04 DEC 2008 _______________________________________ *NTSB Rules Loss Of Control Led To 2007 Citation 550 Accident *MD-11 Ramp Incident (Amsterdam) *FAA May Lower Israel's Safety Rank Article *China's 1st private airlines to suspend passenger flight service *Smoke in cockpit interrupts LA-bound flight *Airplane Temporarily Stuck On Madison Runway *Vietnam's aviation safety praised *FAA Invites Comments on HEMS Rule Changes *Suspension of ASAP at AMR and Delta draws criticism *Airbus readies new tools to prevent runway excursions *Emirates A380 pilots find aircraft 'too quiet' to sleep **************************************** NTSB Rules Loss Of Control Led To 2007 Citation 550 Accident Board Suspects Icing... But Could Not Determine For Certain Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board hate unanswered questions... and the probable cause report on the May 2007 downing of a Cessna Citation 550, issued this week, ends with a big one. What caused the aircraft to lose control? As ANN reported, pilot Allan Hamilton and passenger John Wauterlek were killed when their bizjet impacted a field east of Dillon Airport (DLN) on May 3, 2007. The aircraft was on a VOR approach to land at the airport when it turned off course, and descended quickly. "The last transmission from the pilot was an acknowledgment of the cancellation of radar service and an instruction to switch to the airport advisory frequency," reads the NTSB's summary. "At that time, the airplane was at a mode C reported altitude of 14,000 feet. The airplane maintained a steady descent rate for the next minute and leveled off at 13,000 feet. About 2 1/2 minutes later, the airplane began a turn to the right to head outbound for the procedure turn on the approach and descended to 12,900 feet. The approach procedure specified a minimum altitude of 8,200 feet in the procedure turn. The airplane lost 1,600 feet in the next 10 seconds, and this was the last radar contact." Observed conditions at the time of the accident lead to one possible theory. A storm hung over the area at the time of the crash, and freezing levels were reported along the aircraft's projected flight path. "Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) ZULU Update 2 was in effect for an area that included the accident site," the NTSB states. "It noted that the freezing level was between 4,000 and 10,000 feet. It stated that there was the potential for moderate icing conditions from the freezing level to 20,000 feet." The NTSB notes there were two witnesses to the accident. "A witness working in his office at the airport heard a loud engine noise, and then a "plop" noise. He said that the engine noise was loud, then softer, and then loud again. He heard it for 3 to 5 seconds," the Board notes. "Another witness saw an airplane below the cloud bases that was turning to the right with a nose low pitch attitude of about 75 to 80 degrees. It made six to seven turns before it disappeared from sight behind terrain, and the radius of the turn got tighter as the airplane descended." The aircraft then impacted terrain at a steep nose-down angle, and caught fire. Investigators found the plane's landing gear was extended, with partial landing flaps deployed. The aircraft's TKS anti-icing system had been activated prior to impact, and oily fluid consistent with the properties of deice solution was found along the leading edges of the wing and empennage assemblies. The accident aircraft (type shown below) was on a regular maintenance program, and no mechanical anomalies were found. Examiners with Pratt & Whitney determined both JT15D-4B turbofans were making "significant" power at the time of impact. Autopsies of both victims did not show any sign of carbon monoxide poisoning, or drugs. While most indications of an icing-related accident seem to be present, the Board could not determine for certain that icing caused the plane to crash. A cockpit voice recording may have helped shed added light on the accident... but investigators found the CVR had "failed at a point prior to the accident events." That left the Board to determine the accident was the result of "in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons"... a ruling no one is likely very satisfied with. aero-news.net **************** MD-11 Ramp Incident (Amsterdam) Date: 02-DEC-2008 Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Operator: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Registration: PH-KCG C/n / msn: 48561/585 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Airplane damage: Minor Location: Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport (EHAM) - Netherlands Phase: Taxi Nature: Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: A Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400 contacted the winglet of KLM MD-11 PH-KCG. The left hand winglet of the MD-11 almost sliced in two. The 747 was being towed to the gate at the time of the mishap. It departed with a delay of almost four hours. (aviation-safety.net) ************* FAA May Lower Israel's Safety Rank Article By ANDY PASZTOR WASHINGTON -- U.S. aviation regulators are moving to downgrade Israel's safety ranking and restrict its carriers from expanding service between the two countries, according to people familiar with the details. Prompted by concerns about lax government oversight and a shortage of Israeli inspectors to oversee carriers, the Federal Aviation Administration has informed Israeli aviation regulators of its preliminary conclusions, these people said. No final decision has been made, and the head of Israel's Civil Aviation Authority is scrambling to set up meetings here for next week that could change the outcome. Unless an Israeli delegation persuades the FAA's leadership to