Flight Safety Information March 6, 2019 - No. 048 In This Issue Incident: France A388 at Miami on Mar 3rd 2019, rejected takeoff due to brakes Incident: United B739 near Denver on Mar 4th 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: TAP A320 near Lisbon on Mar 5th 2019, hydraulic leak Incident: Allegiant A320 near Saint Petersburg on Mar 5th 2019, hydraulic fault Incident: Air China B773 near Anadyr on Mar 4th 2019, cargo smoke indication EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Incident: Canada B763 at Halifax on Mar 4th 2019, runway excursion upon vacating the runway Crew recording on doomed Amazon jet reflects 'loss of control' Atlas Air Crash Investigation: Investigators Use Drones To Look For Answers South African Airways files charges against pilot who used a fake license Airports scramble to handle drone incidents Airbus Helicopters launches flight safety analytics UA Teams with FAA for Rotorcraft Enhanced Flight Vision System Research...& Development New Managing Director Named at NTSB...Sharon Bryson Bombardier Global 7500 Aircraft Completes the World's Longest Range Business Jet Flight in History China is going to Mars with a new rover next year Angle of Attack - Book Aviation Innovations Conference: Cargo Airships...March 14 - 15, 2019...Toronto, Canada ISASI-Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter (MARC) Dinner/Meeting--2 May 2019 ISASI 2019 - Call For Papers Incident: France A388 at Miami on Mar 3rd 2019, rejected takeoff due to brakes An Air France Airbus A380-800, registration F-HPJI performing flight AF-99 from Miami,FL (USA) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was accelerating for takeoff from Miami's runway 09 when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed due to a brakes overheating indication. The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 3 hours while maintenance worked on the aircraft, then departed and reached Paris with a delay of about 3:25 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c50521a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United B739 near Denver on Mar 4th 2019, engine shut down in flight A United Boeing 737-900, registration N75426 performing flight UA-309 from San Francisco,CA to Washington Dulles,DC (USA), was enroute at FL350 about 120nm south of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew needed to shut the left hand engine down and decided to divert to Denver. The crew requested emergency services to stand by for the arrival and check the left hand engine. The aircraft landed safely on runway 35L about 25 minutes later. A replacement Boeing 737-900 registration N75435 reached Washington with a delay of about 2 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL309/history/20190304/1910Z/KSFO/KIAD http://avherald.com/h?article=4c504ee4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: TAP A320 near Lisbon on Mar 5th 2019, hydraulic leak A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320-200, registration CS-TNG performing flight TP-872 from Lisbon (Portugal) to Bologna (Italy) with 154 people on board, had just reached FL350 about 140nm eastnortheast of Lisbon, already in Spanish Airspace, when the crew decided to return to Lisbon due to a hydraulic leak and failure affecting the landing gear. The aircraft burned off fuel and landed safely on Lisbon's runway 21 about 75 minutes after leaving FL350. A replacement A320-200 registration CS-TNR reached Bologna with a delay of 4:20 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c504a62&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Allegiant A320 near Saint Petersburg on Mar 5th 2019, hydraulic fault An Allegiant Airbus A320-200, registration N232NV performing flight G4-842 from Saint Petersburg,FL to Syracuse,NY (USA) with 137 people on board, was climbing out of Saint Petersburg when the crew stopped the climb at about FL270 due to a hydraulic fault and decided to return to Saint Petersburg. The aircraft landed safely in Saint Petersburg about 90 minutes after departure. A replacement A319-100 registration N325NV reached Syracuse with a delay of 4:45 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY842/history/20190305/1230Z/KPIE/KSYR http://avherald.com/h?article=4c5048ec&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Air China B773 near Anadyr on Mar 4th 2019, cargo smoke indication An Air China Boeing 777-300, registration B-2040 performing flight CA-983 from Beijing (China) to Los Angeles,CA (USA) with 188 passengers on board, was enroute at FL330 about 180nm northeast of Anadyr (Russia) when the crew received an aft cargo smoke indication and decided to turn around and divert to Anadyr, where the aircraft landed about 35 minutes later. The aircraft stopped on the runway, an emergency evacuation via slides was initiated. No injuries are being reported. Emergency services did not find any evidence of fire, smoke or heat. Rosaviatsia reported the crew received an aft cargo smoke indication and diverted to Anadyr landing there 35 minutes later. The aircraft stopped on the runway and was evacuated. Arriving emergency services did not find any evidence of any anomaly in the aft cargo hold. About 2.5 hours