04 FEB 2009 _______________________________________ *Study Spotlights Helicopter Dangers Article *Expert: Air-ambulance crews among most likely to die *HAI's Zuccaro Addresses NTSB Public Hearings On EMS Operations *NTSB Wants Gulf Operators To Evaluate Post-Hurricane Communications *Passengers stop flight after 'drunk' pilot sparks panic *Jet Lands Safely At DIA After Bird Strike *Boeing issues warning to 777 operators *Field of FAA Chief Hopefuls Growing **************************************** Study Spotlights Helicopter Dangers Article By ANDY PASZTOR WASHINGTON -- Emergency medical helicopter pilots had the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., racking up fatalities at a faster clip than loggers and other historically risky professions, according to a new study presented to federal air-crash investigators. In addition to sobering statistics about the hazards of such medical chopper flights for patients as well as pilots, testimony at a National Transportation Safety Board hearing Tuesday illustrated the drawbacks of relying on voluntary industry efforts to improve safety. Comparing 13 medical helicopter crashes that claimed 29 lives in 2008 with federal fatality rates for many other accident-prone professions, Dr. Ira Blumen, of the University of Chicago Hospitals, concluded that statistically the pilots "far exceed any of the high-risk occupations." At least 180 people have been killed or seriously injured in U.S. medical helicopter crashes over past decade, with 2008 ending up as the most deadly year ever. Against this backdrop, the safety board is prodding regulators to require helicopter operators to install devices that can warn pilots of impending collisions with the ground, as well as digital flight-data recorders that are better able to record what occurred in the event of a crash. During the first of four days of hearings this week, the safety board also began examining how powerful economic forces -- ranging from consolidation to how much the government will reimburse operators -- affect safety margins. Almost half of the world's roughly 26,000 choppers fly in the U.S. One industry representative testified that it's time for operators to become more aggressive in pursuing safety goals and embracing federal mandates. "We have to, in essence, change the way we do business," said Matthew Zuccaro, president of Helicopter Association International. He said helicopter operators must pay more attention to flight planning, adverse weather hazards and ways to retrofit the existing fleet with advanced safety equipment. At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration released updated figures about the results of its years-long campaign to promote voluntary industry compliance. An FAA spokesman told reporters that so far roughly 40% of U.S. helicopters have been voluntary outfitted with collision-avoidance systems, and only about 11% have recorders. Testimony by a Canadian helicopter official offered a stark contrast to the U.S. experience. Sylvain Seguin, vice president of Canadian Helicopters, the largest medical chopper organization in Canada, described extensive safety programs that have allowed Canada to avoid a single fatality in this segment since the 1970s. Mr. Seguin emphasized that Canadian medical choppers have two-pilot crews as opposed to many single-pilot flights in the U.S. Funded and regulated strictly by government, the craft are equipped with the latest safety devices. They are required to adhere to strict instrument-flight rules and safeguards in all cases. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123370317612745375.html?mod=googlenews_wsj *************** Expert: Air-ambulance crews among most likely to die By Alan Levin, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — Air-ambulance helicopters have the worst fatal crash record in aviation, and their crews are among the most likely to die on the job, an expert told a panel of federal investigators Tuesday. The rate of fatalities per 100,000 air-ambulance employees over the past 10 years exceeds other dangerous professions such as logging or deep-sea fishing, said Ira Blumen, program director of the University of Chicago Aeromedical Network. DEADLY YEAR: Medical helicopter crash deaths on record pace Blumen's comments came during the first day of a hearing by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is examining the industry's burgeoning accidents. "It's a high-risk occupation. It's alarming," Blumen said. FIND MORE STORIES IN: United States | Canada | Federal Aviation Administration | National Transportation Safety Board | Les Dorr | Kirstin Blockinger | Robert Sumwalt Relatively few patients have died: 34 out of about 4.3 million transported since 1972, Blumen said. It's unclear why; one possible explanation is that air-ambulance flights spend more time flying without a patient than while carrying one. A typical emergency run involves three trips: one to pick up the patient; another to transport the victim; and a third to return to the helicopter base after the patient is dropped off. Another reason is that crewmembers