Washington, DC – As part of its continuing emphasis on runway safety, the Federal Aviation Administration told the National Air Transportation Association second Air Charter Summit that FAA’s main focus with respect to general aviation is reducing pilot deviations. Director Flight Standards Service James Ballough said that while Category A & B incursions had been significantly reduced, the less serious Category C and D infractions were on the rise.
“Operational errors from air traffic control and pilot deviations (PDs) are much more significant factors in runway incursions than vehicle or pedestrian events,” he said. “A & B account for three percent of total incursions while Category C is 38 percent and D is 59 percent.” Part of the problem is the redefinition of runway incursions to conform to international definitions set down by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Previously an aircraft inadvertently sticking its nose over the runway line from the taxiway was not included but today it is classified as a PD.
Ballough indicated that there have been 397 PDs through March in Fiscal 2008. “So there is plenty of room for improvement,” he said, adding PDs are now tracked electronically for investigation and analysis. “We need to establish what is causing PDs. The hot spots are in the usual areas – Northeast Corridor and Los Angeles, but there are enough to go around for the entire country.
There were 62 million landings and takeoffs last year and 18,000 runway crossings per day. Human error is a certainty and technology has its limitations.”Ballough pointed to the coming moving map displays and electronic flight bags (EFBs) that the FAA is accelerating by making certification simpler. “You’ll see a lot more EFBs approved especially in business aviation,” he said. “Business aviation is way ahead of the commercial industry. It is certainly a way for situational awareness to let crews know where they are on the tarmac. But there are still humans in the cockpit.”
He cited a finding in the commercial industry that part of the PD problem was crews doing the checklist while taxiing. “We stopped that practice and we’ve introduced into training ground type taxi incidents and exercises to address this,” he said. “We are asking your industry to join the call to action to make the same commitment that was made in the air carrier world.”
In reviewing some of the incidents that occurred in general aviation, he said the most troubling thing FAA found was that pilots had correctly acknowledged controllers instructions but, for whatever reason – distraction or confusion – went on to do something entirely different which compromised safety.
He also discussed the voluntary safety program known as the runway incursion information evaluations program, similar to other voluntary data gathering programs, that yield negative, but valuable, safety trends for which remediation can be developed. Ballough cautioned that the voluntary program was not an amnesty program and if it is found that the event was caused intentionally, action will be brought. “However, those who participate will be looked on favorably and get all the benefits of the doubt,” he said.
He also cited a new pilot’s guide to safe surface operations, safety seminars and two on-line courses as part of efforts to reduce PDs. In addition, he pointed to FAA issued Safety Alerts for Operators (SAFO) and InFO bulletins of information that the agency needs to get to the field.
http://www.avtoday.com/vlj/categories/atc/22763.html
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 19/06/2008
sexta-feira, 20 de junho de 2008
Mechanic Dies In Engine Accident On Tenerife; Ingested Into A320 Turbofan Wed, 18 Jun '08
An aircraft mechanic working on the engine of an Airbus A320 in the Canary Islands died when he was ingested into the turbofan during a run-up exercise Monday night.
News Canarias reports the mechanic, whose name has not been released pending notification of next of kin, died moments after being drawn into the airliner's engine.
The aircraft, operated by Spanish charter carrier LTE International Airways, was about to depart from Tenerife South Airport for Warsaw, Poland when the accident occurred.
The airliner was grounded following the accident, and arrangements were made to transport passengers on another plane. Police are investigating the accident, though foul play is not suspected.
Such incidents, though rare, aren't unprecedented. As ANN reported in January 2006, a contract mechanic for Continental Airlines was ingested into the engine of a Boeing 737 during a run-up test at a gate at El Paso (TX) International Airport.
FMI: www.lte.es/default.aspx?lang=en
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=ff8f8a48-3f28-41af-9d7f-4524f75fc7ad&
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 19/06/2008
News Canarias reports the mechanic, whose name has not been released pending notification of next of kin, died moments after being drawn into the airliner's engine.
The aircraft, operated by Spanish charter carrier LTE International Airways, was about to depart from Tenerife South Airport for Warsaw, Poland when the accident occurred.
The airliner was grounded following the accident, and arrangements were made to transport passengers on another plane. Police are investigating the accident, though foul play is not suspected.
Such incidents, though rare, aren't unprecedented. As ANN reported in January 2006, a contract mechanic for Continental Airlines was ingested into the engine of a Boeing 737 during a run-up test at a gate at El Paso (TX) International Airport.
FMI: www.lte.es/default.aspx?lang=en
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=ff8f8a48-3f28-41af-9d7f-4524f75fc7ad&
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 19/06/2008
Lessons To Be Learned From April 2007 Incident At TVC
In the aftermath of the National Transportation Safety Board's review last week of the circumstances leading to the April 2007 runway overrun of a Pinnacle Airlines CRJ200 at Traverse City, MI, on Tuesday the NTSB issued three recommendations to the FAA intended to address crew fatigue issues, and other factors which may have contributed to the accident.
As ANN reported, on April 12, 2007, about 0043 eastern daylight time, a Bombardier/Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) CL600-2B19, N8905F, operated as Pinnacle Airlines flight 4712, ran off the departure end of runway 28 following a landing in snowy weather at Cherry Capital Airport (TVC), Traverse City, Michigan. There were no injuries among the 49 passengers and three crewmembers, though the aircraft was substantially damaged. The airplane had departed from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) about 2153 central daylight time (CDT).
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the pilots’ decision to land at TVC without performing a landing distance assessment, which was required by company policy because of runway contamination initially reported by TVC ground operations personnel and continuing reports of deteriorating weather and runway conditions during the approach.
"This poor decision-making likely reflected the effects of fatigue produced by a long, demanding duty day, and, for the captain, the duties associated with check airman functions," the NTSB determined.
Contributing to the accident were the FAA pilot flight and duty time regulations that permitted the pilots’ long, demanding duty day, and the TVC operations supervisor’s use of ambiguous and unspecific radio phraseology in providing runway braking information.
The NTSB determined the FAA should:
Emphasize with principal operations inspectors the importance of conducting timely post accident drug and alcohol testing. (A-08-40) (Editor's Note -- In its full report, the NTSB states there's no reason to suspect either pilot was impaired by alcohol... but notes due to the lack of requirements for the pilots to be tested immediately following the accident, no determination can be made.)
As part of the Takeoff/Landing Performance Assessment Aviation Rulemaking Committee, address the need for initial training on the rationale for and criticality of conducting landing distance assessments before landing on contaminated runways. (A-08-41)
Issue a Cert Alert to all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139 certificated airports that describes the circumstances of this accident, emphasizes the importance of specific and decisive radio communications, and urges airports to ensure that those criteria are being met in all airfield radio communications. (A-08-42)
Require all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139 certificated airport operators to include in their airport's snow and ice control plan absolute criteria for type and depth of contamination and runway friction assessments that, when met, would trigger immediate closure of the affected runway to air carrier operations. Friction assessments should be based on pilot braking action reports, values obtained from ground friction measuring equipment, or estimates provided by airport ground personnel. (A-08-43)
The NTSB also reaffirmed its position the FAA adhere to three previous recommendations:
Evaluate crash detection and location technologies, select the most promising candidate(s) for ensuring that emergency responders could expeditiously arrive at an accident scene, and implement a requirement to install and use the equipment. (A-01-66)
Immediately require all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91 subpart K operators to conduct arrival landing distance assessments before every landing based on existing performance data, actual conditions, and incorporating a minimum safety margin of 15 percent. (A-07-57) (Urgent)
Modify and simplify the flight crew hours-of-service regulations to take into consideration factors such as length of duty day, starting time, workload, and other factors shown by recent research, scientific evidence, and current industry experience to affect crew alertness. (A-06-10)
FMI: Read The NTSB's Complete Recommendations (.pdf)
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=09787827-0dbe-4d50-a993-c89a8e45b2b2&
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 19/06/2008
As ANN reported, on April 12, 2007, about 0043 eastern daylight time, a Bombardier/Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) CL600-2B19, N8905F, operated as Pinnacle Airlines flight 4712, ran off the departure end of runway 28 following a landing in snowy weather at Cherry Capital Airport (TVC), Traverse City, Michigan. There were no injuries among the 49 passengers and three crewmembers, though the aircraft was substantially damaged. The airplane had departed from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) about 2153 central daylight time (CDT).
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the pilots’ decision to land at TVC without performing a landing distance assessment, which was required by company policy because of runway contamination initially reported by TVC ground operations personnel and continuing reports of deteriorating weather and runway conditions during the approach.
"This poor decision-making likely reflected the effects of fatigue produced by a long, demanding duty day, and, for the captain, the duties associated with check airman functions," the NTSB determined.
Contributing to the accident were the FAA pilot flight and duty time regulations that permitted the pilots’ long, demanding duty day, and the TVC operations supervisor’s use of ambiguous and unspecific radio phraseology in providing runway braking information.
The NTSB determined the FAA should:
Emphasize with principal operations inspectors the importance of conducting timely post accident drug and alcohol testing. (A-08-40) (Editor's Note -- In its full report, the NTSB states there's no reason to suspect either pilot was impaired by alcohol... but notes due to the lack of requirements for the pilots to be tested immediately following the accident, no determination can be made.)
As part of the Takeoff/Landing Performance Assessment Aviation Rulemaking Committee, address the need for initial training on the rationale for and criticality of conducting landing distance assessments before landing on contaminated runways. (A-08-41)
Issue a Cert Alert to all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139 certificated airports that describes the circumstances of this accident, emphasizes the importance of specific and decisive radio communications, and urges airports to ensure that those criteria are being met in all airfield radio communications. (A-08-42)
Require all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 139 certificated airport operators to include in their airport's snow and ice control plan absolute criteria for type and depth of contamination and runway friction assessments that, when met, would trigger immediate closure of the affected runway to air carrier operations. Friction assessments should be based on pilot braking action reports, values obtained from ground friction measuring equipment, or estimates provided by airport ground personnel. (A-08-43)
The NTSB also reaffirmed its position the FAA adhere to three previous recommendations:
Evaluate crash detection and location technologies, select the most promising candidate(s) for ensuring that emergency responders could expeditiously arrive at an accident scene, and implement a requirement to install and use the equipment. (A-01-66)
Immediately require all 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121, 135, and 91 subpart K operators to conduct arrival landing distance assessments before every landing based on existing performance data, actual conditions, and incorporating a minimum safety margin of 15 percent. (A-07-57) (Urgent)
Modify and simplify the flight crew hours-of-service regulations to take into consideration factors such as length of duty day, starting time, workload, and other factors shown by recent research, scientific evidence, and current industry experience to affect crew alertness. (A-06-10)
FMI: Read The NTSB's Complete Recommendations (.pdf)
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=09787827-0dbe-4d50-a993-c89a8e45b2b2&
Fonte: Flight Safety Information 19/06/2008
terça-feira, 17 de junho de 2008
AIRLINES LOOK TO RECONNECT TO THE WEB.
Cheaper and lighter equipment is making in-flight Internet service more viable.
Web surfing in the sky is poised to take off again.
Nearly two years after Boeing Co. pulled the plug on the airline industry's first attempt at connecting passengers to the Internet, airlines are trying once again to offer the ability to browse websites and e-mail during flights.
Several airlines are now planning to conduct tests of a new generation of wireless Internet equipment this summer despite facing fuel-induced financial woes, saying the fee-based service could provide much needed extra revenues.The latest efforts would bring back Web surfing on airplanes, which continues to be one of the few places where the Internet has been kept at bay."We are full speed ahead," said Steve Jarvis, vice president of marketing and customer service experience for Alaska Airlines, which hopes to begin offering the service to its passengers this fall.The fee for a wireless Internet connection is likely to be no more than $10 depending on the length of the flight, Jarvis said. Passengers would need a laptop with wireless capability to access the Internet during flight.American Airlines, the nation's largest carrier, has been testing a system made by Aircell that provides an Internet connection through ground-based cellular towers, and is hoping to start letting some passengers test the service this summer.Southwest Airlines Co. is looking at a system that uses satellites to connect to the Internet, and in-flight entertainment equipment makers such as Panasonic Avionics Corp. and Thales Avionics Inc., both in Orange County, have been pitching similar satellite-based systems to several airlines."We're seeing a lot of interest," said Chuck Albright, a product marketing manager for Panasonic Avionics, a Lake Forest-based subsidiary of the giant Japanese electronics maker. "We're hearing from the marketplace that it may be the time."The Internet systems in the works won't include the ability to use cellphones, which are currently banned during flight because of concerns that cellular signals could interfere with the plane's electronic equipment. In addition, airlines would still have to decide whether to allow Internet-based telephone and video-conferencing.Amy Cravens, contributing analyst for Internet research firm MultiMedia Intelligence, said several factors were helping revive airline interest in equipping planes with online capabilities.Since Boeing terminated its Connexion Internet system in late 2006, several companies have been quietly developing a new generation of equipment that is significantly cheaper and lighter. At the same time, wireless Internet use, particularly