27 APR 2009 _______________________________________ *Passengers Subdue 'Unruly' Man Who Charged Cockpit *P2V FireFighter Down, Three Crewpersons Lost *NTSB Issues Safety Recommendation On B757/767 Procedures *DC-3 Cockpit Fire During Taxi (Puerto Rico) *Pilot 'barely slept' day before Emirates near-disaster *Airlines Asked To Review Emergency Plans Amid Swine Flu Outbreak *Hundreds of aircraft mechanics improperly licensed *FAA eyes new timeline for EFB data collection **************************************** Passengers Subdue 'Unruly' Man Who Charged Cockpit Transatlantic Flight Diverted To Logan BOSTON -- A plane was diverted to Logan Airport just after 10 p.m. Friday after a passenger on a transatlantic flight tried to break into the cockpit and was subdued by passengers, Massachusetts State Police said. The incident was not terrorism, according to officials at Massport, the agency that runs the airport. The passenger, identified as Itay Atmor, may have been suffering from an anxiety attack, officials said. Delta Flight 86 was en route from JFK to Tel Aviv over the Atlantic when Atmor stormed the cockpit, police said. Five passengers subdued Armor, an Israeli national, and secured him in a passenger seat. The plane had left New York about two hours earlier. Pilots from the Vermont Air National Guard were put on standby when the incident was first reported, but they were told to stand down by the crew on board the plane. Anthony Black, a spokesman for Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc., said Flight 86 had 206 passengers and 11 crew members aboard. Atmor, 22, was charged with interfering with a flight crew and will be arraigned at East Boston District Court on Monday. The plane was parked in an isolated area of the airport while the FBI and Massachusetts State Police boarded and searched the plane. It continued its flight to Israel about three hours after landing in Boston. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/19277217/detail.html ************** P2V FireFighter Down, Three Crewpersons Lost Another Fire-Fighting Tragedy Takes Three Lives ANN regrets to impart the news of yet another fire-fighting aircraft crash... this time at the cost of three lives. The P2V Neptune went down in Utah, near Stockton Pass, with heavy fog reported along the route. The aircraft was enroute from Missoula, MT, to Alamogordo, NM, on Saturday morning and discovered at 1300 local time in the Oquirrh mountains. No distress call or other associated reports were received from the aircraft prior to its impact. Some reports indicate that the aircraft failed to negotiate its way through the pass and was found an eighth of a mile from its crest. The debris path was reported as being nearly 500 feet long. The Tooele County Sheriffs office has released the names of the crew. Confirmed as deceased are Pilot Tom Risk, 66, from Littleton, CO, along with crew members Mike Flynn, 59, from Alamogordo, NM, and Brian Buss, 32, from Alberton, MT. All three were employed by Neptune Aviation of Missoula, MT. The aircraft was loaded with fire retardant and was reportedly on the way to southern New Mexico to deal with a partially contained 19,000-acre wildfire that was still endangering homes and structures in its path. Neptune Aviation's website reports that it "operates two models of the P2V: the P2V-5 and the P2V-7. The Neptune P2V was designed as a maritime patrol and antisubmarine warfare aircraft. This dictated extreme endurance and range, as well as defensive and good short-field capabilities. Its design featured high-aspect ratio wings, a large fuel load, an internal weapons bay and powerful engines --a combination which enabled the Neptune to set a world distance record of 11,235 miles, by flying nonstop from Perth, Australia to Columbus, Ohio USA. This record stood unbeaten until Dick Rutan and Jeanne Yeager circled the globe in Voyager... We fight fire with ten Lockheed P2V aircraft rebuilt and fitted with a maximum fire retardant capacity of 2,700 gallons with six door retardant dispensing tanks. Our impeccably maintained aircraft allows our customers to have a useful firefighting tool while we transition into a modern platform for the future." Jennifer Myslivy, a New Mexico-based fire mitigation and education specialist for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, noted (Saturday) that, "The fire aviation community lost good people and a valuable resource today and they will be missed." FMI: www.neptuneaviation.com aero-news.net ****** Date: 25-APR-2009 Time: 10:00 Type: Lockheed P2H Neptune Operator: Neptune Aviation Services Registration: N442NA C/n / msn: 7286 /Bu.150 Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Stockton Pass, Utah - United States of America Phase: En route Nature: Ferry/positioning Departure airport: Missoula, Montana Destination airport: Alamogordo, New Mexico Narrative: The firefighting aircraft crashed in the Oquirrh Mountains in foggy weather (aviation-safety.net) **************** NTSB Issues Safety Recommendation On B757/767 Procedures NTSB Safety Recommendations A-09-41 and -42 The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration: Require