Flight Safety Information October 8, 2018 - No. 204 In This Issue Incident: Qantas B744 near Perth on Oct 6th 2018, fuel pump issue Incident: Norwegian International B738 at London on Oct 5th 2018, first officer incapacitated Incident: Iran Aseman A320 at Shiraz on Oct 5th 2018, engine surge Incident: Jetblue A321 at Las Vegas on Oct 7th 2018, rejected takeoff due to engine fire Incident: Iberia A359 over Atlantic on Oct 6th 2018, technical problem Incident: Horizont B734 near Ancona on Oct 5th 2018, control problems Man forced off Alaska Airlines flight from Oahu to San Francisco NTSB releases final report into a fatal 2016 helicopter crash NTSB: pilots in fatal Greenville runway excursion accident were not licensed to fly Falcon 50 LIBIK Fire Suppression Kits for the Cabin and Flight Deck A U.S. Passenger Allegedly Was So Violent and Disruptive Saturday, Dutch F-16 Fighter Jets Scrambled Has safety improved a year after Navy and Marine aviation crisis? Pilots' post-traumatic stress disorder implicated in fatal aviation accidents Feds punish airline for hot temperatures on delayed Dayton plane sitting on tarmac Air NZ ordered to pay former pilot $20,000 in compensation THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A DRONE HITS AN AIRPLANE FAA: 665 helicopter bird strikes over the last 3 years LSA Weight Limit Increasing To 3600 Pounds (Updated) Aerospace hiring heats up as defense, aircraft programs take off Etihad Provides Additional Cash Infusion for Struggling Jet Airways No commercial crew test flights expected this year ATTEND THE IBAC LUNCH & LEARN AT NBAA-BACE NTSB Accident Site Photography Course New HFACS workshop...Las Vegas, NV...December 18th & 19th, 2018 Medallion Foundation - PROVIDING ASSURANCE IN YOUR SYSTEMS MITRE SMS December Courses DTI Training - Workshops Scheduled in Canada and the U.S. '2018 International Aviation Safety and Education Summit Aircraft Accident Investigation from SCSI HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - Course TODAY'S PHOTO ADVERTISE WITH FLIGHT SAFETY INFORMATION & AVIATION MAINTENANCE AND TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE Back to Top Incident: Qantas B744 near Perth on Oct 6th 2018, fuel pump issue A Qantas Boeing 747-400, registration VH-OEH performing flight QF-64 (dep Oct 5th) from Johannesburg (South Africa) to Sydney,NS (Australia), was enroute at FL370 about 140nm westnorthwest of Perth,WA (Australia) when the crew decided to divert to Perth due to a problem with one of the fuel pumps. The aircraft landed safely on Perth's runway 21 about 30 minutes later. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then continued the journey and reached Sydney with a delay of 4.5 hours. Passengers reported the captain announced they were diverting due to a problem with a fuel pump. The airline reported a "minor issue with the aircraft", the aircraft refuelled in Perth. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bea1d07&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Norwegian International B738 at London on Oct 5th 2018, first officer incapacitated A Norwegian Air International Boeing 737-800, registration EI-FVR performing flight D8-2905 from Copenhagen (Denmark) to London Gatwick,EN (UK), was on approach to London Gatwick when the captain declared emergency reporting the first officer had become ill. The aircraft landed safely on Gatwick's runway 26L, medical services attended to the aircraft. The airline confirmed a crew member on board became ill, medical services met the aircraft. http://avherald.com/h?article=4be96401&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Iran Aseman A320 at Shiraz on Oct 5th 2018, engine surge An Iran Aseman Airbus A320-200, flight EP-6554 from Shiraz (Iran) to Muscat (Oman) with 102 people on board, was in the initial climb out of Shiraz's runway 29L when about 10 seconds after becoming airborne the right hand engine (V2500) emitted a loud bang and streaks of flame prompting the crew to stop the climb at safe altitude and return to Shiraz for a safe landing. A replacement A340-300 registration EP-APA was dispatched to Shiraz and reached Muscat with a delay of about 7 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bea24cf&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Jetblue A321 at Las Vegas on Oct 7th 2018, rejected takeoff due to engine fire A Jetblue Airbus A321-200, registration N923JB performing flight B6-178 from Las Vegas,NV to Boston,MA (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from runway 01R when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 80 knots over ground) advising they needed emergency services to verify there was no right hand engine (V2533) fire. Tower advised there was smoke coming from the right hand engine. Emergency services responded. The airline reported the aircraft experienced smoke coming off its right engine before takeoff, the smoke was quickly suppressed and the aircraft taxied back to the gate where passengers disembarked normally. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bead3a0&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Iberia A359 over Atlantic on Oct 6th 2018, technical problem An Iberia Airbus A350-900, registration EC-MYX performing flight IB-6253 from Madrid,SP (Spain) to New York JFK,NY (USA) with 350 people on board, was enroute at FL330 about 80nm west of Porto (Portugal) when the crew decided to return to Madrid. The aircraft descended to FL320 and landed safely on Madrid's runway 18L about one hour after the decision to turn around. Passengers reported the captain announced a technical problem prompted their return. After landing flight attendants hinted the gear doors had remained open and they couldn't climb to their needed flight level across the Atlantic. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Madrid about 30 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4beacef7&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Horizont B734 near Ancona on Oct 5th 2018, control problems An Air Horizont Boeing 737-400 on behalf of Albawings, registration 9H-AMW performing flight 2B-224 from Venice (Italy) to Tirana (Albania) with 135 people on board, was enroute at FL290 about 80nm eastnortheast of Ancona (Italy), almost overhead Zadar (Croatia), when the crew decided to divert to Ancona reporting control problems. A massive emergency response was initiated at Ancona, rescue helicopters were dispatched to the airport. The aircraft landed safely on Ancona's runway 22 about 22 minutes after leaving FL290. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Ancona about 60 hours after landing. Italian media reported 118 emergency vehicles and several helicopters were dispatched to the aerodrome, however, the landing was safe. http://avherald.com/h?article=4beacc5a&opt=0 Back to Top Man forced off Alaska Airlines flight from Oahu to San Francisco • Sheriffs forcefully escorted the man off the plane before takeoff. Screenshots from the video show Sheriffs trying to escort the man off the plane. HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - There were tense moments for passengers on a recent Alaska Airlines flight from Oahu to San Francisco. They say they were stunned when a shirtless and aggressive passenger was forcefully removed from the plane. The unnamed passenger was pulled from the flight on September 27. The plane had just been boarded at Honolulu's International Airport when officers were called in to remove a passenger who had locked himself in the bathroom. Lindsey Babb, a passenger on the plane, started video taping when officers began pounding on the bathroom door and eventually broke it down. "Then you hear them shout over the speaker, 'Anyone who is standing get back in our seats, down in your seats, remain in your seat.' We start to -- at least personally -- I felt panicked," Babb said. "You'd think the passenger's safety would be first priority, not wrestling this man between the seats with hundreds of passengers there to get hurt or kicked or whatever. It was terrifying." In the videos, sheriffs are heard repeatedly ordering the man to stop resisting as a struggle with the man ensues. In a statement, Alaska Airlines said, "The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. The flight crew contacted law enforcement, who removed the passenger. The flight departed about two hours late. We sincerely apologize to our guests for the inconvenience." Babb says the passenger was traveling with his father who said he was trying to get his son to California. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2018/10/08/man-forced-off-alaska-airlines-flight-oahu-san-francisco/ Back to Top NTSB releases final report into a fatal 2016 helicopter crash ANCHORAGE (KTUU) - The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report into a 2016 helicopter crash on a glacier above Skagway that left a 66-year-old pilot dead. The agency determined that poor weather contributed to the crash, as did the pilot's "self-induced pressure to complete the day's series of flights;" the NTSB also laid blame at the hands of a base manager, who didn't cancel flights as conditions worsened. The report by the NTSB describes Christopher Maggio as a pilot with 25 years' experience. He was carrying loads from Skagway to a camp on a nearby glacier where dog mushing took place. During the afternoon, Maggio reported "icing" as he flew from Skagway to the glacier camp. The base manager allegedly said that the pilot should "do what he thought was best" as to whether flights should continue. "However, flight operations in icing conditions are prohibited by the helicopter's rotorcraft flight manual and the operator's operations manual, and the pilot's statement should have prompted the base manager to suspend the flights," according to the report. During the fifth of seven planned flights, Maggo is said to have told the camp manager on the glacier that he didn't think he would be able to fly again, "but don't give up on me yet," the NTSB report lists this as "the self-induced pressure" to fly by the pilot. During the next flight, Maggio crashed into a steep side of a mountain around two miles from the camp on the glacier. Wooden boxes used to store the sled dogs during the flights were said to have come loose, though they weren't listed as a cause of the crash. Initially, efforts were made to get to the wreckage but the risk of avalanche prevented people coming by snowmobile. Hours later, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was able to access the crash and confirm that Maggio had died in the wreckage. https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/NTSB-releases-final-report-into-a-fatal-2016-helicopter-crash-495433861.html Back to Top NTSB: pilots in fatal Greenville runway excursion accident were not licensed to fly Falcon 50 Status: Preliminary - official Date: Thursday 27 September 2018 Time: 13:46 Type: Dassault Falcon 50 Operator: Air America Flight Services Registration: N114TD C/n / msn: 17 First flight: 1980 Crew: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Total: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 4 Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair Location: Greenville Downtown Airport, SC (GMU) ( United States of America) Phase: Landing (LDG) Nature: Private Departure airport: St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, FL (PIE/KPIE), United States of America Destination airport: Greenville Downtown Airport, SC (GMU/KGMU), United States of America Narrative: A Dassault Falcon 50 corporate jet sustained substantial damage in a runway excursion accident after landing at Greenville Downtown Airport, South Carolina, USA. Air traffic control personnel at Greenville reported that the airplane touched down "normally" at a normal touchdown point on runway 19. They saw the airplane's sole thrust reverser on the center (No. 2) engine deploy; the controllers then watched as the airplane "did not decelerate" as it continued down the runway. The NTSB reported that initial examination of the accident site, runway, and tire track evidence showed that the airplane departed the left edge of runway 19 near the departure end, traveled across the flat grassy area at the end of the runway, continued down a 50-foot embankment, and came to rest on the airport perimeter road about 425 feet from the runway. The wreckage was oriented on a heading of about 160°. There was no fire. Fuel was observed leaking from the wings at the accident site. The nose landing gear was separated and found about midway down the embankment. The fuselage was separated immediately aft of the cockpit area, near fuselage station 14. The slats and flaps were extended. Both the right and left airbrakes (spoilers) were extended. Both main landing gear were fractured at the trunnion and displaced aft into the flaps. The braking anti-skid switch was in the No. 1 position, and there was an "INOP" (inoperative) placard next to the switch, dated the day of the accident. The Nos. 2 and 3 fire handles were pulled. The parking brake was in the normal (off) position. First responders reported that all three engines were operating at full power for at least 20 minutes after the accident with, one engine running until about 40 minutes after the accident The left seat pilot held an ATP certificate with a type rating for the Falcon 50 with a limitation for second-in-command only. He also held type ratings for Learjet and Westwind business jets with reported 11,650 total hours of flight experience. The right seat pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land. Runway 01/19 is a 1644 meters long asphalt runway. On the runway 01 runway end an Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) was installed to decelerate aircraft safely following an overrun. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20180927-0 Back to Top Back to Top A U.S. Passenger Allegedly Was So Violent and Disruptive Saturday, Dutch F-16 Fighter Jets Scrambled to Intercept His Plane What will it take before we get serious about stopping passenger violence aboard commercial airlines? It's been a rough time lately for bad passenger behavior. And if other stories recently haven't prompted rank and file airline passengers to demand that something more effective be done, perhaps this story will spur action. Early Saturday morning, an American passenger aboard a KLM flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam reportedly "started screaming and hitting wildly around him," according to a member of the cabin crew, to the point that the Royal Netherlands Air Force sent a pair of F-16 fighter jets armed with air-to-air missiles to intercept the plane. The story first broke in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf over the weekend, and it's been separately reported by AFP as well. Cabin crew said the overnight flight wasn't crowded, and that the American passenger did not appear to be intoxicated, but that he first attracted attention when he began walking around the cabin while most other passenger were asleep. Flight attendants asked him to sit down, but he became "aggressive" and reacted "very threateningly from one moment to the next," a flight attendant said. Punches were apparently thrown, and several other passengers were "lightly wounded" during the fracas, according to Dutch authorities, including two who "were given black eyes." Military police arrested the American passenger once the plane landed at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. "A 29-year-old American man became aggressive after being asked by a purser to return to his seat," Joanna Helmonds, a police spokesperson, said afterward. "A scuffle broke out and the cabin crew, together with other passengers managed to restrain the man." The Dutch police didn't name the passenger, and said he "came across as disoriented," and was being held in a Dutch psychiatric institution for observation. Of course, there's a happy ending to the story in that the plane landed safely in Amsterdam--on time, no less. Still, it's easy to imagine how a simple miscommunication or human error could have led to a much more tragic situation. And it comes after we've reported story after story about disruptive passengers on domestic flights who allegedly got drunk, became aggressive, and caused their flights to be diverted: • A Southwest passenger who pleaded guilty to charges after threatening to "put [a flight attendant] in a body bag" after being denied a fourth drink (on a two-hour flight); • An American Airlines passenger who allegedly got drunk, tried to do pull-ups on the overhead compartment of a crowded plane at 30,000 feet, and became "verbally abusive;" and • A Delta Air Lines passenger who allegedly head-butted a flight attendant, again for not being willing to give him more alcohol. So what's the solution? Obviously, problem drinking is a big part of many of these situations. And the new FAA law that President Trump just signed does contain tougher penalties for interfering with flight crew on U.S. flights. But flight attendants are in a tough position: they're first line safety officers, but they're also there for passenger comfort. Yes, they serve drinks on most flights, but it's asking a lot for them also to act as bouncers, or cops. Personally, I'm old enough to remember what flying was like for a year or two after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks--when, at least in my personal experience, passengers were more likely to keep an eye on each other, and when it seemed like peer pressure likely stopped some people from acting aggressively on airplanes. That sad day will always influence countries' policies on air travel. In other words, you can't blame the Dutch for a second for scrambling F-16s in a situation like this. Regardless, at 40,000 feet, we're all in this together. And if I were one of the innocent souls aboard an aircraft where a violent fellow passenger caused enough of a disturbance to result in armed fighter jets intercepting me, I don't think I'd be taking this