A Informação traz Segurança

Blacklist committee puts safety pressure on four EU carriers

2008-11-24T06:42:00.000-08:00

Safety regulators have identified four European Union companies, which are facing operational restrictions following the latest discussions to update the European Commission's 'blacklist' of banned carriers.

While none features on the latest blacklist revision, three carriers from Portugal, Greece and Germany have - at least temporarily - stopped operating their own aircraft. The fourth, Spain's Bravo Airlines, has been banned by default because its operation, Bravo Air Congo, falls under the blanket ban on the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Greek carrier Hellenic Imperial Airways admits its air operator's certificate is on hold, but a spokesman claims the suspension is on a "day-to-day basis", for technical reasons. He adds that the Boeing 747-200 operator is leasing other aircraft, and maintaining services such as its Hajj flights while it addresses the issue.

Sources at the Commission, close to its air safety committee, have also identified Portuguese Lockheed L-1011 operator LuzAir and German MSR Flug-Charter, which uses business jets, as the other two restricted carriers.

LuzAir says it is not currently operating services but a source at the carrier states that its aircraft are on the ground for "scheduled maintenance". A spokesman for MSR Flug-Charter also says the company has stopped operations, but declines to elaborate.

A source close to the Commission's air safety committee, which draws up the list of carriers which are the subject of concern, points out that none of the four EU operators has had its AOC withdrawn by the relevant national authority. But the source adds that three AOCs and one operating license have been suspended.

Discussions over the current revision to the blacklist have drawn particular attention because restrictions have so far notably focused on carriers, which have limited operations in Europe, from areas such as Africa, Indonesia and Central Asia.

"It is difficult to say how many European airlines would have ended with a full ban or operating restrictions if their authorities had not taken measures on their AOCs or operating licenses," says the source, stressing that the blacklist is only a "measure of last resort", intended as a tool to encourage safety improvements.

Cambodia's Siem Reap Airways International and all carriers from Angola are subject to a complete ban on European operations following the latest blacklist update on 14 November.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Bird-strike risk high among open-rotor concerns

2008-11-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

Bird-strike damage protection rules could emerge as a key design hurdle facing developers of a new generation of fuel-efficient open rotor engines, according to a specialist on propeller power plants.

Speaking at the 'Towards Sustainable Aviation Propulsion' event in Bristol, organized by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Dowty Propellers performance engineer Josef Trchalik said: "The bird-strike test represents a key certification requirement of any aircraft engine. It is not clear yet whether open-rotor blades would be certified according to rules that apply for propellers or if they will be certified as fan blades.

"If the latter is the case then the structure of the open rotor blades will have to be reinforced, which would result in heavier rotor blades and might also restrict the choice of material for the blade structure."

Current bird strike certification requirements differ for propellers and turbofan blades, with propeller blades required to withstand the impact of a significantly lighter bird than fan blades.

Trchalik says bird-strike is a more serious issue for a 'pusher' configuration, which has a similar intake arrangement to a regular turbofan, as there is no fan to shield the engine. Impact-resistance requirements are more easily met with a 'tractor' configuration as the air intakes of an unducted fan would be shielded by two rows of propellers.

Trchalik adds that locating the engines at the rear of the fuselage would increase the chance of debris hitting the blades. "On the other hand, wing-mounted engines are more likely to suck in debris from the runway surface as they are located closer to the ground," he says.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Qantas takeoff aborted as damaged wing spotted

2008-11-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

SYDNEY (AFP) — A Qantas jumbo jet carrying 213 passengers aborted a flight shortly before takeoff from Sydney Saturday when an engineer spotted that one of its wings was damaged, the airline said.

The New Zealand-bound Boeing 747-300 was taxiing towards the runway when damage to a right wing flap was noticed by an engineer on the ground and the pilot was alerted, Qantas said.

"It was a technical issue with the wing prior to departure," an airline spokeswoman told AFP.

All passengers on the plane had been provided with accommodation and booked on another flight on Sunday morning, she said, and the cause of the damage was being assessed.

The incident is the latest in a series of problems suffered by Australia's troubled national airline in recent months.

On Tuesday, two Qantas jumbos were damaged when they collided on the ground at a maintenance base.

In October, a computer glitch caused a Qantas plane to plunge into a 200-metre mid-air nosedive, injuring more than 70 people, with some suffering broken bones.

In July, a Qantas Boeing 747-400 made an emergency landing in Manila after a mid-air blast caused by an exploding oxygen bottle punched a hole in the fuselage during a flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne.

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 24/11/2008.

NTSB ISSUES UPDATE ON NEAR COLLISION ON ALLENTOWN RUNWAY

2008-11-21T06:10:00.000-08:00

In its continuing investigation of a runway incursion in Allentown, Pennsylvania, involving a general aviation aircraft and a Chicago-bound regional jet airliner, the National Transportation Safety Board has developed the following factual information:

On September 19, 2008, at 7:38 p.m. EDT, a runway incursion resulted in a near-collision on runway 6 at the Lehigh Valley International Airport, Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mesa Air Shuttle flight 7138, a Canadair CRJ-700 (N506MJ) aborted takeoff at about 120 knots (138 mph), skidding around a Cessna R172K (N736GV) that had just landed and was still taxiing on the runway. The crew of the Mesa Air regional jet estimated the distance between the two aircraft as 10 feet when they passed.

The Mesa Air flight carried 56 passengers and a crew of four; the Cessna carried a pilot and two passengers. There was no damage to either aircraft and no reported injuries. The incident occurred in night meteorological conditions.

A timeline of the incident events is as follows: 7:29:28 - Cessna contacts Allentown tower while about 8 miles east of the airport.

7:33:30 - Cessna, in landing pattern for runway, is cleared to land on runway 6.

7:34:50 - Mesa Air regional jet contacts tower and reports ready for takeoff and holding short of runway 6. Controller instructs pilot to hold short of runway 6 for landing traffic.

7:36:15 - Cessna crosses threshold of runway 6 and lands.

7:36:27 - Mesa Air instructed by tower controller to taxi into position on runway 6 and hold.

7:36:36 - Tower controller asks pilot of Cessna where he intends to park. Following pilot response, controller provides taxi directions, instructing pilot to exit runway at taxiway A4.

7:37:11 - Mesa Air cleared for takeoff.

7:37:18 to 7:37:32 - Controller turns attention to an inbound aircraft and issues landing instructions.
7:37:34 - Cessna pilot informs tower controller that he had missed the A4 taxiway and asks for permission to exit at taxiway B.

7:37:42 - Controller replies, "...no delay, turn immediately," which Cessna pilot acknowledges.

7:38:16 - Mesa Air radios tower controller: "We got it, tower - we're going to need to go back to the gate."

Following the incident, both aircraft taxied to parking.
The Mesa Air crew elected to cancel the flight and have the aircraft inspected. The Cessna taxied to general aviation parking and concluded the flight.

Safety Board investigators have interviewed the pilots involved in the incident, and the air traffic controllers on duty at the time of the incident as well as the FAA tower managers.

The tire marks created by the Mesa Air regional jet as it veered around the Cessna can be seen on the left side of the centerline in the image at

http://www.ntsb.gov/Pressrel/2008/images/Allentown.jpg

Fonte: NTSB Advisory 21/11/08.

Airbus to certify airbags in A320s

2008-11-21T06:09:00.000-08:00

Airbus has been granted special certification conditions from the US FAA to allow the air framer to certify inflatable airbags in the passenger restraint systems on A320 family aircraft.

The company on 2 September asked the regulator to amend its A320 type certificate to allow the installation of Am Safe Aviation inflatable restraints for head injury protection (HIP) on passenger seats on the A319, A320 and A321.

First created for the automobile industry, the aviation version of the restraint is designed to limit passenger forward motion in the event of an accident, "thus reducing the potential for head injury and head entrapment," says FAA, adding that the airbag is similar to the automobile system except that it is integrated into the passenger restraint system and inflates away from the seated passengers. Other aircraft with amended certification requirements for the seatbelts include the Boeing 777.

Airframers traditionally meet HIP requirements in certain seats by requiring either a setback 35in from any bulkhead, front seat or "other rigid interior feature" or by placing padding in the collision area. While HIP is not required as part of the certification for the A320 series today, it will be included in new regulations set to go into effect on 27 October 2009, says FAA.

To meet the amended certification requirements, FAA will require Airbus to show that the airbags "perform properly under foreseeable operating conditions" and will not become a hazard to other passengers or the aircraft. Of particular concern is that the airbags do not deploy inadvertently due to the effect of electronic noise or lightning on the sensors to trigger the pyrotechnic charge.

Other considerations include the impacts of the belts on pregnant women and children held on a passenger's lap.

Airbus says the special condition application is routine as there are no formal standards for the restraints. "Postings such as this are used simply to permit compliance with head strike protection requirements on bulkhead seats," says the company.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

FAA issues emergency AD on Boeing 737 fuel pump wiring

2008-11-21T06:08:00.002-08:00

The FAA issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) to certain owners and operators of Boeing 737-600,-700,-700C,-800, and -900 series airplanes.

Information indicates that, when the flight crew manually turns off the center wing tank (CWT) pump switches, that action turns off the right-hand pump, but re-energizes the left-hand pump due to incorrect wiring. The low-pressure lights turn off, incorrectly indicating to the flight crew that power to both pumps has been removed. The failure condition results in continual running of the left-hand fuel pump without indication to the flight crew, which could lead to localized overheating of parts inside the fuel pump, and which could produce an ignition source inside the fuel tank.

The FAA requires the operators of aircraft effected to carry out a wiring test as specified in the AD. (FAA)
Emergency AD 2008-24-51;

(aviation-safety.net)

Air hostess helped land passenger jet after co-pilot had 'breakdown' over the Atlantic

2008-11-21T06:08:00.001-08:00

An air hostess helped land a jet carrying 146 passengers after the co-pilot had an apparent mental breakdown over the Atlantic Ocean, investigators revealed today.

The UK-bound plane made an emergency diversion to Shannon Airport, in Ireland, last January after the Air Canada flight officer began a ‘rambling and disjointed’ conversation, said an official report.

Another attendant suffered wrist injuries as the crew forcibly removed the co-pilot from the cockpit controls and restrained him in a seat in the cabin.

Mid-air drama: The air hostess helped out after the plane's captain asked if anyone could fly

The captain of the Boeing 767 from Toronto to Heathrow asked staff to seek out any trained pilots onboard.

One of the female cabin crew came forward saying she had a commercial pilot’s license and was asked to take over in the co-pilot’s seat.

The captain praised the attendant to investigators for helping him safely land the plane at Shannon, where the ill flight officer was removed and admitted to the acute psychiatric unit of Ennis Regional Hospital for 11 days.

He was later flown home to Canada by an air ambulance for further care, according to the investigation.

The official report into the incident by the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) did not explicitly refer to the co-pilot’s medical condition.

But it recorded the views of two doctors onboard that he was in a ‘confused and disorientated state’.
The captain also reported that his colleague became uncharacteristically ‘belligerent and unco-operative’ and was ‘effectively incapacitated’.

One passenger at the time reported seeing the distraught co-pilot yelling for God as he was being restrained.

The AAIU praised the actions of both the captain and crew in diverting to the nearest airport and removing the co-pilot from the controls.

‘For his own well-being and the safety of the aircraft, the most appropriate course of action was to stand him down from duty and seek medical attention which was available on board,’ said the report.

‘The commander (captain) realizing he was faced with a difficult and serious situation used tact and understanding and kept control of the situation at all times.

‘The situation was dealt with in a professional manner... As such, the commander and flight attendants should be commended for their professionalism in the handling of this event.’

There were no safety recommendations from the investigation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1087523/Air-hostess-helped-land-passenger-jet-pilot-breakdown-Atlantic.html

First A380-related airworthiness directive orders Trent check

2008-11-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

European safety regulators have drawn up the first airworthiness directive relating to the Airbus A380, mandating checks for cracking of vanes in Rolls-Royce Trent 900 high-pressure turbines.

The directive, issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, states that development testing and flight tests of the Trent 900 have revealed evidence of cracking on some nozzle guide vane surfaces.

EASA says that not all nozzle guide vane assemblies are affected and that the problem would become apparent on affected engines within 1,000 cycles.

"Analysis of test data and review of the manufacturing process has revealed compounding effects that may contribute to a shortfall in component life and an increased likelihood of premature cracking in this region," it states.

Excessive cracking on the vanes' convex surface could, it says, lead to possible fracture of high-pressure turbine blades - and subsequent engine damage - if vane material is released. Turbine gas flow could also be blocked, it adds.

EASA is instructing operators of Trent 900 engines to inspect the nozzle guide vane surfaces before 400 cycles, and to repeat these inspections at least every 100 cycles. If no damage is detected by 1,000 cycles, it adds, normal inspection maintenance can be resumed. The directive takes effect from 2 December.

Rolls-Royce states that the Trent 900 last month clocked up a year’s airline service, accumulating 8,000 cycles across seven aircraft.

Singapore Airlines and Qantas both operate Trent 900-powered A380 aircraft, while Emirates' A380s are fitted with Engine Alliance GP7200 power plants.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Pilot alerted officials jet had run out of runway

2008-11-21T06:05:00.000-08:00

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Cockpit recordings have been released from the September crash of a Learjet that killed four people, including the pilots, and critically burned a musician and celebrity disc jockey.

The jet's co-pilot is heard telling the control tower at Columbia, South Carolina's main airport: "Roll the equipment, we're going off the end."

The plane shot off the end of the runway, ripped through a fence and crossed a highway before coming to rest in flames.

Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and celebrity disc jockey DJ AM were severely burned in the crash. Both men are expected to fully recover.

Aviation authorities have said cockpit recordings showed the jet's crew thought a tire had blown before takeoff.

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 21/11/08.

Europe’s Environmental Challenge Single European Sky by 2012

2008-11-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Bordeaux -The International Air Transport Association (IATA) challenged Europe to deliver a Single European Sky (SES) by 2012.

“After decades of talks and little action, failure to implement an effective SES is Europe’s biggest environmental embarrassment. In 2007, this failure resulted in 21 million minutes of delays and 468 million kilometres of unnecessary flight. This wasted 16 million tonnes of CO2. This crisis that is gripping the airline industry highlights the fact that airlines cannot afford the EUR 5 billion cost that this brings. And neither can Europe afford the impact on its competitiveness. This must change fast,” said IATA Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani in a keynote address to the European Air Transport Summit being held in Bordeaux.

IATA fully supports the European Commission’s performance-driven approach. This was proposed in the SES II Package proposed by Vice President Tajani in June. “We need binding performance targets at the national and community levels, functional airspace blocks (FABs) coordinated by a strong network manager with harmonised safety oversight through EASA, and the enabling SESAR technology to allow a Single European Sky to deliver its promised benefits,” said Bisignani.

FABs and SESAR are the critical building blocks for an SES. The plan to combine European airspace into 9 cross-national FABs will increase system capacity by 70%, reduce average delays to 1 minute or less, cut user costs by 50% and reduce the environmental impact per flight by 10% by 2020 while improving safety. “These 9 FABs cannot be kingdoms operating independently. We need a strong network manager to drive efficiencies and meet binding performance targets. And we need an EASA with sufficient resources to provide safety oversight for airports and air navigation service providers,” said Bisignani.

IATA linked SES to Europe’s proposal to include aviation into the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in 2012. “2012 is the year. We need 9 FABs in place, delivering benefits against binding performance targets with a strong network manager. This is the minimum requirement. Even if Europe chooses to overlook the major flaws of its ETS proposal - the unilateral approach is illegal and the regional scope is ineffective - the only credibility that is left is the SES. Airlines cannot accept to be charged for emissions in Europe when the inefficiency of the system forces them to waste 16 million tonnes of CO2 each year,” said Bisignani.

Bisignani attacked 2 persistent myths surrounding the SES. “First, job losses are a misplaced fear when there is a global shortage of air traffic controllers and SESAR (the technology component of SES) will generate 200,000 highly skilled jobs in Europe. Second, FABs don’t reduce sovereignty. Europe faces the same question with the Euro. Today nobody questions the sovereignty of the Euro-Zone states. SES is no different. Sovereignty is even institutionalised in the independent National Supervisory Authority. These are two myths which we must kill with facts,” said Bisignani.

IATA’s Four Pillar Strategy to Address Climate Change is delivering results. The strategy - endorsed by industry and government focuses on technology, operations, infrastructure and positive economic measures - including ETS. Since 2004, IATA efforts, including route shortening and working directly with airlines to implement best operational practices, has saved 59 million tonnes of CO2 with a cost saving of US$12 billion. An effective SES would be a key contributor to these efforts.

Europe must contribute to a global solution on economic measures addressing change. “While focusing technical efforts to deliver the SES by 2012, Europe must aim its political efforts on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Article 2 of the Kyoto Protocol gives ICAO the responsibility to find an effective global solution for aviation’s emissions that is global and voluntary for states. This summer the G8 affirmed this role in their Summit Declaration. With 44 European states among ICAO’s 189 contracting members and with three states on the 15 member ICAO Group on International Aviation and Climate Change (GIACC), Europe has a duty to ensure that ICAO delivers a global result and to harmonise its approach with the global solution,” said Bisignani.

Don’t make the ETS proposal any worse. In the meantime, Bisignani urged Europe not to include its misguided unilateral approach to aviation and ETS in the General Review process of the European ETS. “Don’t make a bad decision worse by including aviation in the ETS General Review. It makes absolutely no sense to review something that has not even started yet, let alone even consider raising auctioning levels beyond the current 15%,” said Bisignani.

Fonte: IATA 18/11/2008.

The FAA needs to stop endless grandfathering of old systems

2008-11-18T08:25:00.002-08:00

That the US Federal Aviation Administration has seen fit to write yet another airworthiness directive about the Boeing 737's cabin pressurization control system is a symptom of the fact that not only did insufficient thought go into designing the system in the first place, but also that nothing has been done to correct the design shortcomings since. This is by no means the only example of that syndrome at the FAA.

Readers could say of this comment that hindsight is a wonderful thing. Yes, it is, but the FAA has frequently failed to act according to the wisdom available from hindsight. It has issued two amendments to the 737 flightcrew operations manual so far to try to deal with repeated occurrences of crews failing to recognise that the system is wrongly set, and/or failing to respond correctly to the warning that the cabin is failing to pressurise. Both the directives papered over the cracks rather than eliminating them.

The 737 series is such a good basic aircraft design that it has survived in production longer than any other jet airliner in history. That is now becoming the nature of modern aircraft designs, so permitting indefinite "grandfather rights" for onboard systems that are, frankly, outdated is a more compelling issue than it ever was before. It is no longer good enough to change the manual when repeated evidence suggests the system needs improvement or change, especially when more modern systems have been proven in other types.

There are numerous options for change in this case. The first would be to change the audible warning from the same sound as the take-off configuration alert instead of a repeating horn, a voice repeating "cabin altitude"? Instead of requiring the crew to select the pressurisation control from manual to automatic when cabin altitude exceeds 10,000ft (3,050m), make the change automatic, with audio advice of its operation. Engineers could certainly come up with alternatives such as those.

There are other cases in which the FAA has still not acted on required changes years after the fatal events that flagged up the need for them - such as not requiring dry-running fuel pumps to switch off automatically in 737 centre-wing fuel tanks, or not requiring spoilers to retract automatically if the crews firewall the power levers. Or when the FAA allowed the 737 to have a rudder power control unit (PCU) that did not comply with the fundamental requirement that it should fail safe, and all on board a United 737-200 and a USAir 737-300 died because of it. In that case the body count was so high that the FAA and Boeing worked to redesign the rudder PCU for all 737s. But the world has moved beyond using body count to determine safety policy. Hasn't it?

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/11/18/318896/the-faa-needs-to-stop-endless-grandfathering-of-old.html

Air NZ flight in emergency landing

2008-11-18T08:25:00.001-08:00

DISRUPTION: An Air New Zealand flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Palmerston North airport after an engine failed 10 minutes into a flight.

An Air New Zealand flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Palmerston North airport after an engine failed 10 minutes into a flight.

The Q300 plane, which had 33 passengers onboard, was flying from Napier to Wellington when one of the propeller engines malfunctioned just before midday.

The pilot shut the engine down and flew to Palmerston North with a single engine.

Passenger Mike Rodgers, of Gore, heard a bang when the engine shut down and saw oil seeping from the propeller.

No passengers were injured but a few were shaken by the experience, he said.

Fire fighters and St John ambulance crews were called to the airport but were not needed.

Palmerston North airport operations manager Roy Bodell said the passengers had alternative travel arrangements made by Air New Zealand.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4763862a11.html

Canadian Air Crash Kills Seven

2008-11-18T08:24:00.002-08:00

OTTAWA — A Grumman Goose amphibious aircraft crashed north of Vancouver, British Columbia on Sunday, killing seven occupants, the Canadian Armed Forces said. One passenger survived.

The crash was the second of a Grumman Goose operated by Pacific Coastal Airlines since August, when another one went down, killing five.

News reports indicated that the plane apparently flew into a hillside on an island off the province’s rugged coastline.

The age of the aircraft was not known although Grumman discontinued production of the model during the 1940’s.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/world/americas/17canada.html?ref=world

US Airways jet makes emergency landing in Philadelphia

2008-11-18T08:24:00.001-08:00

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A US Airways Express flight made an emergency landing Sunday without its nose landing gear.
No injuries were reported.

The Philadelphia-bound deHavilland Dash-8 turboprop, operated by Piedmont Airlines, had taken off from Allentown at about 8:20 a.m. with 35 passengers and three crewmembers on board, according to officials of the airline and Philadelphia International Airport.

Before the scheduled landing at Philadelphia, the crew got an indication that the landing gear was not down and did a flyover to confirm that it had not deployed, airport spokeswoman Victoria Lupica said.

Fire crews spread foam on the runway as a precaution, but there was no smoke and no fire when the aircraft landed without its nose wheels at around 9:20 a.m., Lupica said.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: US Airways Allentown Philadelphia International Airport Piedmont Airlines
Passengers were taken to the terminal by bus.

The cause of the problem remained was under investigation, said US Airways spokesman Morgan Durant.

Lupica said the airport had to be closed for about 25 minutes.

By midday, the plane was still on the runway. The three other runways were open but the airport reported some incoming flights delayed nearly three hours because of the disruption.

NTSB: Wake Turbulence From 767 Likely Caused Mexican Lear Crash

2008-11-18T08:23:00.002-08:00

CVR Records Pilots' Last Statements
US and Mexican investigators speculate the downing of a Learjet 45 in Mexico City on November 4 was caused by the combination of wake turbulence from a landing airliner and the pilots’ unfamiliarity with the aircraft.

The plane’s cockpit data recorder, analyzed by the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, DC, revealed the pilots' last words – "Diosito" (My little God) – in their struggle to regain control of the aircraft as it encountered severe wake turbulence.

Theories of sabotage have been all but ruled out in the deaths of all nine persons on board, including Mexico's Interior Minister, Juan Camilo Mouriño, and José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, well known for his fight against drug cartels.

Pilot Martín Oliva, 39, and co-pilot Alvaro Sánchez, 58, have been defended by their families as responsible, serious professionals, the Dallas Morning News reported.

But at a news conference, Mexico's Communications and Transportation Minister Luis Telléz said, "The investigation revealed apparent deficiencies in the training and certification process of both [pilots]," and alleged the pilots failed to follow ATC instructions.

As the Learjet approached Mexico City, it was sequenced behind a Boeing 767-300 and given instructions to reduce airspeed in order to maintain proper spacing behind the airliner, Telléz said. But the pilots took over a minute to comply with the speed reduction, putting their plane just 4 nm behind the much larger 767.

Investigators said that wake turbulence from the 767 caused the Learjet to crash within 30 seconds, evidenced by the plane's Cockpit Voice Recorder:

Pilot: "That one's got some turbulence."
Co-pilot: "Hey man."
Pilot: "Hey [expletive]."
Later:
Pilot: "Alvaro, what do we do, Alvaro?"
Co-pilot: "Hand it over to me, hand it over to me, hand it over to me."
Pilot: "It's yours Alvaro."
Pilot: "[expletive]"
Pilot: "No, Alvaro."
Co-pilot: "Diosito."

FMI: www.ntsb.gov
aero-news.net

Officials say FAA covered up safety errors at Texas airport

2008-11-18T08:23:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON — A Transportation Department investigation has concluded that Federal Aviation Administration officials covered up safety errors at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the second such admonishment in the past three years.
A spokeswoman for the department's inspector general said a report of the investigation's findings should be released Friday. She confirmed the general findings as outlined in documents released late Thursday by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

The report was requested by the special counsel's office, which is tasked with protecting government whistle-blowers. That office said in a statement that between November 2005 and July 2007 FAA managers intentionally misclassified 62 events as safety errors by pilots in an attempt to shift blame away from air traffic controllers at the Texas airport.