the Boeing Airplane Company to revise its 757/767 procedures and training for addressing an illuminated Standby Power Bus OFF light, to include specific steps to take so that complete loss of battery power is avoided. These steps should include landing at the nearest suitable airport before the power is depleted and actions to take if landing is not possible. (A-09-41) Once Boeing Airplane Company has revised its procedures and training per Safety Recommendation A-09-41 for addressing an illuminated Standby Bus Power OFF light without depleting the main battery, require all operators of 757/767 airplanes to adopt these procedures. (A-09-42) FMI: www.ntsb.gov/Recs/letters/2009/A09_41_42.pdf aero-news.net *************** DC-3 Cockpit Fire During Taxi (Puerto Rico) Status: Preliminary Date: 26 APR 2009 Time: 04:30 Type: Douglas DC-3C Operator: Four Star Air Cargo Registration: N136FS C/n / msn: 10267 First flight: Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Airplane damage: Written off Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) (Puerto Rico) Phase: Taxi (TXI) Nature: Cargo Departure airport: San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU/TJSJ), Puerto Rico Destination airport: Saint Thomas-Cyril E. King Airport (STT/TIST), U.S. Virgin Islands Narrative: During taxi an uncontrollable cockpit fire erupted. The crew and cargo loader evacuated. (aviation-safety.net) *************** Pilot 'barely slept' day before Emirates near-disaster The pilot of an Emirates plane that came close to crashing at Melbourne Airport with 225 passengers on board had barely slept the previous day, reports say. The pilot had also been instructed to take off at reduced power to save money on fuel, News Limited newspapers say. "This is all about the money," a source told News Limited. Investigators examining the near-catastrophe at Melbourne Airport last month are exploring whether fatigue was a factor after being told the pilot had barely slept the day before the flight. Emirates pilots are permitted to fly a maximum of 100 hours each 28 days and the pilot was also almost at the legal threshold of the number of hours he was able to fly. Emirates has issued a statement saying safety was a top priority for the airline. The two pilots involved in the March 20 accident were forced to resign 48 hours after they were flown back to Dubai. AAP *************** Airlines Asked To Review Emergency Plans Amid Swine Flu Outbreak CHICAGO -(Dow Jones)- International airlines were requested to review their emergency planning Sunday amid rising global concern about the spread of a deadly new strain of swine flu from Mexico. The Geneva-based International Air Transport Association, or IATA, stopped short of requesting airlines take any additional steps, noting industry guidelines have been drawn up with the World Health Organization and airport and airline agencies. No airlines have so far announced any plans to cancel flights to and from Mexico, though most active in the region revised their ticket policies, allowing passengers to reschedule travel for a later date at no extra charge. "At the present time, IATA recommends that airlines review their preparedness plans for public health emergency and consider how they may be implemented in the event that the current situation becomes more widespread," said the trade body in a statement posted on its Web site Sunday. "No specific additional measures are currently advised. Recommendations will be reviewed in light of WHO evaluation of the evolving situation." Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) and Air Canada issued advisories Sunday that allows passengers to and from Mexico City to change travel plans at no additional cost. "We are working directly with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)," said Delta in an emailed statement. "At this time, there is no impact to our operation, but we are allowing customers to make a one-time to change travel plans to Mexico through May 4." Canadian officials have identified six confirmed cases of swine fever among people who have recently returned from Mexico. Cases have also been identified in three U.S. states. Other U.S. carriers including American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp. (AMR), Continental Airlines Inc. (CAL), United Airlines, a unit of UAL Corp. (UAUA) and US Airways Group Inc. (LCC) revised their own ticket restrictions. No-fee changes can be made between May 4 and May 7, depending on the airline. Airline passengers are viewed as the most likely means for the international transmission of viruses with pandemic potential, and the industry has honed its preparations in the wake of the Sars avian flu epidemic in 2003. Sars had a devastating impact on airline traffic to and from Asia and within the region, and the outbreak of swine flu comes as passenger numbers to central and South America have started to falter in the wake of the global economic slowdown. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200904261941DOWJONESDJON LINE000241_FORTUNE5.htm *************** Hundreds of aircraft mechanics improperly licensed Hundreds of FAA-certified aircraft mechanics nationwide - including dozens in Texas - may have been improperly licensed since the early 1990s, a WFAA-TV investigation has found. The mechanics include those who work in the airline industry for aircraft manufacturers and for privately-owned aircraft maintenance facilities known as "repair stations." Many of them fix planes that Texans fly. The mechanics received their certification in FAA-approved testing centers that in some instances acted as "diploma mills" in which mechanics were improperly tested. Others may not have been required to speak and read English - the most basic requirement for U.S. certification. The most recent example of a suspected bogus testing center may be in San Antonio. The FAA now admits 1,300 mechanics' credentials may be in question. Though the FAA has uncovered instances of bogus certification, hundreds of mechanics have never been rigorously re-tested. "Rather than having them demonstrate their competency to the required exam, they (the FAA) just gave them their watered down test and let them go," said Gabe Bruno, a former FAA manager. Other mechanics who failed FAA-administered retests, or had their certification revoked, may still continue to repair planes. "There is no reason that the FAA should not tell the employer that his mechanic no longer has an A&P certificate," former FAA inspector Bill McNease said. "Even if these people come in and they fail the retest, the FAA makes no effort to warn whoever it s they've been working for," Bruno added. "….They say it is not their job." Bruno knows about the problem. He began to investigate the issuance of more than 1,800 mechanics improperly granted repair certificates at St. George Aviation Testing Center in Florida in 1999. A federal investigation found that George Aviation was selling repair licenses to improperly tested mechanics. Two men served prison time in the scandal, including owner Anthony St. George. Instead of rigorous testing, Bruno's investigation for the FAA found St. George-certified mechanics didn't often complete major portions of the three-part written, oral and practical exams. Some were allowed to cheat. Often, the all-day or multi-day tests were condensed down to less than an hour. Bruno initially helped re-test about 350 of the St. George-certified mechanics, with about 80 percent surrendering or failing the exams. But the FAA abruptly suspended re-testing of the remaining 1,500 mechanics - until 2005. That's when the Chalk's Ocean Airways seaplane crashed on takeoff in Miami. Twenty people were killed in the December 2005 accident when the right wing of the aircraft broke off as a result of faulty maintenance. Government investigators recently revealed that a St. George mechanic had worked on the plane. The FAA rushed in to re-test the mechanic several weeks after the crash. The mechanic failed the re-test twice and had his license revoked. The National Transportation Safety Board found the FAA was "causal" in dealing with events leading up to the tragic accident. Chalk's subsequently went out of business. "There were all kinds of warnings that nobody took any action on to ensure the safety of the flying public," Bruno said. The FAA said there is no evidence that the mechanic worked or had responsibility for the plane's wing. But that doesn't diminish the outrage by those who lost loved ones in the Chalk's crash. "How do these types of things happen?" said Rich Rutecky, whose father died in Chalk's air crash. "How do you get into a situation where you have uncertified mechanics working on equipment. You're talking about people's lives…" Now, a decade later, the FAA still has not re-tested up to 80 St. George mechanics. Only 43 percent successfully completed re-examination, with nearly 700 others having their licenses suspended, revoked, or surrendered. Records indicate 33 St. George mechanics may still be repairing planes in Texas. Fourteen live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Several work for major airlines. Records indicate some may never have been re-tested, while others may not have been re-tested until 2007, even late 2008. WFAA-TV has found that the FAA's licensing difficulties are long and flawed, requiring re-testing of improperly certified mechanics. Two-hundred-and-fifty mechanics had to be re-tested in an incident in San Antonio in 1993. In a 1993 audit, the Department of Transportation's Inspector General uncovered widespread problems with nearly two dozen so-called "designated mechanic examiners," or DMEs, who administer licensing exams to mechanics. The audit concluded: "…the FAA cannot be assured that only qualified applicants were certified as aviation mechanics. San Antonio, again, is now the site of another questionable DME and testing center. The FAA said that Bryan Tobias, of Tobias Aerospace Services in San Antonio, "did not comply with the FAA policy for designees." Former students indicate Tobias Aerospace was conducting tests in Spanish instead of English, which is a violation of FAA regulations. In written responses or WFAA-TV questions, the FAA also said Tobias "did not submit ... files to the FAA as per guidance." The agency admits it has been investigating