lightly. https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/drunk-american-airline-drunk-klm-dutch-air-force-f16.html Back to Top Has safety improved a year after Navy and Marine aviation crisis? An F/A-18E Super Hornet from the "Fighting Checkmates" of Strike Fighter Squadron 211 flies by the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, which was sailing in the Mediterranean Sea on June 26th. (MC3 Rebekah A. Watkins/Navy) Aviation woes continue to dog the Navy and Marines but ongoing reforms will make a difference, the top flight officers for both services predicted Friday. A year ago, Navy and Marine squadrons reeled from a rising number of aviation-related mishaps. The Navy's mishap rate had jumped 82 percent over the last five years, and the Marines' had leaped 80 percent, largely driven by incidents involving Hornet and Super Hornet fighters. Those aircraft suffered from a defense spending crunch, a lack of spare parts, too few planes available to fly and a dip in the number of experienced pilots and maintainers on duty. Although new numbers haven't been released to the public, Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder - the Corps' deputy commandant for aviation - said his Marines halved their mishap count from the previous fiscal year. Vice Adm. DeWolfe "Bullet" Miller III, the commander of Naval Air Forces, said his sailors didn't. "The hole's a little deeper than we thought," Miller told the audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. "We didn't get here overnight and we're not going to get out of it overnight." • Amid the latest spike in aviation deaths, a newly published Military Times Crash Database shows manned warplane accidents have jumped 39 percent since the 2013 budget cuts. To Miller, strike fighter readiness remains his biggest challenge, a problem that's plagued by a lack of both aircraft and pilots. The Navy needs to have 341 strike fighters ready to fight tonight but Miller said it averages about 260. And only about half of his strike fighters can even be flown, he added. Miller said that the Navy's mishap rate for the two most serious types of accidents held steady from 2017 - both Class A incidents that cause death or permanent disability or more than $2 million in aircraft damage and Class B mishaps that involve less severe crew injuries and at least $500,000 in damage. But Class C mishaps continued to rise. They're incidents that involve at least $50,000 in damage or cause injuries that keep crew members away from their duties. "We need to change some behaviors," Miller said. "Because what we are doing right now, the trends just continue to increase. So maintenance controls, our chief petty officers, we've challenged them to get more involved into every single maintenance action, every single movement of an aircraft to be able to turn the tide." But he said there's some good news. Flight hours are increasing for units stationed in the United States after several years of sidelining them to boost readiness rates at forward-deployed squadrons, Miller said. According to Rudder, the tumble in Marine mishaps can be credited both to intensified supervision of flight line operations and increased flight hours for pilots. "In some cases, we never really connected the readiness levels or the pilot flight time to a particular mishap," Rudder said. "But we fully understand that reps and sets, flight time, allows that pilot to react differently." In the fiscal year that ended on Oct. 1, Rudder said Marine pilots boosted their flight hours from 13 per month to just over 17. "On the ground, some of it had to do with just pure supervision," Rudder said. "We really put some things in place - we increased the level of oversight of towing aircraft, because we were having some towing incidents - whether they were bumps in the night or banging things against another aircraft." https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/10/05/a-year-after-navy-usmc-aviation-crisis-has-safety-improved/ Back to Top Pilots' post-traumatic stress disorder implicated in fatal aviation accidents Post-traumatic stress disorder has been implicated in a very small percentage of fatal aviation accidents, according to new research published in the journal Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors. "There is a practical need to understand the implications of pilots returning to work after experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTE)s. Currently there is very limited research available on aviation-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among pilots and their long-term follow-up," explained study author Alpo Vuorio of the University of Helsinki. For their study, Vuorio and his colleagues analyzed data on fatal aviation accidents from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). They found that PTSD was mentioned in eight fatal accident investigations in the United States from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2015. The eight PTSD-related accidents accounted for 0.16% of the 4,862 fatal accidents during that time period. For example, a 65-year-old male pilot entered a stall and crashed shortly after takeoff. The NTSB concluded the fatal accident was related to his decision to fly an unfamiliar aircraft (a Loehle 5151 Mustang) and his psychiatric condition. "[A] review of the pilot's personal records indicated diagnoses of posttraumatic stress syndrome and bipolar disorder, both of which are associated with a variety of symptoms that tend to decrease and increase over time... it is likely that the pilot's psychiatric condition(s) directly contributed to his decision to take off from an unauthorized grassy area in an airplane in which he likely had little or no experience," the NTSB report said. The pilot was also taking a number of medications, including clonazepam and quetiapine. "There is an association between PTSD and fatal aircraft accidents as a potentially contributing factor," Vuorio told PsyPost. "In incidents where potentially traumatic events occur, it is important to recognize them and to assess the need for treatment of the pilot." However, it is unclear just how many pilots have PTSD. The researchers also found some cases where pilots had concealed their psychiatric conditions from aeromedical examiners - who are responsible for issuing medical certificates. "This study would be more representative if there was access to data that reflected the true number of pilots who have been diagnosed or presumed to have PTSD, but these data were not available. In the future, hopefully, systematic data collection following aviation and work-related traumatic events and incidents among pilots will result in more comprehensive PTSD analyses," Vuorio said. "There are certain protective factors that can be assessed after a PTE. These protective factors include social/psychosocial support - in other words, and support from the friends, family, and peers," he added. "Psychiatric comorbidity is common with PTSD. If a pilot presents with fear of flying, evaluation of traumatic events might reveal useful information in assessing comorbidity." The study, "Pilot Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Fatal Aviation Accidents", was authored by Tanja Laukkala,Robert Bor, Bruce Budowle, Pooshan Navathe, Antti Sajantila, Markku Sainio, and Alpo Vuorio. https://www.psypost.org/2018/10/pilots-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-implicated-in-fatal-aviation-accidents-52272 Back to Top Feds punish airline for hot temperatures on delayed Dayton plane sitting on tarmac The federal government punished Allegiant Air this week for failing to provide passengers comfortable cabin temperatures on 10 delayed flights, including a summer 2017 flight out of Dayton. The U.S. Department of Transportation fined the low-fare airline $250,000 and ordered it to cease and desist from future similar violations. Federal regulations require airlines to provide comfortable cabin temperatures to passengers during tarmac delays. The government cited Allegiant Flight 1127 from James M. Cox Dayton International Airport on July 19, 2017 as one of the flights for which the airline failed to provide comfortable temperatures during a delay. On that day, the airport recorded a high temperature of 88 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The government's order does not reveal how hot airplane temperatures became, nor how cool the plane should have been kept. Allegiant told the government "it takes compliance with laws and regulations very seriously," but added, "outdoor temperatures made cabin cooling during the tarmac delays difficult at best despite Allegiant's use of air conditioning carts, ground power units, and other measures to supplement internally-generated cooling" on the flights. The carrier said it made "sensible decisions taking account of the information available and various pro-passenger considerations, including the passengers' consistently strong desire to get to their destination as quickly as possible." Seven of the