The inspector general previously had confirmed a similar underreporting of safety errors at the airport in 2004. After that incident, FAA officials promised to take steps to fix the problem.

Acting Special Counsel William Reukauf, in a letter Thursday to President George W. Bush, said increased "scrutiny of FAA and its implementation of the corrective measures proposed to resolve the continued misconduct and mismanagement is critical."

According the special counsel, the inspector general's report recommends 10 corrective measures be taken in response to the coverup, including a reorganization of air traffic control management at Dallas-Fort Worth and a comprehensive top-to-bottom review of FAA's overall air traffic safety management.

FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the agency already has implemented all of the inspector general's recommendations that don't relate to personnel matters, which she is prohibited from discussing.

"I can tell you we take them very seriously, and we're taking appropriate action on those as well," Brown said.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said previously that safety errors by controllers increased because airport towers and other radar control facilities are understaffed and experienced controllers are leaving the FAA.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/reports/2008-11-13-faa-coverup_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Military: Civilian cargo plane crashes in Iraq

2008-11-18T08:22:00.002-08:00

BAGHDAD (AP) — A cargo plane chartered by FedEx crashed Thursday west of Baghdad after reporting a malfunction, the U.S. military said. It ruled out hostile fire and said the crew was presumed dead.
The Russian-made An-12 plane with up to seven crewmembers — none of them American — was flying from al-Asad air base to Baghdad International Airport when it lost radio contact and crashed around 11:35 a.m., the military said.

The crash happened south of Fallujah, where insurgents once held sway. The military said mechanical failure or pilot error was the likely cause, but declined to elaborate. The military also secured the crash site.

"It looks like everybody was lost but I can't confirm that. The investigation will determine that," U.S. military spokesman Capt. Charles Calio said.

Iraqi police in Fallujah said no shooting was reported at the time of the crash.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Iraq Christianity Mosul Fallujah United Arab Emirates Dubai Baghdad International Airport FedEx Express Al-Asad Staffan de Mistura
In a statement, FedEx said it was aware that an aircraft operated by one of its contractors to carry FedEx Express cargo could not be located on radar and had been out of radio contact since 10:45 a.m.

"FedEx is closely monitoring the situation and is working with the contractor to investigate the situation," the statement said. "Our foremost priority is the safety and welfare of the pilot and crew."

The U.S. logistics company said the aircraft had originally come from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Also Thursday, the main U.N. envoy in Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, in a statement condemned the killing of two Christian sisters in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

Iraqi police say the two women were killed Wednesday as they were waiting in front of their house for a ride to work. Their mother was wounded in the attack.

The U.S. military has confirmed the killings and says the Christian family's house was then destroyed by bombs planted inside.

The attack came after about 13,000 Christians fled Mosul last month in the face of threats and attacks from extremists.

De Mistura noted that the killings followed a report by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees that some recently displaced Christian families were starting to return as the security situation in Mosul showed signs of improvement.

He also called on Iraqi authorities at the national and local level to protect Christians and other minorities in Iraq and to ensure those behind the attacks "are swiftly brought to justice."

Tensions are running high in Mosul, where U.S. and Iraqi troops have been trying since last spring to rout insurgents from Iraq's third largest city.

On Wednesday, an Iraqi soldier opened fire on a group of U.S. soldiers at an Iraqi military base in Mosul, killing two of them and wounding six others before dying in a hail of bullets, U.S. and Iraqi officials said.

The attack remained under investigation.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-11-13-iraq-thursday_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Civilian cargo aircraft crashes in western Iraq

2008-11-18T08:22:00.001-08:00

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A civilian cargo aircraft with seven people on board crashed shortly after take-off in western Iraq on Thursday, the U.S. military said, adding that there was little hope of any survivors.

The ex-Soviet built AN-12 airplane, operated by a German firm, crashed shortly after take off, army Captain Charles Calio said. It had just left an air base near the western city of Falluja.

Earlier reports had described it as a U.S. civilian cargo plane. Calio said no American citizens or soldiers were on board. A damage assessment was being done, but it was unlikely that any of the six crew and one baggage handler had survived.

"It looks like everybody was lost," he said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4AC54Y20081113

Civilian aircraft crashes in Iraq

2008-11-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

A civilian cargo aircraft has crashed to the south of Falluja, in western Iraq, US officials have said.

The cargo plane was carrying four to six people, the US military said, when it crashed because of a "malfunction".

Witnesses said the plane took off from Habbaniya base in Anbar province but was seen in flames before crashing.

There was no word on whether the crew of the plane survived the crash. Their nationalities were also unknown, the US military said.

"It was a malfunction. It lost radio contact, then it crashed. We have no information on the fate of the crew," a US military spokeswoman said.

Iraqi police told the Associated Press that the plane, which took off near Falluja, crashed in the desert without causing Iraqi casualties.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7727911.stm

Cargo plane crashes in Iraq (AN-12)

2008-11-18T08:20:00.000-08:00

BAGHDAD, (CNN) — A civilian cargo plane carrying six crew members and a passenger crashed in Iraq on Thursday, a U.S. military spokesman said.

The military said mechanical failure or pilot error appears to have caused the accident. The status of the people on board is not yet known, the spokesman said. No coalition personnel were among them.

The fixed-wing aircraft was headed from Al Asad Airfield in Anbar province to the Baghdad International Airport. A quick reaction force was dispatched to the crash site to assist with security and relief efforts.

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 18/11/2008.

Fatal air crash report points finger at Transport Canada

2008-11-18T08:17:00.000-08:00

Proper oversight by regulator found lacking

Transport Canada broke its own rules when it cancelled an audit program just months before a fatal plane crash during its transition to a self-policing civil aviation system.

The information was contained in a confidential draft report obtained by Canwest News Service.

The Transportation Safety Board's draft investigation report, dated Aug. 1, 2008, documents the events leading up to a Transwest Air (TWA) crash in Sandy Bay, Sask., on Jan. 7, 2007.

In addition to finding "repeated" and "routine" regulatory infractions on the part of King Air pilots at the regional airline -- to the point where crew were "likely unaware that many were actual policy and procedural deviations" -- the board found big gaps in Transport Canada's role as regulator.

"Although Transport Canada safety oversight processes identified the existence of supervisory deficiencies within TWA, the extent of the deficiencies was not fully appreciated because of the limitations of the current inspection/audit oversight system."

Two flight crew and two emergency medical technicians were aboard a King Air aircraft en route to pick up a patient from the Sandy Bay Health Centre when it crashed into trees near the runway after an aborted landing attempt. The 52-year-old pilot died of his injuries; the other three suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The board's findings, related to causes and contributing factors, focus on TWA's deficient supervision of the King Air operation and failures of the crew. But the board also identifies several "findings as to risk" concerning Transport Canada's deficiencies. It's one of three crash reports expected in the coming months to single out the department's failure to provide proper oversight during the implementation of the safety management system (SMS). The system is similar to changes being made to Canada's food inspection, where the onus shifts to companies to identify hazards and manage their own risks.

The pilot's widow, Debbie Wolsey, is challenging the findings. In her brief to the safety board, she places blame on Transport Canada's failure to properly regulate the company, to which her husband Rick Wolsey voiced concerns about his 24-year-old crew member.

"It all ties in to Transport Canada not fulfilling their responsibility in ensuring safety in the aviation industry," Wolsey said in an interview.

"I do not want Rick's death to have been worthless. If it has to prove a point in regards to the safety of the aviation industry, so be it," she said.

At the time of the crash, TWA was at Phase 2 of SMS implementation, championed for civil aviation under the previous Liberal government, which introduced SMS to the railway industry in 2001. The draft report said TWA was not yet in a position to identify hazards in any proactive way, and Transport Canada was not slated to conduct an on-site SMS assessment until April 2007.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=b3f461b1-690f-4155-9199-6a402d4b520d

US experts believe Mexico plane crash was accident

2008-11-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

MEXICO CITY (AP) — U.S. investigators have found no evidence of foul play in a mysterious plane crash that killed Mexico's second-most powerful official, the American ambassador said Wednesday.

U.S. National Transportation and Safety Board experts say that, so far, nothing in the flight data recorder, cockpit recorder or other evidence indicates that "sabotage or criminal activity caused the crash," Tony Garza said in a statement.

"The preliminary evidence indicates the crash was a tragic accident," he added.

The NTSB team has been in Mexico for a week to help investigate the Nov. 4 crash that killed Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, who was the equivalent of Mexico's vice president and the closest confidant of President Felipe Calderon.

Five people on the ground and nine people on the plane were killed when the Learjet 45 suddenly plunged into an upscale Mexico City neighborhood. Also among those on board was former anti-drug prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos.

From the start, Mexican investigators have said the crash appeared to be an accident. They ruled out a bomb last week, saying no trace of explosives was found at the crash scene.

Despite the lack of evidence, many Mexicans immediately suspected the crash was another attack by drug cartels, which have increasingly targeted security officials. Vasconcelos had been the target of at least one previous assassination plot.

Garza said the NTSB investigators would leave Mexico on Thursday but the agency would continue to help examine evidence and run simulations to determine what happened.

He gave no indication of whether investigators were close to determining the cause, saying only that "we must now all await the final conclusions" of Mexican aviation officials.

Mexican officials have offered a wide range of possibilities, from human error to turbulence from another plane. They ruled out engine failure last week.

The crash occurred in clear weather, and in their last recorded radio conversation, the plane's flight crew calmly discussed radio frequencies and speed with controllers. The tape went silent just as radar lost the plane's altitude reading.

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 18/11/2008.

Research shows pilot training is the best investment against catastrophic accident risk

2008-11-12T06:52:00.002-08:00

The latest global airline safety analysis by the UK Civil Aviation Authority indicates that, despite advancing technology and improved aircraft reliability, crew judgment and actions remain the most consistent causal factor in global catastrophic accidents. That situation will remain true for the foreseeable future, according to Dr Hazel Courteney, head of research and strategic analysis.

For that reason, she says, quality pilot training at all levels remains the critical factor in preventing really serious accidents.

Speaking at the recent Flight Safety Foundation International Aviation Safety Seminar in Honolulu, Courteney was presenting a study on prioritizing strategies with the highest potential to reduce the chances of catastrophic accidents, as well as less serious safety events.

Courteney revealed: "Crew-related issues dominate accident causal factors, featuring in 75% of fatal accidents." She qualified this statement, explaining: "It is important to note that this [statistic] does not imply that the pilot was at fault or to blame, because it is now well-established that 'pilot error' cannot continue to be the scapegoat for the many and various factors that can lead to the error occurring. However, it is important to include crew factors in this data [analysis] because it highlights the crucial importance of pilot performance in safety, and therefore reminds us to invest resources in anything that might support it - [for example] training and simulation facilities - and to minimize influences that might adversely contribute - time pressure, fatigue and distraction."

Courteney's study comments: "Improving safety is getting harder. The easy changes have been made and the obvious lessons have been learned. Accidents are getting rare and tend to involve multiple, unique circumstances." This fact predisposes to situations that test the crew's resourcefulness, technical knowledge and skills.

The CAA study has found that the three top catastrophic accident risks all involve loss of control (LOC) under different circumstances. One is LOC following a technical failure, another LOC "for non-technical reasons", and the final one is loss of control caused by icing. Following the LOC categories, Courteney says controlled flight into terrain remains the next most serious catastrophic risk, followed by post-crash fire and runway excursions and overruns.

The CAA's study is continuing, says Courteney.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/11/12/318697/research-shows-pilot-training-is-the-best-investment-against-catastrophic-accident.html

Fighter plane in training run near-miss with private jet

2008-11-12T06:52:00.001-08:00

A FIGHTER plane came within 240ft of colliding with a private jet during a "most serious" near-miss.

The Eurofighter Typhoon was diving on a "high angle strafe" during a training run when it shot past the Hawker Siddeley 125 coming into land at an airport on Humberside.

The UK Airprox Board, which investigates near-misses between aircraft, graded the incident which happened at 8000ft as Category A, meaning "an actual risk of collision existed".

http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Fighter-plane--in-training.4684730.jp

Alaska Air jet makes emergency landing

2008-11-12T06:51:00.001-08:00

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- Alaska Airlines is investigating the cause of an engine problem that led to an emergency landing of one of the newer additions to its fleet.

Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Caroline Boren says one of the plane's two engines malfunctioned about 30 minutes after takeoff in Anchorage Tuesday morning. Boren says the crew of the Fairbanks-bound plane idled the engine, and declared an emergency landing as a precaution.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft landed normally in Anchorage 7:49 a.m. and passengers were put on a 10:05 a.m. flight to Fairbanks.

Boren says there were no injuries among the 61 passengers and five crew members.

She says the plane is among aircraft added to the airline's fleet in recent years.

Northwest regional jet makes emergency landing in Indy

2008-11-12T06:50:00.000-08:00

A INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A Northwest Airlines regional flight landed safely at Indianapolis after a problem with cabin pressure.

The Bombardier CRJ200 was en route to Detroit from Little Rock, Ark. with 26 passengers on board when it was diverted to Indianapolis this morning, according to a report from WISH (Channel 8).

Indianapolis International Airport spokeswoman Susan Sullivan says fire crews were on standby as the jet landed. The jet taxied to a gate where the passengers disembarked.

No injuries were reported.

Sullivan says officials suspect a leak in a seal around the jet’s windshield may have caused the problem.

Helicopter crash in Boynton Beach

2008-11-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

BOYNTON BEACH, FL -- Two people were injured early this morning, including a local traffic reporter, after a helicopter crash in Boynton Beach. The helicopter is leased by West Palm Beach television station WPEC.

Boynton Beach police received calls of a helicopter down at 1000 W. Industrial Avenue at 6:11 a.m., Boynton Beach police spokesperson Stephanie Slater wrote in a press release.

The pilot is identified as Takayuki Tanaka, 51, of Boca Raton. The passenger was WPEC's traffic reporter, Paul Cavenaugh, 55, of Delray Beach. Tanaka and Cavenaugh were transported to the Bethesda Hospital. Their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, according to Slater.

Slater reports, witnesses told police it sounded like the chopper's engine did not have full power. When officers arrived, the pilot was out of the chopper, the passenger was getting out.

A section of the rear rotor assembly was cutoff at mid-shaft, according to Chopper 5 Captain Julie Stevens, who was over the scene.

The helicopter is a Bell Ranger III. The NTSB is investigating the accident, according to Slater.

http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=a91c83f3-0657-48b0-937b-45e912fd8fef

FAA acts to ensure 737 pilots respond to pressurization alerts

2008-11-12T06:48:00.002-08:00

The US FAA has published an urgent airworthiness directive (AD) requiring a crew pre-flight briefing about the functioning of the cabin altitude warning system for all models of the Boeing 737.

Despite an FAA AD published two years ago, following the fatal crash near Athens on 14 August of a Helios Airways 737-400 caused by crew hypoxia when the cabin failed to pressurize, the directive acknowledges that there have been further incidents of pilot failure to recognize the activation of the cabin altitude warning system.

The latest AD becomes effective as a final rule on 25 November without a consultation period, but comment is invited, and a 120 day implementation period for operators is being allowed.

Each crew, says the AD, must carry out a briefing before the first flight of the day on what to expect from the cabin altitude warning system so they do not ignore its alert. The FAA says: "Because of the dual purpose of the intermittent cabin altitude/takeoff configuration warning horn, this briefing serves to remind flight crews that the sounding of the cabin altitude warning horn in flight requires immediate action, beginning with the immediate donning of oxygen masks."

Crew operations manuals must require the briefing to be used by crews "on aero planes in which the CABIN ALTITUDE and TAKEOFF CONFIG lights are not installed, or are installed but not activated." This, says the AD, "will be included as an additional item on the takeoff briefing before engine start for the first flight of the day, or following any change of either flight crew member".

The FAA requires that the pre-flight briefing must include the following verbal reminders:

"Whenever the intermittent warning horn sounds in flight:

1) Immediately, don oxygen masks and set regulators to 100%

2) Establish crew communications

3) Perform the CABIN ALTITUDE WARNING OR RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION checklist

It also requires that both pilots should verify, on the overhead cabin altitude panel, that the cabin altitude is stabilized at or below 10,000ft (3,000m) before removing oxygen masks.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Large flock of starlings hit Ryanair 737: investigators

2008-11-12T06:48:00.001-08:00

Preliminary evidence from the scene of today's Ryanair Boeing 737-800 landing accident at Rome Ciampino supports the initial claim that the jet sustained a serious bird-strike.

Italian investigation bureau Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo (ANSV) says the wing surfaces and engines were struck by a "large flock" of starlings.

ANSV has retrieved the flight recorders from the aircraft - which suffered damage to its left wing, undercarriage and fuselage - and is to interview the crew.

The aircraft, which had been approaching Ciampino's runway 15, came to rest on the threshold at the far end of the 2,200m (7,220ft) strip.

Ryanair says there were only a few minor injuries among the 172 occupants. Italian civil aviation administration ENAC expects the jet to be removed from the runway at 02:00 tomorrow.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

NTSB TO HOLD 3-DAY PUBLIC HEARING ON EMS OPERATIONS

2008-11-12T06:47:00.000-08:00

Washington, DC - The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public hearing on the safety of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) operations. The three-day hearing will begin on February 3, 2009, at the NTSB's Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C.

Helicopter EMS operations provide an important service to the public by transporting seriously ill patients or donor organs to emergency care facilities. The pressure to safely and quickly conduct these operations in various environmental conditions (for example, inclement weather, at night, and unfamiliar landing sites for helicopter operations) has the potential to make HEMS operations more at risk than normal passenger carrying operations.

"We have seen an alarming rise in the numbers of EMS accidents and the Safety Board believes some of these accidents could have been prevented if our recommendations were implemented," said Member Robert Sumwalt, Chairman of the Hearing. "This hearing will be extremely important because it can provide an opportunity to learn more about the industry so that possibly we can make further recommendations that can prevent these accidents and save lives."

The NTSB issued a Special Investigation Report on EMS Operations in January 2006. The report involved the analysis of all EMS-related aviation accidents that occurred from January 2002 through January 2005. There were a total of 55 accidents that occurred during this 3-year window; 41 helicopters and 14 airplanes. These accidents killed 54 people, and seriously injured 19. Analysis of the accidents indicated that 29 of 55 accidents could have been prevented with corrective actions identified in the report.

However, over the past 11 months the Safety Board has investigated nine fatal EMS Accidents with a total of 35 fatalities. In 2008 alone there have been 7 fatal accidents with 28 fatalities. This is a drastic increase in accidents since the Special Investigation Report and therefore has prompted the Safety Board to examine this issue in greater detail by holding this hearing.

There will be witnesses from all EMS communities including pilots, medical personnel, managers, and FAA. The issues that will be discussed during the hearing include:
* Operational Structure and Models * Flight Operations * Aircraft Safety Equipment * Training * Oversight

The hearing will be webcast. An agenda and webcast details will be posted on the Board's website, http://www.ntsb.gov, when available.

Fonte: NTSB 10/11/2008.

Cessna-206 Accident (Tanzania)

2008-11-10T08:11:00.002-08:00

Date: 08-NOV-2008
Time: ±11:00
Type: Cessna U206F
Operator: Luca Safaris Ltd
Registration: 5Y-AOO
C/n / msn: U20601710
Fatalities: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Mawenzi Peak, Mount Kilimanjaro - Tanzania
Phase: En route
Nature: Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Kyulu Hills
Destination airport: Kyulu Hills
Narrative:
The Cessna 206, registered to a Nairobi based company, took off from one of the many tourist camps at Kyulu Hills on the Kenyan side of Mount Kilimanjaro on a sight-seeing trip. It then crashed on Mawnzi Peak at an altitude of 4,330m above sea level. Four Italian tourists died, but the pilot survived and was taken to hospital at Moshi, a town on the north-eastern foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro.

(aviation-safety.net)

Woman Deplanes, Walks Into Moving Prop At FDK

2008-11-10T08:11:00.001-08:00

Right Arm Partly Severed, Woman Taken To Specialists

A woman deplaning from a Cessna at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK) in Maryland November 6 is lucky to be alive, after walking into the moving propeller of the airplane.

FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the Cessna 172 landed at FDK about 7 pm and proceeded to the ramp in front of the main terminal building, the Frederick News-Post reported.

Exiting from the left side of the plane and heading for the restaurant in the terminal building, the 19-year old woman walked around the front of the plane where the propeller struck and partly severed her right arm, according to Frederick Police Department reports.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Richard Hetherington said a Maryland State Police flight medic was on the scene when Frederick Police officers arrived about 7:10 pm. The woman was medevaced to Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, where hand and arm specialists waited to treat her injury.

Hetherington did not release the name of the woman or the pilot, reportedly a flight instructor and also a friend of the injured woman.

Airport Manager Kevin Daugherty speculated the pilot was unfamiliar with the Frederick airport, because transient aircraft usually park on the flight line at Landmark Aviation, he said.

FAA registration lists the owner of the plane as 210 Centurion Group LLC of Laurel, MD, and Daugherty said the plane returned to its home base at Baltimore's Martin State Airport on Friday morning.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident, Peters said.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.faa.gov
aero-news.net

Engine fell off Mexican plane before crash, official says

2008-11-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

Jet's left engine fell off as plane traveled between 250 and 300 kmh, reports say

No traces of explosives found in wreckage; no foul play suspected, official says

Interior minister, former deputy attorney general among those who died Tuesday

Mexicans had speculated that drug lords were behind crash

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- An engine fell off a Mexican government jet before it crashed, killing the second-highest official in the nation, the Cabinet member in charge of the investigation said Saturday.

1 of 2 Officials also said they have ruled out the possibility that the crash was caused by a bomb.

"There is no trace of explosives on the plane wreckage or the [crash] site," said Luis Tellez, Mexican secretary of communication and transportation.

Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, former deputy attorney general Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and six others onboard were killed in the crash. At least five others on the ground died, and others were reported missing. Officials said 40 people were injured.

Camilo Mourino and Santiago Vasconcelos had been instrumental in the war on drugs, leading to widespread speculation among Mexicans that drug lords orchestrated the crash. But Mexican authorities have said there is no indication that foul play was involved.

The government Learjet 45 was traveling at 500 kmh (310 mph) when it crashed in central Mexico City as it approached Benito Juarez International Airport.

Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Mexico's director of airports and auxiliary services, said the jet's left engine fell off when the plane was traveling between 250 and 300 kmh (150 to 186 mph), according to Mexico's state-run Notimex news agency.

An examination of the wreckage indicates that the engines were functioning at high speed, Lopez Meyer said.

Tallez said the day after the crash that the Learjet 45 did not explode in the air because when that happens, pieces of the airplane are scattered over a wide area. But the wreckage in this instance was limited to a small area, he said.

Tellez also said Wednesday that the pilot did not report an emergency, Notimex said.

A recording released Wednesday of what Mexican officials said was dialogue between the pilot and the airport control tower did not appear to have an emergency call from the aircraft.

Officials have vowed to make all aspects of the investigation public.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon inspected the crash site Saturday, Notimex said.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/11/08/mexico.crash/index.html

Mexico rules out bomb, failed engine in jet crash

2008-11-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

MEXICO CITY: (AP) Mexican experts say they have ruled out a bomb or engine failure as the cause of a plane crash that killed Mexico's interior secretary.

The probe into the cause of Tuesday's crash continues, but officials of Mexico's Transportation Department said the findings reinforced their initial opinion that no foul play was involved.

"This reinforced the hypothesis that the crash was an accident," said Transportation Secretary Luis Tellez.

Tellez told a news conference on Friday that all parts of the plane necessary for flight had been found at the crash scene, proving that none had been lost in flight.

Investigators from the federal Attorney General's Office also said chemical tests revealed no trace of explosives.

Five people on the ground and nine people on the plane were killed in Tuesday's crash, including Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino and former anti-drug prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos.

The 37-year-old Mourino, one of President Felipe Calderon's closest confidants, was Mexico's equivalent of vice president and domestic security chief. Santiago Vasconcelos had been the target of at least one previous assassination plot.

The crash occurred in clear weather, and in their last recorded radio conversation, the plane's flight crew calmly discussed radio frequencies and speed with controllers. The tape went silent just as radar lost the plane's altitude reading.

Two flight recorders from the Learjet 45 have been sent to the U.S. for examination. Tellez has said experts would need at least a week to analyze the plane's voice and data recorders for clues to what went wrong.

Experts from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Britain's Civil Aviation Authority are in Mexico helping with the investigation.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/11/07/news/LT-Mexico-Plane-Crash.php

"Airports Are Good Business"

2008-11-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Robert A. Sturgell,
Washington, D.C. November 7, 2008

Dulles Annual Gala

Good evening, and thank you, Jim [Bennett].Let me tell you a little something about this guy. He manages two major airports in the nation’s capital. He’s at the epicenter of the Dulles phenomenon. He increased the level and quality of air service for this region. And he’s on top of a major capital development program — the fourth runway. The Tower of Dulles award is going to the right person. A tip of the hat to you, Mr. Bennett.