alter course, the agency will deal a symbolic blow and create political embarrassment for a close U.S. ally. Specifically, the FAA will downgrade Israel to Category 2 from Category 1 under the agency's own international safety rankings. The FAA's rankings aren't intended to gauge airline safety systems or procedures. Instead, they are focused on the adequacy of laws, regulations and day-to-day oversight of carrier operations by a specific government. If a country is placed into Category 2 under the FAA's rules, its airlines effectively are blocked from expanding services to and from the U.S. In the past, such decisions have prompted controversy in Latin America and Asia, with critics complaining that U.S. carriers benefited by picking up additional traffic on certain routes. The FAA also has started a similar review of India's safety rankings under the agency's International Aviation Safety Assessment program, according to U.S. industry and government officials. That review is at an earlier stage and is expected to last several more months, but a downgrade of India would further damage tourist confidence in the wake of last week's terrorist rampage in Mumbai. The FAA's moves underscore the problems many countries face in hiring and retaining qualified inspectors and other aviation professionals. Without mentioning countries, Flight Safety Foundation President William Voss said in a speech Tuesday at an FAA-sponsored conference that there are "examples of regulators nearly fading away," with "only a small handful of people doing what should be done by more than 100. We see it all over the world." An Israeli government official familiar with the details said the recently appointed head of civil aviation is meeting with some FAA officials, and the rating issue "obviously has been under discussion." The official said the talks "have been cooperative" but no resolution has been reached. After making a presentation at the safety conference, Bakhshish Sing, an Indian aviation safety official, said he was unaware of stepped-up FAA scrutiny. Acting FAA Administrator Robert Sturgell declined to comment. FAA safety downgrades have affected a number of developing countries, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Ukraine and the Philippines, usually in the wake of fatal airliner accidents or high-profile incidents. More than 10 countries with air service to the U.S. are classified by the FAA as failing to meet basic international safety standards. Both Israel and India were criticized for safety-oversight shortcomings in reports prepared in recent months by the International Civil Aviation Organization, an arm of the United Nations. The reports, according to industry and International Civil Aviation Organization officials, cite shortages of inspectors and other supervisory personnel. Israel's regulatory structure and supervision of airport operations also need to be improved and updated, according to the aviation organization's findings. The FAA rankings are largely based on compliance with the organization's standards and the findings of on-site review teams. Such an FAA team visited Israel weeks ago. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122836333376578741.html?mod=googlenews_wsj *************** China's 1st private airlines to suspend passenger flight service SHANGHAI, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Financial and management problems are forcing OK Air to suspend passenger flights from Dec. 15 to Jan. 15, announced the company's chairman of the board, Wang Junjin on Wednesday. The civil aviation authority has already approved Wang's application for suspension. He said OK Air's cargo business, which partners with Fedex, will not be affected. The privately owned carrier operates 20-plus domestic passenger routes in Tianjin, Changsha, Hefei, Kunming, Harbin, Hangzhou, Haikou and Sanya. Wang promised that the company would not lay off workers during the suspension. The company's passenger flight business employs about 800 people, according to the company's spokeswoman, Han Jing. She said the passenger sector accounted for 80 percent of the company's business. "The business suspension may break the company's capital flow, and force the company into bankruptcy liquidation," she said. Shanghai-based Junyao Group through the Beijing Transport Energy Share-holding Co. owns 63 percent of the airline. Wang, who is also chairman of Junyao, said the board decided to replace Liu Jieyin as president of OK Air. He will be transferred to another post. Wang did not say when this decision was made or where Liu will be moved to. His replacement has not yet been made. However, Liu told Xinhua that the suspension decision was unilaterally made by the company's largest share holder of Junyao without consulting other share holders. "The chairman said the management problem raised the flight safety concerns in his flight suspension application. However, the current problem is the lack of capital support from Junyao, which hampered the airline's business growth," said Liu. The chairman said "the company will use the suspension period for internal adjustments, which will hopefully help make a fresh start for the beginning of next year." He said the company plans to resume flights before the upcoming Spring Festival in January as that is a popular time for travel in the country. OK Air became China's first private carrier in 2005. It has a fleet of five Boeing 737 passenger jets, three Boeing 737 cargo planes, one China-made Xinzhou 60 and two Yun-8 cargo planes. The private carrier sent a market signal for an expansion in February last year, when it signed a framework purchase agreement with China No. 1 Aviation Industrial Group for 30 Xinzhou 60 aircraft. The company declined to say how the current problem would affect the order. OK Air had projected the 2008 passenger handling volume at 1.2 million at the beginning of this year. However, its volume in the first nine month only reached 710,000. Besides OK Air, China's fledgling private airlines include Juneyao, East Star, Air Spring and EU Air. The companies engaged in talks this year to cope with the market slowdown, but there was no agreements reached. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-12/04/content_10456243.htm ************** Smoke in cockpit interupts LA-bound flight An airplane bound for Los Angeles International Airport had to return to Palm Springs tonight after smoke filled the cockpit, officials said. The twin-engine United Airlines Skywest flight No. 6552 landed safely at Palm Springs International Airport at 5:46 p.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said. Officials are clearing the cockpit of the smoke and no injuries have been reported, Palm Springs Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Avner said. Gregor said officials had not yet determined what caused smoke to fill the cockpit of the Embraer E120, which carried 14 people. "We are delighted everyone is safe," airport Executive Director Tom Nolan said. http://www.mydesert.com/article/20081203/NEWS01/81203039/1263/update *************** Airplane Temporarily Stuck On Madison Runway Flight Crew Requests Tow Truck After Landing MADISON, Wis. -- Snowy and slick conditions on a runway caused some inconvenience for passengers aboard an airplane landing at the Dane County Regional Airport. Northwest flight 1742 from Detroit was arriving into Madison Wednesday afternoon, but after the landing, the runway proved to be a little too slick for the plane. "I looked up from my book and we were landing and we headed down the runway, and I think it was a little slippery and so it just kept going, and we overshot the turn," said passenger Martha Bryant. Dane County Regional Airport officials said that the flight crew requested a tow truck to bring the plane back to the terminals. "The runway was pretty slippery and it looked like they had trouble stopping in time to make the turn (onto the taxiway)," said passenger Chip Mobley, of Madison. "The tug came out to try to pull us out, and it appears the tug slipped and swung around and hit the side of the plane." None of the 52 passengers aboard the airplane was injured, but they were delayed on the runway for more than an hour before the plane was towed back to the terminals. http://www.channel3000.com/news/18196780/detail.html **************** Vietnam's aviation safety praised International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) President Roberto Gonzalez Wednesday praised Vietnam's aviation safety and security record. The ICAO leader also briefed President Nguyen Minh Triet about the opportunity and development potential of Vietnam's civil aviation sector. Gonzalez's trip aims to strengthen the civil aviation cooperation between ICAO and Vietnam. President Triet stressed that safety and security is the greatest strength of Vietnam's civil aviation industry. http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/?catid=1&newsid=44265 *************** FAA Invites Comments on HEMS Rule Changes The FAA has revised its rules that govern the operation of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), and has invited comment on the changes. According to the FAA notice published on November 14, the changes were made because the FAA determined that "safety in air commerce and the public interest requires additional hazard mitigation for HEMS operations." Comments must be received by December 15. The revisions specify that HEMS pilots must determine a minimum safe cruise altitude during pre-flight planning by identifying and documenting obstructions and terrain along the planned flight path. HEMS pilots' pre-flight planning must also determine the minimum ceiling and visibility required to conduct the flight. The revised rules allow HEMS operations under IFR at landing areas without weather reporting only if an approved weather reporting source is located within 15 nautical miles of the landing area, or if an area forecast is available. The NTSB has also expressed concern about the safety of HEMS opereations, and recently announced plans for a public hearing on the issue to take place February 3-5, 2009 at its Washington headquarters. The board said the hearing is aimed at educating the board on the operational challenges of EMS services and helping members figure out how to stem the rising tide of accidents. The proceedings will be webcast live via the NTSB website. "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 [previous] recommendations were implemented," said member Robert Sumwalt, who will chair 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." http://www.charterx.com/resources/article.aspx?id=3647 ****************** Suspension of ASAP at AMR and Delta draws criticism Citing the value of voluntary safety reporting programmes US safety investigators and fellow carriers are urging pilots and management at American Airlines and Delta Air Lines to push labour differences aside and reinstate the initiatives. An Aviation Safety Action Programme (ASAP) is an agreement between an airline labour group, FAA and carrier management that generally frees employees from FAA penalties when they report incidents or safety concerns. American's ASAP programme for its pilots needed renewing earlier this year, coinciding with sometimes contentious contract negotiations between the carrier's Allied Pilots Association (APA) and management. APA suspended the programme, citing discomfort with management's ASAP proposal. Delta pilots