Flight Safety Information June 21, 2019 - No. 125 In This Issue Pilots' union asks Boeing CEO for time in 737 Max simulator Incident: TAROM AT42 at Bucharest on Jun 19th 2019, gear problem Incident: Rossiya B744 at Simferopol on Jun 20th 2019, flaps problem Incident: Flybe DH8D at Belfast on Jun 20th 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: Malindo B738 at Bandung on Jun 20th 2019, runway excursion during backtrack Incident: United B752 near Omaha on Jun 19th 2019, fuel leak Boeing 777-39LER - Taxiway Excursion (Germany) Flight diverted after hitting bird on departure from Edinburgh Airport US aviation authority issues order prohibiting flights over some Iran-controlled airspace United Airlines suspends Newark-Mumbai flights over concerns about Iran's airspace KLM avoids flying over Strait of Hormuz after downing of U.S. drone Women pilots told 'terminate your pregnancy or employment' Change India's aircraft call sign 'VT' Peeling away Russia's lies about the downed Malaysia Airlines flight China successfully tests unmanned helicopter: report FAA To Propose New Rules For Supersonic Aircraft Lockheed Martin unveils plans for quiet supersonic passenger airplane Why the age of electric flight is finally upon us Embraer Nabs Yet Another Regional Jet Order in the U.S. Boeing is moving space division headquarters to Florida GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(1) GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(2) System Safety Engineering & Certification Short-Course at ERAU - July AVIATION COMMUNICATION: STRATEGY AND MESSAGES FOR ENSURING SUCCESS AND PREVENTING FAILURES Join us in Washington, D.C., on July 15-18 for ALPA's annual...Air Safety Forum Pilots' union asks Boeing CEO for time in 737 Max simulator * The president of the pilots' union at American Airlines wants Boeing to give his safety experts time in a 737 Max flight simulator before the planes fly again. * Daniel Carey says it's essential that pilots who'll fly the plane be involved as it goes through re-certification by regulators. American Airlines Group Inc. Boeing Co. 737 Max planes sit parked outside of a maintenance hangar at Tulsa International Airport (TUL) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S., on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. The president of the pilots' union at American Airlines wants Boeing to give his safety experts time in a 737 Max flight simulator before the planes fly again. Daniel Carey says it's essential that pilots who'll fly the plane be involved as it goes through re-certification by regulators. Carey made the request Thursday to Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg. No U.S. airline has a Max simulator, but Boeing does. Boeing didn't comment immediately. About 400 Max jets around the world are grounded after crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people. Boeing is updating flight-control software implicated in the accidents. Pilot training - including whether to require time in simulators - has become a key issue as the Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators decide whether the planes can resume flying. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/21/pilots-union-asks-boeing-ceo-for-time-in-737-max- simulator.html Back to Top Incident: TAROM AT42 at Bucharest on Jun 19th 2019, gear problem A TAROM Avions de Transport Regionals ATR-42-212A, registration YR-ATE performing flight RO-291 from Bucharest Otopeni (Romania) to Sofia (Bulgaria), was climbing out of Bucharest when the crew stopped the climb at 3000 feet due to a problem with the landing gear. The aircraft returned to Bucharest for a safe landing about 11 minutes after departure. A replacement AT-42-212A registration YR-ATG reached Sofia with a delay of 3 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c971aac&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Rossiya B744 at Simferopol on Jun 20th 2019, flaps problem A Rossiya Boeing 747-400, registration EI-XLH performing flight FV-5620 from Simferopol (Ukraine) to St. Petersburg (Russia), was climbing out of Simferopol's runway 01 when the crew stopped the climb at FL150 due to problems with the flaps. The aircraft entered a hold while the crew worked the checklists and dumped fuel, then returned to Simferopol for a safe landing on runway 01 at a higher than normal speed about one hour after departure. A replacement Boeing 747-400 registration EI-XLE reached St. Petersburg with a delay of 9 hours. The status of Crimea and Simferopol is disputed. According to international law and United Nations the Crimea belong to the Ukraine although Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c9718c1&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Flybe DH8D at Belfast on Jun 20th 2019, engine shut down in flight A Flybe de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration G-PRPE performing flight BE-680 from Belfast City,NI to Edinburgh,SC (UK) with 76 passengers, was climbing out of Belfast City's runway 22 when the crew stopped the climb at 5000 feet due to a problem with the left hand engine (PW150) and shut the engine down. The aircraft returned to Belfast City for a safe landing on runway 22 about 30 minutes after departure. A replacement Dash 8-400 registration G-PRPN reached Edinburgh with a delay of 4 hours. The airline reported the aircraft suffered a technical fault, the captain shut the left hand engine down as a safety precaution and returned to Belfast. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c97173e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Malindo B738 at Bandung on Jun 20th 2019, runway excursion during backtrack A Malindo Air Boeing 737-800, registration 9M-LCK performing flight OD-301 from Bandung (Indonesia) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) with 114 passengers and 8 crew, was backtracking runway 29 for departure when upon turning around and line up for takeoff the aircraft went off the right edge of the runway and was disabled. The passengers disembarked normally via stairs. The airline stated: "Malindo Air OD301, a Boeing 737-800 with registration number 9M-LCK, experienced a runway excursion before take-off at 3:25p.m. (Malaysia time) today at Husein Sastranegara International Airport, Bandung, Indonesia." All passengers were safely evacuated, arrangements for their travel were being made. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c9715bf&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: United B752 near Omaha on Jun 19th 2019, fuel leak A United Boeing 757-200, registration N58101 performing flight UA-378 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Newark,NJ (USA) with 176 people on board, was enroute at FL370 about 90nm northeast of Omaha,NE (USA) when the crew reported a fuel leak and decided to divert to Omaha. The aircraft landed safely on Omaha's runway 32L about 20 minutes later. The aircraft vacated the runway and stopped. Emergency services reported fuel on the runway. The crew shut the left hand engine (RB211) down, tower reported they had a "pretty good leak", emergency services reported the fuel leak was slowing but still running and recommended to shut the right hand engine down, too. The aircraft was subsequently towed to the apron. A replacement Boeing 757-300 registration N78866 was dispatched to Omaha and delivered the passengers to Newark with a delay of 6 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL378/history/20190619/2225Z/KLAX/KEWR http://avherald.com/h?article=4c9711e5&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 777-39LER - Taxiway Excursion (Germany) Date: 20-JUN-2019 Time: Type: Boeing 777-39LER Owner/operator: Air China Registration: B-2036 C/n / msn: 38676 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: Frankfurt - Germany Phase: Taxi Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Beijing-Capital International Airport (PEK/ZBAA) Destination airport: Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) Narrative: An Air China Boeing 777-300ER suffered a taxiway excursion during taxi at Frankfurt Airport, Germany. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/226365 Back to Top Flight diverted after hitting bird on departure from Edinburgh Airport TUI flight BY1454 departed just after 6am and was bound for Lanzarote A plane above Edinburgh (Image: Edinburgh Airport) A flight was diverted just minutes after leaving Edinburgh Airport. TUI flight BY1454 departed the airport shortly after 6am this morning and was bound for Lanzarote. However it is understood to have struck a bird on departure, causing damage to the aircraft. A diversion was then requested and at around 6.30am and FlightRadar showed that the plane had turned round, and was trying to land. The plane was scheduled to leave Edinburgh around 6am but ended up departing at 6.10am. It was due to land in Lanzarote at 10.45am. Passenger Alex Brown told Edinburgh Live that it looks like those on-board will be put up in a hotel for the night. He said: "We have now been told that a bird hit an engine. The pilot has said there is damage to the aircraft. "We are still all on the flight in Glasgow Airport and unsure when we will disembark. "We are being told we may be put up in a hotel overnight. "All passengers are in good spirits and no one is hurt." A spokesperson for TUI said: "We would like to apologise to customers on board flight TOM1454 from Edinburgh to Lanzarote this morning, which diverted to Glasgow due to the aircraft suffering a bird strike. "Customers have been provided with refreshment vouchers and the flight is due to depart soon. "We understand how frustrating delays can be and we would like to thank customers for their patience. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is our highest priority." https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/flight-declares-mid-air- emergency-16456697 Back to Top US aviation authority issues order prohibiting flights over some Iran-controlled airspace * The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued an emergency order prohibiting U.S. operators from flying in an overwater area of Iran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman due to heightened tensions. * It comes a day after Iran shot down a high-altitude U.S. surveillance drone. * Earlier Thursday, United Airlines said it had suspended flights from New Jersey's Newark airport to the Indian financial capital of Mumbai following a safety review. A United Airlines airplane takes off at Newark Liberty Airport. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued an emergency order prohibiting U.S. operators from flying in an overwater area of Iran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman due to heightened tensions. It comes a day after Iran shot down a high-altitude U.S. surveillance drone. The downing of the unarmed Global Hawk aircraft, which can fly at up to 60,000 ft (18,300 m), was the latest of a series of incidents in the Gulf region, a critical artery for global oil supplies, that included explosive strikes on six oil tankers. In a separate advisory to operators, FAA said according to flight tracking applications, the nearest civil aircraft was operating within around 45 nautical miles of a U.S. Global Hawk drone when it was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-aire missile this week. "There were numerous civil aviation aircraft operating in the area at the time of the intercept," FAA said. The agency said it remained concerned about the escalation of tension and military activity within close proximity to high volume civil aircraft routes as well as Iran's willingness to use long-range missiles in international airspace with little or no warning. Earlier Thursday, United Airlines said it had suspended flights from New Jersey's Newark airport to the Indian financial capital of Mumbai following a safety review. "Given current events in Iran, we have conducted a thorough safety and security review of our India service through Iranian airspace and decided to suspend our service," United said on its website, but did not say how long the suspension would last. Flight tracking data showed commercial aircraft were flying very close to the unpiloted Global Hawk at the time it was shot down, said OPSGROUP, which provides safety guidance to air operators. "The threat of a civil aircraft shootdown in southern Iran is real," it advised operators on Thursday. "Avoiding the Strait of Hormuz area is recommended - misidentification of aircraft is possible." Last month, U.S. regulator the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised airlines to exercise caution in flying over Iran and nearby areas, due to heightened military activities and increased political tension. "Although Iran likely has no intention to target civil aircraft, the presence of multiple long-range, advanced anti-aircraft capable weapons in a tense environment poses a possible risk of miscalculation or misidentification, especially during periods of heightened political tension and rhetoric," it said. On Thursday, two other carriers, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, said they did not fly over Iran. In July 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over Ukraine, killing all 298 on board, prompting carriers to take more steps to uncover threats to their planes. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/21/united-airlines-suspends-newark-mumbai-flights- over-iran-airspace.html Back to Top United Airlines suspends Newark-Mumbai flights over concerns about Iran's airspace June 21 (Reuters) - United Airlines said it had suspended flights from Newark to Mumbai after a safety review in light of events in Iran, which this week shot down a high- altitude U.S. surveillance drone. "Given current events in Iran, we have conducted a thorough safety and security review of our India service through Iranian airspace and decided to suspend our service between EWR and BOM," United said on its website, referring to the airports. https://www.reuters.com/article/mideast-iran-airlines/united-airlines-suspends-newark- mumbai-flights-over-concerns-about-irans-airspace-idUSL4N23S066 Back to Top KLM avoids flying over Strait of Hormuz after downing of U.S. drone THE HAGUE, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Dutch airlines KLM followed the example of airlines from the United States by avoiding flights over the Strait of Hormuz, the company announced in a press release on Friday. The measure is the result of the shooting down of a U.S. drone on Wednesday by an Iranian air defense system. According to the United States, the RQ-4A Global Hawk flew in international airspace at the time, but Iran claimed the drone had crossed Iranian borders in the southern part of the country. The downing led to rising tensions between the two countries. "Safety is the top priority for KLM," KLM stated. "The incident with the drone is reason not to fly over the Strait of Hormuz for the time being. This is a precautionary measure." The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday issued an emergency order prohibiting American airlines from flying in Iran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has not issued a similar order over the drone incident. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-06/21/c_138162549.htm Back to Top Women pilots told 'terminate your pregnancy or employment' Many contract pilots afraid to speak up, says head of Irish Air Line Pilots' Association About half the pilots working in Irish-registered airlines were hired as self-employed contractors, says IALPA president. Stock photograph: Thomas_EyeDesign/Getty images Some women pilots in Irish-registered airlines are being told they have a choice: terminate their pregnancy or terminate their employment, the president of the Irish Air Line Pilots' Association (IALPA) has claimed. Capt Evan Cullen told an Oireachtas Committee investigation into bogus self- employment that about half the pilots working in Irish-registered airlines were hired as self-employed contractors. He said all Irish-registered airlines were involved to some extent in employing workers as self-employed contractors with many global airlines, who were "not household names", setting up companies and registering here to take advantage of Irish labour law. For the pilots there were implications for wages, sick pay, maternity cover and pensions, as well as collective bargaining and other rights. Capt Cullen told the Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection that many pilots were afraid to speak up. He said women pilots were being told not to get pregnant, and that women pilots who present as pregnant were told: "you have a choice, you terminate your employment or you terminate your pregnancy". Capt Cullen said there were important implications for safety involved as pilots were rated against each other for performance. He cited two academic studies from the University of Ghent and the London School of Economics which showed pilots' decision making was affected by the security of their own position. He said the studies had shown, in cases where pilots had safety concerns, they were more likely to fly if they were contractors. Loss of money to State Capt Cullen said at a "conservative" estimate the State was at a loss of about €16 million a year in employer PRSI contributions. He also criticised the Department of Transport which he said had referred to the value of "innovative employment measures" in the industry. Bríd Smith TD asked Capt Cullen if Ryanair was one of the airlines which employed contract pilots, and was asked by the chairman of the Committee John Curran to desist form naming any individual or company. Capt Cullen responded that "all Irish airlines" were involved in hiring contract pilots with practices ranging from 5 per cent contractors, to 100 per cent of the pilots being "in this kind of precarious employment". He said IALPA had taken part in one Revenue test case on behalf of a pilot, but the case is currently three years running. Joan Collins TD said she deplored "what is happening to women" because of global companies "using Ireland as a tax haven". She said employment was returning to "the days of 1916" where "people are going down to the docks and looking for work and really afraid they are not going to get that work". Ms Collins instanced workers in the Ivy restaurant, Dublin, who had a dispute with their employers and who she said were now terrified to speak about their conditions. Thomas Fitzpatrick of the Unite Trade Union said the issue of workers being hired as self-contractors was also rife in the construction industry and the English-language- teaching industry. Mr Curran said a report would be published before the Oireachtas summer recess. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/women-pilots-told-terminate-your- pregnancy-or-employment-1.3932081 Back to Top Change India's aircraft call sign 'VT', requests a BJP youth wing leader to aviation ministry * The prefix 'VT' stands for Victorian or Viceroy Territory, which is the nationality code that each aircraft registered in India is required to carry. * The call sign indicates which country the aircraft is registered in and every country is required to follow this norm. * This is not the first time leaders are approaching the government to change the aircraft call sign. In 2016, BJP member Tarun Vijay had also said the registration number of Indian aircraft marks the legacy of 'British Raj'. * Change India's aircraft call sign 'VT', requests a BJP youth wing leader to aviation ministry The aviation ministry has received a request to get rid of country code 'VT' from Indian aircraft. Sourabh Choudhary, the national general secretary of the youth wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJYM), approached aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday and requested him to change it for the Indian aircraft. The prefix 'VT' stands for Victorian or Viceroy Territory, which is the nationality code that each aircraft registered in India is required to carry. The code is generally seen just before the rear exit door and above the windows. The call sign indicates the country where the aircraft is registered in and every nation is required to follow this norm. It helps air traffic control (ATC) and other authorities identify and recognise which country the aircraft belongs to, and is also able to obtain registration details based on the call sign. Britain set the prefix 'VT' for India before the partition in 1929. 