Flight Safety Information July 24, 2019 - No. 148 In This Issue Incident: UTAir B735 at Tyumen on Jul 22nd 2019, wheel well fire indication Incident: Rossiya B744 over Black Sea on Jul 22nd 2019, foreign object hits sensor Incident: Asiana A321 at Okinawa on Jul 21st 2019, runway incursion Accident: Peace B733 at Lagos on Jul 23rd 2019, hard landing causes nose wheels to separate Terrifying footage from inside the cockpit of a Boeing 737 plane shows the moments before it crashed Tarnished FAA set to get embattled new leader New Rule Allows Military Aircraft to Turn Off ADS-B Transmissions TSB annual report highlights progress in Canadian aviation safety Vietnam's Vietstar Airlines receives AOC Order for First All-Electric Passenger Airplane Placed by Massachusetts Carrier UPS launches drone business, seeks to certify multiple pilots Etihad in the race to acquire Jet Airways 23 Jets Just Flew Into One of Aviation's Biggest Conventions Using Fuel Made From City Waste and Cooking oil The Planetary Society's crowdfunded LightSail 2 deploys its solar sail in orbit RESEARCH STUDY REQUEST 2019 - CHC Safety & Quality Summit ISASI - 2019 Upcoming USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Courses Incident: UTAir B735 at Tyumen on Jul 22nd 2019, wheel well fire indication A UTAir Boeing 737-500, registration VP-BYL performing flight UT-509 from Tyumen to Mineralny Vody (Russia) with 105 passengers, was climbing out of Tyumen's runway 30 when the crew stopped the climb at FL100 due to a gear related indication. The aircraft returned to Tyumen for a safe landing on runway 21 about 25 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-500 registration VQ-BAD reached Mineralny Vody well with a delay of 4:45 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 10 hours after landing. On Jul 23rd 2019 Rosaviatsia reported the crew received a wheel well fire indication and returned to Tyumen. http://avherald.com/h?article=4caabd30&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Rossiya B744 over Black Sea on Jul 22nd 2019, foreign object hits sensor A Rossiya Boeing 747-400, registration EI-XLD performing flight FV-5861 from Moscow Vnukovo (Russia) to Antalya (Turkey), was enroute at FL330 over the Black Sea about 760nm south of Moscow when the crew decided to return to Moscow. The aircraft landed safely back at Vnukovo Airport about 2 hours later. The airline reported the aircraft returned to Moscow due to a foreign object that had hit a sensor. The landing was normal. A replacement Boeing 747-400 registration EI-XLC reached Antalya with a delay of about 6 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cab5a3e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Asiana A321 at Okinawa on Jul 21st 2019, runway incursion An Asiana Airlines Airbus A321-200, registration HL8256 performing flight OZ-171 from Okinawa (Japan) to Seoul (South Korea) with 155 people on board, was taxiing for departure from runway 18 and had been instructed to hold short of the runway, which the crew acknowledged. A Japan Transocean Boeing 737-800, registration JA01RK performing flight NU-212 from Kume-Jima to Okinawa (Japan), was on final approach to Okinawa's runway 18 descending through about 600 feet about 2nm before touchdown, when HL8256 taxied past the hold short line and entered runway 18. Tower instructed NU-212 to go around, the crew complied and went around. NU-212 climbed to 4000 feet, positioned for another approach and landed safely on runway 18 about 20 minutes later. OZ-171 departed about 2 minutes after the go around. Japan's TSB opened an investigation into the occurrence. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cab5810&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Peace B733 at Lagos on Jul 23rd 2019, hard landing causes nose wheels to separate An Air Peace Boeing 737-300, registration 5N-BQO performing flight P4-7191 from Port Harcourt to Lagos (Nigeria) with 133 passengers and 6 crew, landed on Lagos' runway 18R at about 11:20L (10:20Z) but suffered a hard touch down causing both nose wheels to separate from the nose gear strut. The aircraft skidded to a halt on the runway on main wheels and the rest of the nose gear strut. There was one minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage as did the runway. Nigeria's AIB have opened an investigation into the occurrence stating the aircraft's nose wheels collapsed on landing on runway 18R. There was one minor injury. The airline reported due to a sudden weather change the captain requested the longer international runway rather than the domestic runway. After landing safely while attempting to turn off the runway the nose gear developed a problem and partially collapsed. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cab4105&opt=0 Back to Top Terrifying footage from inside the cockpit of a Boeing 737 plane shows the moments before it crashed into the sea Air Niugini crash The cockpit of the Air Niugini plane before it crashed in September, left, and the plane in the sea. PNG Accident Investigation Commission/AIRBOYD/Lt. Zach Niezgodski /U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS * Footage from inside the cockpit of a plane that crashed into a lagoon in September shows the plane approaching the water and the moment of the crash. * One person was killed when the Boeing 737 crashed into a lagoon in the Federated States of Micronesia. Other passengers and crew members were rescued. * In a cellphone video taken by an engineer in the cockpit and described in a report on the crash released Thursday, the plane's warning system says it is too close to the ground while a pilot exclaims, "We're too low!" * The video stops shortly after the plane hits the water. The report