after landing the aircraft was towed to the apron. A replacement aircraft was dispatched to Anadyr. The airline reported the crew followed standard operating procedures following a cargo fire indication. After landing an examination of the aircraft did not reveal any anomaly in the cargo hold, the fire indication was determined to have been false. A replacement aircraft was dispatched to Anadyr. A replacement Boeing 777-300 registration B-1266 was dispatched to Anadyr, resumed the flight as CA-9983 and is estimated to reach Los Angeles with a delay of about 20 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Anadyr about 21 hours after landing. B-2040 seen after landing: http://avherald.com/h?article=4c5022e3&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Canada B763 at Halifax on Mar 4th 2019, runway excursion upon vacating the runway An Air Canada Boeing 767-300, registration C-FTCA performing flight AC-614 from Toronto,ON to Halifax,NS (Canada) with 211 people on board, landed on Halifax's runway 23 at 18:30L (22:30Z) after performing a CAT II ILS approach. ATC had advised that taxiway C and B had not been cleared and were not usable and instructed the flight to vacate the runway via taxiway A at the end of the runway. Subsequently tower advised the end of the runway was "very slippery". About 2570 meters down the runway the aircraft turned too early and came to a stop in a snow bank short of taxiway B. The passengers disembarked onto the runway via stairs and were taken to the terminal. Ground services reported the runway was 100% ice, the chemical truck had just broken down while trying to spray the runway, "not looking good". A preceding landing reported the braking action was "very poor". The aerodrome was closed for about 4 hours as result. The Canadian TSB have dispatched a team of investigators on site. The airline reported the aircraft could not taxi to the apron because of poor weather conditions. The aircraft was inspected by maintenance and towed to the apron. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c501c39&opt=0 Back to Top Crew recording on doomed Amazon jet reflects 'loss of control' Emergency personnel work at the scene of a plane crash site in Trinity Bay in Anahuac, Texas on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. The Federal Aviation Administration said a Boeing 767 cargo plane went down approximately 30 miles southeast of Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP) Through cockpit voice recordings, the National Transportation Safety Board offered a first glimpse of what happened on the Boeing 767-300 last month as it was preparing to land at Houston. There's still no explanation of its mysterious, abrupt dive. By Alan Levin Recorded conversations by pilots on a cargo jet carrying packages for Amazon.com that crashed last month near Houston reveal they began losing control of the aircraft about 18 seconds before it slammed into a shallow bay, investigators said Tuesday. The communications captured on the cockpit sound recorder were "consistent with a loss of control of the aircraft," according to a press release issued by the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB recovered the crash-proof cockpit recorder and another black box storing flight data in recent days and brought them to its lab in Washington for analysis. The press release, offering a first glimpse of what happened on the Boeing 767-300 as it was preparing to land at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport Feb. 23, still doesn't explain its mysterious, abrupt dive. The second recorder contained detailed data from the accident flight as well as 16 previous ones, but none of its contents were revealed in the NTSB statement. Atlas Air Flight 3591 dived roughly 6,000 feet and plunged into a shallow bay as it was descending and preparing to move around a line of storms ahead. The impact shattered the plane and killed all three aboard: two Atlas pilots and one from a regional airline who was catching a ride. There was no emergency radio call from the cockpit. Atlas was one of three cargo carriers flying a fleet of 50 aircraft for Amazon, according to a press release from the online retailer in December. Atlas is owned by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. A video recorded from a jail about a mile from the crash showed the plane's final five seconds before it smashed into the water, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said in a briefing Feb. 24. The plane was in "a steep descent, steep nose-down attitude" and there was no evidence the pilots tried to "turn or pull up at the last moments," Sumwalt said. A separate video from a nearby school showed the plane apparently diving until it disappeared in a cloud bank, according to the Houston Chronicle. The cockpit recorder is about two hours long, but the audio quality is "poor," the NTSB said. "There are times during the recording when the content of crew discussion is difficult to determine," the press release said. "At other times the content can be determined using advanced audio filtering." The NTSB is convening a group of experts to evaluate the recorder's contents and to produce a transcript, the