Flight Safety Information October 31, 2019 - No. 223 In This Issue 737 Max Crashes: Boeing CEO Criticized for Lack of Pilot Training, in Second Day of Testimony When asked if he'll resign in light of 737 MAX crashes, Boeing CEO says 'that's not where my focus is" Incident: SAA A319 at Johannesburg on Oct 30th 2019, bird strike Incident: Ryanair B738 over Austria on Oct 25th 2019, aircraft intercepted by fighter aircraft Lockheed Martin F-16C - Accident (New Mexico) Don't Vape In Your Seat At 36,000 Feet: Korean Air Tackles In-Flight Smoking Qantas grounds Boeing 737 plane with crack, inspects others The Cirrus Vision Is the Private Jet That Lands Itself Pilots Blind to Approaching Drones Most of the Time, New Research Says Korean Carriers Subject to Government Safety Probe Joint Authorities Technical Review Slams FAA Boeing Max8 Certification Process Chinese Airlines Losing Billions On International Flights The Mavic Mini is DJI's first drone that doesn't need FAA registration A day after 300-aircraft Airbus deal, IndiGo joins global airline body IATA Commercial airline pilot shortage reflected by student demand for NMC aviation program GE still sees $1.4 billion cash cost from Boeing 737 MAX grounding in 2019 Construction Company Caterpillar Wants To Mine the Moon CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT Position Available: Audit Production Manager; Air Carrier ERAU Media Relations in Accident Investigation Short-Course MITRE - SMS Course - December 2019 Position: IFR Pilot 737 Max Crashes: Boeing CEO Criticized for Lack of Pilot Training, in Second Day of Testimony Dennis Muilenburg, chief executive officer of Boeing Co., speaks during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. regarding the two Boeing 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. Lawmakers blasted Boeing and peppered its CEO on Wednesday with questions about the design and marketing of the 737 Max, the plane involved in two crashes that killed 346 people. House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, (D-Ore.), said Boeing showed a "lack of candor all through this." DeFazio and others on the panel highlighted Boeing's failure to tell pilots about a new flight-control system until after a Max crashed a year ago in Indonesia, and the recent disclosure a company test pilot raised alarms about the system in 2016. DeFazio and Rep. Steve Cohen, (D-Tenn.), also hammered CEO Dennis Muilenburg over his compensation, which rose last year to $23.4 million, including more than $13 million in extra incentive pay, according to a regulatory filing. Muilenburg explained changes Boeing is making in the Max and other steps it is taking to improve safety. He conceded the company "made some mistakes" in designing the flight system called MCAS, which pushed down the nose of the planes before crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. "We are learning, we still have more to learn, we have to work to do to restore the public's trust," Muilenburg said. Some members of the panel defended Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, which certified the plane. The committee's top Republican, Sam Graves of Missouri, said he wasn't absolving Boeing of mistakes but suggested foreign pilots were partly to blame. Graves noted the safety record of U.S. aviation-no fatal crashes since 2009-and a preliminary report on the second Max crash, which revealed the Ethiopian Airlines pilots were flying so fast it might have hindered their ability to overcome an MCAS malfunction. "I guess we're going to have to start building airplanes to the lowest common denominator...if we're going to export" planes, Graves said. The Transportation Committee has been investigating Boeing and the FAA for months, securing about 500,000 pages of documents, some of which they displayed at the hearing. The committee learned of a manager who said assembly-line workers were being pushed too hard to churn out 52 of the 737s a month in 2018, and he urged that production be stopped. He said he was hesitant to put his own family on a Boeing plane. Muilenburg said the manager, who has since retired, "raised some good concerns" that the company has addressed. However, Boeing didn't reduce the production rate until this April, when the grounding of the Max halted deliveries of new Max jets. Muilenburg's appearance before the House panel came a day after he testified to a Senate committee. He was criticized by senators over several issues, including failing to tell Congress and regulators about a senior test pilot's messages that seemed to raise alarms the new flight-control system. Boeing has been spending months revising MCAS, tying it to an additional sensor at all times and making it less powerful. The company hopes to win approval before year-end from the FAA to get the Max back in the air. Regulators in other parts of the world have indicated they may take longer to review Boeing's changes to the plane. After the hearings, Congress is likely to consider changes in how the FAA certifies new planes. https://fortune.com/2019/10/30/737-max-crashes-boeing-ceo-grilled-in-house- hearing-for-lack-pilot-training-mcas-flight-system/ Back to Top When asked if he'll resign in light of 737 MAX crashes, Boeing CEO says 'that's not where my focus is' When asked if he'll resign in light of 737 MAX crashes, Boeing CEO says 'that's not where my focus is' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg faced tough questions from lawmakers on Tuesday during his first appearance on Capitol Hill following the two crashes involving the 737 MAX jet that killed 346 people, including if he will or will not resign. "I'm focused on the job at hand. And I came to Boeing, because we care about building safe airplanes for the world. That's what it's always been about," Muilenberg said Oct. 29, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. "These two accidents occurred on my watch. And I have a keen sense of responsibility to see that through." Muilenberg brushed off the question on whether he will resign, adding "that's not where my focus is. My focus is on the job at hand focused on safety. And we're going to do everything we can ensure safe flight." The issue at hand highlights one argument from lawmakers that Boeing prematurely certified the aircraft before the pilots were fully trained on the newer MCAS automation system. Ranking Member Sen. Maria Cantwell pushed the CEO, asking why the company looks to have put profit over aviation safety. "We cannot have a race for commercial airplanes become a race to the bottom when it comes to safety," Cantwell, D-Wash., said. "The company cannot prioritize profits over safety. Safety always has to be job number one." Muilenburg reiterated that he was made aware of documents earlier in the year, and at that point he counted on his council to handle appropriately. After reviewing messages between technical pilots Patrik Gustavvson and Mark Forkner, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz took the issue a step further, calling out Boeing's leadership for potentially lying to regulators. "How in the hell did nobody bring this to your attention?" Cruz asked Muilenburg. "How did you just read this a couple weeks ago?" Muilenburg said he's not sure what Forkner meant in the exchange. PHOTO: Survivors of those killed in the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610 crashes hold photos of their family members behind Dennis Muilenburg, center, and John Hamilton, left, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 29, 2019. (Andrew Harnik/AP) GOP Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, from Mississippi, and Cantwell alike grilled Muilenberg on how the company let this happen and what they've done to ensure it doesn't happen again. "It's something that we've spent a lot of time thinking about over the last ... over the last year. We have a keen sense of responsibility. We're responsible for our airplanes. And any accident, any accident with one of our airplanes is not acceptable," Muilenburg said in his testimony. "And we reviewed both of these accidents, we know what needs to be fixed. We own that. We have a responsibility to do that. We know we made mistakes and got some things wrong. We own that, and we are fixing them." He added, "We're never going to stop focusing on safety and continuously improving." Muilenburg laid out the plan for Boeing's improvements to the now grounded 737 MAX. "We're confident with the updates that we're making that once the MAX returns to the skies, it'll be one of the safest airplanes ever fly," he said. PHOTO: Sen. Richard Blumenthal in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Oct. 29, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Still, some lawmakers were less than impressed with the CEO's response to the crashes. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal highlighted an email from Forkner, the chief technical pilot for the Boeing 737 MAX, where it showed Muilenburg's awareness that Boeing didn't include a reference to the MCAS system in the aircraft operating manual. "Boeing came to my office and said this was the result of pilot error, those pilots never had a chance, victims never had a chance, they were in flying coffins," Blumenthal said. Muilenberg said the decision to not include a reference in an operating manual is not determined by one individual. Blumenthal added, "Would you agree that this system over oversight is broken? That's the lesson here, isn't it?" "My anger has only grown" Blumenthal said, asking victims to hold up photos of their loved ones that were lost. "Loved ones lost lives because of an accident that was preventable, that was the result of a pattern of deliberate concealment." The National Transportation Security Board issued and identified three major suggestions during their investigation, including issues related to alerts, system improvements and reaction to alarms. NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt told lawmakers that it was clear the MCAS was not working and they sent out an advisory -- which included the impact multiple flight deck alerts could've had on the pilot's responses. However, the alerts weren't considered explicit enough. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., told ABC News that he will ask Muilenburg why Boeing did not identify issues "before the plane ever flew" during the House Committee hearing on Wednesday. The committee intends to focus on production pressures inside Boeing, pilot training requirements, concealing data from regulators and FAA oversight, according to a committee spokesperson. DeFazio says the committee has received as part of its investigation "report after report about production pressures" inside Boeing. "I fear that profit took precedence and put pressure on the whole organization all the way down," DeFazio said in an interview with ABC News' Senior Transportation Correspondent David Kerley. Boeing's safety culture has been under increased scrutiny since messages surfaced two weeks ago in which Forkner told another pilot that the MCAS flight control system was "running rampant" in a simulator session. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) is a software feature introduced in the 737 MAX so that it feels and flies like previous models, according to Boeing. Reports from investigators indicate that the misfiring of MCAS repeatedly pushed the planes' noses down during the fatal Lion Air and Ethiopian Air crashes. Other documents released by the House Committee show Forkner told Federal Aviation Administration officials that MCAS was safe after calling it "egregious" based on simulator tests, according to internal messages and emails. In regards to areas like pilot training and manual recommendations, Forkner was the main point of contact between the FAA and Boeing, an FAA official explained. Boeing's goal was for the transition to be so seamless from their old plane, the 737 Next Generation, to the 737 MAX that it would not require any additional simulator training for pilots. Boeing said in a statement that Forkner was not referring to the MCAS system in the internal messages, but that "his comments reflected a reaction to a simulator program that was not functioning properly, and that was still undergoing testing." Lawmakers and regulators say they initially did not have access to these internal messages. After receiving them, the FAA said in a statement that it found the messages disturbing and that it was "disappointed that Boeing did not bring this document to [their] attention immediately upon its discovery." The same day that the messages and emails were released, DeFazio sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao saying the "messages indicate that Boeing withheld damning information from the FAA, which is highly disturbing." DeFazio said the concealment of information could lead to criminal charges. "I would say deliberate concealment would be a criminal act," DeFazio said. "We can't say that it was deliberately concealed definitively at this point." But DeFazio said that he is focusing on what he does know, which is that the aircraft certification policy needs to change. Under the Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program mandated by Congress, some of the certification process is delegated to manufacturers like Boeing. Critics of the ODA program say it's a conflict of interest that Boeing was able to influence the certification of the 737 MAX. However, some defend the program and say that there is sufficient FAA oversight from start to finish during the aircraft certification process. In 2003, DeFazio voted against the initial bill that mandated the ODA program. "The system is going to change," DeFazio said. https://www.yahoo.com/gma/lawmakers-prepare-grill-boeing-ceo-737-max-crashes- 231800148.html Back to Top Incident: SAA A319 at Johannesburg on Oct 30th 2019, bird strike A SAA South African Airways Airbus A319-100, registration ZS-SFK performing flight SA-143 from Maputo (Mozambique) to Johanesburg (South Africa), departed Maputo's runway 05 and landed on Johannesburg's runway 03R. A post flight inspection revealed a bird had struck the underside of the nose radome causing damage to the radome. The aircraft is still on the ground in Johannesburg about 11 hours after landing. The aircraft seen after landing: http://avherald.com/h?article=4cea2367&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Ryanair B738 over Austria on Oct 25th 2019, aircraft intercepted by fighter aircraft A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-DLC performing flight FR-9026 from Girona,SP (Spain) to Bratislava (Slovakia), had been enroute at FL350 about 40nm west of Verona (Italy), then climbed to FL360, entered Austrian Airspace near Lienz (Austria) about 15 minutes later and continued at FL360 until about 20nm north of Graz (Austria), when the aircraft began the descent towards Bratislava continuing via Hungarian Airspace into Slovakia. The aircraft landed safely on Bratislava's runway 31 about 40 minutes after entering Austrian Airspace. A single Slovak media outlet initially reported a major drama stating that the aircraft had disappeared from radar and was unable to communicate with ATC, their equipment failed and they needed the support by Austrian Fighter Aircraft to guide them through to a landing in Bratislava. The following day that outlet reported, Bratislava Airport had confirmed the occurrence (without any change in the narrative), a number of Slovak Media including a Slovak news agency subsequently carried the story, too. Mode-S Data received from the aircraft's transponder make clear, that the aircraft transmitted valid transponder responses and broadcasts at all times throughout the flight, the GPS of the aircraft was confirmed working as the transponder transmitted correct position data via ADS-B at all times until after landing in Bratislava. The aircraft thus remained visible not only on primary but also secondary radar stations at all times. At no time the crew selected the codes for emergency or loss of communication into the transponder. The aircraft did not depart for the return flight as usual and remained on the ground in Bratislava for 4 hours before returning to service. A replacement aircraft performed return flight FR-9027. An inquiry by The Aviation Herald to Austria's Ministry of Defence of Oct 26th 2019 as well as an inquiry to Ryanair remained unanswered so far. Based on the clear contradiction of narrative in Slovak media by the facts on hand The Aviation Herald thus rejected the entire narrative even though the 4 hours ground time did not rule out a minor technical problem and/or incident (and thus did not rule out a loss of communication and possibly an intercept). A non-Austrian reader of AVH also inquired with Austria's Ministry of Defence, who that way on Oct 30th 2019 confirmed a pair of Eurofighters had been dispatched on Oct 25th 2019 to intercept a Ryanair aircraft operating from Girona to Bratislava, no further details would be provided. The time between the last climb from FL350 to FL360 and the top of descent was 31 minutes, the time from crossing into Austrian Airspace until top of descent about 16 minutes. Earlier the month Austria's Airforce announced, there would be intercept training exercises over Austria, that could produce sonic booms all over Austria between Oct 21st 2019 and Oct 31st 2019. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/RYR9026/history/20191025/0435Z/LEGE/LZIB http://avherald.com/h?article=4cea0c83&opt=0 Back to Top Lockheed Martin F-16C - Accident (New Mexico) Date: 29-OCT-2019 Time: 19:16 Type: Lockheed Martin F-16C Owner/operator: US Air Force (USAF) Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: 80 miles from Alamogordo-Holloman AFB (HMN/KHMN), NM - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Alamogordo-Holloman AFB, NM (HMN/KHMN) Destination airport: Narrative: A Lockheed Martin F-16C, asigned to the 49th Wing, crashed 80 miles from Alamogordo-Holloman AFB (HMN/KHMN), New Mexico, on a training flight and was destroyed. The pilot ejected and was taken to hospital and later released. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/230289 Back to Top Don't Vape In Your Seat At 36,000 Feet: Korean Air Tackles In-Flight Smoking In-flight smoking became so antiquated that airlines started replacing light-up 'no smoking' signs with a non-illuminated placard. With smoking prohibited at all stages of flight, it was unnecessary to always illuminate a sign, unless a regulator stipulated as such. Besides practicality there was aviation's legendary bean counting: removing the lightbulb does away with cost, weight and complexity. While it may be difficult to imagine a passenger lighting up a cigarette in an aircraft today, Korean Air reports that is occurring with e-cigarettes. "Cases of smoking in cabin seats have become much more common," Korean Air says in a statement. The airline found that 59% of e-cigarettes carried onboard through September 2019 were smoked on the aircraft, up from 34% in 2018, although Korean Air did not specify how it measured this. The airline is training its flight attendants "to be aware of the diverse types of e-cigarettes." The rise of onboard e-cigarette incidents contrasts to a decline in the number of passengers smoking traditional cigarettes. There have been fewer incidents of cigarette smoking every year. Korean Air says it had 266 incidents in 2016, about five times a week. Through September 2019, Korean Air logged 120 incidents, or three a week. There has been general consumer ignorance that authorities in most countries typically treat e-cigarettes the same as traditional cigarettes. U.S. airlines prohibit vaping onboard and the FAA bars travelers from packing vape pens in checked bags due to the fire risk of the lithium-ion batteries. In the case of South Korea, its Ministry of Government Legislation ruled in 2008 that e-cigarettes were also tobacco products, and thus banned for onboard use. E-cigarettes cannot even be charged on the aircraft. While some passengers are vaping in aircraft seats, the lavatory is still a popular place to sneak a smoke. But Korean Air says lavatory smoke detectors can discern cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Korean Air is reminding flight attendants to "take proper and strong action if passengers disregard the regulations." The fine for smoking onboard while the aircraft is on the ground is 5 million won ($4,275), and doubles to 10 million won ($8,750) when the flight is in the air. Further, Korean Air warns, "Any passenger found smoking will be handed over to the local police immediately upon landing, regardless of the severity of the offence." Besides being illegal, Korean Air notes e-cigarettes can wear down an aircraft's filtration equipment, and more generally, "smoking can cause discomfort to other passengers." Culprits are not just passengers. Two Air China pilots were fired last year after one of them smoked an e-cigarette and accidentally caused their Hong Kong to Dalian flight to suddenly descend. Although the oxygen masks were released, there were no injuries and the aircraft safely landed. Passengers on other flights have wondered if the smell they detect is cigarette smoke from the cockpit. Regulator Civil Aviation Administration of China earlier this year announced it would formally ban pilots from smoking. Passengers on Chinese flights would have a harder time using cigarettes since lighters and matches are prohibited from being brought past security. A bin in the security area collects confiscated lighters. But there is some reprieve for smokers: the bin is sometimes brought to the arrival area so passengers can take a lighter on their way out of the airport. https://www.forbes.com/sites/willhorton1/2019/10/28/dont-vape-from-your-seat-at- 36000-feet-korean-air-tackles-in-flight-smoking/#5d5c8ffa8e55 Back to Top Back to Top Qantas grounds Boeing 737 plane with crack, inspects others Qantas has grounded one Boeing 737NG due to a crack and is urgently inspecting 32 others (AFP Photo/Saeed KHAN) Sydney (AFP) - Australian flag carrier Qantas said Thursday it had grounded one Boeing 737NG due to a structural crack, and was urgently inspecting 32 others for the flaw. The grounding is the latest safety concern for Boeing, as it reels from two 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people and highlighted problems with the planes' flight handling software. The US aviation authority this month ordered checks of Boeing 737NG planes that had flown more than 30,000 times. That came after the company reported the "pickle fork", which helps connect the wing to the fuselage, could be prone to cracking. Qantas said Thursday it had found the fault in a more lightly used aircraft, one that had recorded fewer than 27,000 flights. "This aircraft has been removed from service for repair," Qantas said in a statement, adding it had hastened its inspections of 32 other 737NG plans to be completed by Friday. The announcement by Qantas raised fears the cracking issue could affect newer planes than previously thought, leading to calls for the Australian airline to ground its entire 737 fleet. "These aircraft should be kept safe on the ground until urgent inspections are completed," an engineers' union representative, Steve Purvinas, said in a statement. However Qantas described the call to ground its 737 fleet as "completely irresponsible". "We would never operate an aircraft unless it was completely safe to do so," Qantas head of engineering Chris Snook said. "Even when a crack is present, it does not immediately compromise the safety of the aircraft." The FAA initially said Boeing notified the agency of the problem after encountering the issue on a plane in China and that subsequent inspections showed other planes also had cracks. The NG is a precursor plane to the Boeing 737 MAX, which has been grounded since mid-March following the two deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg faced another round of tough questions on Wednesday from US lawmakers who accused the company of a "lack of candour" over the crashes. https://www.yahoo.com/news/qantas-grounds-boeing-737-plane-crack-inspects-others- 013140640.html Back to Top The Cirrus Vision Is the Private Jet That Lands Itself A Cirrus Vision jet costs around $2 million, making it the most affordable new private jet. You can buy a propeller plane for less, but if you want a turbine engine, this is your starter. It's smaller than Gulfstreams most of us imagine - in the Vision, the pilot and passengers share the same space. That's because Cirrus engineers designed it for owners who also want to be the pilot, no flight crew required. But that setup presents a concern for passengers. Even if you're traveling with an Air Force alum, if only one person is capable of landing the thing, what do you do if he or she goes unconscious, or has a heart attack? Live out Airplane!, with air traffic control guiding you, the inexperienced passenger, through a terrifying landing? Nah. You hit a button on the ceiling and do breathing exercises while the plane lands itself. Some background on the aircraft: the Vision's single engine is on the roof. Having one engine instead of two helps keep the price low. The tail is a V so that exhaust can pass through. The windows are noticeably bigger than on most jets because the body is made of strong, light carbon fiber-the 787 has bigger windows for the same reason. The seats are plush, and there are USB chargers throughout the cabin. The sound is deafening until you but on the Bose noise-canceling headsets. Then, it's comfy for the up to 7 people who can sit inside. Unlike the Icon A5, or other recreational planes, the Vision is for distance transportation. It will fly over 1,000 miles (Cirrus says max range is 1,275 nautical miles), and cruise at 31,000 feet. That means it's good for trips like JFK to ORD, but this is still a pilot's plane. If other private jets are Rolls-Royce Phantoms (where you buy to be chauffeured), this is a McLaren 570S-no flight crew necessary. Because, unlike in commercial jets, there might not be a human copilot to take over in an emergency, Cirrus built Safe Return. It's an autopilot landing system that will, in case the pilot is incapacitated, land the plane safely, without human intervention. It feels as spooky as it sounds. You hit the button, and a voice calmly announces that the system is active. The screens flash "Emergency Autoland Active," and tell you to keep away from the controls while it works. The plane then finds the nearest available airport, notifies the right frequencies of your emergency, and steers towards a safe runway. The system accounts for every variable-altitude, weather, terrain, fuel level- and tells air traffic control to have help ready. With the clear runway in sight, the landing gear deploys, and the plane slows down. It descends as gently as if an expert pilot were in control. It touches down, and slows to a safe stop. Sounds futuristic, but automatic landing systems have existed for year- in general, for non-pilots and non-enthusiasts, a startling amount of flight is automated. The difference between this and a commercial jet's systems is that those pilots are trained to know how to specifically monitor the autopilot, and be ready to intervene if needed. Safe Return is a second-to-last-resort. If that system can't get you to land safely, the Vision Jet has a parachute that will deploy, and land the plane right side up. If autonomous flying air transportation ever arrives, it's still years of testing and legal rulings away from reality. But same as Tesla's Autopilot on land, this system makes the sci-fi fantasy feel close at hand. https://www.yahoo.com/news/cirrus-vision-private-jet-lands-133400116.html Back to Top Pilots Blind to Approaching Drones Most of the Time, New Research Says Pilots are unable to spot drones encroaching on their airspace, raising the risk of collisions as more unmanned aircraft take to the skies. Drone too close to a passenger airplane.Remus Kotsell/iStock In the not too distant future, drones will be all over the skies, delivering packages, taking photos and videos and serving a slew of yet to be discovered purposes. They may also pose a danger to pilots and their passengers. Particularly because approaching ones are hard to spot, even for skilled pilots. Pilots have difficult seeing drones as they approach the runway A new study conducted by researchers from Oklahoma State University and Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University reveals pilots approaching a runway usually couldn't spot small drones encroaching on their airspace. When the drone was motionless the pilots rarely saw it at all. "Dangerous close encounters between aircraft and drones are becoming an increasingly common problem," said Dr. Ryan J. Wallace, assistant professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle in a press release highlighting the work. "Statistics on pilot sightings of drones continue to increase year over year, and what is being reported by pilots is probably just the tip of the iceberg. The vast majority of the time, unmanned aircraft are not being seen by pilots." According to Wallace, there are more than 1.4 million drones registered to fly in the U.S. Many more are unregistered, he said. The number of drones is only expected to proliferate in the coming years, posing more risk to pilots. Pilots spotted drones only 30% of the time The researchers conducted an airborne human factors experiment in which certified pilots failed 28 out of 40 times in spotting a common type of quadcopter coming into their air space. They only spotted the drones 30% of the time. When the drone was motionless only 3 out of 22 were discovered. Spotting sUAS on Final Approach Field Test The researchers reported the pilots saw the drones between 213 and 2,324 feet. Even if the pilot saw the drone at 2,324 feet, the pilot would only have 21 seconds to react. The pilot is apt to get out of the way of a motionless drone, but it's not clear if the pilot could avoid a collision with a moving one. "The situation is far more dangerous when both aircraft are moving," Dr. Matt Vance, assistant professor of aviation and space at Oklahoma State said in the news release. "Our eyes are attuned to movement. When a drone is not moving, it becomes part of the background." Is tracking drones the answer? Next up the researchers are testing the pilot's ability to spot drones with an electronic pinging device affixed to them. It uses ADS-B or automatic dependent surveillance- broadcast technology to track the aircraft. The researchers want to see if this can help pilots spot the drones and avoid a crash. This technology is slated to become a requirement for any aircraft in airspace near airports beginning in January but doesn't apply to drones. https://interestingengineering.com/pilots-blind-to-approaching-drones-most-of-the- time-new-research-says Back to Top Korean Carriers Subject to Government Safety Probe An Asiana Airlines Airbus A380 takes off from Los Angeles International Airport. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY) by beltz6) Mounting concerns over a rash of recent incidents varying from engine fires to component malfunctions have prompted South Korea's transport ministry to carry out a two-step emergency safety check on all local carriers, beginning next month. In an emergency safety meeting held Wednesday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport said all nine airlines will initially undergo evaluation of maintenance procedures, particularly on components experiencing recurring failures. Authorities will also perform a review of operational control procedures during inclement weather conditions and provide emergency response training for pilots. The second step will involve an examination of all safety management system (SMS) procedures, health examination checks for crew members, and communication protocols between flight crew, including pilots and cabin crew, during in-flight emergencies. The ministry said authorities would complete the checks by year-end. During the meeting, a spokesperson from Jeju Air said it will carry out its own emergency checks and training in November, including in-flight emergency response training as well as strengthening communications between flight crew and air traffic control. The announcement comes five days after low-cost carrier Jeju Air experienced an autopilot malfunction, forcing one of its Boeing 737-800s to return to Busan's Gimhae International Airport. The same day also saw national airline Korean Air Lines delayed over a fuel valve failure. In mid-October, South Korea's second-largest carrier, Asiana Airlines, experienced its second engine failure in three months, after an A380 engine caught fire while refueling at Incheon International Airport in Seoul. The carrier also reported a loss of cabin pressure involving an A330-300 in early September. Meanwhile, Boeing representatives plan to visit South Korea sometime in November over the grounding of nine 737NGs due to structural cracks. In late September, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an airworthiness directive for Boeing 737NG operators after inspections of the wing-to-fuselage attach points uncovered cracks in assemblies-called pickle forks. Of the 150 737NGs operating in South Korea, 42 aircraft underwent inspection, nine of which exhibited structural cracks, including five from Korean Air's fleet. The transport ministry said Boeing would carry out repairs and inspections of the grounded airplanes. In a separate development, startup carrier Air Premia is preparing entry into the Korean market after inking a provisional agreement with Boeing on Tuesday for the purchase of five 787-9 Dreamliners, valued at $1.4 billion at list prices. The announcement follows a deal made by the Seoul-based carrier in April to lease three 787-9 jets from Air Lease Corporation. Air Premia has laid plans to launch regional service in September 2020, long-haul flights in 2021, and introduce a total of 10 787-9s by 2024. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2019-10-30/korean-carriers- subject-government-safety-probe Back to Top Joint Authorities Technical Review Slams FAA Boeing Max8 Certification Process JAMES T. CROUSE On October 11, 2019, the Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) consisting of representatives from the FAA, NASA, and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA's) from Australia, Brazil, Canada. China, Europe, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and the UAE, submitted its report to the FAA's Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety. In short, it is a broad condemnation of the FAA's aircraft certification process and its twelve recommendations call for a wholesale review and modification of the entire certification process. Its recommendation are meaningful and timely; the FAA should embrace the report and adopt all of the recommendations. In a single sentence in his cover letter accompanying the report, Christopher Hart, former NTSB chair and Chairman of the JATR, summed up what many of us in aviation have known for years. After noting that systems have become more complex and making it more likely regulations and standards would not address every conceivable scenario, Hart stated: "To the extent that they do not address every scenario, compliance with every applicable regulation and standard does not necessarily ensure safety." (emphasis added). The Report continued to suggest that the Organization Designation Authorization Program, or ODA (interesting changed acronym from its previous "DOA"), the program by which the FAA grants the manufacturer/designer, in this case Boeing, authority over the certification project, is weak due to inadequate CAA oversight. The JATR team concluded that FAA resources fall short which may have contributed to an "inadequate number of FAA specialists being involved in the B737 MAX certification program." In short, the FAA was incapable to oversee Boeing's activities due to a lack qualified engineers and technical expertise. Specifically, as to the highly problematical and deadly Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), the reported stated that the FAA "had inadequate awareness of the MCAS function which, coupled with limited involvement, resulted in the inability of the FAA to provide an independent assessment of the adequacy of the Boeing proposed certification activities associated with the MCAS." This inadequacy, coupled with the Boeing test pilots' failure to be candid with the FAA when they encountered problems with the MCAS system during flight simulator tests (addressed in a subsequent article), made it almost certain that the FAA would not discover the fatal flaws in the MCAS. Of the many findings and recommendations made by this panel, none is more important than its emphasis on a holistic aircraft certification process. Given the complexity of modern aircraft, it is important that any modification be evaluated in relation to the entire aircraft. A change to one components or system can have unintended and dramatic consequences to the aircraft system as a whole. Hence, no more piecemeal alterations looking solely at that particular aspect of the aircraft and no more layer upon layer of changes to an already existing, sometimes much older platform that in some cases bears little relation to the original type-certificated model. Other certification aspects addressed in the report include making sure that all operational aspects of design changes are considered in operations and training, the different operating environments between manufacturer engineering test pilots and operational test pilots, post-certification follow-up and monitoring of design changes. James T. Crouse James T. Crouse has been a pilot for thirty-two years, during which time he has performed as a U.S. Army aircraft maintenance officer, maintenance test pilot, and research and development test pilot. Mr. Crouse has litigation experience involving major air carriers, general aviation, helicopter, and military crashes, as well as non- aviation mass disaster litigation. https://www.legalexaminer.com/transportation/joint-authorities-technical-review- slams-faa-boeing-max8-certification-process/ Back to Top Chinese Airlines Losing Billions On International Flights I assumed Chinese airlines were mostly losing money on international flying, though I think I didn't fully appreciate just how much money they've been losing. Finally we have some insights about that, and the numbers are shocking. In this post: * Chinese Airlines Have Been Capacity Dumping * Chinese Airlines Losing Billions Flying Internationally * How Much Longer Can This Go On? * Bottom Line Chinese Airlines Have Been Capacity Dumping If you've looked at booking a ticket to or from Asia anytime in the past few years, you've probably noticed just how low fares have gotten, and how many different Chinese airlines there are. While other airlines have been forced to match these low fares, this competitive pricing is thanks to the number of Chinese airlines that have been expanding in recent years. For example, there are now flights from LAX to over a dozen cities in mainland China. You'd think fares for a 16,000 mile journey shouldn't cost $320 in economy... Or $1,700 (or often much less) in business class. But the focus seems to be entirely on market share rather than profitability. Beyond that, though, there's so much about Chinese aviation policy that leaves me scratching my head: * China has dozens of (mostly) state owned airlines competing with one another * China has historically had a "one airline, one route" policy, where only one Chinese airline could fly an international route; while I understand the spirit of this, it has led to all kinds of inefficient route networks, as airlines often have to sell itineraries with two to three connections So, just how are these routes doing financially? Chinese Airlines Losing Billions Flying Internationally During the recent China International Forum on Aviation and Tourism, some very interesting statistics were revealed regarding the growth of commercial aviation in China, especially for international travel. These were revealed by the chairman of the China Aviation Association, as well as several executives from Chinese airlines. Among these facts: * Between 2011 and 2018, the average annual growth rate of passenger traffic on China's international routes was 17% * There are nearly 40 domestic airlines, and Chinese airlines fly more than 5,000 international flights per week to more than 170 cities in more than 60 countries * China's international aviation industry has been losing money for three years, with a loss of 21.9 billion CNY (~3.1 billion USD) in 2018 * A China Eastern executive revealed that on intercontinental routes in 2018 their unit revenue was less than 0.4 CNY per kilometer, which is under 0.057 USD per kilometer (that's about 0.09 USD per mile); as a point of comparison, Delta's unit revenue per available mile is over 0.16 USD per mile, so it's nearly twice as much How Much Longer Can This Go On? China is obviously a massively growing market, with a huge number of outbound tourists. You'd think that this huge increased demand would pave the way for a more profitable aviation industry, but the increase in supply has outpaced the increase in demand. One has to wonder when this pattern will stop. Delta (and to a lesser extent American and United) loves to talk about how the "big three" Gulf carriers are capacity dumping using government subsidies, though the reality is that we're seeing the same for Chinese airlines. Now, in fairness, China doesn't participate in the Open Skies agreement, so it's a little bit different, but still. Of course Delta has no problem investing in China Eastern, which is majority owned by the Chinese government. Bottom Line Chinese airlines lost over three billion USD operating international routes in 2018. Their unit revenue is really bad as well. It will be interesting to see what gives, as the number of international routes operated by Chinese airlines continues to grow. https://onemileatatime.com/chinese-airlines-losing-billions/ Back to Top The Mavic Mini is DJI's first drone that doesn't need FAA registration Starting at $399 Photography by Sean O'Kane / The Verge DJI's newest drone is also the smallest and lightest one the company's ever made. It's so small and light, in fact, that buyers won't have to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration. The heavily leaked Mavic Mini, as it's called, was announced on Wednesday morning and is available for preorder now and will ship on November 11th. The drone will be sold for $399 with a remote controller, one battery, and a set of extra propellers, or in one of DJI's "Fly More" combo packs, which costs $499 and includes propellor guards, three batteries, a battery charging hub, a carrying case, a controller, and three sets of extra propellers. Despite the relatively low price tag, the Mavic Mini features a lot of the best aspects of DJI's more expensive (and more capable) drones. It's basically as small as the 2017 DJI Spark, but the Mavic lineup's foldable legs make it even more portable. It weighs just 249 grams, which is just one gram under the weight cutoff for FAA registration. (DJI did collaborate with Intel on an even smaller drone in 2018.) LOTS OF FAMILIAR FEATURES IN SMALLER, MUCH LIGHTER PACKAGE The Mavic Mini also shares a lot of software features with DJI's other drones, like creative shooting modes and the ability to automatically return to the takeoff spot (though it uses another new app). The Mavic Mini, perhaps due to its lightweight design, also doesn't skimp on battery life. DJI estimates 30 minutes of flight time per battery, though I wasn't able to really put that to the test during a brief demo. One of the only trade-offs with the Mavic Mini is that it can't shoot 4K footage. Otherwise, the Mavic Mini should be a capable tool for photographers and videographers. The drone's camera uses a 1/2.3-inch sensor that can shoot up to 2.7K footage at 30 frames per second, 1080p footage at up to 60 frames per second, and 12- megapixel photos. Like all of DJI's other consumer drones (save for the Spark), the camera is stabilized with a three-axis gimbal that should help generate super smooth footage in low-wind conditions. One other trade-off: the Mavic Mini has fewer sensors than DJI's other drones, meaning it may be more prone to crashes. Ground-facing sensors will help with low hovering and soft landings, but it's up to the pilot not to fly the Mavic Mini sideways into a tree, wall, or any other object. (This is one place where, while similar in size, the heavier, more sensor-laden DJI Spark prevails.) Despite being so light, the Mavic Mini felt stable and precise during a brief test flight earlier this week. Staring down at the iPhone that was connected to the controller, I was able to pull off a few careful, slowly evolving shots that make drone videography look so stunning. It was a still day, though, so we'll need more time with the Mavic Mini to get a sense of how it handles breezes and outright windy days. The price point, weight, and ability to dodge FAA registration are sure to make the Mavic Mini look like a very attractive product for both first-time and experienced drone pilots. DJI still warns in the Mavic Mini press release that "drone pilots must always understand and follow local laws and regulations," and it says its built-in safety features (like altitude limiting) and educational tools will help keep new pilots from flying dangerously. But that, as they say, is still up in the air. https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/30/20938530/dji-mavic-mini-price-specs-faa-ultra- light-combo-pack Back to Top A day after 300-aircraft Airbus deal, IndiGo joins global airline body IATA With 48.2% share in domestic air passenger market, IndiGo is the largest airline in India Budget carrier IndiGo on Wednesday announced that it has become a member of International Air Transport Association (IATA) which represents around 290 airlines across the world, comprising 82 per cent of global air traffic. The announcement came after IndiGo's expansion of international flight operations this year wherein it connected India with countries such as Turkey, Vietnam, Myanmar and China. "With over 60 offices worldwide, IATA maintains relationships with governments and other industry stakeholders around the world, advocating on behalf of its members on key industry issues," said a press statement by IndiGo. In March, SpiceJet became the first Indian low-cost carrier to take membership of the IATA. Less than three months later, its chairman and managing director Ajay Singh was elected to the board of global airlines body. Indian full-service carriers Vistara and Air India are members of IATA too. With 48.2 per cent share in domestic air passenger market, IndiGo is the largest airline in India, according to the latest data of Indian aviation regulator DGCA. IndiGo currently operates around 1,500 flights every day to 60 domestic and 23 international destinations with a fleet of 247 aircraft. "This partnership (with IATA) will not only help us share best practices, but also be a facilitator in our dream of building the best air transportation system in the world," said Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), IndiGo. Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO, IATA, said, "We look forward to working with the IndiGo team to help shape industry standards, best practices and policies that ensure the safe, efficient and sustainable growth of aviation, in India and globally. https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/indigo-becomes-member-of- global-airlines-body-iata-119103001114_1.html Back to Top Commercial airline pilot shortage reflected by student demand for NMC aviation program GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- Right now, there is a historic shortage for commercial airline pilots. That shortage is being reflected by student demand in the aviation program at Northwestern Michigan College. The aviation program was just given the green light to buy another Cessna Skyhawk. Director of aviation Alex Bloye said they needed another training aircraft, not because there are more students, but because there is more demand for flight time. "We have a more motivated group of students that we have ever seen in history," Bloye said. Now in its 53rd year, the NMC aviation program is seeing the impacts of a global shortage in pilots. "You have a retiring workforce, which is mandated so the airline pilots have to retire at 65 years old, and then you have a more globally connected economy, so people are traveling more," Bloye said. "Then the regulations that have been in place to make it more difficult to get into being a pilot. All of those factors came together to create this historic shortage." Bloye said the industry saw the shortage coming, and predicts it will last for several more years. "Salaries have increased about three-fold in the past 36 months," Bloye said. Which is one reason students are on the fast track. "Within two years they are commercial pilots and then they spend another two years as flight instructors, and then off to the airlines," Bloye said. While it's not the typical classroom, aviation students go up about three or four times a week, all year round. "Very challenging. It definitely builds your character, it builds how you are as a person, how you react to certain situations," NMC aviation student Micaela Taylor said, "You have to really work for it, you have to. There's no slacking off." The FAA requires 1,500 hours of fly time to become a regional airline pilot. After two years, students graduate with about 250 hours, so they return to NMC to earn more hours as a flight instructor. "It can be quite intense," NMC flight instructor Arran MacDonald said. "Some days it's back to back, you come down from the flight and your next student is there ready to go straight onto the flight line." MacDonald came to NMC from the United Kingdom through a liaison and has about 350 hours of fly time. "I'd like to be done in just over a year, but I have no problem if I'm waiting for the right opportunity, staying here," MacDonald said. "I'm enjoying the job by the minute." Now if you're interested in becoming a pilot, you should definitely look into the NMC aviation program, however, just know that they do have a student waitlist, going out to 2022. While the aviation program was approved to buy another training aircraft, we're told it could take several months to find a used Cessna Skyhawk because of the demand. https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/commercial-airline-pilot-shortage-reflected-by- student-demand-of-nmc-aviation-program Back to Top GE still sees $1.4 billion cash cost from Boeing 737 MAX grounding in 2019 FILE PHOTO: The logo of U.S. conglomerate General Electric is seen on the company building in Belfort NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Electric Co still expects the grounding of Boeing Co's 737 MAX jetliner to reduce its cash flow by $1.4 billion in 2019, provided the aircraft remains grounded all year, GE Chief Executive Larry Culp said during a conference call on quarterly earnings on Wednesday. GE and French partner Safran SA make engines for the jet. "As we think about 2020, I think we're going to try to follow Boeing's lead here," Culp said, responding to an analyst question. "When we talk about the full-year cash headwinds this year due to MAX, that, obviously, assumes that we don't see a return to service this year," he said. He added the forecast is conservative. GE's chief financial officer, Jamie Miller, said GE still expects "the year to be impacted to the tune of about negative $1.4 billion." She said it was "difficult to predict" the financial impact on GE in 2020 and beyond. Boeing has said it expects the jet to clear approval by U.S. regulators by year-end. Global aviation regulators grounded the jet after a second fatal crash last March. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/general-electric-ceo-does-not-131558562.html Back to Top Construction Company Caterpillar Wants To Mine the Moon What would it take for Earth's autonomous mining technology to reach outer space? * Construction giant Caterpillar hopes to one day bring its autonomous mining technology to one of the universe's most sought after mining locations: the moon. * Technology used in autonomous and remotely operated mining equipment in use today could someday harvest precious elements from the Lunar surface. * Mining the moon, Mars and other celestial bodies will be an incredibly difficult task; NASA is working on the technology to make it happen. Caterpillar, one of the largest construction companies in the world, is aiming for a spot on the lunar surface and plans to adapt their range of autonomous and remote- controlled mining equipment for use in space. NASA previously collaborated with Caterpillar between 2004 and 2013 on a project pairing construction and robotics, NASA spokesperson Clare Kelly to CNBC News. "There are many synergies between what NASA needs to meet exploration goals and Caterpillar technologies used every day on Earth," she said, though formal plans between Caterpillar and NASA haven't been announced at this time. Likely because there's still a long way to go before the construction, but here's how moon mining tech could potentially work. Making the Tools Autonomous construction and mining equipment has been in use for decades. Early pioneers in the field, such as Komatsu, Caterpillar, and John Deere developed operator- less heavy vehicles as early as the 1980s. After Japan's Mount Unzen erupted in the early 1990's, autonomous construction vehicles were used to build dams to control the current of volcanic mudflows in regions too volcanically active for operators to safely work. The technology has been used by corporations like Rio Tinto to mine materials such as gold, copper, and iron ore in remote locations around the world. Autonomy takes much of the risk out of these often dangerous jobs. Remotely operated and autonomous machines are less prone to operator error, and workers are able to control the vehicles from a safe location. They can accomplish big tasks in difficult-to- reach locations. In many instances, it's dramatically improved field safety. One of Caterpillar's customers-they also retrofit competitor's vehicles-recently announced an 80 percent improvement in safety incidents since introducing autonomous hauling, Michael Murphy, the company's surface mining and technology chief engineer told CNBC News. Not only does this technology keep workers out of harm's way, but many reports claim that it could actually increase productivity in the field by as much as 20 percent, according to one such report by Fortescue Metals Group. Moon Mining on the Mind Mining expeditions to the Moon, Mars, and even nearby asteroids have been on NASA's agenda for decades. Mining lunar soil for water, oxygen, and other precious materials will be a critical step in developing a sustainable presence on the lunar surface. Water ice, in particular, which was discovered along crater walls on the Moon, could help to sustain life and develop fuels that could power travel to Mars. Others have suggested that the moon could be a prime place to mine a rare form of helium called helium-3. The lightweight isotope of the gas could be used as a fuel source in nuclear fusion reactors. Bringing all these materials back to Earth? That's unlikely. "The economic analysis doesn't make sense," when you consider the costs to identify, extract, process, refine and transport them, Angel Abbud-Madrid, director of the Center for Space Resources at the Colorado School of Mines told CNBC News. It would also be a logistical nightmare. The agency's best bet-and what they're investing heavily in-is a concept called in-situ resource utilization. Essentially, all materials mined on the moon would be converted into useful byproducts on location. How Space Mining Works Autonomous heavy equipment on Earth employ a wide range of technology to safely get the job done. LIDAR, radar, and highly specialized GPS help the vehicle maneuver through its surroundings, identifying potential hazards in its path. The machines utilize an onboard computer, equipped with artificial intelligence and other software to interpret that data, according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The heavy-duty machines are well-crafted for harsh, dusty environments, but on the moon, they would have to reckon with additional challenges like the constant bombardment of cosmic radiation and potential micrometeorite strikes. NASA is kicking around a number of ideas of how to best pull rare metals, water and helium-3 out of the Lunar regolith. The agency hosts an annual robotic mining competition that brings teams from across the country to Kennedy Space Center to show and test their designs on a simulated Martian surface, and NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program funded two proposals earlier this year that take aim at space mining. One mission proposal, called Skylight and led by robotics professor William Whittaker of Carnegie Mellon University, intends to send a rover to take images and better model craters identified as potential mining targets. This would help astronauts and celestial miners identify which targets would be safest for extraction. The other mission proposal, Mini Bee, which was developed by TransAstra Corp. CEO and founder Joel Sercel, is set to assess the feasibility of optical mining. Instead of using heavy machinery to unleash the Moon's vital resources, this method of space mining would focus a beam of light at specific targets on the moon or an asteroid, releasing critical elements that can then be captured into an inflatable bag. As our inevitable return to the Moon draws closer, we'll see what technology will be developed to ensure we stay there indefinitely. https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a29587959/caterpillar-space- mining/ Back to Top CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT Fatigue is a pervasive issue that affects all airline cabin crew. Fatigue may impede cabin crews' ability to consistently and effectively manage passengers from safety, security and service perspectives. As part of our undergraduate research project at Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne, Australia), we are conducting a survey of international cabin crew primarily engaged in long-haul (LH) and ultra long-haul (ULH) flight operations. This survey asks cabin crew for their views on various issues associated with work- related fatigue and stress. We also seek your views on the availability and effectiveness of various fatigue countermeasures. If you are working as LH or ULH cabin crew, you are invited to participate in this study. You will be asked to complete an online questionnaire, which also includes a consent form. The study takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. To access the study, please go to the following website: https://swinuw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qBLCKgmpWlraxT Participants who complete the study will be eligible to enter a draw to win the latest iPad (6th Generation). This research project is being supervised by Peter Renshaw at the Department of Aviation, Swinburne University of Technology. If you have any questions, please contact Peter at prenshaw@swin.edu.au IFR Pilot: The Pilot is responsible for the safety and efficient conduct of the flight assignment. Education * High school diploma or equivalent (GED) * Hold the airman certifications and ratings necessary to serve as a pilot in command under FAR 135. * FAA airline transport pilot or commercial pilot. Experience * 1500 hours helicopter or 2000 hours total with 1200 hours helicopter required. * 500 hours cross country flight experience. * 100 hours instrument experience (50 hours in actual flight). * 250 hours turbine time. Licensure * FAA airline transport pilot or commercial pilot licensed with helicopter and instrument rating (helicopter) * Must pass an FAA Class II medical exam on an annual basis * Must pass drug and alcohol testing at initial hiring and then on a random testing basis * Valid Class D Driver's license in the state of residency with an acceptable driving record Apply Here: https://northmemorial.com/north-memorial-health-careers/ Curt Lewis