said it was "an invaluable source of vital information" for investigators. Terrifying footage from inside the cockpit of a Boeing 737 in the Federated States of Micronesia in September shows the plane heading toward the ground and the moment it crashes into a lagoon. In the cellphone video, taken by an engineer sitting in the plane's jump seat and described in a report on the crash released Thursday, the pilots are seen using controls in the cockpit before the plane's warning system alerts them that it's too close to the ground. "We're too low!" one pilot exclaims just before the plane hits the water. The video stops shortly after that. You can see the footage here (the video has no sound): Air Niugini Flight 73 Crash * Jump Seat Video The plane, a Boeing 737 belonging to Air Niugini, Papua New Guinea's national airline, was flying from Pohnpei to Chuuk, both in the Federated States of Micronesia, when it crashed in the Chuuk Lagoon near Chuuk International Airport, killing one person. Investigators said the plane missed the runway by 1,500 feet (460 meters) in weather with poor visibility that required pilots to rely on their instruments. The plane eventually sank in about 98 feet (30 meters) of water. Thirty-four passengers and 12 crew members were rescued by local boats and US Navy divers, though six passengers were "seriously injured," according to the final report on the crash, from Papua New Guinea's Accident Investigation Commission. The body of the passenger who died was found three days after the crash. The report said pathologists concluded that he had not been wearing a seat belt and had received blunt-force trauma to his head. The report said the pilots did not respond to warnings that the plane was too close to the ground and did not follow landing checklists. Air Niugini US Navy divers and local authorities rescuing passengers from an Air Niugini plane after it crashed near Chuuk International Airport in Micronesia. Lt. Zach Niezgodski /U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo It said the copilot, who was offering support and monitoring conditions, was "ineffective and was oblivious to the rapidly unfolding unsafe situation" and should have taken control of the plane. Neither pilot was named in the report. The report said the aircraft maintenance engineer in the jump seat took the video "for recreation purposes, using his smart phone." It said the video "predominantly showed the cockpit instruments," then "abruptly ended upon impact." "The phone survived the accident and provided clear imagery of the cockpit environment and instruments," the report said, adding that it was "an invaluable source of vital information" for investigators. https://www.businessinsider.com/cockpit-video-shows-air-niugini-boeing-737-crash-hit- lagoon-2019-7 Back to Top Tarnished FAA set to get embattled new leader At his nomination hearing in May, Steve Dickson promised to be "a steady hand on the tiller, which I think is what the American public needs. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to be asking the tough questions and making the changes that need to be made." The Federal Aviation Administration is finally about to get a new leader - a move that ideally would offer a clean break for an agency that has faced months of punishing scrutiny over two deadly crashes of Boeing's 737 MAX. Instead, incoming Administrator Steve Dickson will enter under a cloud of his own, after his confirmation process unearthed allegations that Delta Air Lines retaliated against a safety whistleblower while he was a top safety executive there. Tuesday afternoon his nomination passed a key test vote in the Senate and could be finalized just a few hours later. Dickson, who retired in 2018 as Delta's senior vice president of flight operations, will inherit an agency that is still trying to reassure the traveling public and other nations' aviation regulators about its ability to oversee the safety of Boeing's grounded plane. The FAA also still faces questions about how it is carrying out a congressionally- mandated process of delegating much of its aircraft approval and inspection work to manufacturers such as Boeing - as well as fears that the 737 MAX won approval despite dangerous flaws in an automated flight control system. Multiple probes are underway into the two 737 MAX disasters that occurred - one in October near Indonesia, the other in March in Ethiopia - including investigations by two independent watchdogs, a specially formed panel and committees in both chambers of Congress. The FAA has lacked a permanent leader since January 2018, when Obama- era administrator Michael Huerta's five-year term ended. At his nomination hearing in May, Dickson promised to be "a steady hand on the tiller, which I think is what the American public needs. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to be asking the tough questions and making the changes that need to be made." "There's going to be a process here of making sure that the public continues to be confident in our aviation system," Dickson told members of the Senate Commerce Committee. "I would not certify an airplane or put my family on any airplane unless I thought it was safe, and I think that we are indeed the gold if not the platinum standard in the world." But Dickson's nomination quickly became embroiled in concerns about an ongoing administrative complaint against Delta in which a pilot, Karlene Petitt, contends that the airline retaliated her, including ordering her to undergo a psychiatric exam, aftershe reported concerns about pilot training, fatigue and other matters to Dickson and another executive. Dickson has said the evaluation was done for the sake of safety. Senators didn't learn about Petitt's case, or a deposition that Dickson had given for it, until after his nomination hearing. Dickson said he didn't disclose it because he'd interpreted a Senate Commerce questionnaire as asking after "my personal conduct, my behavior both in general and as an officer of a large public company, or any instance in which I was a named party to a proceeding." Democrats and some safety advocates seized on the accusations to argue against confirming Dickson, saying he does not represent the reset the FAA needs after the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people and raised doubts about U.S. leadership in aviation safety. The vote on Dickson's nomination is still pending, but he is expected to prevail. On Tuesday, shortly before Dickson passed a key procedural hurdle, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said it's "clear to me he is not the right person for the safety culture that we need today at the FAA." She also referred to a prior party-line vote in committee to move his nomination forward as "distressing," saying "we should have found consensus on a nominee for the FAA given all the concerns the public has about flying safety." "Someone who takes safety seriously and listens to the pilots is what we need on the front line," Cantwell said. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot at the controls of the "Miracle on the Hudson" flight in 2009, cited the whistleblower allegations in publicly opposing Dickson's confirmation. "His actions and words raise grave concerns about his ability to act with the integrity and the independence the next FAA administrator must have in order to navigate the challenges of the ungrounding of the 737 MAX and to rebuild global trust in the FAA's competence and ability to appropriately certify new aircraft designs," Sullenberger said in an interview with POLITICO. "This is absolutely the worst time" for any concerns to be surrounding the FAA's new administrator, said Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates transportation accidents. The FAA's reputation has "been damaged in part because I think there is a perception, particularly among other regulatory agencies, that the FAA is not proven to be independent of Boeing, that it has not exercised its regulatory oversight in an aggressive manner," Goelz said. "And it's going to take some time for the FAA to regain its worldwide leadership position." Senate Commerce Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) has stood by Dickson, saying he doesn't believe that "the concerns about the whistleblower are well-founded." Before his committee's vote on Dickson, Wicker said that Dickson "clearly demonstrated the experience and leadership abilities necessary to lead the FAA" at his nomination hearing, and that in written responses to questions from senators, he showed that "his commitments to safety and protection of employees who report concerns ... are paramount." "It is vital to have a Senate-confirmed administrator at the helm of the FAA at this crucial time for the agency," Wicker said. "I believe Mr. Dickson is an excellent nominee for this position." Brianna Manzelli, a spokesperson for Wicker, said his committee office had received many documents related to the whistleblower's case and "fully vetted" the allegations, deciding to move his nomination forward after having determined that he is "not accused of being responsible for any alleged retaliatory act" against the pilot. Lawmakers tasked with overseeing the FAA have suggested that the agency may have become too close to Boeing, and that its process for delegating increasing amounts of authority to manufacturers - as Congress has repeatedly encouraged - doesn't allow enough oversight. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who opposed Dickson's nomination, said his Delta career "should be read as calling into question his independence and ability to put the FAA back in charge of safety." At the agency, there needs to be "clear independence, not only an expression of independence, but a public perception and a guarantee of independence because of the claims that the FAA has been, in effect, delegating too much responsibility to the airlines," Blumenthal said. At his hearing in May, Dickson defended the practice of delegating certain certificationresponsibilities to the private sector, though he noted his personal experience with delegation doesn't have to do with aircraft approval but rather with pilots. "It's made the FAA a much better regulator and it's made the carriers, I think, safer and improved the quality of pilots that are being qualified," Dickson said. Still, he said he wanted to know more details about the FAA's approval of the 737 MAX. "How it was applied in the case of the certification of this particular aircraft is certainly something that I look forward to digging into if I am confirmed," he said. John Cox, a former executive air safety chairman at the Air Line Pilots Association, vouched for Dickson, saying he would be a good administrator. "I know him and I've worked with him," Cox said in an interview. "I think, because he's a good leader and he's a good manager of people, that he will get the agency moving in a positive direction because everyone knows - and he certainly does - that they have to take positive steps and move forward, and I think that he is a type of leader that can do that. "The whistleblower allegations - he's gonna have to deal with it, but I don't think it would preclude him from being an effective administrator," Cox said. Rod Hall, a former assistant administrator for government affairs at the FAA, agreed. "If he comes in with a clear vision of what he wants to accomplish and it's anchored in improving safety, places a genuine focus on improving employee morale, and is responsive to the Hill ... I think he'll be fine," Hall said. "Yes, the agency has had to absorb a couple of gut punches recently, but they're a resilient crew over there." Still, consultant Jeff Guzzetti said he fears it will be destabilizing to bring in a new administrator in place of the acting chief, Dan Elwell, who has overseen the FAA's response to the Boeing crashes and the effort to return the plane to service. Congress must enact legislation for Elwell to be Dickson's deputy because both are former military officers. "I think that it's a bad idea to change horses in the middle of the stream when the FAA needs stable leadership," said Guzzetti, who has worked at the FAA, the Department of Transportation inspector general's office and the NTSB. "And after having worked with Administrator Elwell, I think Elwell's doing an outstanding job during this crisis. ... To suddenly take him out and put in this unknown that has the added detractor of a controversy is not good." He added that Dickson may be able to turn the FAA's reputation around, but it will be a "huge challenge." https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/23/faa-steve-dickson-1607658 Back to Top New Rule Allows Military Aircraft to Turn Off ADS-B Transmissions Under the FAA's new ADS-B off rule, defense aircraft such as the H-60M Black Hawk pictured here, can obtain authorization to turn their ADS-B Out transmissions off. (Lockheed Martin Photo) U.S. federal, state and local government aircraft performing sensitive operations are now permitted to fly with their installed automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) position reporting electronics turned off, according to a new rule published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Thursday. Under the new rule, aircraft conducting operations related to homeland security, law enforcement, national defense and intelligence that could be compromised by transmitting real-time aircraft position information are permitted to disable ADS-B transmissions after obtaining proper authorization from the FAA. Changes to the FAA's ADS-B Out airspace requirement come following several years of interagency meetings held between the FAA, Defense Department (DOD), Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation and other intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Leadership from those agencies expressed strong concerns about adversaries being able to easily gain public access to real time ADS-B flight identification and positional data. A provision in the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act also prevents the FAA from mandating ADS-B installations on certain DOD aircraft. Security concerns associated with ADS-B Out are not solely caused by the abilities of the ADS-B transponders, but instead by the proliferation and wide availability of new inexpensive ADS-B ground receivers and applications than can track ADS-B equipped flights for 100 to 300 miles. In comparison to older Mode S transponders, ADS-B provides more detailed information including aircraft registration number, longitude, latitude, dimensions and velocity. According to a description of the new policy, several alternatives to the new rule were considered that the FAA ultimately deemed too time consuming to meet the Jan. 1, 2020 ADS-B Out mandate, or required costly investments by DOD and other agencies. One alternative was to mask the identity of ADS-B Out equipped DOD aircraft, which defense officials determined still would not meet their needs because third parties would still be able to identify the aircraft location, velocity and altitude. Other alternatives included the use of encryption for sensitive aircraft or a new exemption process where agencies could petition the FAA for the authority to turn ADS- B Out transmissions off. However, since no encryption solution for ADS-B currently exists and an exemption process requires agencies to submit their requests at least 120 days in advance of the exemption need, these alternatives were also decided against. Through the rule change, the FAA has tasked its system operations security division with accepting requests from each individual agency requiring the authority to turn their ADS-B Out transmissions off. A major goal for the FAA is to avoid coordinating ADS-B Out transmission cancellations on a per-mission basis. Instead, the systems operations division will review requests submitted by the highest possibly agency organization level. "Once an agency has determined the broad mission sets that should be excepted from the transmitting requirement using its internal policies and assessment criteria, it must contact the FAA for authorization to conduct these broad mission sets without transmitting," FAA officials wrote in the new policy statement. While the new rule is effective immediately, the FAA is allowing comments to be submitted about the rule change through September 16, 2019. https://www.rotorandwing.com/2019/07/23/new-rule-military-aircraft-turn-off-ads-b/ Back to Top TSB annual report highlights progress in Canadian aviation safety TSB's annual report highlights that in 2018 the downward trend in aviation accidents continued, with regard to Canadian-registered aircraft, as it has over the last 10 years. (Source: Transport Canada statistics, using Sen's estimate of slope via median, TSB 2018/2019 Annual Report) The Transportation Safety Board of Canada on July 17 tabled its 2018/19 Annual Report, which outlines key annual statistics on occurrences in the aviation, marine, rail and pipeline modes of transportation. Across all modes, the agency launched 76 investigations and published 78 investigation reports in its 2018/19 fiscal year, ended March 31, 2019. The number of investigations completed by the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) increased for a second year in a row; by 18 per cent in 2018/19 and by 81 per cent since 2016/17, largely because of its efforts over the past couple of years to streamline the investigation process. The TSB reports average completion time for certain classes of investigations was reduced by nearly three months for Class 2 investigations and by 43 days for Class 3 investigations. "Advancing safety is all about change, and change is about finding ways to be more efficient as well as effective," said Kathy Fox, chair, TSB. Since the introduction of what the agency refers to as Limited Scope Investigations (Class 4), 48 short reports were completed in less than eight months each, on average. In addition, the agency processed 188 confidential reports submitted through its SECURITAS program. At the end of the year, 177 SECURITAS files had been closed and 11 remained open for further follow-up. In addition to its critical Watchlist, issued approximately every two years, and most recently in October 2018 (fifth edition), the TSB in 2018/2019 issued 63 new safety communications primarily to regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders. This includes 10 recommendations (seven as a result of aviation investigations); one board safety concern, 19 safety advisories and 33 safety information letters. In terms of aviation, the agency's most recent Watchlist focuses on two key safety items, among seven total: Risk of collisions on runways and runway overruns. Watchlist 2018, TSB’s Kathy Fox on Runway Incursions The TSB points to its progress achieved on a number of active recommendations. By April 2019, 19 outstanding recommendations had been closed as Fully Satisfactory (13 in aviation, four in marine and two in rail). Since 1990, the agency has made 604 recommendations, the responses to 81.5 per cent of which have led to a Fully Satisfactory assessment (up from almost 80 per cent at the end of 2017-18). There were still 102 outstanding recommendations, however, 49 of which date from more than 10 years ago. The TSB's annual report highlights that in 2018 the downward trend in aviation accidents continued, as it has over the last 10 years. During the 2018 calendar year, 201 accidents were reported to the TSB, which represents a 19 per cent reduction from 2017. It is also 25 per below the annual average of 267 accidents recorded from 2008 to 2017. During the 2018 calendar year, 201 aviation accidents were reported to the TSB, which represents a 19 per cent reduction from 2017. (Source: TSB 2018/2019 Annual Report) Among the 201 aviation accidents, 66 involved commercial aircraft, 134 private aircraft and two state aircraft, again over the 2018 calendar year, with 38 aviation fatalities. The 38 fatalities occurred from 23 accidents in 2018, which the TSB describes as considerably fewer than the annual averages of 55 fatalities and 32 fatal accidents recorded over the last decade. Seven aviation accidents in 2018 involved a release of dangerous goods, which is similar to the eight such accidents in 2017 but higher than the yearly average recorded over the previous decade of about four per year. There were 863 aviation incidents reported to the TSB over 2018, of which 611 were in Canada, 161 were outside Canada, and 91 involved foreign-registered aircraft. This represents a drop from the peak of 939 incidents reported in 2017, according to the TSB, but remains above the yearly average of 781 incidents observed between 2008 and 2017. The TSB explains the 161 incidents reported outside of Canada in 2018 is a high number in comparison to the corresponding average of 76 incidents per year during the previous 10 years. The TSB continues to explain the accident rate for Canadian-registered aircraft (excluding ultralights) per 100,000 hours flown has followed a downward trend since 2008. These aircraft flew an estimated 4.8 million hours in Canada and abroad in 2018, according to the TSB report. With 169 accidents over that period, TSB states the accident rate is 3.5 accidents per 100,000 hours flown, below the 2017 rate of 4.2, and the 10-year average of 5.2 from 2008 to 2017. https://www.wingsmagazine.com/tsb-annual-report-highlights-progress-in-canadian- aviation-safety/ Back to Top Vietnam's Vietstar Airlines receives AOC The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has granted an air operator's certificate (AOC) for startup Vietstar Airlines. Vietstar Airlines was incorporated in 2011 by state-owned companies and the Vietnamese air force, with a registered capital of VND400 billion ($17.6 million); the carrier has been providing ground-handling services, aircraft maintenance and pilot training ever since. The Ho Chi Minh-based company initially applied for an AOC in 2015 but was asked by the CAAV to raise its capital to VND800 billion. The carrier will operate a mixed fleet of Embraer Legacy 600 and Beechcraft King Air B300 aircraft and has set a domestic target of 500,000 passengers and 32,000 tonnes of cargo by the first year. Vietstar's commercial director Trinh Quoc Cuong told ATW in March 2018 that it plans to begin operation with five leased Boeing 737-800s, and expand to 15 aircraft by 2020. The move beats conglomerate Vingroup's plan to launch Vinpearl Air, although it is likely to have little impact as Vinpearl Air seeks to operate a larger and more conventional fleet for international service. The airline also has a deeper starting capital of VND1.3 trillion, which is the minimum amount to run an international airline with more than 30 aircraft. https://atwonline.com/airlines/vietnam-s-vietstar-airlines-receives-aoc Back to Top Order for First All-Electric Passenger Airplane Placed by Massachusetts Carrier Cape Air recently ordered the Eviation "Alice" battery-powered, 9-seat regional aircraft- pointing toward aviation's e-future Illustration of the Alice, a three-engine, battery powered airplane. Illustration: Eviation Commercial electric aviation took its first steps forward last month when a Massachusetts-based regional airline announced the first order of the first all-electric passenger airplane. The "Alice," a three-engine, battery powered airplane with a 1000- kilometer range on a single charge, is slated to be delivered to Cape Air airlines for passenger flights in 2022. The Alice, manufactured by Kadima, Israel-based startup company Eviation, has not yet been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. However, the company's e- airplane "could be certified right now to fly," insists Lior Zivan, Eviation's CTO. "It does not need a major rewrite of the rules to get this in the air," he says. Zivan says the company is "anticipating full certification by 2022." Animated gif from a video showing Alice's engine and batteries. The Alice, Zivan says, will be powered by a 900-kilowatt-hour (kWH) lithium ion battery manufactured by South Korean battery maker Kokam Battery. (For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 electric car uses a 50- to 75-kWH battery pack, according to a 2017 investor call from company CEO Elon Musk.) Cape Air is a Northeast regional airline that flies to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and numerous other vacation and regional destinations. According to Trish Lorino, Cape Air vice president of marketing and public relations, the company's historic order of Eviation's Alice aircraft "makes sense for us because we are a short-haul carrier." Lorino notes that, "For 30 years, we have specialized in serving short-haul routes, particularly to niche and island destinations." According to Cape Air's website, the carrier currently operates 88 Cessna 402s (which seat 6 to 10 passengers) and 4 Islander planes (9-seat capacity) made by the British company Britten-Norman. The 9-seater Alice e-aircraft thus fits within the Cape Air fleet's general size and passenger capacity. "Our hope is that electric-powered flight is a reality in the next decade and that there is adoption from the public to view this as a viable, natural form of transportation." -Trish Lorino, Cape Air Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Lorino says that although the carrier has not yet decided which routes will feature the Alice, company officials currently anticipate that e-flights will cover routes that keep the plane close to the company's Massachusetts headquarters. "Short-haul routes 'in our backyard' such as Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Provincetown would be the likely routes," she says. Eviation CEO Omar Bar-Ohay showcased the Alice at the Paris Air Show last month, featuring an informal tour and 30 minute talk. Bar-Ohay's remarks at the Show highlighted the differences inherent in designing and engineering an all-electric airplane and a conventional, petroleum-fueled plane. As he pointed out, the Alice has a maximum takeoff weight of 6,350 kilograms (14,000 pounds), but 3,700 kg of that is the battery. (And of course there is no fuel burned, so its takeoff weight is more or less its landing weight.) Each of the Alice's three motors, according to Zivan, has one moving part. "A similar [petroleum-fueled] reciprocating engine has about 10: six pistons, a crankshaft, oil pump, and a two-shaft gearbox," Zivan says. "Obviously, electric propulsion has a major advantage in both reliability and maintenance." There are redundant systems in the Alice, Zivan says, in both the propulsion and the battery assembly. The e-aircraft's three engines (two "pusher" motors mounted at the rear ends of the two wingtips and another "pusher" motor mounted at the rear of the plane) have, he says, "mostly dual and for some components triple [redundancy]." As for the electrical system, Zivan says, "The battery assembly is redundant in many levels, starting at the parallelism of the cells and ending at the number of in-series cells branches. The battery is designed in such a way that any malfunction or failure will result in a minimal reduction in the capacity if any." Because Alice doesn't burn any fuel in flight, and relies only on cheaper electric charge, the cost of operating the plane is expected to be lower than its petroleum-fueled counterparts. And the noise emitted by a plane with no internal combustion engines is also lower; this is especially true for Alice, given its ability (unique to e-aircraft) to vary its propeller speeds to compensate for crosswinds and to lower cabin noise. As an early standard-bearer in electric passenger flight, Cape Air says its decision to purchase Alice (the number of electric aircraft that will join its fleet has not been finalized) was also partly motivated by the company's "deep sense of social responsibility," Lorino says. (The company's headquarters is 100-percent solar powered, she says, and the company is now hoping to use sustainable energy sources for charging its fleet of e-airplanes.) "Our hope is that electric-powered flight is a reality in the next decade and that there is adoption from the public to view this as a viable, natural form of transportation," she says. https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/aerospace/aviation/order-for-first-allelectric- passenger-airplane-placed-by-massachusetts-carrier Back to Top UPS launches drone business, seeks to certify multiple pilots LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc (UPS.N), the world's largest package delivery firm, on Tuesday unveiled its drone delivery subsidiary and said it has applied for the Federal Aviation Administration certifications needed to expand the business. FILE PHOTO: The logo of United Parcel Service is seen at the new package sorting and delivery UPS hub in Corbeil-Essonnes and Evry, southern Paris, France, June 26, 2018. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo The launch of UPS Flight Forward marks the latest move in the battle between UPS, Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) for the lead in the nascent U.S. drone delivery industry. UPS said Flight Forward could receive FAA certification for multiple drones and pilots as early as this year, potentially becoming the first company to win such approvals. UPS is "laying the foundation" for a sustainable drone delivery business, said Bala Ganesh, vice president of the Advanced Technology Group at UPS. The Atlanta-based company plans to roll its revenue-generating hospital project with drone partner Matternet into Flight Forward. UPS and Matternet run five to 10 daily drone flights that transport human medical specimens for WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. The drone flights carry blood and tissue samples from various points around WakeMed's main hospital campus the short distance to its central laboratory. Ganesh declined to say how much revenue the WakeMed deal generates. UPS plans to expand the scope of its WakeMed delivery business as it recruits other hospital customers. Flight Forward is targeting healthcare companies as part of an ongoing UPS effort to use higher-profit specialty deliveries to offset the margin squeeze from booming residential e-commerce deliveries. Reggie Govan, who was chief counsel at the FAA during the Obama administration, said there are significant hurdles to overcome before an army of drones can drop packages at U.S. homes and businesses. It requires a "more sophisticated and robust technology and regulatory framework than currently exists, including more direct regulation by state and local governments than either the FAA or industry has yet to realize," Govan said. Nevertheless, Govan said, every new step forward "helps to move us from one-off deliveries of toothbrushes, coffee and pizza." Alphabet's Wing got a jump on rivals earlier this year when the sister unit of search engine Google became the first company to get U.S. air carrier certification for a single- pilot operation. Amazon, known for its splashy drone delivery tests, said in June it is building fully electric drones. Amazon has "numerous experimental certifications" to test and evaluate its systems. UPS, Wing and Amazon Prime Air are among the corporate and government entities with seats on the FAA's Drone Advisory Committee. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ups-drones/ups-launches-drone-business-seeks-to- certify-multiple-pilots-idUSKCN1UI2N7 Back to Top Etihad in the race to acquire Jet Airways In the fray: Etihad may rope in National Investment and Infrastructure Fund to bid for the airline. | Photo Credit: Reuters Abu Dhabi carrier likely to submit bid along with the Hinduja Group Etihad Airways PJSC, the national carrier of Abu Dhabi, is learnt to have initiated a fresh round of talks to bid for Jet Airways through the IBC process. Etihad had always been interested but wanted a favourable deal, according people familiar with the development. The foreign carrier, which has 24% stake in the grounded airline, is reportedly gearing up to submit a bid along with the Hinduja Group. A detailed email sent to Etihad Airways remained unanswered till the time of going to press. Similarly, an email to the Hinduja Group seeking a confirmation yielded no response. Negotiations are underway between the two parties, the people said, but they did not elaborate. Financial investor The Hinduja Group, which had thrown its hat in the ring, is likely to come in as a financial investor. Commenting on the development, Ambareesh Baliga, independent equity analyst said. "Yes, people are interested because Jet Airways still has brand equity. They may benefit but the company will offer nothing for retail or other shareholders as their value has been completely eroded. "It does not make any sense for strategic investors to provide any premium because the company's net worth is negative. Strategic investors will come at par and the dilution will be so huge that retail investors will be turned into micro minority. There will be nothing left for them," Mr. Baliga said. It is also believed that the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), a joint venture between the government of India and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority will be roped in by Etihad to bid for the airline. All interested parties have been asked to submit expression of interest (EoI) by August 3, 2019 and the bidders will be shortlisted by August 14, 2019. Besides the Etihad-Hinduja combine, a consortium of Jet Airways Employees' union and the U.K.-based Adi Partners will be key contenders. Reportedly the Tata Group, Qatar Airways, Apollo Global Management and TPG Capital are forming a consortium to bid. https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/etihad-in-the-race-to-acquire-jet- airways/article28692017.ece Back to Top 23 Jets Just Flew Into One of Aviation's Biggest Conventions Using Fuel Made From City Waste and Cooking Oil Sustainable alternative jet fuel is propelling the industry toward a greener future. The Gulfstream G280 soars using sustainable alternative jet fuel Matt Stephan City waste and cooking oil just might power your next private flight. Each year, the business aviation community meets in Geneva for the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, and 2019 was no different-with one exception. Gulfstream flew in its fleet using sustainable alternative jet fuel (SAJF). The stunt was part of "an industry-wide, sustainable alternative-fueled fly-in, with a record total of 23 aircraft participating," says David Coleal, president of Bombardier Aviation and chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Environment Committee. Other OEM members of the industry Coalition on Sustainable Alternative Fuel that participated in the fly-in included Bombardier, Cirrus, Daher, Dassault, Diamond, Embraer, Piaggio and Textron (Cessna). As part of this larger-scale initiative to green up aviation, Gulfstream made SAJF available to customers earlier this year and is trying to raise its profile, says Mark Burns, Gulfstream's president. The SAJF label refers to non-petroleum-based jet fuels-produced to reduce carbon- dioxide emissions-that can be used without requiring changes to the plane. The fuel must meet technical and certification standards for turbine-powered aircraft engines. "[SAJF] comes from sustainable inputs including industrial waste, cooking oil and even CO2 emissions," says Coleal. "The 20,000 business aircraft in service globally can safely fly on SAJF today-and make a positive, measurable difference the moment they take off." For fuel blends to be approved, industry leaders have enacted a rigorous process and work with global fuel-specification bodies, such as ASTM International, to certify the products. Bombardier Challenger 350 A Bombardier Challenger 350 jet soars using SAJF. A Bombardier Challenger 350 jet soars using SAJF. Photo: Courtesy of Bombardier Gulfstream has used SAJF since 2016 at its headquarters and has flown more than 920,000 miles on it, saving 870 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Recently, the company flew its G280 aircraft into LA on renewable fuel, proving how well it works by breaking a city-pair record on the way. The jet joined business-aviation leaders at the Van Nuys Airport for an event called Business Jets Fuel Green: A Step Toward Sustainability, which included SAJF-propelled demo flights by Bombardier's Challenger 350 and Embraer's Legacy 500, and the airport became the first general-aviation field in the US to offer SAJF on a trial basis. All of this was in support of business aviation's goal of carbon-neutral growth starting in 2020 and a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. But doing the right thing often comes at a price. SAJF is currently more expensive than its petroleum-based cousin. https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/aviation-sustainable-alternative-jet-fuel- 2858814/ Back to Top The Planetary Society's crowdfunded LightSail 2 deploys its solar sail in orbit Crowdfunded spacecraft LightSail 2 is making good on its name, after successfully unfurling its solar sail in orbit so that it can begin propelling itself using the force of light alone. The sail's Mylar surface reflects photons from the Sun, accumulating velocity gradually thanks to the additive effect of countless sub-atomic impacts. The team confirmed sail deployment initiated at 11:47 AM PT (2:47 PM ET), and full sail deployment completed at 11:50 AM PT (2:50 PM ET). LightSail 2 got its ride to space with the Falcon Heavy launch on June 25, sharing a ride with a variety of payloads, including NASA and Air Force experiments. The spacecraft is the product of The Planetary Society, a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of space exploration that's led by Bill Nye . Its goal is to study solar sailing in practice - a technology whose conception goes back centuries, but whose actual field use is extremely limited, with only a few examples existing previously, including JAXA's IKAROS mission from 2010. The sail's total propulsion power is astonishingly small, despite its size (it's about the size of a boxing ring) - it provides about as much power as a housefly landing on your hand. But it also will never theoretically run out of fuel, and can gradually increase its speed over time to very high velocities thanks to the friction-free environment of the vacuum of space. "Things are great, things are nominal," explained The Planetary Society's chief scientist, Bruce Betts, on a live stream of the sail's deployment, indicating that everything is to plan so far. The Planetary Society will attempt to get back images from the deployment the next time the craft is within range of a ground station, and we'll update when those become available. LIVE: LightSail 2 Sail Deployment https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/23/the-planetary-societys-crowdfunded-lightsail-2- deploys-its-solar-sail-in-orbit/?yptr=yahoo Back to Top RESEARCH STUDY REQUEST Participants Needed for Pilot Simulator Experiment Iowa State University is conducting a study to examine pilot performance while using an enhanced flight vision system for approach and landing phases. The study is being led by Dr. Michael Dorneich and is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. We are looking for pilots to participate in the study. As a participant of this study, you'll be asked to use flight simulator to complete tasks, and to answer questions. To participate this study, you must be over 18 years old, have at least 10- hour flight experience. You will be compensated $50 for about 2 hours of your time. The study is being conducted in Ames, IA. If you are interested, please contact Ramanathan Annamalai at P24experiment@iastate.edu . 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 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 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