Flight Safety Information October 26, 2018 - No. 218 In This Issue Incident: Xiamen B737 at Lhasa on Oct 25th 2018, jammed flaps Incident: Jazz CRJ2 at Washington on Oct 20th 2018, flaps problem Incident: Iceland B752 near Bagotville on Oct 19th 2018, cracked windshield Incident: Interjet A320 at Chetumal on Oct 2nd 2018, temporary runway excursion on landing Incident: Ryanair B738 and Ryanair B738 near Pamplona on Oct 2nd 2018, near collision in flight Boeing 747-436 - Bird Strike Damage (LHR) Aircraft from South Carolina missing en route to the Bahamas Frontier Airlines passenger opens cabin door, deploying the emergency slide NTSB: Pilot reported struggles before Hamptons plane crash Woman helps land helicopter after pilot loses consciousness IATA calls for urgent action to minimise Brexit impacts FAA awards high marks to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport following inspection of airfield ERAU Study Finds Drone Collision Risks Near Airports Air Methods Investing in Level D Simulators to Increase Safety, Pilot Instrument Proficiency Regulations Opening African Skies for Unmanned Aircraft, Connectivity, Tourism The biggest threat to drone innovation is a group you've never heard of Navy announces aviation retention bonuses Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority reappointed for extended term (UK) AOPA IMMERSES EDUCATORS IN AVIATION Volocopter Expanding Air Taxi Testing Becoming a U-2 Pilot Flight academy aims to help fill need for pilots (Iowa) Three senior executives quit Jet Airways amid worsening financial situation (India) SpaceX is reportedly looking for a $500M loan - and a few good Seattle baristas GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING: WHAT EVERY PILOT NEEDS TO KNOW - Course Gas Turbine Accident Investigation from SCSI Upcoming USC Aviation Safety Courses Incident: Xiamen B737 at Lhasa on Oct 25th 2018, jammed flaps A Xiamen Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration B-5278 performing flight MF-8411 from Chongqing to Lhasa (China) with 88 people on board, was descending towards Lhasa when the crew applied flaps, the flaps however became stuck. The crew aboted the approach. Due to the jammed position of the flaps the aircraft was no longer able to divert and was committed to land in Lhasa. The aircraft entered a hold to burn off fuel and prepare for a high speed landing (runway length 4,000 meters/13,120 feet at elevation 3,570 meters/11,710 feet), and landed safely at a higher than normal speed about 45 minutes after aborting the first approach. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Lhasa about 19 hours later. http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf6de68&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Jazz CRJ2 at Washington on Oct 20th 2018, flaps problem A Jazz Canadair CRJ-200, registration C-GGJA performing flight QK-8824 from Montreal,QC (Canada) to Washington National,DC (USA) with 50 people on board, was on approach to Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport when the crew selected flaps, the flaps however remained at zero degrees. The crew aborted the approach, declared emergency and diverted to Washington's Dulles International Airport due to the longer available runway and landed safely at a higher than normal speed. The Canadian TSB reported the flaps could not be reset, the next flight was cancelled for maintenance. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JZA8824/history/20181020/1810Z/CYUL/KDCA http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf6dcc5&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Iceland B752 near Bagotville on Oct 19th 2018, cracked windshield An Icelandair Boeing 757-200, registration TF-ISJ performing flight FI-688 from Orlando,FL (USA) to Keflavik (Iceland) with 155 passengers and 7 crew, was enroute at FL350 about 50nm southeast of Bagotville,QC (Canada) when the crew observed arcing in the right corner of the captain's forward windshield. The crew turned the windshield heating off, however, shortly afterwards a loud cracking sound was heard. Both flight crew donned their oxygen masks, declared Mayday and initiated an emergency descent but stopped the emergency descent at about FL250. The crew continued a normal descent and diverted to Bagotville for a safe landing on runway 11 about 20 minutes after leaving FL350. The Canadian TSB reported the crew noticed that the cabin pressure remained constant while descending through FL250 and stopped the emergency descent, the captain removed his oxygen masks while the first officer kept his oxygen mask on as a precaution. A normal descent and diversion to Bagotville followed. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ICE688/history/20181019/2310Z/KMCO/BIKF http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf6dbb7&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Interjet A320 at Chetumal on Oct 2nd 2018, temporary runway excursion on landing An Interjet Airbus A320-200, registration XA-IUA performing flight 4O-2548 (dep Oct 2nd) from Mexico City to Chetumal (Mexico), landed on Chetumal's runway 10 at 23:22L (04:22Z Oct 3rd) but temporarily veered right off the runway before returning onto the runway. Mexico's AIB reported there were no injuries, there was unknown damage when XA-IUA exited the runway to the right while landing on Chetumal's runway 10/28, however, provided the occurrence date as Oct 1st 2018 (on Oct 1st UTC the aircraft landing in Chetumal was XA-BIO, and Oct 1st local time the aircraft landing flight 4O-2548 was XA-BAV). The occurrence was rated a serious incident and is being investigated. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 7 hours until next morning before departing for the return flight 4O-2549 on schedule. Metars: MMCM 030942Z 00000KT 6SM SCT010 23/23 A2985 RMK 8/600 HZY RTS= MMCM 030434Z 02005KT 3SM RA OVC015CB 24/23 A2991 RMK 8/3// RA B17= MMCM 030342Z 00000KT 7SM SKC 25/24 A2993= MMCM 030251Z 06005KT 7SM BKN020CB 25/24 A2992 RMK SLP133 5//// 960 8/300= MMCM 030140Z 00000KT 7SM BKN020CB 26/24 A2991 RMK 8/300 OCNL DROPS= MMCM 030044Z 00000KT 7SM BKN020CB 26/24 A2990 RMK 8/300= http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf69899&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Ryanair B738 and Ryanair B738 near Pamplona on Oct 2nd 2018, near collision in flight A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DWW performing flight FR-1192 from Sevilla,SP (Spain) to Toulouse (France), was enroute at FL340 about 12nm south of Pamplona,SP (Spain) nearing the reporting point GOSVI. A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-FRY performing flight FR-724 from Santiago de Compostela,SP to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain), was enroute at FL340 about 3nm south of Pamplona,SP (Spain) nearing reporting point GOSVI at the same time. Both aircraft received TCAS resolution advisories (RAs), the crews complied with the RAs, FR-724 climbed about 500 feet before returning to FL340, FR-1192 descended to FL330 and began the descent into Toulouse, both aircraft became clear of conflict and continued to their destinations for safe landings. On Oct 25th 2018 Spain's CIAIAC reported according to preliminary data the separation between the aircraft reduced to 400 feet vertical and 2.2nm horizontally. The occurrence is being investigated. Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth): http://avherald.com/h?article=4bf6934b&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 747-436 - Bird Strike Damage (LHR) Date: 25-OCT-2018 Time: Type: Boeing 747-436 Owner/operator: British Airways Registration: G-CIVR C/n / msn: 25820/1146 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: near London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) ? - United Kingdom Phase: Unknown Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK) Destination airport: London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL) Narrative: British Airways flight BA176, a Boeing 747-436, suffered a bird strike, causing a bloody dent in the nose cone. The aircraft was seen as such at London-Heathrow Airport. It's unclear of the bird strike occurred during departure from New York-JFK Airport, or during the approach to London-Heathrow Airport. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216646 Back to Top Aircraft from South Carolina missing en route to the Bahamas CHARLESTON, SC (Meredith/FOX Carolina) - Search and rescue crews are now looking for a private aircraft that went missing off of the South Carolina coast Thursday. The FAA confirms to FOX Carolina the Piper PA-31 aircraft went missing around 11:45 a.m. 100 miles south-southeast of Charleston. The plane departed from Robert F. Swinnie Airport in Andrews and was en route to the Bahamas. We're reaching out to the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy for more about search efforts. Whoever finds the aircraft will advise the FAA and further details will be released once they are available. Aircraft registration or ownership could not be confirmed by the FAA as of writing; officials say they can only confirm once they find the plane. https://www.wsmv.com/news/us_world_news/aircraft-from-sc-missing-en-route-to-the-bahamas/article_0b509261-56eb-5ec0-ab98-4ebbdd6c2973.html ************* Date: 25-OCT-2018 Time: 11:33 a.m. Type: Piper PA-31T Navajo Owner/operator: Bulldog Flying Club Inc Registration: N555PM C/n / msn: 31T-7620028 Fatalities: Fatalities: / Occupants: Aircraft damage: Aircraft missing Location: Atlantic Ocean east of Charleston, South Carolina - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Private Departure airport: Robert F Swinnie airport (KPHH) Destination airport: Governors Harbour (MYEM), Bahamas Narrative: The airplane is missing over the Atlantic Ocean. Search operations are being conducted east of Charleston Air Force Base/International Airport (KCHS), Charleston, South Carolina. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216679 Back to Top Frontier Airlines passenger opens cabin door, deploying the emergency slide A passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight leaving Cancun for St. Louis Tuesday opened a cabin door, deploying the emergency slide, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to USA TODAY in a statement Thursday. After the passenger said he was feeling ill, he became agitated, prompting the flight to return to the gate. On the way to the gate, however, the passenger became "physically violent" with a flight attendant and attempted to exit the aircraft. "Crew members, assisted by some passengers, restrained the individual until authorities arrived," the statement read. "Officials transported the passenger for a medical evaluation." The aircraft was removed from service for a maintenance check due to the deployed slide, and Frontier re-booked passengers to other flights and provided hotel accommodations. "We understand that unexpected delays are frustrating and work to get our passengers to their destinations as soon as circumstances permit," the statement continued. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2018/10/25/frontier-airlines-passenger-opens-cabin-door-deploys-slide-air/1762381002/ Back to Top NTSB: Pilot reported struggles before Hamptons plane crash An air traffic controller declared an emergency after the pilot said he was attempting to fly visually without instruments and had an unreliable attitude indicator, the report said. Rescuers search for victims of the Oct. 13 plane crash. Photo Credit: James Carbone The pilot of a small private plane reported he was struggling to fly in poor visibility and could not rely on a key flight instrument before his aircraft broke apart and crashed into the sea off the Hamptons in early October, killing all three aboard, federal officials said. The Piper PA-34 Seneca flown by its owner Munidat "Raj" Persaud, 41, of Waterbury, Connecticut, "was substantially damaged when it experienced an in-flight breakup" and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Quogue on Oct. 13, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report. One witness said the aircraft, which took off from Danbury, Connecticut, did a nosedive from out of the clouds, and another witness reported hearing a "pop" and seeing two large pieces of the plane falling from the sky, according to the report. An air traffic controller declared an emergency after the pilot said he was attempting to fly visually without instruments and had an "unreliable" attitude indicator, a flight instrument that informs the pilot of the orientation of the aircraft relative to the horizon, according to the report. There was light rain, wind and clouds reported in Westhampton Beach when the plane crashed around 11 a.m., the report said. The aircraft sank to the ocean floor at a depth of about 20 feet, the NTSB report said. "A portion of the right wing was recovered floating above the airplane about ½ mile offshore," it added. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement Thursday there was "no history of any accidents or incidents on the aircraft." Aviation experts Matthew Clarke and Ross Neher, attorneys based in Portland, Oregon, said in-flight breakup can happen "when an aircraft is making extreme maneuvers, which could occur when a pilot is trying to get around bad weather, or has inadvertently entered into zero visibility conditions and has become spatially disoriented. A working attitude indicator can be critical in keeping from becoming spatially disoriented when in zero visibility conditions." In a statement they said that "radar data needs to be analyzed to determine whether this aircraft made any extreme maneuvers shortly before falling out of the sky." Officials with the NTSB, which cautioned its findings could change before they are finalized, did not comment on why the plane might have broken apart in the air. A spokeswoman for Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach, Florida, said she was not aware of any other PA-34 Seneca that had broken apart in midair. Piper, she said, is fully cooperating with the NTSB. "This is an ongoing investigation and as such we are not allowed to comment on it," she said by telephone. Jennifer Landrum, 45, of Augusta, Georgia, and Richard Terbrusch, 53, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, also were killed in the crash of the twin-engine plane that FAA records show was manufactured in 1978. The couple, making the best of a long-distance relationship, were flying to Charleston, South Carolina. Persaud was a flight instructor who owned two firms that train pilots in Connecticut. The Piper was a recent purchase; with the FAA confirming his ownership is dated July 2. Persaud was certified to fly single- and multi-engine and instrument planes, the NTSB said, adding he reported 4,000 hours of flight experience on his latest medical certificate. After taking off that Saturday morning, Persaud told controllers he expected to fly with "visual flight rules," at an altitude of about 8,500 feet above the mean sea level, the NTSB said. However, Persaud kept climbing, rising through 12,900 feet and then hitting 15,700 feet; at that point a Boston air traffic controller advised him that other aircraft in the area were not flying visually but with their instruments, the NTSB said. Asked to confirm that he could still fly visually, Persaud answered that he was "trying to maintain visual meteorological conditions," and he mentioned the unreliability of the attitude indicator. That is when the controller declared an emergency, and suggested the pilot head toward Westchester County Airport, which said it had visual flight conditions, the NTSB said. Persaud asked for the ceiling - the height of the cloud tops - and told it was 19,000 feet, he replied he would climb to that altitude. Informing the controller that the airplane was flying visually "on top," Persaud, still flying southeast, said he could not descend below the clouds, the report said. The pilot then requested directions to areas where the weather was clear; again, the controller instructed him to turn west, but the plane, according to the NTSB, continued on its southeast course. "About 2 minutes later, after the controller repeated the instruction to turn west, the airplane entered a figure-eight turn and began to descend rapidly," the NTSB said. "Radio and radar contact was lost shortly thereafter." https://www.newsday.com/long-island/quogue-plane-crash-ntsb-1.22430341 Back to Top Woman helps land helicopter after pilot loses consciousness Three hospitalized after helicopter crashes in Windward Oahu OAHU, HAWAII - A woman on her first helicopter ride had to take the controls of the aircraft Monday when the pilot blacked out during the tour. Carli McConaughy was on a helicopter tour of the island of Oahu with her fiance, Adam Barnett, when the pilot stopped talking, then slumped over as they were about 1,000 feet above the ocean, WGN reported. "At first I thought he was playing a bad trick on us, and when I realized he wasn't waking up, I didn't know what to do," McConaughy told WGN. She grabbed the controls and pulled up, slowing their free fall, before crashing onto a sandbar. Barnett and McConaughy helped pull out the pilot, who was taken to a hospital. It is unclear why he lost consciousness, WGN reported. The crash is under investigation. Barnett and McConaughy are recovering in Joliett, Illinois, from bruises and broken bones they suffered. "You start to think about the bigger picture a lot more after something like that happens to you," Barnett said. https://www.ajc.com/news/national/woman-helps-land-helicopter-after-pilot-loses-consciousness/ve2DXSnygIx1di2TJKEmqI/ *************** Date: 21-OCT-2018 Time: 15:15 LT Type: Robinson R44 Owner/operator: Novictor Oahu Helicopter Tours Registration: N4132H C/n / msn: 2403 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Substantial Location: Kaneohe sandbar, Oahu, Hawaii - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The helicopter crashed on a sandbar, the pilot suffered an apparent medical condition during flight. The 3 occupants onboard received minor injuries. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=216575 Back to Top Back to Top IATA calls for urgent action to minimise Brexit impacts The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for urgent action by the UK and the European Union to put in place contingency planning for the continuation of air services in the event of a 'no-deal Brexit'. It also wants develoments to move much faster to bring certainty to three critical air transport issues: * The uninterrupted continuation of air connectivity * The framework for regulating safety and security, and * The policies and processes needed for efficient border management "These are the most critical areas because there are no fallback agreements such as the WTO framework available in a 'no-deal' Brexit scenario. Without any contingency planning being made transparent to the industry, the risks of not addressing these issues could mean chaos for travelers and interrupted supply chains. With less than six months to go, we have little more certainty than we did in June 2016," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO. The call for urgent attention to air transport issues in Brexit follows the release of an IATA-commissioned Study of the effects of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union on airlines flying to and from the UK. Air connectivity and contingency arrangements Even in the best-case scenario, where a Brexit transition phase is agreed for the period after March 2019, a high degree of uncertainty and risk to air services remains. A no-deal or 'hard' Brexit outcome, without an agreement for a transition period, is likely to lead to significant disruption to air services. Moreover, the lack of transparency concerning any contingency planning for this scenario has left airlines completely in the dark as to what measures to take. "The EU and UK have a responsibility to millions of their citizens who depend on reliable air transportation. The goal should be a comprehensive air services agreement that does not step backwards from the connectivity existing today. But with the possibility of a 'no deal' Brexit still on the table this late in the game, it is now essential that the EU and UK civil aviation authorities plan for contingency arrangements to maintain a minimum level of connectivity, which is vital for people and for business. This has to be one of the most important Brexit considerations. A backstop contingency plan to keep planes flying after March must be published, and quickly," said de Juniac. Safety and security The safety and security framework for connectivity between the UK and EU is complex, comprehensive and delivering world-class levels of performance on the industry's number one priority. There can be no compromise to keeping passengers and shipments safe and secure. Whatever Brexit scenario unfolds, IATA calls for the UK to remain in the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) at least as a 'third country member', and EASA and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) should be allowed to initiate detailed technical discussions on the future relationship between the two bodies. Mutual recognition of professional licences, standards for materials and parts, and other safety elements, should be put in place to come into effect immediately after March. Aviation security, for both passengers and cargo, will be highly impacted in case of a no deal scenario. When it comes to recognition of security measures, all parties should work towards a deal where the status quo, is maintained. "It is ridiculous that formal discussions on the future relationship between EASA and the UK CAA have been forbidden. This is aviation safety we are talking about - the number one priority for everyone connected with air transport and the top responsibility for governments. We understand the complexity of the political issues at stake. But safety and security should be non-negotiable," said de Juniac. Border Management A no-deal Brexit increases the likelihood of EU travelers being added to already over-long queues at UK passport control. An alternative scenario would be to create a 'third lane' which could process EU passengers more quickly. But in either scenario, investment is needed to recruit and train more staff. The situation regarding goods is even more complex, with almost no clarity on customs arrangements. The most likely scenario, even under a transition period, is for shipments to be delayed or disrupted, as new customs procedures become established. "Interference with the movement of people and goods will have a major and immediate knock-on impact to economic activity in both the UK and the EU. Solutions to minimize disruption are of paramount importance. We must have clarity on future border and customs arrangements now, if we are to plan for an orderly post-Brexit situation," said de Juniac. https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/iata-calls-for-urgent-action-to-minimise-brexit-impacts.html Back to Top FAA awards high marks to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport following inspection of airfield operations An inspection of on-field operations at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport found no violations of safety regulations, giving the airport its highest marks since 2014. CLEVELAND, Ohio - An inspection of on-field operations at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport found no violations of safety regulations, giving the airport its highest marks since 2014. The inspection, completed in September by the Federal Aviation Administration focused on daily airfield operations from grass cutting and pavement maintenance to training and fire safety. "We commend you for the procedures you are using in the day-to-day operation of the airport," the inspector wrote to airport chief Robert Kennedy. "The appearance of the airport indicates they are effective." The letter offered three recommendations, two of which were related to document filing while the third addressed training simulations. You can read the FAA letter below. Mobile users can read it via this link. The assessment is important, Kennedy said, because it is the result of an impartial examination of safety at the city-run airport. "We've got outside people coming in and saying, 'You're doing well,'" he said. That hasn't always been the case at Hopkins. Earlier this month, the city agreed to pay $425,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by whistleblower Abdul Malik-Ali, who reported safety concerns at Hopkins to the federal government in 2015. That settlement follows a May 2017 decision by OSHA that then-airport director Ricky Smith had unlawfully retaliated against Ali. OSHA ordered that he be paid nearly $96,000 for lost compensation, pain and suffering and attorney fees and be reinstated as the airport's manager of field maintenance. The safety concerns that Ali reported resulted in the FAA levied levying a $735,000 civil penalty against the airport for violating regulations regarding snow removal and aircraft safety. The airport, under interim Director Fred Szabo, worked with the FAA to upgrade its snow removal operations. It expanded staff and bought more snow removal vehicles. The FAA ultimately agreed to reduce the fine to $200,000. The inspection completed in September covers a section of FAA guidelines that broadly govern operations. "It's the Bible if you will, on what airports have to follow," Kennedy said. Khalid Bahhur, an airport commissioner, said great efforts have been made to boost performance by exceeding requirements for operations and heightening training and mock inspections that allow for self-evaluation. Those efforts involved all aspects of field operations, Kennedy said. "Hundreds of our people worked to make this happen," Kennedy said. https://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/2018/10/faa-awards-high-marks-to-cleveland-hopkins-international-airport-following-inspection-of-airfield-operations.html Back to Top ERAU Study Finds Drone Collision Risks Near Airports An Embry-Riddle research study found that remotely operated consumer drones exceeded 400 feet AGL in 6.8 percent of flights tracked and that one flew as close as 0.25 NM from Daytona Beach International's approach path. The study sought to evaluate "potential aviation interference and safety hazards" caused by small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS/drone) flights. To