Flight Safety Information November 20, 2019 - No. 240 In This Issue U.S. FAA head says will be tougher on the certification of the Boeing 777x Boeing commits to NTSB safety fixes on thousands of 737 NG jets after deadly Southwest engine blast U.S. safety board wants Boeing to redesign 737 NG part after fatal Southwest accident Incident: Canada A320 at Calgary on Nov 1st 2019, rudder restricted on final approach Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Montreal on Nov 14th 2019, smoke from windshield Incident: Iceland B752 at Keflavik on Nov 18th 2019, anti-icing fault Boeing CH-47 Chinook - Fatal Accident (Afghanistan) Airline Pilots Call for Enhanced Fatigue Rules for All-Cargo Operation American Airlines removes code from Malaysia Airlines flights after Malaysia's safety downgrade Bill advocates for stronger aviation safety standards abroad UL Organized Safety Summit Examines Dangerous Cargo and Hazardous Materials in Aviation T&I Republicans seek update on FAA safety inspector and safety reporting Flight-data recorder back-up power not justified: EASA European Aviation Safety Agency extends Part 145 certification of SriLankan Engineering Shell to support Europe's first sustainable aviation fuel plant 30 Airlines Pledge To Have More Female Leaders By 2025 Could Thai Airways Be The Next Airline To Go Bankrupt? Emirates inks $9 billion order for 30 Boeing 787 jets Boeing Inks $3.6 Billion 737 MAX 8 Order with Air Astana at Dubai Air Show SNC's Dream Chaser spacecraft can supply NASA's lunar space station CABIN CREW FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT IATA Safety and Flight Ops Conference - Baku, Azerbaijan 31 March - 2 April, 2020 USC Aviation Safety & Security Program Position Available:...Aircraft Accident Investigator BlazeTech Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course - May 26-28, 2020 in Woburn MA, USA U.S. FAA head says will be tougher on the certification of the Boeing 777x DUBAI (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the FAA will be tougher on the certification of the Boeing (BA.N) 777x, speaking at the Dubai Airshow on Wednesday. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson also repeated the message that the FAA was not following any timeline for the return to service of the grounded 737 MAX model and said time pressure cannot influence the FAA's regulatory process. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-emirates-airshow-faa-boeing/u-s-faa-head-says-will-be-tougher-on-the-certification-of-the-boeing-777x-idUSKBN1XU0ZF Back to Top Boeing commits to NTSB safety fixes on thousands of 737 NG jets after deadly Southwest engine blast • Boeing says it is reinforcing a part of the aircraft on its 737 NGs after NTSB's recommendations. • The push comes after a fan blade broke off on Southwest Flight 1380 in April 2018. • One passenger died on the flight, the first accident-related fatality on a U.S. passenger airline in almost a decade. Boeing on Tuesday said it plans to revamp parts for thousands of 737s after federal safety officials investigating last year's deadly engine blast on Southwest Airlines flight called for a redesign that would better withstand engine failures in flight. The National Transportation Safety Board's recommendations come after its investigation of Southwest Flight 1380, in April 2018, when a fan blade broke off one of the engines, punctured a three-pane window and sucked a passenger partly out of the plane briefly. The passenger, who was pulled back inside the aircraft by passengers, died, becoming the first accident-related fatality on a U.S. airline in almost a decade. The National Transportation Safety Board's recommendations are adding to scrutiny of the Boeing's designs amid a worldwide grounding of its Max jetliners after two deadly crashes and issues with a part on some older 737 jetliners. The NTSB's recommendations refer to the 737 NG, or next-generation plane, of which about 7,000 have been delivered to airlines worldwide, according to Teal Group data. Boeing said it commended the NTSB for its investigation and said it is "committed to working closely with the FAA, engine manufacturers, and industry stakeholders to implement enhancements that address the NTSB's safety recommendations." It said "enhancements are being introduced" to inlet and fan cowls to improve "their ability to withstand an engine fan blade out event as well as to increase the overall capability of these structures." On April 17, 2018, a Southwest Boeing 737-700, which was en route to Dallas Love Field from New York's LaGuardia Airport on April 17, 2018, with 144 passengers and five crew members on board, diverted to Philadelphia after the incident. After the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to checks for cracks in CFM56 engine fan blades. Boeing said all 737 NGs are safe to keep operating because "the issue is completely mitigated by the fan blade inspections." The NTSB recommendations don't relate to Boeing's beleaguered 737 Max, a newer version of the plane that has been grounded since mid-March in the wake of two fatal crashes in a span of five months, but the recommendations are adding to scrutiny of the aerospace giant's planes. Dozens of 737 NGs have been grounded recently after inspectors found cracks in so-called pickle forks, which connect wings to fuselages. In June, the FAA called for checks on dozens of older 737 planes for potentially faulty wing parts. Southwest, which operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet, said in a statement that safety of its fleet, crews and customers "are of paramount importance." "We look forward to reviewing the NTSB's recommendations and working with the manufacturers to prevent this type of event from ever happening again," the Dallas-based airline said. The CFM-56 engines on the Southwest plane involved in the April 2018 accident are some of the most popular in the world and made by CFM International, joint venture of General Electric and France's Safran. "Our standard practice is to develop and certify engines in close collaboration with our airframe partners, working within the appropriate regulatory framework," CFM told CNBC in a statement. "We will continue to strictly comply with regulatory requirements, including any changes that might be adopted as a result of NTSB's recommendations." Boeing shares fell sharply after the NTSB's recommendations, released in Washington, D.C., during the agency's hearing on the probable cause of the deadly incident on the flight, but recovered some ground, closing down 0.7% at $367. Among its seven recommendations NTSB also said airlines retrofit their aircraft with the new coverings, known as a cowling. "The recommendations we adopted today are a reminder that it is not enough to do our best to prevent a failure," said NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt. "We also must actively work to identify ways to minimize the effects of a failure if one occurs." The agency said the accident occurred because of a "low-cycle" - or low-use - fatigue crack in the fan blade that was not likely detectable during the plane's last routine inspections. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/19/ntsb-calls-on-boeing-to-redesign-some-737s-after-deadly-2018-southwest-accident.html Back to Top U.S. safety board wants Boeing to redesign 737 NG part after fatal Southwest accident WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday called on Boeing Co to redesign the fan cowl structure on 737 NG planes after a passenger was killed on a Southwest Airlines plane in April 2018 after an engine failure. The NTSB said the engine failure was caused by a broken fan blade, and the board said the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration should require Boeing to determine the fan blade impact location or locations on the engine fan case and redesign the structure to minimize the potential of a catastrophic failure. The board did not fault Boeing's analysis in the mid-1990s when it developed the plane. The NTSB had been investigating a 2016 engine failure on another Southwest 737-700 at the time of the fatal incident. The incidents in both flights were what is known as a "fan blade out" (FBO) event. The 737-700 is a model in the 737 NG family. Boeing said all 737 NGs are safe to continue operating as the issue is "completely mitigated by the fan blade inspections." Boeing is working on a design enhancement "that would fully address the safety recommendation from the NTSB. Once approved by the FAA, that design change will be implemented in the existing NG fleet." The FAA noted that it had issued numerous directives requiring more fan blade inspections and said it would "carefully review and respond to the NTSB recommendations." The NTSB said Boeing's postaccident analyses found that the fan cowl structure is "more sensitive and more susceptible to failure" when a fan blade hit the fan case than previously indicated. NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt acknowledged the retrofit could be expensive. "This accident underlines the vulnerability of the fan case to become separated when the fan blade detaches at a location that was not anticipated," Sumwalt said after the hearing. The NTSB did not call for the planes to be grounded and noted that airlines are now inspecting the fan blades on a more regular basis, essentially every nine to 12 months. Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said the airline would review the NTSB's recommendations and work "with the manufacturers to prevent this type of event from ever happening again." Jennifer Riordan of New Mexico, a 43-year-old Wells Fargo vice president and mother of two, was killed after the engine exploded and shattered a plane window on Flight 1380. She was the first person killed in a U.S. passenger airline accident since 2009. The accident occurred 20 minutes into the flight when a fan blade fractured as a result of a fatigue crack on a Boeing 737-700 jet powered by two CFM International CFM56-7B engines after taking off from New York's LaGuardia Airport. The plane, bound for Dallas, diverted to Philadelphia International Airport. Eight of the 144 passengers suffered minor injuries. The board noted that there are 14,600 CFM56-7B engines in service with 356,000 fan blades on the Boeing planes, with 400 million flights over more than two decades and two reported engine failures. CFM said it "will continue to strictly comply with regulatory requirements, including any changes that might be adopted as a result of NTSB's recommendations." Tammie Jo Shults, the flight's captain, recounted in her book "Nerves of Steel" published last month that the engine explosion felt "like we've been T-boned by a Mack truck." She said that the 737-700 rolled to the left and pulled into a dive, but that she and the co-pilot were able to level off the plane. The engine on the plane's left side spewed bits of metal when it blew apart, shattering a window and causing rapid cabin depressurization, the NTSB said. In 2018, the NTSB said two passengers eventually pulled Riordan, who was buckled into her seat, back inside the plane. CFM International, the engine manufacturer, is a transatlantic joint venture between General Electric Co and France's Safran SA. The issue does not impact the 737 MAX, the version of the plane that followed the 737 NG. https://www.yahoo.com/news/4-u-safety-board-wants-203443263.html Back to Top Incident: Canada A320 at Calgary on Nov 1st 2019, rudder restricted on final approach An Air Canada Airbus A320-200, registration C-FKPT performing flight AC-351 from Ottawa,ON to Calgary,AB (Canada) with 105 people on board, was on final ILS approach to Calgary's runway 35R descending through about 1000 feet AGL, when the flight crew experienced restricted rudder pedal travel, the rudder input felt heavier than normal. The crew continued for a safe landing without declaring emergency. The Canadian TSB reported maintenance replaced the rudder artifical feel travel limit unit. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ACA351/history/20191101/1040Z/CYOW/CYYC http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf7d29a&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Westjet Encore DH8D at Montreal on Nov 14th 2019, smoke from windshield A Westjet Encore de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration C-FNEN performing flight WS-3524 from Toronto,ON to Montreal,QC (Canada) with 63 passengers and 4 crew, was descending towards Montreal when the crew observed smoke from the right hand windshield's heating. The crew shut the power to the windshield heating down - the smoke dissipated afterwards -, worked the related checklists and continued for a safe landing on Montreal's runway 24L. The Canadian TSB reported a post flight inspection revealed electrical arcing from the L2 terminal at the terminal block of the right hand windshield. The terminal was replaced. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/WEN3524/history/20191114/1610Z/CYYZ/CYUL http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf7cc4a&opt=0 Back to Top Back to Top Incident: Iceland B752 at Keflavik on Nov 18th 2019, anti-icing fault An Icelandair Boeing 757-200, registration TF-ISJ performing flight FI-443 from Keflavik (Iceland) to Brussels (Belgium), was climbing out of Keflavik when the crew stopped the climb at about FL200 reporting a fault with the anti-icing systems and returned to Keflavik for a safe landing about 27 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 757-200 registration TF-FIA reached Brussels with a delay of about 2:15 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground about 27 hours after landing back. http://avherald.com/h?article=4cf7c0d9&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing CH-47 Chinook - Fatal Accident (Afghanistan) Date: 20-NOV-2019 Time: Type: Boeing CH-47 Chinook Owner/operator: US Army Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Pangram village, Charkh district, Logar province - Afghanistan Phase: En route Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The US military helicopter crashed after a technical malfuction. Two US servicemen died in the crash. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/230763 Back to Top Airline Pilots Call for Enhanced Fatigue Rules for All-Cargo Operations H.R. 5170 Addresses Pilot Fatigue and Passenger Safety for Cargo Airline Operations NEWS PROVIDED BY Coalition of Airline Pilots WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The pilots of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA); the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA), including the Independent Pilots Association (IPA); the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1224 and Teamsters Atlas Local 2750 joined U.S. House of Representatives leaders today to introduce legislation that would apply one level of safety for all-cargo operations in the same manner as passenger operations. The Safe Skies Act, introduced by Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA), John Katko (R-NY), Matt Cartright (D-PA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), would ensure that cargo pilots have the same flight, duty, and rest requirements as their passenger-carrying counterparts in order to prevent dangers posed by fatigued pilots. Currently, all-cargo airline operations are excluded from science-based pilot fatigue rules despite flying the same routes, in the same airspace, and into the same airports as pilots of passenger airlines. These inconsistencies in regulations put the traveling public at risk. The Safe Skies Act will address pilot fatigue and ensure airline safety without placing unreasonable cost demands on the industry. "Airline pilots are affected by fatigue the same, regardless of whether we fly passengers or freight. It is time for Congress to pass the Safe Skies Act and ensure one level of safety for all airline operations," said Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA president. "Based on statistics, if the accident rate of all-cargo operations was applied to passenger operations, there would be an additional 277 accidents within 10 years. That is not acceptable." "As pilots flying for UPS, we know firsthand the hazards of applying differing levels of safety to cargo and passenger