incidents occurred at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport. Another occurred at El Paso International Airport in Texas. Many of the flights, Allegiant said, "were subjected to outdoor temperatures generally in the triple-digit range and in some cases exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit." The government considers an airline's failure to comply with regulations as an "unfair and deceptive practice" under the law. A tarmac delay occurs when an airplane on the ground is either awaiting takeoff or has just landed and passengers do not have the opportunity to get off the plane, according to the transportation department. For flights departing from a U.S. airport, airlines are required to begin to move the airplane to a location where passengers can safely get off within 3 hours for domestic flights and 4 hours for international flights, according to the department. During a tarmac delay, airlines must provide passengers with a snack, such as a granola bar, and drinking water no later than two hours after the aircraft leaves the gate, according to the department. In one of the cases, an August 2017 flight from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Allegiant "failed to make announcements to inform passengers that they had an opportunity to deplane," according to the department's consent order. Nor did the airline "have adequate supplies onboard to provide water and snack service to all passengers." The incident in Dayton is not the first for the airline. An engine on an Allegiant plane destined for Dayton caught fire in March 2017. The flight was one of 11 to suffer similar mechanical issues with the plane's generator, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board. No injuries were reported for any of the 157 passengers or 6 crew members. https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/feds-punish-airline-for-hot-temperatures-delayed-dayton-plane-sitting-tarmac/oDObUS8BqNPjvYJ9HCQfeO/ Back to Top Air NZ ordered to pay former pilot $20,000 in compensation Former Air NZ pilot Peter Cross was a Boeing 777 captain. Air New Zealand has been ordered to pay a former experienced pilot $20,000 by the Employment Relations Authority for not acting in good faith. Peter Cross had been working at Air New Zealand for over 30 years when he was stood down from all flying duties in 2015, after crashing the simulator during an assessment. All Air NZ pilots are subject to simulator sessions every six months and are tested on issues including engine failures, malfunctions, navigation hazards, and adverse weather conditions. During Cross' employment there had been four incidents in his handling of stressful situations which rose concern at Air NZ. Peter Cross had been working at Air New Zealand for over 30 years when he was stood down from all flying duties in 2015, after crashing the simulator during an assessment. In December 2003, while flying a A320 flight Cross had an unstable landing, which led to a safety investigation report. Then over a decade later and in May 2014, during a flight from Perth to Auckland, the first officer was unable to enter the flight deck from the cabin because Cross would not unlock the door. As a result Cross was referred to a clinical psychologist for assessment. Later that year, during a simulation assessment, Cross failed to react to a weather-related flying crisis and had to re-sit the test. Then at the next simulation assessment in March 2015, Cross crashed the simulator and was stood down from flying duties. Pilots are required to hold a valid pilot's licence and medical certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand. In June 2015 the Civil Aviation Authority declined to renew Cross' medical certificate and after that he took a period of sick leave, which became unpaid sick leave in October 2016. By then it was declared Cross needed to re-qualify and re-apply for a medical certificate after completing a recommended psycho-therapeutic interventions review. A report by the psychiatrist recommended Cross could return to his flying duties but with restrictions including, extensive simulator testing, being reviewed by Air NZ senior staff and working with a therapist. Cross' lawyer repeatedly asked Air NZ when he could commence simulator sessions, but the airline said it did not feel confident in the absence of a medical certificate. Air New Zealand has been ordered to pay a former experienced pilot $20,000 by the Employment Relations Authority for not acting in good faith. It said there was a potential for wasted time and costs in performing simulator exercises and training if Cross' medical certificate did not allow him to return to work. As a result Cross had to find other ways to complete his simulator sessions. By the end of October 2017 Cross had received his medical certificate, as approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, with some restrictions. Namely '020 Restriction', which required Cross to submit reports from Air NZ's chief pilot every quarter and work with a therapist at least twice a month. His lawyer then asked Air NZ to restore Cross onto its payroll. But Air NZ raised concerns about the '020 Restriction' and the underlying medical situation having not been resolved as it required on-going work with medical specialists and assessment by multiple 'senior, supervising pilots'. The airline believed the restrictions fell outside its normal training and checking procedures, and was not confident it could accurately simulate the circumstances and pressure necessary for the assessment. The ERA said the safety of Air NZ's passengers was paramount and the airline was only responsible for assessing Cross' technical ability not ensuring he was medically competent. Given that Cross had a history of incidents, Air NZ took the view that it would not be appropriate to test Cross' response in circumstances of stress during an operational flight, and the ERA deemed this fair. However the ERA found that Air NZ did not act in good faith as it failed to proactively raise concerns with the Civil Aviation Authority about the '020 Restriction' clause and did not engage positively with Cross' simulator testing requests, after he had been cleared to fly. Air NZ has been ordered to pay Cross $20,000 in compensation. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/107660016/air-nz-ordered-to-pay-former-pilot-20000-in-compensation Back to Top THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A DRONE HITS AN AIRPLANE We have seen a fantastic visualization that shows us the chaos a single drone can cause when flying near an airport. But what would happen if a drone actually hit an airplane? Researchers at the University of Dayton Research Institute teamed up with Sinclair College National UAS Training and Certification Center to find out. In this video from Aviation International News, you can see what happens to both the drone and the airplane when they collide in mid-air. Experts believe that a serious collision between a drone and a commercial aircraft is no longer a matter of "if," but a matter of "when." Tests on bird strikes have been conducted for decades, but with hundreds of thousands of drones out there, now is the time to test the damage they could cause. So, the researchers performed a series of tests in controlled conditions. They simulated a flight of a general aviation aircraft and examined what would happen if it got hit a recreational drone in mid-air. For the tests, the team used a DJI Phantom 2 and crashed it into an airplane wing at the speed of 238 mph. The drone completely penetrated the airplane's wing and caused a substantial amount of damage. The researchers believe that, at these conditions, the airplane would survive the damage. However, with faster aircraft, there would be more damage. The team compared the impact of a drone with the damage a similar-sized bird would cause. Worry not, no birds were harmed - a gel projectile was used to simulate the impact. The results showed that a bird would crush the leading edge of the wing. But unlike the drone, the bird wouldn't cause any internal damage. As the drone population increases, the chance of collisions between drones and airplanes increases too. And now that some drones are about to be allowed near airports, it could potentially increase the chances of incidents even further. Kevin Poormon of the University of Dayton Research Institute proposes a solution to minimize the risks. He believes that the drones should be constructed so that they break apart when they hit an airplane wing. This way they wouldn't penetrate the wing and cause an internal damage that could end up in a tragedy. https://www.diyphotography.net/this-is-what-happens-when-a-drone-hits-an-airplane/ Back to Top FAA: 665 helicopter bird strikes over the last 3 years The helicopter industry reported 665 bird strikes in the United States over the last three years, according to figures from the Federal Aviation Administration Strike Database. The data, provided by Phyllis