accomplish that task, researchers used a DJI AeroScope-a passive radio-frequency sensor that can detect, identify and track DJI-manufactured drones-mounted to a building close to Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) in Daytona Beach, Florida. According to the study, a total of 192 flights by 73 separate DJI platforms were detected during a 13-day period in May 2018. It was found that drones operated as close as 0.50 NM to public airports and 0.35 NM to heliports. Researchers used the FAA's UAS Facility Map (UASFM), which shows maximum altitudes for authorized Part 107 operations, to gauge the potential detected sUAS flights had for interference with manned aircraft. They also used ADS-B data to compare times, locations and altitudes of manned aircraft with detected sUAS flights. "In [one] case, the sUAS was detected at 90 feet (MSL) within 0.25 NM from the approach path of Daytona Beach International Airport, Runway 7L," the study said. "Just seconds before this detection, an aircraft was on approach to Runway 7L. Assuming the pilot was performing the published ILS approach, the aircraft would have crossed the Runway 7L threshold crossing at a height of 58 feet AGL (88 feet MSL). It is highly probable that the aircraft descended through the UAS altitude while on approach." The study noted that the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) had not yet been implemented in the area and compliance with UASFM altitudes was not mandatory at the time the data was collected. The study also compared its data with geofencing zones, looking for indicators of the effectiveness of the geofencing infrastructure. According to the data collected, the researchers determined that "geofencing zones are relatively ineffective at preventing or deterring operators from flying unless they impose operational restrictions." Geofencing that only provided warning messages or could be easily overridden by the operator did not seem to provide a significant deterrent to sUAS operations. DJI announced on Wednesday that it "is improving its geofencing technology to refine the airspace limitations for drone flights near airports, in order to provide smarter protection for airplanes in critical areas." The company says the upgrades take into account standards laid out in the new FAA Reauthorization Act and will be phased in starting in November. It is estimated that DJI holds a market share of 72 percent and its products account for the majority of sUAS operations in the U.S. Based on its findings, the ERAU research team recommended integrating manufacturer-imposed geofencing protections with the FAA LAANC UASFM grid system with unlock codes issued for authorized flights. They also recommended improvements be made in sharing information about sUAS activity with pilots of manned aircraft. The team has said it intends to repeat the study at additional airports. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ERAU-Study-Finds-Drone-Collision-Risks-Near-Airports-231761-1.html Back to Top Air Methods Investing in Level D Simulators to Increase Safety, Pilot Instrument Proficiency Emergency Medical Service FlightSafety Level D Simulator Photo courtesy of FlightSafety Air Methods' use of Denver-based FlightSafety Level D simulators to train pilots has paid off in increased safety during emergency medical service (EMS) runs by providing pilots with greater instrument recognition and proficiency, according to Raj Helweg, chief pilot for Air Methods and co-chairman of the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team. "We really spare no expense when it comes to safety in terms of being an industry leader in night-vision goggles, for [helicopter terrain awareness and warning systems], insulation of the aircraft, any safety enhancement we can do," Helweg said in an interview with R&WI at the Air Medical Transport Conference in Phoenix Oct. 23. "As the industry becomes more intelligent with what items will be effective for us, we get on board, the latest one being an investment in Level D simulation training for our pilots." This year is the first full-up implementation of Level D simulation training for Air Methods, as 85 percent of the company's 1,300 pilots have received the training, which Helweg said "most accurately represents the actual aircraft" and leads to increased proficiency in flying the aircraft. "The best demonstration of it has been how they fly their instruments," he said. "Flying instruments whether you're in an IFR platform with an autopilot or a VFR platform where you're hand flying, it is a perishable skill. You have to practice it. In a simulator, we can take all visual reference away, and they have to function solely by reference to the instruments. We can train them to that to be successful so it increases their confidence." Helweg said that he has received reports from pilots about the value of the simulators, including one EMS pilot who told Helweg that he experienced an engine roll back to idle, but nevertheless was able to land his aircraft "without a scratch." "We've added all these safety enhancements to the aircraft, night-vision goggles, terrain awareness," Helweg said. "What we need to focus on now is the human, to make sure they're set up for success in the aircraft. We can take a two-hour block of training and through drills and repetition and a scenario-based approach, we can really consolidate a lot of training - stop, rewind and go; stop, rewind and go - to the point where it becomes muscle memory for people." https://www.rotorandwing.com/2018/10/24/air-methods-investing-level-d-simulators-increase-safety-pilot-instrument-proficiency/ Back to Top Regulations Opening African Skies for Unmanned Aircraft, Connectivity, Tourism Unmanned aircraft have, over the past few years, taken the aviation world by storm. It has become apparent that without proper regulations, they could not only pose privacy issues, but also serious safety issues. South Africa is one of the first countries in the world that has a proper regulatory system that addresses the operation of drones and licensing drone pilots. The drone regulations came into effect in 2015. Currently, there are no proper internationally agreed upon safety standards developed to help regulate the safe operation and/or regulation of drones. Normally the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) develops standards and makes recommendations on best practices while regulators from across the globe then convert the recommended standards and regulations into legally enforceable civil aviation regulations within their respective jurisdictions. According to Poppy Khoza, director of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), ICAO is in the process of developing global safety standards that relate to the operation and licensing of drones and pilots. These guidelines are expected to be ready in 2022. The SACAA is the government body mandated to regulate and enforce civil aviation safety and security within South African airspace. In coming up with regulations to guide the operation of remotely piloted aircraft systems, South Africa has confirmed its strict commitment to air safety. Since the enactment and implementation of this law, other countries, mainly from the southern African region such as Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, have adopted similar measures to enhance air safety by regulating use of drones within their airspace. Among the key requirements to operate a drone in South Africa, under the new laws, is the operator's need for a valid remote pilot's license as well as a letter of approval issued by the SACAA to operate the drone. The letter of approval is valid for 12 months. The drone to be flown also must be registered with the SACAA before operation. Other requirements include not operating drones within restricted air space and/or near or over designated security and state installations. Additionally, and like manned aircraft, drone operators in South Africa should keep a logbook and are required to tune into the air traffic services when operating unmanned aircraft within controlled airspace such as near active airports and/or helipads. They are required to also report their coordinates to air traffic control and record all flight activities into the logbook. Enforcement of Regulations South Africa currently operates the safest airspace on the African continent. This is according to the latest aviation audit conducted by ICAO. This follows a series of audits that were meant to assess not only the regulation of the aviation industry in South Africa, but to also asses the country's preparedness in addressing any aviation-related incident within its airspace. However, one area that was not included in the audit is the nation's unmanned aircraft or drone regulations, even though they were operational at the time the audit was conducted. While South Africa scores top position on the continent in terms of aviation safety and security, it ranked 33rd globally. This was because the SACAA seeks to enforce aviation safety and security regulations to the letter. This was witnessed earlier in the year when the SACAA suspended the air operator's license of South African Express, a leading domestic and regional carrier and a wholly owned subsidiary of national carrier South African Airlines, which is also one of the largest airlines on the African continent. Khoza said the suspension was inevitable because an audit of the airline uncovered severe deficiencies within the its maintenance systems that made the airline non-compliant with safety and security regulations. This also included the suspension of the airworthiness certificates of nine of the airline's 21 aircraft. Air Connectivity Over the decades, Africa's air safety record has been poorest in the world. However, recent developments on the continent have seen countries take action to ensure that safety and security regulations are not only implemented, but also enforced. Nonetheless, air travel in Africa still remains hugely underdeveloped. Currently, the aviation industry in Africa supports more than 7 million jobs generating more than $80 billion. These numbers would significantly improve if certain inhibitors are removed or reduced. Some of these inhibitors include market access, investments, air connectivity and high costs of air travel within the continent. Air connectivity has been one of the highly debated inhibitors to trade, investments and tourism on the African continent. This consequently leads to high air fares. To address one of these key inhibitors, the African Union, the apex political grouping on the African continent, has spearheaded the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to deal with regulatory and implementation instruments that would make an open skies policy possible in Africa. This is in realization that Africa plays host to about 15 percent of the global population, but has only three percent of global aviation market share. An open skies policy would without a doubt benefit the tourism industry in Africa. According to statistics from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the continent attracted more than 62 million visitors in 2017 and the figure is projected to increase by eight percent in 2018. Tourist arrivals are projected to grow significantly higher if air connectivity within the continent is enhanced. Aside from being a catalyst to tourism, an open skies policy would increase trade and investment among African countries. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicates in a study that adopting an open skies policy would grow the gross domestic product of at least 12 leading African nations by up to $1.3 billion and attract an additional 4.9 million new tourists. Protectionism is seen as one of the biggest obstacles to the achievement of an open skies policy on the continent. However, only a few African airlines are operational. Most of these are state-owned airlines. Only Kenya Airways, Kenya's national carrier is fully privatized. https://www.rotorandwing.com/2018/10/25/regulations-opening-african-skies-unmanned-aircraft-connectivity-tourism/ Back to Top The biggest threat to drone innovation is a group you've never heard of By: Brian Wynne, Gary Shapiro Drone flying over a futuristic city A little-known but highly influential group of attorneys from across the country will soon meet in Detroit and could change our skies forever. They claim their draft model legislation concerning drones will help protect privacy. However, their actions could have far-reaching effects on innovation, safety and future drone operations. The state-appointed members of the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) aim to promote uniformity by proposing model legislation for consideration by legislatures across the country. In Detroit, the ULC will continue work on a proposed "Tort Law Relating to Drones Act" drafted by commissioners who have no aviation or drone experience and without consulting the federal government, state legislators or the industry. Their subsequent proposal fails to recognize the federal government's exclusive control of airspace regulation and runs counter to existing law. The draft proposal draws an inflexible, arbitrary line 200 feet in the sky and, if enacted by the states, would establish a new aerial trespass law. It anoints private property owners as de facto air traffic controllers, giving them a right to establish no-fly zones and creating a maze of flight paths with differing rules that operators must navigate on a house-by-house basis. As the draft goes much further than any existing state or federal law, it's likely to cause significant controversy and could create a complicated patchwork of differing state laws that erode, rather than enhance, aviation safety. Creating roadblocks to drone use would stifle innovation, halt job creation and slow growth in this still-nascent industry. Consumer drones are one of the fastest growing products, with total sales expected to reach over $1 billion this year, according to the Consumer Technology Association. More than 110,000 commercial small drones are registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and it expects over 450,000 commercial drones to be flying by 2022. The ULC's proposal could prevent businesses and public service organizations from using drones. This could limit powerline and railroad inspections, prevent insurance companies from deploying drones to assess damage or ground drone search and rescue operations after natural disasters, like hurricanes Florence and Michael. The ULC has essentially disregarded the concerns of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the FAA and the drone industry. Its proposal incorrectly states the DOT, FAA and others are supportive despite on-the-record letters opposing these efforts. The ULC has ignored attempts to correct these mischaracterizations. This isn't the first time the ULC has disregarded industry views. In 2014, it attempted to jam through model legislation that would have led to automatic disclosure of digital assets after death with little regard for privacy or whether the deceased consented. States rejected the proposal and the ULC was forced to revise it to require affirmative consent in wills before assets are disclosed - as the tech industry had originally proposed. The ULC's lack of inclusiveness sits in stark contrast to the FAA's collaborative process to ensure the safe integration of drones into our skies. Its UAS Integration Pilot Program currently works with state, local and tribal governments across the country to conduct research that will shape a national drone policy framework in the coming years. The program provides a mechanism for localities to provide input to the FAA without infringing on its jurisdiction over the airspace. The recently enacted FAA Reauthorization Act also mandates a study on the roles of different levels of government in drone regulations. The ULC shouldn't undo the tremendous progress we have made. Instead, it should abandon its severely flawed proposal and leave airspace regulation to the FAA so the drone industry, and American aviation as a whole, can continue to safely operate in our skies. https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/25/the-biggest-threat-to-drone-innovation-is-a-group-youve-never-heard-of/ Back to Top Navy announces aviation retention bonuses From Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs Oct 25, 2018 In an effort to incentivize naval aviators and naval flight officers to choose to remain on active duty, the Navy recently announced its FY19 retention bonuses. U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Ethan J. Soto The Navy announced the FY-19 Aviation Department Head Retention Bonus (ADHRB) and Aviation Command Retention Bonuses (ACRB) for Active Component (AC) aviators in NAVADMIN 254/18, Oct. 17. The AC Aviation Bonus (AvB) program, consisting of the ADHRB and ACRB, incentivizes highly talented, hard-working, career-minded Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) to choose to remain on active duty, said Capt. Wayne Baze, head of aviation career management. "A vital part of developing a total force strategy and maintaining combat readiness is to provide appropriate incentives to retain skilled personnel for critical naval aviation enterprise billets," said Baze, adding, "Our return on investment is the retention for continued Navy service of our aviation warfighters, with their invaluable, irreplaceable skill sets and leadership." Capable and dedicated department heads are vital to mission effectiveness and represent the crucial link between senior leadership and junior personnel. Retaining