flights," said Capt. Robert Travis, President of the Independent Pilots Association. "We applaud Congressmen Carbajal, Cartwright, Katko and Fitzpatrick for introducing legislation that will provide for a single, science-based national standard in the fight against pilot fatigue." "On behalf of the Atlas Air pilots and our Teamsters Local 2750, I want to offer our strong support for the legislation Congressmen Carbajal, Katko, Cartwright, and Fitzpatrick are introducing in the House of Representatives. The current dual FAA pilot fatigue rules are undermining the fundamental principle of one level of safety for America's national airspace. The bifurcation of the current fatigue standards puts a particularly hazardous burden on Atlas pilots, who personally fly both passenger and cargo aircraft, resulting in potential danger to the American public both in the air and in the homes and on the streets of our country," said Teamsters Atlas Local 2750 chairman Capt. Bob Kirchner. "Allowing some operators to operate outside of this much-needed safety net is not grounded in modern fatigue science as mandated by Congress in 2010. Logical regulatory reform must take precedence over special interests within the air cargo industry," stated Capt. Larry Rooney, CAPA president. "We look forward to working with our fellow CAPA and ALPA union brothers and sisters to provide a commonsense solution to this glaring safety loophole." H.R. 5170 will direct the FAA to apply the flight, duty, and rest requirements (i.e., FAR Part 117) to all-cargo operations in the same manner as they apply to passenger operations. Pilot fatigue is not dependent on the type of operation, and there is simply no reason for all-cargo pilots to operate under a different standard of safety. CONTACTS: Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l: Media@alpa.org Independent Pilots Association: brian.gaudet@gmail.com CAPA: mdemarco@capapilots.org Teamsters: kdeniz@teamster.org SOURCE Coalition of Airline Pilots https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/airline-pilots-call-for-enhanced-fatigue-rules-for-all-cargo-operations-300961399.html Back to Top American Airlines removes code from Malaysia Airlines flights after Malaysia's safety downgrade Malaysia Airlines A350 US carrier American Airlines has removed its code ("AA") from flights operated by fellow Oneworld alliance carrier Malaysia Airlines, a spokesperson for American Airlines has confirmed to Business Traveller Asia-Pacific. Earlier this month, airlines in Malaysia were banned from launching new routes to the United States and codesharing with US carriers, after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found deficiencies in Malaysia's aviation safety regulator and downgraded the country to a Category 2 International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) rating. "In compliance with the FAA's downgrade of the aviation oversight rating of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, we no longer offer codeshares on Malaysia Airlines flights. We are working with affected customers to rebook their itineraries," the American Airlines spokesperson said. According to the FAA, with an IASA Category 1 rating, a country's air carriers can establish service to the United States and carry the code of US carriers. There are only two categories: Category 1 and Category 2. The former means a country meets International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards; the latter means a country doesn't. Other countries that hold Category 2 ratings include Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Curacao, Ghana and Thailand, according to the FAA's website. In February, Vietnam was upgraded to Category 1 status, allowing its flag carrier to sign a two-way codeshare agreement with US carrier Delta Air Lines. It's important to note that the FAA's assessment relates to Malaysia's civil aviation authority, not to the country's airlines. Malaysia Airlines has a historically good safety record, though suffered two accidents in 2014 - one aircraft shot down and another disappeared - in which a total of 537 people were killed (the 239 passengers in the disappeared MH370 are presumed dead, since the aircraft still hasn't been found). Besides that, the airline's only other fatality was a September 1995 accident involving a Fokker 50 in which 34 people died, according to the Aviation Safety Network. American Airlines hasn't had a fatal accident since November 2001, when an Airbus A300 crashed in New York, killing all 260 on board. The airline also lost two planes in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Malaysia Airlines doesn't fly any routes to the United States itself, but will continue to place its code on "applicable American Airlines sectors", according to a Malaysia Airlines spokesperson quoted in Malaysian newspaper The New Straits Times. (Business Traveller Asia-Pacific has contacted Malaysia Airlines for comment.) "Malaysia Airlines will still place its marketing code (MH) on applicable American Airlines sectors. But American Airlines has removed their marketing code (AA) from all applicable Malaysia Airlines sectors," the spokesperson said. Dreamliner What routes are affected? American Airlines did not say which codeshare routes would be affected. By searching on American's website, it is evident that there are several routes which are likely to be impacted. For example, when booking a flight on American's website from Dallas to Kuala Lumpur, the airline's bookings page only shows the Dallas-Hong Kong segment as operated by American and the Hong Kong-Kuala Lumpur segment as operated by Cathay Dragon. There is also another option, with a considerably longer layover, to fly first from Dallas to Tokyo Narita on American metal, and then from Tokyo Narita to Hong Kong with Japan Airlines, a joint venture partner of American Airlines. However, there is no option listed to fly from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines. The flight with Malaysia Airlines is still listed on American's "Where we fly?" page, but if you select that flight and click "Book A Flight", the website directs you to book American Airlines-Cathay Dragon and American Airlines-JAL flights only. "We are working with affected customers to rebook their itineraries," the American Airlines spokesperson said. https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2019/11/20/american-airlines-removes-code-from-malaysia-airlines-flights-after-malaysias-safety-downgrade/ Back to Top Bill advocates for stronger aviation safety standards abroad The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will consider a bill introduced by its chairman, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), this week, which intends to strengthen Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight of repair stations beyond United States borders. The Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act seeks to raise aviation safety standards through increased governmental supervision. Beyond extending the FAA's reach overall, it will increase the minimum qualifications for mechanics and others working on U.S.