R. Miller, a scientific data technician with the USDA Wildlife Services, span 2015 to 2017, and show an annual strike count of just over 200 - a consistent figure to the average since 2010. Metro Aviation conducted its investigation into bird strikes as part of an overarching safety evaluation of its operations. Metro Aviation PhotoRecent tests have shown that aircraft with pulsing lights are hit less often and suffer less damage when struck by a bird. Kelly Cathey Photo Prior to that, reported strikes were considerably lower, but this was likely due to a lack of reporting. The number of strikes that remain unreported due to a lack of resulting damage or delays is unknown. Of the total strikes reported, 77 were on government aircraft (including U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other government entities), and 12 privately-owned helicopters were struck. The vast majority of strikes were recorded on helicopters on business flights. Bird strikes caused three fatalities (all from one incident) and eight injuries (from eight separate incidents) over the reporting period. The fatal encounter occurred near Stuttgart, Arkansas, on Nov. 19, 2017. A Bell 407, being used as a medical transport, was responding to a call when it crashed, fatally injuring the pilot and two medical personnel aboard. Witnesses said the aircraft started spinning out of control before crashing to the ground and bursting into flames. Although still under investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board, it is believed to be a bird strike incident - and has been officially counted as such. Many geese frequent the area of the crash and several bird carcasses were found in the wreckage. Of the eight injuries reported, four were to pilots, and four were passengers. The incidents typically involved medium to large birds, with some penetrating into the aircraft. The more minor injuries were typically the result of flying debris caused by the strike - particularly broken glass. In terms of the impact on the aircraft, 79 strikes (12 percent) resulted in at least some damage. Of these, 41 (six percent) produced "substantial damage" - defined as damage to an aircraft's structural integrity, performance, or flight characteristics, normally requiring major repairs or the replacement of the entire affected component. In all, 28 incidents resulted in over $10,000 in damage/repair costs, four of which exceeded $100,000. For the three-year period, bird/wildlife strikes to helicopters resulted in a total of over $3.7 million in repair and damage costs - not including the revenue lost to an aircraft being out of service while in repair. The most damaging strikes are from larger birds, with vultures being particularly troublesome - but smaller birds can be dangerous if they are in a flock. The vast majority of bird strikes continue to occur while helicopters are enroute - as opposed to fixed-wing aircraft, which are typically struck on takeoff, approach or landing. Most bird strike precautions are taken at and in the vicinity of airports, doing little to protect helicopters traveling enroute. Pulsing exterior lights are one technological advance that may help helicopters, as they seem to warn birds away. Recent tests have shown that aircraft with pulsing lights are hit less often and suffer less damage when struck. https://www.verticalmag.com/news/faa-665-helicopter-bird-strikes-over-last-3-years/ Back to Top LSA Weight Limit Increasing To 3600 Pounds (Updated) A high-ranking FAA source has confirmed that the FAA plans to almost triple the maximum weight for most light sport aircraft to 3600 pounds in rulemaking that will be introduced in January. The source confirmed the scant details of a Facebook post written by AOPA Senior VP of Media and Outreach Tom Haines from the AOPA Regional Fly-In at Carbondale, Illinois. "Great news out of AOPA: your freedom to fly Fly-in at Carbondale," Haines wrote. "In January the FAA will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking increasing max weight for a light sport airplane from 1320 lbs to 3600 lbs. And ADS-B rebate will be back again in a few days. More to come." The FAA source declined to elaborate on details of the proposed rulemaking but suggested more information will be forthcoming "soon." EAA Chairman Jack Pelton announced at AirVenture in July the FAA was planning a weight increase for the class of aircraft, which is now set at 1320 pounds for wheeled aircraft and 1430 pounds for seaplanes. Some designs, like the Icon A5, have been granted weight exemptions to accommodate safety features and equipment. The new limit will capture a wide range of aircraft that now require a minimum of a private pilot certificate to fly. What's not clear is precisely how the rulemaking will alter performance limits, passenger loads and weather requirements for LSA operations. AOPA reported Pelton told the Carbondale event that the new rule "will allow you to fly in a 172, have four seats in the airplane, and fly 150 MPH." He also said there were plans to allow professional builders to assemble homebuilts. Later on Sunday, AOPA President Mark Baker issued a formal statement in response to numerous inquiries about the news. "Over the past two years, AOPA has been working with the FAA, ASTM International Light-Sport committee and other general aviation organizations to improve and advance light-sport aircraft, including increasing the weight limit and incorporate new technologies like electric propulsion. The FAA has indicated it is on track to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in early 2019 which will include many of the suggestions for improvement," the statement said. "The rule will be a major step in making new, innovative aircraft accessible to pilots, by removing prescriptive barriers that are limiting aircraft designers, the flight training industry, and the strength of the pilot population." As for the ADS-B rebate, it will be a repeat of the $500 incentive launched last year that did not attract much interest. "I talked with the FAA administrator yesterday (Friday). He was comfortable with me telling you there's going to be another $500 rebate," the AOPA report quoted Baker as saying. AVweb has contacted industry leaders about the proposed change and the new ADS-B rebate program and will update this story as they get back to us. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/LSA-Weight-Limit-Increasing-To-3600-Pounds-231639-1.html Back to Top Aerospace hiring heats up as defense, aircraft programs take off UCLA aerospace-engineering student Mia Reyes interned at Northrop Grumman and plans to do so again. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times / TNS) The increased U.S. defense budget, record commercial aircraft orders and the launch of new programs have companies scrambling to hire engineers and others. Sometimes they are competing against tech companies for employees experienced in software or artificial intelligence. This summer, a Coolhaus ice cream truck rolled up to the edge of Northrop Grumman's Redondo Beach, California, Space Park campus. It offered free frosty treats - from Raytheon recruiters. That's just one hiring strategy employed by aerospace and defense companies these days. Lockheed Martin and Boeing have Facebook or Twitter accounts tailored specifically for recruiting. A Northrop Grumman billboard towers over a major thoroughfare south of Los Angeles International Airport, promoting careers at the company. The increased U.S. defense budget, record orders for commercial aircraft and the launch of new, cutting-edge programs have aerospace and defense companies scrambling to hire engineers and other skilled workers. They're especially interested in those with experience in software, artificial intelligence and autonomy - pitting them against tech companies for the same pool of workers. Historically, aerospace and defense firms "haven't had the Googles and Amazons and Yahoos to recruit against," said Harold Carter, director of engineering and technology at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale. "Quite frequently now, especially in software-related disciplines ... we're certainly seeing it's much more competitive." Next year, the aerospace and defense industry will probably hire 58,000 to 60,000 people across the country in a mix of new jobs and to account for attrition and retirements, said Carole Rickard Hedden, editorial director of Aviation Week Executive Intelligence, which produces a yearly report on the industry workforce. About one-third of those hires will be on the West Coast. That's up from about 50,000 hires industrywide last year, said Frank Slazer, vice president for space systems and workforce at the Aerospace Industries Association trade group. Kelly Maloney, president and executive director of the Aerospace Futures Alliance, the industry's Washington state lobbying group, said she hears from aerospace companies daily about the talent shortage. "Washington is experiencing a high demand for aerospace workers right