Now to the matter at hand. I am indeed the acting administrator at the FAA, but you need to know things always seem to happen that help me keep my job in perspective. About month ago, when I was talking to my staff about this very speech, I said that I wanted to open it with a little humor. So one of them says, “I got it. I got it.”

I want you to listen to this first draft. I saved it. Here we go. “Thank you for that kind introduction, Jim. Two runways walk into a bar….” So I said, “This is a black tie event. I was hoping for something a little more classy.” Here’s draft number two. “Thank you for that kind introduction, Jim. Two runways walk into a classy bar….” It wasn’t like this at Top Gun.

You know, I often get asked about the difference between flying at Top Gun and challenges here in D.C., like testifying on the Hill. That’s an easy one. In the dogfights at Miramar, we didn’t use live ammo.

Kidding aside, I’m glad to be here tonight. It’s good to be in a room where people hear a plane overhead, and they think, “That’s the sound of commerce.” And indeed it is, which is why you’re here tonight.

Dulles and Reagan are money-makers, pure and simple. These two airports generate upwards of $18 billion in combined direct airport spending and what the visitors spend who come here. In terms of taxes at the state and local level alone, that’s better than $300 million. More than 28,000 jobs at the airports themselves, and more than 360,000 throughout the region.

This administration has done its part to help you get there. In the last eight years nationwide, we’ve invested 26.8 billion in aviation infrastructure, equipment and planning. A third of this — about 9 billion — has been directed to runway projects and another 2.2 billion for noise-related work.

Locally, MWAA deserves quite a bit of praise for its foresight in developing the airport system. International gateways don’t happen by themselves. Through sheer dint of hard work, you’ve got more than five million international passengers coming through here in a year. That infusion has sparked quite a bit economically for the region as well.

The communities who would rather fight airports than find a way to manage growth responsibly are missing the boat, or in this case, the plane. When you fight airport development, you wind up fighting jobs and your own economic wellbeing. The ironic thing is that there are solutions to the tough issues. We’ve made tremendous strides in reducing the environmental impact of aviation, from soundproofing schools to quieter engines, to a tremendous reduction in carbon emissions.

It’s time to recognize progress, to herald it, rather than throw up roadblocks.

Many of America’s busiest airports and metropolitan areas will require additional capacity in the next two decades if they want to keep up with the flood of traffic that’s headed their way. We conducted a study that demonstrated the importance of building and maintaining and upgrading an airport. By 2025 airports like Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Midway, Oakland, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, and San Francisco are going to have to risk the lost revenue, lost business, lost travel options and lost appeal that comes with chronic airport delays, or they’re going to have to consider building new runways, or in some instances, new airports.

That’s pretty sobering. Nevertheless, there is good news here. This Administration’s been hard at it. Since 2000, we’ve opened 13 new runways at America’s busiest airports. That’s the potential to accommodate almost 1.6 million more aircraft operations a year. In two weeks, we’re going to make history by opening three more — on the same day — at Dulles, O’Hare and Sea-Tac. That’s another 330,000 operations at three major airports in the system.

We’re also pushing in the long term. We’re focused on implementing the Next Generation Air Transportation System. NextGen isn’t just about ATC. It’s about airports. It’s going to transform the entire system, especially the way our airports operate. NextGen will provide a safer operational environment on the airfield. Pilots, controllers and ground personnel will have a greater situational awareness. I expect that will chip away at runway incursions, which already are at an incredibly low rate. Last year, for example, we had 25 serious incursions out of 58 million operations. I’ll grant you that for safety’s sake, one is one too many, but we’re moving in the right direction.

NextGen will also help us make better use of existing runway capacity. We’ll be able to reduce lateral and in-trail separation standards for aircraft on approach, especially in bad weather.

Precision-based navigation means more direct, and more precise routes with existing infrastructure. That’s VFR in IMC. As a pilot, I can tell you, that kind of capability is huge.

Diversions are as costly as they are inconvenient. Precision brings us more dependability, and dependability cuts delays.

NextGen will also give us greater flexibility in airport design. In concept, runways could be spaced as close together as 750 feet, as opposed to 4,300 feet as they are today. That’s capacity without requiring any additional land.

Maybe best of all, NextGen is big-time green. Environmental impacts will be reduced. Better technology, enhanced procedures, low carbon fuels — all will translate to a smaller environmental footprint. Noise and emissions will be reduced. Because of optimal approaches, we’ll be able to descend with the shortest route at minimum power. Less fuel burn, less pollution, less delay, less money. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Let me close by getting back to economics. As someone who’s seen aviation from all angles — military pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, flight instructor, aviation lawyer, safety investigator, deputy administrator and now administrator, I can tell you that I’ve learned firsthand that if we as a group don’t step up to boost airports, it’s the local community that takes it on the chin. Not just because of delays, reduced travel options or higher prices for local residents and visitors, but access to the world economy demands that your goods move faster, more efficiently and cheaper. If you can’t offer commerce access to your business, your business — and the jobs it provides to the local economy — is the real loser.

As I said earlier, there are solutions and I understand the concern for the environment and the tough local issues, which is why we’re pushing the green aspects of NextGen. But make no mistake about this. If we don’t keep our airports vibrant, we can’t be surprised when our own economy and employment takes a hit.

Jim Bennett’s got the right idea here. Good things are also happening elsewhere around the country. And it needs to continue. Just the other day, Jim Oberstar and John Mica both said that as a nation, we can’t afford to give the slow-roll to airport infrastructure projects. They’re absolutely right. When you keep airports strong, you keep communities strong. Strong communities with access to global markets make for a stronger America. Thank you. And congratulations.

Fonte: FAA 10/11/2008.

WAAS Instrument Approaches Now Outnumber Instrument Landing System Approaches

2008-11-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

In September 2008, the FAA passed a key milestone in its transition from a ground-based navigation infrastructure to an infrastructure based on satellites. The FAA has now published 1,333 Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV) approach procedures which are based on the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), a space-based navigation system commissioned in 2003. This is significant as the number of approach procedures based on WAAS has now surpassed the number of approach procedures based on its ground-based predecessor, the Category-I Instrument Landing System (ILS). This is clearly a turning point for aviation and the way pilots navigate.

For the past 60 years, Category-I ILS has been used at airports throughout the National Airspace System (NAS) to guide aircraft to as low as 200 feet above the runway surface. WAAS, commissioned just five years ago, now provides this same capability, but at more runway ends. Today, WAAS LPVs can currently be found at 833 airports.

The number of WAAS LPVs will continue to grow. The FAA’s goal is to produce 500 new WAAS procedures each year until every qualified runway in the NAS has one. Additionally, WAAS has enabled a new approach capability which will be introduced in 2009.

The WAAS signal is provided from space so there is no need for the FAA to install and maintain navigation equipment at an airport, such as that needed for an ILS. Additionally, safety is improved as more aircraft are provided with vertically-guided approaches and improved flight planning options enabled by WAAS.

Background

The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is a navigational system representing an enormous leap forward in air navigation. By virtue of its extensive coverage area, WAAS provides vertically-guided approach capability at thousands of airports and airstrips where this capability had previously not been affordable. It is a core element in transitioning to the satellite-based air traffic control system of the future.

WAAS is designed to improve the accuracy and ensure the integrity of positioning and timing information from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.

GPS alone does not meet FAA’s navigation requirements for accuracy, integrity and availability for all operations; nor does GPS provide the necessary guarantees that its signal will be accurate, available, and safe to use at all times.

WAAS corrects for the GPS satellite position errors, ionosphere delays, and other disturbances in the GPS signals, improving the accuracy and reliability of the users’ position solution.

More importantly, WAAS warns the pilot when the satellites are not functioning correctly and should not be used for navigation.

Although the WAAS was designed for aviation users, it supports a wide variety of non-aviation uses including agriculture, surveying, recreation, and surface transportation–just to name a few.

The WAAS signal has been available for non safety-of-life applications since August 2000, and numerous manufacturers have developed WAAS-enabled GPS receivers for the consumer market. Today, there are millions of non-aviation WAAS-enabled GPS receivers in use.

WAAS was developed for the FAA by Raytheon Corporation.

How WAAS Works

WAAS uses a network of precisely-located ground reference stations that monitor GPS satellite signals. These stations are located throughout the continental U.S., Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Canada and Mexico. The stations collect and process GPS information and send the information to WAAS master stations. The WAAS master stations develop a WAAS correction message that is sent to user receivers via navigation transponders on geostationary satellites. The WAAS message improves the accuracy, availability, and safety of GPS-derived position information.

Using WAAS, GPS signal accuracy is improved from 20 meters to approximately 1.5 – 2 meters in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions. WAAS hardware consists of: 38 ground reference stations, 2 master stations, 2 geosynchronous satellites, 4 uplink stations, 2 operational control centers, and the WAAS terrestrial communications network.

Benefits

Two of the FAA’s top goals are increased safety and greater capacity. WAAS provides for both, along with additional significant benefits:

More vertically-guided approach procedures, which are proven to be safer than those without vertical-guidance.

More flexible approach and departure routings, which will cut arrival times as well as enhance safety and noise abatement.

More direct, fuel efficient and timely routings through the air traffic control system.
Navigation source for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). Using WAAS, ADS-B can report a more accurate position to controllers and other aircraft flying in the area than can be provided by GPS alone.

Navigation source for Terrain Avoidance Warning Systems, which warn pilots and controllers of proximity to the ground.

Significant government cost savings due to the elimination of maintenance costs associated with older, more expensive ground-based navigation aids.

WAAS is a pioneering technology. Currently, no other navigation technologies exist to meet FAA requirements and user needs for the expansion of vertically-guided landing capabilities at thousands of additional airports.

Milestones

July 2003 — WAAS is commissioned by the FAA for instrument flight use supporting minimums as low as 250’.

September 2003 — The first WAAS LPVs are published.

October 2004 — FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey announces that U.S. avionics manufacturers are building new WAAS receivers or upgrading existing GPS receivers to WAAS capability and urges aviation users to equip.

December 2004 — The FAA installs four additional WAAS reference stations in Barrow, Bethel, Fairbanks, and Kotzebue, AK as initial steps in a planned WAAS expansion.

March 2005 — The FAA finalizes a Geostationary Satellite Communications Control Segment contract with Lockheed Martin for WAAS geostationary satellite leased services through 2016.

June 2005 — The first international WAAS reference station is installed in Canada.

March 2006–Due to outstanding system performance, WAAS is approved to support lower minimums, as low as 200’.

August 2006 — WAAS service is expanded to cover all of Alaska.

November 2006 — A new WAAS GEO, the PanAmSat Galaxy XV, is integrated into WAAS, increasing WAAS availability throughout the U.S.

July 2007 — A second new WAAS GEO, the Telesat ANIK-F1R, is integrated into WAAS,
completing the implementation of enhanced WAAS GEO coverage. Later in the same year, the original WAAS Inmarsat GEOs are phased out.

September 2007 — WAAS service is expanded to cover large portions of Canada and Mexico.

June 2008 — The number of WAAS LPV-capable avionics passes the 35,000 mark and continues to climb steadily each month.

September 2008 — The number of runways served by WAAS LPVs surpasses the numbers of runways served by ILS.

Fonte: FAA 07/11/2008.

Rise in Collision Hazards for Planes Spurs Changes

2008-11-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

By ANDY PASZTOR

Concerned about a rise in midair-collision hazards facing jetliners on both sides of the Atlantic, regulators, air-traffic controllers and aviation-parts suppliers are devising new procedures and systems to reduce such dangers.

Midair conflicts between planes in the U.S. have been most frequent in California and the Northeast, with the number of serious incidents in some of those areas nearly doubling since 2007, according to controllers. Just this week, a controller mistake put a Southwest Airlines jet and an Alaska Airlines jet on a collision course while both planes were maneuvering to land in San Diego. Onboard collision warning devices ordered the pilots to take evasive action, and both aircraft landed safely.

Safety experts believe that growth in air traffic is a major cause in the rise of midair hazards, but mistakes by air traffic controllers and other factors also contribute. The FAA doesn't keep detailed statistics on midair conflicts averted by onboard warnings. But an agency spokeswoman said Thursday that the overall number of serious controller errors nationwide rose to 357 in fiscal 2008 from 289 the previous year. In Southern California, controllers said there have been six serious midair incidents in the past year

An FAA spokeswoman said the agency takes midair-collision hazards "very seriously and is doing everything in its power to eliminate the risk."

To reduce midair threats in busy U.S. airspace, controllers at many of the largest air-traffic centers nationwide now routinely keep certain aircraft farther apart than they did barely a year ago. The goal, according to controllers, is to provide an extra cushion of separation between planes -- particularly jetliners relying on instruments and pilots of smaller private aircraft using visual flight rules.

"We have reacted to the increased number" of onboard collision-avoidance warnings in recent months "by increasing the vertical separation between aircraft," said Melvin Davis, a spokesman for the controller's union.

As part of broader U.S. air-traffic control improvements, the Federal Aviation Administration is in the process of upgrading software at more than a dozen existing radar facilities so the agency will be able to better identify and analyze close calls when they occur. And aircraft suppliers such as Honeywell International Inc. are voluntarily developing new software to enhance the performance of the onboard collision warning devices they manufacture.

In Europe, where some safety experts believe as many as eight serious midair near-collisions have occurred over the past five years, politicians and regulators are looking to mandate such software changes. Plane-maker Airbus has agreed to preliminary plans to start installing them on aircraft coming out of the factory by mid-2009. It's not clear how soon Boeing Co. would incorporate the changes in its production lines.

Most hazards associated with midair collisions were supposed to have been resolved years ago, after the latest-generation warning devices were installed on all commercial jets and smaller planes flying in controlled airspace. But the issue flared up publicly at an international safety conference in Florida in June, when a representative of European airlines said preliminary data indicated dramatic spikes in anti-collision warnings around international airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Newark and elsewhere. The complaints prompted regulators and industry to take a closer look, but an FAA-sponsored study is still under way. The agency declined to comment.

In a letter to Canadian air-safety officials in late August, Vincent de Vroey, a top official with the Association of European Airlines, said "senior FAA management has now acknowledged potential safety concerns related to" escalating anti-collision warnings. The letter also said FAA and industry experts launched "a comprehensive study" to "analyze the problems and to propose recommendations to mitigate" safety concerns.

The safety debate comes at a time when FAA critics in Congress and elsewhere argue that the overall number of operational errors by U.S. controllers is climbing dramatically. In Southern and Northern California alone, according to unofficial figures provided by controllers, the total number of mistakes by controllers has doubled over the past year. The Southern California total rose to nearly 40 errors, though annual comparisons are difficult because the FAA earlier this year changed the way it categorizes controller slipups.

For example, in March, an American Airlines Boeing 757 arriving into Southern California from Mexico and a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 taking off from John Wayne International Airport in Orange County were mistakenly put on a collision course by controllers over the Pacific Ocean. Three months later a wide-body jetliner flown by Air Tahiti, climbing past 10,000 feet after departing Los Angeles, had a close call with a twin-propeller aircraft following visual flight rules. In both instances, onboard warnings alerted pilots to take evasive action before controllers discovered the errors.

Other parts of the country have shown year-over year increases of roughly 30%, according to controllers. The totals include midair close calls as well as close calls between planes moving on the ground.

With the FAA and the controller's union locked in a bitter labor-management battle over wages and working conditions, controversy over controller fatigue and staffing levels is bound to confront the incoming Administration.

Despite the heightened focus on midair hazards, no big U.S. passenger jet has been involved in a midair collision since 1978. And no major midair collision has occurred in U.S. airspace since the late 1980s. But foreign carriers have had at least three major midair crashes since then, including a July 2002 collision over Germany between a DHL cargo aircraft and a Bashkirian Airlines jet, which killed dozens of children aboard the passenger plane.

Investigators determined that the pilots of the Russian-built Tupolev 154 failed to properly follow warnings from onboard collision-avoidance systems. The crash over Germany sparked controversy over how to improve the safety of air-traffic control management in Europe, and also prompted efforts to improve onboard warning devices.

In September 2006, a Boeing 737 passenger jet operated by the Brazilian carrier, Gol Transportes Aereos, crashed after colliding with a business jet over the Amazon, killing all 154 people aboard. Investigators determined that the collision-avoidance system of the smaller jet wasn't operating.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122600460761406097.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Recorders Found in Mexico Jet Crash

2008-11-07T09:37:00.002-08:00

MEXICO CITY - Two in-flight recorders retrieved from the wreckage of a small jet that crashed this week, killing Mexico’s interior minister, were being examined Thursday by specialists in a Washington lab, Mexican officials said.

The black boxes have voice recordings and data from the final minutes before the jet crashed Tuesday in a busy area of Mexico City.

The crash killed all nine people on board — including Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mouriño, Mexico’s top security official — and five more on the ground.

The government has gone to unusual lengths to open its investigation to the news media, as it tries to play down speculation of sabotage.

A transportation official said information from the recordings should be available in a week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/world/americas/07mexico.html?ref=world

AI plane tilts while landing on runway

2008-11-07T09:37:00.001-08:00

MALAPPURAM (KERALA): Nearly 161 passengers and crew on board an Air India flight had a narrow escape on Friday when the aircraft's right wing grazed
the runway while landing at Karippur International Airport in Malapppuram.

According to airport sources, AI 962 from Jeddah to Karippur (Calicut), tilted while landing, resulting in the tip of its right wing rubbing the runway. However the pilot was able to stop the aircraft in time to avoid a major tragedy.

All passengers were safe and the aircraft did not suffer any damage except some paint on the wing getting scraped, the sources said.

A senior airport official said there was prima facie nothing wrong with landing parameters like weather, wind speed and visibility.

Only a detailed probe, including the examination of Flight Data Recorder, could bring out the reason for the aircraft tilting while landing, the official said.

The aircraft has been grounded and engineers from Mumbai were expected to arrive at the site for detailed check, he added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/AI_plane_tilts_while_landing_on_runway/articleshow/3685363.cms

Express Air plane crash-lands in Fakfak

2008-11-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

An Express Air Dornier DO-328 slipped when touching down on the runway at Torea Airport in Fakfak, Papua, breaking its left wing and landing gears, a police officer said Thursday.

According to reports, the airplane touched down three meters from the runway's edge and collided with the tarmac, damaging the landing gears and breaking the left wing.

The twin-turbo aircraft then veered to the left before stopping on the right side of the runway.

The airplane, manned by pilot Josep and co-pilot Setia Darmawan, left from Domine Eduard Osok Airport in Sorong regency at 9:58 a.m. local time (7:58 a.m. Jakarta time) carrying four crew and 32 passengers. It landed in Fakfak at 10:27 a.m. local time.

There were no fatalities in the accident but authorities closed the airport because the plane was blocking the runway.

"The airline is coordinating with its head office and reporting the accident to the National Transportation Safety Committee in Jakarta," Papua Provincial Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto told The Jakarta Post.

Police secured the area and assisted with the evacuation of passengers.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/07/express-air-plane-crashlands-fakfak.html

Lion Air plane skids off at Jalaluddin Airport

2008-11-07T09:35:00.000-08:00

A Lion Air passenger aircraft carrying 167 passengers skidded off the runway before taking off at the Jalaluddin Airport, Gorontalo Province on Friday.

Nunung Triatmoko, Chief of the airport, confirmed of the accident while added that the aircraft, which was scheduled to depart for Makasar, South Sulawesi Province, was still being repaired following the accident.

"There is a team of mechanics provided to repair the aircraft. The aircraft is in a reasonably good condition." he said.

He also explained that all passengers had been evacuated safely from the plane and told to wait for the next departure for Makasar.

Nunung refuted accusations, which said that most accidents on the runway were because the runway was not long enough to accommodate more modern planes.

In the 2007, a Lion Air aircraft also experienced a similar accident at the airport. (anb)

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/07/lion-air-plane-skids-jalaluddin-airport.html

Europe To Require ADS-B Avionics Five Years Sooner than FAA

2008-11-06T09:46:00.001-08:00

With new mandate, Europeans press ahead with key aircraft surveillance tool

The European Commission is proposing that ADS-B “out” avionics be installed on airline aircraft and business jets five years earlier than the FAA’s plan. Full airborne coverage in Europe will let any nation there move ahead with ground infrastructure at will.

The directive on Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast—scheduled for release on Oct. 31—calls for aircraft to have the extended squitter feature on Mode S transponders for ADS‑B “out” transmission by 2015, says Alex Wandels, Eurocontrol’s manager of the Cascade program, which is leading the implementation of ADS-B.

This Thales ADS-B sensor is installed at the Diagoras Airport near Rhodes, Greece. Credit: EUROCONTROL

Europe already requires airliners to have Mode S, so most aircraft will need only a software upgrade. In contrast, the FAA’s proposed mandate for ADS-B “out” doesn’t require avionics until 2020.

In the U.S., an industry-government committee that reviewed the ADS-B mandate, and recommended 36 changes, did not take issue with the FAA’s 2020 target date (AW&ST Oct. 6, p. 62). The Air Transport Assn. says the U.S. requirement alone will cost its airline members nearly $700 million.

During the next three months, airlines and other operators will be able to comment on the proposed EC rule, says Wandels. The mandate is expected to call for all aircraft weighing more than 5,700 kg. (12,540 lb.) to have the extended squitter function so they can transmit ADS-B position data to ground controllers over 1090 MHz. The FAA’s mandate specifies that airliners and business jets use 1090 MHz., while general aviation aircraft would use the Universal Access Transceiver on 978 MHz. Ironically, U.S.-registered airliners and bizjets operating to Europe will have to have ADS-B “out” capability by 2015—a requirement that should accelerate the adoption rate in the U.S.

However, in terms of ADS-B ground infrastructure, the European ATC community has taken a less aggressive approach than the U.S., Canada or Australia. The FAA, for example, has set up in southern Florida the first prototype of a new nation-wide ground receiver network. Australia has rolled out ADS-B nationwide, while Canada is moving ahead with its ground-based network. Europe has no plan in effect yet to provide continental coverage with ADS-B systems on the ground, even by 2020, when the single-sky project to modernize ATC is due to be completed. But the EC wants the airborne equipment in place so construction of ground-based networks can proceed.

European nations have 13 ADS-B trials underway; several involve airports with no radar surveillance coverage. ADS-B ground networks have been built at these facilities to accommodate growing traffic from low-cost carriers. These include Trabzon Airport in Turkey, near the Black Sea, Alghero Airport in Sardinia, Italy’s Pescara International Airport and Kiruna Airport in northern Sweden. The Swedish project is using the VHF Mode 4 data link instead of 1090 MHz. as the ADS-B link.

In addition, an ADS-B network covers three Greek airfields close to one another: Diagoras, Karpathos Island National and Kos International airports.

As confidence grows with regard to using ADS-B at these airports that have no radar coverage, other air navigation service providers in Europe will likely start to look seriously at replacing radar with ADS-B, says Wandels. Other organizations involved in ADS-B projects include the U.K., German, Austrian, Spanish and French air navigation service providers.

Meanwhile, Eurocontrol is working with 18 aircraft operators and is providing seed money to help them install new avionics now, instead of waiting for the mandate to take effect. Three of these ADS-B “pioneers”—Air France, Air One and Volkswagen—have just received European Aviation Safety Agency approval to use ADS-B in airspace not covered by radar surveillance. Other carriers involved include SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Ryanair, Air Europa, British Airways, Lufthansa and United Airlines.

Air France has 50 A320 family aircraft in the program, according to Wandels. Air One has 20, and Volkswagen has two Falcon 2000s that it uses for executive transportation. Nav Canada also agreed to accept these EASA approvals as valid for aircraft flying over the Hudson Bay, where an ADS-B ground-based network will become operational this month.

http://www.aviationweek.com

Mexico asks for U.S. help in plane crash probe

2008-11-06T09:45:00.000-08:00

Two high-level officials among 13 people killed

A forensics team surveys the scene Wednesday of a jet crash in Mexico City that claimed Interior Minister Camilo Mouriño and anti-drug prosecutor Jose Louis Santiago Vasconcelos.

MEXICO CITY — Mexican officials asked U.S. and British experts to aid in the investigation of a Mexico City plane crash that killed the government's second-ranking official and a high-level lawman.

The officials said the crash appeared to be an accident, but they were not ruling anything out.

Interior Minister Juan Camilo MouriÃ±o and longtime anti-drug prosecutor Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos were among the 13 people killed Tuesday night when an executive jet crashed into rush-hour traffic.

All eight people aboard the plane died in the fiery crash, as well as five more on the ground. Some 40 other people were injured, a half-dozen of them critically.