outnumber patients three or four to one on flights. Tearful relatives of recent crash victims demanded that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) take action to stem the death toll. Steve Ogletree, 44, an airport manager whose 14-month-old granddaughter, Kirstin Blockinger, died in a crash Oct. 15, said he was stunned by how lightly the government regulates the industry compared with airlines. "I say to the FAA, shame on you," Ogletree said. The FAA has pushed the industry to adopt stricter safety standards but has emphasized voluntary change because it can be accomplished faster than writing new regulations, FAA spokesman Les Dorr said. Since 1972, 264 people have died in air-ambulance crashes, according to Blumen. Nine fatal crashes since December 2007 have killed 35 people. That's the highest death toll in the industry's history. The accident statistics for the USA stand in stark contrast to Canada, which has not had a fatality since 1977. Unlike most companies in the United States, Canada requires two pilots on each helicopter, and flights are conducted under more rigorous standards for weather, said Sylvain Séguin, a vice president of Canadian Helicopters. The NTSB hearing is trying to pinpoint what could be driving the recent increase in fatal crashes. Several witnesses raised concerns about whether competition to make the helicopter flights — which can pay as much as $10,000 — could be driving up the accident rates. "The safety board is concerned that these types of accidents will continue if a concerted effort is not made to improve," NTSB member Robert Sumwalt said. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-02-03-medchopper_N.htm ************** HAI's Zuccaro Addresses NTSB Public Hearings On EMS Operations Group A "Designated Party" Throughout Hearings, May Question Others The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) started a 4-day public hearing Tuesday on the Safety of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) operations, part of the Board's ongoing efforts to evaluate the factors that contribute to accidents in EMS accidents. The hearings, which wrap up Friday, are open to public observation, though the public may not participate. The NTSB will hear from numerous witnesses who will deal with all elements of HEMS operations. The format of the hearing will involve the questioning of several panels. Matt Zuccaro, president of the Helicopter Association International (HAI) and also Co-Chair of the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST), is one of three keynote witnesses who open the hearing with individual presentations. HAI tells Aero-News that Zuccaro will provide an overview of current and future industry safety initiatives, as well as a list of issues and action items for consideration by the NTSB. Well-versed in helicopter EMS operations, Zuccaro was instrumental in the recent rewrite of the HEMS A021/A050 Op Specs by facilitating a consensus among HEMS industry leaders and regulators. Accompanied by other HAI staff, Zuccaro will also participate in the full four days of the hearing as a "designated party." As such, HAI will be participating in the questioning of the various witness panels scheduled to appear at the hearing. The witnesses and designated parties will represent a wide range of EMS-related communities, including Associations such as HAI, pilots, medical personnel, HEMS operators, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials who provide oversight. In his presentation, Zuccaro will address such HEMS issues and recommendations as mandatory use of night vision goggles, an all IFR operating environment, elimination of launch/response times, study of fatigue factors in HEMS, promotion of risk aversion not risk exposure, client education programs, appropriate application of technology, non-punitive safety reporting environments, and implementation of Safety Management Systems. HAI says the need to aggressively focus on human factors issues will be highlighted, to include a recommendation that HEMS risk assessment and decision making should be the same as other mission protocols. Also to be discussed, the need to provide a sterile operating environment for pilots and technicians, absent of undo pressures, so that any considerations are limited to safe aeronautical decision making. The hearing is underway in the Board Room and Conference Center, at 429 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC 20594. The NTSB Conference Center is the primary location for the National Transportation Safety Board's Board meetings, public hearings, training, public forums, symposiums, and other events. The hearings are being streamed on the NTSB web site, at the first FMI link below. FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.rotor.com aero-news.net *************** NTSB Wants Gulf Operators To Evaluate Post-Hurricane Communications Cites Post-Katrina S-76 Accident In Recommendation In response to the Board's investigation into the September 6, 2005 ditching of a Sikorsky S-76A helicopter in the Gulf of Mexico, on Tuesday the National Transportation