'VT' was given to all British colonies, however, countries like China, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka changed their codes later. For India, the prefix has remained on the aircraft even after 90 years. "India even after 72 years of independence retains the symbol of slavery 'VT', use of this symbol denotes us as still being the Viceroy Territory, which does not stand true but even after 72 years of independence our government refuses to get it changed or even make an effort regarding it," Choudhary said, in a letter to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This is not the first time leaders are approaching the government to change the aircraft call sign. In 2016, BJP member Tarun Vijay had also said the registration number of Indian aircraft marks the legacy of 'British Raj'. "The 'VT' code has a reflection of colonial rule," he said, adding "Hindustan cannot be a territory of the Viceroy. Why India is continuing with VT code? VT should be changed right away", he had said, according to PTI. In 2004, the aviation ministry had approached the International Civil Aviation Organisation or ICAO to change the code but no decision has been taken so far. https://www.cnbctv18.com/aviation/change-indias-aircraft-call-sign-vt-requests-a-bjp- youth-wing-leader-to-aviation-ministry-3761271.htm Back to Top Peeling away Russia's lies about the downed Malaysia Airlines flight Investigators examine a piece of the crashed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in the village of Petropavlivka in eastern Ukraine in 2014. (Dmitry Lovetsky/AP) WHEN MALAYSIA Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) was blown out of the sky over eastern Ukraine five years ago, killing all 298 people aboard, Russian military officials denied involvement. They offered some fabricated evidence that it was Ukraine's fault. Since then, journalists and international investigators have worked diligently to uncover the truth: that a Russian surface-to-air Buk missile was fired to destroy the Boeing 777. This week, investigators took another step toward identifying the people behind the shoot-down - and the suspects are in Russia. Fred Westerbeke, chief prosecutor for the Netherlands, which lost 193 citizens in the disaster, announced that four men will be put on trial next March on charges of murder in connection with the shoot-down. Three of them are connected to Russia's military and intelligence services; the fourth is a Ukrainian who led a separatist faction reporting to one of the Russians. The shoot-down on July 17, 2014, came as Russia ignited a violent separatist uprising in southeastern Ukraine, a conflict in which some 13,000 people have been killed and that remains unresolved. Previous investigations, examining debris, videos and conversations, established that the airliner was downed by the missile, and that the missile launcher came from Russia and was quickly spirited back across the border in a hasty effort at a coverup. The open-source investigative group Bellingcat identified, through intercepted phone conversations, people responsible for escorting the missile to and from the launch site. Now, the criminal investigation is moving ahead, coordinated by Mr. Westerbeke and carried out by a joint team from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine. "Their acts on and around July 2014 have led to the shooting of Flight MH17. Even though they have not pushed the button themselves, there is suspicion that they have closely cooperated" in obtaining and positioning the missile launcher, Mr. Westerbeke told reporters. He said the officers involved may have thought they were shooting down a Ukrainian military aircraft, but that does not absolve them of responsibility for the murder of those aboard MH17. None of the four men charged are likely to be present at the trial; most are in Russia, which will not extradite them and still denies responsibility. These charges do not account for the whole story - who else at high levels in Russia approved moving the missile across an international border in the first place? Everything about Russia's aggression in Ukraine has been wrapped in untruths. President Vladimir Putin lied about the Kremlin's role in sending "little green men" to seize Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and about Russia's role in fomenting and arming the bloody insurrection in the Donbas region of Ukraine . Hopefully, the criminal prosecution will further peel back the lies about one terrible day in this dirty war, the day that 298 innocent civilians lost their lives to a Russian missile. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/peeling-away-russias-lies- about-the-downed-malaysia-airlines-flight/2019/06/20/611a7a1c-92b6-11e9-aadb- 74e6b2b46f6a_story.html?utm_term=.f0bf38a0d714 Back to Top China successfully tests unmanned helicopter: report China has successfully tested an unmanned helicopter which conducted its first night operations under challenging conditions, the official media reported Friday, opening the possibility for the military to consider deploying them for a range of operations. The AV500 unmanned helicopter took off and flew toward sea in a headwind of 15 meters per second at midnight on June 14 in South China's Hainan Province. The helicopter successfully conducted its first night operation under challenging conditions, demonstrating its any-time, all-terrain capabilities increasing its possibility for Chinese military to put it into service, the Global Times quoted Chinese analysts as saying. A drone helicopter could conduct patrol, reconnaissance, damage evaluation and attack missions for the military. It could also be deployed on missions relating to anti- terrorism, firefighting and disaster evaluation, an expert said. During the night-time mission, the drone helicopter successfully located its target vessel with its electro-optical pod and transferred back clear infrared visuals, read a statement the helicopter department of the state-owned Aviation Industry of China (AVIC), the maker of the helicopter said in a press release. During its flight, the AV500 overcame challenging environments including strong winds and high salinity and humidity, the AVIC said. In 2017, the company flew the AV500 in Northwest China's Gansu Province, as it climbed to an altitude of 5,006 meters, a record for a domestically developed helicopter drone. AV500W, an armed reconnaissance variant of the AV500, successfully conducted a missile firing test in 2018, making it combat ready, the AVIC said earlier. It can carry a 175-kilogramme payload and fly at a maximum speed of 170 kms an hour carrying laser-guided missiles or machine guns, the company said. The AV500 also took part in a military exercise at the invitation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and conducted a mock assault mission, Global Times quoted a China Aviation News report. Since the PLA does not seem to have helicopter drones in service, it might consider adding one, the military expert suggested, noting that a helicopter drone is more flexible and offers unique advantages over traditional fixed wing drones. https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/china-successfully-tests- unmanned-helicopter-report-119062100467_1.html Back to Top FAA To Propose New Rules For Supersonic Aircraft FAA Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell has announced that the FAA will soon be publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) designed to streamline regulatory procedures for obtaining FAA approval to test supersonic aircraft. According to Elwell, the NPRM will ensure that companies with supersonic aircraft projects currently under development have access to necessary information and an efficient process for flight testing authorizations. "The U.S. Department of Transportation and the FAA are committed toward the safe and environmentally-sound research and development of supersonic aircraft," said Elwell. "We are confident in the next generation of aviation pioneers who want to open new opportunities for business, economic, and aviation growth." Although a publication date for the new rule has not yet been given, Section 181 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 calls for the issuance of an NPRM on special flight authorizations for civil supersonic aircraft no later than Dec. 31, 2019. It also requires an NPRM addressing noise standards for supersonic aircraft no later than March 31, 2020, which the FAA says is also in progress. Neither rule will rescind the prior prohibition against flight in excess of Mach 1 over land without specific authorization from the FAA. Once published, the NPRMs will be available for public review and comment via the Federal Register. https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/faa-regs/faa-to-propose-new-rules-for- supersonic-aircraft/ Back to Top Lockheed Martin unveils plans for quiet supersonic passenger airplane Supersonic successor: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' new design for a quiet supersonic passenger airplane draws on its work with NASA on the X-59. (CNN) - It's still at the conceptual stage, but a new supersonic airplane design unveiled this week by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics could be the clearest indication yet that we're on the brink of a new golden age of super-fast air travel. The Quiet Supersonic Technology Airliner, a sleek twin-engined jet plane that will carry up to 40 passengers at speeds of Mach 1.8, was revealed on Wednesday at an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics conference in Dallas. Though still a ways off being built, the design leverages Lockheed Martin's work with NASA to create the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology X-plane -- a supersonic jet that does not create the intense sonic boom typically associated with aircraft breaching the sound barrier. The loud noise created by Concorde when it crossed the Mach 1 speed threshold prevented the aircraft from operating over-land routes, greatly reducing its economic viability. Lockheed Martin says, because there are tests underway on X-59 that could pave the way for a rethinking of regulations that prevent overland supersonic flight, it wanted to be ready with a commercial aircraft that could capitalize on newly opened routes. But Mike Buonanno, the LM aerospace engineer who briefed AIAA on the concept, says the technology is pretty much in place to go ahead once the concept is proved from NASA's X-59 program. "Right now, we've only done early conceptual design studies to establish that the design is feasible, do sizing for the concept, how big it should be, how much it should weigh... Those early sensitivity studies to make sure it all makes sense," he tells CNN Travel. Regulatory hurdles The design was create at the Lockheed Martin Skunkworks headquarters in Palmdale, California. The QSTA isn't the only new commercial supersonic passenger jet on the drawing table right now. US startup Boom Supersonic has attracted a $10 million investment from Japan Airlines and reportedly dozens of pre-orders for its envisioned 55-seat jet capable of Mach 2.2. Yet, with overland supersonic boom restrictions in place, it will take radical design work and a major regulatory shakeup before some of the planet's most popular air routes are opened up to full faster-than-the-speed-of-sound aviation. Lockheed Martin's design is reminiscent of Concorde's delta-wing design, but instead utilizes an extended super-sharp nose to sculpt sonic shockwaves that will cascade along the aircraft without the explosive bang created by its aeronautical ancestor. If work on the X-59 successfully transfers across, the noise should be audible from the ground only as a thump similar to a car door being slammed. While Concorde needed a hydraulic drooping nose to allow its pilots to see properly during landings, QSTA will use a technological solution: forward visibility systems embedded at the front to relay the required visuals to the cockpit. The cabin is designed to accommodate 40 passengers in a single aisle configuration with one seat either side so that all passengers will have window and aisle access. "Ultimately airlines determine how they arrange their seats, but we've nominally configured the airplane for 40 passengers," says Buonanno. "We did considerable market research and found that this was the sweet spot for the size of this type of airplane, basically maximizing the number of markets that can be addressed by the airplane." At the rear of the airplane, there's an unusual "flying V-tail" structure that replaces the standard single fin design usually seen on commercial aircraft with twin fin more often associated with fighter jets. The QSTA's power comes from two turbofan engines that, unlike Concorde, don't feature afterburners that inject fuel directly into the engine to drastically ramp up thrust. These will provide the aircraft with 40,000 pounds of thrust at ground level. The engine needs to be a new design," says Buonanno. "We did a survey of what existing engines were out there, the conclusion of that survey was, we found, that there were no off-the-shelf engines that we could just drop on and use as-is for the airplane. Buonanno adds that he's confident that existing engine concepts could easily be adapted for the QSTA. "There would be multiple modifications required," he says. "Really you'd have to put what's called a new low-pressure spool on the engine, a new fan and a new low- pressure turbine, but you'd be able to repurpose that very high-technology heart of the turbojet engine." The aircraft would, according to Lockheed Martin, have a range of about 5,200 nautical miles, easily covering routes such as New York-London, Tokyo-Los Angeles, London- Beijing and Tokyo-Sydney. Projections indicate the time saving on a London-Tokyo flight of 5,190 miles would be 4 hours 30 minutes. Buonanno says there's no current estimations on when the QSTA, if it goes into production, would enter service since any move towards building would rely on the outcome of the X-59 testing program. But he said there was optimism that the data needed to prompt a change in regulations for overland supersonic flight would be forthcoming. "Right now the primary focus is to get that data to solve the regulatory challenge," he says. "The goal is to get that data by 2023, there's a rule-making cycle that goes on and we're working towards that goal for supporting that mission." https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/supersonic-airplane-qsta-lockheed- martin/index.html Back to Top Why the age of electric flight is finally upon us Eviation's nine-seater electric aircraft, Alice, was a hit at the Paris Airshow Aerospace firms are joining forces to tackle their industry's growing contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, with electric engines seen as one solution. But will this be enough to offset the growing demand for air travel? This week's Paris Airshow saw the launch of the world's first commercial all-electric passenger aircraft - albeit in prototype form. Israeli firm Eviation says the craft - called Alice - will carry nine passengers for up to 650 miles (1,040km) at 10,000ft (3,000m) at 276mph (440km/h). It is expected to enter service in 2022. Alice is an unconventional-looking craft: powered by three rear-facing pusher- propellers, one in the tail and two counter-rotating props at the wingtips to counter the effects of drag. It also has a flat lower fuselage to aid lift. "This plane looks like this not because we wanted to build a cool plane, but because it is electric," says Eviation's chief executive Omer Bar-Yohay. "You build a craft around your propulsion system. Electric means we can have lightweight motors; it allows us to open up the design space." Eviation has already received its first orders. US regional airline Cape Air, which operates a fleet of 90 aircraft, has agreed to buy a "double-digit" number of the aircraft. The firm is using Siemens and magniX to provide the electric motors, and magniX chief executive Roei Ganzarski says that with two billion air tickets sold each year for flights of under 500 miles, the business potential for small electric passenger aircraft is clear. Crucially, electricity is much cheaper than conventional fuel. A small aircraft, like a turbo-prop Cessna Caravan, will use $400 on conventional fuel for a 100-mile flight, says Mr Ganzarski. But with electricity "it'll be between $8-$12, which means much lower costs per flight-hour". "We're not an environmentalist company, the reason we're doing this is because it makes business sense." Harbour Air is planning to turn its fleet of sea planes electric MagniX is now working with seaplane operator, Vancouver-based Harbour Air, to start converting their existing fleet to electric. The future also looks reasonably bright when it comes to medium-range flight - a range of up to about 1,500km. Unlike Alice, aircraft targeting this range would use a mix of conventional and electric power, enabling them to cut CO2 emissions significantly by switching on the electrical component of their propulsion at the key points in a flight - take-off and landing. Several demonstration projects are now nearing fruition. Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens are co-operating on an electric-hybrid aeroplane called the E-Fan X For example, Rolls-Royce, Airbus and Siemens are working on the E-Fan X programme, which will have a two megawatt (2MW) electric motor mounted on a BAE 146 jet. It is set to fly in 2021. "There are huge amounts of energy involved here, the engineering is absolutely leading-edge - and our investment in electrification is ramping up rapidly," says Rolls- Royce's chief technology officer Paul Stein. United Technologies, which includes engine-maker Pratt & Whitney in its portfolio, is working on its Project 804, a hybrid electric demonstrator designed to test a 1MW motor and the sub-systems and components required. The firm says it should provide fuel savings of at least 30%. It should fly in 2022 and is forecast to be ready for regional airliners by the mid-2020s. Is United Technologies' hybrid-electric demonstrator plane the shape of things to come? Zunum Aero, backed by Boeing, is using a engine turbine from France's Safran to power an electric motor for a hybrid craft. And low-cost airline EasyJet is working with Wright Electric, saying it will start using electric aircraft in its regular services by 2027. This is likely to be on short-haul flights, such as London to Amsterdam - Europe's second busiest route. "Electric flying is becoming a reality and we can now foresee a future that is not exclusively dependent on jet fuel," says EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren. It's a statement underscored by a report from investment bank UBS which predicts the aviation sector will quickly switch to hybrid and electric aircraft for regional travel, with an eventual demand for 550 hybrid airliners each year between 2028 and 2040. But the prospects for electric long-haul flights are not so rosy. While electrical motors, generators, power distribution and controls have advanced very rapidly, battery technology hasn't. Even assuming huge advances in battery technology, with batteries that are 30 times more efficient and "energy-dense" than they are today, it would only be possible to fly an A320 airliner for a fifth of its range with just half of its payload, says Airbus's chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini. "Unless there is some radical, yet-to-be invented paradigm shift in energy storage, we are going to rely on hydrocarbon fuels for the foreseeable future," says Greg Eremenko, United Technologies chief technology officer. The big problem with this is that 80% of the aviation industry's emissions come from passenger flights longer than 1,500km - a distance no electric airliner could yet fly. Yet the UK has become the first G7 country to accept the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 - a huge challenge for the air travel business with 4.3 billion of us flying this year and eight billion expected to do so by 2037. In Europe, the European Aviation Safety Agency says it will start categorizing aircraft based on their CO2 emissions, while Norway and Sweden are aiming to make short-haul flights in their airspace electric by 2040. So logically, is the only answer is to ditch long-haul flights? This obviously isn't an appealing prospect for the industry. Rolls-Royce's Paul Stein says starkly that the world would be in a "dark place" if we stopped travelling. He argues that in a global economy "where peaceful co-existence comes about from travelling and understanding each other, if we move away from that I am very concerned it's not the direction mankind should be going in". https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48630656 Back to Top Embraer Nabs Yet Another Regional Jet Order in the U.S. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer has taken the U.S. regional airline sector by storm since 2013. Embraer (NYSE:ERJ) found itself in a sticky situation entering 2013. The Brazilian aerospace company delivered 106 commercial jets during 2012, yet it ended the year with a backlog of just 185 firm orders for its E-Jets. Typically, commercial aircraft manufacturers like to have several years' worth of production lined up in their firm backlogs. However, since then, Embraer has capitalized on a wave of aircraft replacements in the U.S. regional airline sector. This has enabled it to keep output steady as it transitions the bulk of its production to its next-generation E2-series jets. Embraer continued its roll of success at this week's Paris Air Show, as United Continental (NASDAQ:UAL) ordered more E175s. A dominant performance Since the middle of 2013, Embraer has delivered just over 400 E175 jets to regional airlines operating for the four major U.S. airlines that have regional affiliates. During the same period, Bombardier -- its only current competitor in the market for large regional jets -- has delivered just 113 new regional jets in the U.S. Success in the U.S. regional airline sector has kept Embraer afloat recently. Over the past six years, more than two-thirds of deliveries for its E-Jets family have gone to U.S. regional airlines. Meanwhile, Bombardier was forced to cut output of its CRJ family jets from an average of 50 per year between 2014 and 2016 to just 26 jets in 2017 and 20 last year. A United Airlines Embraer E175 parked on the tarmac U.S. REGIONAL AIRLINES HAVE ADDED HUNDREDS OF E175S TO THEIR FLEETS SINCE 2013. IMAGE SOURCE: UNITED AIRLINES. Embraer's order advantage has been growing in recent years. Looking forward, Embraer ended the first quarter with 171 firm orders for E175s in the U.S. market, largely thanks to a deal for 100 E175s with Republic Airways that was finalized late last year. By contrast, Bombardier had just 27 remaining firm orders from U.S. airlines for its competing CRJ-900 as of the end of the first quarter. Embraer lands another order On Monday, Embraer announced that United Airlines had placed a new firm order for 20 E175s, to be operated in a spacious 70-seat configuration by the airline's regional partners. United also has options for an additional 19 E175s. The first aircraft under this deal will be delivered in the second quarter of 2020. This sale keeps Embraer's backlog looking quite solid for the next few years. As of the end of the first quarter, Embraer had firm orders for 206 current-generation E-Jets along with 153 next-generation E190-E2 and E195-E2 models. Nearly all of the current-generation E-Jets -- and dozens of E2-series jets -- will be delivered between now and 2021. Based on Embraer's historical production rate of about 100 commercial jets per year, the vast majority of its delivery slots have already been filled during that period. (In 2019 specifically, Embraer expects to deliver only 85 to 95 commercial jets.) Embraer has delivered at least 24 commercial jets since the beginning of the second quarter, bouncing back from a weak first quarter, when it delivered just 11. The firm part of United's order will restock the backlog for most of the aircraft delivered this quarter, while the options would add to Embraer's order book. Embraer has this market locked down Earlier this week, I noted that Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation's attempt to break into the U.S. regional airline market with the SpaceJet M100 is likely to fail. While the SpaceJet M100 will be cheaper to operate than the comparable, older-technology E175, it is coming too late. This week's United Airlines order was just one more blow to Mitsubishi's ambitions. Indeed, it's particularly remarkable that United decided to double down on the E175 just a few days after Mitsubishi took the wraps off its state-of-the-art competitor. Due to pilot contracts that limit the number of large regional jets the three big U.S. network carriers can use, there's only room for about 1,000 (or at most 1,100) 70- to 76-seat regional jets in the U.S. As noted above, Embraer and Bombardier have combined to deliver more than 500 new jets in this size range in the U.S. just since mid-2013, with nearly 200 firm orders remaining. Thus, there's very little room for the market to grow and there will be very few large regional jets in need of replacement during the decade after the SpaceJet M100 enters service in 2023. Embraer's E175 offers airlines an excellent combination of low acquisition costs, manageable operating costs, great reliability, and high passenger comfort. Airlines don't want to mess with this proven formula for success. As a result, the E175 is likely to be the primary aircraft for U.S. regional airlines well into the 2030s. https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/06/19/embraer-nabs-yet-another-regional-jet- order-in-us.aspx