using hand-held devices such as Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry, has proliferated and business and leisure travelers expect online access wherever they go. "They were ahead of the time," Cravens said of Boeing's satellite-based Internet system. "They came up with a very robust system but it was too expensive and there wasn't the demand."Chicago-based Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, had hoped to use its know-how in satellite communications to offer in-flight Internet service to airlines. But after sinking more than $1 billion into development, few passengers were willing to pay the $30 connection fee. After several international carriers began offering the service on a handful of long-haul flights, Boeing pulled the plug on the program in late 2006, saying the business didn't appear to be financially viable.Boeing's system, which included a six-foot, surf-board-like antenna attached to the top of the plane's fuselage, was estimated to weigh about 1,000 pounds. The weight of the new equipment, including the antenna and the wireless modem -- has dropped to no more than 150 pounds. The antennas for American's Internet system are about the size of a large Starbucks coffee cup. In addition to American, Richard Branson's new Virgin America airline is looking at installing Aircell's equipment on its planes.Alaska is working with Westlake Village-based Row 44 to offer a service that relies on satellites that beam signals to an airplane's antenna to provide a connection for passengers with wireless-enabled laptops or BlackBerrys.Because of the latest advances in microchips and other technology, the equipment would also cost significantly less -- as little as $200,000 compared with about $500,000 for Connexion. It also takes a day or two to install the new equipment on planes compared with a week or more for Connexion.Providing Internet service to passengers could become a "revenue generator rather than an expense, which is appealing to airlines struggling with high fuel costs," Cravens said.In a research report on in-flight Internet unveiled last week, Cravens estimated that revenues from the Internet service could jump to more than $1 billion annually for the airlines by 2012. But the growth could be damped if fuel costs continue to rise and airlines cut back on services.So far, few passengers are expected to balk at fees for an Internet connection, considering that they're already paying for basic services that were long included in airfare such as beverages and meals."There is a broad effort in the airline industry to create ancillary revenue, particularly in light of record fuel prices," Cravens said. "This is being accomplished by turning the airline cabin into a 'flying merchandise mart,' which is in effect changing passenger perception and willingness to purchase additional products in flight."Frequent air traveler Jason Womack, an Ojai-based management consultant, isn't sure having Internet access during a flight will be all that useful."A flight can be such a valuable place to catch up on work, that the addition of the Internet would be a great place to watch podcasts and catch up on e-mails," he said. "But it has definite downsides. Can you imagine sitting next to the guy who decides to spend a cross-country flight doing a video conference?"
By Peter Pae, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer June 17, 2008
segunda-feira, 16 de junho de 2008
LAMBANÇA NO POUSO.
Recebi estas imagens por email, e não consegui descobrir se a explicação que as acompanhava efetivamente corresponde à causa do acidente. Segundo o texto, os pilotos fizeram o pouso sem checar o Parking Brake Set (o controle do freio de estacionamento).
Particularmente, não conheço o suficiente para compreender como uma falha dessa pode ter ocorrido se não por problema de equipamento. Que eu tenha conhecimento, o parking brake só é acionado quando a aeronave pára no finger.
Diz a nota que acompanha as imagens que o prejuízo foi de alguns milhões de dólares. Deve ser mesmo. Além dos pneus e dos aros, componentes caros como os discos de freio - de aço carbono, se não estou enganado - e braços de suporte dos trens foram danificados.
JB Online / Slot – 16/0608
sexta-feira, 13 de junho de 2008
Trote leva jornalista à cadeia na Itália
Ele merecia ser preso, não há dúvida - não só pela infração que cometeu, mas também pela estupidez. O aeroporto de Verona, na Itália, ficou fechado ontem por várias horas depois que um jornalista alemão que estava atrasado e não queria perder seu vôo fingiu ser um extremista islâmico e informou, por telefone, que havia uma bomba a bordo do avião. O vôo 8074, da empresa Air Dolomiti, tinha Viena, na Áustria, como destino. No entanto, o jornalista, de 27 anos, usou o próprio celular para fazer a ligação - e acabou preso, sob a acusação de causar distúrbios.
From: Zero Hora
From: Zero Hora
quinta-feira, 12 de junho de 2008
FLIGHT SAFETY INFORMATIONS - 12/06/08
Caros Membros da CSV:
Estamos lançando hoje o nosso Blog com notícias de interesse da Comunidade de Segurança de Vôo.
As notícias abaixo foram extraídas de diversos órgãos de informações e também de entidades governamentais, tais como NTSB e FAA.
A vantagem do Blog é que podemos atualizá-los a qualquer momento e a outra é que temos um espaço para comentários onde todos poderão emitir suas opiniões a respeito das notícias aqui publicadas.