-registered aircraft abroad, demanding they meet FAA certifications regardless of location. Unannounced FAA inspections would be made possible, with at least one being required each year. No new foreign repair stations could be certified, either, if the FAA fails to implement congressional mandates within a year. While this will add layers of supervision, for DeFazio, the matter is actually a simplification, uniting safety standards under a single unifying banner, rather than varying by location. "We're at an unfortunate moment in our aviation system's history where safety standards are being questioned, and the bottom line is, safety has to be the number one priority," DeFazio said. "For years I've pressed FAA officials to heed the warnings from its own Inspector General and to do more to close the gap between our safety standards and those of foreign repair stations. The bill I'm introducing today does just that by establishing one standard of safety regardless of where the aircraft is maintained." If the bill passes, it would also demand a trove of new data for housing at the FAA. Air carriers would need to submit detailed, monthly maintenance reports to the FAA alongside existing data inputs, which the agency would be required to analyze to detect safety issues. The FAA itself would also have to set up an archive of these carriers' heavy maintenance history, broken down by various safety personnel metrics, location and aircraft registration numbers. The legislation has the support of several aviation industry organizations, including the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, Consumer Reports, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, National Consumers League, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, Transport Workers Union of America and Transportation Trades Department. "The FAA's claimed 'single standard' is a myth," William J. McGee, Aviation Adviser for Consumer Reports, said. "In reality, there is a different set of rules for foreign repair stations, which often employ ... poorly trained, and inadequately screened workers. What's more, FAA inspectors aren't providing the same level of hands-on oversight. We commend Chairman DeFazio for acting to fix this fundamental aircraft safety issue, and we hope it gets swift consideration." https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/16058-bill-advocates-for-stronger-aviation-safety-standards-abroad/ Back to Top UL Organized Safety Summit Examines Dangerous Cargo and Hazardous Materials in Aviation Global safety science leader convenes key experts and authorities to identify risk and facilitate action for safe transport NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Underwriters Laboratories, the nonprofit organization within UL, hosted its seventh summit with invited world experts dedicated to examining safety concerns for the utilization and transport of batteries by aviation. On November 13-14, the Singapore Aviation Safety Summit convened key stakeholders from a diverse cross-section of communities. Areas of exploration were expanded to include aviation safety challenges facing passenger and cargo airlines when transporting dangerous goods and hazardous materials. "The production, transportation and utilization of dangerous goods and hazardous materials is dramatically increasing globally due to new applications, manufacturing investment and e-Commerce. While this creates a positive impact on economies, transportation safety concerns must be identified and addressed due to the volatile nature of many materials," said Dr. J. Thomas Chapin, vice president research, Underwriters Laboratories. "Evaluating and enhancing safety within the aviation community is the logical first step in the transportation chain, and very much aligns with Underwriters Laboratories position as a leading safety research organization." According to Captain Bob Brown, vice president, Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA), "Aviation is a critical element of the global transportation infrastructure, carrying hundreds of thousands of passengers and over one hundred thousand tons of cargo daily, to a vast number of global destinations. Incidents and accidents involving dangerous goods and hazardous material is of critical concern to the aviation community." "Recognizable materials include explosives, radioactive materials, flammable liquids, dangerous or volatile chemicals, strong acids, compressed gases, and poisons," said Captain Brown. "However, everyday items such as toiletries, aerosols, tools and lithium batteries also have the potential to create safety issues. From lithium batteries igniting in checked baggage, to fireworks, flares and corrosives in carry-ons, passengers are obviously unaware of the dangers and potential to create a catastrophic event." Designed to facilitate industry and stakeholder engagement, promote awareness and establish a sense of urgency for discussion across key stakeholders, the UL summit generated a forum for informal open discussion and exchange of information on the state of aviation transportation safety. The goal is to develop a holistic view of the state of dangerous goods and hazardous materials transport, distinguish and track incidents, and identify paths of future collaboration. About UL UL helps create a better world by applying science to solve safety, security and sustainability challenges. We empower trust by enabling the safe adoption of innovative new products and technologies. Everyone at UL shares a passion to make the world a safer place. All of our work, from independent research and standards development, to testing and certification, to providing analytical and digital solutions, helps improve global well-being. Businesses, industries, governments, regulatory authorities and the public put their trust in us so they can make smarter decisions. To learn more, visit UL.org. MEDIA CONTACT: Kim Vranas Underwriters Laboratories Inc. T: +1 (781) 644-1762 E: Kim.C.Vranas@ul.org SOURCE UL Related Links http://www.ul.org https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ul-organized-safety-summit-examines-dangerous-cargo-and-hazardous-materials-in-aviation-300961089.html Back to Top T&I Republicans seek update on FAA safety inspector and safety reporting Washington, D.C. - Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-LA), and other Committee Republicans have requested the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide Congress with an update on several provisions in law intended to ensure the agency has the appropriate number of well-trained safety inspectors to conduct risk-based oversight of the aviation industry, including those with Organization Designation Authorization (ODA). "Implementing these provisions from the 2018 FAA Reauthorization has become even more important since the 737 MAX accidents," said Ranking Members Sam Graves and Garret Graves. "In particular, we need to know where the FAA is in its assessment of its safety inspector workforce and training needs, and its process for updating its strategy for ensuring robust, risk-based oversight of the aviation system. As the various investigations continue into both the FAA's certification processes and these accidents that occurred within other countries' aviation systems, this information will be critical for Congress in considering how to keep our system the safest aviation system in the world." The text of the letter to FAA Administrator Steve Dickson Dear Administrator Dickson: We write regarding the status of several important safety provisions included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254; "FAARA.") These provisions were included in the FAARA to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the appropriate number of well-trained safety inspectors to conduct risk-based oversight of the aviation industry, including delegated activities. The importance of these provisions has only increased in the wake of the two Boeing 737 MAX accidents. Since the FAARA was enacted more than one year ago, we request an update on the status of the FAA's implementation of the following provisions: Section 216. ODA staffing and oversight. This section directs the Administrator to report to Congress no later than 270 days after enactment on its progress on, among other things, determining what additional model inputs and labor distribution codes are needed to identify ODA oversight staffing needs; and developing agreements and processes for sharing resources to ensure adequate oversight of ODA personnel performing certification and inspection work at supplier and company facilities. Section 231. Safety workforce training strategy. This section directs the FAA, not later than 60 days after the date of enactment to review and revise its safety workforce training strategy to align with an effective risk-based approach to safety oversight, utilize best available resources, allow employees participating in organization management teams or ODA program audits to complete appropriate training in auditing, identify a systems safety approach to oversight, foster an experienced and knowledgeable inspector and engineer workforce, and seek knowledge-sharing