Safety Board issued a recommendation to the FAA urging all offshore Gulf helicopter operators to evaluate their communication contingency plans in the aftermath of a major event. As ANN reported, the 10 passengers and two pilots onboard the Houston Helicopters, Inc. rotorcraft were able to safely egress the stricken S-76 after it ditched in the Gulf, about 24 miles southeast of Sabine Pass, TX. Ten persons onboard suffered injuries of varying degrees of severity, and all were forced to wait in the cold Gulf waters for 7.5 hours, buoyed only by their personal life vests, before they were rescued. "The probable cause of this accident was the pilots' delayed response to the No. 1 engine fire warning and the loss of power to both engines, which occurred for undetermined reasons," the Board noted. "The pilots' delayed response was most likely due to stress and fatigue." The accident occurred one week after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf region as a Category 3 storm... and the NTSB took note of the resulting chaos as a contributing factor in the delayed rescue. Post-accident interviews with HHI pilots indicated the company's communications network was non-functional in the storm's aftermath, as were cellular phone towers. "Although other Gulf offshore helicopter operators secured alternate means for their pilots to communicate with their base operations (for example, by using “repeater” aircraft or through issuance of satellite telephones), HHI did not take similar action," the NTSB states. "Rather than provide a formal communications plan, HHI management suggested that its pilots use their own cellular phones or request assistance from oil platform personnel to relay flight departure information to base operations." HHI suspended operations in October 2005, but the NTSB says the lesson from the accident is one all companies operating the region should heed. In recommendation A-09-01, the NTSB says the FAA should "evaluate offshore helicopter operators in the Gulf of Mexico for compliance with their communication contingency plan that supports continued adherence to required flight-following procedures," following a major event such as a hurricane. aero-news.net *************** Passengers stop flight after 'drunk' pilot sparks panic It is normally a moment of cheery reassurance when an airline pilot greets passengers during preparations for take-off. But Alexander Cheplevsky sparked panic on flight Aeroflot 315 when he began to speak. His slurred and garbled comments ahead of a flight from Moscow to New York convinced passengers that he was drunk. When he apparently switched from Russian into unintelligible English, fear turned to revolt. Flight attendants initially ignored passengers' complaints and threatened to expel them from the Boeing 767 jet unless they stopped "making trouble". As the rebellion spread, Aeroflot representatives boarded the aircraft to try to calm down the 300 passengers. One sought to reassure them by announcing that it was "not such a big deal" if the pilot was drunk because the aircraft practically flew itself. Mr Cheplevsky did little to ease passengers' fears by refusing to leave the cockpit to show that he was sober. When he was finally persuaded to face them, witnesses said that he appeared unsteady on his feet and had bloodshot eyes. "I don't think there's anyone in Russia who doesn't know what a drunk person looks like," Katya Kushner, one of the passengers, told the Moscow Times, which had a reporter travelling on the flight. "At first, he was looking at us like we were crazy. Then, when we wouldn't back down, he said 'I'll sit here quietly in a corner. We have three more pilots. I won't even touch the controls, I promise'." Aeroflot's bad day got worse when it emerged that the socialite and television host Ksenia Sobchak was on board. Ms Sobchak, one of Russia's best-known personalities, demanded that all four pilots be replaced. The airline finally relented and summoned new pilots to fly the jet to New York three hours late. More than 100 passengers passed the time as they waited by signing a petition declaring that they believed Mr Cheplevsky had been drunk. Ms Sobchak told Ekho Moskvy radio a few days later that she believed the pilot had been in no condition to fly. She said: "It took him three attempts to say the words 'duration of flight'. Even after Aeroflot personnel asked him to do so, he barely made it out of the cabin." An Aeroflot spokeswoman said that tests had revealed no trace of alcohol in the pilot's blood. She blamed "mass psychosis" among passengers for the decision to replace the crew, although the company later issued a statement saying that Mr Cheplevsky could have suffered a stroke just before the flight. The pilot told the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda that he had been celebrating his 54th birthday with friends the night before the flight on December 28, but insisted that he not been drinking. The row is a public relations setback for an airline that has worked hard to overcome its "Aeroflop" image. In the Soviet era, it was known for its unsmiling air hostesses, poor customer service and inedible food. It came just months after an Aeroflot subsidiary was involved in Russia's worst air disaster for two years, when a jet crashed in the Urals city of Perm killing 88 passengers and crew. The airline banned subsidiaries from using its name and logo after the crash in September, saying it wanted to protect its safety record. The newspaper Kommersant reported this week that investigators had found traces of alcohol in the blood of the captain who flew that jet. But they were unable to state whether it was the reason that he felt "sickly" shortly before surrendering the controls to another crew member as the plane was due to land. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5651516.ece **************** Jet Lands Safely At DIA After Bird Strike United 757 DENVER -- A United Airlines 757 landed safely at Denver International Airport Tuesday afternoon after suffering a bird strike during takeoff. The incident happened on Flight 77 from Denver to San Francisco. The jet returned to DIA immediately after the incident. United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the bird struck one engine but the plane's other engine wasn't affected. None of the 145 passengers, two pilots and four flight attendants were hurt. Frank Crowe of Chicago, a passenger aboard the United flight, said "there was definitely panic but there wasn't hysteria" after the bird strike. "We heard a large thump like we hit something, and the pitch of the engine changed dramatically to the point that it got real quiet, and there was a rattling, wheezing noise," Crowe said. Crowe said the bird hit the right engine. He said after the plane landed and he returned to the concourse, he could see a dent on top of the engine cowling. He said emergency vehicles parked on the tarmac around the plane and mechanics climbed into the engine to inspect it. The strike resulted in an "amber call" at the airport, with fire units responding to the runway in case they were needed. McCarthy did not know if the engine that was hit had stopped operating. She said the pilot's decision to return to the airport was a routine safety precaution. More than 200 wildlife strike incidents happen at DIA each year. The airport spends more than $260,000 a year on its wildlife mitigation program. A US Airways jet splash-landed in New York's Hudson River on Jan. 15 after a collision with a flock of birds knocked out both engines. All 155 aboard survived. Previous to that, there were six reports of birds causing damage to U.S. commercial planes, including a case that occurred in Colorado. In March 2008 an Airbus 318 jet ran into a flock of Canada geese one mile from DIA, causing smoke in the cockpit and damage to its landing gear, engines and nose. The plane landed safely but was moved by a tug to its gate. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/18631779/detail.html *************** Boeing issues warning to 777 operators A Delta Airlines 777-200ER was flying from Shanghai, China, to Atlanta last November when its right engine suddenly lost thrust while the plane was cruising at 39,000 feet over Montana. The pilots followed flight manual procedures and descended to 31,000 feet, where the Rolls-Royce engine recovered and responded normally. The flight, with 15 crew members and 232 passengers, continued to Atlanta and landed safely. That incident would likely not have gotten much attention had the same kind of Boeing jet, with Rolls-Royce engines, not lost all power in both engines just before landing at London's Heathrow earlier in the year. The British Airways 777 crash-landed short of the runway. Several passengers were injured, but none seriously. Safety experts eventually decided that the British Airways jet, also on a flight from China, had flown through unusually cold weather at cruise altitude and ice apparently formed in part of the engine and blocked the fuel flow. On Thursday, Boeing sent a notice to all operators of its 777s with Trent engines made by Rolls-Royce, advising them that it now believes the Delta and British Airways incidents appear to have been caused by the same thing – ice blocking the fuel path. A Boeing spokesman said Tuesday the "all operators" notice contains a series of precautionary measures that pilots should take during flight to lessen the chance ice could cause a sudden loss of engine power. Eventually, the spokesman said, the FAA can be expected to order a "permanent fix.'' That would likely mean a redesign of part of the Trent 777 engine. Boeing would not release a copy of the letter it sent last week. The spokesman said it is not a public document. But the industry magazine Flight International obtained a copy and said the Boeing letter describes the Delta and British Airways incidents as likely being caused by "similar factors.'' More than 700 Boeing 777s, a widebody jet that typically carries from 300 to 360 passengers, depending on the model, are in service with airlines around the world. About 30 percent have Trent engines. General Electric and Pratt & Whitney also make engines for the 777, but those have a