Aviation International News reports that Elliott Aviation “has performed its first completion and delivery of the Garmin Autoland upgrade in a King Air B200.” Designed as a safety measure, the Autoland system “in an emergency situation can take control of an aircraft and autonomously land itself at the nearest suitable airport.” According to Elliott, the modification “represents the next chapter in the evolution of the Garmin G1000 NXI package for the King Air family.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Tag: Safety
FAA Reinstates Mexico’s Aviation Safety Rating to Highest Level
The AP reports that on Thursday, the FAA “returned Mexico’s aviation safety rating to the highest level two years after downgrading it.” The change will “allow Mexican airlines to add new routes to the United States, and U.S. airlines will once again be able to sell tickets on Mexican airline-operated flights.” In May 2021, the FAA “lowered Mexico’s rating because the country did not meet standards set by a United Nations aviation group.” The FAA “found that Mexico’s ability to oversee its airlines fell short of standards set by a U.N. group called the International Civil Aviation Organization.” Those standards “cover a broad range of issues, including the regulator’s technical expertise, inspection procedures and record-keeping.”
Full Story (Associated Press)
EASA to Examine A380 Wind-Spar Cracking More Closely
Aviation Week reported that Airbus A380s that “sit idle in severe environmental conditions may be susceptible to wing-spar cracking previously linked to the wing’s age, prompting the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to adopt broader inspection criteria recommended by the manufacturer.” An airworthiness directive (AD) from last Thursday noted that A380 operators must calculate “factored time on ground” (FTOG) and “conduct inspections based on Airbus’ revised criteria.” The AD builds “on existing inspection criteria for the A380 wing box areas: the top and bottom flanges of the outer rear spar (ORS) between Ribs 33 and 49, the outer inner front spar (OIFS) between Ribs 8 and 14 and the outer front spar (OFS) between Ribs 38 and 49.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
AIAA, Iridium, OneWeb, SpaceX Release “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices” Reference Guide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Authors will discuss at ASCENDx Webinar, 15 September
UPDATED September 9, 2022 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), along with Iridium Communications, Inc., OneWeb, and SpaceX, today announced the immediate release of a best practices reference guide, “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices,” to provide a foundation for discussions leading to a global consensus of behaviors for satellite operators. The guide is designed to help improve cooperative operations in space to ensure that future generations maximize the benefits of space on Earth. AIAA is providing access to download the reference guide today, in advance of a timely webinar to address the urgency of space traffic management and coordination. Industry professionals can join the authors of the document, low Earth orbit industry experts from major satellite constellation operators, to discuss its implementation:
ASCENDxSpace Traffic Management: Industry Advancing Orbital Safety
Thursday, 15 September, 1200 hrs ET USA
Complimentary registration
This webinar will include remarks from Richard DalBello, Director, Office of Space Commerce, Department of Commerce, and Sandra Magnus, Principal, AstroPlanetview, LLC. The panel includes:
- Matt Hejduk, Senior Project Leader, The Aerospace Corporation (Moderator)
- John Guiney, Vice President, Fleet Operations Management, OneWeb
- Dave Goldstein, Principal Guidance, Navigation and Control Engineer, SpaceX
- Ryan Shepperd, Mission Planning and Orbital Analyst, Space Situational Awareness Lead, Iridium
The authors will also host a session during 2022 ASCEND, Las Vegas, 24–26 October. The panel discussion, META-07, Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices, is the continuation of the work the group started during 2021 ASCEND to address the issue of space traffic management and coordination with meaningful actions. Registration for 2022 ASCEND is open with early bird rates effective through 9 September.
“We must face the urgent problem that tens of thousands of objects traveling at roughly 17,500 mph in low Earth orbit threaten launch vehicles, space assets, and human lives,” stated Dan Dumbacher, AIAA Executive Director. “We are pleased to facilitate these industry leaders in moving their conversation forward to publishing their ideas today, as a direct outcome of 2021 ASCEND. AIAA is committed to seeing improved space traffic management and coordination to help avoid a catastrophe in space.”
The “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices” reference guide outlines four points in time when operators should focus their safety planning efforts: Design Time, Pre-Launch and Early Orbit, On Orbit, and Satellite Disposal. The guidance is designed to be applicable to any satellite operator in the world, regardless of how they receive conjunction warnings.
Media contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, andInstagram.
Business Jets Sustained Five Fatal Accidents in the Past Year
Aviation International News reports, “Over the 12 months between Sept. 1, 2021, and Aug. 31, 2022, eight people died in two accidents of U.S.-registered business jets being operated under Part 91 and 19 people lost their lives in three crashes of non-U.S.-registered business jets flying charters.” In all, there were 188 accidents and 98 investigated incidents involving turbine business airplanes globally. Fatal and non-fatal accidents worldwide totaled 35, of which 20 occurred during private operations. Business turboprops were involved in 64 accidents worldwide, nearly twice that of jets, and resulted in 62 fatalities, roughly 2.5 that of jets.
Full Story (Aviation International News)