opportunities between the FAA and aviation industry. Section 303. Safety critical staffing. This section requires the FAA, not later than 270 days after the date of enactment, to update the safety critical staffing model of the Administration to determine the number of aviation safety inspectors that will be needed to fulfill the safety oversight mission. As Congress begins to consider what legislation may be necessary to address recommendations from the expert safety reviews undertaken in response to the Boeing 737 MAX accidents, the information learned from implementation of these three provisions and other FAARA reports will be of great assistance. Therefore, we request a written response detailing the status of the FAA's implementation of these three provisions. Should the implementation of these provisions be incomplete, we would encourage you make them a priority and accelerate their completion. https://ajot.com/news/ti-republicans-seek-update-on-faa-safety-inspector-and-safety-reporting Back to Top Flight-data recorder back-up power not justified: EASA European safety regulators are shying away from proposals to require alternative power supply for flight-data recorders, to reduce the risk of information being lost as a result of an accident. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency had previously put forward proposals to require back-up power for cockpit-voice recorders, but deferred the issue of a similar measure for flight-data recorders. EASA has revisited the suggestion in a new notice of proposed amendment. It acknowledges that unavailability of recorder data can potentially hinder investigators' work in identifying the cause of an accident. But while several safety investigations have recommended alternate power to prevent interruption of flight-data recordings, EASA has concluded that the proposal would be complex and offer little safety improvement. At least nine occurrences since 1996 have involved flight-data recorders on large transport aircraft stopping as a result of electrical power loss - with the interruptions lasting from less than 60s to around 19min. "Overall, the absence of [flight-data recorder information] for a certain period of time has not prevented the identification of the root causes of these occurrences," says EASA. As a result, it argues, the risk to safety from failure to establish the circumstances of each incident "can be considered low". Investigators would still have access to information from cockpit-voice recorders, it adds, following the earlier proposal for back-up power. EASA says the issue is complicated because an alternate power supply for the flight-data recorder would have to power, for about 10min, various elements in addition to the recorder itself. These include flight-data acquisition units - which can have power consumptions higher than the recorder - and potentially dedicated sensors, converters, busses and switches. Powering all these components would involve consuming more energy than current independent recorder supplies are capable of delivering, which would involve expending a "non-negligible" portion of the emergency battery power. EASA says there is "not enough" safety benefit to be gained from implementing an alternate power source for flight-data recorders to justify the economic impact of a mandate. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/flight-data-recorder-back-up-power-not-justified-ea-462401/ Back to Top European Aviation Safety Agency extends Part 145 certification of SriLankan Engineering The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended an important certification of SriLankan Engineering, the aircraft Maintenance-Repair-Overhaul (MRO) arm of SriLankan Airlines, following a comprehensive audit. The reaffirmation of the EASA Part-145 certification further strengthens SriLankan Engineering's positioning as a key provider of aircraft maintenance and engineering services for airlines throughout South Asia, Middle East and Africa. Vipula Gunatilleka, Group Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines, said: "SriLankan Engineering is now poised to launch itself as an MRO of choice, with our superior engineering expertise of over 40 years, and modern hangar complex and workshops that have been certified to the finest global standards." D.A.G. Jayasuriya, Chief Technical Officer of SriLankan Airlines, said: "SriLankan invested significantly in modernizing our aircraft engineering facilities over the last two years and we are confident that we can serve the needs of all airlines in the region, especially given our strategic geographic location at the tip of South Asia and at the crossroads of the Subcontinent, Middle East and South East Asia." Arjuna Kapugeekiyana, Senior Manager Aircraft Maintenance of the airline, added: "The reaffirmation of the EASA approval demonstrates the quality of our services and adherence to highest standards. I am grateful to all of our committed and enthusiastic team at all levels whose efforts made this a reality." SriLankan Engineering provides customer airlines with several key advantages including an excellent record of on-time project completion; competitive rates; superior expertise of its engineering staff; and modern engineering facilities including enclosed hangars where aircraft can be worked on at any time of the year without being adversely affected by the challenges of bad weather. Its facilities include a dedicated narrow-body hangar capable of servicing Airbus A320 family aircraft and a larger hangar that can accommodate several widebody and narrowbody aircraft at the same time. Both hangars are utilized for major aircraft maintenance checks up to and including C-checks and other significant projects, SriLankan Engineering (https://www.srilankan.com/mro/) now possesses EASA Part-145 certification to carry out Base Maintenance operations on Airbus A320, A321 and A330 families of aircraft of all airlines. It also possesses EASA certifications for its Engineering Workshops as well as Line Maintenance and authorization for certification of aircraft operating to Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Male International Airport. The latest extension of EASA Part-145 certification followed a comprehensive six-day audit by a team from EASA of SriLankan Engineering's facilities at BIA and in the Maldivian capital Male. The technical arm of Sri Lanka's national carrier also holds approvals from numerous national aviation authorities including Singapore, China, India, Qatar, UAE and Bahrain, apart from Civil Aviation Authority Sri Lanka (CAASL) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It provides full engineering services for the entire SriLankan Airlines fleet, which is comprised of A320 Family (CEO and NEO types) and A330 aircraft. SriLankan Engineering also draws upon the support of a very strong engineering training institution. SriLankan Aviation College (SLAC), the training wing of Sri Lanka's national carrier, has held EASA Part-147 certification since 2008, emphasizing its position as the premier regional institute for training of aircraft technicians and engineers. http://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/european-aviation-safety-agency-extends-part-145-certification-of-srilankan-engineering/ Back to Top Shell to support Europe's first sustainable aviation fuel plant Refueling of the airplane before flight, aircraft maintenance fuel at the airport Shell's aviation fuel arm is to support Europe's first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel production plant in the Netherlands, the oil giant announced Nov. 14. Shell is to provide technical and commercial expertise to the plant, which is expected to become operational in 2022. It is designed to produce 100,000 metric tons of fuel a year, resulting in a reduction in lifecycle CO2 equivalent emissions of about 270,000 metric tons. The plant will also produce naphtha, and 15,000 metric tons of bioLPG each year as a by-product. SkyNRG, which will run the plant, was founded by airline Royal Dutch KLM, consultants Spring Associates and EME in a bid to develop the embryonic market for sustainable aviation fuels. Its advisors include WWF International, the European Climate Foundation, Solidaridad Network and the University of Groningen. When it comes to carbon emissions, the aviation industry needs collaboration among industry players, it needs support to drive technical innovation and investments. The plant is set to produce fuel made from waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil sourced from regional industries. The facility will run on hydrogen, manufactured locally in the Groningen Seaport. The combined benefits of the feedstocks, hydrogen and use of low carbon energy to power production will reduce the fuel's lifecycle carbon emissions by about 85 percent compared with conventional jet fuels, according to estimates from certification body the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials. In return for its support, Shell Aviation will secure the option to buy fuel produced at the facility, the company said. Anna Mascolo, vice president of Shell Aviation, said: "When it comes to carbon emissions, the aviation industry needs collaboration among industry players, it needs support to drive technical innovation and investments, and last but not least it needs a multiple set of solutions that help drive a faster transition to a net zero emissions world." The SkyNRG project is one of a number of jet biofuel projects that are under development around the world. For example, in the United Kingdom, Shell and airline BA have invested in a planned biorefinery plant in Lincolnshire. https://www.greenbiz.com/article/shell-support-europes-first-sustainable-aviation-fuel-plant Back to Top 30 Airlines Pledge To Have More Female Leaders By 2025 Today's IATA Wings Of Change conference addressed a multitude of opportunities and challenges facing the future of the aviation industry. What better platform, then, to launch a unique initiative which encourages airlines to drive diversity and inclusion and to get more women in top management roles? 30 airlines have pledged to boost women in aviation. Photo: Lufthansa IATA's 25 by 2025 initiative At the recent IATA World Air Transport Summit, former Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxton set out a challenge to the aviation industry. He challenged them to do more to bring women into aviation, and IATA is not one to back down from such a challenge. Launched just weeks ago, the 25 by 2025 initiative aims to stimulate a boost in gender diversity within the aviation industry by the year 2025. As you might expect, this is targeted at an increase of some 25%. IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac summed it up succinctly at today's Wings Of Change event when he said, "By 2025, either we will have reached 25% of women in key positions or we will have increased by 25% the gender diversity in our organisations." Carsten Spohr and Alexandre de Juniac introduced the pledge at today's IATA Wings Of Change Europe event. Photo: Simple Flying Lufthansa CEO, Carsten Spohr, led the charge in support of the initiative. Over the years, Lufthansa has done a great deal to encourage women into aviation, even getting the blessing from the Society for the German Language for the new German word "Kapitänin" (female form of "Kapitän" = captain) specifically to refer to the growing number of female pilots. However, even Mr. Spohr recognizes the need to do more. At today's IATA conference he said, "We sometimes need visible action to create the energy that will interest young women to work in aviation." Women in aviation Diversity in leadership is not a problem that's confined to aviation, but it is markedly worse in our industry. Graphic: IATA Although having women in leadership roles is not a problem that is unique to aviation, it is a sector in which aviation performs poorly. Just 3% of airline CEOs are female, compared to an average of 12%, and across the board women make up only about one in ten of the aviation workforce. 30 airline CEOs sign the pledge At today's IATA Wings Of Change Europe conference, held in Berlin, no less than 30 airline CEOs took to the stage to publicly sign the pledge to get more women into key positions at their organizations. IATA Wings of Change CEOs sign up to the pledge. Photo: Simple Flying The airlines represented today were: Aegean Airlines, airBaltic, Air Corsica, Air Dolomiti, Air France, Atlantic Airways, Austrian Airlines, Blue Air, Brussels Airlines, Bulgarian Air, Edelweiss Air, Euro Atlantic Airways, Eurowings, Finnair, Flybe, Georgian Airlines, Hann Air, Hi Fly, Icelandair, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Cityline, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Pegasus Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Somon Air, Swiss International Airlines and Ukraine International Airlines. IATA Wings of Change 30 organizations made the commitment today. Photo: Simple Flying By committing to this pledge, these airlines agree to: • Report annually on key diversity metrics • Increase the number of women in senior positions and under-represented areas* • Increase female nominations from their airlines for IATA governance roles to a minimum of 25% • Work with IATA to increase the number of women appointed to IATA governance roles to a minimum of 25% • *By 25%, or up to a minimum of 25% by 2025 IATA says it will support the airlines in achieving this goal through things like creating a forum for sharing best practices and working to increase the number of women in IATA's own senior roles in line with the 25 by 2025 targets. https://simpleflying.com/30-airlines-women-leaders-2025/ Back to Top Could Thai Airways Be The Next Airline To Go Bankrupt? Airline In Crisis Says President The last few years have been difficult for airlines. During such a strong period of growth for travel and the global economy, the question must be asked how so many airlines have gone bankrupt. Air Berlin, Jet Airways and Thomas Cook along with their aircraft division to name but a few. Thai Airways fleet in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport The overriding reason is such stringent price competition in the sector. The dawn of low-cost carriers has meant that many full-service airlines are losing money on short-haul flights, and when competition in the long-haul sector becomes so price-sensitive, and privy to many external factors such as fuel costs and government intervention, there is little margin for error in the aviation sector. I recently published an article in Forbes on how Norwegian could be the next airline to fail. The difference with Norwegian is that their brand has garnered such strong value in recent years that the likely course of action would be that they remain in operation but are taken over. The problem with Norwegian and many other airlines is one of debt. Even as Norwegian's Q3 results looked like a marked improvement, the unsustainable debt pile is what contracts the often rapid growth that they have thrived off, and makes them even more vulnerable to small market movements. In trying to reduce their debt pile, raising more capital through debt is off the table, and with a decimated equity price, there is little place for airlines who hit turbulence to turn to in raising capital, except bankruptcy or a takeover. Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-800 Now, surprisingly, we have Thai Airways who are grappling with their survival. The president of the airline sent out a chilling message to staff recently. Sumeth Damrongchaitham said to airline executives that "today I want staff to be united to overcome the obstacles. Otherwise, the national airline must close down. There is still time for a solution, but there is not much time." Although the language of the message seems strong, it does seem to heed as more of an advance warning, rather than an imminent threat of insolvency. Low-cost airlines in South-East Asia have put the Thai national carrier under serious pressure on many ASEAN routes and Sumeth doubles down by remarking "Thai really is in a crisis...everyone will die if the vessel sinks." Thai's Airbus A350XWB take off in Brussels international airport connecting Brussels with Bangkok Thai is aiming to cut salaries of managerial staff and Sumeth said that there will be no other rewards for staff because "the top prize is the survival of the company." Soon after the remarks the Chairman of the airline, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, resigned, following three other executives' recent resignations without explanation. Ultimately, politics has weighed on Thai in recent years, but despite a $220 million loss for the first half of 2019, the airline will ultimately likely survive due to its political connection and government ownership. Thai is seen as a national symbol of tourism and even in tough times, most analysts would argue that the government will support the survival of the airline. These recent warnings from Thai Airways seem to actually be just that; stark visibility of how the carrier needs to trim back costs to compete in the ever-evolving Asian market. The next few years may continue to see more short-haul mainline routes being transferred to Thai's low-cost subsidiary, Thai Smile, however, ultimately, the airline should and will survive. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesasquith/2019/11/19/could-thai-airways-be-the-next-airline-to-go-bankrupt-airline-in-crisis-says-president/#77c6fbab4a58 Back to Top Emirates inks $9 billion order for 30 Boeing 787 jets, will restart plans to expand airline by early 2020s • Dubai's flagship carrier Emirates Airline has finalized a deal to purchase 30 of Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner jets, executives of both companies announced Wednesday at the Dubai Air Show. • The deal comes in addition to five 787 Dreamliner sales earlier this week and sets up for a reduction to a prior order of delayed 777x jets. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates vice president and prime minister, center blue sandals, passes a Boeing Co. 787-10 passenger aircraft, operated by Emirates Airlines, during the 15th Dubai Air Show at Dubai World Central (DWC) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Dubai's flagship carrier Emirates Airline finalized a deal to purchase 30 of Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner jets, executives of both companies announced Wednesday at the Dubai Air Show. The deal sets up for a reduction to a prior commitment of 777x jets from the U.S. plane-maker, down by 30 to 126, which Emirates is opting for by employing its substitution rights. The 777 program has faced delays due to engine problems and other technical issues in its testing phase. The mid-size wide body 787-9 jet is a larger and longer-range variant of Boeing's Dreamliner, seating 242 to 330 passengers in a two-class layout. The order is valued at $8.8 billion at list prices, but a steep discount is typically negotiated by airlines. The order is crucial for the American manufacturing giant, whose sales have been badly hit following two catastrophic crashes of its popular 737 Max jet in less than five months that killed a total of 346 people. Its fleet of roughly 400 737 Max jets around the world have been grounded since March. It comes in addition to five 787 Dreamliner sales earlier this week: two to Biman Bangladesh Airlines and three to the Ghanaian government ahead of its launch of a new local carrier. Boeing also managed to attract bids for some 60 of the embattled 737 Max jet from Turkish-based carrier SunExpress, Kazakhstan's Air Astana and a third undisclosed buyer. Emirates President Tim Clark, meanwhile, told reporters at a press conference that the airline - the largest international carrier in the world - will recommence its expansion in the early 2020s, following its current period of consolidation. Clark in October revealed lofty plans to expand the Emirates fleet by 30% by the end of 2025. As of October, Emirates had a fleet of 270 aircraft, including 12 freight. In addition to its order of 30 Boeing jets Wednesday, it announced an order of 50 Airbus A350-900 jets on Monday at a value of $16 billion at list prices. The A350 order had been revised to cancel a prior order of A330neo jets from the French plane-maker, favoring a larger order of the lighter and slightly wider-body A350. Emirates is the number one buyer of Airbus' iconic A380, the world's largest airliner, with 123 of the planes in its fleet. But its cutback on orders of the jumbo jet early this year led the French manufacturer to announce it would scrap its production. Aviation analysts called it the "end of an era," as the industry's symbol of excess and luxury flight was sidelined for smaller, more fuel-efficient planes now increasingly preferred by airliners. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/20/emirates-inks-order-for-30-boeing-787-jets-talks-expansion-plans.html Back to Top Boeing Inks $3.6 Billion 737 MAX 8 Order with Air Astana at Dubai Air Show Boeing shares traded higher Tuesday after it booked $3.6 billion in new orders for its 737 MAX jet at the Dubai Airshow as the world's biggest planemaker continues to estimate a potential December return for the grounded aircraft. Boeing Co. (BA - Get Report) shares traded higher Tuesday after it booked $3.6 billion in new orders for its 737 MAX jet at the Dubai Airshow as the world's biggest planemaker continues to estimate a potential December return for the grounded aircraft. Boeing said Kazakhstan-based Air Astanta plans to purchase 30 of the 737 MAX 8 planes to service its low-cost airline FlyArystan. List prices for the jets suggest an order worth around $3.6 billion, although carriers will often negotiate discounts on bulk orders that reduce the total cost. Turkey's Sunexpress, another discount European carrier, said it ordered ten MAX 8 jets yesterday at a list price of $1.2 billion. "Air Astana has become one of the leading airlines in Central Asia with its deep focus on safety, reliability, efficiency and customer service. At Boeing, we share those same values and are honored to expand our partnership with the 737 MAX," said Boeing commercial CEO Stan Deal. "We believe the efficiency and reliability built into the 737 MAX will be a great fit for FlyArystan. We look forward to working with Peter and his team finalize an agreement that meets their fleet and operational requirements." Boeing shares were marked 1.2% higher in early trading Tuesday to change hands at $373.74 each and have gained more than 15.3% since mid-August. The new orders followed Boeing's estimate of a mid-December return to service for the grounded 737 MAX last week, which was taken from the air last spring following crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed 346 people, although Deal told reporters Saturday that a firm return date was up to regulators at the Federal Aviation Administration. "Boeing continues to target FAA certification of the MAX flight-control software updates during this quarter," the company said in a statement last week "Based on this schedule ... the resumption of MAX deliveries to airline customers could begin in December, after certification, when the FAA issues an Airworthiness Directive rescinding the grounding order." Boeing shares have been gaining steadily since the company posted weaker-than-expected third-quarter earnings last month but said it still expected the 737 MAX aircraft to receive approval from at least one major regulator before the end of the year. Boeing said it would increase costs related to the grounded 737 MAX by around $900 million, taking the total to around $3.6 billion, adding it not only expects a return to service in the fourth quarter, it sees production rising from 42 planes a month to 57 planes per month by the end of 2020. Boeing said overall aircraft orders fell by more than two-thirds, to 62 units for the third quarter, and trimmed its forecast for 787 Dreamliner production to 12 planes from 14, beginning in late 2020, thanks in part to U.S.-China trade tensions. The aerospace company still has an order backlog of $470 billion, thanks to net orders of $16 billion in the third quarter. But the continued difficulties in sorting out safety issues with the grounded 737 tipped free cash flows into negative territory, with Boeing pegging the figure at -2.42 billion, down from +$4.56 billion for the same period last year. https://www.thestreet.com/investing/stocks/boeing-inks-3-6-billion-737-max-8-order-with-air-astana-at-dubai-air-show-15172455?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO&yptr=yahoo Back to Top SNC's Dream Chaser spacecraft can supply NASA's lunar space station - and become its own orbital platform Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is in the process of developing 'Dream Chaser,' a reusable spacecraft designed to ferry cargo to the International Space Station, and bring it back to Earth, landing on a runway like the Space Shuttle. Today, the company revealed more about the Dream Chaser at a press event at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It literally showed off a new cargo component of the Dream Chaser, with a full-scale model on site - the 'Shooting Star' is an ejectable, disposable secondary cargo vehicle that can itself dock with the ISS while in orbit, take on waste cargo from the station, and then do a controlled de-orbit to burn up in the atmosphere, leaving nothing behind. This expendable component adds a lot of versatility to the Dream Chaser's design, and extends the vehicle's mission capabilities with safe disposal of materials that otherwise wouldn't be suitable for loading aboard the Dream Chaser for its return journey to Earth. So it's got a nested cargo craft that can itself autonomously dock with the ISS and take out the trash, but that's not the only trick up the Dream Chaser's sleeve: The spacecraft will also be able to reach and resupply the Lunar Gateway, a Moon-orbiting space station that NASA plans to deploy to act as a staging point for its lunar surface missions. The Dream Chaser will have to have its satellite bus attached to make that trip, but it means it'll be able to participate much more in NASA's Artemis program. Probably not coincidentally, SNC was named as one of the new approved vendors that can bid on NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contracts (basically deliveries to the Moon's surface). Dream Chaser can also actually become an orbital satellite itself - its design allows for an inflatable module to be attached that can essentially convert it into an orbital platform with a very high payload and power capacity. Multipurpose is the name of the game when it comes to making multi-planetary space-based operations a viable, recurring long-term thing that we can actually accomplish, so Dream Chaser is looking like quite the high-value package if all of this comes together. Already, Dream Chaser has been tapped by NASA to run commercial resupply services (via the CRS-2 contract - you've probably heard the 'CRS' term because both SpaceX and Orbital Sciences (now part of Northrop) won the first batch and have been providing those over the course of the last several years. The Dream Chaser spacecraft is currently under construction, and is aiming for 2021 for its first mission on behalf of NASA. https://www.yahoo.com/news/sncs-dream-chaser-spacecraft-supply-154311582.html 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 Back to Top Back to Top USC Aviation Safety & Security Program On-Site and Custom Courses To meet the diverse needs of all elements of the aviation community, the USC Aviation Safety & Security Program offers our courses to be conducted at your facility. Whether you are a small, medium or large organization; a private company, government agency, or the military...we can work with you to bring the right training to your facility. Choose from any of our courses. All of our courses can be customized to fit the specific needs of your organization. Don't see the exact course or subject you want? We have created courses, seminars, and presentations for companies - such as Safety Performance Indicators for Korean Air and Safety Auditing for Quanta Services. To bring USC Aviation Safety & Security Education to your organization, please contact us at hinaba@usc.edu or +1 (310) 342-1352. 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 Back to Top Position Available: Aircraft Accident Investigator The position is for a very seasoned person in the field of aircraft accident investigation, fixed wing and helicopter. The requirements include previous experience in some/all of the following areas: Piloting, Aircraft Maintenance, Federal Aviation Regulations, Engineering (Aeronautical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Forensic, Design), Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design, Human Factors, Accident Reconstruction, Impact Kinematics, Manufacturing, Aviation Weather, Technical Report Writing, Piston and Turbine engine operation and failure, Fire Investigation, Material Science. The position requires a minimum of a 4-year degree from an accredited college or university. Post graduate education and degrees are preferred. The position will involve some level of very short-term travel on a bi-weekly to monthly basis. Previous expert witness deposition and trial testimony experience is preferred although not required as long as credentials will qualify the applicant in an expert capacity. Physical capabilities to travel to primarily US destinations for aircraft wreckage and crash site inspections will be necessary. Compensation will be based on experience and industry marketability directly proportional to industry billing rates and standards. The listing company has been in the business of investigating aircraft accidents for over 40 years. The company has consistently and is currently one of the industry leaders in forensic aircraft accident investigation and has been recognized for exemplary performance by countless State and Federal Courts as well as Law Journals, The American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. The company offers longstanding excellence in the field of Aircraft Accident Investigation and is looking for new and motivated staff members to help assist its rapidly expanding client base. Please contact us at aeroinvestigator@gmail.com Back to Top Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection and Investigation Course presented by N. Albert Moussa, PhD, PE May 26 to 28, 2020 BlazeTech Corporation 29 B Montvale Ave, Woburn MA 01801 USA. Dear Colleague, While commercial air transport is very safe, the advent of new technologies poses fire safety challenges that will be treated in this course. This offering draws upon Dr. Moussa's work in this area since 1971 as well as related courses that BlazeTech has been teaching since 1998. Lectures will include an update on Li and Li-ion battery fires, flammability of carbon fiber and glass fiber composites, emerging aviation fluids, engine fires, fuel tank fire/explosion, fire extinguishment methods, protection methods, aircraft accident investigation, and fire/explosion pattern recognition. Recent requirements and accidents are continuously added to the course. For each type of fire, this course will provide a cohesive integrated presentation of fundamentals, small- and large-scale testing, computer modeling, standards and specifications, and real accident investigation - as outlined in the course brochure. This integrated approach will enable you to address safety issues related to current and new systems and circumstances, and to investigate one of a kind fire and explosion accidents. The course will benefit professionals who are responsible for commercial aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles including design, equipment selection, test, operation, maintenance, safety management system, hazard/risk assessment, and accident investigation. View Brochure for course content and registration form (also embedded below). View Testmonials of previous attendees and their Companies. View some of the technical references discussed in this course. We also offer this course at the client site as well as customized courses on fire and explosion in other areas. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Albert Moussa, Ph.D., P.E. BlazeTech Corporation 29B Montvale Ave. Woburn, MA 01801-7021 781-759-0700 x200 781-759-0703 fax www.blazetech.com firecourse@blazetech.com LinkedIn Curt Lewis