition as the industry's premier annual safety event, and Boeing's support and participation will go a long way toward ensuring that tradition is continued this year," he said. IASS 2017 was held in Dublin, Ireland, and hosted by Aer Lingus. "I am delighted the Foundation has selected Seattle as the venue for this year's IASS," said John Hamilton, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of engineering and chairman of the Foundation's Board of Governors. The Foundation has been a key partner of ours in identifying and helping implement safety changes that make our industry the safest form of transportation. Passengers expect to arrive safely at their destination, and the Foundation plays a key role in making sure this happens. "Additionally, the rise of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is gradually becoming part of everyday life. With this technology and innovation come additional risks that our industry must mitigate. Boeing looks forward to hosting the summit and welcoming the delegates to share best practices and key learnings to ensure our safe aviation system becomes even safer," he said. IASS 2018 will be held at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel. Information on the event, including a preliminary program and details on how to exhibit or sponsor, is available on the Foundation's website. To register as an attendee, click here. A discounted early registration rate is available until Aug. 31, 2018. Held annually since 1947, IASS regularly draws as many as 325 representatives from more than 50 countries to exchange information and propose new directions for further risk reductions. The summit covers training; risk mitigation strategies; management; human factors; and emerging safety issues facing airlines, manufacturers and equipment suppliers, training organizations, flight crews, maintenance personnel and industry executives. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12423616/boeing-named-host-sponsor-of-iass-2018-in-seattle Back to Top Nevada launches drone safety research center • Nevada is no stranger to drones. The state is one of the Federal Aviation Administration's original national test sites for unmanned aerial systems technology, and has produced research into drone traffic management systems. The city of Reno was selected for FAA's Drone Integration Pilot Program, and Las Vegas has the most registered drone users in the nation, according to 2017 research from Bard College's Center for the study of the drone. Now the state is pushing those efforts further -- announcing on July 31 the launch of the Nevada Drone Center of Excellence for Public Safety. The new center aims to guide further research into the proper use of drones with a specific focus on ensuring drones don't cause harm to other aircraft or people on the ground. Specific applications include drone surveillance, detect and avoid (remote sensing), wildland firefighting, gas-leak detection and drone delivery of medical equipment and organs. The drone center will be located in Las Vegas and run by the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS), a non-profit that works on behalf of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. The facility and technology infrastructure backbone were donated by Switch, a Nevada-based company in the data center business. Chris Walach, the senior director for the NIAS and the FAA-designated Nevada UAS Test Site, said the center will help deal with the challenges that come with bringing drones into the national airspace. "This new center will help advance infrastructure protections, drone detection innovations, enhance air safety, and expand air commerce in Nevada," Walach said.. "We are taking an aggressive approach toward solving the complex UAS industry challenge of mitigating drone incursions into the National Airspace System -- one of the toughest FAA challenges today." https://gcn.com/articles/2018/08/01/nevada-drone-center.aspx Back to Top An Airline Scans Your Face. You Take Off. But Few Rules Govern Where Your Data Goes. A passenger in front of a facial recognition camera at Orlando International Airport. The program also operates at airports in Los Angeles, Detroit and Atlanta.CreditJohn Raoux/Associated Press WASHINGTON - The program makes boarding an international flight a breeze: Passengers step up to the gate, get their photo taken and proceed onto the plane. There is no paper ticket or airline app. Thanks to facial recognition technology, their face becomes their boarding pass. "I would find it superconvenient if I could use my face at the gate," said Jonathan Frankle, an artificial intelligence researcher at M.I.T. studying facial recognition technology. But "the concern is, what else could that data be used for?" The problem confronting Mr. Frankle, as well as thousands of travelers, is that few companies participating in the program, called the Traveler Verification Service, give explicit guarantees that passengers' facial recognition data will be protected. And even though the program is run by the Department of Homeland Security, federal officials say they have placed no limits on how participating companies - mostly airlines but also cruise lines - can use that data or store it, opening up travelers' most personal information to potential misuse and abuse such as being sold or used to track passengers' whereabouts. The data the airlines collect is used to verify the identity of passengers leaving the country, an attempt by the department to better track foreigners who overstay their visas. After passengers' faces are scanned at the gate, the scan is sent to Customs and Border Protection and linked with other personally identifying data, such as date of birth and passport and flight information. For its part, Customs and Border Protection has said it will retain facial