HVJ Associates®’s Post

The São Gabriel, a Portuguese carrack and flagship of Vasco da Gama’s fleet, played a crucial role during the first voyage to India from 1497 to 1499. Carracks like the São Gabriel were large, robust sailing vessels, equipped for long-distance voyages, and were heavily used by maritime powers like Portugal during the Age of Discovery. The interior of the São Gabriel would have featured multiple decks designed to hold cargo, provisions, and armaments essential for such a lengthy and perilous journey. The ship's design was typical of carracks of the period, with a broad beam providing stability and ample space for cargo and crew. The lower decks would have been reserved for storage of goods, ballast, and the ship’s provisions, while the upper decks housed the crew's quarters, the captain's cabin, and the navigation room. The sterncastle and forecastle, characteristic of carracks, were raised sections of the ship that provided vantage points for defense and observation. The main deck would have been lined with cannons, a critical feature for protection against pirates and hostile encounters. Upon reaching the port of Calicut in India, the São Gabriel had fulfilled its purpose but sustained significant wear during the voyage. After more than three months at sea on the return journey, the ship arrived back in Portugal in poor condition, highlighting the challenges of maritime exploration at the time. Carracks like the São Gabriel were gradually replaced by faster, more maneuverable ships such as caravels and galleons as naval technology advanced. Despite their eventual obsolescence, carracks were instrumental in the early stages of European exploration and the establishment of sea routes to Asia.

Once again, Rampant Speculation by someone only interested in getting media exposure. This person does NOT KNOW what occurred. Also, he is also apparently unaware of just how "Escort Tugs" actually function (Spoiler Alert, they do NOT go 'in front of the ship'). Even those ONBOARD the M/V "Dali" can only speculate as to what lead to the loss of control. They may well be 90% 'right', but that is in no way sufficient develop robust mitigations to address the hidden issues involved. Let the highly qualified professionals from the National Transportation Safety Board (arguably the preeminent Investigative Organization worldwide) do their work. It will be two years from now, but trust that it will be 99%+ accurate. #baltimorebridge #dali #NTSB #marinecasualty

UNDERSTAND THE GLOBAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE PREVENTION OF RUNWAY INCURSIONS Join this live webinar to: Gain a unique understanding of managing runway incursion risks and resilience. Be the first to know about the industry consensus through the GAPPRI initiative. Get practical tips to improve runway safety.

It is a really interesting Webinar (available for those who missed it on the HAV website). Key points/takeaways from my perspective: 1. The Highlands and Islands Feasibility Study has shown that Airlander can be a game changer for the interconnectivity in this challenging ecosystem; if you can fly there, you can fly almost anywhere! 2. The Infrastructure requirements are extremely low (for an existing airfield, the adoption cost is £278k - for those in this sector, that is a negligible sum of money). This makes it a low risk for adoption. 3. The population "growth" due to tourism. I think it was Orkney that has a 20,000 permanent population, which is boosted during the Summer by an additional 250,000 cruise ship visitors and 100,000 overland tourists. That was simply a stunning increase for me. Imagine an Airlander 10 taking off directly from alongside the cruise ship! 4. Waterborne operations - again, it's interesting to hear about this. I wonder what weather/sea conditions it can manage? I worked in Canada years ago, where seaplanes were pretty standard, and they suffered a bit at various times. 5. Weather impact is always a good question with an air vehicle travelling at a lower speed. Split into despatch rate and en route. The quoted 97% based on the historical data was pretty impressive (except Barra - I don't know that site). For en route, adding in 15-30mins for worst-case conditions sounds manageable. 6. Open storage, up to 75 knots to stay in place, would cover most conditions. Then, it is common sense to relocate. I don't know what the civil aircraft model is in this situation. I have done tie-downs on fast jets over the years, so it's more of a physical hardpoint loading issue. 7. Maintenance: the team has done some good work here. The traditional heavy C and D checks should be much easier with the systems onboard. I liked the idea of the regional MRO hubs, which would make sense considering the hangar size for those events (even if there are fewer "hangered requirements" than traditional fixed wing). I like the concept of the motorized (like an aircraft tug) docking mast. 8. Helium loss, sounds like they have done their homework in terms of both design and maintenance. We all look carefully at anything that contributes to the lifecycle costs of the product. 9. Passenger cost. It is not one of my areas of knowledge, but £0.27/seat/km seems reasonable and, as stated, "comparable". As was caveated by David Holden during the Webinar, it depends on the pricing model. 10. Pilot Certification. The differentiation made by George between Airlander as a "Hybrid Air Vehicle" and a standard lighter-than-air platform is interesting. The slow approach speeds, etc, would certainly make it a low pilot workload scenario whilst considering the slower response times. I await the development of this one with interest. A very informative session and certainly worth a look.

TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 03 FEBRUARY 1999: a Sikorsky HH-60J #6017 assigned to Air Station Kodiak, AK and crewed by LCDR Paul S. Ratte (AC); LT Daniel L. Youngberg (CP); AMT3 Justin M. Vincett (FM) and AST3 Jason L. Bunch (RS) launched at night in response to the 30-foot long line cod fishing vessel, NORTHERN AURORA, that iced up and overturned 150 yards off of Caines Head Beach - just south of Seward, AK on the Kenai Peninsula. [Excerpt from Summary of Action] On the evening of 3 February 1999, the 30-foot F/V NORTHERN AURORA WAS underway in Resurrection Bay with 2 persons aboard. At approximately 1830, the vessel's master broadcast a MAYDAY, stating that he had encountered severe icing, the vessel had acquired huge amounts of topside ice that could not be shed, and capsizing was imminent. Air Station Kodiak's communications center picked up the distress call and the watchstander immediately recommended that the 2 persons don survival suits. A SAR launch of helicopter CG6017 was commenced at Kodiak and C130 CG1707 was diverted from a training flight to assist. No further communications were received from the NORTHERN AURORA. The crew of CG6017 departed Kodiak at 1903 for the 165 NM transit to the last known position of the vessel. Shortly after launch, it became apparent that there was only one set of operable Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) aboard the aircraft. Due to the urgent nature of the distress, LCDR Ratte elected to press on toward the scene rather than delay the response by returning to the Air Station. CGI 707's crew, which arrived at the scene ahead of the helicopter, reported sighting a flare shortly after beginning their search. It was later believed that this sighting was a shooting star, but the report inspired CG6017's crew to conduct briefings in preparation for various rescue scenarios as they transited above an overcast layer with unrestricted visibility. LinkedIn character limit - learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gvDvqwtD LCDR Ratte earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for this mission (his second in two weeks) while LT Youngberg earned the Air Medal - both CITATIONS below. It's believed that AMT3 Vincett earned an Air Medal as well - while AST3 Bunch earned a Coast Guard Commendation Medal - looking for confirmation and copies of these awards for the ROLL OF VALOR. LCDR Ratte (pg 2) - https://lnkd.in/gMdCAJfr LT Youngberg - https://lnkd.in/gSBaHu_c ROV missing awards: AMT3 Vincett - Air Medal; AST3 Bunch - Coast Guard Commendation Medal. Follow us on Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gXq6HCaN #helicopter U.S. Coast Guard Lockheed Martin GE Aerospace The Distinguished Flying Cross Society

On 2 September 1998, Swissair Flight 111, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, was en route from New York, USA, to Geneva, Switzerland, when it experienced an in-flight fire. Despite the crew's efforts to manage the emergency and divert to Halifax, Nova Scotia, the fire spread rapidly, leading to catastrophic system failures. The aircraft crashed into the ocean near Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia, resulting in the tragic loss of all 229 occupants, including 215 passengers and 14 crew members. I live near Peggy’s Cove and visited the memorial site for the first-time last week – it was a sobering reminder that despite best efforts, the products we engineer sometimes fall short of the mark. But when disasters like this happen we learn, regulations and standards evolve and we constantly improve the products that we engineer. To my knowledge, all design requirement deficiencies have been addressed through updates to FAR Part 25. Here are the key design requirement deficiencies that were identified in the Aviation Investigation Safety Report.   #engineering #aerospaceengineering

While on leave in Seward, AK, I found this sign at the Alaska Sea Life Center profound and relevant. “Technology can be quite tempting and creates an easy trap.” During my time as the 51st Mission Support Group Commander, we attempted several times to tackle the limited parking issue on Osan Air Base. One of the problems was the inability to scan the registration sticker to confirm a vehicle is currently registered to the owner (vice passed down from unaccompanied Airman to unaccompanied Airman). A team of SMEs recommended investing in a new scanning system with a $50k+ cost and 1yr+ timeline. After much deliberation, we went back to the problem statement and I suggested we just purchase month and year stickers, like the kind placed on US state license plates. The defenders would be able to easily see if the vehicle is currently registered through an Airman’s DEROS…at 1/10th the cost and half the timeline. New tech does not always equal innovation…avoid the tech trap!

An excellent few days in Warsaw at the World Overflight Risk Conference 2024 hosted by Osprey Flight Solutions, EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the University of Southampton. So much thought-provoking discussion but for me the key takeaways were: 💡the importance of OSINT in facilitating risk management through providing timely and effective information; 💡the challenges the aviation industry and we as their insurers will face over the coming years as technological advances will increase the capability of nefarious actors who may wish to target aviation; and 💡 the importance of continued dialogue between all of those involved in ensuring safer skies to help meet the challenges of the near future. Many thanks to all those involved in arranging this very valuable conference and looking forward to 2025. For more in-depth thoughts on the conference and the topics discussed, please click on the link below 👇 #overflightrisk #worc2024 #aviationsafety #avsec

In our series delving into the positive effects of Advanced Air Mobility on West Virginia, we recently focused on how the industry will influence the state's economy in the future. Prospering from an already existing aerospace and aviation ecosystem, West Virginia can build off of these businesses to secure jobs for a variety of workers, from pilots to vertiport construction workers. Read the article to discover how AAM will positively impact the state's economic future: https://lnkd.in/en-kvpUz

Did you know something as small as a hand-held pocket mirror could save your life? A mirror can serve as a valuable signaling tool in emergencies, especially in nautical or wilderness settings. By reflecting sunlight onto a specific target, such as an aircraft or search party, it can effectively communicate distress and summon assistance. Properly angling and flashing the mirror's reflection increases visibility over long distances, significantly improving the chances of being spotted and rescued. Placing a small mirror in your life jacket pocket, or an easily accessible container on your vessel ensures that it is available when needed. #USCG #CoastGuard #USCGAux #AuxA #GoCoastguard #semperparatus