the experience and talent associated with those eligible to serve as aviation department heads greatly benefits the continued success of naval aviation. The ADHRB eligibility criteria include selection for lieutenant commander (LCDR), and is intended for officers selected for promotion in the FY-19 LCDR statutory board. ADHRB contracts are offered with either a three or five-year obligation that begins upon expiration of the winging active duty service obligation (ADSO) of the officer or contract approval, whichever is later. Members who take the five-year contract prior to the department head selection board results being published will receive a higher annual amount than members who take a five-year contract after the announcement of the results or a three-year contract. The ACRB is designed to retain those officers with the talent and command experience in primary warfighting missions that are critical for the future of the service. The FY-19 ACRB incentivizes the continued service of commander (CDR) and commanding officers (CO) in follow-on assignments requiring senior aviation officers. Applicants for ACRB must have screened on the FY-19 Aviation Command Selection Board (ACSB) as CO of an operational, operational training or special mission CDR command in order to apply. Eligibility begins with the release of NAVADMIN 254/18 and closes on Aug. 31, 2019. Members must select after screening for CDR command and the obligation takes them through the completion of their post-command commander tour. All FY-19 ACRB contracts will be worth $100,000; all eligible officers will receive an initial payment of $34,000, and two anniversary payments of $33,000. Participation carries a three-year obligated service obligation, to include full completion of a post-command commander tour, which may be between 24 and 36 months, depending on assignment. "Our cadre of commander commanding officers lead our Naval Aviation Enterprise today, and they are the major commanders and flag officers of tomorrow. Their skills and leadership experience are essential to the success of the Navy. The FY-19 ACRB incentivizes their continued service in follow-on assignments," said Baze. For more information regarding eligibility visit http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/officer/Detailing/aviation/OCM/Pages/ACCP.aspx or read NAVADMIN 254/18 at www.npc.navy.mil. https://www.dcmilitary.com/tester/tenant_profile/navy-announces-aviation-retention-bonuses/article_155c4a11-50c3-531f-8a3b-a13e2a76a8c1.html Back to Top Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority reappointed for extended term (UK) Dame Deirdre Hutton will continue as Chair for a final 12 months. The government has extended the appointment of Dame Deirdre Hutton as Chair to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to serve for an additional 12 months from August 2019 when her current appointment expires. During her time as CAA Chair, Dame Deirdre has overseen a huge amount of organisational change within the CAA. Over the next year she will continue to steer the CAA's modernisation and change programmes. Dame Deirdre became Chair of the CAA in August 2009 and previously served as Chair of the Food Standards Agency, Chair of the National Consumer Council and as a member of the Board of HM Treasury. She has served on a number of other public bodies, including the Better Regulation Taskforce, and has extensive experience of corporate governance, risk-based regulation and consumer policy. She is honorary Vice-President of the Trading Standards Institute and sits as a Non-Executive on the board of Thames Water Utilities Ltd and Castle Trust and is also Pro-Chancellor of Cranfield University. The process of identifying the next Chair of the CAA is expected to commence in the autumn of 2019. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chair-of-the-civil-aviation-authority-reappointed-for-extended-term Back to Top AOPA IMMERSES EDUCATORS IN AVIATION TEACHERS TO TOUR UPS, COMPARE NOTES High school educators from around the country will be immersed in aviation Nov. 5 and 6 when shipping titan UPS hosts and sponsors the AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium, packed with high-energy learning and networking opportunities. Houston Mills, a UPS captain and director of global aviation and public policy, participates in a hiring panel session during the 2017 AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium. Mills will deliver a keynote during the 2018 event in Louisville, Kentucky. Photo by David Tulis. The AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium program was crafted to inspire those who will in turn inspire students to love learning science, technology, engineering, and math through aviation. The event will mark its fourth year in Louisville, Kentucky, and build on the success of the 2017 edition, which drew more than 250 high school teachers and administrators. The program is part of AOPA's You Can Fly program to grow the pilot community, and it dovetails with the rollout of the association's high school curriculum. The initiative has been met with enthusiasm from educators who helped test and refine some of the in-class lessons and activities. Many of the same teachers attended hands-on training at AOPA headquarters during the summer when they learned, up close, about helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Some even tried their hands at landing a Redbird FMX full-motion flight simulator. A precision drone-landing contest was also a big hit. The scholastic program is aligned with rigorous math and science educational standards already in use and was created in partnership with curriculum developers and aviation experts to offer four-year study options in two aviation career pathways: pilot and unmanned aircraft systems (drones). "Every year we build curriculum, we field test, then we roll it out," Hasselbring continued, "and we'll be updating it forever." She said schools can apply to use the free curriculum "starting in November." Educators will participate in two panels: an aviation career discussion moderated by FAA educational expert Jim Brough, and a high school panel moderated by TOPGUN graduate and West Michigan Aviation Academy educator George Pavey. Additionally, 15 breakout sessions will allow educators to tailor their experience to their individual needs. The symposium will feature an opening keynote from Houston Mills, a UPS captain and the delivery company's global public policy director. Mills energized forward-looking teachers, principals, and school superintendents during a panel discussion at the 2017 AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium at the Dallas/Fort Worth home of American Airlines. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and COO, will deliver the second day's keynote at this year's event. Educators will have a unique opportunity to get behind the scenes during optional tours of the UPS pilot training facilities, the 24-hour maintenance facilities, and UPS Worldport Hub. "None of these tours are open to the public so it's pretty special for these educators," said Hasselbring. "The UPS pilots participating in the tours are AOPA members and they are so excited for us to be there. Teachers are going to fly in the package giant's sims so this will be a lifetime opportunity," she added. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/october/24/aopa-welcoming-high-school-stem-educators-in-louisville Back to Top Volocopter Expanding Air Taxi Testing Volocopter announced that it will be performing urban flight tests with its Volocopter 2X eVTOL in Singapore in the second half of 2019. The company says the tests are designed to validate the aircraft's ability to operate in an urban environment and that it is looking to enable air taxi service in Singapore. Volocopter will be working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to establish safety requirements and scope for the test flights. "We are getting ready to start implementing the first fixed routes in cities," said Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter. "Singapore is a logical partner: The city is a true pioneer in technology and city development. We are confident this is another exciting step to make air taxi services a reality." The two-seat Volocopter 2X is fully-electric with a 17-mile (27 km) range, 353-pound (160 kg) payload, and a maximum speed of 62 MPH (100 km/h). It is capable of piloted, remote-controlled and fully autonomous flight. Germany-based Volocopter was granted provisional licensing for the 2X by the German aviation authorities in 2016 and says it is "cooperating with the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) to receive a full commercial license." The company completed its first public unmanned test flight in Dubai in September 2017. The aircraft flew for the first time in the U.S. during a brief demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2018. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Volocopter-Expanding-Air-Taxi-Testing-231766-1.html Back to Top Becoming a U-2 Pilot New pilots might select the spy plane right out of training. The U-2S Dragon Lady flies as high as 70,000 feet. Robt. M. Trujillo USAF Spend a few years as a pilot and aircraft checkouts become second nature, those hours spent with an instructor to learn the ins and outs of a new machine so you can head off toward that next dramatic destination on your own. Every once in a while though the act itself of checking out becomes the adventure as a recent story from The Star and Stripes explained about some young USAF pilots. The goal was pretty simple; train new pilots to solo a single engine jet with a 103-foot wingspan capable of climbing to 70,000, a part of the stratosphere where pilots can experience the curvature of the earth. Oh yes, some of those solo flights could last up to nine hours. This checkout could ready pilots to fly the U-2 spy plane, one of the first products to emerge from the stealthy skunk works in Palmdale, California where Lockheed's Kelly Johnson gathered an experimental engineering team to create what we'd today call disruptive technologies. Despite its first flight in 1955, Lockheed Martin still says, "No other high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance asset operating today - or in development - can accomplish the daily peacetime Strategic Reconnaissance Operations of the U-2S, or compete with its future capabilities. The U-2S flies more than 10,000 feet higher, 100 mph faster, and has larger bandwidth links than any other high-altitude ISR platform. Flying 24/7 around the world at record-high operational rates, U-2S collects critical targets no other platform can." Flying the U-2, also known as the Dragon Lady then is not for the faint of heart. But the Air Force is struggling with many of the same personnel issues as we in the civilian world, too few capable young people in the right place at the right time. The service estimates it's already 2,000 pilots short in all aircraft. Traditionally, a U-2 assignment went to senior pilots with time logged in a variety of other aircraft. Today the Air Force wants to add younger pilots to the U2 squadron earlier in their career. Pilots will, in fact, soon be able to choose the U-2 right out of undergraduate pilot training according. The Air Force will begin this change to the U-2 pilot pipeline slowly at first, choosing just one pilot this fall and another by late spring 2019. Each selectee will attend T-38 pilot instructor training at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, before moving to Beale AFB California for an assignment as a T-38 instructor pilot for the U-2 Companion Trainer Program. After gaining experience, the pilot will perform the standard two-week U-2 interview process and, if hired, begin basic qualification training. Depending on how these two new student pilots fare, the Air Force will decide whether to continue the experimental U-2 pilot pipeline, service officials said in a statement. The Pentagon already said it plans to keep the U-2 in the Air Force arsenal well into the future. https://www.flyingmag.com/becoming-u-2-pilot Back to Top Flight academy aims to help fill need for pilots (Iowa) SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - A new flight academy is aiming high to help attract more pilots to the Siouxland area. Darren Stoub, with One Vision Flight Academy, says there's a pilot shortage nationwide. He says he hopes the new flight academy draws more Siouxlander's into the profession. "By having a flight school here, we'll increase the number of pilots that are coming into the field, increase the awareness of the businesses present in Siouxland and hopefully get people to have more and more jobs," says Darren Stoub, Executive Pilot at Vision 1 Flight Academy. He says there's a number of ways that pilots can serve the Siouxland area. "Whether you're talking about corporate pilots that fly people like Wilson Trailer or Tyson Foods, those type of people around, we need pilots to do that," says Stoub. "We also have the whole crop dusting industry that allows for the application of chemicals and fertilizers to farms to provide for resources they need. We also have cargo flights that have to happen." Stoub says they are teaching several different levels of aviation at the academy. "We train pilots to become private pilots, instrument-rated pilots, commercial pilots and multi-engine pilots," says Stoub. Stoub says it's been a number of years since Sioux City has seen a flight academy like this one. "So, it's been about 25 years since a flight academy has been on Sioux City airport and, the major reason why we're starting this now is because there's a shortage of pilots out there," said Stoub. "There's a shortage of a lot of people in the aviation field and we just feel like it's a perfect opportunity to train pilots to fill that growing need." Stoub says classes at the academy just recently started. He says they are also teaching classes for those just wanting to fly as a hobby. https://ktiv.com/2018/10/25/flight-academy-aims-to-help-fill-need-for-pilots/ Back to Top Three senior executives quit Jet Airways amid worsening financial situation (India) The exits come as the airline is struggling to pay salaries and vendors on time The heads of cargo, information technology and revenue management at Jet Airways have resigned from the company amid a worsening financial situation. A Jet spokesperson said the executives had resigned on personal grounds. Those moving out are Pradeep Kumar (senior vice- president, cargo), Shrimanikandan Ananthvaidyanathan (chief information officer) and Praveen Iyer (vice-president, revenue management). While Kumar and Ananthvaidyanathan are relatively recent recruits at Jet, Iyer has been with the airline for 13 years. He had indicated his desire to move on a few months earlier and is taking up a non-aviation role abroad, a source said. The exits come as the airline is struggling to pay salaries and vendors on time. In an e-mailed response to a query, the airline said, "Jet Airways respects the personal decisions of a few of its executives to pursue opportunities outside the organisation. The airline acknowledges their several contributions and wishes them success in their future endeavours. As part of the routine course of business, the airline has a well-defined succession plan in place." A tough operating environment and cash crunch have forced the airline to ground over a dozen of its aircraft. The winter schedule of the airline runs from end-October to March but the airline has yet to send the entire schedule to the regulator, given the uncertainty over aircraft availability. At present, Jet has 124 planes and a schedule of around 650 daily flights. The airline said it was working on a Rs 20-billion cost-saving plan, which includes renegotiation of vendor contracts. According to a media report, Jet has also indicated to its foreign lenders that it would maintain a minimum revenue threshold of $700 million per quarter, apart from opting for "manpower rationalisation" and "productivity improvement". It had enforced a 5-25 per cent salary cut for the 150 senior-most executives (general manager rank and above), including its chief executive officer. A pay cut plan for pilots and engineers was dropped due to resistance from both categories of employees. https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/three-senior-executives-quit-jet-airways-amid-worsening-financial-situation-118102501018_1.html Back to Top SpaceX is reportedly looking for a $500M loan - and a few good Seattle baristas SpaceX BFR An artist's conception shows SpaceX's BFR in flight. (SpaceX Illustration) Bloomberg News is quoting unnamed sources as saying that SpaceX is seeking to borrow $500 million in the leveraged loan market with Goldman Sachs' help. Today's report said that Goldman Sachs Group is leading the talks with potential investors this week. Neither Goldman Sachs nor SpaceX have publicly acknowledged the talks, however. SpaceX has notched plenty of successes over the year to date, including 16 Falcon 9 rocket launches plus the first test launch of its Falcon Heavy rocket in February. Within the coming year, the California-based company is expected to execute its first crewed space launch, aimed at sending astronauts to the International Space Station. Significantly more ambitious and capital-intensive projects are on SpaceX's longer-range agenda: The company is working on a constellation of thousands of Starlink satellites that are designed to provide global internet access as well as a revenue stream that, over the long run, may be more substantial than the launch business. SpaceX's team in Redmond, Wash., has been given the lead role in the Starlink project. Then there's the BFR, or Big Falcon Rocket: That super-heavy-lifter is designed to take on suborbital passenger flights between terrestrial destinations as well as trips to the moon and Mars. SpaceX has already signed up Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa for a flight around the moon in the 2020s. Starlink and BFR are each expected to require billions of dollars of investment. BFR | Earth to Earth Privately held SpaceX is currently estimated to be worth in the range of $28 billion, based on the value of its stock offerings. Documents have chronicled a $450 million Series H offering last year, and a Series I offering worth as much as $507 million earlier this year. If SpaceX sticks to its schedule, which can sometimes be an iffy proposition, work on Starlink and BFR will ramp up rapidly. A facility for building components for the BFR is already in operation at the Port of Los Angeles, and short-hop tests for the BFR's upper-stage spaceship element could begin late next year. On the Starlink side of the equation, two prototype satellites were launched in February, and SpaceX's plan calls for the first iteration of the network to go into operation in the 2020-2021 time frame. SpaceX's Seattle-area operation has recently been consolidated in a complex of buildings in the Redmond Ridge industrial park on Alder Crest Drive, according to postings on the NASASpaceFlight.com online forum. Earlier this year, SpaceX listed more than 100 open positions at Redmond, but that job count has now shrunk to about two dozen, suggesting that the company has staffed up its satellite team. And for what it's worth, one of the online job announcements is putting out a call for in-house baristas. https://www.yahoo.com/news/spacex-reportedly-looking-500m-loan-201017191.html Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY I am a grad student at City University of London and am completing work on my Masters in Aviation Safety. In my thesis I am trying to determine what the competencies are for being an airline Captain. This is to complement the 9 competencies That ICAO identifies for training pilots. My ultimate goal is to identify the relevant competencies and determine if they are trainable from a flight education standpoint. The first step is to determine the state of Captain/Command training in the United States. The link provided for a survey via survey monkey that hopefully will help me establish a baseline of where we are at in the industry in the US. Thank you for your consideration. Regards, Captain Jeff Kilmer FDX 901-651-6070 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/58SMR3B Back to Top RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE A Message From Flight Safety Information Editor Curt Lewis, Associate Editor Roger Rapoport and Captain Shem Malmquist Flight Safety Information has partnered with Beyond Risk Management to create a High Altitude Flying Course. This course, led by Captain Shem Malmquist, an accident investigator, professor and 777 captain who flies international routes, is now underway. A key unit in this class focuses on poorly understood high altitude weather challenges that have led to fatal accidents. Here is a comment from one of the veteran pilots now taking this course "I have made it to the Part 121 world with what can be described as zero weather training. I have had a lot of low level weather experience flying floats but when it comes to flight levels the only knowledge is what I'm gaining from this course. The extremely basic weather theory and concept required for our ratings is outdated and barely touched on during orals. The training at my current company barely touched on the subject except that we have weather radar onboard and good luck getting it to work. A captain will show you how it works. Is this the case industry wide?" With other pilots mirroring this comment, it is apparent to all of us that the kind of aviation meteorology course taught by professors like Debbie Schaum at Embry-Riddle University, are not offered to most pilots. In fact, pilots moving up from domestic to international routes typically have little (one day) or no training on the special challenges presented on transoceanic routes lacking radar coverage found on overland routes. With many major airports located on oceanic coastlines, these challenges can be significant. As Captain Malmquist prepares for the upcoming January course we would like to hear from pilots on this critical issue. A selection of these comments will be published in a future issue of Flight Safety Information. Our long-term goal is to make sure that every pilot receives the critical meteorology training they need to do their job. Here are those questions which you can answer confidentially. Your name will not be used in future reports on this subject. 1. What weather training have you received specific to high altitude flying? 2. Do you feel that this training was all you needed? 3. Where did your training take place? How long did it take. 4. Was this weather training provided when you began working for your airline? 5. Have you had recurrent training on weather challenges? 6. Were you retrained on a new radar system when you switched to flying a different aircraft type. 7. If you switched from domestic to international routes did you receive any training on special weather conditions found on transoceanic routes? 8. What manuals and instructional materials were provided? How much information did you receive? Did it answer all of your questions? 9. Did you receive online training? How long did it take to complete this training? Were you tested on your knowledge? 10. Do you believe this training prepared you adequately for special challenges in places such as the intertropical convergence zone? 11. Are you confident that you fully understand weather radar? Does it always do what you want? If not, please describe the problems encountered. 12. Have you been in situations where better weather training would have been helpful? 13. Did a lack of training contribute to any difficulties? 14. Do you have any recommendations for better weather training? Do you think it should be provided in house, in a classroom setting, online or all three? 15. Are there specific low altitude weather issues that are a concern to you? Feel free to answer any or all of these questions privately. You are welcome to combine your answers into a narrative summary. Please let us know if you would like more information about Captain Malmquist's course as it relates to weather training not provided by your company. You can reach us directly at rogerdrapoport@me.com or 231 720-0930 (EST 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) For more details visit http://pilot-errormovie/online-course/ Back to Top Register Here Phone: (231)720-0930 (9-6 EST) Back to Top Back to Top Upcoming USC Aviation Safety Courses Safety Management Systems for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Current Operational Conditions for Remotely Piloted Aircraft, Including Live Flight Exercises October 29 - November 2, 2018 5.0 Days Human machine interface theory and problems Unique characteristics of RPA operational environments SMS requirements and guidance Organizational risk management for RPA Special consideration for RPA accident investigation Using RPA for accident investigation FARs and Legislation International Organization Standards & Participation Tuition: $2500 Safety Management Systems for Managers Providing Priciples and Vision for Managers in an SMS November 29 - 30, 2018 1.5 Days Management Roles, Responsibilities, and Accountability Change Process Management Audits and Safety Reviews Motivating Safe Behavior Safety Culture and Climates Just Reporting System Accident/Incident Costs Obstacles to SMS Tuition: $1000 Threat and Error Management Development Integrating Threat and Error Management into a Safety Management System December 17 - 19, 2018 2.5 Days Introduction to threats and errors Performance and loss of situation awareness Threat recognition and error avoidance Building barriers to error Distraction and interruption management SOPs role in threat and error management Tuition: $1250 Earn Points Towards NBAA CAM Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points towards completing the application for the National Business Aviation Association Certified Aviation Manager exam. Aviation Safety Management Systems Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Human Factors in Aviation Safety Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance Aircraft Accident Investigation SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems For further details, please visit our website or use the contact information below. Email: aviation@usc.edu Telephone: +1 (310) 342-1345 Curt Lewis