Caso você tenha algum artigo relacionado à segurança de vôo e quer vê-lo publicado aqui, entre em contato conosco.
Agradecemos a todos pelo apoio.
FAA Issues Inspection Call For Boeing Planes
Potential Fuel-System Issues Affect Hundreds Of Aircraft
A little-reported proposal from the FAA could have ramifications for a number of airlines. Last week, the FAA issued a notice for customers flying a variety of Boeing airliners, ordering them to check for a potential fuel-system problem.
The proposed notice calls for checks for possible air leaks that "could result in multiengine flameout," which in turn could lead to the proposal says the problem "an inability to restart the engines, and consequent forced landing of the airplane."
The Wall Street Journal first reported the issue, which applies to over 3,500 aircraft in US service... though both Boeing and the FAA say many planes have already been checked. The Everett (WA) Herald added the order applies to 737s, 747s and 777s.
The checks are not considered a high-priority safety measure at this time, the FAA added.
The FAA cites engine stoppages on six Boeing aircraft between 2002 and 2004. Some of those incidents occurred in-flight, while others occurred during ground operations. None of those incidents resulted in any accidents; Boeing has since redesigned the troublesome fuel system component.
The FAA hastened to add the problem is not related to the January landing mishap involving a British Airways 777... despite apparent similarities to the problems cited by the agency, and those cited in the British investigation. As ANN reported, in that January 17 accident the aircraft's twin turbofans spooled down on approach to Heathrow, and did not answer to commands from the plane's autopilot, and then the flight crew, to throttle up.
FMI:
www.faa.gov,
www.boeing.com
aero-news.net
Casualty Count In Sudan Airways Crash Lowered
But Cause Remains A Mystery
Investigators in the Sudan are still trying to reconcile varying witness accounts of the Tuesday night downing of a Sudan Airways plane. The Press Association cites the Sudan Civil Aviation Authority in reporting that 29 passengers and crewmembers died, but 171 escaped the burning plane.
Two differing stories on what happened to the Airbus were related by official sources.
As ANN reported, Police Chief Mohammad Najib told officials the high winds around Khartoum Airport at the time, "caused the plane to crash land, split into two and catch fire."
But airport director Youssef Ibrahim told Sudanese television the airliner had landed safely, and the pilots were talking to the control tower to get further instructions when the accident occurred."One of the engines exploded and the plane caught fire."
One survivor described a rough landing, followed by a sharp impact several minutes later.
Investigators have determined the plane skidded off the runway and hit navigation poles marking the end of the runway, sparking a fire on the right side of the aircraft. Passengers say an engine burst into flames, which engulfed the cabin after an evacuation had started.
In a freak post-crash complication, two civil defense workers were injured when a fuel tank was left undrained and exploded in the summer sun.
FMI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khartoum_International_Airport,
www.sudanairways.com
aero-news/net
Some injuries as jet aborts takeoff in Ivory Coast
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — A Brussels Airlines jetliner carrying about 150 people aborted its takeoff from Abidjan's airport Wednesday night, and several passengers suffered minor injuries during making an emergency evacuation.
One of the pilots of the Airbus A330 told the passengers he had stopped the takeoff after hearing a loud popping sound that he thought was a tire exploding. A fire truck raced to the runway and quickly extinguished one burning tire.
The pilot initially told passengers to remain in their seats. But suddenly the crew started shouting, "Evacuate! Evacuate!" The doors of the plane opened, and everyone hurried down the emergency slides.
Several passengers suffered minor injuries such as bruises and sprained ankles during the evacuation about 9 p.m.
The passengers initially ran into a grassy area alongside the runway, then some walked to the terminal while others rode on airport vehicles.
With the halted plane blocking the runway, officials closed the airport to all incoming and outgoing flights.
NTSB: Drowsy pilots show need for regulation reforms
By Alan Levin, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Two airline pilots fell asleep while cruising over Hawaii last February, flying past their destination toward open ocean for 18 minutes before waking up and returning for a safe landing, federal accident investigators revealed Tuesday.
That incident and an accident in Traverse City, Mich., last year highlight the need for more comprehensive rules to stem the growing list of crashes attributed to the lengthy hours that pilots routinely work, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. Crashes linked to fatigue have killed 249 people since 1997, according to NTSB records.
"It's an insidious issue," NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said. "Many times the pilots themselves don't recognize that they are fatigued when they get into that cockpit."