There have been no indications the crash was anything other than an accident, said Transportation Secretary Luis Tellez. "But," he said, "it will be investigated until all possibilities are exhausted."

Violence from drug-gang wars and the deployment of thousands of troops and federal police has killed more than 3,000 people this year alone.

Sabotage suspected

Speculation was rampant Wednesday that the plane had been sabotaged. The crash was the first of its kind in Mexico City.

Experts from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board arrived in Mexico City on Wednesday to help with the investigation. Three British government investigators also were taking part.

"The United States will do all it can to assist in the investigation," said Tony Garza, the American ambassador.

Mexico City's media Tuesday night reported that the jet's pilots had issued a distress call shortly before the crash. But Tellez played conversations from the plane's flight recorder that suggested there were no indications of danger.

Radio went silent

After routine discussion about the doomed plane's impending landing, communication suddenly went silent.

The corporate jet slammed to earth under clear skies about 7 p.m. next to one of Mexico City's busiest intersections. The scene was near a major expressway and about a mile from President Felipe Calderon's offices and residence.

Dozens of cars were damaged in the crash, some bursting into flame with their occupants inside.

Officials evacuated about 1,200 people from the scene as police, firefighters and soldiers searched charred hulks of vehicles for the remains of bodies, many of which were burned beyond recognition.

The crash tore a gaping hole in Calderon's administration as he fights the drug syndicates and tries to shield Mexico from a global economic crisis, political analyst Federico Estevez said.

MouriÃ±o, 37, was one of Calderon's closest aides and friends. He was the equivalent of Mexico's vice president. He served as the president's point man with Congress, especially the legislators from the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, whose votes are needed by Calderon to get legislation passed.

MouriÃ±o also headed Calderon's National Security Cabinet — composed of the attorney general, senior military commanders and the head of the federal Public Security Ministry.

"It's a blow to Calderon, who likes to govern with a tight inner circle," Estevez said. "He has to fill the gap quickly."

Santiago, who served in the Mexican attorney general's office since the early 1990s, led Mexico's efforts against organized crime under former President Vicente Fox.

One of Mexico's foremost experts on the country's criminal gangs and their protection networks among officials, Santiago had only recently joined the presidential staff as a legal adviser.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6097369.html

Accident reports should include mechanics' details: IFA

2008-11-06T09:44:00.002-08:00

Airlines' abilities to learn from accidents involving maintenance errors is being severely compromised by investigators' failure to include in their reports the salient details of the engineers or mechanics who made the mistakes, claims an International Federation of Airworthiness representative.

IFA technical committee member and engineer Philip Hosey notes the prolific information provided about pilots in accident reports. This information includes their licences, ages, medical records, flying hours - both total and on type - flight and rest records, and other facts.

Speaking at the International Aviation Safety Seminar in Honolulu at the end of October, Hosey contrasted this with the lack of equivalent detail about the engineers involved or the circumstances associated with their work and the specific job on which the mistake was made.

He says that all the data pertaining to pilots was faithfully recorded even when they played no part in the accident cause or outcome, whereas detail about the engineer's training, health, experience, background and working hours was almost always omitted in reports, even when maintenance error was involved.

Hosey quotes only one recent report he was aware of in which all the appropriate detail about the engineer and task was provided.

He says it is remarkable that this difference in attention to the detail provided about two different professional groups in relation to accidents should exist, and it may be one of the reasons why managing the risk of error during maintenance receives less detailed attention than managing the risk of pilot error.

Recording engineer working hours and patterns, including shift times and rest periods, is at least as important as for pilots, Hosey argues, because the pilot's task can, at high-risk periods, generate adrenaline that can help overcome the affects of fatigue. An engineer's task does not benefit from an adrenaline burst toward the end of a long night shift, Hosey claims.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

Two Mexican Officials Among Victims In Lear Downing

2008-11-06T09:44:00.001-08:00

Plane Impacts Crowded Mexico City Neighborhood During Rush Hour

The rush hour downing of a Lear business jet into a crowded Mexico City neighborhood Tuesday claimed the lives of all onboard, including two prominent officials in the Mexican government.

The Houston Chronicle reports Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino and former Assistant Attorney General Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos died in the crash, along with six others onboard the small jet. The plane departed the northern city of San Luis Potosi, and was on approach to land at Mexico City International Airport.

Conflicting local media reports identify the accident type as either a Lear 24/25 series (shown below), or a larger Learjet 45.

At least 40 persons on the ground were injured as the plane crashed in the affluent Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood, and officials said the death toll could rise due to scores of people still missing.

Mourino and Santiago Vasconcelos were both top aides to Mexican President Felipe Calderon. The former was the president's top advisor in dealing with Mexico's tortured internal political structure.

"With his death Mexico loses a great Mexican, intelligent, loyal, committed to his ideals and to the country," said Calderon following the accident. "With Juan Camilo Mourino I shared for many years a fight for the ideal of a new country, the ideal of a new and better Mexico."

Santiago Vasconcelos was a top anti-narcotics official in former President Vicente Fox's administration, and retained a prominent role combating illegal drug cartels when he moved to the Attorney General's office in December 2006.

Officials say there is no reason to suspect foul play in the crash. There is presently no explanation for the cause of the accident.

FMI: www.presidencia.gob.mx/en/
aero-news.net

NTSB SENDS TEAM TO MEXICO TO ASSIST WITH LEARJET AIRCRAFT

2008-11-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team of investigators to Mexico City, Mexico, to assist in the investigation of yesterday's accident in which a Learjet L45(XC-VMC), crashed into a mixed, residential/commercial neighborhood. It has been reported that all 9 persons on board, including Mexican Interior Secretary, Juan Camillo Mourino, were fatally injured.

NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker has designated senior aviation accident investigator Joe Sedor as the U.S. Accredited Representative. The U.S. team will also include technical advisors from the NTSB, FAA, Learjet, and Honeywell International.

Fonte: NTSB 06/11/2008.

Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Calls for Stronger Protection of Volunteered Aviation Safety Information

2008-11-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Oct. 30, 2008, Honolulu, HI – In the wake of recent judicial decisions forcing disclosure of voluntarily supplied aviation safety information, and the use of aviation accident investigation reports in civil litigation and criminal prosecutions, the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) today anounced its support for statutory protection against the release or use of information gathered by voluntary self-disclosure reporting programs.

“We can and must do everything possible to ensure the continued flow of critical safety information that is increasingly coming under assault in courts around the world, ” said FSF President and CEO William R. Voss.

In remarks here before the FSF International Air Safety Seminar, FSF General Counsel Kenneth P. Quinn yesterday noted the increasing tendancy to criminalize aviation accidents and said, “Since prosecutors and courts are not protecting the confidentiality of voluntarily supplied safety information, legislatures need to step in to prevent critical sources of safety data from drying up.”

FSF today endorsed the creation of a “qualified exception” from discovery of voluntary self-disclosure reporting programs, similar to the protection already provided in U.S. law against use of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and surface vehicle recordings and transcripts. Examples of such voluntary self-disclosure reporting programs include the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), the Flight Operational Quality Assurance program (FOQA), and the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) system.

Airlines and regulators increasingly are using these and other tools to obtain predictive information that allows preemptive interventions to be developed to mitigate threats revealed by the data instead of relying on forensic evidence after a crash. “We cannot tolerate waiting for a crash to show us there is a safety problem that needs to be fixed,” said Voss.

By most estimates, nearly 98% of safety information currently obtained from voluntary disclosure programs would not be available if program participants are exposed to prosecution and reprisal.

FSF recommends the adoption of stronger protections to shield such information from disclosure in any judicial proceeding, except to allow limited discovery when a court decides that the requesting party has demonstrated a particular need for the information, and that the party would not receive a fair trial if the information is not provided. If discovery is permitted, FSF urged that it only be made available under protective order, and not generally be made available to the public.

The FSF announcement comes on the heels of reports that American Airlines and its pilot union are considering abandoning their 14-year old ASAP program, and a judicial decision concerning the 2006 Comair crash in Lexington, KY, that ordered the release of ASAP reports, saying that Congress had the power to protect the ASAP information, as it had with CVR recordings and transcripts, but had not done so. Further, several recent criminal prosecutions in Europe have sought to establish criminal culpability through the use of information voluntarily provided to accident investigators.

Flight Safety Foundation has published several articles outlining the importance of these reporting programs in AeroSafety World, (http://www.flightsafety.org/asw/july07/asw_july07_p12-21.pdf) and (http://www.flightsafety.org/asw/mar08/asw_mar08_p12-17.pdf), and in news releases defending the confidentiality of these programs (http://www.flightsafety.org/news/nr97-07.pdf). The Foundation was one of the earliest supporters of ASAP programs.

Fonte: Flight Safety Foundation 30/10/2008.

FAA Selects Avionics Manufacturers for NextGen Technology

2008-11-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Acting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Robert Sturgell today announced that the agency has signed a $9 million agreement with two companies to accelerate the testing and installation of NextGen technology.

Teams led by Honeywell and Aviation Communications & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) will help the FAA test and develop technology that will be used on an airport’s airfield to detect and alert pilots of potential safety issues.

“Safety in the air starts with safety on the ground,” said Sturgell. “This technology is a real jump for aviation. Getting it into the cockpit as fast as possible is the smart thing to do.”

The FAA encourages industry to install avionics equipment early and receive benefits from ADS-B sooner rather than later. ADS-B stands for Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast. It is the NextGen satellite-based technology that broadcasts traffic and flight information to pilots and air traffic controllers.

Two Honeywell test planes and pilots from JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines will be used to provide operational input from concept development through flight evaluation and demonstration.

Honeywell will conduct the work at Seattle Tacoma International and Snohomish County Paine Field airports. Under the agreement, Honeywell will receive approximately $3 million from the FAA.

The FAA will provide approximately $6 million to ACSS, which will work with US Airways to develop standards, flight demonstrations and prototypes. Twenty Airbus A330 aircraft will be equipped with cockpit displays, transponders, antennas, wiring kits and Class 2 Electronic Flight Bags.

Demonstrations will be conducted at Philadelphia International Airport.

Fonte: FAA 04/11/2008.

"Knowledge is Happiness"

2008-11-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

Ruth Leverenz,
Washington, D.C. November 3, 2008

ATCA Scholarship Luncheon

Thank you so much, Neil [Planzer]. And, congratulations on your successful service as Chairman. Peter, my very best wishes to you as you assume your role next week as ATCA’s Chairman. You have some very big shoes to fill — literally and figuratively — following our friend and distinguished colleague Neil Planzer. I’m happy to see this orderly transition of power at ATCA.

Speaking of orderly transitions of power, we will elect our 44th President tomorrow. All across the Executive Branch, we are in full swing preparing issue papers and other documents and briefings to assist the transition teams from winning party. On November 5, our duty will be to accept the outcomes of the election and to faithfully carry out our responsibilities to ensure an orderly transition of government.

I counted up. In my 33 years with the FAA, I have served 19 different Administrators, counting the actors and the reactors. Each one accepts this critical appointment because he or she wants to accomplish something big for aviation and for our country. And, they have.

I want to take a moment and recognize our current FAA Acting Administrator, the Honorable Bobby Sturgell, with whom it has been my great privilege to serve. Bobby has led us through some tough spots this year. I have seen him weary to the core with all the demands and challenges of this position because he cares so much for aviation, for this industry and for the men and women of the FAA. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Bobby Sturgell has stood tall for all of us.

Let’s talk just for a moment about the orderly transition of the Next Generation Air Transportation System. I believe everyone in this room will agree that NextGen is one of the most important transition issues for the new administration. No matter where you stand, there’s no argument that safety is neither red nor blue. Let’s all work with the transition teams and the new administration to get this done. We need to continue to pull together to make sure the importance of NextGen is made clear. We need to demonstrate that a joint vision, a cooperative effort is what’s gotten us this far and is what is needed for future successes.

NextGen is vitally important to our nation’s and the world’s transportation, commerce, environment, infrastructure, communications, and defense. I applaud ATCA for hosting the Industry Day Forum last September to get industry’s perspective on implementation of NextGen. I thought it was an outstanding exchange of ideas and discussion of the challenges ahead. I know we in the FAA listened and have taken to task what we heard at the forum and what we are hearing in the panel discussions this week.

Now, let me turn to your great scholarship program. ATCA, you are doing a tremendous job with this scholarship program. What a significant legacy for each of the individuals and companies who have contributed. It’s hard work organizing fund raisers, reviewing applications, making choices among so many terrific applicants. You are leveraging benefits for years to come. In the spirit of Presidential transition matters, I am reminded that our first President, George Washington, said at the beginning of his first term in office, “There is nothing which can better deserve your patronage than the promotion of science and literature.” He continued on to say, “Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness.” Here at ATCA you are “walking the walk” — not just “talking the talk.”

You are going to be hearing more in a moment about this year’s scholarship winners. For just about all of them, man has always been on the moon. We heard several speakers talk this morning about the challenges and excitement of incorporating this new generation of data natives into the workforce. We also heard that we are the ones who will need to adapt. In another speaking opportunity a couple of weeks ago, I emphasized mentoring as one of the things we need to foster more of in the workplace. When you mentor these young people, you help them avoid land mines, and they show you a thing or three. And, some of them inspire you. Barry Hyde is here today with his guide dog, Lincoln. Barry is a 3-peat winner of the ATCA Scholarship. You will hear lots more about him in a minute from Becky Umbaugh, but I want to share some words about Barry from an email I received from Cindy Costillo of CSSI. Cindy said in her email, “He is a true inspiration and blessing. My life has been touched and is better for having him in it.” Congratulations, Barry!

In addition to the scholarship program, ATCA is very involved in aviation education and STEM initiatives, as is the FAA. I’ll quickly tell you about a program we are very excited about. We’re deeply involved with a project run by the Department of Energy — the Real World Design Challenge. The goal is to align high schools with 21st Century workforce needs. And, the needs include replacing the more than 60,000 aerospace engineers who will retire in the next 10 years.

That’s not a bow wave. That’s a tsunami. So, what’s the challenge, you ask? The high school students will be working on designing the next generation airplane wing! Kids will get the engineering challenge of a lifetime. Teachers will get professional development. They both get to work with science and engineering mentors from government and industry. I think I am looking at a roomful of people who could be outstanding mentors!!

Ten states will be participating in the Challenge this first year. They are: Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Kansas, Washington, Hawaii, Virginia, Minnesota and Pennsylvania. If you want to get involved, just let us know!

Let me close by saying thank you again for inviting me back to speak at your scholarship luncheon.

I am passionate about education. Education changes lives. To all the fine applicants and the mentors, educators, family, and friends, who support them, we salute you. Our hope is that you will be using your scholarship, opportunities, and freedoms to encourage even greater numbers of young people to pursue careers in aviation.

Fonte: FAA 03/11/2008.

"NextGen Means Change"

2008-11-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

Robert A. Sturgell,
Washington, D.C. November 3, 2008
ATCA

Neil [Planzer], thanks for that introduction. And a good morning to you all.
While “change” has been a slightly over-used phrase this year, I’d like to stick with that theme for a minute and walk you through a couple of areas that have undergone the most significant transformations over the years.

In 2007, for example, we changed the nature of our management of over-the-ocean traffic with the completion of ATOP. While perhaps little-noticed, ATOP is allowing us to safely reduce separation standards and deliver more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly tracks and altitudes.

But this is only the beginning. As our AIRE demos show, this tool provides a solid base for collaboration and further improvements in delivering both economic and environmental value. And, we’re evaluating expansion of ATOP to other parts of the Atlantic and Caribbean airspace.

This year will mark the completion of the roll-out of TMA to all 20 Air Route Traffic Control Centers.

Traffic Management Advisor has proven its value in not only metering arrivals to effectively fill the runways and manage delays in a fuel efficient way, but it’s also been extremely important in managing departures as well.

Continental has shown up to a four-minute decrease in flight times entering into Newark during metering compared to when we’re not. We expect to begin metering to LaGuardia in the middle of January, followed by JFK in April.

Again, this is just the start. Over the next few years, we’ll tailor TMA to better support even more busy airports, and to strategically support the use of RNP and RNAV. These Performance Based Navigation procedures, as we all know, allow for increased capacity and better efficiency.

To date, 130 RNP procedures have been developed at 45 airports, with 250 RNAV procedures at 86 airports. Going forward, our goals for fiscal ’09 total more than 100 for both.

When you talk in terms of progress and achievement for NextGen’s building blocks, look no further than the milestone we’re about to hit with ERAM. Seven years in the making, ERAM — our biggest program — is on budget and on schedule.

Early next year it’s going to come online, marking a major upgrade to our enroute flight and surveillance data automation system. It’ll serve as the cross-cutting fundamental NextGen building block for terminal, enroute and strategic flow.

Looking ahead, future releases of ERAM will be designed to support a range of NextGen capabilities, including Trajectory Based Operations.

ASDE-X, another major program, continues to move forward. This year we went IOC at six sites, including Dulles, Detroit and Phoenix. Four of those six weren’t even supposed to be up and running until 2009, but I’ve made this a priority.

We’re looking to replicate that acceleration in 2009, with DFW, Miami, Minneapolis and Reagan.

These are just some of the milestones we’re hitting with some of our NextGen programs. We’ve accomplished quite a bit, and the foundational technologies are pretty much in place. But we all know there’s still more to do.
As administrations change and budgets begin to tighten, it’s incumbent on all of us to keep the pressure on implementing NextGen. Everyone in the aviation community has an interest in making sure it’s done right, and it’s done on time.

We have a crucial opportunity right now, what with the airlines pulling back because of the economy and fuel prices.

Like the traffic drop after 9/11, it’s given us the breathing room — a temporary respite — before the capacity demands bear down on us once more.

As we move forward into the next phase of NextGen, the mid-term — the 2015, 2016 timeframe — here’s how I see us staying ahead.

One, by embracing a more meaningful role for the private sector. I say that not because I think industry can do it better, but because it’ll help us move programs faster, and better resolve tough issues, like the ADS-B timeline and equipage.

Two, the proper talent — in both industry and government — will be required.

The National Academy of Public Administration just did an analysis of the skill sets that the FAA will need to accomplish NextGen, along with recommendations on how to obtain and maintain these skills.

As we “hire up” for NextGen over the next two years, we’ll certainly be mindful of those recommendations.

Another step is an equipage strategy that defines a target set of avionics linked to NextGen ground infrastructure that supports mid-term capabilities. That set is based on what’s available today, with additions for ADS-B, data communications and a few other capabilities.

We’re considering changes to principles like “first come, first served.” We’re looking at options for encouraging early adoption, and, ultimately, maximizing the number of aircraft fully equipped for mid-term capabilities.

The strategy also includes stimulating equipage, for both safety and efficiency. We’ve recently announced agreements with several airlines to install moving map displays and aural warning systems in the cockpit, to enhance runway safety.

Today, I’m pleased to announce partnerships with Honeywell, ACSS and US Airways, which will help us accelerate ADS-B deployment and the standards for Surface Applications and Conflict Detection, and Alerting on the Surface.

Honeywell is awarded $3 million to develop various requirements, standards and human factors analysis. Testing will take place at Sea-Tac and Paine Field using Honeywell planes to provide operational input throughout the program.

Six million will go to ACSS, which is partnering with US Airways to equip twenty of their A330s with the SafeRoute suite of avionics. They’ll be providing cockpit displays, transponders, wiring kits and transponder upgrades.

This partnership will allow us to bring the same operational improvements we’ve demonstrated with UPS at Louisville to Philadelphia, one of our key sites for ADS-B. And, we’re working on an MOU with US Airways to further accelerate NextGen capabilities.

The Philadelphia activity will benefit both US Airways and UPS, both major players at that airport. It also adds to our focus on the East Coast, and we’re studying the New York airspace as our next area for the ADS-B program.

This will bolster other technological changes to New York, including TMA at Newark, JFK and LaGuardia, as well as ASDE-X at JFK.

We’ve made significant gains in New York this past summer versus the summer of 2007, and we plan to review those results with the customers and stakeholders later this week.

These are the kind of forward-looking steps we’re taking to stimulate equipage and obtain the early benefits of ADS-B for both the FAA and the user community.

What’s more, we intend to work with early adopters to minimize the business risk associated with changes in standards and early deployment of NextGen equipage. And, we’ll strive to minimize any disruptions to operators, like time out of service, or time until the capability becomes operational available.

We’ll share more information about this equipage strategy in the January 2009 edition of the NextGen Implementation Plan, but I wanted to tee up those — and one other thing — that is on my mind at the moment.

Facility collocation and consolidation. Realigned facilities provide the opportunity to break from traditional airport-centric locations and ground-based technologies to a more efficient, collaborative system. Facility realignment enables operational efficiencies through better airspace design.

Realignment also means lower infrastructure costs, a smaller carbon footprint, and newer automation systems that can handle more sensor inputs and functionality.

That eliminates the traditional linkage of ATC services and a specific geographic location.
For our employees, realignment presents a valuable opportunity to pre-position new hires to areas where the needs are greatest. Another plus is that employees can advance without uprooting their families.
Numerous plans have been proposed over the years and the issue has been discussed for decades.
The average age of our staffed terminal facilities is 28 years. For Centers, it’s 46. They’re not in the best condition either. Twenty-one percent are classified as being in “poor” condition.

We’ve got a backlog of $683 million in the tower replacement program. Meanwhile, the current maintenance backlog for terminal facilities is $147 million. That doesn’t include an extra $160 million in upgrades to bring them up to code.

With money being tight, we simply can’t afford to pay down the deferred maintenance on our facilities. This path is not sustainable and needs to be tackled head-on.

We have been looking at this on a case-by-case basis, but what we need is a comprehensive facility plan led by an integrated facility in New York that leverages what we’re learning in our integrated NextGen testing in Florida and our targeted implementations there.

Congress and the White House have both advocated this approach.

There’ll be more details on the “leave behind” strategy that we’re deploying in Florida in the near future.

I’ve covered a lot of ground this morning, and I think you get the point. “Change” is already here.

But we have to remind ourselves that the government’s not going to build the system of tomorrow by ourselves. We’re going to need you.

We’re going to need the ingenuity and the creativity that your companies are famous for to keep the focus on NextGen.

With your help, NextGen moves that much closer to the finish line. Thank you.

Fonte: FAA 03/11/2008.

Jet fighter crashes in SKorea during training

2008-11-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A South Korean fighter jet crashed in a rural area north of Seoul during a training flight Tuesday, the air force said.

The sole pilot ejected from the F-5E jet before it went down in a rice paddy in Pocheon, 29 miles (46 kilometers) north of Seoul, at about 10:25 a.m. (0125 GMT), an air force officer said.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency had earlier reported that the jet was manned by two pilots.

The crash caused no civilian damage, the officer said on condition of anonymity citing office policy.
The cause of the crash was unclear, he said.

The plane had taken off earlier from an air base in Wonju, about 81 miles (130 kilometers) east of Seoul, he said.

http://www.pr-inside.com/jet-fighter-crashes-in-skorea-during-r895415.htm

Va.-based aircraft missing in South America

2008-11-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

BRIDGEWATER -- A Virginia-based aviation company says one of its aircraft with three people aboard is missing in South America.

A spokesman for Dynamic Aviation Group Inc. in Bridgewater said the search resumed Monday for the twin turboprop aircraft. The aircraft was reported missing Saturday in Guyana after it did not return from an aerial geophysical survey.

Dynamic spokesman Rick Roof identified the flight crew as Wes Barker and Chris Paris, Dynamic Aviation employees from Harrisonburg. An employee of a Canadian company was also on board.

The aircraft was searching for uranium deposits in the rain forest.

Dynamic Aviation has sent one of its aircraft to Guyana to join the search.

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-11-03-0201.html

FAA Proposes Enhanced Boeing 737 Inspections

2008-11-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES -- Federal air-safety regulators have proposed enhanced inspections on roughly 500 Boeing 737 aircraft operated by U.S. airlines, a move aimed at detecting potential manufacturing slipups that in extreme cases could result in engines separating from wings.

No crashes are believed to have been caused by such slipups. But the Federal Aviation Administration's move is unusual because it seeks to uncover potential manufacturing problems stretching back years, and focuses on the airline industry's most popular family of planes.

Foreign safety regulators eventually are likely to require the same inspections for hundreds of additional aircraft. That could mean that more than 1,270 Boeing 737s could be affected world-wide.

The safety mandate proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration piggybacks on earlier safety directives issued by the agency as well as plane-maker Boeing Co. But after receiving at least two reports in recent months of improperly installed engines, the agency proposed enhanced inspections of engine mounts on the four most recent versions of the workhorse twin-jet 737 planes.

If portions of engine mounts are installed backward, according to the FAA, the result can be increased structural loads on some parts and in extreme cases, "separation of the engine from the airplane." A Boeing spokesman said Friday that the company has taken steps to prevent slipups at the factory and also has instructed operators to step up inspections of certain planes already in service. The spokesman said, "We don't believe this to be a safety of flight issue."

Similar safety directives issued years ago applied only to those planes on which mechanics had removed an engine after delivery from the factory. In effect, the previous FAA mandates were aimed at catching mistakes by airline mechanics -- or third-party maintenance providers-- who installed engines on certain 737 models.

By contrast, the FAA's latest proposal is intended to identify and correct the same engine-mounting mistakes that originated on Boeing's assembly line. The agency often issues its own safety mandate following service bulletins issued by Boeing, because the manufacturer's safety warnings aren't mandatory for airlines to follow.

The proposed inspections, slated to be completed within 90 days after release of the final directive, aren't expected to disrupt airline schedules. If problems are found, the FAA proposal gives Boeing and airline maintenance officials flexibility in how to conduct repairs.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122549968968489759.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Emirates attributes first A380's grounding to 'foreign object'

2008-11-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

Emirates is attributing the mysterious electrical glitch that grounded its first Airbus A380 in September to a "foreign object" and has praised Airbus for its efforts in rectifying the problem quickly.

The Middle Eastern carrier says the aircraft is demonstrating "high despatch reliability" in service.

Emirates was forced to withdraw its first - and, at the time, only - A380 from service for around a week in early September after an "electrical issue" was noticed at the end of a training mission. The 489-seat jet had been operating the airline's prime Dubai-New York route twice-weekly for several weeks, and the grounding disrupted the airline's schedule.

The problem is understood to have arisen in the aircraft's avionics bay, which is located near the two on-board shower cubicles, leading to speculation that the issue might be related to Emirates' unique cabin configuration.

But Emirates Airline president Tim Clark says the problem had nothing to do with the showers, adding: "Almost certainly, a foreign object caused an electrical problem. Once [the cause was] identified, remedial action was taken by Airbus."

Clark does not elaborate on the source of the foreign object, but describes Airbus's efforts to rectify the problem as "outstanding, with no expense or resource being spared to get the job done". He adds that the A380 "continues to have high despatch reliability".

The airline took delivery of its second A380 on 24 October. This aircraft has joined the first on the Dubai-New York route, enabling A380 frequencies to be increased to daily.

Clark says the opening of Emirates' huge new Terminal 3 at its Dubai base on 14 October has been "smooth and glitch-free after many months of testing".

Industrial action at Boeing, however, has held up deliveries of 777 aircraft to the airline. Emirates senior vice-president, commercial operations, for the Americas Nigel Page says it has had to scale back plans for daily services between Dubai and Los Angeles to three a week as a result of the hold-up.

Delivery delays have also forced the airline to delay the launch of San Francisco flights and limit frequencies.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

The New Concorde: Supersonic jet will get you from London to New York in just three hours

2008-11-06T09:25:00.000-08:00

It is five years ago almost to the day that Concorde approached Heathrow airport under much fanfare and nostalgia on its last official flight before heading off into retirement.

In a move which for some people signalled a step backwards for technology, the Anglo-French aviation-engineering masterpiece touched down and with it the chance for people to experience supersonic air travel.

But now, an American firm is on the cusp of re-imagining the supersonic dream and confidently plans to have supersonic commercial aircraft back in the skies as a reality by 2015.

The future: It's hoped the £47.5million jet will be on the market by 2015
The Aerion Supersonic Jet may not have the same grace and style and the size of the great Concorde, but the Aerion group are so sure that the plane will fly that they have pencilled in test flights for 2012, with transatlantic testing to follow soon after.

Reaching a top speed of mach 1.6 the jet will once again put New York within three hours flight time of London.

The company are so confident in the design that they claim to have 50 interested parties, who have all paid the £150,000 deposit.

More...1,000mph or bust! British supercar aims to shatter speed record

‘It simply will change the way global business is conducted. Flight times in general will be reduced about 40 percent,’ says Jeff Miller, chief spokesperson for Aerion.

‘Business and government leaders will be able to travel more in pursuit of opportunity. And they will feel a lot better when they step off the airplane.’ As everyone remembers Concorde was far from the budget airline options that are available now.

Historic: Concorde takes off for the last time from New York on October 24, 2003

The Aerion Supersonic Jet will be no different.
‘It’s priced at £47.5million - each,’ explains Miller.
‘To date, Aerion has more than 50 letters of intent secured by £150,000 deposits.

‘The cost per nautical mile will be similar to today’s large business jets.’ The biggest advance in technology that the Aerion has improved upon Concorde is in its noise reduction ability.

Concorde was famously and some would say intentionally scuppered by jealous Americans who banned the plane from flying over U.S. territory at the speed of sound.

This immediately removed any advantage the small plane had over its larger competitors and ended the supersonic age before it had begun.

The Aerion aircraft can successfully fly at nearly the speed of sound without any significant noise impact and more amazingly has the ability to fly at mach 1.15 without emanating a sonic boom.

‘This is due to the patented supersonic natural laminar flow (SNLF) technology that substantially reduces drag at supersonic as well as high-subsonic cruise speeds,’ says Jeff Miller.

Despite the fact that the Aerion is obviously only ever going to be flown by those who can afford it, the very idea that commercial supersonic airliners are going back into the skies will please the enthusiasts.
‘Aviation progress has always been synonymous with an increase in speed. To be flying more slowly in this century than in the last seems like a step backwards.,’ says Miller.

Admitting a huge debt of gratitude to Concorde, Miller impresses that the Aerion jet is a significant leap forward in aircraft technology.

Luxury: The comfortable Aerion Jet will ferry private buyers at speeds of mach 1.6, meaning New York will once again be within three hours flight time of London
‘Concorde was a beautiful machine and a product of its time, but technology has moved forward and new designs such as the Aerion jet offer greater efficiency.

‘Concorde was withdrawn due to high operating cost, which Aerion technology has successfully overcome,’ says Jeff.

Aerion will start small but hope to have the technology and the capital to one day expand their operation beyond smaller aircraft to larger Concorde sized vehicles.

‘With the success of the Aerion supersonic business jet, we expect to see supersonic flight becoming commonplace.

‘With market acceptance it will be possible to fund the development of airliner variants, offering time savings to a much larger group of travellers,’ says Jeff.

As incredible as it seems that Concorde was flying only five years ago, Aerion will be tearing across our skies in four, heralding a return to the skies of supersonic travel.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1079963/The-new-Concorde-Supersonic-jet-London-New-York-just-hours.html

Qantas unveils more management changes

2008-11-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

More management changes have been announced at Australia's Qantas Airways ahead of next month's change in CEO.

The Oneworld alliance carrier says in a stock exchange filing that Grant Fenn has been appointed to the newly created role of executive general manager strategy and investments.

Fenn was previously executive general manager freight enterprises. The strategy team will now report to Fenn and this will include fleet and long-term network planning "as well as leadership of all group strategy initiatives including mergers and acquisitions".

Qantas also says David Hall has been appointed to the newly created position of group general manager corporate services and his responsibilities will include overseeing IT functions. Hall joined Qantas in 2005 as the chief financial officer of low-cost subsidiary Jetstar.

Executive general manager people Kevin Brown will meanwhile be leaving the airline in the first quarter of 2009. Qantas says a global search for a new head of HR functions has already begun.

The changes follow others that have been announced in recent months and they come weeks before long-serving CEO Geoff Dixon retires. Dixon will be replaced by Jetstar CEO Alan Joyce.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

NTSB reviews jet's skid landing at O'Hare

2008-11-06T09:19:00.002-08:00

A Boeing 757 skidded off a runway at O'Hare International Airport on Sept. 22. The pilots for long beyond the 30 minutes that their emergency handbook said the batteries would last.

By Alan Levin, USA TODAY

The pilots of an American Airlines flight carrying 185 passengers were forced to make an unusual emergency landing last month in Chicago with limited ability to control the jet after they lost electrical power, according to newly released information from a federal investigation.
The Boeing 757 skidded off a runway at O'Hare International Airport on Sept. 22, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. Although none of the 192 people aboard was injured, the pilots flew on backup battery power for long beyond the 30 minutes that their emergency handbook said the batteries would last, the NTSB said.

The pilots of the Seattle-to-New York flight drained the jet's battery backup system, leaving inoperable vital systems that help stop a jet, according to a preliminary report released this week.

The pilots told investigators they had difficulty raising and lowering the jet's nose and felt they had only one chance to land, the NTSB said.

"They should have landed as soon as practical," said Michael Barr, an instructor at the University of Southern California's Aviation Safety and Security Program. "That would have been the conservative approach. I don't see why they thought they could fly all the way across country on their backup electrical system."

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Chicago Boeing National Transportation Safety Board University of Southern California Airlines O'Hare International Airport Nova Scotia Allied Pilots Association Aviation Safety Security Program Michael Barr Swiss Air Flight
The pilots had switched to battery power shortly after leaving Seattle when electrical problems developed. The batteries last for about 30 minutes, but the pilots continued toward their destination until the jet's electrical systems began failing about an hour and 40 minutes later.

The need to land as soon as possible when aircraft systems begin to fail has been reinforced by several accidents, such as Swiss Air Flight 111 in 1998, Barr said. The Swiss Air pilots attempted to diagnose where smoke was coming from before deciding to divert, Canadian investigators concluded. The jet became engulfed in fire and crashed off Nova Scotia, killing all 229 people aboard.

Last month, the American Airlines pilots had to stop the jet without thrust reversers and other devices that help a jet stop, the NTSB said. The electrical system failure was so complete that the pilots were unable to shut off the engines after they came to a stop, the report said.

Barr said investigators will want to know what the airline's manuals and emergency documentation instructed pilots to do, what the airline's maintenance department advised the pilots to do and how pilots were trained to handle electrical malfunctions.

American and its pilots union, the Allied Pilots Association, declined to comment while the case is under investigation.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-10-23-NTSB-OHare_N.htm

Collision of two flights averted at Chennai airport

2008-11-06T09:19:00.001-08:00

Chennai, October 24: A collision of two aircrafts was averted at the airport in Chennai, after alert air traffic control officials stopped a cargo flight preparing to take off without clearance.

According to airport officials, a Bangalore bound Paramount Airways flight with 49 persons on board was taking off when the Dubai bound Etihaad cargo flight from an adjacent bay started moving towards the same runway last night.

Airport Apron Duty Manager S Yuganantam spotted the cargo flight moving towards the runway and immediately asked the pilot to stop it.

Officials said if the cargo flight was not stopped it would have resulted in a collision with the Paramount flight. The Etihaad flight has been detained and officials are questioning its pilot, said airport officials.

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Collision-of-two-flights-averted-at-Chennai-airport/377468/

Eight Lost In Italian Military Helicopter Crash

2008-11-06T09:18:00.001-08:00

No Explanation Yet For HH3F Downing In France
All eight passengers and crew onboard an Italian Sikorsky HH3F Pelican were killed Thursday, when the helicopter impacted a field in eastern France and caught fire.

The helicopter (similar to the US Coast Guard Pelican shown above) crashed near the town of L'Isle-en-Barrois around 1630 local time, officials told Agence-France Presse.

"There were eight people on board the aircraft and none survived," a spokesman for the French regional authorities said.

The Pelican was one of two Italian helicopters flying between Dijon and Florent-en-Argonne. Authorities with the Italian defense ministry said both helicopters were participating in joint operations with the French military.

There is no indication what caused the crash. Weather conditions were reported as clear at the time of the accident.

FMI: www.aeronautica.difesa.it/int_site/default_int.aspaero-news.net

US Pilots Admit To Same Oversight That Led To Spanair Accident

2008-11-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

NAOMS Data Indicates Improper Takeoff Flap Settings Reported 55 Times Since 2000

The August 20 downing of a Spanair MD-82 on takeoff has cast the spotlight on a relatively mundane task for most pilots: setting proper flap positions.

And based on figures cited by USA Today... that may be a good thing. The national news journal says US pilots reported 55 incidents of improper flap and slat settings on takeoff to NASA's National Aviation Operations Monitoring System since 2000.

"This represents a disturbing trend," says Flight Safety Foundation president Bill Voss. "There are obvious human errors that are being made that take away ... layers of safety."

According to NAOMS responses, most reported cases of improper takeoff settings were caught by visual and aural cockpit warning systems, and corrected before the aircraft took off. Investigators into the Spanair crash -- which killed 154 people -- say those warning systems were inoperative onboard the accident aircraft.

Proper takeoff settings for flaps (and on larger aircraft, leading edge slats) are vital for all aircraft, especially for larger business jets and airliners. Both devices expand the available lifting surface of an airplane's wing, providing additional lift during the critical moments when the aircraft must climb out of ground effect, and establish a safe climb attitude at relatively slow airspeeds.

The NAOMS study lists an 2005 incident at Washington Reagan National Airport, in which the airliner took off without the devices deployed. According to the pilots' account of the incident, the airliner nearly plunged to the ground. Another flight crew reported to NAOMS they erred in failing to set flaps and slats during their October 2006 takeoff from Orlando.

"Event could have been catastrophic," the pilot said, "had it not been for (the) takeoff warning horn."

USA Today notes the reported incidents are nearly statistically irrelevant, compared with over 10 million airline operations per year... but as pilots know, it also only takes one time for a minor oversight to become tragic.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/news/reports/NAOMS_survey_data.html, www.flightsafety.orgaero-news.net

2 small planes collide in air in Colo; no injuries

2008-11-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

DENVER (AP) — A sheriff's department plane carrying inmates collided with another small craft in the air over western Colorado on Wednesday, but both landed safely and no injuries were reported, authorities said.

"This is truly one of those miracles," said Allen Kenitzer of the Federal Aviation Administration. "Usually with a midair collision you have very serious damage and very serious injuries, if you have survivors at all."

One of the planes was a Mesa County Sheriff's Department single-engine Cessna 210 carrying two inmates, a deputy and a pilot. The other was a single-engine Cessna 180 with two people aboard.

Authorities could not say which parts of the planes came in contact, describing it only as a collision. The cause is being investigated.

The 180 is registered to Miel del Rio Grande Inc. in Monte Vista. Kat Siglinger, an employee, said she spoke after the crash with company owners John Haefeli and Thomas Haefeli, who were on the plane.

"They told me the collision tore off their tail," she said. "And that was at 10,000 feet in the air. They were pretty relieved."

FAA spokesman Mike Fergus said he could not release radar records indicating how high the planes were flying because they are part of the investigation.

The planes collided about 15 miles southeast of Grand Junction and 190 miles west of Denver, Fergus said. The sheriff's plane landed at Grand Junction Regional Airport and the other in a remote area about 10 miles south of the airport.

Sheriff's officials said a federal inmate and a state inmate were being flown to the Canon City area, home to state and federal prison complexes.

That plane made a hard landing back at the airport and suffered front-end damage, either from the collision or the landing, the sheriff's office said.

Sheriff's officials identified the pilot as Andy Gordon, a pilot since 1962, and Mesa County Sheriff's Deputy Lisa McCammon.

The other plane came to rest on its top amid sagebrush and scrub oak at the foot of the towering Grand Mesa. A medical helicopter crew spotted it, landed and determined that both people were all right, sheriff's spokesman Chuck Warner said.

That flight originated in southern Colorado, though it was unclear where it was headed, said sheriff's spokeswoman Heather Benjamin.

The plane did not have a vertical stabilizer — the tail fin on the back — but it was unclear whether it was lost in the air or while crash landing, Benjamin said.

Kenitzer and National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Terry Williams both said they did not have any additional information.

The plane was made in 1955, according to registration records. A call to National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Terry Williams was not immediately returned.
NTSB Chairman Cites Three Safety Areas to Reduce Accidents in Business Aviation

National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC - National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said today that improving runway safety, crew resource management, and addressing human fatigue will enhance safety in business aviation.

In an address to the 2008 Bombardier Safety Standdown in Kansas City, Missouri, Rosenker cited the NTSB's review of accident trends and the potential for human error in emphasizing the importance of these safety areas.

Rosenker outlined the following areas as "critical" to reducing aviation accidents and saving lives:

-- Improving Runway Safety by requiring landing distance assessment with an adequate safety margin for every landing, and to give immediate warnings of probable collisions/incursions directly to flight crews in the cockpit.

-- Improving Crew Resource Management by requiring on-demand air taxi flight crews to receive crew resource management training.

-- Reducing Accidents Caused by Human Fatigue by setting work hour limits for flight crews, aviation mechanics and air traffic controllers based on fatigue research, circadian rhythms, and sleep and rest requirements. While advocating the adoption of measures designed to address these issues, Rosenker also indicated that regulation is not the only way to improve safety. "I believe that voluntary action by industry, in partnership with the government, is one of the most effective ways to decrease accidents," said Rosenker.

Each of the safety areas Rosenker cited are on the NTSB's Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements, which is available on the Board's website at http://www.ntsb.gov/Recs/mostwanted/index.htm.

The complete text of the speech is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/speeches/rosenker/mvr081021.html
http://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/551091

Safety slip in Madrid crash also seen in U.S.

2008-11-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

FLAP AND SLAT POSITIONS

The same failure by pilots to do a routine but critical task that likely led to a fatal crash in Madrid last summer has happened dozens of times in the United States since 2000, according to government data analyzed by USA TODAY.
Spanair Flight JK5022 never got more than a few feet off the ground on Aug. 20 after its pilots failed to set the wing flaps and slats before the flight, according to a preliminary report by Spanish investigators. The crash killed 154 people.

Since 2000, pilots in the USA have reported a failure to properly set the wings for takeoff 55 times, according to reports filed with a NASA aviation safety database. The flaps and slats expand the size of the wing, giving a plane more lift. Without them, aircraft face severe danger trying to take off.

In most cases, the mistakes were caught by a warning system that serves as a last defense against accidents. (The warning horn did not sound in the Madrid crash.) Several U.S. cases were nearly catastrophic, including a 2005 incident at Washington Reagan National Airport in which pilots lifted off without flaps and nearly plunged to the ground, pilots told NASA. The agency does not identify pilots or airlines.

"This represents a disturbing trend," says Bill Voss, president of the non-profit Flight Safety Foundation. "There are obvious human errors that are being made that take away … layers of safety."

The instances are few compared with the more than 10 million airline flights each year, but Voss and others say the potential for fatal crashes means airlines and regulators need to pay closer attention.

Human errors are one of the most stubborn remaining safety risks in aviation. Errors by pilots or maintenance workers caused all nine fatal airline accidents in the U.S. since 2000, according to National Transportation Safety Board data.

In 1987 and 1988, two U.S. crashes that were caused by pilot failures to set the flaps claimed 170 lives. Since then, changes have been made to ensure pilots do not forget the task.

Distractions occasionally foil those protections, according to the NASA reports. In October 2006, the crew of a Boeing 757 forgot to set flaps and slats in Orlando. The co-pilot said they were distracted by a runway change, said the NASA report.

"Event could have been catastrophic," the pilot said, "had it not been for (the) takeoff warning horn."

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-10-22-madridcrash_N.htm

Human error stubborn snag in airline safety

2008-11-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

An incident in May 2005 at Washington Reagan National Airport,is similar to the crash last month in Madrid that killed 154 people.

By Alan Levin, USA TODAY

As the jet roared toward takeoff, it seemed "sluggish" and struggled to lift off, the captain said later. It climbed only 100 feet before the control column started shaking violently, a warning that the jet was on the verge of plummeting to the ground.
Only then did the crew of the Boeing 737-800 head off tragedy. The co-pilot pulled a lever to extend flaps and slats, critical devices that add lift to the wings and must be used on takeoff. The pilots had forgotten to set them, the captain said.

This incident in May 2005 at Reagan Washington National Airport, recounted in a NASA database of pilot reports, is eerily similar to a crash in August in Madrid that killed 154 people.

The pilots of a Spanair Boeing MD-80 filled with holiday travelers also did not extend the flaps, according to a preliminary report by Spanish investigators. The jet lifted off briefly before striking the ground tail-first and bursting into flames.

Just as in the Washington flight, the warning horn designed to prevent such accidents did not sound, according to the report. The captain on the Washington flight said a circuit breaker on the warning horn had tripped, preventing it from working.

Despite a string of fatal crashes because of failure to set flaps, including two in the USA in the late 1980s, such incidents continue, according to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System.

From 2000 to the present, pilots reported 55 cases in which they attempted to take off without properly extending the flaps, according to the data. In nearly all cases, the warning horn functioned normally and prevented tragedy. But pilots — many surprised that they made such a critical error — say that stress, fatigue or interruptions to their routines caused them to make big mistakes.

"The cause of this potentially dangerous situation was a breakdown in checklist discipline attributable to cockpit disruptions," said the captain in the Washington incident. Pilots and airlines are not identified in the reports.

Pilots thrown off track

Safety has improved dramatically in the airline industry in recent decades. But the human mind remains a stubborn impediment to wiping out crashes altogether.

"You'll do the same thing correctly 1 million times and then not do it correctly one time," says Ben Berman, a former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator who has studied human behavior for NASA. "Things like a moment of stress, a spike in workload, a change in routine — all these things can throw humans off track."

Distractions played a role in fatal accidents in Detroit and Dallas blamed on flaps and slats, the NTSB ruled. They were often cited in the NASA reports.

"It's a good reminder for crews to understand that you've got to be following your procedures," says Terry McVenes, an accident investigator, safety expert and airline pilot. "And if there are interruptions while you are doing your checklists, you've got to stop and be vigilant to make sure you don't miss anything."

Some specific cases

Distractions similar to those documented in previous accidents — including a handful of cases in which pilots also may have sidestepped procedures intentionally — dominated the cases in the NASA data:

• In September 2003, an airline pilot riding in a jet's passenger section noticed that the 737-200 did not have flaps extended as the jet reached the runway at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Only when the jet accelerated toward takeoff did the flaps begin to come down, the pilot said.

"Obviously, the takeoff warning horn saved all aboard from a terrible mishap," the pilot said. "It's pretty difficult to believe an event like this would take place."

• In October 2000, a captain of a flight in St. Louis acknowledged forgetting to set the flaps until the warning horn sounded.

The captain said that issues with congestion at the airport, restarting an engine and dealing with an unruly passenger caused the crew to forget a checklist.

"It is very sobering to realize that only a small warning horn kept my flight from being a replay of the … MD-80 crash (in Detroit in 1978)," the pilot said.

• In January 2007, a co-pilot recalled having to repeatedly shout at the captain before the senior pilot ordered flaps extended after they had reached the runway — a violation of the airline's procedures.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-10-22-insidecrash_N.htm

Eurocontrol: first airlines obtain ADS-B airworthiness approval

2008-11-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

Brussels, Belgium - Air France, AirOne and Volkswagen, three of the 18 aircraft operators participating in project
(WAPA) - "Air France, AirOne and Volkswagen, three of the 18 aircraft operators participating in EUROCONTROL’s ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast) Pioneer Airlines project, have become the world’s first airlines to obtain EASA’s (European Aviation Safety Agency) approval to use ADS-B in airspace not covered by radar.

The airworthiness approval, covers Airbus, Boeing and Dassault airframes and allows ADS-B messages broadcast via 1090 MHz Extended Squitter to be used as the sole surveillance source for an air traffic control service. Currently Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy and Turkey are committed to implementing ADS-B in those parts of their airspace not covered by radar. The EASA approval is also valid in the Hudson Bay area of Canada where the ADS-B operational service will commence in November 2008.

ADS-B relies on aircraft broadcasting their identity, position and velocity (both GNSS-based, Global Navigation Satellite System). This signal can be captured by receivers on the ground ('ADS-B out') or on board other aircraft ('ADS-B in'). ADS-B is recognised as an essential element in SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research Programme) and in the FAA’s NextGen programme (Federal Aviation Administration).

A Single European Sky Implementing Rule mandating the carriage of ADS-B from 2015 onwards will be published for consultation in the coming weeks. Similar rules are being developed in Canada, Australia and the United States.

EUROCONTROL’s CASCADE (Co-operative ATS, Air Traffic Services, through Surveillance and Communication Applications Deployed in ECAC, European Civil Aviation Conference) programme co-ordinates the implementation of initial ADS-B applications in Europe. It performs trials, clarifies operational scenarios, drives the production of global standards and produces both safety and business cases, paving the way for operational approval. Implementation of “ADS-B out” is expected to start in Europe from 2009 onwards". (Avionews)

http://www.avionews.com/index.php?corpo=see_news_home.php&news_id=1095558&pagina_chiamante=index.php

Two Airplane Accidents in One Day (Indonesia)

2008-11-06T09:00:00.002-08:00

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Two airplanes experienced accidents, in Makassar and Surabaya in less than three hours yesterday. Although there were no victims, the National Flight Safety Commission (KNKT) considered the two incidents as serious.

The first accident happened at the Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, Makassar to a Boeing 737-400 owned by Merpati. The plane, flying from Jakarta to Timika, Papua failed to take off at 10.40 Central Indonesia Time when one of its wheels burst. “The plane could not take off due to a flat tire,” said Merpati General Corporate Manager Purwatmo. The ZA-762 flight carrying 15 passengers and five crew to Papua had to be cancelled.

Hardi, 40, a resident in Padang Sesere, Maros regency who witnessed the accident said, “The plane was leaning to one side when it tried to take off.”
Around 14.02 Western Indonesia Time, a similar incident happened to a Wings Air plane flight number IW-8978 at Juanda Airport in Surabaya. One of its left wheels fell off seconds before landing on the runway.
Wings Air spokespman Edward Sirait said the wheel fell off when the MD-82 plane was decelerating. “There were no indications of damage before landing,” he said.
A witness said the wheel spun out of the runway. Jati, Juanda Airport Duty Manager said air traffic was disrupted for about ten minutes due to the incident.
KNKT spokesman J.A. Barata said his commission has categorized these two accidents as serious incidents. “We have sent an investigation team to look into the causes of the accidents,” he said.

Since July 2007, the European Union has banned Indonesia airplanes from fly over Europe. The ban is evaluated every three months and has never been withdrawn since. Last July, the EU said that the ban was extended because according to their assessment, regulators in Indonesia have not been inspecting the flights to the maximum.

http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2008/10/21/brk,20081021-141356,uk.html

Aircraft maintenance has $1-bn business potential in India

2008-11-06T09:00:00.001-08:00

SINGAPORE: Indian aviation industry may be going through turbulent weather, yet experts see a growing potential for the maintenance, repair and over
haul (MRO) segment of the industry, with projected revenue of $1.07 billion by 2013.

Many companies, including Boeing in a tie-up with the state-run Air India, have announced joint ventures in MRO business and others are waiting in the wings for the government to address some tax issues to jump into the market, the experts added.

Speaking during an MRO Asia symposium here, C.S. Tomar, vice president of engineering and maintenance for Kingfisher Airlines, said the MRO market in the country was currently valued at $405 million with a potential for $1.6 billion by 2018.

"It makes economical sense for us to set up an MRO facility," Sitham Nadarajah, vice president for technical development with Jet Airways, told IANS. "With volumes increasing, we will be looking at D-checks for narrow bodied aircraft like Boeing-737s."

The D-checks are done on aircraft every four-five years, during which the aircraft is completely stripped, checked and then restored.

With India's current fleet of 907 including helicopters, business jets and 395 commercial aircraft, it makes a business case for the MRO industry, the experts said, adding some issues remained to make it a more viable proposition.

"To many, India is still a black hole and yet to be understood," said Bharat Malkani, chief executive of MaxAerospace, a leading private sector MRO provider since 1994, providing support to all the major commercial airlines and aircraft operators in India and the Middle East.

With aviation infrastructure in the process of being ramped up, MRO providers said the high cost of entry into the Indian market, especially on account of high taxes, was proving to be the main barrier.

They said if repairs, for example, were undertaken outside the country, it was not subject to service tax or value-added tax. Since India is still in the development phase of offering a good MRO base, most Indian airlines go abroad to get their aircraft maintained, they added.

"We are being penalized for being Indian as we are charged taxes; companies abroad are not," said Malkani, whose engineering facility is located in Mumbai, supporting a variety of aircraft and components.

Recently, Lufthansa Technik, one of the world's largest MROs that had tied up with the Hyderabad International Airport, pulled out, saying high taxes were making it too expensive for it to operate in India.

"Taxation is a finance ministry matter," said R.K Maheshwary, deputy director general at industry watchdog in India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Yet, things are moving in the domain.

Recently, the National Aviation Company of India, the company that owns Air India, and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, or EADS that owns Airbus, signed a joint venture agreement in the area.

They have proposed that their 50:50 aircraft MRO centre at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in India's national capital with an investment of $40 million will start its operations from early 2009.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News_by_Industry/Aircraft_maintenance_has_1-bn_business_potential_in_India/articleshow/3627475.cms

FAA Plan To Narrow Controller Training Draws Fire

2008-11-06T08:59:00.001-08:00

Tower, Or TRACON? Some Won't Be Trained In Both

In a move intended to speed training as the agency faces a critical shortage of experienced air traffic controllers, the FAA plans to narrow the training requirements for personnel heading to Memphis and Orlando... a plan the National Air Traffic Controllers Association says could be dangerous.

The Associated Press reports the FAA plans to end cross-training of ATC personnel in tower operations, and handling traffic at Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities. Previously, controllers spent time handling both... a move meant to increase controllers' understanding of both jobs, and how they inter-relate.

But that added training takes time, which is something the FAA doesn't have much of as it works to replace controllers hired following the 1981 PATCO strike, who are now approaching retirement. The FAA also makes the argument controllers will handle their individual duties better when they can focus on just one job.

"It's simply focusing their training to do precisely what they're going to be doing," FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto said.

Not surprisingly, however, not all controllers agree. "It masks their staffing problems," said Victor Santore, regional vice president for NATCA.

The controllers union -- which has been locked in a contentious battle with the FAA over a contract imposed in June 2006 -- says those lesser job duties will translate to reduced pay for controllers, to the tune of 4-8 percent in some cases. Fewer personnel will be available for emergencies, too, or to cover for workers out on sick leave.

John Wallin, who heads the NATCA chapter in Memphis, maintains cross-training improves coordination between towers and TRACONs as they vector traffic over busy airports... and suggests the lack of such training could lead to problems.

"Controllers who work in the tower will no longer have the experience that radar controllers have and that could lead to a disaster because they're not going to know what each other is doing," he said.

The FAA has already ended cross-training at facilities near several larger airports, including Atlanta and Chicago. Attempts to restrict training in Miami and Philadelphia were scaled back, however, after Congress questioned the safety of such a move.

Illinois Congressman Jerry Costello -- who serves as chairman of the House subcommittee on aviation, and is a frequent critic of the FAA's hard-line stance against controllers -- says any attempt by the agency to lessen certification requirements for new-hire controllers will face review by lawmakers, "if in fact that is taking place."

Currently, about one-quarter of all air traffic controllers nationwide are in training... and that figure is expected to increase to 30 percent within four years.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.natca.org
aero-news.net

FAA splits duties of air-traffic controllers

2008-11-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Critics say move means less training for those responsible for public's safety

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Federal Aviation Administration is realigning the duties of air traffic controllers in some cities, a move that critics say will mean less training for the people responsible for the safety of the flying public.

Faced with a nationwide shortage of controllers, the FAA says it wants to streamline training by dividing the job of air traffic controllers into two specialties. In January, controllers in Memphis and Orlando, Fla. — now trained to work in their airport towers as well as companion radar centers — will be restricted to one job or the other.

"It's simply focusing their training to do precisely what they're going to be doing," FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto said.

Some lawmakers and the controllers' union say the change will allow the FAA to certify controllers with fewer training hours than the current standard.

"It masks their staffing problems," said Victor Santore, regional vice president of the Air Traffic Controllers Association.

The union also argues that the new job descriptions will cut controllers' salaries by 4 percent to 8 percent and limit staffing flexibility in emergencies.

Radar centers called TRACONs, for Terminal Radar Approach Control, direct aircraft for landings and takeoffs up to 50 miles from their airports. Towers handle planes when they're within five miles of an airport or on the ground. More than 40 percent of the FAA's 315 air traffic control facilities have towers with companion radar centers.

John Wallin, president of the union local in Memphis, said training controllers to work in both airport towers and radar centers improves coordination between the groups as they work to keep planes safely spread out over busy airports.

He called the FAA's move dangerous.

"Controllers who work in the tower will no longer have the experience that radar controllers have and that could lead to a disaster because they're not going to know what each other is doing," he said.

The FAA's move to split the tower and radar center jobs is not new. More than 20 of the busiest airports in the U.S., including those in Atlanta and Chicago, already operate that way.

But Wallin said those airports get the most experienced controllers, many of them with both tower and radar experience earned in smaller cities like Memphis.

The FAA also has looked into splitting the controllers' job functions at cities including Cleveland, San Antonio, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. Moves to split the work in towers and radar centers at Miami and Philadelphia were recently scaled back following complaints from members of Congress and others who argued the plans needed more study and input from outside the FAA.

Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., joined other Pennsylvania lawmakers in opposing the plans, arguing that "any action that would dilute staff would dilute safety," his office said.

The FAA hired most of its 14,800 controllers within a few years of a 1981 strike that ended when former President Reagan fired the strikers.

Rep. Jerry Costello, chairman of the House subcommittee on aviation, said the FAA has failed to lay the groundwork to replace so many experienced controllers, and has caused early retirements by refusing to negotiate since 2006 on a new work contract.

Costello, D-Ill., said the agency must get more controllers on the job, but any moves to lessen certification requirements will draw a congressional review, "if in fact that is taking place."

Nationwide, about a fourth of air traffic controllers are in training, meaning they need on-the-job supervision, and the transportation department's inspector general says that may increase to 30 percent over the next four years as more new controllers are hired.

Memphis has 62 controllers, 45 of whom are fully certified. The rest are in training, and up to 10 more trainees are expected next year. Though several of the older hands are likely to retire soon, Wallin said, the number of controllers deemed fully certified will increase after the job split.

"They can go to Congress and say, 'Look, we fixed Memphis,'" he said. "'We now have 54 or 55 fully certified controllers, some in radar and some in the tower.'"

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 24/10/2008.

AACO Annual General Meeting - Remarks of Giovanni Bisignani

2008-11-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

It’s a pleasure to be here in Tunis - a beautiful city with more than three millennia of fascinating history. It is also home to our host -Tunisair - that is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Congratulations!

Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is among the most dynamic aviation regions in the world.

Since 2001 this region’s share of international passenger traffic grew from 5% to nearly 10%. IATA has supported this region’s rapid development with a strong presence coordinated from our regional office in Amman. Our settlement systems process over US $13 billion in the region at no cost to our member carriers. In fact we provide cash back.

Guiding IATA’s global work is our Chairman Samer Majali of Royal Jordanian. At this time of crisis business as usual is not an option. Samer’s great ability to drive change is helping IATA to deliver relevant results for the industry.

State of the Industry

Let’s start with the enormous shocks since we met in Damascus. In 2007 airlines made US$5.6 billion a 1.1% margin. But with an average oil price of US$73 per barrel for a total bill of US$136 billion, even this was an amazing achievement. It was the result of a strong economy and hard work by airlines. Since 2001 labour productivity improved 64%, sales and marketing unit costs dropped 25% and non-fuel unit costs reduced 18%.

Then the perfect storm hit. First oil prices spiked to US$145 in July. We predicted a fuel bill of US$186 billion, US$50 billion more than 2007. The financial crisis pushed oil below US$90. But even if the price volatility stops and oil averages US$95 for the rest of the year, we still face a US$181 billion bill.

Recession is the bigger threat. A 1% drop in revenues is a US$5 billion hit. Already passenger traffic growth declined to 1.3% and cargo traffic—a leading indicator is down 2.7%. The worst is yet to come. What we save on fuel, we lose in revenue and that means US$5.2 billion in red ink.

MENA

While MENA carriers will deliver a US$200 million profit this year, that’s US$100 million less than in 2007. Even these profits are generated by only a handful of carriers, while most bleed red ink. Even tougher times are ahead.

Over the next decade, the region’s fleet will double to 1,300 aircraft. However, passenger growth is slowing. It went from 18.1% in 2007 to 4.3% in August.
Along with the challenge of matching capacity to demand, airlines in this region have some serious homework to do. They must continue to improve safety, focus on efficiency, Simplifying the Business, fuel, monopoly service providers and press governments for commercial freedoms.

Safety

Let’s start with safety, our top priority. Air is the safest way to travel. In 10 years we cut the accident rate in half. But today I am ringing a warning bell. There have been 25 fatal accidents this year more than in either 2006 or 2007. MENA had no accidents in 2006, one in 2007 and two already this year. We are safe, but the trend is going in the wrong direction.

So we need to make the most of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). It’s a membership condition for IATA and AACO. Our goal is to bring all our members on board. We are funding IOSA audits for members. With our Partnership for Safety programme,10 MENA carriers have benefited from GAP analysis and 700 airline staff were trained in 29 IOSA courses. Today 17 MENA IATA member airlines are on the registry but 13 are still closing their findings. The deadline is near and there will be no exceptions. I need the leadership support of the CEOs to close the findings as soon as possible.

Governments must move faster to take advantage of IOSA. Two years ago ACAC mandated IOSA for all airlines flying into the region. Only one country has delivered – Egypt. Lebanon and Jordan are expected to follow soon. All ACAC member states must deliver on their promise -quickly.

ISAGO

We are using the IOSA approach to improve ground safety with the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations. MENA is playing a leading role. The first ground handler audit was DNATA in Dubai.

Egypt Air, Royal Jordanian, Saudia and Royal Air Maroc are among the first in the ISAGO pool audit group. Safety is our top priority. With IOSA and ISAGO we are raising the bar.

Efficiency

In this crisis, efficiency is critical. It begins with airlines doing their homework with programmes like IATA’s Simplifying the Business. Working together we achieved 100% e-ticketing in just 48 months saving US$3 billion annually. The carriers in this region were slow to start but in just 18 months went from 16% to 100%. Congratulations!

But there is no time to rest. The target for 100% bar coded boarding passes is 2010. It’s serious business because each BCBP saves US$5 and a total of US$500 million a year on the industry bottom line. Already 19 MENA airlines are among the 176 issuing the IATA standard BCBP.

We need to catch-up on the other projects. Common Use Self Service kiosks save US$2.50 per check-in with a potential of US$1 billion savings annually. But, only 2 of the 119 airports with CUSS are in MENA. With e-freight, 14 locations will be live by the end of the year. But the only participation in the region is Dubai, which is on the list for the next phase. With potential savings of US$1.2 billion e-freight is important to building a competitive cargo industry. Of the 22 MENA states, only 10 have ratified the Montreal Convention or Montreal Protocol recognising electronic invoicing.

Again, too slow.

Already we are looking at the next phase of StB. Fast Travel will bring more self-service options throughout the travel process. And our Baggage Improvement Programme will reduce the US$3.8 billion annual cost of mishandlings. MENA’s aggressive US$46 billion infrastructure expansion is a golden opportunity to be a world leader by adopting StB processes and technology. Now is the time to act, not when the airport construction is complete.
Fuel and Operational Efficiency

Every drop of fuel that we can save is critical to our bottom line and our environmental performance.

Our four pillar strategy is clear:

Invest in new technology
Operate planes effectively
Build and use efficient infrastructure
And implement positive economic measures
Governments have endorsed it and all the major industry players have made it an industry commitment. IATA is even more ambitious with a vision for carbon-neutral growth leading to a carbon-free future.

And we are delivering results. Up to 2007 we have saved US$7.7 billion in fuel costs and 44.5 million tonnes of CO2. Already this year we identified and saved an additional US$4.6 billion in fuel cost and13.5 million tonnes of CO2. Significant savings have been achieved in this region US$38 million with better operational procedures at 15 airports and RVSM in North Africa, US$10 million by re-opening a route from Qatar to Saudi Arabia and US$390 million from our Green Teams that worked with 13 airlines. A further US$46 million is expected from Green Teams later this year and another US$40 million will come when we re-open a route between Syria and Iraq. The next challenge is re-designing the airspace in the Gulf region to deliver three times the capacity while cutting costs with reduced delays and more direct routings.

The last pillar of the strategy is positive economic measures. These can play a significant role. IATA will soon deliver a global carbon offset scheme for the industry to use. We have had positive discussions with a number of airlines in the region including Egyptair, Royal Jordanian and Emirates. I hope that others will follow quickly.

At the same time we must also work to get governments to focus on global solutions. That means not following the crazy approach Europe is taking. National governments have discovered a pot of green gold. The UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium have or are considering departure taxes in some way related to the environment brand that could total nearly EUR 4.0 billion. On top of this, the European ETS is another EUR 3.5 billion in tax starting in 2012. A fair, global and voluntary ETS could be effective. Europe’s unilateral approach to ETS is not. What right does Europe have to charge a MENA carrier for emissions over Canada on its way to the US from Europe?
Instead of cleaning up the environment, it will be an international legal mess. Article 2 of Kyoto gives ICAO responsibility for aviation’s emissions. ICAO is moving forward with the Group on International Aviation and Climate Change. Saudi Arabia is a member and must play a strong role pushing for a global solution. At the same time, states of this region must challenge Europe’s unilateral action and deliver efficiencies in line with our strategy.

Reducing Infrastructure Costs

We are also pushing for cost efficiencies by challenging our monopoly providers - airports and ANSPs - to deliver the same efficiencies that airlines have achieved. We saved US$3.7 billion in 2007 in charges, taxation and fuel.

In July we wrote 133 airports and 66 ANSPs asking for urgent action in light of the crisis. Some responded positively. Toronto reduced cargo rates 25%, Fraport froze charges until 2009 and Brazil reduced fuel taxes saving US$411 million over the next 3 years.

Unfortunately too many partners don’t share this sense of urgency. In recent years this region has seen some embarrassing developments. Without consultation passenger charges at Egypt’s airports increased 100% and Saudi Arabia increased airport charges by 50% and air navigation charges by 23%. These increases are unacceptable.
Airport Concessions and Regulation

And there are some potential issues on the horizon. Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt have given management concessions to run their airports. When Latin America did this it became a complete disaster. Let’s take the example of Quito where they are building a new airport with the involvement of Houston Airport System and have raised rates by 128%! ICAO principles were ignored. There was no consultation, limited transparency and pre-financing means that today’s users are paying for tomorrow’s customers.

You don’t want this type of abuse here. At key airports, you must ramp up the activities of User Charges Panels and Airport Consultative Committees to identify issues quickly and take action.

And, as you start to privatize, you need strong independent regulators to enforce ICAO principles and deliver cost-efficiency. Looking around the region Jordan is starting to prepare but there is a lot more homework to do - quickly.

Fuel Tax

Another worrying trend in the region is governments levying taxes on jet fuel.
It’s illegal. It is in contravention of bilateral agreements and the Chicago Convention. We fought this in Jordan and won US$15 million in annual cost savings. And our fuel experts are working with the AACO Fuel Committee to identify and fight similar abuses.

Commercial Freedom

Lastly, the crisis highlights the need for airlines to have the same commercial freedoms that other industries take for granted. We cannot serve new markets until governments sign an international agreement. And ownership rules deny access to global capital and the ability to merge or consolidate across borders. So, we are a fragmented industry and a financial basket case. Over 60 years, the average profit margin was 0.3% and today we are US$190 billion in debt. It’s time for change. Who cares who owns an airline if it is safe and provides efficient service? And why restrict market access if governments can ensure a level playing field?

What’s happening in MENA? Domestic liberalisation has sprouted new airlines in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Bahrain and Libya. Open sky policies are delivering economic benefits in Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco/ Morocco’s open skies deal with Europe is boosting tourist arrivals towards 10 million a year and Royal Air Maroc is stronger and more competitive.

Despite the clear case that liberalisation will stimulate long-haul markets and help fill the airports being built in the region, progress is too slow. In 2004 the Arab Ministers of Transport signed agreements establishing a goal of open-skies and fair competition and a mechanism for bloc negotiations with EU. Only 6 States ratified and bloc negotiations with Europe are only at the stage of declaring principles. MENA’s governments must think bigger and act faster.

IATA is facilitating this discussion among progressive governments at an Agenda for Freedom Summit in Istanbul this weekend with Morocco and the United Arab Emirates representing MENA.

The goal is to build a stronger industry with a level playing field within the bilateral system by allowing airlines to access global capital and take advantage of business opportunities beyond their borders.

Conclusion

This crisis is a turning point. MENA has some key advantages - strong oil economies, top-notch infrastructure and a young fuel-efficient fleet. There are also some big challenges: safety, cost reduction, efficiency and liberalisation. We must work together to move the industry in the right direction.

IATA and AACO are a strong team. Combined with your leadership, I am confident that we can deliver significant change to weather this perfect storm and emerge as an even stronger industry - safer, secure, efficient environmentally responsible and profitable.

Source: http://www.iata.org/pressroom/speeches/2008-10-22-01.htm acesso em 22 de Outubro de 2008.

IATA Blasts EU ETS Decision

2008-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

Istanbul - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) blasted the decision of the European Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers for rubber stamping - and sealing into law - Europe’s decision to bring air transport into the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) from 2012.

“Crisis is not the time for rubber stamps. But that is exactly what the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers used today - without a word of debate - to seal into law the EUR 3.5 billion cost of bringing airlines into the European ETS. It’s Brussels acting in a bubble - even in the middle of a global economic crisis,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“IATA does not oppose emissions trading. Positive economic measures are part of the industry’s four pillar strategy to address climate change. Along with economic measures, we need to improve efficiency with technology, operations and infrastructure. While Brussels has been fast to introduce its regional ETS scheme, it has been slow to improve efficiency. We need the same urgency to deliver an effective Single European Sky that would save billions of Euros in cost and 16 million tonnes of CO2 annually. That we have been waiting decades for this is Europe’s biggest environmental embarrassment,’ said Bisignani.

Bisignani highlighted the need for a global approach that is fair and effective. ”In the most recent G8 declaration, Prime Minister Berlusconi, Prime Minister Brown, Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy supported ICAO’s leadership to deliver a global solution for aviation and the environment. Now we need to see some supporting action. The best way to a global solution is through ICAO’s Group on International Aviation and Climate Change (GIACC). Brussels must support the success of this process,” said Bisignani. IATA also noted the inclusion of aviation in Europe’s general review of its ETS programmes. “Reviewing the effectiveness of emissions trading where programmes have been operational has value. But what enlightened decisions can we expect from a review that will conclude even before today’s decision takes effect in 2012?” questioned Bisignani. “Far better that we address this on the basis of experience than speculation.”

Fonte: IATA 24/10/2008.

Alarming Drop for September International Traffic

2008-11-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

Istanbul - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global international traffic results for September. Passenger traffic declined 2.9% while cargo traffic dropped 7.7% compared to the same month in 2007. International load factors tumbled by 4.4% percentage points from August to 74.8% in September.

“The deterioration in traffic is alarmingly fast-paced and widespread. We have not seen such a decline in passenger traffic since SARS in 2003,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “Even the good news that the oil price has fallen to half its July peak is not enough to offset the impact of the drop in demand. At this rate, losses may be even deeper than our forecast US$5.2 billion for this year,” said Bisignani.

Passenger

This is the first time since the SARS crisis in 2003 that global passenger traffic has shrunk. Capacity cuts were not able to keep pace with the fall in demand. September load factors in all regions fell compared to August.

For September, all major regions reported that passenger traffic shrank, with the exception of Latin American carriers which saw an increase of 1.7%. Even this is shockingly down from the 11.9% growth of the previous month.

Up to August, the drop in international passenger traffic was isolated to Asia Pacific carriers. The economies of the region’s two major growth markets - China and India - slowed and Japan saw industrial production drop 5% in August. The sharp downturn in world trade disproportionately impacted Asia-Pacific carriers with a 6.8% drop in traffic in September.

The steady 5% international growth of North American carriers turned into a 0.9% contraction.
European carriers saw traffic drop from last year (-0.5%) as the region’s economies head for recession.

After years of double-digit growth, passenger traffic by Middle Eastern carriers turned to a negative 2.8%. While the region’s oil-based economy remains strong, the large portion of transit traffic exposes the region’s carriers to the global economic weakness.

African carriers posted the largest decline in traffic (-7.8%), a continuation of the previous month’s trend.

Cargo

This is the worst decline since the technology bubble burst in 2001.
Declines in air freight have slowed year-to-date growth to 0.1%, with all regions except the Middle East and Africa reporting negative results.

The most alarming drop was with Asia Pacific carriers - the largest players in the market. The region’s carriers reported a 10.6% decline.

Europe and North American carriers, which had seen flat growth through August saw cargo traffic fall 6.8% and 6.0% respectively.

“The industry crisis is deepening - along with the crisis in the global economy. Airlines, like all other businesses, are facing enormous challenges. But unlike other companies, they are denied some basic commercial freedoms - access to markets and to global capital - that could help them manage their business in this difficult time,” said Giovanni Bisignani.

The web of 3,500 bilateral air service agreements that govern international air transport denies market access until specifically agreed. And the ownership clauses that are contained in these agreements preclude mergers across borders.

“Look at what the banking industry is doing. They are taking government handouts. They are accessing global capital. And we have seen mergers without anybody asking to see the investors’ passports. Airlines are not asking for handouts. But today’s crisis highlights the need for airlines to be able to run their businesses like normal global businesses,” said Bisignani from Istanbul on the eve of the Agenda for Freedom Summit.

IATA has taken the extra-ordinary step of facilitating a discussion among 15 progressive governments on the future regulatory structure of international air transport. IATA circulated a paper among these governments examining solutions within the bilateral system that could be quickly implemented to expand opportunities for access to markets and to global capital.“I hope that the Agenda for Freedom Summit will conclude as a successful discussion that sparks a process of change by governments. We are not asking for anything other than the basic freedoms to do business that other industries take for granted,” said Bisignani.

Fonte: IATA 24/10/2008.

NTSB Safety Recommendations A-08-83 and -84

2008-11-06T08:51:00.000-08:00

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration:

Require operators of turbine-powered helicopters with externally mounted liferafts to install a placard for each external T-handle that clearly identifies the location of and provides activation instructions for the handle. (A-08-83)

Require all operators of turbine-powered helicopters to include, in pilot preflight safety briefings to passengers before each takeoff, information about the location and activation of all flotation equipment, including internal or external liferafts (depending on which system has been installed on the helicopter). (A-08-84)

Fonte: NTSB 22/10/2008.

U.S. plane crashes in Afghanistan

2008-11-06T08:49:00.000-08:00

KABUL (Reuters) - A U.S. navy patrol plane was destroyed Tuesday when it overshot the runway while landing at a base north of the Afghan capital, but none of the crew was seriously hurt, the U.S. military said.

"A Navy P-3 Orion airplane overshot the runway surface while landing at Bagram Air Field. The airplane sustained serious structural and fire damage," a military statement said. One crew member suffered a broken ankle.

The incident was under investigation, it said.

Bagram is the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, located just north of Kabul.

The P-3 Orion is a patrol aircraft used primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare.

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 22/10/2008.

"Knowledge Shared is Knowledge Gained"

2008-10-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

Robert A. Sturgell,
Hyderabad, India October 15, 2008
India Air Show

Let me begin by thanking the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry for this opportunity.

It doesn’t get more exciting than this, especially for those of us who love aviation. Air shows have a special way of connecting us with our past, our present, and our future.

This is especially true in India, and right here in Hyderabad, where aviation is growing so rapidly.

Just consider the spot where we stand at this precise moment. Think back to earlier this year on March 22nd. Thai Airways flight 330 took off from this very site and closed an important chapter in India’s aviation history.

It was the last flight to take off from what’s now the old international airport, marking the end of more than 70 years of aviation operations.

At the same time, it opened a new chapter with the state-of-the-art Rajiv Gandhi International that many of us flew into earlier this week.

This is what aviation in India is all about — moving forward and opening new chapters. It’s about the future.

As you look to tomorrow, there’s no question that you’ll face many challenges as you expand your infrastructure. But you’re not alone.

These challenges are the very ones that confront us all as we look to ensure safety and improve operational efficiencies while we increase capacity.

Aviation is an economic driver for our countries, and we need to provide a system that’s capable of meeting future demand.

To help us succeed, we’ve established a Joint Aviation Steering Committee with working groups to address safety and efficiency issues.

We’re casting this net as widely as we can, promoting partnership and cooperation in areas like air traffic management, aircraft certification, airports, safety oversight, and the environment.

Through this partnership, we hope to learn from each other and find common threads that will lead us toward safety and efficiency solutions that benefit everyone.

A good example of something that works — the Commercial Aviation Safety Team — CAST. This international partnership is focused on preventing fatal aviation accidents before they happen.

To date, it’s identified 70 specific safety risks — and corresponding actions to mitigate those risks — in many areas.

They include Controlled Flight Into Terrain, Approach and Landing, Loss of Control, Runway Incursions, and Mid-Air Collisions. As a former line pilot, I can tell you that these areas are on our mind all the time. CAST really does make a difference.

When I talk about sharing information, it includes an even wider range of operational safety data, like information collected through ramp inspections.
If we broaden our databases to include info from more countries, we can pinpoint more recurring safety issues. This can help us avoid incidents and accidents before they become tomorrow’s headline.

Improving data sharing also means promoting voluntary safety information sharing.

We need to promote effective and non-punitive procedures for reporting potential safety issues.

This applies to every tier of our aviation system.

Whether it’s a tower controller, a machinist on the production line, or a pilot in the cockpit, we need systems in place that are conducive to reporting safety issues.

In the United States, our effort to increase capacity centers on the Next Generation. It’s a major priority for me and every employee at the FAA. And I encourage you to visit our exhibit at the air show and see for yourself what NextGen is all about.

In the air and on the ground, NextGen means transformation to a more automated system, greater airport design flexibility, reduced physical footprint, reduced separation between runways, and a smaller environmental footprint.

The recent Ajay Prasad Committee report provides India with a similar path for its aviation system.
As our nations develop and implement our respective future aviation systems, we need to ensure that they’re harmonized.

This was one of the key points I underscored at the ICAO NextGen/SESAR Integration Forum in Montreal last month.

In the aviation system of the future, a pilot should find the same procedures whether flying into Dulles or Delhi, Hartsfield or Hyderabad.

It’s ambitious, I know, but it’s a big part of what we hope to accomplish through initiatives like our aviation partnership with India.

I also believe that, to make this partnership even stronger, it’s important to have the right people.

And we do. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the FAA’s newest representative to India, Mr. Aaron Wilkins. Aaron, please stand up.

Aaron’s been with the FAA for over a decade.

Most recently, he was in our Beijing office, where he worked on a range of aviation activities, including the Olympics. Please take a minute to introduce yourselves to him when we’re done.

Thanks, Aaron.

In closing, I would like to congratulate the Indian government and the Federal of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry for what they’ve accomplished here this week. I would also like to wish everyone in the audience a successful air show. As you meet with your colleagues and engage in aviation discussions here this week, remember to think global. Our future, and the future of aviation safety, depends on it.

Thank you.

Fonte: FAA 20/10/2008.

Cockpit Runway Safety Technology

2008-10-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reached agreements with three additional U.S. airlines to fund in-cockpit runway safety systems in exchange for critical operational data. The data will help the FAA evaluate the safety impact of this technology and is expected to accelerate key safety capabilities necessary for the transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System.
Atlas Air Inc. received $510,000 to equip 17 aircraft with electronic flight bags (EFBs), CommutAir received $544,000 to equip 16 aircraft with EFBs and Aural Alerting Systems, and Shuttle America received $680,000 to equip 20 aircraft with EFBs and Aural Alerting Systems.

The surface moving maps with own-ship position and aural alert systems will be used on flights to or from 21 test bed airports, as well as other airports. The safety technology provides greater situational awareness for pilots to help them avoid unsafe operations on the airport surface.

In September, the FAA provided $600,000 each to SkyWest, Piedmont, US Airways and Southwest Airlines to install the cockpit safety equipment.

“This technology is on every pilot’s wish list,” said Robert A. Sturgell, the FAA’s acting administrator. “It’s going to be a big boost for runway safety. As a former airline pilot myself, I can tell you putting these systems in the cockpit will raise situational awareness considerably.”

The technology will be installed in aircraft at each airline by September 2009. By that time the agency also expects initial results from the data analysis. Each agreement will remain in effect through September 2011.

The FAA continues to review other proposals to deploy the surface moving map or an approved aural runway safety alerting system and expects to announce other awards. Twenty-two airlines responded to the FAA’s request for proposals to invest in the two runway safety technologies.The test bed airports were selected because they had a history of runway incursions or runway safety issues. They are: Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago (O’Hare), Newark, Cleveland, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston (Hobby), Anchorage, San Francisco, Las Vegas McCarran, Charlotte, Miami, Philadelphia, Albuquerque, Daytona Beach, Phoenix, Dallas-Ft. Worth, New York (JFK and LaGuardia), Atlanta and Seattle.

Fonte: FAA 20/10/2008.

US safety board repeats calls for more robust flight recorders

2008-10-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

US safety officials are asking the FAA to bolster its March 2008 final rule requiring enhanced flight data recorders for new and existing commercial, commuter and business aviation aircraft.

In a letter to FAA, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) acting chairman Mark Rosenker says that after reviewing the new rule, officials were "pleased" that all larger passenger airliners will now be required to carry 2h cockpit voice recorders (CVRs), up from the current 30min minimum, but he is urging FAA to revisit the need for video recorders in the cockpit, a reconstruction tool the NTSB has previously recommended.

Other weaknesses in the rule, says the NTSB, include not requiring the older 30min CVRs in commuter and corporate jet aircraft be upgraded to 2h units, though the FAA will require 2h recorders for newly manufactured commuter and corporate aircraft. The new units will also feature higher sampling rates for flight control positions, providing more accurate accident and incident investigations.

The Board had also asked that all airliners be equipped with emergency power pack to add 10min of recorder operations after an electrical interruption, a feature that would have helped with accidents like ValuJet Flight 592 in 1996 and Swiss Air 111 in 1998. FAA is requiring new aircraft to have the feature, but is not asking for retrofits.

NTSB is also unhappy that its requests for certain configurations of microphones and dedicated channels, as well as for a recorder for the back of the plane, were not heeded.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 20/10/2008.

Voluntary safety reporting program suspended at American

2008-10-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

Pilot union leaders at American Airlines have informed members that a voluntary program that allows for the reporting of safety incidents has been suspended due to what the union characterizes as unreasonable demands by management.

The Allied Pilots Association adopted the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) in 1994. FAA grants carriers approval to establish ASAP programs for pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and flight attendants. Those carriers are generally free from penalties related to the given incident.

APA tells its members in an update that during the ASAP renewal process American management supplied a proposal that increases a pilot's risk for discipline and would leave pilots "dangerously exposed".

American explains it is disappointed by APA's action, but stresses that the safety of its operations will not be affected by ASAP's expiration.

"The APA's willingness to discard a 14-year program that has done so much for our pilots, our airline and our industry is impossible to understand," a company spokeswoman says.

The carrier says it is supplying pilots with a confidential hotline and online reporting systems to express concerns directly to its safety department.

But APA is discouraging the use those outlets by American's pilots. "Do not use the Flight Department's 'confidential' safety reporting hotline," says APA, adding, "You have the right to remain silent."

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 20/10/2008.

Robertson R44 Helicopter Wire Strike Accident (South Africa)

2008-10-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

Date: 18-OCT-2008
Time: ±13:00
Type: Robinson R44
Operator:
Registration: ZS-
C/n / msn:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Mountain Range between Lydenburg and Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga - South Africa
Phase: En route
Nature: Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Narrative:
Helicopter became entangled in electrical wires near the Sambrech Mine outside Lydenburg, crashed onto rocks and caught fire.

(aviation-safety.net)
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 20/10/2008.

German Charter Flight Forced into Emergency Landing

2008-10-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The XL Boeing 737-800, like this one from Gol Airlines, had to land with engine trouble.

The German air carrier XL Airways has confirmed that one of its aircraft had to make an emergency landing Saturday, Oct. 18 in Belgrade.

The Frankfurt-based firm said its Boeing 737-800 with 188 passengers and crew landed following a warning of an unspecified "engine problem" in the cockpit, spokesman Asger Schubert told the DPA news agency.

Schubert denied Serbian media reports claiming that one of the plane's engines caught fire.

Smoke was seen coming from one of the plane's two engines and firefighters doused the aircraft with foam when it landed, he added.

The pilot reported engine failure before entering Serbian airspace and asked for permission to land in Belgrade, the spokesman said.

"Passengers were safely evacuated and nobody was injured," a spokesperson for Belgrade airport said.

The aircraft was flying from Frankfurt to Antalya in Turkey. Passengers were to be transferred to Turkey with another engine during the day.

XL was founded two years ago. It charters planes to travel agencies, mostly for destinations in the Mediterranean basin.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3723384,00.html
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 20/10/2008.

Regional Jet, Maintenance Truck Collide At ORD; 3 Injured

2008-10-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

Two Reported In "Good" Condition, One "Critical"

A pre-dawn collision of a regional jet and a maintenance truck on a runway at Chicago O'Hare International Airport has left three people hospitalized.

The Associated Press reports two mechanics and no passengers were aboard the United Express jet, operated by SkyWest Airlines. Chicago Fire Department Chief Joe Roccasalva said the plane was traveling from a hangar to a gate at O'Hare with it collided with the truck around 5 a.m.

The driver of the truck was extricated from the city vehicle and transported in critical condition to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. The two mechanics from the plane were transported in good condition to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, Roccasalva said.

Chicago Department of Aviation spokeswoman Karen Pride said a runway at O'Hare was closed for almost two hours due to the incident, but flight operations were not affected.

United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said United planned to work with SkyWest to determine what caused the collision. "We will conduct a full investigation," she said.

Officials reviewed United surveillance footage, but due to the morning darkness and lights on the runway, they "could not find who was responsible for the accident," SkyWest spokeswoman Nicole Drew said. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were also investigating the incident, she added.

FMI: www.ohare.com, www.skywest.com
aero-news.net
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 20/10/2008.

NTSB Notes Shortcomings In FAA's Revised Flight Recorder Rule

2008-10-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

But Praises Enhancements Overall

The National Transportation Safety Board has told the Federal Aviation Administration that many elements of its new rule dealing with aircraft flight recorders comply with previous NTSB recommendations... but noted that some of its recommendations were not adopted.

The FAA issued a final rule, titled "Revisions to Cockpit Voice Recorder and Digital Flight Data Recorder Regulations," in March 2008 as ANN reported. After reviewing the rule, the NTSB this week classified several recommendations referenced in the rule.

The Board was pleased to see that all larger passenger airliners will be required to carry 2-hour cockpit voice recorders (CVRs), greatly expanding the current 30-minute requirement. But the rule stopped short by not requiring that older 30-minute CVRs be replaced on existing commuter and corporate jet aircraft. The FAA did require that newly manufactured commuter and corporate jets come equipped with 2-hour CVRs. Recommendation A-96-171 was closed "Acceptable Action."

The Board had asked that airliners be retrofitted with CVRs that had an emergency 10-minute power supply in case of an electrical interruption, such as occurred on ValuJet flight 592 in 1996 and Swiss Air flight 111 in 1998. The FAA agreed that newly manufactured airliners be so equipped but declined to require retrofits. The Board acknowledged that a retrofit rule might have posed a roadblock for regulatory approval for the rule, so classified recommendation A-99-16 "Closed - Acceptable Alternative Action."

The Board closed as unacceptable action A-96-89, which called for certain configurations of microphones and dedicated channels in airliner cockpits, and A-99-17, which called for dual combination recorders, one in the front and one in the back of the plane.

"Flight recorders have proven themselves invaluable in providing crucial information during accident and incident investigations," NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said. "While I am happy to see that some of the enhancements we've been advocating for years are being adopted by the FAA, I again urge the FAA to act on the Board's recommendations for cockpit image recorders, which were not addressed in the new rule."

The new rule calls for increased flight control position sampling rates on flight recorders, which should improve the quality of data available to investigators. Improvements in flight recorders has been on the Board's list of Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improvements since 1999.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov
aero-news.net
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 20/10/2008.

Lessons Learned Safety Library

2008-10-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established a one-of-a-kind online safety library that teaches “lessons learned” from some of the world’s most historically significant transport airplane accidents — especially how that knowledge can help maintain today’s extraordinary aviation safety record.

Back to the Future

Why study aircraft accidents that happened as long as 40 years ago? The FAA believes many of the lessons learned from these tragedies are timeless, and are relevant to today's aviation community. By learning from the past, aviation professionals can use that knowledge to recognize key factors, and potentially prevent another accident from occurring under similar circumstances, or for similar reasons, in the future.
The FAA’s Lessons Learned library, in its initial release, lists 11 major airplane accidents that made an impact on the way the aviation industry and the FAA conduct business today. The FAA’s goal is to stock the library with 40 more historically significant accidents by the end of 2009.

The 11 selected accidents now in the library are:

Braniff L-188 (Electra) in Texas (September 29, 1959)
Northwest L-188 (Electra) in Indiana (March 17, 1960)
United Viscount 745D in Maryland (November 23, 1962)
United 727 near Los Angeles (January 18, 1969)
Eastern L-1011 in Florida (December 29, 1972)
Continental DC-10 at LAX (March 1, 1978)
Air Florida 737 at Washington, D.C. (January 13, 1982)
British Airtours B737 at Manchester, UK (August 22, 1985)
USAir 737 in Pennsylvania (September 8, 1994)
ValuJet DC-9 in Florida (May 11, 1996)
China Airlines 747 near Taipei (May 25, 2002)

Each accident entry features the accident investigation findings, resulting safety recommendations and subsequent regulatory and policy changes, if any. The entry also includes sections on the unsafe conditions that existed, precursors that pointed to an impending accident, and the basic safety assumptions made during the airplanes’ design, or that led to the airplanes’ continued operation.

Most important, the lessons learned from the investigation are explained in detail, and grouped into relevant technical areas and common themes, such as organizational lapses, human error, flawed assumptions, preexisting failures and unintended consequences of design choices.

Knowledge is Power

The FAA believes that the Lessons Learned library can help foster a culture in which aviation professionals capture and use day-to-day information from certification, maintenance, and operational activities to improve safety. The expected benefits from examining the library include more consistent safety decisions and fewer safety problems caused by breakdowns in communication between design, maintenance and operational organizations.

The Lessons Learned library is at: http://accidents-ll.faa.gov/

Beyond the Tarmac

The model developed to create this Lessons Learned library may have applications beyond airplane accidents. The library format and lesson development process could be valuable to non-aviation disciplines in developing lessons learned for other industries. For example, universities could develop curricula addressing safety training for other occupations, especially in the human factors arena.

Fonte: FAA 17/10/2008.

Collective Madness

2008-10-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

Travellers to Help Bail Out Bankers with New Departure Taxes

Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) criticised budget plans in Belgium and Ireland that mimic British and Dutch departure taxes as “collective madness.”

“Collective madness is the only way to describe the EUR 150 million Irish and EUR 132 million Belgian departure tax proposals. Filling budget gaps or financing government investment in the banking industry with gratuitous travel taxes is policy myopia at its worst,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

On Tuesday, the Belgian and Irish governments announced plans to implement departure taxes in their new budgets. Combined with the proposed UK Aviation Duty and the recently implemented Dutch departure tax, by 2010 air travellers could face a tax burden of up to EUR 3.8 billion annually in these four counties alone.

“The timing could not be worse for governments to make mobility more expensive. Look at what has happened in fuel, the biggest cost item for airlines. Even with the recent drop, today’s price is still over 300% more expensive than it was only a few years ago,” said Bisignani.

“Rather than collective action to squeeze taxpayers, Europe’s governments should be looking to improve European competitiveness. An effective Single European Sky would save 16 million tonnes of CO2 annually and improve the competitiveness of Europe’s skies by over EUR 5 billion,” said Bisignani.

Fonte: IATA 17/10/2008.

TRANSPORTATION FATALITIES DROP IN 2007; MOTORCYCLE DEATHS CONTINUE TO INCREASE

2008-10-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC - Transportation fatalities in the United States decreased by 4 percent in 2007 from 2006, according to preliminary figures released today by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The data indicate that transportation fatalities in all modes totaled 43,193 in 2007, compared to 45,085 in 2006.

Although highway, marine, aviation, and pipeline deaths declined, rail fatalities showed an increase."While statistics show that transportation fatalities have declined this past year," said Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker, "there is still much work to do to prevent the loss of life on our roads, rails, waterways, and skies.

"Highway fatalities, which account for nearly 95% of all transportation deaths, decreased from 42,708 in 2006 to 41,059 in 2007.

However, motorcycle fatalities not only increased 6 percent from 4,837 to 5,154, but the 317 additional deaths that occurred in 2007 marked the single largest increase in a specific category across all modes.

The number of fatalities decreased or remained approximately the same in most other highway vehicle categories.

Aviation deaths decreased from 784 to 545. Nearly 90% of aviation fatalities occurred in general aviation accidents (491), but they still represented a significant decrease from the previous year (703).

Marine deaths dropped from 800 to 766, with the vast majority occurring in recreational boating (685).

Other marine categories, including cargo transport and commercial fishing, remained nearly unchanged, although commercial passengers vessels showed a slight increase.

Rail fatalities increased slightly from 774 to 808.

The vast majority of these fatalities were persons struck by a rail vehicle.

Pipeline fatalities decreased by four (19 to 15), with a slight decrease related to gas pipelines and an increase in liquid pipeline operations.

Aviation statistics are compiled by the NTSB.

Marine numbers are provided by the Department of Homeland Security, and numbers for all other modes by the Department of Transportation.

Related items:* Table* Chart

Fonte: NTSB 17/10/2008.

NTSB PRAISES FLIGHT RECORDER ENHANCEMENTS; NOTES SOME SHORTCOMINGS IN NEW FAA RULE

2008-10-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC - The National Transportation Safety Board has told the Federal Aviation Administration that many elements of its new rule dealing with aircraft flight recorders comply with previous NTSB recommendations, but noted that some of its recommendations were not adopted.The FAA issued a final rule, titled "Revisions to Cockpit Voice Recorder and Digital Flight Data Recorder Regulations," earlier this year.

After reviewing the rule, the NTSB this week classified several recommendations referenced in the rule.The Board was pleased to see that all larger passenger airliners will be required to carry 2-hour cockpit voice recorders (CVRs), greatly expanding the current 30-minute requirement.

But the rule stopped short by not requiring that older 30-minute CVRs be replaced on existing commuter and corporate jet aircraft.

The FAA did require that newly manufactured commuter and corporate jets come equipped with 2-hour CVRs. Recommendation A-96-171 was closed "AcceptableAction."The Board had asked that airliners be retrofitted with CVRs that had an emergency 10-minute power supply in case of an electrical interruption, such as occurred on ValuJet flight 592 in 1996 and Swiss Air flight 111 in 1998.

The FAA agreed that newly manufactured airliners be so equipped but declined to require retrofits.

The Board acknowledged that a retrofit rule might have posed a roadblock for regulatory approval for the rule, so classified recommendation A-99-16 "Closed - Acceptable Alternative Action."The Board closed as unacceptable action A-96-89, which called for certain configurations of microphones and dedicated channels in airliner cockpits, and A-99-17, which called for dual combination recorders, one in the front and one in the back of the plane."Flight recorders have proven themselves invaluable in providing crucial information during accident and incident investigations," NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said.

"While I am happy to see that some of the enhancements we've been advocating for years are being adopted by the FAA, I again urge the FAA to act on the Board's recommendations for cockpit image recorders, which were not addressed in the new rule."The new rule calls for increased flight control position sampling rates on flight recorders, which should improve the quality of data available to investigators.Improvements in flight recorders has been on the Board's list of Most Wanted Transportation SafetyImprovements since 1999.

Fonte: NTSB 17/10/2008.

NTSB ISSUES URGENT RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PRATT & WHITNEY 2037 ENGINES INSPECTIONS

2008-10-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC -- As a result of its ongoing investigation of an incident involving a Pratt & Whitney PW2037 engine experiencing an uncontained failure, the National Transportation Safety Board issued an urgent recommendation today to the Federal Aviation Administration to require all Pratt & Whitney PW2037 engines be removed from service for inspection of the second stage turbine hubs when they have accumulated significantly fewer hours (10,880) and/or cycles (4,392) than the incident engine.

On August 6, 2008, Delta Air Lines flight 624, a Boeing 757-232 equipped with PW2037 engines, experienced an uncontained failure of the right engine’s high pressure turbine second stage hub at McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada. According to the pilots, at the start of the takeoff roll they heard a loud bang and observed that the right engine had lost power. The pilots rejected the takeoff and the airplane returned to the gate. All 166 passengers and the crew of four deplaned. There was no fire or injuries.

Examination of the incident airplane’s right engine revealed a hole in the bottom of the core cowl that was in line with a hole through the engine’s high pressure turbine. The inspection also revealed missing lugs and cracks in the turbine hub. Additionally, the Safety Board learned that at least four other PW2037 second stage turbine hubs have had cracks in the blade retaining lugs. And, NTSB has also learned that, during a routine overhaul, an American Airlines PW2037 second stage turbine hub with cracks in two adjacent blade retaining lugs was reported. The Safety Board has requested information on all of these hubs.

“These discoveries raise serious concerns and warrant immediate action by the FAA,” said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. “A string of consecutively fractured blade retaining lugs could result in the simultaneous release of multiple blades, which would exceed the design capacity of the engine’s cases and result in an uncontainment. Preventive safety measures must be taken.”

The NTSB issued a second recommendation today that would require a continuing inspection schedule for the hubs until the cause of previous instances of cracking is found and corrective action is identified.

The Safety Board is still investigating this incident.

A copy of the Board’s safety recommendation letter may be accessed on the NTSB’s website at the following link: http://ntsb.gov/Recs/letters/2008/A08_85_86.pdf

Fonte: NTSB 17/10/2008.