now due to increased production by Boeing, and other variables," she said. Because Boeing this year stopped providing monthly employment data, it's not possible to track the company's hiring precisely. However, after Boeing shed more than 6,000 jobs in 2016 and again in 2017, the two main unions report that this year it's hiring again. Boeing has hired more than 2,000 Machinists this year. With about 800 retirements, the International Association of Machinists union saw a net gain through August of 1,200 members. Boeing's white-collar union, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, reports that Boeing has hired just over 1,000 engineers and technical staff locally through this month, though with retirements the union's net gain in members is about 260. Nationally, many companies are looking to staff up after recent program wins, including the stealthy B-21 bomber, NASA's low-boom supersonic X-plane and hypersonic missile research. Roy Azevedo, Raytheon's president of space and airborne systems, expects the hiring boom to continue for years. "It rivals what we saw in the 1980s," he said. "The openings are roughly doubled from just about a year ago." As of last month, Raytheon had about 1,000 job openings in California, including 600 in the South Bay. Lockheed Martin's careers page listed about 880 open positions last month in California, a "significant increase from anything in the past," Carter said. Although it doesn't compare to the industrywide hiring numbers seen in the late '80s and early '90s, "we are in an uptick," said Jim Adams, principal of the aerospace and defense practice at KPMG. This most recent spike is partially driven by the Trump administration's increased national defense budget, which totals $716 billion for fiscal year 2019-20. That's a 2.2 percent increase from the fiscal year 2018-19 budget, and comes off a 10.5 percent increase between fiscal year 2017-18 and 2018-19, said Todd Harrison, director of defense-budget analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Lockheed Martin's $247.5 million contract to build NASA's X-plane has boosted hiring at the company's secretive Skunk Works facility, along with accelerated technology development and other programs Carter declined to name. A Northrop Grumman official has said the company plans to add more than 2,000 jobs by late next year at its top-secret aircraft plant in Palmdale, where the company plans to complete final assembly of the U.S. Air Force's B-21. The Pentagon plans to buy 100 of the bombers by the mid-2030s for at least $80 billion. To attract young talent, aerospace firms are constant presences on college campuses. Last fall, Mia Reyes, 20, met Northrop Grumman recruiters through a résumé workshop at a UCLA Society of Women Engineers event and took a tour of one of the company's local facilities through her involvement with the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists. Those meetings led to an internship this past summer at Northrop Grumman, where the third-year aerospace-engineering student worked on stress analysis of aircraft structures. She'll be interning there again next summer. A major draw was Northrop Grumman's work on the James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope that is set for launch in 2021. "That telescope is the coolest thing in the world to me," Reyes said. "The science behind it ... makes sense, but it sounds like sci-fi." Aerospace and defense firms face an increasingly competitive market for talent, as tech companies also look for engineers with skills in software and artificial intelligence, said Adams of KPMG. Entry-level electrical engineers earn $75,000 to $80,000. With 12 to 15 years of experience, that salary could increase to $146,000 to $150,000, according to Aviation Week data. Entry-level software engineers in aerospace and defense make about $76,000, according to Aviation Week; the national average for those workers is about $95,000, according to Glassdoor. Companies are also looking for experience in cybersecurity, electric- and rocket-power systems, as well as data analytics. Ten years ago, highly coveted job skills included systems engineering and electrical engineering, according to a recent aerospace-workforce report from Aviation Week. Even when aerospace companies can compete for tech talent, they often have the disadvantage of having to meet requirements for classified programs. There is a significant backlog in conducting background investigations for government security clearances, according to a January report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. As of September 2017, more than 700,000 investigations were still in the pipeline, though the backlog has declined since the last reporting, according to a GAO official. https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/aerospace-hiring-heats-up-as-defense-aircraft-programs-take-off/ Back to Top Etihad Provides Additional Cash Infusion for Struggling Jet Airways A Jet Airways 777-300 landing at London Heathrow (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson) Etihad's equity partnership in airlines is creating trouble yet again, this time with the perpetually money-losing machine better known as Jet Airways. Etihad, which already owns a 24 percent stake in Jet Airways, has proposed a new financial restructuring and support plan for Jet Airways which will result in an additional investment in the essentially failing airline. Etihad is set to give Jet Airways $35 million in a cash pre-purchase for Jet Airways' frequent flyer program, Jet Privilege, which Etihad already has 50.1 percent ownership of. The Abu Dabi-based airline already spent $150 million to purchase the slim majority of shares in 2014. The exact transaction involves Jet Privilege pre-purchasing discounted mileage redemption seats from Jet Airways. This transaction, generally, is business as usual since separate mileage programs pre-purchase seats to offer members for a redemption of miles. However, this time it's not exactly a secret what the funds are for. Jet Airways' Financial Struggles The purchase/investment gives Jet Airways immediate cash that will help the airline meet some short-term obligations, such as staff salaries, which sheds some insight to just how financially poor the airline's situation is. The airline has not been able to pay salaries on time for a good portion of its staff as it has deferred or partially paid salaries to many. In addition, the carrier has several aircraft lease payments coming up and financial obligations towards an order of Boeing 737 MAX8 aircraft. The full-service carrier is struggling to compete against domestic low-cost carriers in India and also faces stiff competition on foreign routes from state-owned and similarly-fledgling Air India, as well as the major Middle Eastern airlines. In addition, rising fuel costs and aviation taxes have taken a significant toll on the company. The $35 million cash infusion is essentially a short-term lifeline while the airline seeks to raise additional funds over the next two quarters to help keep lenders at bay and cut costs. However, this may prove to be a challenge since the majority of Jet Airways' debt payments are dollar based and the rupee has slid against the dollar for a greater portion of the year. The plan laid out by Etihad is, in theory, supposed to help guide the Jet Airways through a series of mid-to-long term steps to help revive the business. Part of which could include additional investment, especially in the Jet Privilege program, a strategy that has been utilized by many airlines to raise cash. In the United States, airline loyalty programs are highly profitable parts of an airline business and are often heavily relied upon. Etihad's Creditor Troubles While Jet Airways is the main focus here, some light is directed towards Etihad. Etihad's equity plan has essentially been a failure with the bankruptcy of Air Berlin and Alitalia, the two largest equity investments Etihad has made in Europe. Air Berlin faltered in 2017 and Alitalia is hanging on by a string of government subsidies among a turf war with Qatar Airways-backed Air Italy in Milan. This has upset some creditors who had an investment in Etihad established investment vehicles to raise funds for such equity purchases. These creditors claim that they had to auction claims linked to those airlines and did not receive enough to cover their original principle investments. It is reported that investors, represented by a legal firm, have sent a letter to Etihad asking for a high-level meeting with management to discuss the investment strategy under the belief that they were potentially misled on its comments to support these equity partners. https://airlinegeeks.com/2018/10/06/etihad-provides-additional-cash-infusion-for-struggling-jet-airways/ Back to Top No commercial crew test flights expected this year If you would like to see more articles like this please support our coverage of the space program by becoming a Spaceflight Now Member. If everyone who