agency said in its release. "It will be a time-consuming process to complete the transcript," the agency said. The plane was at an altitude of about 6,200 feet at the time pilots first discussed the unspecified control issue, according to a flight plot provided by tracker FlightRadar24. Around that time, it climbed slightly for a few seconds, then began to drop, according to the website. It went from 5,850 to 1,325 feet, the last position captured by the website, in about nine seconds, which is many times faster than a normal descent rate. Pilots were talking to air-traffic controllers and were being guided to the airport, the NTSB said. The normal route to the airport was being altered so they could fly around thunderstorms, according to a recording released by the website LiveATC.net. The plane's data recorder captured about 350 parameters, which typically include information on the health of the engines and other aircraft systems, details of the route and speed, and indications of levers and switches activated in the cockpit. Investigators are in the process of validating the data and plan to release more information in a few days. The 767 family of jetliners, which were introduced in 1982, has a solid safety record. There had been only two fatal crashes of the plane through 2017, according to Boeing's annual aircraft safety summary. https://www.seattletimes.com/business/crew-recording-on-doomed-amazon-jet-reflect- loss-of-control/ Back to Top Atlas Air Crash Investigation: Investigators Use Drones To Look For Answers Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board launch a drone to survey debris field of the Feb. 23, 2019, cargo jet crash in Texas.NTSB Last week, a drone flew low over the still waters of Trinity Bay and the wreckage of Atlas Air flight 3591. The Phantom 4 Pro, operated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was part of the accident investigation effort that will help determine what happened to the Boeing 767, which crashed into the bay east of Houston last week. The NTSB has been quick to embrace drone technology. Bill English, Investigator in Charge of the Atlas crash, developed the NTSB's Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program several years ago when he realized the benefits drones could bring to accident site documentation. "We have a very good solid bedrock foundation for how to conduct robust investigations," English says, "That foundation lets us use cutting edge technologies like this to improve the quality and efficiency of safety work." National Transportation Safety Board investigators on shoreline of Trinity Bay examining wreckage from the Feb. 23, 2019 cargo jet crash in Texas.NTSB Drones are able to gather high resolution images, preserving perishable evidence like ground scars, presence of hazardous materials, and the position of control surfaces, which can get moved as wreckage is collected. Aerial photographs have always been an important feature of major mishap investigations, but drones make those photographs faster, easier, and safer to collect. In situations like the Atlas Air crash and the dozens of other accidents the NTSB drone team has supported, photographing the accident site captures valuable evidence before the wind, weather, and waves disturb the scene. Drones can also capture perspectives that might not otherwise be possible - for instance the way the terrain looked to a pilot on approach, or the position of wreckage that is unstable and hazardous for an investigator to approach. The images taken by drones can also be used to create accurate maps of the accident scene. Before the advent of digital cameras with the ability to embed GPS coordinates in images, investigators used graph paper, pencils, and hand held GPS units to record the location of major pieces of wreckage. Investigators had to anticipate what measurements might be important before the basics of the accident were even known. Now, drones take overhead and oblique images that are combined into a three- dimensional map of the terrain and wreckage. This 3D model, known as an orthomosaic, can be accurate down to the centimeter both for relative position of the pieces of wreckage, and also for the absolute position of the wreckage on the planet. Investigators can return to the maps over and over, even years later, to take measurements that they didn't know were important at the time. 3D models can be used in unexpected ways too. English recalls the crash of an MD-83 in 2017, in which the orthomosaic his team produced was used to model local winds around a hangar, helping investigators understand how wind contributed to the accident. Photographing and mapping the scene with drones can also save money and reduce risk. Last year, the NTSB investigated a fatal crash at the Greenville airport in South Carolina, when a Falcon jet ran off the runway. Closing the runway for a prolonged period to record the scene using traditional methods would have disrupted operations, leading to cancellations and unexpected diversions. Instead, one of the NTSB drone team members was able to coordinate with air traffic control to map the scene without interrupting any aircraft operations. The NTSB had some