AAMS Works with FAA, Congress Toward Safety Enhancements

2008-10-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

ALEXANDRIA, VA – In light of recent accidents, the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and concerned members of Congress to actively promote safety enhancements in the air medical community through FAA rulemaking and federal legislation. AAMS is deeply saddened by these recent tragedies and offers the heartfelt condolences of all of its members to the families, friends, and co-workers of the victims of the most recent helicopter EMS accident.

AAMS and the FAA, along with representatives of the aviation community, have planned closed-door meetings to discuss short and long term rulemaking changes to address possible deficiencies in the current rules that apply to Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS). The purpose of these discussions, and the subsequent actions, is to increase the current regulatory standards based on recommendations made by the NTSB.

AAMS also continues to support Congressional legislation that promotes changes similar to those under consideration in the regulatory arena. These changes include higher weather minima on all legs of an air medical flight, and the mandatory use of risk assessments before take-off. Furthermore, AAMS supports the continued study and future implementation of recording devices in helicopters, both in an effort to ensure flight quality and to provide additional information in the event of an incident or accident. AAMS also continues to advocate for low-altitude weather reporting and aviation infrastructure improvements desperately needed to enhance pilots’ decision-making.

While these efforts address both short- and long-term regulatory changes, AAMS also continues to promote safe operations in air medicine. Air medical transport is a critical part of the medical system in the United States, transporting nearly 400,000 patients via helicopter per year. These services transport the sickest and most critically ill patients, and the level of care offered by air medical services combined with the speed and accessibility of helicopters are often the determining factor in lifesaving medical interventions.

For more information visit www.aams.org. http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=6590
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

'We've lost too many lives' in EMS crashes

2008-10-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

RECORD U.S. DEATH TOLL: 35 KILLED Safety Board pushes FAA for tougher rules

Emergency medical services aircraft have been in nine fatal accidents in the last 12 months, killing 35 people -- the highest number of fatalities since such flights began in the 1970s.

The grim toll has prompted the National Transportation Safety Board -- which has been critical of EMS flight operations -- to step up pressure on the Federal Aviation Administration to adopt safety measures the board wanted two years ago.

"The NTSB is extremely concerned with the EMS helicopter record," said Robert Sumwalt, NTSB director. "We want the FAA to move forward with these recommendations. We've lost too many lives."

The NTSB plans a three-day public hearing in February on EMS helicopter safety. At its Oct. 28 meeting, the NTSB will consider adding its EMS recommendations to its "most wanted list" of safety improvements.

In a 2006 study of 55 EMS accidents between 2002 and 2005, the NTSB identified the following problems:

• • Less stringent requirements for operations conducted without patients on board.

• • Lack of flight risk evaluation programs.

• • Lack of consistent, comprehensive dispatch procedures.

• • No requirement to use certain safety technologies, such as those that can warn when an obstacle is approaching.

The FAA takes the NTSB concerns seriously and is focusing on ways for EMS operators to reduce risk, according to FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette. But she said turning a recommendation into a regulation takes time.

It's difficult to say why there are so many EMS crashes. Sumwalt said the operating environment is "challenging" -- EMS pilots often go out at night and in bad weather. In some cases, they're picking someone up off the highway.

The National EMS Pilots Association advocates the use of night vision goggles, currently used on only 25 percent of EMS helicopters. A survey by the group in May found that 82 percent of pilots want them. One pilot said he felt "virtually blind" without them.

Pilot Del Waugh, who died in Wednesday's helicopter crash in Aurora, was not wearing the goggles. His outfit, Air Angels, has not purchased or trained in them, the FAA said.

The technology is expensive -- $118,000 for equipment and training. Goggle supplies are also limited because so many are being used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Dawn Mancuso, executive director of the Association of Air Medical Services.

The need for EMS flights has exploded because complex equipment isn't available in every hospital, and emergency rooms are closing down, so there's more need to move patients quickly from one hospital to another, Mancuso said.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/1226994,CST-NWS-safe17.article
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

CHICAGO SUBURB: 4 killed in helicopter crash

2008-10-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

The NTSB recommended in January 2006 that federal regulators require the systems on the nation's 750 medevac helicopters. The NTSB said terrain warning systems likely would have prevented 17 of 55 accidents it studied.

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., also would require the systems.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees air ambulance firms, believes the devices have promise but require further study, said John Allen, deputy director of the FAA's Flight Standards Service.

"These processes, undeniably, go a little slow for some folks, especially the NTSB," Allen said. "But when we go to a new technology, we have to make sure there isn't some unforeseen hazard. We'd hate to make a rule that would contribute to future accidents."

The Association of Air Medical Services, an air ambulance trade group, informally urges members to use terrain avoidance systems, but would prefer not to see a requirement, said Christopher Eastlee, the group's government relations manager.

Some companies are not waiting for a government mandate. Air Methods, the largest air ambulance firm in the nation, decided two years ago to equip its fleet of about 340 helicopters.

"I think it's critical for our company to be very proactive about safety," said Craig Yale, the firm's vice president of corporate development.

In a demonstration flight last week for USA TODAY, Lajeunesse flew near New York City to show how the Honeywell system reacts to hazards.

Flying toward the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, he pointed the helicopter toward one of two 693-feet-high support towers. The towers were clearly visible on the cockpit display when the helicopter was still miles away.

When the on-board computer estimated the helicopter was about 30 seconds from hitting the tower, the system issued an alert: "Warning, obstacle! Warning, obstacle!" Lajeunesse turned away.

"I've used (the device) for almost 10 years on both airplanes and helicopters and I would not want to fly an aircraft without it," he said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-10-16-crashwarning_N.htm
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Industry slow to adopt warning system for helicopters

2008-10-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

By Alan Levin, USA TODAY

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — The helicopter flies toward a ridge looming in late-afternoon shadow. But before it can get too close a voice comes over pilot Marc Lajeunesse's headphones:
"Caution, terrain. Caution, terrain."

Lajeunesse intentionally continues toward the ridge as a voice intones, "Warning, terrain! Warning, terrain!" A computer map displays the high ground in bright red and the words "PULL UP" appear on the cockpit display. Lajeunesse turns safely away and the warnings end.

A computerized safety system such as the Honeywell model demonstrated by Lajeunesse is one of the best defenses against the epidemic of accidents on air ambulance helicopter flights that have killed 35 people in nine crashes over the past 12 months, say federal accident investigators and safety experts.

The system is designed to help prevent accidents such as the crash Wednesday night in Aurora, Ill., that killed four people, including a 1-year-old girl being ferried to a hospital. Preliminary reports indicate the medical evacuation helicopter struck a support wire holding a 750-foot radio tower. Besides natural obstacles, the system warns helicopter pilots when they fly too close to towers and other man-made obstructions.

"I don't want to have to see the numbers of deaths continue in this area when we have technology that can prevent these kinds of accidents," said Mark Rosenker, head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The board has urged federal regulators to mandate the safety systems on air ambulance flights.

Only a tiny faction of the industry's helicopters are equipped and federal regulators say they will not consider requiring them until studies on the devices are completed next year.

Honeywell was the first company to create a worldwide database of every hilltop and radio tower to help stem one of the biggest killers in aviation — pilots who inadvertently strike the ground in darkness or poor weather.

The system, known as Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS), tracks an aircraft's heading and altitude, and issues alerts if pilots get too close to danger. A computer screen in the cockpit shows approaching obstacles, so pilots can steer clear well in advance.

It virtually wiped out such crashes on airliners since becoming mandatory in 2005.
Honeywell adapted the system for helicopters in 2000, but the industry has been slower to adopt it than airlines. So far the company has sold about 200 of the helicopter devices, mostly to firms that ferry workers and equipment to off-shore oil rigs, said Doug Kult, a sales director for Honeywell's helicopter division.

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Boeing 737-200 Runway Overrun (Venezuela)

2008-10-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

Status: Preliminary
Date: 16 OCT 2008
Time: ca 15:30
Type: Boeing 737-2H4
Operator: Rutaca
Registration: YV162T
C/n / msn: 23055/970
First flight: 1983-05-26
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A(HK3)
Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 47
Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 54
Airplane damage: Minor
Location: Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS) (Venezuela)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Puerto Ordaz Airport (PZO/SVPR), Venezuela
Destination airport: Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS/SVMI), Venezuela
Narrative:
RUTACA Boeing 737 registered YV162T landed on runway 28R at Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS) following a domestic flight from Puerto Ordaz (PZO). After touchdown the airplane swerved to the left. The nose came to rest on the runway embankment.
The weather at the time of the incident (18:00 UTC) was reported as:
SVMI 161800Z 34002KT 9999 -DZ SCT016 OVC090 26/23 Q1012= (wind 340 degreees at 2 knots, light drizzle, scattered clouds at 1,600 ft. and overcast 9,000 ft., temperature 26°C,dewpoint 23°C, QNH 1012 mb.)

(aviation-safety.net)
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

FAA Creates 'Lessons Learned' Online Database

2008-10-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

Pilots, Others Encouraged To Review Lessons From The Past

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established a one-of-a-kind online safety library that teaches "lessons learned" from some of the world's most historically significant transport airplane accidents... especially how that knowledge can help maintain today's aviation safety record.

"Why study aircraft accidents that happened as long as 40 years ago?" the agency asks, rhetorically. "The FAA believes many of the lessons learned from these tragedies are timeless, and are relevant to today's aviation community. By learning from the past, aviation professionals can use that knowledge to recognize key factors, and potentially prevent another accident from occurring under similar circumstances, or for similar reasons, in the future.

"The FAA's Lessons Learned library, in its initial release, lists 11 major airplane accidents that made an impact on the way the aviation industry and the FAA conduct business today. The FAA's goal is to stock the library with 40 more historically significant accidents by the end of 2009."

The 11 selected accidents now in the library are:

Braniff L-188 (Electra) in Texas (September 29, 1959)
Northwest L-188 (Electra) in Indiana (March 17, 1960)
United Viscount 745D in Maryland (November 23, 1962)
United 727 near Los Angeles (January 18, 1969)
Eastern L-1011 in Florida (December 29, 1972)
Continental DC-10 at LAX (March 1, 1978)
Air Florida 737 at Washington, D.C. (January 13, 1982)
British Airtours B737 at Manchester, UK (August 22, 1985)
USAir 737 in Pennsylvania (September 8, 1994)
ValuJet DC-9 in Florida (May 11, 1996)
China Airlines 747 near Taipei (May 25, 2002)

Each accident entry features the accident investigation findings, resulting safety recommendations and subsequent regulatory and policy changes, if any. The entry also includes sections on the unsafe conditions that existed, precursors that pointed to an impending accident, and the basic safety assumptions made during the airplanes' design, or that led to the airplanes' continued operation.

Most important, the lessons learned from the investigation are explained in detail, and grouped into relevant technical areas and common themes, such as organizational lapses, human error, flawed assumptions, preexisting failures and unintended consequences of design choices.

"The FAA believes that the Lessons Learned library can help foster a culture in which aviation professionals capture and use day-to-day information from certification, maintenance, and operational activities to improve safety," the agency notes. "The expected benefits from examining the library include more consistent safety decisions and fewer safety problems caused by breakdowns in communication between design, maintenance and operational organizations."

FMI: http://accidents-ll.faa.gov/
aero-news.net
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Wire likely ripped off blades in fatal chopper crash

2008-10-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- The rotor blades on a critical-care helicopter that crashed -- killing all four passengers -- likely clipped a guy wire, causing the blades to break off, an air safety investigator said Thursday.

A helicopter blade lies in a field after the Wednesday night crash that killed four people.

1 of 3 "A rotor blade is not designed to travel through anything except air," said National Transportation Safety Board investigator John Brannen.

The Wednesday night crash in Aurora, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, is the latest in a string of medical helicopter accidents that has raised concerns among NTSB officials.

Pieces of what appear to be the main rotor blades, their hubs and shaft were found in a nearby apartment complex apartment lot, about 100 yards from the main wreckage, Brannen said.

"It indicates that possibly the main rotor blades separated from the aircraft during flight," Brannen said, citing "preliminary information."

Police evacuated 16 apartment buildings near the crash as a precaution while crews assessed the tower's stability. The guy wires add stability to the tower, which Brannen said is 1,149 feet high.

Two crew members, a nurse and a 1-year-old patient were killed when the Air Angels Inc. chopper, a Bell 222, crashed in a field, authorities said.

The aircraft was en route from Valley West Community Hospital in the town of Sandwich to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory.

Investigators don't know whether they will be able to retrieve any usable data from the chopper because it caught fire, Brannen said. Weather conditions were clear when the accident occurred, he added.

"We don't have any indication at this point that there was a distress call from the helicopter," he said. Brannen said he reached the crash scene about 90 minutes after the copter went down.

Air Angels Inc. is an independent emergency medical transport service based at Clow Airport in Bolingbrook, officials said.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the accident.

Last month, NTSB Vice Chairman Robert Sumwalt said his agency was concerned about the increasing number of medical helicopters that had been crashing.

"We have had too many of them," he said. "We need to do something about it. We need to do something about it right now."

His remarks came three days after a Maryland State Police chopper carrying two victims of an automobile accident crashed in foggy weather as it attempted to land in suburban Washington.

The September 27 crash marked the eighth fatal medical helicopter accident in a year. While the NTSB acknowledges that emergency medical operations are often conducted in darkness and bad weather and over rough terrain, the agency says the accident rate for the missions is too high.

The NTSB has raised concerns about medical helicopter crashes in the past.

The agency investigated 55 crashes -- resulting in 54 fatalities -- between January 2002 and January 2005. In a 2006 report, the NTSB said 29 of the accidents could have been prevented.

At that time, the NTSB noted some recurring themes: less stringent requirements for flights with no patients on board; a lack of flight risk-evaluation programs; lack of consistent, comprehensive dispatch procedures; and few requirements to use certain safety-enhancement technologies, such as night-vision goggles.

More than 50 people have died in medical flight accidents since the NTSB made its recommendations in 2006. Nearly two-thirds of the fatalities involved nighttime or poor-visibility conditions.

Fewer than a third of about 800 emergency medical services helicopters in the United States have night-vision technology. A lot more would like to have it, according to a survey of 382 active helicopter EMS pilots by the National EMS Pilots Association.

The survey, published in May, found that 82 percent of pilots prefer to use night-vision equipment.

"We are an independent federal agency, charged by Congress to investigate transportation accidents, to determine the probable cause and then to issue safety recommendations," Sumwalt said last month. "When those recommendations are not implemented, lives are lost, needlessly."

Although the NTSB offers recommendations, the FAA has the power to make regulations mandatory.

"We understand the NTSB safety recommendations, and we agree with all of them," said Jim Ballough, director of the FAA's flight standards service. "We also understand that rulemaking takes a long time."

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Airbus returns to Perth airport with burning smell

2008-10-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

PASSENGERS have told of fumes in the cabin of an Emirates Airbus that returned to Perth for an emergency landing nearly three hours after it took off.

Perth Airport was on high alert this morning when the Air Emirates plane made an emergency landing with reports of smoke or a burning smell in the cabin.

Passengers said this afternoon there had been a strong smell of fumes in the cabin of the plane.

WA businessman Michael Chaney, who was on board, said there was 'a bit of smoke in the cabin' before the pilot announced the plane was returning to Perth.

Read more accounts here from passengers on the plane.

The flight, EK425, left Perth International Airport bound for Dubai at 6.01am but turned back after 90 minutes with the pilot apparently reporting smoke in the plane.

The pilot told air traffic control at 7.50am that there was a technical issue with the Airbus A340.

The plane was met by emergency personnel after it made a textbook emergency landing about 8.45am. It was parked away from the terminal, which is standard procedure.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24505324-2761,00.html
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Mechanics In Jet Crash Death Quiz

2008-10-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

A Spanish judge is to question three mechanics on suspicion of manslaughter over a jet crash that killed 154 people.

A total of 154 people lost their lives in the disaster

Judge Juan Javier Perez of Madrid's Superior Court has subpoenaed two mechanics who checked the plane before it crashed while taking off, causing what was Spain's worst air disaster in 25 years.

Spanair's head of maintenance at Madrid's Barajas airport is also to be quizzed.

None of them has been charged.

The MD-82 plane abandoned a first attempt at take-off because of a faulty air temperature gauge outside the cockpit.

The plane crashed about an hour later during its second take-off attempt.

Earlier this month, the first official report into the tragedy said investigators were focusing on a problem with the plane's wing flaps and the failure of a cockpit alarm to sound.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Spain-Air-Crash-Mechanics-To-Be-Quizzed-On-Suspicion-Of-Manslaughter/Article/200810315122146?lpos=Home_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15122146_Spain_Air_Crash%3A_Mechanics_To_Be_Quizzed_On_Suspicion_Of_Manslaughter
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Boeing 737 Runway Overrun (Turkey)

2008-10-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

Date: 15-OCT-2008
Time:
Type: Boeing 737-78J
Operator: Tarom
Registration: YR-BGH
C/n / msn: 28438/1394
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 94
Airplane damage: Minor
Location: Istanbul-Atatürk Airport (IST) - Turkey
Phase: Landing
Nature: International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Bucharest/Otopeni (OTP)
Destination airport: Istanbul-Atatürk Airport (IST)
Narrative:
Overran the runway.

(aviation-safety.net)
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Report: NTSB Finds Preliminary Evidence Of Engine Issues In TX Helo Downing

2008-10-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Powerplant To Be Shipped To Rolls-Royce For Analysis

The National Transportation Safety Board is sharing a few clues into what may have caused the crash of a TV news helicopter in a wooded area of a Houston suburb Monday morning.

The pilot, 43-year-old John Downhower, was an employee of Helicopters, Incorporated, which provided the Bell 206L-4 (type shown above) which TV viewers knew as "SkyEye 13 HD." The reporter and photographer along as his passenger, 36-year-old Dave Garrett, was an employee of Metro Networks, a national chain which provides pooled news and traffic coverage to TV stations in many cities.

As ANN reported, the two were on their way to cover a shooting incident for a local ABC affiliate when the chopper went down. That station, KTRK-13, reports there was a gap of about two minutes from the loss of the uplink signal from the aircraft, and the 911 call that summoned responders to the crash.

As the wreckage was removed from the scene Tuesday for further testing, NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator Arnold Scott told the station, "We've examined the helicopter, and we're satisfied that the helicopter was intact at impact when it started hitting the trees."

Investigators added they also found what on first glance appeared to be possible issues within the helicopter's engine, although they stressed nothing concrete has been determined as of yet.

"We've examined the servos and the pitch and collective linkages. They are all attached, so we don't, at this point, see a flight control problem," Scott said. "We're having the engine manufacturer, Rolls Royce, ship down a shipping container, and we'll ship the engine back to Indianapolis, where it will be disassembled and examined."

The tragedy has touched a nerve among local reporters, law enforcement personnel, and others. Visitors have brought flowers and words of condolence to both the crash site and the KTRK studios.

Further investigation of the wreckage will be conducted at a salvage yard in Fort Worth.

IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 6ZV Make/Model: B206 Description: BELL 206B HELICOPTER
Date: 10/13/2008 Time: 1615

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
City: HOUSTON State: TX Country: US

DESCRIPTION
N6ZV, A BELL 206 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE TWO
PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, NEAR HOUSTON, TX

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
# Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: KIAH 131648Z SPECI 13007KT 10SM SCT026 27/22 A3012

OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER

FAA FSDO: HOUSTON, TX (SW09) Entry date: 10/14/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.ntsb.gov
aero-news.net
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

4 killed in helicopter crash in Chicago suburb

2008-10-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

AURORA, Ill. - A medical helicopter crashed in a Chicago suburb, killing three crew members and a 13-month-old patient, authorities said early Thursday.

The helicopter was headed to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago from Valley West Hospital in Sandwich when it went down minutes before midnight, said Aurora police spokesman Sgt. Robb Wallers.

Children's Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Julie Pesch initially said the child, a girl, was being transported to the hospital because of epileptic seizures. She later said the child's symptoms were not clear.

The helicopter may have clipped a wire before it crashed and burned, according to authorities. The guide-wire came from a 750-foot tall radio tower, said assistant Fire Chief John Lehman, who added there is some concern about the tower's structural integrity and engineers are evaluating it.

Wallers said the helicopter belonged to Air Angels Inc., an emergency medical transport service based at Clow Airport in suburban Bolingbrook. Telephone calls to the Air Angels offices were not answered early Thursday.

However, Air Angels CEO Jim Adams told the Chicago Tribune that the helicopter's crew included the pilot, nurse and a paramedic employed by the company. He added the helicopter's pilot did not report mechanical problems, and weather was not an issue.

According to Wallers, the helicopter crashed in a field near a residential area in east Aurora and was engulfed in flames. No one on the ground was hurt.

The Aurora crash is the third involving Air Angels helicopters. In January 2003, an Air Angels helicopter crashed killing the pilot. Investigators determined pilot error and weather caused the accident. Mechanical problems was blamed for an August 2007 crash in which there were no injuries.

It was at least the ninth fatal crash in the past 12 months across the country involving medical transport helicopters. Observers say the accident demonstrates a disturbing rise in the number of emergency air transport crashes, and wonder if a system designed to save lives may be costing them.

On the Net:

http://www.airangels.com http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081016/ap_on_re_us/medical_helicopter_crash
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Perth airport to get Sensis surface movement surveillance system

2008-10-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

Airservices Australia has contracted Sensis to provide a surface movement surveillance system at Perth Airport in Western Australia.

Sensis says in a statement that Perth will be the fourth airport in Australia to receive its Advanced - Surface Movement Guidance and Control System, or A-SMGCS. Two years ago it announced a contract covering A-SMGCS installations at Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney airports.

"Sensis A-SMGCS uses the most advanced multilateration, surface movement radar and conflict prevention and alerting technology available to provide air traffic controllers with improved situational awareness," says Sensis Air Traffic Systems VP and general manager Tony Lo Brutto.

"The controllers at Perth will now have the tools to enhance runway safety and work more efficiently with the other major airports in the Australian national air traffic system."

The system gathers data from multiple surveillance sources at an airport including multilateration, radar and vehicle locator systems.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.

Hijacker overpowered on Turkey-Russia flight

2008-10-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

ISTANBUL, Oct 15 (Reuters) - A man attempted to hijack a Turkish Airlines THYAO.IS plane on a flight to Russia on Wednesday but was disarmed by fellow passengers, an airport spokeswoman told Reuters.

Passengers on the aircraft, which had taken off from the southern Mediterranean Turkish resort of Antalya, overpowered the assailant after he said he had a bomb strapped to his body, the spokeswoman for airport operator TAV TAVHL.IS said.

The plane, with 162 passengers on board, was shortly due to land in St Petersburg.
American Airlines safety program ends amid bickering with pilots

A lauded safety program at American Airlines has ended amid bickering between the airline and its pilots, a development that an airline official called "sad and incomprehensible."

The Aviation Safety Action Partnership was a joint program run by the airline, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Allied Pilots Association. Launched in 1994, it allowed pilots to report safety-related incidents for investigation without fear of discipline from American or the FAA. Aviation experts have praised it as an effective way to identify potentially dangerous safety lapses that otherwise might go unreported.

The program expired Monday after American and the union failed to negotiate its renewal. Each side is blaming the other for the failure to keep the partnership alive.

"The APA’s willingness to discard a 14-year program that has done so much for our pilots, our airline and our industry is impossible to understand," American spokeswoman Tami McLallen said.

Billy Nolen, an American pilot who works for airline management, said in a message to pilots that the program’s lapse was "sad and incomprehensible." Airline officials say the union had made unreasonable demands for additional immunity under the plan.

Union officials, meanwhile, alleged that the airline had begun to use the program to punish pilots, and they chafed against a proposal they say would have allowed the airline to label pilots as "reckless."

"Management, in this case, flight department management, has lost the trust of its pilots," union leaders said in an e-mail to pilots. "It is that simple."

American still has ASAP programs for flight attendants and ground workers. Pilots who wish to report safety incidents can still do so confidentially to the airline’s safety department, American officials said. Pilots can also report safety cases under a system operated by NASA.

The collapse of the program, which served as a model for the industry, is the latest casualty of deteriorating relations between American pilots and management. A proposed flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to China was scrapped last year after airline officials and pilots failed to negotiate an agreement to fly the lengthy route.

Contract talks with pilots have dragged on for two years with little progress. And pilots have opposed a bid by American to win antitrust immunity for an alliance with British Airways, which airline executives say is vital to compete on overseas routes.

"Given closer arrangements now being forged between Delta and Northwest, and Continental and United, [American] would be strategically wounded if labor is successful at thwarting" the alliance with British Airways, Daniel McKenzie, airline analyst at Credit Suisse, said in a recent note to investors.

http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/974879.html

Fonte: Flight Safety Information 17/10/2008.