different design than the Trent engine from Rolls-Royce and are not thought to be susceptible to the ice problem. The newest 777s built by Boeing, the best-selling 777-300ER and the ultra-long-range 777-200LR, are only powered with GE engines. In September, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a formal airworthiness directive that required changes in the way ground crews prepare 777s with Trent engines and how pilots fly them in extreme cold weather in response to what investigators found in studying the British Airways crash in January. Shortly before the FAA issued its warning, Boeing had sent out an "all operators" notice with a series of recommendations developed to prevent a similar problem on its 777s with Trent engines. Boeing recommended, for example, that pilots rev their engines when the fuel temperature falls to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. That would conceivably dislodge any ice that might be in the fuel line. Another procedure recommended by Boeing, and ordered by the FAA, called for the crew to advance the engine throttles to maximum thrust for 10 seconds before descending on flights that have maintained the same altitude for at least three hours, if the fuel temperature is below 14 degrees. Those procedures have been revised in the Boeing bulletin sent last week, following the Delta incident. Boeing now recommends that pilots advance engine throttles to maximum thrust before descending on flights that have maintained the same altitude for two hours, not three. Also in its latest notice, Boeing recommends that pilots, during the descent for landing, reduce engine power to full idle for at least 30 seconds. By reducing fuel flow, engine oil heat can melt any ice that may have accumulated. The FAA, as it did in September, is likely to make Boeing's latest recommendations mandatory. The 777 has never had a fatal crash since it entered service with United Airlines in 1995. But the Delta and British Airways incidents have given safety experts cause for concern, in large part because they are apparently dealing with a previously unknown phenomenon. The British Airways crash occurred Jan. 17, 2008, as the 777-200ER, with 152 passengers and crew members, approached Heathrow after a flight from Beijing. Both engines failed to respond to autopilot commands for thrust as the plane approached the airport. It turned into one of the most puzzling aviation accidents in modern times. The plane was badly damaged but was mostly intact, so investigators had all the physical evidence in hand to look for clues. But one thing was missing – the ice. The key piece of evidence had literally melted away. Investigators now believe the problem is with the fuel-oil heat exchanger system on the Trent 777 engine. Boeing engineers, according to Flight International, have determined by working in the laboratory that the heat generated by the Rolls-Royce fuel-oil heat exchanger is not adequate to prevent moisture in the fuel from freezing. When that happens, ice can form that blocks fuel to the exchanger, "starving the engines,'' according to the magazine. The General Electric and Pratt engines on the 777 have a different fuel system architecture. "Based on our knowledge of the system configurations, scenario studies and laboratory test results, we do not believe that immediate action is necessary or warranted for 777s powered by other engine types or non-777 airframes regardless of engine type,'' the Boeing letter sent to 777 operators last week states, according to Flight International. http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/aerospace/archives/161140.asp?source=mypi ************** Field of FAA Chief Hopefuls Growing White House: Obama Confident in Vetting Process Despite the withdrawal of two nominees for tax issues, including former Sen. Tom Daschle, the White House says it is confident in its vetting process and the people serving in the administration. The selection process for the top job at the Federal Aviation Administration appeared to be as muddied as ever today, with talk that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is seeking a wider list of candidates. Just last week, Robert T. Herbert, a longtime aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Ried (D-Nev.), was viewed as making headway for administrator post after making the rounds of union officials. Herbert was thought to be in a head-to-head race with Duane E. Woerth, a former president of the Air Line Pilots Association who has AFL-CIO backing. Herbert also met last week with Glenn Tilton, the chief executive of United Airlines and current chairman of the Air Transport Association, the main airline industry lobby group. A source familiar with the search process said new names are getting attention for the job, including Randy Babbitt, another former pilots' union president. Babbitt recently served on an outside audit committee that looked into recent airline safety lapses at the FAA. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020301 450.html?hpid=topnews ************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC