31 MAR 2009 _______________________________________ *Suits Against Cessna Dismissed, Deferred To Italian Courts *Man accused of opening airplane's emergency door *Cessna 550 Citation II Runway Excursion, Gear Collapse (SLC, UT) *Report: U.K. Business Jet Safety Research *Ascend: Industry Cutbacks Threaten Air Safety *European Parliament Advances Single Sky *Gulfstream Receives FAA Approval to Use Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Contract (ADS-C) *Air Canada CEO Brewer resigns *Honeywell interested in helping foreign carriers develop RNP procedures *UK names first female chair to succeed McNulty at CAA *************************************** Suits Against Cessna Dismissed, Deferred To Italian Courts Cessna Willing To Submit To Italian Jurisdiction A Florida federal judge's dismissal of lawsuits filed by the families of 69 people lost in a 2001 runway incursion in Italy was upheld last week by a federal appeals court, which ruled the case was better suited to be decided by Italian courts. On a foggy morning in October, 2001, a Cessna Aircraft Company jet and a Scandinavian Airlines System airliner collided at Milan's Linate airport, killing 118 people. Lawsuits brought against Cessna by relatives of 69 persons lost in the accident were dismissed by the Miami judge, who ruled that US courts weren't the proper forum to hear the case. The Associated Press reports that the plaintiffs included 21 Swedes, 19 Italians, 19 Danes, four Finns, three Norwegians, a Romanian and a Briton, suing under bilateral treaties between their respective countries and the US. A panel of three judges of the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the previous ruling last Friday, basing its decision on the availability of a more suitable forum to try the case in Italy, where the incident happened. Also cited was the greater availability of evidence and witnesses in Italy, and Cessna's willingness to submit to Italian jurisdiction. The panel did not address the claims of the lawsuits, which maintained that Cessna was at fault for failing to adequately train its company pilots for low-visibility operations. The Cessna pilots were conducting a demonstration flight for a customer when the collision occurred. Contributing to the tragedy was an inoperative radar system at the airport. Lawsuits were brought against eight other persons involved in the incident in 2004 and 2005 in Italy. The accused were convicted on charges that included manslaughter and negligence, and sentenced to prison terms of up to eight years. FMI: www.ca11.uscourts.gov aero-news.net *************** Man accused of opening airplane's emergency door NEW YORK (AP) - New York City prosecutors have filed criminal charges against an air traveler who got fed up waiting on the tarmac at Kennedy Airport, and tried to open a jet door and get out. Authorities said 60-year-old Robert McDonald, of England, faces reckless endangerment charges for opening an emergency exit hatch as the plane waited out an hours-long delay at JFK. Flight attendants stopped him from fully opening the door and activating the emergency chute. McDonald is awaiting arraignment in Queens. Prosecutors said the problem happened Sunday night aboard a Delta flight waiting to go to Las Vegas. McDonald was arrested by Port Authority Officers. There was no immediate information on his attorney. ************** Cessna 550 Citation II Runway Excursion, Gear Collapse (SLC, UT) Date: 29-MAR-2009 Time: 2230 UTC Type: Cessna 550 Citation II Operator: Fritzi Jet LLC Registration: N44FR C/n / msn: 550-0334 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Salt Lake City International Airport, UT (SLC) - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Departure airport: Great Bend Airport, KS (GBD) Destination airport: Salt Lake City International Airport, UT (SLC) Narrative: Aircraft on landing, veered off the runway, struck runway lights, and the right main gear collapsed, Salt Lake City, UT. Sources: FAA (aviation-safety.net) ***************** Report: U.K. Business Jet Safety Research United Kingdom safety profile Describes a study of U.K. business jet safety, based on an analysis of safety data supplemented by externally contracted research that involved personal industry visits and a questionnaire sent to operators and pilots to obtain feedback on any safety related issues. The study makes a number of recommendations, some of which have already been addressed. (CAA) Web: http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=33&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=3486 ***************** Ascend: Industry Cutbacks Threaten Air Safety Aviation Insiders' Survey Backs Hudson Hero Captain Sullenberger's Concerns Last update: 12:44 p.m. EDT March 30, 2009 LONDON & NEW YORK, Mar 30, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- In a year already struck by high-profile accidents, the aviation industry has repeated its anxiety about safety, in a survey for Ascend, the aerospace specialists. Along with poor financial health, a shortage of experienced personnel, fatigue and tough work practices were considered the greatest dangers to air safety, mirroring concerns expressed in an Ascend survey last year. This year, fears over complacency had significantly increased. The results come shortly after Captain Chesley Sullenberger's comments that cost cutting practices, putting pressure on airline staff, are threatening safety. Speaking about his successful landing of US Airways flight 1549 in New York's Hudson river, he said, "One way of looking at this might be that, for 42 years, I've been making regular deposits in this bank of experience: education and training. And on January 15th the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal." Sullenberger is alarmed at practices, which he fears threaten that bank. Ascend Safety director Paul Hayes agrees with the sentiment. "Industry cutbacks are causing concerns. Aviation personnel are aware that they are working harder for less money, and they link this with increased risks to safety," he says. "However, these views need to be balanced with the fact that safety is expected to continue improving over the next five years thanks to better technology and management accountability for safety. It follows that respondents overwhelmingly placed responsibility for continued improvement with management. They feared that inexperience, fatigue and complacency threaten the value of safety improvements." Almost 200 aviation insiders from over 40 countries responded to the survey, conducted in March by Ascend. Ranking safety threats from 1 (least important) to 10 (most important), most insiders rated: a shortage of experienced personnel at +7; airline financial health +7, management experience and culture +8; fatigue/difficult work practices +7; and complacency +6. "It's important for aviation management to take these views onboard and respond accordingly, seeking to balance economic challenges with appropriate levels of safety training and sound work practices, says Hayes." Observations by respondents supported these views: -- "Airline management irresponsibly views safety as an additional cost." -- "Safety is about attitude and accountability." -- "Cost is the problem in all areas." -- "Top down emphasis on safety is what brings it to the fore." -- "Pilots must be trained to immediately to go to manual to avoid secondary impacts." For charts on survey results: http://www.ascendworldwide.com/content/download/SafetyData/AirsafetyData.htm About Ascend Ascend ( www.ascendworldwide.com) is the world's leading provider of specialist information and consultancy services to the global air transport industry. For over four decades it has supplied the most reliable, trusted and up-to-date aviation industry information and insight available anywhere. Today, all of Ascend's market-leading products and services are built to deliver decision-support information, insight and consultancy across a wide spectrum. Offerings include: -- Aviation Fleet Information -- Valuations and Appraisals -- Technical and Commercial Solutions -- Market Analysis -- Airport Economics -- Air Safety -- Space Analytics >From aircraft manufacturers to operators, financiers, lessors and suppliers, the aviation industry relies on Ascend to help make informed decisions and capture new opportunities. Ascend is headquartered in London with offices in New York and Hong Kong. SOURCE: Ascend *************** European Parliament Advances Single Sky MARCH 30, 2009 -- The European Parliament in late March adopted a revised Single European Sky legislative package, which it said allows airlines to fly more efficient routes, shorten flight lengths, reduce delays and curb fuel burn. Parliament said it expects European Union transport ministers to approve the legislation, paving the way for the regulations to go into action "before the summer." The revised Single European Sky package aims to replace some nationally run air traffic systems with more cohesive, EU-wide regulations "in key areas such as safety, capacity, flight, cost efficiency and environmental sustainability, through coordination and supervision of Member States' air traffic and the implementation of common rules and performance targets." The European Commission last year proposed the new system for a Single European Sky, updating the package from 2004 and setting new performance targets for "air navigation service providers." The EC in a March statement said, "These measures will deliver safer, greener and more performing flights, with annual savings for airlines calculated around €4 billion by 2020." In addition to setting new targets for air traffic performance and binding measures to ensure national progress, the legislation stipulates that Functional Airspace Blocks, which cut "across national frontiers to enable air traffic controllers to manage flights in a more rational way," must be established by June 2012. Parliament noted that nine such European "blocks" have been designed, "but it is felt that insufficient progress has been made." The legislation also expands powers of the European Aviation Safety Agency, established in 2002. The agency's functions initially were "limited to ensuring the airworthiness and environmental compatibility of aircraft but its mandate was progressively extended to cover all other fields of aviation safety." The new regulations broaden its powers to "ensure precise, uniform and binding rules for airport safety, air traffic management and air navigation services," and establish "harmonized rules" for air traffic and navigation. http://www.btnonline.com/businesstravelnews/headlines/frontpage_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003956469 *************** Gulfstream Receives FAA Approval to Use Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Contract (ADS-C) SAVANNAH, GA – Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, has received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Contract (ADS-C) for oceanic and remote area waypoint reporting. Gulfstream is the first purpose-built business-jet manufacturer to receive such approval. ADS-C allows an air traffic controller to initiate the tracking