enjoys our website helps fund it, we can expand and improve our coverage further. Artist's concept of the CST-100 Starliner and Crew Dragon (lower left and upper right). Credit: NASA BREMEN, Germany - NASA has released new target dates for test flights of commercial crew capsules in development by SpaceX and Boeing, with unpiloted demo missions by SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spaceships now scheduled for January and March, followed by crewed orbital missions in mid-2019. The new schedule for the commercial crew test flights was released Thursday by NASA, which promised more timely updates as the Crew Dragon and CST-100 Starliner near their first space missions. In early August, when NASA last announced schedule targets for the commercial crew test flights, SpaceX's Crew Dragon was expected to launch as early as November on a test flight to the International Space Station without any crew members on-board. At the same time, Boeing's CST-100 Starliner was to launch on a similar demo mission in January. Those schedules have slipped two months since August. The unpiloted test flights will be followed by crewed test flights for each spacecraft. The first Crew Dragon launch with astronauts aboard is now targeted for June, and the CST-100 Starliner's first crewed test flight is scheduled for next August. Those will be followed by "post-certification missions," a series of launches and landings to refresh crews on the station and bring outgoing crews home. NASA said launch date planning for the commercial crew test flights has entered a new phase with both vehicles within months of taking off. Managers will balance the readiness of each spacecraft with the space station's schedule and the availability of the U.S. Air Force's Eastern Range, which provides safety and support services to all launches originating from Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. "As we get closer to launching human spacecraft from the U.S., we can be more precise in our schedules," said Phil McAlister, director of commercial spaceflight development at NASA Headquarters. "This allows our technical teams to work efficiently toward the most up-to-date schedules, while allowing us to provide regular updates publicly on the progress of our commercial crew partners." The upper and lower domes for CST-100 Spacecraft 2, which will launch on the Crew Flight Test next year, were mated inside Boeing's assembly facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in June. Credit: NASA "This new process for reporting our schedule is better; nevertheless, launch dates will still have some uncertainty, and we anticipate they may change as we get closer to launch," McAlister said. "These are new spacecraft, and the engineering teams have a lot of work to do before the systems will be ready to fly." NASA said SpaceX is aiming to have its spacecraft and rocket hardware ready for the first Crew Dragon test flight - known as Demo-1 - in December. But the Demo-1 mission's launch will not occur until January in order to "accommodate docking opportunities" at the space station. The orbiting research lab has a busy schedule of visiting cargo and crew vehicles, with a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft due to arrive at the station in mid-November and a SpaceX Dragon supply ship expected to rendezvous with the station in early December. In addition to the resupply flights, a Soyuz spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the outpost Dec. 13 to bring back to Earth outgoing station commander Alexander Gerst, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev and NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor. One week later, a different Soyuz spaceship will launch with a three-person U.S.-Russian-Canadian crew to raise the station's staff of space fliers back to five. Those missions all use different docking ports than the one to be used by Crew Dragon, but station managers prefer to space out major visiting vehicle arrivals and departures to alleviate the workload on astronauts and ground controllers. Hans Koenigsmann, SpaceX's vice president of build and flight reliability, said Wednesday that the company is "getting close" to the first Crew Dragon test flight, but chalked up the reason for a delay to next year to "paperwork." "We are working hard to get this done this year, but at this time, the hardware might be ready, (but) we might still have to do some work on paper, on paperwork, and the certification side of it," Koenigsmann said in a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany. "It's going to be a close call whether we fly this year or not." The Crew Dragon's crew module for the Demo-1 flight - the section that will accommodate astronauts on future missions - was delivered to Cape Canaveral in July. According to a presentation NASA commercial crew program manager Kathy Lueders to the NASA Advisory Council in August, engineers have also completed qualification testing on a redesigned helium pressure vessel for the second stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, a replacement for the pressurant tank design that officials blamed for a Falcon 9 rocket explosion on a Florida launch pad before a commercial satellite mission in September 2016. Meanwhile, the assembly of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft assigned to Boeing's first commercial crew mission - known as the Orbital Test Flight, or OFT - continues in a converted space shuttle hangar at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The capsule set to fly on the OFT mission is actually the third to be built by Boeing. The first CST-100 Starliner vehicle, known as Spacecraft 1, will fly on a pad abort test next year, while Spacecraft 2 will soon be shipped from KSC to Boeing's satellite factory in El Segundo, California, for environmental testing, then will return to Florida for the Crew Flight Test next year. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner missions will launch on United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rockets. Sporting upgrades such as a twin-engine Centaur upper stage and a new safety computer to monitor the rocket's health during launch, the Atlas 5 slated to launch the Orbital Flight Test is completed and ready for shipment from ULA's rocket plant in Alabama to Cape Canaveral. A major reason for Boeing's delays centers on a problem encountered during a hotfire test of the Starliner's abort engines earlier this year on a test stand at White Sands, New Mexico. At the end of a brief firing of the craft's four launch abort engines, which are designed to push the capsule away from a failing rocket, several of the engine valves failed to fully close, causing a propellant spill. Boeing says its engineers have identified the problem, and will repeat the hotfire test before proceeding with a full-scale pad abort test to demonstrate the Starliner's capability to safely carry astronauts away from an emergency on the launch pad. "We have settled on one hardware fix and one software fix that will mitigate the problem that we saw with the hotfire earlier this year," said Chris Ferguson, a former space shuttle commander-turned-Boeing astronaut who will fly on the CST-100 Starliner's Crew Flight Test next year. "They will be rolled into the next hotfire test because we'll have to repeat an element of what we did not prove to ourselves back in the first test, and that will likely take place in the March/April timeframe." "(There's) one engineering hardware change, a small one, and a software change that will be rolled into the main fuel valves that will be mitigate the problem," Ferguson said. Ferguson, a former U.S. Navy test pilot, commanded the last space shuttle mission in 2011, then joined Boeing to help manage the development of the CST-100 Starliner. Boeing announced in July that Ferguson will return to space on the Crew Flight Test, and NASA has assigned astronauts Eric Boe and Nicole Mann to accompany him on the trip to the space station. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are assigned to the Crew Dragon's Demo-2 mission. Boeing and NASA have an agreement that could allow managers to extend the Crew Flight Test's stay at the space station from a few days or weeks up to six months, a measure that would help ensure U.S. astronauts maintain access to the research complex in the event of additional commercial crew delays. NASA has paid Russia for seats for U.S. astronauts on Russian Soyuz ferry ships throughout next year. Under the terms of the contract with the Russian space agency - Roscosmos - the final Soyuz landing with a U.S. crew member is scheduled in January 2020. The Boeing and SpaceX spacecraft, which are owned and operated by their builders and not NASA, will end U.S. reliance on Russian Soyuz capsules for astronaut transportation to and from the space station. Once the CST-100 Starliner and Crew Dragon ships are operational, NASA and Roscosmos plan to fly a U.S. astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut on every crew launch to the station under a barter arrangement without exchanging money, ensuring at least one crew member from each country is always present on the orbiting lab. But officials are concerned that the commercial crew spacecraft will not be ready to begin regular crew rotation flights to the station before NASA's access to Soyuz seats runs out, prompting the agreement with Boeing to potentially turn the Crew Flight Test into a long-duration mission. Managers will decide whether to exercise that option in the coming months. "A lot of time is being spent preparing for a long-duration stay on the International Space Station if needed," said Ferguson, referring to his crew training with NASA. In that event, Ferguson, 57, said he will join his NASA crewmates in helping maintain the station. "Boeing has signed up to provide hand labor on the space station," Ferguson said. "We'll receive some limited training on systems, how to help out in an emergency, and just general labor, whatever is needed on ISS. "I'm no stranger to ISS," he said. "I have a pretty reasonable idea of what needs to be done up there on a regular basis, and I know there's never enough hands, so I'm sure there will be ample work to keep me busy should we stay up there." He added that he never expected to live and work on the space station for months. His space shuttle missions each lasted less than two weeks. "I would embrace it," he said. "It would be very worthwhile way to polish off a spaceflight career." https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/06/no-commercial-crew-test-flights-expected-this-year/ Back to Top Back to Top NTSB Accident Site Photography Course Title Accident Site Photography Description Three courses in one training event - two days of photography instruction and practical exercises in addition to one day of digital image processing. Day One - Technical Photography The principles of digital imaging will be explained and demonstrated. Participants will create images to apply techniques discussed in class. Participants should be familiar with the operation of their digital camera prior to attending the course. Day Two - Advanced Accident Site Photography Participants learn how to capture the most important and useful images to document any accident site. Through the use of methods described in this course, participants will expose their own images in various photographic disciplines and then share in critique sessions offering constructive observations for improvement. This session will include interactive instruction and demonstration, as well as practical exercises. Day Three -Digital Image Processing Processing and storing of images for current and archival use in a variety of electronic formats will be discussed. Generally accepted protocols for processing of images to enhance image clarity will be presented, as well as information for retaining authenticity crucial for use as documentary evidence. ID Code IM300S Dates and Tuition November 6 - 8, 2018 $1,198 early registration by October 6, 2018 $1,248 late registration between October 7, 2018 and November 1, 2018. Times Day 1 & 3: 8am - 4:30pm Day 2: 8am-1pm and 5pm - 8pm (night documentation exercise) Location NTSB Training Center * 45065 Riverside Parkway * Ashburn, Virginia 20147 Status OPEN. Applications are now being accepted. Apply to Attend SIGN UP FOR THIS COURSE HERE CEUs 1.8 Program Agenda Day One - Technical Photography • Digital photography - how a digital image is formed, processed and stored; digital vs. analog imaging; adjusting resolution & file sizes for particular purposes • Camera usage and care - holding, focusing, light metering, batteries, moisture and cleaning • Elements of exposure - shutter speeds, lens apertures, depth-of-field and exposure vs. noise • Lighting: sources and techniques • Close-up and macro-photography - use of flash, filtration and polarization • Troubleshooting - Resolving difficulties by understanding the basics of digital hardware • Photographer safety and camera care • Digital imaging media, techniques and cautions Day Two - Advanced Accident Site Photography • Project environment - preparing for assignments under any conditions • Documenting the scene - protocols for documentation of any type of accident/incident site • Size, color and positional references - GPS capabilities and animation • Storytelling - capturing images to maximize informational content • Quantitative scene data - virtual reality, photomontage • Authenticity - ensuring image authenticity through use of specific procedures • Photo Reality - taking advantage of contrast, perspective, proper lens focal length and color reproduction • Exercise: Documentation of simulated aircraft accident site Day Three -Digital Image Processing • Workflow process - from image capture to archival storage • Scanning - converting traditional prints into digital images • File types - determining optimal file formats for various image types and usages • Image size - Guidelines for best file sizes for a range of storage and electronic transmission considerations • Compression - balancing the benefits and drawbacks of various modes of image compression • Image Correction - using imaging programs to correct for deficiencies in overall image quality: o Enhancing detail o Adjusting luminosity o Cropping out distracting/irrelevant elements o Correcting distorted color o Improving contrast Authenticity protocols - practices and procedures to ensure that the integrity and accuracy of the documentary digital image is not compromised at any point in the workflow process Equipment In addition, it is recommended and encouraged that you bring to class all equipment and accessories that you may use on the job, such as scales, mirrors, memory, and tripods. Students should be prepared to photograph at a simulated scene outdoors. Please be prepared for local weather and outdoor working conditions. Who May Attend • NTSB investigators • Federal, state & local investigators, including those outside the field of transportation, who would like to build or enhance photographic skills • Potential participants in an NTSB investigation • Law Enforcement Officers • Safety and Private Investigators • Enforcement Inspectors • Others who would like to build or enhance photographic skills Accommodations Area hotels and restaurants Airports Washington Dulles International (IAD): 10 miles Washington Ronald Reagan National (DCA): 30 miles Baltimore/Washington International (BWI): 60 miles More Information Email StudentServices@ntsb.gov or call (571) 223-3900 Courses, forums and symposia are added to the schedule throughout the year. Subscribe to the e-newsletter to learn about upcoming events and new programs: https://app.ntsb.gov/trainingcenter/list/list_mw020207.htm Back to Top New HFACS workshop Las Vegas, NV December 18th & 19th, 2018 HFACS, Inc. offers professional development training on our innovative HFACS/HFIX methodologies. Our intensive, two-day workshops teach updated cutting-edge techniques to help your organization identify the causes of errors and develop preventative measures to lower your risk and improve performance. You have been included in our new email database as we begin using this important tool for communication on upcoming workshops as well as being the first to hear about any special offers. Please forward this to any interested co-workers so they may also stay connected. How to register: To register email dnlmccnn@gmail.com, or info@hfacs.com or call 800-320-0833 or visit hfacs.com Attendees of the workshop will learn how to: • Integrate human factors and system safety concepts into the root cause analysis (RCA) process • Utilize the Human Factors Analysis & Classification System (HFACS®) to identify systemic causes of human error during accidents, incidents, and/or near misses. • Integrate HFACS into traditional RCA tools like the fishbone diagram, fault trees, and link analysis using HFACS • Implement the Human Factors Intervention matriX (HFIX®) to develop innovative corrective action programs Develop a human error database and tracking system for monitoring and evaluating performance improvement efforts All attendees of the workshop will receive: • HFACS Textbook • HFACS-RCA Handbook (including HFACS Interview Guide & HFACS/HFIX Checklists) • Complimentary Associate HFACS Professional (AHP) Certification • Opportunity to join the largest Listserv catering to human factors accident investigation and error management Already attended a 2-day workshop? Don't miss out on our special offers! • Our workshops have been updated to feature the newest information • If you have already attended our 2-day HFACS course, don't miss out on the opportunity to attend another workshop as a "refresher" for a discounted rate of $200 • Or bring a full-paying customer with you and receive free refresher course registration For any additional questions and information, contact dnlmccnn@gmail.com, or info@hfacs.com or call 800-320-0833 HURRY AND SAVE THE DATE SEATS GO FAST Curt Lewis