scans of American citizens for no longer than 14 days. But the agency has said it cannot control how the companies use the data because they "are not collecting photographs on C.B.P.'s behalf." John Wagner, the deputy executive assistant commissioner for the agency's Office of Field Operations, said he believed that commercial carriers had "no interest in keeping or retaining" the biometric data they collect, and the airlines have said they are not doing so. But if they did, he said, "that would really be up to them." But, Mr. Wagner added, "there are still some discussions to be had," and federal officials are considering whether they should write in protections. Privacy advocates have criticized the agency for allowing airlines to act as unregulated arbiters of the data. "C.B.P. is a federal agency. It has a responsibility to protect Americans' data, and by encouraging airlines to collect this data, instead they are essentially abdicating their own responsibility," said Jennifer Lynch, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights nonprofit. Harrison Rudolph, an associate at Georgetown Law's Center on Privacy and Technology, voiced similar concerns in a report he helped write in December evaluating the agency's use of facial scans. "Are there privacy protections in the contracts that D.H.S. has reached with the airlines?" Mr. Rudolph said in an interview. "Do they require the disposal of any data collected? Do they require audits? Are there use limitations to ensure that travelers' photos aren't used in ways they don't expect? Without any enforceable rules, it's too easy for D.H.S. to break those promises." Mr. Wagner, however, defended the program and said it "builds upon the processes that have taken place for many years." "Airlines are already collecting a lot of information from a traveler and providing that to C.B.P.: the reservation data, the manifest," he said. But biometric data, including scans of passengers' faces and fingerprints, is among the most sensitive, according to privacy experts, because unlike other means of identification such as a Social Security number, it cannot be changed. The face is a particularly sensitive identifier because "if someone has a camera, they can identify you by your face," Mr. Frankle said. "You can be recognized even if you have no idea you're being recognized." The program, which currently operates through four major airlines in international airports in Los Angeles, Detroit, Orlando and Atlanta, is not mandatory for passengers. But the airlines - Delta, Lufthansa, British Airways and JetBlue - have reported that a majority of passengers participate. It comes as facial recognition technology has become both more widespread and more closely scrutinized. Companies such as Apple and Citibank have leveraged the technology, and still more - including casinos, music festival organizers and retailers like Walmart - have used it to track customers and shoplifters. Amazon has recently drawn condemnation for providing facial recognition software to law enforcement agencies, whose use of the technology has caused privacy and civil liberties groups to voice concerns about overzealous surveillance. Questions about the technology's accuracy have also arisen. According to the Georgetown report, federal data shows that the system used by Customs and Border Protection incorrectly rejects as many as one in 25 travelers using valid credentials. It also cited studies that showed that facial recognition algorithms fail more frequently in correctly identifying women and people of color. The department said it does not track how many people using forged credentials manage to get through the system. A privacy report by Customs and Border Protection published in June 2017 when the program began said federal officials would conduct a privacy evaluation within one year to ensure that airlines were complying with "required privacy protections." An agency spokeswoman, Jennifer Gabris, said last month that the evaluation had not been completed because the program had not achieved "interim operating capability." Ms. Gabris did not respond to inquiries asking what privacy protections are required of participating companies; representatives for participating airlines also declined to respond to similar inquiries. The companies have since been left to come up with their own policies that contain varying degrees of privacy assurances. In statements, the airlines stressed that the program was being tested in limited trials. But while they provide passengers with generalized privacy policies, only one, JetBlue, specifically outlines how it will protect customers' biometric data, an update made after inquiries from The New York Times. Further complicating the situation is the fact that the companies share passengers' data with the technology vendors they have contracted to create the infrastructure that collects the information and sends it to federal officials. Those vendors - Vision-Box, SITA and NEC Corporation - each have their own privacy policies with differing levels of accessibility. "This is not something that is hard to get right if your hands are clean, which only invites suspicion if you don't get it right," Mr. Frankle said. "This isn't a place where you're innocent until proven guilty. We should be skeptical until they assure us they're not going to use this data for anything other than convenience in ways that are legally binding." Some airlines like JetBlue have already expressed interest in using facial recognition technology to customize passengers' experiences, such as allowing gate agents to recognize customers and even one day determining travelers' mood. Despite the privacy concerns, the Traveler Verification Service shows signs of expanding. As part of a package devised to secure the nation's borders, President Trump signed an executive order last year telling federal officials to speed up completion of a larger biometric entry-exit system that encompasses the program. And Congress authorized $1 billion in 2016 toward the measure. The airlines say they hope to introduce the program within the next year to at least another half-dozen airports, and federal officials updated privacy documents last month to allow for cruise lines to participate in the program. Two senators, Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, have urged the Department of Homeland Security to stop the expansion of the larger effort until their privacy concerns are addressed. In a letter sent to the agency in December, the senators said that the system "appears not to have the proper safeguards to prevent the spread of this data to third parties or other government agencies." https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/06/us/politics/facial-recognition-airports-privacy.html Back to Top EASA Proposes Evidence-based Training Requirements A new notice of proposed amendment from the European Aviation Safety Agency would update commercial flight crew training requirements to improve pilot competencies and achieve a smooth transition to evidence-based training (EBT). It describes EBT as a methodology that "identifies areas for improvement and allows the re-prioritization of training topics to enhance the confidence and capability of flight crews to operate the aircraft in all flight regimes and to be able to recognize and manage unexpected situations." This NPA is a second step in the European rulemaking action to assist state regulatory authorities, commercial air transport operators (including air taxi operators), and approved training organizations to implement EBT. The first step was completed in 2015 with publication of guidance material to allow the implementation of "mixed EBT," which maintains the current operator proficiency and license proficiency checks. But the new NPA would allow the full implementation of EBT, replacing current proficiency check requirements. According to EASA, "Further work is foreseen in proposing rulemaking to expand EBT to operator conversion courses and initial type ratings, while expanding the EBT concept to other types of aircraft (e.g. helicopters and business jets)." Comments are due by October 31. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-08-06/easa-proposes-evidence-based-training-requirements Back to Top Etihad Airways Adds In-Flight Nurses to Its Services for Travelers With Medical Conditions The inconvenience of flying is enough to keep some people with pre-existing medical conditions permanently grounded. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is introducing two new services in an effort to reach those potential passengers. As Condι Nast Traveler reports, the airline now offers evaluations prior to trips and in-flight nurses that will pick up guests at their homes and accompany them to their destinations. The new medical services are the first of their kind from an airline, according to Etihad. Many people with pre-existing illnesses, injuries, and chronic conditions need to check with a health professional before making travel plans to see if they're fit to fly. And even when they do get their doctor's blessing, an airline still has the right to kick them off the plane if the crew suspects their health issues will complicate the flight. Etihad Airways promises a much less anxiety-inducing experience. Passengers are cleared for flight by a visit from an Etihad staff doctor in their homes long before their departure date. And when it's time to drive to the airport and get through security (which is stressful enough without a pre-existing condition), they'll have assistance. Perhaps most importantly, they'll continue to have that medical resource in the air, when it could take hours to land and reach a hospital in the event of an emergency. The services are only available to passengers flying from United Arab Emirates, and they cost upwards of $408. Passengers can apply for the special treatment by downloading Etihad's Medical Information for Fitness to Travel or Special Assistance forms and submitting them through email. http://mentalfloss.com/article/553351/etihad-airways-adds-flight-nurses-its-services-travelers-medical-conditions Back to Top GE Aviation Pairs With The Original Big Data Experts Teradata offers important capabilities to engine OEM's digital services. When GE announced several years ago that it wanted to become a digital company, it clearly meant more than just digitizing its core businesses such as manufacturing engines and supporting them. First with it Predix platform and now by becoming the exclusive provider of Teradata solutions for commercial aviation, the $120-billion-a-year GE is spreading its digital wings much more broadly. The new additional capabilities are substantial. Teradata was doing Big Data before anyone ever heard of Big Data, and for 16 years straight, the company has been a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for data management for analytics. Teradata is most famous for two things. Its enterprise data warehouses store all or many types of a customer's data in a precisely organized way that maximizes the ability to analyze the data. And in 2007, Teradata invented in-database analytics to enable advanced algorithms to run in parallel processing mode, dramatically speeding up analyses. "Alternate solutions analyze a narrow subset of the data, which is the difference between seeing four pieces of a jigsaw puzzle versus 200 pieces fitted together," explains Dan Graham, director of technical marketing for IoT. GE Aviation's chief digital officer John Mansfield believes his company's connectivity services and domain expertise in aviation will combine with Teradata's analytics in the cloud to yield an ideal framework for many airline applications. Mansfield instances GE's FlightPulse, which merges aircraft data with crew schedules, enabling individual pilots to optimize operations and efficiency, while reducing fuel consumption, flight time, costs and carbon emissions. Combining Flightpulse data and passenger data in a Teradata data warehouse will enable airline managers to further optimize operational economics. If the two companies can make the partnership work, the opportunities are abundant. "Teradata data warehouses are designed to answer all business questions regarding revenue management, sales and marketing, as well as operations," Graham says. "Predictive maintenance and part-inventory management are also popular analytic use cases." In the past, Lufthansa used Teradata to assess customer satisfaction, maximize revenue and minimize costs. Air Canada began with revenue and yield management data, then added operational flight information to its Teradata data warehouse. And Southwest used Teradata to improve customer insights, acquisition and retention, and segment customers in more detail. Graham thinks the partnership with GE will open new applications, for example enhancing customer treatment during flight disruptions by matching consumer preferences with alternate flights. Or optimizing fuel and flight planning by benchmarking multiple flights over the same flight path. "This depends on terabytes of historical data of fuel usage on thousands of flights. Observing the history of same-route flights plus weather at that time reveals pilot and vehicle influences on fuel burn." In maintenance, Graham believes Teradata will help predict component failures. And its data warehouse could help also optimize labor schedules, repair bays and parts-inventory forecasts. Finally, crew pairing and schedule optimization are advanced mathematical problems that should benefit from Teradata analytics. Teradata has been extensively used on the revenue side of airline operations, where the scale of data meant warehouses were essential and in-database analytics supplied the requisite speed. Graham believes his data-warehousing and in-database analytics can be very helpful in other areas as well, and that the partnership with GE will advance this goal. "Data in GE Aviation applications will develop new skills in Teradata account teams, and they will discover new use cases. Teradata experts will meet many new airline operation managers. And the GE partnership will help educate new people in airlines on the benefits of analytics." https://www.mro-network.com/technology/ge-aviation-pairs-original-big-data-experts Back to Top GE Aviation, Vistara sign $340 million deal for engines supply The firm engine order, valued at more than USD 340 million, is Vistara's first for GEnx-powered aircraft, with delivery expected between 2020 and 2021, it said. MUMBAI: Leading aircraft engine maker GE Aviation has signed a deal worth over USD 340 million with Tata-SIA airline Vistara for supply of its GEnx-1B engines for the latter's Boeing 787 fleet. The engines are expected to be delivered to Air Vistara between 2020 and 2021, GE Aviation said in a release issued today. The Delhi-based full service carrier recently placed firm order of six B 787-9 (Dreamliner) aircraft with Boeing, besides purchase rights of four more aircraft from Boeing 787 family for its proposed medium and long-haul international operations. "GEnx engines have been selected by Vistara to power its newly ordered fleet of six firm and four purchase rights of Boeing 787 wide-bodied aircraft," the engine maker said in the release. The firm engine order, valued at more than USD 340 million, is Vistara's first for GEnx-powered aircraft, with delivery expected between 2020 and 2021, it said. "We are delighted to partner with GE for our Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners' operations with its fuel efficient and reliable GEnx-1B engines," Vistara's Chief Executive Officer Leslie Thng said. Last month, Vistara had announced placing orders for a total of 19 Airbus and Boeing aircraft worth USD 3.1 billion (around Rs 21,344 crore), as the carrier embarks on ambitious expansion plans, including flying overseas. "We are honoured that Vistara has selected GE to power its growth journey. GEnx engines offer impressive economics pertaining to fuel efficiency, reliability and utilisation making them most suited for Vistara's plans to strengthen its fleet for international routes," GE country head Vikram Rai said. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/ge-aviation-vistara-sign-340-million-deal-for-engines-supply/articleshow/65304364.cms Back to Top Aviation mechanics are needed nationwide Myrtle Beach, S.C. (WPDE) - It's an industry many aviation professionals say will be in need of thousands of employees in the coming years. Many current workers will be retiring from their careers as aviation mechanics. "There's going to be many jobs out there and there's going to be a lot of people fighting to get those people so that means their value is going to be very high out there," said William Arndt, Vice President of Maintenance and Engineering, with Piedmont Airlines Inc. Leaders with Piedmont Airlines Incorporated said nearly 180,000 aviation mechanics are expected to retire over the next 15 years. This is why technical schools, like the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in Myrtle Beach, hosted an open house Saturday, to encourage people, young and old with aviation dreams, to hop on board. "The aviation industry really grew, back in the 60's and 70's, so we had a lot of mechanics out there and now all of those guys are getting up there, kind of like me," said Arndt. Society tends to place an emphasis on kids attending a four year college, but aviation officials said being skilled in a trade can carry you just as far. "Four year is great, you can still come to a school like this, get your technical training, get your associates degree, get out there, get working, start making some money," said Arndt. 25-year-old Max Truby of Georgia, received a $5,000 toolbox scholarship to P.I.A. and said, the scholarship is confirmation that his personal experiences outside of the classroom have lead him to the right place. "I also attended college for a short amount of time and just decided it wasn't for me, my life wasn't going in that direction at the time and I kinda just did the worst thing possible for a college student to do and just walked away," said Truby. However, he said, he always had a passion for aviation. "Whatever I was going to do, I was going to do something in aviation and mechanics its just as good, right? It still takes the brain power, it still takes a good amount of learning," said Truby. As the need for aviation mechanics continues to expand, industry leaders said they're strategically recruiting, nationwide. "What we really need is those junior high students and high school students out there that haven't quite decided what they're going to do yet to let them know that they should consider aviation as a career, whether its in the mechanic end of things or even the pilot end of things," said Arndt. The Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in Myrtle Beach is one of 4 campus across the country. The Myrtle Beach campus has the highest job placement percentage after graduation at 98 percent. https://wpde.com/news/local/aviation-mechanics-are-needed-nationwide Back to Top GAMA: Sales Up For Training Aircraft The pilot shortage is making itself felt in rising orders for new trainers, GAMA reported on Monday, in its shipments and billings report for the second quarter. Overall, the quarter's results are mixed, said GAMA president Pete Bunce, but demand for training aircraft is driving up sales in both the piston and rotorcraft segments. Piston airplane deliveries were up 6.4 percent compared to the same time last year, with turboprop numbers up by 9.7 percent. Piston rotorcraft did even better, with deliveries so far this year up by 19 percent. Turbine rotorcraft deliveries rose by 2 percent, and business jet sales were flat. "We hope the continued interest in training aircraft as well as in new, safety-enhancing products and technology our member companies are bringing to the market will continue to drive increases in future quarters," said Bunce, "and drive increases in people joining the industry's workforce." Year to date, GAMA said, the industry has delivered 1,054 airplanes and 494 helicopters, worth a total of more than $10 billion. Bunce noted that Boeing's 2018 Pilot and Technician Outlook reports the demand for pilots, technicians and other aviation industry professionals is at "an all-time high." https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/GAMA-Sales-Up-For-Training-Aircraft-231341-1.html Back to Top Student Pilots Given Unlimited Simulator Time in New Air Force Experiment A student pilot enrolled in Undergraduate Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, takes off in a new T-6 Texan II flight simulator on July 10. (US Air Force photo/Clinton Atkins) Second Lt. Christofer Ahn, a student pilot, said he's never been inside a real cockpit. He began his Air Force career in basic flight screening in Colorado before going straight into the service's new Pilot Training Next program. Even though Pilot Training Next is an experiment to gauge whether pilots can learn faster and thus expedite the training pipeline, Ahn said the Air Force was generous in the time it gave airmen to grasp the information at their own pace. He explained that, in some instances, the students could take their virtual reality simulators to their living quarters to practice. "We could come back and work over the weekends," he added. "'In normal pilot training ... there are limits for how long you could be in [the simulator]. We basically got nearly unlimited access. Learning something in the books, it's just the books. Or visualizing something mentally. We could practice ... anytime we want." Amid an ongoing pilot shortage, the Air Force launched the first-of-its-kind study, testing the ability of students to learn faster and absorb more through cutting-edge technology aids and simulations. The experiment not only tested the students -- it tested the ways the Air Force can adapt using futuristic technologies at the forefront of its day-to-day training routine. While student pilots typically begin their training with heavy academics and regimented simulator time, the Pilot Training Next program plunged them directly into augmented reality and simulator training, allowing them to learn and self-correct as they went through realistic flight scenarios. Student pilots graduated the program Friday after six months of learning how to fly in virtual reality simulators alongside fellow pilots and instructors. While the students had much to take away from the program, Air Force officials also were learning where the service should invest its efforts before taking certain pilot training tools mainstream, officials recently told Military.com. "The failures are just as valuable as the successes," said Maj. Scott Van De Water, Pilot Training Next deputy director. Military.com interviewed officials involved in the months-long study in Austin, Texas. "There are a lot of ways that we're finding that the things that we're doing here are inadequate to the ends, and the legacy system is exceptional at doing." Successes and Failures As students flew the virtual reality sim, biometric monitors collected data on heart rate, eye movements and other factors that could help the Air Force understand how pilots interpret their tasks. The virtual reality goggles, Ahn said, seemed to offer more realistic environments as compared to other simulators. "From the very get-go, [it's] helped us accelerate our training [in tandem] with the hands-on feedback that we need to perform in an actual jet," he said. "We want to learn as fast as possible. Being able to use the simulators is a huge step in allowing us to accelerate through our training." An instructor monitored two students at a time as they went through the daily flight plan. While Van De Water did not specify the program's failures, he said there were a few issues, from a software component that interrupted the teaching process to educational approaches that "fell flat" with students. It required a feedback forum at least once a week on how leaders could amend the program as they went along. "I think the big takeaway [is] we inherently had to do some bumper bowling here and find out where the edges are," he said. "If we had it all solved coming straight into this program, there would have been no point in doing the program in the first place." Under Air Education and Training Command, the study explored how airmen could train "by using existing and emerging technologies that can decrease the time and cost of training," but with the same depth of understanding to produce quality pilots. The experiment included using virtual and augmented reality simulation to teach airmen aircraft specs, and provide an in-flight experience, faster. The group included 20 airmen -- 15 officers and five enlisted, AETC officials said during the interview. Enlisted airmen were included so the Air Force could better understand how airmen who may not have had prior college-level academics conceptualize their experience, officials said. One student, Van De Water said, was sent back through the normal undergraduate training process "because what we were doing here wasn't working for him." "And we take the fact that he was unable to get through this program just as a data point and a feedback mechanism for us," he said. In all, 13 officer pilots received their wings at graduation Friday, AETC spokeswoman 1st Lt. Geneva Giaimo told Military.com. "Two officer pilots were stationed back at traditional [Undergraduate Pilot Training] bases to complete training. The enlisted participants went on to their previously assigned career fields," she said in a statement. Van De Water added, "I highlight the fact that we're failing in order to highlight the fact we are finding the edges of the power of the technologies and the techniques and the methods. But ... this program demonstrated efficiencies are there to be gained." The Air Force has received approval to run a second PTN class in January, Van De Water said. Watching Them Learn The Air Force is beginning to incorporate more technologies as it shifts from a manpower-intensive approach toward more machine learning, officials have said in recent months. It's aiming to create a more efficient, agile and worthy pilot training class by using data analysis and streamlined learning practices. "Everything we're doing is all about, 'What can we do to innovate better and create better tools for our instructors [and airmen] and ultimately just generate some lessons learned,' " said Capt. John Joern, a T-6 Texan II instructor overseeing students in the study. "A lot of the biggest, most successful companies are using these big data analytics, and we thought, 'Why can't we do that also?' " he said. Joern added the program in no way is the precursor to removing or overhauling Undergraduate Pilot Training, the standard pre-flight training before airmen are assigned to a formal training unit. The Air Force's goal is to push pilots through basic pilot training "more quickly, more accurately and more repeatedly" by leveraging a multitude of factors, he said. "If we can capture biometrics, if we can capture the way a student reacts, if we can try and capture data from a multitude of sources, and [can] synthesize that into what factors are going to play into a student performing at their absolute best, then we can start to get a better picture of what causes a student to do better, and maybe we can identify some potential ... qualities that belong to pilots and potentially use that to shape the way that we select people to be pilots," Joern said. The standards the students were required to meet were the same any airmen going through UPT would experience and be graded on. The simulators have basic avionics -- from the joystick, throttle, rudder pedals, screens -- to give students the full feel of being in a cockpit. The only thing that changed, Joern said, was the process of how he would get a pilot to learn information. For example, instead of using handheld model planes to simulate what a pilot did, Joern said he'd put a student right back into the simulator with the VR goggles and show him his maneuvers. In the end, it's about being "a good aviator" instead of just being proficient in the aircraft that a pilot would fly, he said. "We can teach them how to fly in a T-6, but every once in a while I can throw in an F-16 and say, 'Let's try this pattern but let's talk differences,' " Joern said. 'Tremendously Faster' The Air Force chose officers slated for the next undergraduate pilot training December 2018 class for the PTN program. After PTN, the officers will head to UPT, and the enlisted members will continue on to their predetermined technical training, officials have said. Van De Water said the students excelled despite some programmatic hiccups. "We've seen leaps and bounds increase, especially at the beginning of the program," Joern said. He said it was unexpected that the airmen learned as fast as they did in only a few short weeks. "They were flying very complicated profiles during their first check ride," Van De Water added, "and in just a fraction of the time on average of the traditional check ride provides." The deputy director said it took roughly about half the time it would take another pilot going through UPT to arrive at the same complexity of the check ride. For this reason, both Joern and Van De Water said there were successes in giving airmen more leeway as well as personalized "versus cookie cutter" lessons during the program. "Those things have shown out to be very valuable," Van De Water said. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/08/04/student-pilots-given-unlimited-simulator-time-new-air-force-experiment.html Back to Top STRATOS STRETCHES NEW JET The Stratos 716 very light jet introduced at EAA AirVenture in July is based on a theory that bigger is better. The redesign of the Stratos 714 adds two additional seats to the single-engine jet that aims to compete with turboprops. The Stratos 714 proof-of-concept aircraft has logged 185 hours over 130 test flights, the company reported, and feedback from potential customers prompted a redesign to extend the cabin by 31 inches in length, and 3.5 inches in width. The 714 flew a demonstration at EAA AirVenture in 2017, and turned a few heads, according to Fred Hadlich, program director for the Stratos 716. "They liked it but said, 'The performance is great, but I wish it was just a little bit bigger.' Basically, we went through our feedback from last year's Oshkosh and we've decided to make a larger version of the [714] aircraft," Hadlich said. "It will have 6-passenger club- or standard-seating." The 714 was designed to carry four people on 1,600-nautical-mile legs at 400 knots, with the ability to climb to 41,000 feet. Hadlich said the stretched 716 version will first reach the market in kit form, the Stratos 716X, with a robust builder-assist program. Hadlich expects most owners will operate their own jets, and Stratos hopes to entice current owners of "high-performance six-to eight-place turboprops, like an Epic, a King Air, or a Meridian. The the TBM guys seem to have a lot of interest in our aircraft, too." A drawing of a Stratos 716X shows the twin jet's stretched cabin during EAA AirVenture at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 23, 2018. Photo by David Tulis. Potential owners will need to get their hands dirty and spend some time at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Oregon, which includes a 41,000-square-foot production and manufacturing facility. "It's probably going to be 2,500 man-hours, or about six months of serious commitment," Hadlich said. He added that the company's goal was "to bring the 716X to Oshkosh next year." The company plans to eventually produce a factory-built, certified version of the 716, and believes that creating a fleet of experimental kit aircraft to start with will support that effort, as well as allowing select customers to get their own jet in the air years ahead of the rest. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/august/02/stratos-716x-light-jet-a-roomier-714 Back to Top Assistant Manager, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) Main purpose of the Job: Support the Manager, Safety Management Systems with the development, implementation and maintenance of the Safety Management Systems (SMS) in flight and cabin operations. Directly responsible to: • Manager, Safety Management System (MSMS) Directly responsible for: • Supervisor, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) • Officer, Safety Management Systems (Air Safety) Main Areas of Responsibility: • Responsible for routine review and processing of safety reports submitted to Quality, Safety & Security Department. • Responsible for conducting investigations (in conjunction with the FOQA specialist) into accidents, incidents and/or irregularities affecting the safety of operations. Conduct investigation interviews and debriefing accordingly to include the use of FOQA data. Produce investigation reports and make recommendations to prevent recurrence. • Support the MSMS in managing the day-to-day activities of the Safety Management Systems in flight and cabin operations. • Assist MSMS in the maintenance and development of the electronic safety reporting system. • Support the MSMS in maintaining the currency and relevance of the Safety Management System Manual by proposing and drafting amendments. • Conduct inspections / surveys / assessment / analysis as and when directed by the MSMS and produce reports to ascertain operational safety is achieved. • Communicate and interface with appropriate departments to track the safety actions arising from investigations / Safety Action Group (SAG) / routine safety assessments and ensure they are implemented in a timely and appropriate manner. • Responsible for production and dissemination of safety promotion material through company intranet, notice board, newsletter and any other suitable media. • Assist the MSMS in conducting SMS related trainings and briefings to company employees. • Participate in IOSA program as and when directed by the MSMS. • Participate in various safety meetings and provide administrative support as required. • Assist in performing safety risk assessment and change management as required. Qualifications / Requirements: • Minimum 5 years relevant working experience in the airline industry, preferably in flight or cabin operations. • Aviation safety investigation qualification or equivalent experience. • Comprehensive knowledge and experience with Safety Management System. • Bachelor's degree required, preferably in a technical, aviation or engineering discipline. • Flying experience desirable. • Strong analytical capabilities. • Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills. • Proven command of spoken and written English. Knowledge in Chinese (Cantonese and Putonghua) is an added advantage. • Good computer literacy. APPLY HERE Back to Top POSITION: SAFETY ANALYST FLIGHT OPERATIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE POSITION PURPOSE Processes day-to-day raw data using Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) and program Ground Data Replay Analysis System (GDRAS) and routine data analysis. Creates weekly and monthly deliverables in addition to working with Gatekeepers and other members of FOQA and FOQA Management Team (FMT). ESSENTIAL DUTIES 1. Supports the FOQA Program Manager with daily administration of the FOQA efforts to ensure analysis of flight data for improved flight safety. 2. Oversees data collection process of aircraft fleet in conjunction with Maintenance and Engineering. 3. Performs data analysis, root cause analysis and determine corrective actions of digital flight data to determine adverse events, trends in flight and maintenance operations. 4. Coordinates, develops, verifies and validates aircraft specific event definitions. 5. Prepares flight operations trending analysis charts and reports. 6. Compiles and presents FOQA data summaries for use by senior management, regulators, pilots and union officials. 7. Performs specialized studies and fulfills special data requests. 8. Creates safety and FOQA department publications. 9. Prepares reports, presentations, and statistical data required to keep the FOQA community informed of the status and programs of the FOQA information. 10. Reviews corrective action responses to inspections and internal evaluations findings for adequacy. 11. Maintains FOQA database, write database queries, program new FOQA events, and manage documentation supporting these functions. 12. Coordinates with other airlines FOQA departments, governmental and academic institutions regarding FOQA. 13. Performs others duties as assigned. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform this job. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE • Bachelor's degree in aviation, flight technology, engineering, or related area or a combination of education and experience. • FAA Commercial Pilot License. • Previous work experience, preferably in 14CFR Part 121 air carrier operations; quality control, maintenance, operations, safety or a combination of these areas. • Previous experience maintaining and enhancing corporate safety standards and safe operation practices. • Understands turbine-aircraft systems and knowledge regarding Part 121 operations. • Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Office Programs, including spreadsheet and database applications. • Strong work ethic, ability to work in a fast-paced environment and a positive attitude toward teamwork. PREFERRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE • At least 3 years related experience. • Additional certifications: Dispatch, Airframe and Powerplant and/or ATP license. • Basic computer programming and statistical methods experience preferred. • Prior experience with Sagem AGS or equivalent GDRAS platforms is preferred. LANGUAGE SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. REASONING/PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Proven project management and analytical skills. Ability to handle numerous projects at one time and meet deadlines. Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision in support of the Safety Department. DECISION MAKING Makes day to day decisions used to support strategic direction. Decisions often require some thought and are somewhat structured. Decisions tend to be short term and usually moderate cost. PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Able to move about the work environment. Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear. WORK ENVIRONMENT The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Typically not exposed to extreme environmental conditions. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS Travel up to 10% of the time, including overnight stays. APPLY HERE Company Overview: At Republic Airline, our mission is to provide a safe, clean and reliable flying experience. We believe this is best accomplished by focusing on our vision, "With the BEST people, products, and performance, we will be America's Regional Airline of choice." Republic Airline is a regional airline headquartered in Indianapolis, operating fixed-fee flights for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. The Company's fleet consists of nearly 190 Embraer 170/175s, offering approximately 950 flights daily to 100 cities in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Central America. Our crew bases include Chicago, IL (ORD), Columbus, OH (CMH), Indianapolis, IN (IND), Kansas City, MO (MCI), Miami, FL (MIA), Newark, NJ (EWR), New York, NY (LGA), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). We have 10 maintenance bases: Charlotte, NC (CLT), Chicago, IL (ORD), Columbus, OH (CMH), Indianapolis, IN (IND), Louisville, KY (SDF), Newark, NJ (EWR), New York, NY (LGA), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). With more than 5,500 talented aviation professionals, Republic Airline is a great place to get your career off the runway! For more information, please visit our website at www.rjet.com. Back to Top Back to Top ISASI 2018 Intercontinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai. 30 October to 1 November, 2018 "The Future of Aircraft Accident Investigation" ISASI is pleased to announce that the preliminary Technical Program for ISASI 2018 is now posted. It is, of course, subject to change between now and the end of October. All up to date information, including registration forms for the seminar and a reservation link for the hotel can be found at http://isasiannualseminar.com/ We look forward to seeing all of you in Dubai. Back to Top Back to Top 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