of an aircraft's position from the ground using information sent at predetermined intervals from the jet's onboard sensors. The system enhances safety by automatically reporting when an aircraft deviates from its cleared altitude and route. It also provides meteorological data from the aircraft sensors to the air traffic control system. ADS-C is part of the Future Air Navigation System (FANS) data link application, which will also include Controller-Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC). Late last year, Gulfstream completed a full FANS flight across the Atlantic Ocean using CPDLC with ADS-C. The flight was the first of its kind for a purpose-built business jet. ADS-C is available in the Gulfstream PlaneView avionics system with Certifications Delta and Echo. Certification Delta is available as an upgrade for large-cabin, PlaneView-equipped Gulfstream aircraft, while Certification Echo is provided on current in-production aircraft. Additionally, ADS-C will be included with CPDLC in Certification Foxtrot, which is undergoing testing. http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=7799 **************** Air Canada CEO Brewer resigns Air Canada chief executive officer Monte Brewer has resigned effective 1 April, succeeded by former carrier executive Calin Rovinescu. Air Canada over the course of 2008 faced contributions to its pension plans and mounting liquidity problems as its cash balances fell during the first nine months of last year. In December alone the carrier brokered loan agreements with GE Capital Corporation for $195 million, and a one-year $100 million loan from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. It also garnered $78 million in financing from Caylon New York Branch and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale. Air Canada also in December of last year concluded an agreement with the management company of its Aeroplan loyalty programme to accelerate $70 million in payments by year-end. Air Canada lost roughly $780 million in 2008 as its liquidity was C$1 billion, which Brewer previously highlighted as the minimum to keep the carrier in operations. As Brewer exits Rovinescu returns to Air Canada after serving as the airlines EVP Corporate Development and Strategy from 2000-2004. After his departure from Air Canada, Roveinescu founded Genuity Capital Markets, a Canadian independent investment bank working on several merger and acquisition restructuring deals and financing transactions. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** Honeywell interested in helping foreign carriers develop RNP procedures Original equipment manufacturer Honeywell is interested in aiding countries outside the US in crafting required navigation performance (RNP) operations Using RNP allows aircraft to fly more direct and precise paths to cut flight time and fuel consumption. Several carriers already use the procedures including RNP pioneer Alaska Airlines and Air New Zealand. Continental Airlines is developing a RNP programme while Southwest has already conducted a test flight from Dallas to Houston, and plans to begin rolling out RNP fleet-wide during the fourth quarter of this year. Late last year Delta Air Lines said it was working with FAA to gain RNP approval for its Boeing 777 fleet after having won authority from the agency for 737 operations. Honeywell's own corporate flight department in Morristown, New Jersey is approved for RNP special aircraft and aircrew authorization (RNP-SAAR), and offers packages to business jet operators aiming to establish RNP operations. Elements of the packages include equipage, procedures design and operational approval. During a recent interview with ATI Honeywell VP Airline Business Segment Michael Madsen says Honeywell has held discussions with airlines outside the US about developing RNP procedures, with European airlines having a keen interest in using RNP. In the US Madsen explains Honeywell is close to what Southwest is doing in terms of its RNP development, and has done a small portion of commercial work with Alaska Airlines. Opportunities could arise to aid carriers in devleoping markets in establishing RNP programmes. Madsen believes areas like India are likely to rebound sooner from economic turmoil as the size and spending level of middle class markets in those areas allows for those regions to lead growth. In the short-term Honeywell is readying a software upgrade to allow Airbus A320 operators to reduce RNP values from 0.3nm to 0.1nm. The lower values allow for tighter flight tracks to help fuel savings and efficiency. The 0.1nm value has been certified, and Honeywell has previously explained a testing programme is scheduled to start with some operators in April, with certification of the lower value for a single specific operator to follow. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news **************** UK names first female chair to succeed McNulty at CAA UK transport secretary Geoff Hoon has named Dame Deirdre Hutton as the first female chair of the country's Civil Aviation Authority. Hoon also intends to appoint a chief executive to the CAA and recruitment for the post will begin shortly. Hutton will take on her non-executive role in August 2009 when current chairman Sir Roy McNulty steps down after eight years. She will serve a five-year term at the CAA. Hutton is chair of the UK's Food Standards Agency and her previous roles include deputy chair of the Financial Services Authority. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news **************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC