Flight Safety Information July 26, 2019 - No. 150 In This Issue Boeing says its 737 Max just needs a quick software fix. Aviation experts disagree Incident: Lufthansa A343 near Sofia on Jul 25th 2019, engine shut down in flight Incident: Azul E190 at Rio de Janeiro on Jul 24th 2019, bird strike Incident: Aeromexico B737 near Guadalajara on Jul 23rd 2019, loss of cabin pressure Incident: Swiss BCS3 near Paris on Jul 25th 2019, engine shut down in flight NTSB announces new director of Office of Aviation Safety NTSB Issues New Safety Alert Warning of Jet Fuel Contamination AIRPLANE FIRST-AID KITS DON'T HAVE WHAT KIDS NEED Understanding the supplemental type certificate process Transportation Secretary Names FAA NextGen Advisory Committee Chair CHC Helicopter today officially released the completed schedule and lineup of speakers for the 2019 Airlines for America Applauds Congressional Waiver Allowing Dan Elwell to Continue as Deputy Administrator Embry-Riddle to Replenish its Flight-Training Fleet with Aircraft from Textron Aviation and Diamond Aircraft American Airlines Will Retire Fewer Aircraft as 737 Max Saga Drags On SpaceX Starship Prototype Takes 1st Free-Flying Test Hop RESEARCH STUDY REQUEST ISASI - 2019 Upcoming USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Courses Boeing says its 737 Max just needs a quick software fix. Aviation experts disagree On Boeing's earnings call with analysts yesterday, David Strauss from Barclays asked a question that dredged up the issue plaguing the plane-maker ever since the March Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed everyone on board, grounding the 737 MAX indefinitely. "You talked about a software fix for this latest issue that the FAA identified," he said. "Are you for sure it's a software fix at this point and not also potentially a hardware fix?" Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg repeated the company's party line. It was confident that what was needed was a software update, rather than any change of hardware, he told Strauss. In the coming months, regulators from around the world would "come in and fly in our simulator" under a variety of different test conditions, he said, including a simulated microprocessor crash. If everything checks out, Boeing hoped to submit its certification package by September and to return the 737 MAX to service by October, he added. But aviation experts question almost every aspect of this claim. Some believe that a so- called software "quick fix" is all but impossible, while others maintain that the problem is related to the plane's hardware. In FAA simulator tests last month, test pilots experienced a "catastrophic failure," in which they were unable to regain control of the plane. Under the same circumstances, an actual aircraft might have been lost mid-flight. The plane's microprocessor speed was said to be a contributing factor, with the plane's new control software potentially triggering an automatic nosedive. Sources told Reuters it was still unclear whether a software upgrade could fix the problem or whether the plane would need a more complex, hardware-based solution. Either way, further delay is bad news for Boeing's already diminished bottom line: its most recent earnings are down nearly 275% from the same quarter last year, with revenue down 35% from the second quarter of 2018. Many maintain that the plane's problems go far beyond software. In an April article in the industry publication IEEE Spectrum, pilot and software developer Gregory Travis suggested the problems were linked to the design of the plane. Repeated re-designs had resulted in significant problems of aerodynamics, he said. "Instead of going back to the drawing board and getting the airframe hardware right," writes Travis, "Boeing relied on something called the 'Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System,' or MCAS." They then used software to mask the problematic hardware. Even then, their chosen software was far from perfect. "The software relied on systems known for their propensity to fail (angle-of-attack indicators) and did not appear to include even rudimentary provisions to cross-check the outputs of the angle-of-attack sensor against other sensors, or even the other angle-of-attack sensor," Travis explains. "None of the above should have passed muster. None of the above should have passed the 'OK' pencil of the most junior engineering staff." If Travis is right, and the plane's problems can't be solved by software solutions, the 737 MAX looks set to sit on the shelf for a long time to come. https://qz.com/1674857/boeing-says-the-737-maxs-problems-can-be-solved-with- software/?utm_source=YPL&yptr=yahoo Back to Top Incident: Lufthansa A343 near Sofia on Jul 25th 2019, engine shut down in flight A Lufthansa Airbus A340-300, registration D-AIFC performing flight LH-600 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Tehran Imam Khomeini (Iran), was enroute at FL370 about 30nm east of Sofia (Bulgaria) when the crew decided to descend the aircraft to FL340 and return to Frankfurt. The aircraft landed safely back on Frankfurt's runway 07R about 2 hours after the decision to turn around. A passenger reported the crew announced an engine (CFM56) issue. A replacement A340-300 registration D-AIGV is estimated to reach Tehran with a delay of 6.5 hours. On Jul 26th 2019 The Aviation Herald learned engine #3 (inboard right hand) surged enroute followed by vibrations, the engine was reduced to idle (with no vibrations anymore), the crew returned to Frankfurt. On the top of descent into Frankfurt the crew shut the #3 engine down. The engine is going to be replaced. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cac963e&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Azul E190 at Rio de Janeiro on Jul 24th 2019, bird strike An Azul Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ-190, registration PR-AZH performing flight AD-5052 from Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont,RJ to Goiania,GO (Brazil) with 106 people on board, was climbing out of one of Santos Dumont's runways 20 when the aircraft received a number of bird strikes prompting the crew to stop the climb and divert to Rio de Janeiro's Galeao Airport for a safe landing about 20 minutes after departure. The flight and rotation was cancelled. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground at Rio de Janeiro about 26 hours after landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cac9ed6&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Aeromexico B737 near Guadalajara on Jul 23rd 2019, loss of cabin pressure An Aeromexico Boeing 737-700, registration N997AM performing flight AM-190 from Mexico City to Mexicali (Mexico), was enroute at FL380 about 130nm southeast of Guadalajara (Mexico) when the crew initiated an emergency descent due to the loss of the cabin pressure, the passenger oxygen masks were released. The aircraft diverted to Guadalajara for a safe landing about 25 minutes after leaving FL380. A replacement Boeing 737-700 registration N842AM continued the flight about 12 hours after landing of N997AM. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cac8645&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Swiss BCS3 near Paris on Jul 25th 2019, engine shut down in flight A Swiss Bombardier C-Series CS-300, registration HB-JCM performing flight LX-348 from Geneva (Switzerland) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was climbing through FL320 about 100nm southeast of Paris (France) when the left hand engine (PW1524G) emitted a bang and streaks of flame prompting the crew to shut the engine down and divert to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France). The aircraft landed safely on runway 09R about 30 minutes later. The aircraft vacated the runway and stopped on the adjacent taxiway for inspection by emergency services. A passenger reported the engine emitted a loud bang and streaks of flames, the crew diverted to Paris for a safe landing. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cac778d&opt=0 Back to Top NTSB announces new director of Office of Aviation Safety The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced a change in leadership in the agency's Office of Aviation Safety. Dana Schulze assumed the duties of director of the Office of Aviation Safety, effective July 22. Schulze has served as the deputy director of the Office of Aviation Safety since 2012 and has concurrently served as the office's acting director since November 2018. Schulze has been with the NTSB since 2002, has been a member of the senior executive service since 2012 and earned a 2017 Distinguished Presidential Rank Award. Schulze began her career with the NTSB as an aircraft system safety engineer within the Aviation Engineering Division and served as a group chairman and investigator on major domestic and international airline accident investigations, including Alaska Airlines flight 261, Pinnacle Airlines flight 3701 and American Airlines flight 587. Prior to joining the NTSB, Schulze worked in staff engineering and engineering management in the commercial aerospace industry in roles related to design, system safety, reliability and quality. She holds a bachelor of science in space sciences and mechanical engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology and a master of science in mechanical engineering from the State University of New York. https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/ntsb-announces-new-director-of-office-of- aviation-safety/ Back to Top NTSB Issues New Safety Alert Warning of Jet Fuel Contamination Danger of diesel exhaust fluid being introduced into Jet-A remains high, the Board warns. Embraer Phenom 300 Accidental introduction of diesel exhaust fluid into Jet-A can lead to a total loss of engine power in flight, the NTSB warns.Embraer The National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday issued a new safety alert warning sellers of jet fuel to take measures to prevent contamination of Jet-A by diesel exhaust fluid. Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is required for all new on- and off-road diesel-powered vehicles, making the presence of the clear, colorless liquid more prevalent at airports, the NTSB has found. When introduced into a diesel-powered vehicle's exhaust stream, DEF reduces nitrogen oxide emissions. However, when DEF is mistakenly mixed into jet fuel, a chemical reaction occurs that forms crystalline deposits that can accumulate on filters, engine fuel nozzles and fuel metering components, resulting in a loss of engine power. When improperly stored in unmarked containers, DEF is a clear, colorless liquid that can be mistaken for other liquids found on the airfield, including fuel system icing inhibitors, the NTSB notes. Both fluids can be purchased in bulk and transferred to smaller containers for ease of use. "Under these circumstances," the NTSB said in the safety alert, "unlabeled containers and common storage areas increase the likelihood of confusing these liquids." The NTSB wants fuel providers to ensure they store all chemicals in labeled containers and that they add a "NOT FOR AVIATION USE" label to all DEF containers. Aviation fuel contamination of all types is a longstanding safety issue and inadvertent introduction of DEF into aviation fuel is the latest iteration of the issue. The NTSB is currently investigating a May 2019 incident in which a Cessna C550 experienced a total loss of engine power to both engines during an air medical flight. The crew diverted the plane to a nearby airport and safely landed. Analysis of fuel samples, fuel system filters and fuel screens from the airplane indicated the presence of urea, the primary chemical found in DEF. During the investigation, an airport lineman reported the day before the incident he combined two partially filled containers. Further investigation revealed that one container held de-icing fluid and the other held DEF, which he mistook for de-icing fluid. He subsequently added the combined fluid to the fuel truck's de-icing fluid reservoir and fueled the Cessna the next day with 480 gallons of jet-A containing the DEF mixture. Two other instances of the inadvertent introduction of DEF into aircraft fuel tanks, after being combined with de-icing fluid, have been documented. Because both instances were identified before the aircraft attempted flight, neither event was investigated by the NTSB. https://www.flyingmag.com/ntsb-jet-fuel-contamination-safety-alert/ Back to Top AIRPLANE FIRST-AID KITS DON'T HAVE WHAT KIDS NEED Few airlines stock first-aid kits with pediatric versions of therapies that would help children dealing with medical emergencies, researchers report. In a new study of children's medical emergencies on planes, researchers found that most incidents involve common ailments such as vomiting, fever, or allergic reactions- events that should be easily treated. "Children represent almost 16% of emergency medical events on airlines, so these incidences are not rare," says lead author Alexandre Rotta, chief of the pediatric critical care medicine division at the School of Medicine at Duke University. "Both airlines and parents should be aware of the most common illnesses and be prepared to deal with them," he says. "Our study provides this much-needed information." KIDS' AIRPLANE MEDICAL EMERGENCIES The study is a first-ever detailing of more than 11,000 instances on 77 international airlines in which children required emergency medical attention, covering a period between January 2015 and October 2016. Flight crew members handled most of the incidents involving children (86.6%), but in nearly 9% of cases, doctors who were on board as passengers were asked to lend their assistance. About 16% of total cases resulted in a child needing additional care upon landing, and only 0.5% of flights diverted to a nearby airport to get immediate care. The most common medical events among children were the same conditions that drive pediatric emergency room visits, including nausea and vomiting (33.9%), fever or chills (22.2%), acute allergic reaction (5.5%), abdominal pain (4.7%), and stomach flu (4.5%). But unless parents had stocked their carry-on bags with therapies, the likelihood was slim that the airline would have a remedy on hand that was appropriate for a child. The Federal Aviation Administration requires US airlines to have well-stocked first-aid kits that include asthma inhalers, antihistamines, and aspirin. But the medications are in pill form, which many youngsters can't swallow, and/or in adult dosages. MAKING AIRPLANE FIRST-AID KITS BETTER In 2018, Congress passed a law directing the FAA to assess whether on-board first-aid kits have the minimum contents to meet the needs of children. Rotta, who is a pilot and has frequently assisted children and adults during in-flight emergencies, says the research team's analysis should provide a shopping list for stocking airline first-aid kits. "This is needed information to help inform discussion and policies affecting children on airlines and what should be included in the on-board medical kits," Rotta says. "But for right now, if you are a parent traveling with a child, we recommend you carry on the medications you think your child might need." The research appears in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Source: Duke University https://www.futurity.org/airplane-first-aid-kits-kids-2115362/ Back to Top Understanding the supplemental type certificate process Making alterations and repairs to aircraft, engines, avionics systems and other parts is a critical means for keeping fleets modern and operable. Yet, the regulations and requirements around making these changes can be complicated and confusing. Resources can help airlines and original equipment manufacturers navigate the supplemental type certificate (STC) process. In this post, we talk with CertifyNation What is a supplemental type certificate, and when is one required? A civil aviation authority, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), issues an STC to an applicant who alters an aircraft, engine, propeller or appliance from its original type design. Civil aviation authorities usually require an STC for major changes to the design of a type-certified aircraft when the modification is not significant enough to require a new type certificate. How does the STC process for the FAA work? An STC applicant submits a certification plan to the FAA that details the proposed alteration to a type-certified product and how that alteration will comply with the applicable FAA regulations and guidance material. The FAA reviews the certification plan and issues an STC project number if the plan is accepted. Next, the applicant develops the required engineering design, analysis and continued airworthiness data, as well as ground and flight test plans. After reviewing and accepting the data, the FAA issues a prototype installation and, if necessary, testing authorization for the proposed modification, usually in the form of a Type Inspection Authorization. The applicant will complete the prototype modification to the product and conduct the required testing. The prototype modification and testing are witnessed by an FAA delegate, usually a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) and/or Designated Engineering Representative (DER). Upon successful installation and testing, the FAA will issue the STC. What are the biggest challenges to the STC process? A few of the most common challenges to the STC process are access to an aircraft for prototype installation and testing, access to aircraft technical data, program scheduling challenges and managing the governing civil aviation authority. One prominent industry issue is the adoption of Automatic Dependent Surveillance- Broadcast, or ADS-B, systems. What are some of the misconceptions with the requirement and how can airlines comply? One common misconception of the ADS-B mandate is that simply installing the ADS-B equipment will guarantee compliance with the mandate. However, proper ADS-B function requires input from multiple avionics systems (GPS, altimeter, TCAS, etc.) in addition to the ADS-B components themselves. These avionics systems must meet certain performance requirements and FAA regulations. For instance, the aircraft's global positioning system must meet minimum position latency requirements that reduce errors in the aircraft's reported position. It's critical that airlines understand these performance requirements and FAA regulations and verify that their aircraft systems comply. How can an outside organization help mitigate some of those challenges? A certification partner will have the engineering and regulatory expertise to review the aircraft's existing avionics configuration. The review will determine whether the exisiting avionics can support ADS-B functionality and what ADS-B equipment is required to meet the mandate's regulatory and performance requirements. What should airlines and original equipment manufacturers look for when evaluating certification partners? Airlines should look for partners with significant experience working through the STC process combined with detailed knowledge of civil aviation authority regulations, and aircraft systems and structures. Experienced partners with strong working relationships with civil aviation authorities and extensive engineering capabilities will be able to accelerate the certification timeline by reducing design iterations and eliminating parts or designs that are not compliant with applicable regulations. To further streamline the new part installation process, a partner with FAA parts manufacturer approval (14 CFR Part 21) will be able to manufacture parts, assemblies and customized kits. https://www.smartbrief.com/original/2019/07/understanding-supplemental-type- certificate-process Back to Top Transportation Secretary Names FAA NextGen Advisory Committee Chair Childs is President and Chief Executive Officer of SkyWest, Inc. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that Russell "Chip" Childs was appointed Chair of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC). Childs is President and Chief Executive Officer of SkyWest, Inc. Childs, a current member of the NAC, replaces former Chair David Bronczek, who retired from FedEx Corporation. Childs will serve through the current term of the NAC charter, which is June 8, 2020. "Chip's extensive experience in the aviation community will help the Advisory Committee in the ongoing discussion about maximizing NextGen capabilities," said Secretary Elaine L. Chao. The NAC provides advice to the FAA on NextGen investment priorities, National Airspace System performance metrics, technologies, equipage and deployment schedules. One of the NAC's primary objectives is to enhance operations in the Northeast Corridor, which is the most congested airspace in the country. Childs will lead discussions on how to manage mixed equipage in aircraft communication, navigation and surveillance avionics to achieve success in the Northeast Corridor. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/press-release/21090105/federal-aviation- administration-faa-transportation-secretary-names-faa-nextgen-advisory-committee- chair Back to Top CHC Helicopter today officially released the completed schedule and lineup of speakers for the 2019 CHC Safety & Quality Summit taking place this October 1-3 at the Omni Dallas Hotel. Session topics will focus this year's Summit theme: "Shining a Light on Safety: Are We Looking in the Right Places?" The final schedule is available at the Summit website, www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com. If you have already registered, your confirmation information can be found below this message. Visit the Summit website and log-in to sign up for your sessions. Delegates are encouraged to sign up for their sessions quickly, as space in each session is limited. "For the past fifteen years, we have seen tremendous advancement of safety within our industry thanks to the unique opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration available at the Summit," said Duncan Trapp, CHC's Vice President of Safety & Quality. "We look forward to learning from another world-class panel at this year's event." In addition to the individual breakout sessions offered, delegates have the opportunity to sign up for and attend pre- and post-Summit courses on Accident/Incident Investigation Analysis, A Practitioners' Guide to Building a Safety Case, and Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) Training. Additional information on the pre- and post-Summit courses is available here. Information on each of the speakers, their sessions, the schedule, and the Summit itself is available at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com. We look forward to seeing you this October! CHC Summit Team Back to Top Airlines for America Applauds Congressional Waiver Allowing Dan Elwell to Continue as Deputy Administrator of the FAA WASHINGTON, July 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today commended Dan Elwell on receiving a congressional waiver which will allow him to continue serving at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the position of Deputy Administrator. "Dan Elwell has done an outstanding job as Acting FAA Administrator, and we applaud Congress for allowing him to continue serving as that agency's Deputy Administrator," said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. "We look forward to working with Steve Dickson as the FAA Administrator and Dan Elwell as Deputy Administrator to ensure that the U.S. aviation system continues to be the best in the world. What a great team to head the FAA." Elwell has been serving as Acting FAA Administrator since January 2018. Because he and Captain Steve Dickson, who was confirmed as FAA Administrator, are both former U.S. military officers, Elwell needed a waiver from Congress to serve as his deputy. ABOUT A4A Annually, commercial aviation helps drive $1.5 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. U.S. airlines fly 2.4 million passengers and more than 58,000 tons of cargo each day. Airlines for America (A4A) advocates on behalf of the American airline industry as a model of safety, customer service and environmental responsibility and as the indispensable network that drives our nation's economy and global competitiveness. A4A works collaboratively with the airlines, labor, Congress, the Administration and other groups to improve aviation for the traveling and shipping public. For more information about the airline industry, visit our website airlines.org and our blog, A Better Flight Plan, at airlines.org/blog. SOURCE Airlines for America https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/airlines-for-america-applauds- congressional-waiver-allowing-dan-elwell-to-continue-as-deputy-administrator-of-the- faa-300891486.html Back to Top Embry-Riddle to Replenish its Flight-Training Fleet with Aircraft from Textron Aviation and Diamond Aircraft Industries Textron Aviation Inc. President & CEO Ron Draper and Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler (both pictured center) agreed on a deal for at least 60 new Cessna Skyhawks Wednesday, July 24, at EAA AirVenture, in Oshkosh, Wis. (Photo: Textron Aviation Inc.) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's leading aviation and aerospace institution, plans to replace many of its existing aircraft with at least 60 new Cessna Skyhawks from Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, as well as four new Diamond DA42-VI aircraft from Diamond Aircraft Industries, school leadership said today. The fleet replenishment, confirmed on July 24 at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., reflects Embry-Riddle's continuous effort to advance aviation education in service to students by ensuring that the school's fleet is updated on a regular basis. "In keeping with Embry-Riddle's rigorous focus on aviation safety, new aircraft for our fleet were selected following an exhaustive evaluation by a team of experts on both our Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach, Fla., campuses," said Dr. P. Barry Butler, president of Embry-Riddle. "We are honored to extend our successful, long-term relationships with Textron Aviation and Diamond Aircraft Industries to replenish the Embry-Riddle fleet, to provide our students with a highly effective and reliable training platform that will serve them well." Embry-Riddle's fleet, encompassing both of the school's residential campuses, currently includes more than 100 aircraft, making the school's flight-training operation the size of a small regional airline. In Daytona Beach and Prescott, flight students complete more than 120,000 flight hours per year. "A global pilot shortage and the promise of high-paying careers have resulted in high demand for our flight-training programs," Butler said. In Daytona Beach and Prescott combined, total enrollment in the university's residential Aeronautical Science programs leading to a bachelor's degree for professional pilots has increased about 25 percent over the past three years, with nearly 2,000 students enrolled as of fall 2018. Demand for the fall 2019 semester is expected to reach more than 2,300 students. Skyhawk19 Cessna Skyhawk (Photo: Textron Aviation Inc.) High Demand for Embry-Riddle In response to this high demand, Embry-Riddle - the world's largest, most comprehensive university focusing on aviation, aerospace, engineering and related programs - is gearing up for a major replenishment and likely expansion of its fleet, based on enrollment. Between now and September 2022, Embry-Riddle will purchase at least 60 new Skyhawk aircraft. After that, the university has the option to purchase another 10 Skyhawks per year, through 2030, based on demand for the nation's No. 1 aviation-training program. Four new Diamond DA42-VI aircraft are also being purchased for the Prescott Campus, along with two new industry-leading Frasca flight simulators. All of the new aircraft were selected for their reliability and performance, particularly at high altitudes - an important attribute for flight-training in Prescott. "A large committee of experts - including students, flight instructors, faculty, aviation maintenance professionals and business representatives - carefully assessed a variety of aircraft attributes before identifying the Skyhawks as the best choice for Embry-Riddle," said Dr. Kenneth Byrnes, chair of the Daytona Beach Flight Department. "The group ultimately concluded that these aircraft offer a safe, dependable design, they are easy to maintain, and they have an excellent operational safety record." A global pilot shortage and the promise of high-paying careers have resulted in high demand for Embry-Riddle's flight-training programs. Professor Parker Northrup, Flight Department chair on the Prescott Campus, reported that his program is gearing up to serve approximately 600 students this fall. The Daytona Beach Campus Aeronautical Science program expects to serve roughly 1,700 students in September, Byrnes said. "The decision to acquire the new Skyhawks resulted from a deliberate and inclusive review process," Northrup said. "Embry-Riddle chose this particular aircraft because of our zero-defect aircraft flight policy. The maintenance record of the Skyhawk is superb, and these aircraft have a track record of reliable service in a busy flight-training environment." The Diamond DA42 VI aircraft offer superior high-altitude performance and are fully compliant with Federal Aviation Administration ADS-B (navigational) requirements, Northrup added. Finally, he said, the planes offer "full authority digital engine control," known as FADEC, and therefore will prepare Embry-Riddle students to fly with the most up-to-date technology. "Diamond Aircraft is honored to have Embry-Riddle select the Diamond DA42-VI for their Prescott and Daytona campuses," said Scott McFadzean, chief executive officer of Diamond Aircraft Industries Inc. "Embry-Riddle has been at the leading edge of aeronautical training for decades, and Diamond represents the leading edge of general aviation aircraft, with an all-composite design, proprietary jet fuel piston engines and Garmin G1000 NXi glass cockpits, so the partnership is a natural fit for both organizations." Embry-Riddle and Textron Aviation affirmed their business relationship at EAA AirVenture. Embry-Riddle President Butler was joined by Textron Aviation President & CEO Ron Draper. Also on hand were the deans of Embry-Riddle's Colleges of Aviation in Prescott and Daytona Beach, Drs. Timothy Holt and Alan Stolzer; Flight Department Chairs Parker Northrup and Kenneth Byrnes; and Textron Aviation's Senior Vice President of Sales, Rob Scholl, and Vice President of Piston Sales, Chris Crow. DiamondDA42 Diamond DA42 (Photo: Diamond Aircraft Industries) ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the world's largest, most comprehensive institution specializing in aviation, aerospace, engineering and related degree programs. A fully accredited university, Embry-Riddle is also a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. A nonprofit, independent institution, Embry- Riddle offers more than 100 associate's, bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts & Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering and Security & Intelligence. The university educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., through its Worldwide Campus with more than 135 locations in the United States, Europe, Central & South America and Asia, and through online programs. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu. About Textron Aviation Inc. Textron Aviation Inc. is the leading general aviation authority and home to the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands, which account for more than half of all general aviation aircraft flying. The Textron Aviation brands represent unrivaled innovation, performance and leadership in the industry, and offer an unmatched value proposition rooted in the total ownership experience. Leveraging unparalleled speed-to-market, Textron Aviation provides the most versatile and comprehensive business and general aviation product portfolio in the world through five principal lines of business: business jets, general aviation and special mission turboprop aircraft, high performance piston aircraft, military trainer and defense aircraft and a complete global customer service organization. Textron Aviation has delivered more than 250,000 aircraft in over 143 countries. Its broad range of products include such best-selling aircraft as Citation business jets, King Air and Caravan turboprops and T-6 military trainer aircraft, all of which are backed by the industry's most capable global service network. For more information, visit www.txtav.com. About Textron Inc. Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com. About Diamond Aircraft Industries Diamond Aircraft, headquartered in Austria with facilities in Canada and China, is amongst the leading aircraft manufacturer in General Aviation. Founded in 1981, Diamond has pioneered many aviation firsts and achieved numerous milestones and industry expert accolades. Today, Diamond Aircraft has more than 1,000 employees worldwide and offers the most complete range of certified piston aircraft models: from the 2 seat single DA20 to the stunning 7 seat DA62. For more information, visit: www.diamondaircraft.com/en/. https://news.erau.edu/headlines/embry-riddle-to-replenish-its-flight-training-fleet-with- aircraft-from-textron-aviation-and-diamond Back to Top American Airlines Will Retire Fewer Aircraft as 737 Max Saga Drags On American had a rough second quarter, with the Max grounding and a labor dispute. But the financial results show the carrier performed fine. Will it last? With American Airlines unsure when the Boeing 737 Max will return, the airline will retain some older aircraft for longer than expected, executives said Thursday on their second quarter earnings call. American is making money, but there's no doubt the extended Max grounding is having an affect on its business. The airline, which said the Max grounding will reduce pre-tax earnings by $400 million this year, up $50 million from a previous estimate, shrunk capacity slightly in the second quarter, even though demand for domestic travel remains strong. In the second quarter alone, the Max groundings cost the company about $175 million in lost pre-tax income, it said. In comments Thursday, American executives said they're confident the Max can return by Nov. 2, as they have currently scheduled. But American's team has made similar comments before - in the first quarter earnings call, CEO Doug Parker said he was confident American would have it back by mid-August - only to push back the plan. SERIOUS ABOUT AIRLINES? SUBSCRIBE TO SKIFT AIRLINE WEEKLY TO GET THE STRONGEST BUSINESS INSIGHTS IN THE WORLD OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION LEARN MORE It is now looking increasingly likely airlines won't fly the aircraft until next year. Southwest on Thursday canceled all Max flights through the beginning of January, becoming the first U.S. carrier to drop flights so far out. Even if American is hopeful the plane will fly earlier, the airline appears to be making contingency plans for a longer grounding. American said it intends to "extend the operating life" of some Airbus A320s, Boeing 737s, and Boeing 757s so it can continue to fly the schedule it wants later this year. Some of these planes have been flying for 20 years or longer. American didn't say exactly how many more aircraft it would keep, but the carrier is considerably short of airplanes. When the Federal Aviation Administration grounded Max in March, American had 24, but its most recent fleet plans shows the airline had expected to have 40 by year-end. American has other aircraft challenges. Like many other airlines, American said Thursday that it's not receiving as many Airbus A320neos from Airbus as expected while the manufacturer wrestles with production issues. JetBlue said Tuesday it only will take six Airbus A321neo jets this year, down from 13, because of delays. "There were five to 10 that just got delayed," American Chief Financial Officer Derek Kerr said. "They just pushed the whole schedule out a bit." American still expected to retire its MD-80 fleet in early September and its Embraer E190 airplanes by next year. To keep flying as many aircraft as possible, American is also slowing work to add seats on its Boeing 737-800s and Airbus A321s. American has been shrinking legroom on the airplanes so it can reduce unit costs, though some customers have complained about cramped conditions on retrofitted aircraft. LABOR DISPUTE American faced other challenges in the second quarter, executives said. Top among them was fallout from a labor dispute with the aircraft's unionized mechanics, executives said. In a lawsuit filed in May, American accused members of the union of intentionally slowing down the airline by pulling an unusual number of aircraft from service. In a 23-day period ending June 14, American told the court it was forced to cancel 722 flights, blaming union actions. American won a temporary restraining order from a federal judge in June, but the airline has said it still has more aircraft out of service than it should. American said it expects a final decision from the judge about the work slowdown within the next two weeks. The union has denied it has engaged in a coordinated effort. "The slowdown has significantly impacted the company's operation and caused a high number of flight cancellations and delays in the second quarter," President Robert Isom said, adding American is optimistic it can reach a new labor agreement with pilots that will make both sides happy. QUARTERLY RESULTS Even with the challenges, American turned a hefty second quarter profit, reporting net income of $662 million on record total revenues of $12 billion. The airline's pre-tax margin was 7.4 percent, up from 6.5 percent a year earlier. American said its total revenue per available seat mile, or TRASM, a metric measuring how much an airline makes for each seat flown one mile, increased 3.5 percent-year- over-year. American said the quarter's TRASM constituted a new record. Still, there are some indications all is not as rosy as it seems. Executives admitted the airline's TRASM was boosted by the Max cancellations, since American probably booked nearly as much revenue as it otherwise would have, but canceled so many flights that it flew substantially fewer total miles than expected. Flying less was a slight problem for another reason, executives said. American's capacity dropped 0.8 percent year-over-year because the airline had fewer airplanes, and the carrier lost some share to rivals. Don Casey, senior vice president for revenue management, said much of the share shift happened just after the groundings, in March and April. "When we ended up grounding the Max, there was a lot of schedule uncertainty as to how long this was going to last and how we we were going to move aircraft around to try to cover this," Casey said. "During that period, starting mid-March through about the third week in April, we did see close-in bookings, particularly for corporate travel, lag. We definitely lost share. We definitely saw some book-away during the time period to our competitors. That did bounce back by the time we got through April." https://skift.com/2019/07/25/american-airlines-will-retire-fewer-aircraft-as-737-max- saga-drags-on/ Back to Top SpaceX Starship Prototype Takes 1st Free-Flying Test Hop SpaceX's prototype rocket for a planned Starship vehicle has flown untethered for the first time. Called Starhopper, the rocket made its first free-flying test hop at SpaceX's Boca Chica proving ground in South Texas late Thursday (July 25), one day after a glitch forced it to abort an earlier attempt. Starhopper ignited its single Raptor engine just before midnight, apparently firing long enough to meet the test's main objective, which SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk had said would be a straight hop 65 feet (20 meters) up and down. "Starhopper test flight successful," Musk wrote on Twitter after the test. "Water towers *can* fly haha!!" (Starhopper is a large, squat cylinder on three legs wrapped in stainless steel, giving it a "water tower" look.) Musk also released stunning close-up video of the test hop and the Raptor engine on Twitter early Friday. Watch SpaceX hop StarHopper, untethered 20 meters! SpaceX's Starhopper Starship prototype makes its first untethered flight at the company's Boca Chica test site in South Texas on July 29, 2019 in this still from an drone camera. Starhopper is a testbed vehicle designed to test out vital technologies for SpaceX's planned Starship and Super Heavy spacecraft, a planned fully reusable launch system capable of launching more payload than NASA's mighty Saturn V moon rocket. Starship is designed to carry up to 100 people at a time, and will be SpaceX's go-to spacecraft for eventual trips to the moon and Mars, Musk has said. It could even be used for point- to-point travel around Earth, he's added. During Thursday night's test, Starhopper briefly lit up its Boca Chica proving ground, only to be quickly obscured by its exhaust plume as it rose up and landed within a minute. A video of the hop was streamed live on the Everyday Astronaut YouTube channel. Flames from the test hop ignited a fire near Starhopper that continued to burn well after the test itself, according to the video. The test hop Thursday night followed an aborted attempt on Wednesday (July 24) when Starhopper fired its liquid methane/liquid oxygen fueled Raptor engine for just 3 seconds before shutting down. Musk has said that the abort was caused by high chamber pressure on Starhopper, apparently due to "colder than expected propellant." An even earlier untethered hop attempt last week ended not with a liftoff, but with a brilliant fireball that did not cause lasting damage to Starhopper, Musk said. "Yeah, big advantage of being made of high strength stainless steel: not bothered by a little heat!" he wrote on Twitter. Starhopper made two tethered test hops in early April. SpaceX has also test-fired the rocket's main Raptor engine on the ground successfully. Shortly after Thursday night's test hop, Musk said Starhopper will aim even higher in an upcoming test. "200 [meter] hop in a week or two," Musk wrote on Twitter. Musk has also said in recent days that he will give an update on the Starship launch system's design. In a series of tweets, he pledged to give an update on the Starship program after Starhopper's first untethered hop. Thursday's untethered hop came about six hours after SpaceX launched its 18th robotic cargo mission to the International Space Station for NASA. A Falcon 9 rocket lofted a twice-flown Dragon capsule toward the orbiting lab, marking the first time that a Dragon has launched three times. The Falcon 9's first stage was used as well, with one flight already under its belt. https://www.space.com/spacex-starhopper-first-untethered-hop-success.html 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 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