initial maps before the aircraft was even towed clear of the airfield. Drones, English stresses, are just a tool. "The data and what you do with it, your knowledge of what data you want and how to incorporate it into your mission," he explains, "that's the game changer." Understanding what happened to Atlas Air last week will depend on more than good photos and maps. Investigators will be looking at maintenance, weather, human factors, organizational issues, survivability, air traffic control, aircraft structures, and engines. They will have to take their time and be deliberate even when others will be clamoring to know the cause. But in the end, the answers they find in the waters off Houston will help prevent future tragedies. Any tool that can help in that effort is welcome. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristykiernan/2019/03/05/atlas-air-crash-investigation- investigators-use-drones-to-look-for-answers/#701b2fee1ab2 Back to Top South African Airways files charges against pilot who used a fake license South African Airways logo is seen on the tail of one of its aircraft in this photo from the airline. (Photo: South African Airways) A South African Airways pilot resigned and now faces criminal charges after the airline discovered he lied about having the correct type of pilot's license to operate international flights. According to the airline, the pilot claimed to have an Airline Transport Pilot License, which all SAA pilots are required to obtain within five years of getting hired. In reality, he possessed a Commercial Pilot License, the airline said, which allows pilots to operate commercial flights, but not long, international flights. "SAA has suffered actual financial prejudice and has opened a criminal case of fraud against that pilot. Necessary steps will be taken to recover the money unduly paid to him," SAA representative Tlali Tlali said in a statement. SAA discovered the license situation after investigating a reported issue with turbulence on a flight over the Swiss Alps. The airline's policy is to assess and re-evaluate crew members involved in a reported incident, during which it noticed "a Senior First Officer who had operated that flight had made false representations to the airline and claimed that he was qualified and had an Airline Transport Pilot License." "We take note that at no point did the alleged fraudulent license present any safety risk to SAA's operation as the pilot in question was in possession of a valid Commercial Pilot License and was the monitoring pilot and not the commander of the aircraft," Tlali added. "The pilot had successfully completed all required safety training. However, we find it disconcerting that misrepresentations were made about the type of license that the pilot claimed to possess." In response to the controversy, SAA has launched an audit with the South African Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that all pilot's licensing files are accurate and up-to-date. It also introduced a new rule that it will directly obtain pilots' ATPL test results from the Aviation Authority, rather than allowing pilots to turn in certificates themselves. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2019/03/05/south-african-airways-pilot- resigns-after-his-license-deemed-fake/3065818002/ Back to Top Airports scramble to handle drone incidents Washington, DC (CNN)Drones have become an increasing nuisance for airports worldwide in recent months, and good solutions to keep them from interfering with flights aren't yet available. Airports in various cities -- including Newark, New Jersey; Gatwick, England; Dublin, Ireland and Dubai -- have grounded planes in the last three months following drone sightings. The incident at Gatwick in December proved especially disruptive, impacting the flights of more than 100,000 passengers. In 2017, a drone hit a commercial airplane approaching Quebec City in Canada. The plane landed safely. Aviation experts fear catastrophic damage or death could result from a drone hitting an airplane. Such an incident could be accidental or motivated by ill will, such as a terrorist attack. A 2017 FAA study found that drones colliding with large aircraft can cause more damage than birds -- a threat the industry has long faced. There's also a business risk. Airlines risk losing millions of dollars from flight delays and cancellations. If air travel becomes more unpleasant, some travelers may switch to other modes like trains or driving. The problem is urgent and fixes are lacking, according to Chris Oswald, senior vice president for safety and regulatory affairs at the Airports Council International-North America, which represents airport owners and operators. "One major underlying concern across industry sectors is the lack of tested and fully vetted drone detection and counterdrone systems," Oswald told CNN Business. "That's a big issue on all of our members' minds. What can we do? What are steps we can take to mitigate drone events? How can we be proactive in detection?" So far there are more questions than answers. Technology like radar, electromagnetic waves and radio frequency interference to detect and counteract drones at airports aren't ready, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. For now, airports are relying on pilots to see and report drones. But it's difficult to confirm these sightings, and human eyesight isn't perfect. Automated solutions for detecting drones are expensive, may interfere with airports' navigation system and don't always work, according to FAA tests conducted in late 2016 and early 2017. Hovering drones, for example, are hard for the systems to identify. And humans are needed to operate the detection technology and identify false positives. The FAA will be working on another test of the technologies, according to an FAA spokesman. The FAA hasn't examined technologies designed to counteract rogue drones, such as jamming radio signals or shooting them down with an electromagnetic pulse or physical net. That appears likely to change. An FAA official said earlier this month that taking action against malicious drones is critical and would need to be executed carefully. "We don't want to create a safety hazard while trying to mitigate a security risk," said Angela Stubblefield, the FAA's deputy assistant administrator for security and hazardous materials safety. Some airports, such as Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, are already testing drone detection solutions. A spokeswoman for the airport declined to provide more details. In addition, The NY NJ Port Authority, which operates Newark Liberty International Airport, held meetings earlier this year to review and improve drone detection protocols. Representatives from the FAA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, New York police department, U.S. Coast Guard, and the New York and New Jersey Joint Terrorism Task Forces all attended, according to a Port Authority spokesperson. Drone experts see promise in the remote identification rules that the FAA is developing for drones. Remote identification will require drones to radio their position so that authorities are aware of where drones are flying. However, that won't help with identifying criminals who are intent on avoiding detection. Someone could build their own drone or hack an existing drone to not make it available for remote identification. Tim Bean, CEO of Fortem Technologies, is building a radar system to identify drones, even if they don't comply with remote identification. "That 1% of flyers that want to shut down airports represent 99% of the risk," Bean said. https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/05/tech/airports-drones/index.html Back to Top Airbus Helicopters launches flight safety analytics Airbus Helicopters has launched a new analytics service that supports operational safety by analysing aircraft data post-flight to identify risks before they lead to incidents. The application, known as Flight Analyser helicopter flight data monitoring (HFDM), analyses the data generated by a number of on-board sources, including the ISEI Helicom system, the Appareo Vision 1000 flight data recorder, and the Outerlink IRIS data recorder, to automatically detect situations that could have been safer or could have potentially led to an incident or accident. Data types analysed include altitude, ground speed, vertical speed, height and engine parameters, among others. The system then augments this data with weather data and environmental context, such as sky coverage and obstacles present at the time of the potential event, to provide the user with the most complete picture possible. It also performs a confidence check for each event, assessing the reliability of the data. "What we're doing is helping our customers uncover issues that would have been near impossible to see in the raw data," said Gilles Bruniaux, head of Aviation Safety at Airbus Helicopters. "Being able to make sense of this rich data and learn from it so as to fly in a more informed way the next time represents another step forward for safety." Flight Analyser users are given access to dashboards that are updated post-flight. The output can be used by an organisation's safety management system to support future decision making. The service is available for all operator types, regardless of their size, safety management system maturity, and fleet composition. The self-service reports can be accessed via the customer's personal space on Airbus' Keycopter customer portal. http://tradearabia.com/news/TTN_351853.html Back to Top UA Teams with FAA for Rotorcraft Enhanced Flight Vision System Research & Development The FAA is evaluating the use of Heli-ClearVision as a representative EHVS to improve helicopter safety and provide operational benefit during day, night, and low visibility conditions. Atlanta, GA - March 5, 2019 - Universal Avionics (UA), an Elbit Systems Company, is continuing its research partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to further develop and mature new regulations to support the use of Enhanced Flight Vision Systems/Enhanced Helicopter Vision Systems (EFVS/EHVS) for rotorcraft. The FAA is evaluating the use of Heli-ClearVision as a representative EHVS to improve helicopter safety and provide operational benefit during day, night, and low visibility conditions. Heli-ClearVision includes