suspended ASAP in December 2006, but the Air Line Pilots Association said it hopes to reach a new agreement with management soon. Today during FAA's 5th Annual Aviation Safety Forum Continental Airlines staff VP of safety Don Gunther characterized ASAP as one of the richest data sources he's seen noting it alerts all parties involved to "what happens and why". Responding to a question about mandating ASAP to remove the programme from the realm of negotiation Gunther says that while the agreement among the three parties involved in ASAP is "hard to knock out" it is critical to a functioning ASAP. He explains the pact gives someone who reports a concern or incident the confidence that he or she is truly protected by the programme. Flight Safety Foundation President William Voss during a speech at the conference on 2 December had strong words for ASAP restoration. While acknowledging there are two sides to every story Voss says "I couldn't care less about either. Safety systems do not belong on the bargaining table. Management and labor have to resist using these systems as a bargaining chip both publicly and privately". Pointing out that two US airlines among the largest in the world have ASAP programmes suspended, National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt says the reasons for the suspension need to be put aside and pilots and management at those carriers need to move beyond them. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************** Airbus readies new tools to prevent runway excursions Airbus plans to certify in the first quarter of 2009 a suite of new safety and efficiency tools designed to help pilots avoid runway excursions as well as increase airport capacity and save brake life. Available initially for the A380, the optional software upgrade will include a brake-to-vacate (BTV) system that allows pilots to preset their desired turn off point on a runway. The system automatically commands the aircraft's auto-braking system to stop in the required distance with a deceleration profile that saves brake life. Originally developed as a means of reducing runway occupancy time, hence its exposure to a runway incursion, the system has evolved into a more comprehensive tool to prevent runway excursions--aircraft veering off the runway during landing roll or exit--as well. Speaking at the FAA's 5th international aviation safety forum in Washington DC yesterday, Airbus experimental test pilot Etienne Tarnowski said Airbus will initially certify the suite on the A380, and offer the upgrades for the A320, A330 and A340 families. For the BTV system, pilots will be shown two lines on the electronic airport diagram on the A380's navigation display, the first line showing the minimum stopping distance for dry pavement (assuming no reverse thrust) and the second line showing the minimum stopping distance for a wet runway. Pilots can then select their desired turn off point on the display and the system internally computes the required auto-braking deceleration profile. Contaminated runway scenarios will be addressed in later versions of the program, says Tarnowski. Along with allowing the pilots to select a time-saving runway exit prior to landing, the system will also issue a caution message on the primary flight display if the runway is too short because of an unstable approach or if weather conditions have changed. Once the aircraft has landed, the system will also warn pilots both visually and audibly if the continually updated stopping point moves past the end of the runway. When that happens, the auto-braking system is then commanded to apply the maximum rejected takeoff braking regardless of runway conditions. Tarnowski says program inputs for the A320, A330 and A340 will likely have to be entered numerically into the flight management system as those aircraft do not have integrated navigation displays with airport diagrams. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** Emirates A380 pilots find aircraft 'too quiet' to sleep Weary Emirates Airbus A380 pilots are complaining that they cannot sleep in their crew-rest area in the aft main cabin because the aircraft is too quiet. The pilots say that the lack of engine noise in the A380's cabin compared with other long-haul airliners means they are constantly disturbed by sounds created by passengers, such as crying babies, flushing vacuum toilets and call bells. Passengers also mistake the rest area for a lavatory, and pull the door handle. The Dubai-based carrier has asked Airbus for a solution that does not involve substantially adding weight, which rules out insulating the walls of the rest area, situated at the rear of the all-economy main deck, says Emirates senior vice-president, fleet, Capt Ed Davidson. "We are expecting to hear back from them by the middle of the month," says Davidson, who admits that the airframer has "overdelivered" on its noise promises on the airline's Engine Alliance GP7200-powered A380s. One option could be installing lightweight generators to create ambient noise. "We're getting a lot of complaints. It's not something we expected," says Davidson. "On our other aircraft, the engines drown out the cabin noise. [On the A380] the pilots sleep with earplugs but the cabin noise goes straight through them." Emirates is the only A380 operator so far to have situated the crew-rest areas at the rear of the main deck. It did not opt for Airbus' standard option of locating the pilots' compartment behind the cockpit as it would have compromised the design of the airline's upper deck first-class cabin, while the alternative location of the cargo hold was rejected as it thought crew would find it "claustrophobic". Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ***************