The NTSB voted to recommend that federal aviation regulators and airlines use fatigue studies to rewrite the rules for how long pilots can legally fly. Currently, federal law allows pilots to work up to 16 hours a day, including up to eight hours behind the controls, and loopholes allow longer days in some situations.
Air-traffic controllers frantically radioed Go Airlines Flight 1002 from Honolulu to Hilo, Hawaii, for 18 minutes on Feb. 13, but got no response from the pilots, said NTSB investigator Jana Price.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Michigan Honolulu National Transportation Safety Board Hawaii Hilo Traverse City
In the safety board's first disclosure of details from the investigation, Price said both pilots "unintentionally fell asleep" as the Bombardier CRJ-200 jet flew at 21,000 feet. The jet carried 40 passengers.
The two pilots had been flying together for three arduous days "that involved early start times" and a "demanding" sequence of short flights, Price said. Since the incident, the captain had been diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, she said. Apnea causes people to repeatedly wake up during the night and has been linked to poor work performance and accidents.
In a separate investigation, the NTSB concluded that a regional airline crash last year in Traverse City was probably triggered by fatigue. Pinnacle Airlines Flight 4712 skidded off the end of a snowy runway on April 12, 2007, after landing in the early hours of the morning. None of the 49 passengers, two pilots and a flight attendant were injured.
The NTSB found that the pilots of the Bombardier CRJ-200 should never have attempted the landing.
The runway was too slick to land under the airline's rules, but the pilots failed to perform a basic landing calculation and missed other warning signs that the weather was deteriorating.
The accident happened after the pilots had worked 14 hours. The cockpit recorder overheard the pilots yawning and the captain made repeated references to being tired, the NTSB found.
The NTSB has been calling for reform of pilot work rules for decades. Several attempts to rewrite pilot work rules have failed in the face of opposition from airlines and pilot groups.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-06-10-NTSB-pilots-sleep_N.htm
Polish pilots' poor English almost led to crash
A Polish airliner came within seconds of colliding with another plane near Heathrow because its pilots had such poor English that they could not understand basic instructions from air traffic controllers. The Lot Boeing 737, carrying 95 passengers and crew, wandered the skies for almost half an hour as the pilots struggled to identify their position. A controller had to instruct another aircraft to change direction to avoid a collision.
A document seen by The Times suggests that only 15 out of 800 Polish pilots flying internationally have passed the test for the required standard of English.
The two pilots in the Heathrow incident had to rely on directions after positioning instruments went blank because of a co-pilot’s error. They repeatedly failed to comply with instructions as they tried to return to Heathrow. On the final approach the Boeing appeared to be heading for the wrong runway, prompting a controller to order other aircraft to leave the area.
The incident, described in a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), highlights the risks associated with having so many foreign pilots with only rudimentary English using British airports. English is the international language of aviation but many countries failed to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) deadline of March this year for ensuring that their pilots were proficient in the language.
Poland has applied to the ICAO for an exemption until March 2011, the last possible date for compliance, after which pilots without the required level could be banned from international airspace. In a letter to the ICAO obtained by The Times, the Polish government’s civil aviation office suggests that only 15 pilots out of 800 Poles flying international routes have passed the appropriate English test.
The letter, sent on March 4, nine months after the Heathrow incident, states: “We haven’t had any accident caused by insufficient English level as well as [sic] we have not received any information from air traffic control agencies that Polish pilots were not able to communicate correctly. Therefore, potential risk of accident occurrence due to lack of English language proficiency is very improbable.”
That claim is contradicted by the AAIB’s investigation, which said: “The crew of Lot 282 were not able to communicate adequately the nature and extent of their problem.” The report added: “The commander, who was making the radio calls, was not able to understand some of the instructions.”
The AAIB found that an initial error by the co-pilot had been “compounded by the difficulty of obtaining information from the pilots because of their limited command of English”.
The Department for Transport confirmed that it had kept the Polish authorities informed of the investigation.
David Learmount, safety editor of Flight International magazine, said that it was very worrying that the pilots had not understood British controllers. “It could have been even worse if they had been trying to understand a French controller speaking to them in English,” he said.
“Countries which did not previously have many international pilots are now flooding the world with flights piloted by people who can’t speak English properly. For many pilots, learning English is much more difficult than learning to fly.”
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/news/article4116523.ece
Estamos lançando hoje o nosso Blog com notícias de interesse da Comunidade de Segurança de Vôo.
As notícias abaixo foram extraídas de diversos órgãos de informações e também de entidades governamentais, tais como NTSB e FAA.
A vantagem do Blog é que podemos atualizá-los a qualquer momento e a outra é que temos um espaço para comentários onde todos poderão emitir suas opiniões a respeito das notícias aqui publicadas.
Caso você tenha algum artigo relacionado à segurança de vôo e quer vê-lo publicado aqui, entre em contato conosco.
Agradecemos a todos pelo apoio.
FAA Issues Inspection Call For Boeing Planes
Potential Fuel-System Issues Affect Hundreds Of Aircraft
A little-reported proposal from the FAA could have ramifications for a number of airlines. Last week, the FAA issued a notice for customers flying a variety of Boeing airliners, ordering them to check for a potential fuel-system problem.
The proposed notice calls for checks for possible air leaks that "could result in multiengine flameout," which in turn could lead to the proposal says the problem "an inability to restart the engines, and consequent forced landing of the airplane."
The Wall Street Journal first reported the issue, which applies to over 3,500 aircraft in US service... though both Boeing and the FAA say many planes have already been checked. The Everett (WA) Herald added the order applies to 737s, 747s and 777s.
The checks are not considered a high-priority safety measure at this time, the FAA added.
The FAA cites engine stoppages on six Boeing aircraft between 2002 and 2004. Some of those incidents occurred in-flight, while others occurred during ground operations. None of those incidents resulted in any accidents; Boeing has since redesigned the troublesome fuel system component.
The FAA hastened to add the problem is not related to the January landing mishap involving a British Airways 777... despite apparent similarities to the problems cited by the agency, and those cited in the British investigation. As ANN reported, in that January 17 accident the aircraft's twin turbofans spooled down on approach to Heathrow, and did not answer to commands from the plane's autopilot, and then the flight crew, to throttle up.
FMI:
www.faa.gov,
www.boeing.com
aero-news.net
Casualty Count In Sudan Airways Crash Lowered
But Cause Remains A Mystery
Investigators in the Sudan are still trying to reconcile varying witness accounts of the Tuesday night downing of a Sudan Airways plane. The Press Association cites the Sudan Civil Aviation Authority in reporting that 29 passengers and crewmembers died, but 171 escaped the burning plane.
Two differing stories on what happened to the Airbus were related by official sources.
As ANN reported, Police Chief Mohammad Najib told officials the high winds around Khartoum Airport at the time, "caused the plane to crash land, split into two and catch fire."
But airport director Youssef Ibrahim told Sudanese television the airliner had landed safely, and the pilots were talking to the control tower to get further instructions when the accident occurred."One of the engines exploded and the plane caught fire."
One survivor described a rough landing, followed by a sharp impact several minutes later.
Investigators have determined the plane skidded off the runway and hit navigation poles marking the end of the runway, sparking a fire on the right side of the aircraft. Passengers say an engine burst into flames, which engulfed the cabin after an evacuation had started.
In a freak post-crash complication, two civil defense workers were injured when a fuel tank was left undrained and exploded in the summer sun.
FMI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khartoum_International_Airport,
www.sudanairways.com
aero-news/net
Some injuries as jet aborts takeoff in Ivory Coast
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — A Brussels Airlines jetliner carrying about 150 people aborted its takeoff from Abidjan's airport Wednesday night, and several passengers suffered minor injuries during making an emergency evacuation.
One of the pilots of the Airbus A330 told the passengers he had stopped the takeoff after hearing a loud popping sound that he thought was a tire exploding. A fire truck raced to the runway and quickly extinguished one burning tire.
The pilot initially told passengers to remain in their seats. But suddenly the crew started shouting, "Evacuate! Evacuate!" The doors of the plane opened, and everyone hurried down the emergency slides.
Several passengers suffered minor injuries such as bruises and sprained ankles during the evacuation about 9 p.m.
The passengers initially ran into a grassy area alongside the runway, then some walked to the terminal while others rode on airport vehicles.
With the halted plane blocking the runway, officials closed the airport to all incoming and outgoing flights.
NTSB: Drowsy pilots show need for regulation reforms
By Alan Levin, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Two airline pilots fell asleep while cruising over Hawaii last February, flying past their destination toward open ocean for 18 minutes before waking up and returning for a safe landing, federal accident investigators revealed Tuesday.
That incident and an accident in Traverse City, Mich., last year highlight the need for more comprehensive rules to stem the growing list of crashes attributed to the lengthy hours that pilots routinely work, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. Crashes linked to fatigue have killed 249 people since 1997, according to NTSB records.
"It's an insidious issue," NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said. "Many times the pilots themselves don't recognize that they are fatigued when they get into that cockpit."
The NTSB voted to recommend that federal aviation regulators and airlines use fatigue studies to rewrite the rules for how long pilots can legally fly. Currently, federal law allows pilots to work up to 16 hours a day, including up to eight hours behind the controls, and loopholes allow longer days in some situations.
Air-traffic controllers frantically radioed Go Airlines Flight 1002 from Honolulu to Hilo, Hawaii, for 18 minutes on Feb. 13, but got no response from the pilots, said NTSB investigator Jana Price.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Michigan Honolulu National Transportation Safety Board Hawaii Hilo Traverse City
In the safety board's first disclosure of details from the investigation, Price said both pilots "unintentionally fell asleep" as the Bombardier CRJ-200 jet flew at 21,000 feet. The jet carried 40 passengers.
The two pilots had been flying together for three arduous days "that involved early start times" and a "demanding" sequence of short flights, Price said. Since the incident, the captain had been diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, she said. Apnea causes people to repeatedly wake up during the night and has been linked to poor work performance and accidents.
In a separate investigation, the NTSB concluded that a regional airline crash last year in Traverse City was probably triggered by fatigue. Pinnacle Airlines Flight 4712 skidded off the end of a snowy runway on April 12, 2007, after landing in the early hours of the morning. None of the 49 passengers, two pilots and a flight attendant were injured.
The NTSB found that the pilots of the Bombardier CRJ-200 should never have attempted the landing.
The runway was too slick to land under the airline's rules, but the pilots failed to perform a basic landing calculation and missed other warning signs that the weather was deteriorating.
The accident happened after the pilots had worked 14 hours. The cockpit recorder overheard the pilots yawning and the captain made repeated references to being tired, the NTSB found.
The NTSB has been calling for reform of pilot work rules for decades. Several attempts to rewrite pilot work rules have failed in the face of opposition from airlines and pilot groups.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-06-10-NTSB-pilots-sleep_N.htm
Polish pilots' poor English almost led to crash
A Polish airliner came within seconds of colliding with another plane near Heathrow because its pilots had such poor English that they could not understand basic instructions from air traffic controllers. The Lot Boeing 737, carrying 95 passengers and crew, wandered the skies for almost half an hour as the pilots struggled to identify their position. A controller had to instruct another aircraft to change direction to avoid a collision.
A document seen by The Times suggests that only 15 out of 800 Polish pilots flying internationally have passed the test for the required standard of English.
The two pilots in the Heathrow incident had to rely on directions after positioning instruments went blank because of a co-pilot’s error. They repeatedly failed to comply with instructions as they tried to return to Heathrow. On the final approach the Boeing appeared to be heading for the wrong runway, prompting a controller to order other aircraft to leave the area.
The incident, described in a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), highlights the risks associated with having so many foreign pilots with only rudimentary English using British airports. English is the international language of aviation but many countries failed to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) deadline of March this year for ensuring that their pilots were proficient in the language.
Poland has applied to the ICAO for an exemption until March 2011, the last possible date for compliance, after which pilots without the required level could be banned from international airspace. In a letter to the ICAO obtained by The Times, the Polish government’s civil aviation office suggests that only 15 pilots out of 800 Poles flying international routes have passed the appropriate English test.
The letter, sent on March 4, nine months after the Heathrow incident, states: “We haven’t had any accident caused by insufficient English level as well as [sic] we have not received any information from air traffic control agencies that Polish pilots were not able to communicate correctly. Therefore, potential risk of accident occurrence due to lack of English language proficiency is very improbable.”
That claim is contradicted by the AAIB’s investigation, which said: “The crew of Lot 282 were not able to communicate adequately the nature and extent of their problem.” The report added: “The commander, who was making the radio calls, was not able to understand some of the instructions.”
The AAIB found that an initial error by the co-pilot had been “compounded by the difficulty of obtaining information from the pilots because of their limited command of English”.
The Department for Transport confirmed that it had kept the Polish authorities informed of the investigation.
David Learmount, safety editor of Flight International magazine, said that it was very worrying that the pilots had not understood British controllers. “It could have been even worse if they had been trying to understand a French controller speaking to them in English,” he said.
“Countries which did not previously have many international pilots are now flooding the world with flights piloted by people who can’t speak English properly. For many pilots, learning English is much more difficult than learning to fly.”
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/news/article4116523.ece
Assinar:
Postagens (Atom)