a SkyLens™ Head-Wearable Display or SkyVis™ Helmet- Mounted Display capable of displaying Primary Flight Display flight symbology, conformal information, Synthetic Vision System (SVS), Enhanced Vision System (EVS) with an EVS-4000 multispectral camera, and Combined Vision System (CVS). Testing hardware was fully integrated into the FAA's Sikorsky S-76 helicopter at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center at Atlantic City International Airport. Once integration was completed, training and familiarization flights were conducted with FAA test pilots, followed quickly by the commencement of the FAA's planned R&D data collection flight tests. The next phase of testing is planned for early 2019 and includes additional day, night, and twilight flights with the SkyLens HWD and SkyVis HMD. Later this year, experimental trials are also scheduled and will include the SkyVis Night Vision Goggle (NVG) HMD. "I have flown with an HMD for the majority of my flight career," said Tal Golan, Universal Avionics Rotorcraft Business Development Manager. "During that time, I personally experienced many occasions where such a system kept me out of trouble at either dark night, poor visibility, or just harsh flight conditions all around," he added. "I know firsthand that a system such as Heli-ClearVision will not only be an overall safety multiplier, but will also greatly assist any helicopter flying at night, IMC, and any other challenging conditions to safely complete their mission. Even more so, to those who fly special missions such as SAR, EMS, law enforcement and firefighting. The program we have with the FAA shows our dedication in shaping safer, better, and more efficient helicopter operations." This effort contributes to the United States Helicopter Safety Team's Helicopter Safety Enhancement - H-SE #91: EHVS and their commitment to reducing the helicopter fatal accident rate by exploring technologies that could enhance a pilot's ability and situational awareness to "see" the natural environment and avoid obstacles, which leads to a decrease in accidents due to Unintended Instrument Meteorological Conditions (UIMC) or Loss of Control (LOC). "This research allows us to jointly investigate EHVS technology through both Head-Worn and Helmet-Mounted Displays coupled with CVS sensors," said Cliff Johnson, FAA Research Program Manager for Helicopter Safety. "The research directly supports the FAA's ongoing aviation safety initiatives to develop criteria for helicopter operations in low visibility environments," he added. The flight test program will help quantify the unique sensor and display characteristics, visual cues, and operational concepts needed to assist the FAA with policy and rulemaking efforts to allow for the use of EHVS technologies on helicopters operating to and from helipads, heliports and landing zones. To learn more, be sure to visit UA Booth #C4028 during the HAI Heli-Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. About Universal Avionics Universal Avionics, an Elbit Systems Company, is a leading manufacturer of innovative commercial avionics systems offered as retrofit and forward-fit solutions for the largest diversification of aircraft types in the industry. To learn more about Universal Avionics, visit www.uasc.com/company/about. https://www.aviationpros.com/engines-components/aircraft-airframe- accessories/avionics/press-release/21070037/universal-avionics-ua-teams-with-faa-for- rotorcraft-enhanced-flight-vision-system-research-development Back to Top New Managing Director Named at NTSB Sharon Bryson had served as deputy managing director for about a year; as managing director, she is responsible for assisting the NTSB chair with all aspects of the day-to- day operations of the agency. Robert Sumwalt, the National Transportation Safety Board's chairman, announced Feb. 28 that Sharon Bryson is the agency's new managing director and Paul Sledzik has been named deputy managing director. Bryson had served as deputy managing director for about a year; as managing director, she is responsible for assisting the NTSB chair with all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the agency. Bryson previously was director of the Office of Safety Recommendations and Communications. She joined NTSB in November 1997 as a victim assistance specialist, later becoming chief of the Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance. In Sledzik's new position, he supports the managing director in the daily operations of the agency and also serves as NTSB's chief human capital officer. Sledzik previously headed NTSB's Office of Safety Recommendations and Communications from 2016- 2018, and from 2010 to 2016, he led the NTSB Transportation Disaster Assistance Division, which coordinates family assistance with local, state, federal, and non- governmental agencies and transportation operators. The agency's news release said Dolline Hatchett recently joined NTSB as director of the Office of Safety Recommendations and Communications. "Sharon, Paul, and Dolline bring a wealth of knowledge to this agency, its mission, and the traveling public," said Sumwalt. "I am extremely grateful to them for their willingness to serve