Flight Safety Information July 18, 2019 - No. 144 In This Issue Incident: Canada Rouge A319 near Las Vegas on Jul 15th 2019, hydraulic leak Incident: Lufthansa A321 near Riga on Jul 15th 2019, cracked windshield Incident: Asiana A388 over Pacific on Jul 11th 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: ANA B788 near Tokyo on Jul 17th 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: Canada Rouge B763 at Athens on Jul 16th 2019, uncommanded fuel transfer Former FedEx Pilot Warns Lawmakers Of Cargo Safety Gap French prosecutors want Air France tried for 2009 Rio crash ALPA and US lawmakers ask ICAO to review pilot training standards ALPA warns of potential trend to single-pilot commercial aircraft Costa Rica Seeks To Recover Air Safety Rating DGCA found safety management system (SMS) of 5 airlines deficient (India) TSA discovers three firearms in carry-on bags at Austin airport in one day With Shutdown Looming, PASS President Warns Against Gambling with Aviation Safety Flight 73 pilots ignored alerts in fatal Air Niugini crash, report finds Woman billed $105,000 after 'dangerous' behavior forced flight diversion Dubai International airport installs 15,000 solar panels FROM SATELLITES TO THE MOON AND MARS, CHINA IS QUICKLY BECOMING A SPACE SUPERPOWER CHC Safety & Quality Summit ISASI - 2019 Upcoming USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Courses Incident: Canada Rouge A319 near Las Vegas on Jul 15th 2019, hydraulic leak An Air Canada Rouge Airbus A319-100, registration C-FYJE performing flight RV-1861 from Las Vegas,NV (USA) to Calgary,AB (Canada) with 108 passengers and 5 crew, was climbing out of Las Vegas when the crew received indication the green hydraulic system had lost all fluid and stopped the climb at 9000 feet. The crew declared emergency and returned to Las Vegas for a safe landing on runway 25R about 35 minutes after landing. A ground observer reported the aircraft landed with all gear doors open. The Canadian TSB reported: "The operator's maintenance identified an issue in a hydraulic line associated with the nose wheel steering." https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ROU1861/history/20190715/2153Z/KLAS/CYYC http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca7bbd4&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa A321 near Riga on Jul 15th 2019, cracked windshield A Lufthansa Airbus A321-200, registration D-AIRL performing flight LH-1438 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to St. Petersburg (Russia), was enroute at FL310 about 110nm west of Riga (Latvia) when the crew decided to turn around and return to Frankfurt due to a cracked windshield. The aircraft landed safely back in Frankfurt about 100 minutes later. Passengers reported they heard there had been sort of an accident in the cockpit. The airline reported there was a damaged cockpit window, the aircraft returned to Frankfurt due to the better repair possibilities available. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 19 hours before returning to service. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca7ba21&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Asiana A388 over Pacific on Jul 11th 2019, engine shut down in flight An Asiana Airbus A380-800, registration HL7625 performing flight OZ-201 (dep Jul 10th) from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Seoul (South Korea), was enroute at FL340 over the Pacific Ocean about 190nm southeast of the most southern point of Kamchatka (Russia) when the crew needed to shut the #3 engine (Trent 970, inboard right hand) down due to an oil leak. The aircraft descended to FL320 and continued the flight to Seoul where the aircraft landed safely about 4.5 hours later. The airline informed passengers on subsequent flights that their aircraft arriving from the USA (departing the USA on Jul 10th) had an engine defect requiring the delay of their flights from Jul 11th to Jul 12th due to urgent repairs. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 23 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca7b7d5&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: ANA B788 near Tokyo on Jul 17th 2019, engine shut down in flight An ANA All Nippon Airways Boeing 787-8, registration JA819A performing flight NH-30 from Osaka Itami to Tokyo Haneda (Japan) with 276 people on board, was descending towards Haneda Airport when the crew observed indication of a possible failure of the right hand engine's (GEnx) oil system and shut the engine down. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Haneda's runway 22 about 5 minutes later. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca7a528&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Canada Rouge B763 at Athens on Jul 16th 2019, uncommanded fuel transfer An Air Canada Rouge Boeing 767-300, registration C-GDUZ performing flight RV-1935 from Athens (Greece) to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 248 passengers and 9 crew, was climbing to cruise level out of Athens when the crew observed a slight fuel imbalance. The crew worked the related checklist items. The flight was continued, the crew subsequently identified however, that an uncommanded fuel transfer took place from the left main to the center tank. The crew therefore decided to declare PAN and to divert to London Heathrow,EN (UK) where the aircraft landed safely about 3:20 hours after departure from Athens. The Canadian TSB reported the uncommanded fuel transfer fron the left main to the center tank amounted to about 2.6 tons per hour. Maintenance is currently inspecting the aircraft to identify the cause of the issue. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in London about 26 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4ca7a3e6&opt=0 Back to Top Former FedEx Pilot Warns Lawmakers Of Cargo Safety Gap Less stringent requirements for all-cargo airline operations compared with those for passenger operations are causing unnecessary safety risks, an airline representative has warned. Testifying on July 17 before the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure subcommittee on aviation, Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association and a former pilot with FedEx Express, said that many of the safety and security layers working to protect the passenger airline industry are absent from regulations covering all-cargo airlines operated by companies such as FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), UPS Inc (NYSE: UPS) and Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (NASDAQ: AAWW). An example of this "safety double standard" between the two types of operations are flight crew flight, duty and rest regulations, DePete noted. He explained that after fatigue was found to be a contributing factor in the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, New York in 2009, updated rules that went into effect in 2014 were developed to include all pilots, but the cargo sector was "carved out" of the regulations at the eleventh hour. "They eliminated cargo from the rule based on an ineffective cost-benefit analysis that showed it would cost the industry about $500 million with only a $31 million benefit," DePete said. He pointing out that the analysis was based on 727 landing at a rural area in Florida versus a 777 landing in Los Angeles. "That's a dangerous way to go." DePete also warned of a safety gap within Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) regulations governing emergency response. Because all-cargo operations are exempted from the regulations, airports aren't required to staff rescue and fire fighting personnel during operations of all-cargo aircraft. "There is a lack of proper ARFF equipment needed to fight all-cargo aircraft fires at some airports, including nozzle tips designed for penetrating cargo airliner hulls," DePete testified. In addition, the cargo exemption from the regulation "interferes with fire departments' ability to get the resources they need for staffing, equipment, training and developing strategies for cargo-specific events," including fires involving chemicals and radioactive materials, he said. DePete also called for a rule mandating reinforced flight deck doors for all-cargo aircraft, which were required to be installed on existing all-cargo airliners having cockpit doors after the attacks on September 11, 2001. "A significant number of all-cargo airliners are still operated without the benefits of hardened flight deck doors, leaving them without a means of adequately separating the flight crew from personnel riding aft of the bulkhead, and potential cargo-hold stowaways," DePete said. The potential for a major security breach is magnified because all-cargo airliners frequently carry third-party, non-crew personnel such as couriers and animal handlers who aren't subject to the thorough background checks required of other airline employees. "These animal handlers carry strong sedatives and syringes that can be used on the animals during flight," according to DePete. "There is a significant concern by our members that these improperly vetted individuals can use these sedatives or otherwise take hostile actions against the flight crew absent the protections of a primary door." DePete testified that there have been five fatal all-cargo accidents in the U.S. in the past decade, with 15 fatalities that include the three crew members who died in an Atlas Air crash near Houston, Texas in February. If all-cargo airlines did as much flying as passenger airlines, there would have been 276 such accidents during the same period, due to the higher risk profile, he said. "We fly the same skies, fly over the same cities and we land at the same airports, so we really need to close that gap." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/former-fedex-pilot-warns-lawmakers- 215745649.html Back to Top French prosecutors want Air France tried for 2009 Rio crash PARIS (AP) - French prosecutors want Air France to stand trial for manslaughter in the 2009 crash of a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris that killed all 228 people aboard, a judicial official said Wednesday. Prosecutors also have asked that the case against Airbus, maker of the doomed aircraft, be dropped for lack of sufficient evidence. The official wasn't authorized to speak about the case and asked to remain anonymous. Air France Flight 447 left Rio de Janeiro for Paris but crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, 2009. The Accident Investigation Bureau found that external speed sensors were frozen and produced irregular readings on the aircraft, which went into an aerodynamic stall. A plethora of problems appear to have doomed the flight as it traveled through turbulence. The captain was on a rest break when the emergency arose, the autopilot disengaged and the co-pilots struggled to fly the aircraft manually. In their final summing up on Friday of the investigation, prosecutors cited negligence and insufficient training that lead to chaos in the cockpit. They said there was a failure by the company to honor its legal obligation of prudence by insufficiently informing crews of previous incidents at play in the accident and procedures in such situations "in a context of insufficient training of pilots at high altitude ... and deficient operational treatment." Airbus had warned pilots a year earlier about possible incorrect speed readings from the plane's external sensors, known as Pitot tubes, but changed them only after the crash. A report last year that was part of the judicial investigation blamed the Flight 447 pilots for failing to apply correct procedures, thus losing control of the aircraft. A victims group, AF 447 Victim Solidarity, contested the 2018 report, saying it freed Airbus of all responsibility in the accident. https://www.yahoo.com/news/french-prosecutors-want-air-france-172940116.html Back to Top ALPA and US lawmakers ask ICAO to review pilot training standards The largest US pilots' union and US lawmakers have urged civil aviation agency ICAO to review its global pilot training standards - requests coming in a wake of two deadly Boeing 737 Max crashes. In requesting the review, the Air Line Pilots Association and lawmakers have not taken heat off Boeing but have suggested better pilot training standards may be needed. Controversy about the degree to which pilot actions contributed to the crashes has simmered since the two accidents, as have questions about a fast-track ICAO commercial pilot license called the "multi-crew pilot license" (MPL). "Recently I wrote a letter to... the secretary general of the International Civil Aviation Organisation asking for a global review of pilot training qualification standards," ALPA president Joe DePete told lawmakers on 17 July during a House Transportation Committee aviation safety hearing. In written testimony to the committee, DePete mentioned the MPL, which requires no minimum cockpit hours. Rather, holders must have 240 hours of simulator or cockpit time and a private pilot license, which can be obtained with as little as 40 hours of flying. Ethiopian Airlines, which operated one of the crashed 737 Max, is among carriers to have adopted the MPL standard, though it has not said if the less-experienced copilot of its crashed aircraft had an MPL. Investigators have said the copilot had 361 hours total flight experience. MPL pilots are "essentially apprentice pilots, requiring the captain to overcome any training and experience shortcomings", says DePete's testimony. "Pilots flying for airlines with an MPL do not pass through the individual licensing levels such as the private pilot license, the instrument rating, the commercial pilot license, a multi-engine rating, high-altitude operations endorsement." In addressing lawmakers, DePete also defended the pilots of the crashed aircraft. He says they were "were at a serious disadvantage by not knowing about" the 737 Max's automated flight control system. Not until after the first Max crash did Boeing reveal it equipped the Max with technology called the manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system (MCAS). That system caused the dives preceding both aircraft crashes. Top lawmakers on the House Transportation Committee have also recently weighed in, urging US Federal Aviation Administration acting administrator Dan Elwell to raise pilot training issues at an ICAO meeting. "Emphasis should be on competency-based training rather than simply amassing unrelated flight hours," says the 10 July letter from committee ranking member Sam Graves. ICAO did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but it has defended the MPL. "The data to date which we're aware of reveals no specific safety concerns for pilots trained with this approach," ICAO told FlightGlobal earlier this year. ALPA was a driving force behind a change in US regulations to require commercial pilots have 1,500 hours of flight time. "It is clear that in nearly every other country, the training and minimum flight experience requirements to qualify as a flight crew member on a transport category airliner is less than the US, and in some cases much less," DePete's written testimony said. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/alpa-and-us-lawmakers-ask-icao-to-review- pilot-trai-459727/ Back to Top ALPA warns of potential trend to single-pilot commercial aircraft The Air Line Pilots Association is fighting to ensure large commercial aircraft do not evolve to have only one pilot. The union released a report on 17 July stressing what it describes as the criticality of maintaining two pilots in the cockpit of transport aircraft - a standard it says is under attack. "Pilots on board an aircraft can see, feel, smell and hear many indications of an impending problem and begin to formulate a course of action before even the most sophisticated sensors and indicators provide positive indications of trouble," says the union in a statement. "Studies collectively indicate that despite the dramatic technological advances since the rules were established, a cockpit crew of at least two pilots remains necessary to maintain the current high level of safety and flight deck security," says the union's report, titled The Dangers of Single-Pilot Operations. A single-pilot cockpit means " increased workload for the remaining pilot, the elimination of a critical layer of monitoring and operating redundancy in the cockpit and the inability of a single pilot to handle many emergency situations," it says. The report cites several aviation incidents in which "a crew of at least two pilots was necessary to avert disaster". Incidents cited include the 1989 crash of a United Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-10 at Sioux City, the 2009 water ditching of a US Airways Airbus A320 into the Hudson River and the April 2018 inflight failure of the engine on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737. ALPA's report responds to efforts by airlines and the military to cut costs, and to government research into one-pilot operations of large aircraft, it says. Indeed, NASA has studied one-pilot operations and aviation executives have asked Boeing for such an aircraft. Those executives include Air Lease executive chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy, who told FlightGlobal last month he wants Boeing to consider a single-pilot version of its conceptual New Mid-market Airplane. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/alpa-warns-of-potential-trend-to-single- pilot-comme-459730/ Back to Top Costa Rica Seeks To Recover Air Safety Rating In order to regain Costa Rica's air safety status, which was downgraded in May, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requested 22 amendments, of which 17 have already been completed. The downgrade resulted from an FAA reevaluation in October 2018 and met with Costa Rica's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) in February 2019 to analyze the results. In the final option, the FAA lowered the rating from Category 1 to Category 2. Derived from the downgrading of the rating, no new services are allowed to be established for licensed companies from Costa Rica to the U.S. One of the amendments to be completed is that the DGCA must have a system in place to ensure that Costa Rican regulations meet the requirements of Annex Six of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in this case with an emphasis on certification of transport aircraft operators. Another of the amendments is that "... The FAA requires the State to implement the provisions of ICAO annexes 1, 6 and 8. The first paragraph focuses on aeronautical personnel licenses, while the eighth develops airworthiness regulations." That holders of Air Operator certificates comply with the special authorization requirements of both the country and ICAO, as well as that the DGCA ensures that Costa Rican regulations comply with the requirements of the Operator's State according to ICAO Annex 6, are other pending amendments. The article adds that the fifth amendment is that "... FAA requests an amendment to article 31 of the statutes of the Central American Corporation for Air Navigation Services (Cocesna), to avoid an overlap of responsibilities between the DGAC and the Central American Aviation Safety Agency (ACSA), which would be decided by August, since it is approved by the Cocesna Council. It is important to remember that this Corporation is an intergovernmental entity". https://qcostarica.com/costa-rica-seeks-to-recover-air-safety-rating/ Back to Top DGCA found safety management system (SMS) of 5 airlines deficient (India) NEW DELHI: Aviation regulator DGCA has conducted safety audits of Air India Express, SpiceJet, AirAsia, IndiGo and GoAir and it found the implementation of their safety management system "to be deficient", the government informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the audits also found that the flight crew rostering software was not upgraded and untrained staff were manning check-in counters. The "other staff" at check-in counters too did not have adequate knowledge to handle "dangerous goods" despite being trained in dangerous good regulations, he said in a written response to a question in the upper house. In a serious lapse, the regulator found, there was a delay in carrying out the corrective actions for the "flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) exceedances," Puri said. Flight operations quality assurance is the process of obtaining and analyzing all kinds of data from flights to improve the safety and efficiency of flight operations. Whenever a safety parameter limit is exceeded, it is called an "exceedance" or "event". - The DGCA regularly conducts safety audits of scheduled and non-scheduled airlines as per the annual surveillance plan. The last five audits were of these five airlines, the minister said. During the audits, it was found that the "quantum of digital flight data recorder analysed under FOQA was not as per the Indian safety regulators requirement," Puri said. "Implementation of the safety management system was found to be deficient," he said. The minister said the directorate general of civil aviation has directed the airlines to take corrective action regarding the deficiencies found during the audit. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/dgca-found-safety- management-system-of-5-airlines-deficient-govt/articleshowprint/70263493.cms Back to Top TSA discovers three firearms in carry-on bags at Austin airport in one day AUSTIN (KXAN) - Three loaded firearms were found in carry-on bags at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport Tuesday, according to a press release from the Transport Security Administration. The TSA says the first firearm was discovered during an x-ray screening at Checkpoint 2. The second and third were found in a single passenger's carry-on bag as it went through security at Checkpoint 1. Austin police were called to the airport to take possession of the weapons and interview the passengers. According to Mike Scott, the Federal Security Director at the Austin airport, these three weapons brings the total number of firearms confiscated at the airport in 2019 to 49. "It is unfortunate that passengers continue to bring firearms to checkpoints, said Scott. "We urge all travelers to ensure they know what is in their carry-on bags and to only travel with firearms in checked bags, after declaring them to the airline and storing them, unloaded, in a locked, hard-sided case." Anyone caught with a firearm at a security checkpoint will be referred to the Austin police and will receive a civic penalty from the TSA. According to the press release these penalties can cost as much as $13,333. A big factor when determining the amount of the civic penalty is whether or not the firearm is loaded. Any passenger with trusted Traveler status or TSA Pre?® will have the expedited travel benefits revoked for a period of time if caught breaking the rules regarding traveling with a firearm. In addition to a gun, firearm parts, ammunition and realistic replicas are also not allowed in a carry-on. In 2018, the TSA found a record 4,239 firearms at airports across the country, which comes to an average of 11.6 a day. https://www.kxan.com/news/tsa-discovers-three-firearms-in-carry-on-bags-at-austin- airport-in-one-day/ Back to Top With Shutdown Looming, PASS President Warns Against Gambling with Aviation Safety WASHINGTON, July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As Congress continues to debate government funding, history may repeat itself in the form of another government shutdown, and the president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS)-representative of 11,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees-is providing information on the impact of a shutdown on aviation safety and other concerns during a hearing today before the House Aviation Subcommittee. The government continues to heal from the partial government shutdown in January-the longest in history-and PASS National President Mike Perrone is warning that another shutdown would be a gamble with aviation safety that the country should not be willing to take. "Aviation plays a critical role in today's economy and delivers invaluable services to the flying public and the military," said Perrone. "The FAA is simply not operating at full potential during a shutdown. The flying public should not be subjected to unnecessary risk due to political disagreements. The situation must not be repeated." During the last government shutdown, FAA technicians were working without pay and aviation safety inspectors were furloughed. This resulted in essential staff fearing when and if they would get paid and, due to inspectors being off the job, important safety work not being done. "Aviation safety must be the number one priority of the FAA no matter the state of Congress," emphasized Perrone. During the hearing, Perrone shared additional concerns with members of Congress, including the rapidly expanding delegation of work traditionally assigned to aviation safety inspectors. With families of victims of the Boeing 737 MAX tragedies also present, Perrone expressed his condolences while emphasizing the inherent risk associated with allowing the industry to oversee itself. Despite the ongoing investigations into the causes of the 737 MAX crashes, the FAA is continuing to expand the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program, which delegates safety oversight to industry without adequate regulatory oversight. "While we await the results of the ongoing investigations surrounding the 737 MAX, the FAA continues to move toward increased delegation and further removing FAA inspectors from the certification process," he said. Perrone also addressed the lack of adequate training and staffing as it relates to the ever-expanding Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS, or drones) industry. "It is of crucial importance the FAA not let the mounting pressure from industry to rapidly integrate UAS into the NAS [National Airspace System] move forward without stringent safeguards in place," he told the committee. In addition, he questioned FAA oversight of work on U.S. aircraft performed by foreign repair stations, which are not held to the same standards as domestic repair stations. For instance, as opposed to U.S. facilities, foreign repair stations are warned of inspections and given ample opportunity to correct or conceal violations prior to the arrival of the FAA inspector. By representing the FAA employee perspective on the panel, Perrone drew attention to the vital role a highly-skilled workforce-one that is allowed to do its job with adequate training and regulatory oversight-plays in keeping the aviation system safe for the flying public. "PASS emphasizes that the safety of our airspace starts and ends with investments in the employees who oversee and maintain it. Anything short of that is simply gambling with aviation safety," he concluded. Since 1977, PASS has represented more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures and perform quality analyses of the aviation systems. For more information, visit www.passnational.org. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/with-shutdown-looming-pass-president- warns-against-gambling-with-aviation-safety-300886662.html Back to Top Flight 73 pilots ignored alerts in fatal Air Niugini crash, report finds Passengers sit in a rescue boat near the crashed plane PHOTO: Investigators found the sole passenger who died in the crash wasn't wearing a seatbelt. (AP: Zach Niezgodski/US Navy) Air safety investigators have found two Air Niugini pilots ignored as many as 13 alerts before their plane crashed into a lagoon in the Federated States of Micronesia. Key points: * Air Niugini Flight 73 crashed into a lagoon as it attempted to land in Chuuk * One passenger died, 6 were injured Investigators have found pilots ignored ground warning alerts before the crash A passenger was killed and six seriously injured when the Boeing 737 crashed into the water 460 metres short of the runway at Chuuk International Airport. In its final report into last September's crash, PNG's Air Investigation Commission (AIC) stopped short of blaming the accident on pilot error, instead saying that "human factors" contributed. "Both pilots were fixated on cues associated with control inputs for the landing approach," the report found. "[They] were not situationally aware and did not recognise the developing significant unsafe condition of an increasingly unstable final approach." It concluded there were a total of 13 cockpit alerts during the failed approach of flight 73. Passengers are disembarking from the submerged plane and boarding boats. PHOTO: The surviving passengers and crew were helped out of the plane by local fishing boats. (Supplied: Dr James Yaingeluo) AIC chief commissioner Hubert Namani said the recorded information from the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) showed that a total of 13 aural alerts sounded after the plane passed the minimum descent altitude. "The investigation observed that the flight crew disregarded the EGPWS (Emergency Ground Proximity Warning System) alerts, and did not acknowledge the "minimums" and "100-feet" advisories or respond to the EGPWS aural alerts; a symptom of fixation and channelised attention," he said. Air Niugini said it would continue investigating the crash, agreeing that it was a case of "human factors" and not pilot error that contributed to the crash. "What we have to understand here is the pilots didn't purposely fly that plane into the water," Air Niugini's managing director Alan Milne told reporters, after the findings were handed down. He said both were experienced pilots, and something else "was a factor there that all came together to make that accident happen". The surviving 12 crew members and 34 passengers who exited the aircraft were rescued and brought to shore by locally operated boats and US Navy divers. The report found one passenger could not be located before the aircraft sank in about 30 metres of water and impacted the sea floor. He was found several days later still inside the sunken aircraft and not wearing a seat belt. Videos posted to social media after the incident showed small boats helping people to safety. The plane is listed on the Aviation Safety Network website as having been involved in an incident at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby in May of this year, when the wing of a Lockheed L-100 Hercules aircraft impacted the plane's right winglet, causing "significant damage" to both aircraft. Air Niugini is PNG's leading airline, servicing both national and international destinations. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-18/air-niugini-crash-flight-73-pilots-ignored- alerts/11322486 Back to Top Woman billed $105,000 after 'dangerous' behavior forced flight diversion Airline passengers disembark from a Jet2 aircraft at London Stansted Airport in May 2018. (CNN) - A passenger whose "extremely disruptive behavior" caused a flight to be diverted with a military escort has been sent a bill for £85,000 ($105,000) and permanently banned from the airline. Chloe Haines has been accused by British operator Jet2 of a "catalog of aggressive, abusive and dangerous behavior," including "attempting to open the aircraft doors," during a flight from London Stansted Airport to Dalaman in southwest Turkey in June. The airline said that crew had to restrain Haines with the help of customers, and the aircraft was diverted back to London Stansted, escorted by two Royal Air Force (RAF) jets. The jets created a sonic boom "which could be heard for miles around" as they rushed to escort the aircraft. A spokeswoman for Essex Police, the local police force, said at the time that a woman, 25, had been arrested "on suspicion of two assaults and endangering an aircraft." In a statement, Jet2 confirmed: "Jet2.com has issued a lifetime ban to disruptive passenger, Chloe Haines, and billed her more than £85,000 after her extremely disruptive behavior led to the flight having to be diverted and the RAF having to scramble two Typhoon fighters to escort the aircraft." "Miss Haines' behavior was one of the most serious cases of disruptive passenger behavior that we have experienced," said Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, in a statement. "She must now face up to the consequences of her actions, and we will vigorously pursue to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this divert, as we do with all disruptive passengers. "As a family friendly airline, we take an absolutely zero tolerance approach to disruptive behavior, and we hope that this sobering incident, with its very serious consequences, provides a stark warning to others who think that they can behave in this fashion." A spokesman for Jet2 told CNN that the cost of the bill reflects the cost incurred by the airline for the incident. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/jet-2-flight-passenger-bill-intl-scli/index.html Back to Top Dubai International airport installs 15,000 solar panels * Dubai Airports says the system will produce 7,483,500 kilowatt hours of energy per year. * This will help to cut carbon emissions by more than 3,000 metric tonnes annually. A solar energy system made up of 15,000 photovoltaic panels has been installed at Dubai International airport. In an announcement earlier this week, Dubai Airports said the system would produce 7,483,500 kilowatt hours of energy per year, helping to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 3,243 metric tonnes. Etihad Energy Services Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, was involved in the project's installation. Michael Ibbitson, who is executive vice president for Infrastructure and Business Technology at Dubai Airports, said in a statement that a number of initiatives had been undertaken to limit its carbon footprint. "These include the use of energy efficient fittings, the optimization of cooling systems, the installation of energy efficient LED bulbs and many others," he explained. "In addition to enabling us to limit our carbon footprint while cutting costs, these initiatives also support our long-term vision for a carbon neutral future in line with the aviation industry's target." Around the world, a number of airports have installed solar panels on their estates in a bid to green operations. In April 2019, Hawaii's Department of Transportation announced that 2,980 photovoltaic panels had been installed on the fifth floor of the Terminal 2 garage at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. In October solar business Solarcentury said it had signed a contract with the International Civil Aviation Organization to install a ground-mounted, 500-kilowatt solar system at Moi International Airport, in Mombasa, Kenya. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/17/dubai-international-airport-installs-15000-solar- panels.html Back to Top FROM SATELLITES TO THE MOON AND MARS, CHINA IS QUICKLY BECOMING A SPACE SUPERPOWER Nestled among the crimson dunes of China's Gobi Desert, a warren of domes and squat white buildings rises from the parched earth. Inside is a research and educational facility for budding astronauts - and the latest manifestation of Beijing's bid to position itself as a leading space power. "Mars Base 1," built by private Chinese company C-Space, is like a space station on Earth, boasting an airlock, greenhouse, gymnasium, living quarters and control room. Solar-powered buggies and lunar probes scour the red dust landscape of northeastern Gansu province, whose barren expanses bear an eerie resemblance to the Red Planet, which China is planning to visit next year. Visitors experience what life is like on a real space mission, from rearing crops under an ultraviolet glow in soilless science labs to clambering around in bulky space suits. Barley worms are even grown for protein in lieu of rearing animals. "I'm very excited to see this place," says student Zhang Huan, 12, who's touring the facility. "If China can be the first to land humans on Mars, it will inspire everyone throughout the country." It was perhaps only a matter of time before the Celestial Empire reached for the stars. China's government has made conquering space a key strategic priority, with the nation's reported $8 billion space budget second only to the U.S., according to the Space Foundation, an American non-profit. Chinese scientists were early pioneers of rudimentary rockets back in the year 900, though only launched its first Long March rocket in 1970 on the back of Soviet technology, sending a human into space in 2003. Now, it's making fast progress. In January, China broke new ground by landing its Chang'e 4 lunar lander on the far side of the moon, which, due to the moon's synchronous, tidally locked rotation, remains constantly hidden from Earth. There, China's Jade Rabbit 2 rover was able to transmit data back to Earth via a satellite previously deployed around the moon to establish a radio link. In another first, a cotton seed was germinated onboard the Chang'e 4, which is named after China's mythical moon goddess. After the mission, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the "outstanding feats" that had "set a model for the whole [Chinese Communist] Party, the whole armed forces and people of all ethnic groups in China." Such backing from the top underscores the scale of China's ambitions. China already has the largest filled-aperture radio telescope in the world, which measures just over 1,640 feet across. Other than visiting Mars, China plans to send probes to asteroids, Jupiter and even Uranus. It also aims to build a scientific research station in the moon's southern polar region, as well as establish its own sophisticated large-scale space station within 10 years. "They have a strategic, long-term set of goals and work deliberately and systematically to achieve those goals," says Kathy Laurini, who served as NASA's senior advisor for Exploration and Space Operations, among other roles, during 36 years with the American space agency. Satellite launches are a priority, too. China had 38 launches last year, more than any other country, as it attempts to catch up with the West's satellite infrastructure. And last month, China launched a rocket from a mobile platform in the Yellow Sea for the first time, sending five commercial satellites and two others containing experimental technology into orbit. The feat meant China is only the third country after the U.S. and Russia to master sea launches. The speed at which China is surpassing each technological hurdle spotlights how the Beijing government views space as vital for boosting the economy and promoting high- end industry and spill-off technologies. "They see space as a very important driver for growth and competitiveness going forward," says Andrew Jones, a journalist specializing in China's space program. Still, space is never smooth sailing. The past two launch attempts of China's Long March 5 rocket needed to be aborted because of oxygen supply malfunctions, according to officials Unless those glitches are quickly ironed out, China may loose the 2020 launch window for its Mars mission. (The best time for Mars missions come around every 26 months, when Earth is closest to the Red Planet.) Of course, problems are not uncommon at the cutting edge. After all, NASA's InSight mission to Mars missed its own 2016 launch window, while ExoMars, another Mars mission, missed its opportunity in 2018. "It happens," says Laurini. "Mars is hard." Less challenging, though potentially more rewarding, is China's commercial space industry. A bevy of private firms are launching satellites and exploring other money- making applications for space travel. As launches in China are only permissible at military sites, these private entities must work closely with and be green-lit by the state. China, like the U.S. and Russia, now has a private company capable of independently developing liquid-fueled engines, which are reusable and thus more cost- effective than simpler solid-fuel alternatives. The commercial space industry has been transformed in recent years by the explosion of firms backed by celebrity entrepreneurs, including Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and Elon Musk's SpaceX - the latter alone boasting some 65% of the entire $3 billion global satellite launch market in 2018. The number of satellites in space increased 50% from 2013 to 2017 to 1,738, according to a Satellite Industry Association report cited by Bloomberg, with Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic eagerly eyeing expansion into space tourism. China's State Council first mentioned the development of a private space industry in 2014, pledging to "encourage private capital's participation in China's construction of civilian space infrastructure." Since then, military-civilian partnerships have flourished, and private firms have been allowed to launch from military bases. There's every chance that China, as the ultimate disruptor, will do to the commercial space industry what it has already managed with manufacturing: cut costs, boost efficiency and storm into a lead. Launching miniature satellites, which typically weigh less than 220 lbs., will become a $15 billion industry by 2027, according to Euroconsult, a space industry consulting firm. One firm looking to capitalize is Beijing-based startup i-Space, which is preparing for its third launch in coming weeks. Like most of the $500 million-valued firm's employees, CEO Jingqi Cai came from China's state space industry. She sees no limit to what the Chinese commercial space industry can achieve. "I don't know any country in the world which can do things as fast as in China," says Cai. Still, the ability of China's commercial space firms to compete is curtailed by strict International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) rules, which prohibit satellites containing American components from being launched by China. In response, China is offering holistic "turnkey" solutions: building U.S. component-free satellites for clients, handling the launch and offering ground station support. Although China's share of the commercial market remains small at around 5-10%, say analysts, it is growing with launch of communications and surveillance satellites for nations like Brazil, Venezuela, Laos, Nigeria and Algeria. In addition, European satellite manufacturers have begun designing devices labeled as "ITAR-free" for this reason. The likelihood is that China's space exploration and commercial programs will advance in tandem. For i-Space chief engineer Yi Wei, launching satellites is simple compared to his previous job designing escape pods for China's state-run human space program. "In comparison, I feel no pressure here at all," he says. Next, i-Space, like many other private Chinese firms, has its eyes on conquering space tourism. Although admittedly far behind U.S. competitors like SpaceX, Jingqi says her firm plans to launch manned spaceflights within five years. Once they do, with prices no doubt lower than their American and European competitors, Jingqi plans to take her daughter up on the firm's maiden flight. Still, she laughs: "I really hope I can get a discount!" https://time.com/5623537/china-space/ Back to Top CHC Helicopter has announced that participants in the 15th annual CHC Safety & Quality Summit, which will be held October 1-3, 2019 at the Omni Dallas Hotel, will have the opportunity to win complimentary tuition to five courses that fulfill the requirements for the University of Southern California (USC) Aviation Safety and Security Program. The USC program is offered to all sectors of rotary wing aviation and includes offshore oil and gas, corporate, commercial, EMS, government and military operations. The CHC participants will be prime candidates for the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program, especially if their job includes safety and investigative responsibilities. "The USC Aviation Safety and Security program is a great opportunity for one lucky delegate at this year's summit to expand their knowledge and build safety across our industry," said Duncan Trapp, CHC's VP of Safety & Quality. "We greatly appreciate their support and are eager to award this opportunity during this year's Summit and at future events." The USC Aviation Safety and Security certificate contains one aircraft accident investigation course, one safety management course, one human factors course and two electives. Specifics of the program can be seen at https://aviationsafety.usc.edu. The USC Aircraft Accident Investigation lab is moving to a new facility and practical lab sessions utilizing the 12 aircraft wreckages will be employed throughout the curriculum. Of special note is the Helicopter Accident Investigation course, which utilizes a recent A350 accident and exemplars from R22 and UH-1 aircraft. To participate and be considered for the drawing, interested parties must attend the CHC Safety and Quality Summit. Once onsite, participants can submit a name or business card for the drawing. For additional information on the Summit and to register, please visit the website at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com. ABOUT THE CHC SAFETY & QUALITY SUMMIT Each Summit event features a series of presentations led by experts in the fields of aviation, oil & gas and energy, and safety. Invited speakers will lead approximately 100 concurrent sessions over a three-day period, addressing the theme and helping to contribute to the safety conversation in our industries, promoting excellence in safety and human factors and maintaining a robust safety environment. Approximately 500 delegates from nearly 30 countries and a range of industries join the Summit each year, making it one of the largest aviation safety events in the world. ABOUT CHC For more than 70 years, CHC Helicopter has provided safe, reliable, cost-effective helicopter service in some of the most remote and challenging environments around the world. With extensive experience transporting customers in the oil and gas industry, supporting search-and-rescue and EMS contracts, and providing maintenance, repair and overhaul services, our dedication to safety and reputation for quality and innovation help our customers reach beyond what they thought possible. Visit www.chcheli.com for information. ABOUT THE USC AVIATION SAFETY & SECURITY PROGRAM The USC Aviation and Security program was established in 1952 as the first Aviation Safety program at a major research university. It offers 20 courses to nearly 1000 students each year in a personal, hands-on, format. Since its launch, more than 21,000 aviation professionals from 20 nations have completed the training. Instructors are skilled educators with extensive industry experience, and courses are taught in small classes to facilitate classroom interaction. Students gain the knowledge to establish safety programs, investigate aircraft accidents, become expert witnesses, and deal with human factor issues. Upon completion, the University of Southern California's Aviation Safety and Security Certificate is awarded to those who successfully complete the program. It certifies completion of training in the multidisciplinary areas of Aviation Safety Management. Contact Information MEDIA Lindsey Wallace Communications Specialist CHC Helicopter +1 214.262.7426 Lindsey.Wallace@chcheli.com Summit Contact Irina Sakgaev Safety & Quality Applications Specialist CHC Helicopter +1 604.232.7302 summit@chcheli.com Back to Top Back to Top ISASI 2019 Future Safety: has the past become irrelevant? The Hague Marriott Hotel & World Forum The Hague September 3 - 5, 2019 *** Early Bird registration ending soon *** ISASI 2019 is pleased to announce that the Preliminary Program is now available. The Seminar's agenda includes a wide range of topics including accident case studies, airport and airline operations, human factors and commercial space accident investigations. Presentations will be given by industry experts, accident investigators, manufacturers and academics. To find out more about the program and how to register, please visit the seminar website at - www.ISASI2019.org Questions about registration can be sent to Barb Dunn at avsafe@shaw.ca As a reminder - Early Bird registration ends at midnight on July 28, 2019 MST (GMT-7). In order to receive the seminar rate at the hotel, reservations must be made by July 28. On Monday 2nd September, the day before the start of the ISASI Seminar, there is also a choice of three Tutorials: Monday (Tutorial) program: Tutorial 1 - Hosted by the Dutch Safety Board A. Aviation Safety versus Medical Confidentiality (morning) B. Communications with Victims and Relatives (afternoon) Tutorial 2 - Military accident investigation. Hosted by the Military Air Safety Investigators (MASI) - a subset of ISASI - this tutorial is the forum for International Military Accident Investigators to share knowledge on their respective capabilities, experiences, processes and procedures with a view to the development of future relationships and common practices. ****************** Fellow ISASI members: The dnata Haarlemmermeer Run will be held on Sunday September 1 in the community of Hooffddorp near Amsterdam and Schiphol. Three distances are offered; five and 10 kilometers and half marathon. Entry fee is between 11 and 17 Euros. Race shirts are available as well. This is a timed run. The race starts and ends at the Hoofddorp Pioneers Baseball Stadium. Attendees of ISASI and their companions who want to arrive early in order to participate in the race can contact me at christine.negroni@gmail.com and I will coordinate a group entry. Registration closes on August 19th. Christine Negroni author of The Crash Detectives Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters Published by Penguin Books ================================================ 203 637-8441 landline 203 952-8441 mobile christine.negroni - skype @cnegroni - Twitter christinenegroni - Instagram Back to Top Photo Credit: Glen Grossman, Los Angeles Police Department Air Support Division Upcoming USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Courses Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance Safety principles and practices needed to manage the problems associated with aircraft maintenance operations. August 5-9, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Data for Safety Management Collection and analysis of flight data to contribute to safety management and improve safety performance. August 5-9, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 SeMS Aviation Security Management Systems Applying SMS fundamentals to aviation security and cyber security. August 12-16, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Software Safety Identifying, understanding, and preventing software hazards and their root causes, with lessons on methods to create and document a software safety case. August 12-15, 2019 4 Days Tuition: $2125 Aviation Law & Dispute Resolution Legal processes, trends, and practices affecting aviation safety, accident investigation, and aviation regulation. This is the successor to the previous Legal Aspects of Aviation Safety & Role of the Technical Witness in Litigation courses. August 19-22, 2019 4 Days Tuition: $2125 Safety Management Systems for Ground Operation Safety Practices and methodologies for the identification and mitigation of hazards in all phases of airport ground operations. August 19-21, 2019 2.5 Days Tuition: $1300 Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Planning for the complex, challenging, and stressful investigation, legal, family response, and communcations situations after an accident. August 26-29, 2019 4 Days Tuition: $2125 Human Factors in Aviation Safety Theoretical and practical knowledge of Human Factors in aviation operations. August 26-30, 2019 4.5 Days Tuition: $2575 Earn Credit for FlightSafety Master Technician- Management Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn elective credits towards FlightSafety International's Master Technician-Management Program * Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance * Human Factors in Aviation Safety * Gas Turbine Accident Investigation * Helicopter Accident Investigation * Safety Management for Aviation Maintenance * Safety Management for Ground Operations Safety * Accident/Incident Response Preparedness Earn Points Toward NBAA Certified Aviation Manager Program Students taking the following USC courses will earn two points toward completing the application for the National Business Aviation Certified Aviation Manager Exam. * Aviation Safety Management Systems * Accident/Incident Response Preparedness * Human Factors in Aviation Safety * 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