Back to Top Boeing is moving space division headquarters to Florida TITUSVILLE - Boeing says it is moving the headquarters of its space and launch division to Florida. The company said Tuesday that it was moving the space division headquarters from Arlington, Virginia, to Titusville on Florida's Space Coast. Boeing official Leanne Caret says it makes sense to move Boeing's space headquarters to Florida, where so much space history has taken place and the company is working on several future launches. Florida's Space Coast is home to the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base. Company officials say the move won't affect space operations in other states, such as Alabama, California, Colorado, Louisiana and Texas. Boeing spokesman Daniel Beck says the company isn't saying how many jobs will move to Florida, but the number will be small. Volusia County is also getting a taste of the renewed interest in Florida's Space Coast. California developer Chad Hagle is proposing to convert the aging Volusia Square shopping center at the corner of International Speedway and Williamson boulevards in Daytona Beach into an aerospace-oriented research-and-development park called Space Square. And in Port Orange, Orbit Beyond Inc., a New Jersey start-up that recently won a $97.7 million contract from NASA to design and build lunar landers capable of delivering commercial payloads, plans to set up manufacturing operations in a portion of the Raydon Corp. building off of Williamson Boulevard, according to company CEO Siba Padhi. https://www.dailycommercial.com/news/20190620/boeing-is-moving-space-division- headquarters-to-florida Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(1) Dear Pilots, My name is Lakshmi Vempati. I am a doctoral candidate in the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University PhD in Aviation program, and I am working on my dissertation under the guidance of Dr. Scott Winter. We are interested in understanding pilot perspectives for operating in unmanned aircraft system (UAS) integrated airspace and airports. You can help this research by participating in this electronic questionnaire. The study is anticipated to take approximately 15 minutes to complete. In order to participate, you must be 18 years of age, and a current civilian pilot with any rating, and experience level who has flown within the last six months. Participants will have an opportunity to participate in the drawing to win a DJI Tello Quadcopter Drone. If you have any questions regarding the study, or the questionnaire in particular, please contact the researcher, Lakshmi Vempati, at vempatil@my.erau.edu or the dissertation committee chair, Dr. Scott Winter, at winte25e@erau.edu. Please find the electronic questionnaire at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LVPilotSurvey Please feel free to forward the link to other pilots who you think might be interested in participating. Sincerely, Lakshmi Vempati, Doctoral Candidate ERAU PhD in Aviation Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY(2) Dear Participants, You are being asked to participate in a research study to develop a trust in air traffic controllers scale. This study is expected to take approximately 5 minutes of your time. In order to participate, you must be a resident of the United States, at least 18 years old, and a certified pilot. Participation in this study is voluntary, and you may choose to opt out of the study at any time. If you choose to opt out, your data will be immediately destroyed. We appreciate your consideration and time to complete our study. Please click on or copy and paste the URL below: https://forms.gle/DmMB9fXSupVa5oTGA For more information, please contact: Brad Baugh, Ph.D. in Aviation Student baughfd0@my.erau.edu We appreciate your interest and participation! Back to Top Back to Top ISASI 2019 is pleased to announce that the technical program is now posted on the seminar website at www.isasi2019.org Choose the "Program" page and "Program Review" for the most up to date information. It will be necessary for you to click on the program icon to open the full program. Dates to remember: July 28 - Final date for registration for the MH 17 Master Class. Please register for the seminar first and then contact Daan Zwart at D.Zwart@vnv.nl for more information. July 28 - Final date for Early Bird pricing. August 4 - Deadline for hotel reservations. After this date we will not be able to guarantee the seminar rate. We look forward to seeing many of you in The Hague! Back to Top AVIATION COMMUNICATION: STRATEGY AND MESSAGES FOR ENSURING SUCCESS AND PREVENTING FAILURES, 1ST EDITION 'THIS BOOK IS A MUST-HAVE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL AVIATION BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS A TRI-FUNCTIONAL INDUCTION, TRAINING, AND REFERENCE TOOL.' Now available to order from www.routledge.com/9781138624825 Aviation Communication: Strategy and Messages for Ensuring Success and Preventing Failures by Linda J. Tavlin With a foreword by Professor Graham Braithwaite "This is a great book that helps prepare communicators and business leaders in facing the worst. As Linda rightly points out, communication is a thought process and needs to be practised." - Tony Fernandes, Group CEO, AirAsia Group Do you ever wonder why an airline's communication strategy can crash and burn in a crisis? A lack of understanding an acceptable aviation communication strategy can, in this fast world of social media, ruin a company's credibility in the aviation industry. Aviation Communication: Strategy and Messages for Ensuring Success and Preventing Failures is the first go-to book to reveal to everyone in the aviation industry how to stop an organization's communication strategy from becoming the tragedy-after-the-tragedy that we've seen so often. In such instances, after the media go home, the economic, political, regulatory, and legal effects can linger for years. The strategies and messages in this book show how to prevent this along with the ultimate safety net used by those who have been successful. Readers will learn to prevent catastrophic communication mistakes with strategic templates for a wide array of scenarios, as well as 25 specific techniques that give the actual words to use to deliver the book's messages and reveal the safety net of the 4-point formula that organizations with successful strategies have used. USE CODE A015 FOR 20% DISCOUNT AT CHECKOUT Purchase your copy here: https://www.routledge.com/9781138624825 Back to Top Join us in Washington, D.C., on July 15-18 for ALPA's annual Air Safety Forum Curt Lewis