in these leadership roles, and I am excited for our path ahead." https://ohsonline.com/articles/2019/03/06/new-managing-director-named-at-ntsb.aspx Back to Top Bombardier Global 7500 Aircraft Completes the World's Longest Range Business Jet Flight in History * Global 7500 jet's extraordinary 8,152 nm flight is the longest mission ever flown by a purpose-built business jet * Flight also sets record for highest speed over longest distance in business aviation history, connecting Singapore to Tucson, AZ* * Aircraft landed with fuel reserves well above NBAA requirements; 4,300 lb of remaining fuel represents nearly 1,5 hours of additional flight * Aircraft provides the industry's largest cabin and best cabin experience, perfectly suited for trans-oceanic journeys and an exceptionally smooth ride MONTREAL, March 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier is proud to announce that its Global 7500 aircraft, has once again demonstrated its ability to go the distance by completing the longest range business jet flight in history**, successfully completing an 8,152-nautical-mile flight non-stop, pushing the boundaries of business travel. The award-winning business jet departed from Singapore Changi Airport at 7:12 a.m. local time and arrived at Tucson International Airport at 8:19 a.m. local time, completing the long-range speed record flight for the city-pair. "The Global 7500 aircraft was built to break all the records," said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. "It achieved the industry's longest mission ever in business aviation after only two months in service. We've demonstrated its unequaled long-range and high speed capabilities, but also its ability to break records confidently with healthy fuel reserves remaining, once again, confirming its unsurpassed performance to customers." Since its entry-into-service, the Global 7500 jet has emphatically proven itself to be the highest-performing aircraft in the industry and this record showcases the real-world capabilities of this impressive aircraft. With a top speed of Mach 0.925, the aircraft has unquestionably shown its ability to fly even further than any other business jet with its advertised range of 7,700 nautical miles. The achievement of a flight that reaches 8,152 nautical miles clearly demonstrates that the aircraft is the only business jet with the high-performance capabilities required for long flights. Providing access to these demanding, long-range routes is an invaluable resource for customers. Over the last two months, the Global 7500 jet has demonstrated exceptional performance and reliability, this first aircraft has completed more than 170 hours of flight around the world. The Global 7500 aircraft offers spaciousness that is unique among business jets, with its award-winning interior featuring a full-size kitchen and four true living spaces. The Global 7500 aircraft also debuts Bombardier's patented Nuage seat, which was meticulously designed for maximum comfort and will be exclusive to the new Global family of aircraft. About Bombardier With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/03/04/1746288/0/en/Bombardier- Global-7500-Aircraft-Completes-the-World-s-Longest-Range-Business-Jet-Flight-in- History.html Back to Top China is going to Mars with a new rover next year China got a very, very late start in its efforts to explore space. The U.S., Russia, and other countries forged new paths to the Moon and beyond before China even got started, but it's making up for lost time in a big way. Following successful Moon missions, including landing on the far side of the rock for the first time ever, China is now looking to the Red Planet for its next big space mission. As CNN reports, China's space division is planning a rover mission to Mars that could launch as early as next year. Wu Weiren of China's lunar exploration program talked about the plans at an event held in Beijing. "Over the past 60 years, we've made a lot of achievements, but there is still a large distance from the world space powers. We must speed up our pace," Wu said during a speech. "Next year, we will launch a Mars probe, which will orbit around the Mars, land on it and probe it." China has had its eye on Mars for some time, and is even working on simulating Martian settlements which could one day serve as a model for actual human colonies on the Red Planet. Details of China's 2020 Mars line up pretty well with previous missions carried out by other countries. The orbiter will be equipped with high-resolution cameras and various instruments like radar, while the rover will carry a number of cameras as well as a magnetic field detector and instruments to test samples of the surface. China plans to launch its hardware into space sometime around July of next year, with the spacecraft arriving at Mars in early 2021 before eventually landing on the surface a few months later. https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-going-mars-rover-next-192313808.html Back to Top Back to Top Aviation Innovations Conference: Cargo Airships March 14 - 15, 2019 Toronto, Canada www.aviationinnovationsconference.com https://www.facebook.com/events/1842427552533870/ Curt Lewis