Tobias since September of 2008. He is "no longer authorized to perform FAA 'knowledge examinations,'" the FAA said. Tobias' business, in operation since 2002, is now closed. He was not directly employed by the FAA. Tobias respond to WFAA-TV phone calls, but denied any wrong-doing when reached at his home. The FAA gives examiners the discretion to charge a reasonable fee for the exam, which consists of a written segment and an oral and practical hands-on segment that can last as long as eight hours. The examiner tests the so-called "designated mechanic examiner," or DME, who administered the licensing exam to mechanics. An aircraft mechanic must hold a certificate issued by the FAA to approve a repaired aircraft for flight. The certificate is in essence a top-level license for a mechanic to perform maintenance on an aircraft structure (the airframe) or an aircraft engine (the power-plant) or both. The license to do both is called an A&P certificate, short for airframe and power-plant. Mechanics holding A&P certificates can work on aircraft without supervision and command higher wages - a premium of $1.50 an hour for example - at Boeing in Seattle. WFAA-TV has confirmed that dozens of Boeing mechanics traveled from Seattle to Tobias' facility to be tested. Several sources said they were told the aircraft they worked on may have to be re-certified because of their faulty licenses. The FAA, however, in written responses to WFAA-TV questions, said oversight at Boeing is sufficient to ensure the safety of the aircraft. Bruno said he has repeatedly asked the FAA to check to see if any St. George-certified mechanics were involved in working on planes that have had accidents. But he said he believes his calls have been ignored. "The FAA has violated the public's trust in this area," Bruno said. "The public relies on the FAA to provide safety to the system." http://www.kvue.com/news/state/stories/042509kvue-aircraft_-mw.10d0448cb.htm l **************** FAA eyes new timeline for EFB data collection FAA has tweaked its timeframe for gathering runway safety data and has considered adding more carriers to its electronic flight bag (EFB) programme as it waits for all current participants to finish selecting vendors and begin installing EFBs featuring moving map displays. Initially, FAA planned to begin data collection from runway monitoring systems on 133 aircraft on 15 September, but now the agency expects to record information incrementally as all aircraft will not be retrofitted by the fall. The change comes after FAA awarded seven carriers a total $4.13 million to help install EFBs in up to 20 aircraft cockpits per airline during C/D maintenance checks. The technology will be used at 21 airports with a history of runway incursions that FAA believes could have been prevented using the EFBs. Two EFBs will be installed on each aircraft, with FAA providing carriers $15,000 per EFB and airlines covering any extra costs. While all seven airlines will have some aircraft outfitted by September, FAA does not expect installations to be fully completed until 31 May 2010. The original schedule was a bit optimistic, says Pradip Som, director of the research and development office at the FAA runway safety office. He adds that the new technology has a learning curve. While Som does not yet know how many aircraft will have EFBs this fall, at least three airlines have selected vendors and some have already started retrofitting aircraft. Regionals Shuttle America and SkyWest Airlines both contracted DAC International for the equipage of 20 Embraer E-170s and a mix of 20 Bombardier CRJ700s and CRJ200s, respectively. DAC has finished a couple EFB installations for SkyWest. ECS and Astronautics, meanwhile, are preparing for installations on 17 Atlas Air Boeing 747-400 freighters with the help of $510,000 from the FAA. Atlas' first purpose-built freighter will be outfitted in July, an Atlas spokesman says. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines, US Airways and its wholly-owned regional subsidiary Piedmont Airlines are still selecting vendors. Southwest says an announcement is forthcoming while US Airways says it is in the last stage of negotiations. Those airlines received $600,000 each to support EFB installation on 20 aircraft: Southwest will equip 737s, US Airways will outfit Airbus A319s and Piedmont will retrofit Dash 8s. CommutAir rounds out the program and will use $544,000 from the FAA toward the equipage of 16 Dash 8s. In addition to EFBs, CommutAir and Shuttle America were initially going to use FAA funding for aural alerting systems, which provide warnings to pilots as they make routing changes in-flight. But the airlines decided they were uncomfortable using the aural alerting systems because they would receive too many alerts in addition to communicating with air traffic controllers, Som says. >From September, once some aircraft have been outfitted with EFBs, FAA will collect safety data and information on the usability of the technology for at least one year. A final report is expected to be issued around mid-2011. In the meantime, FAA may expand the program if more funding becomes available. Som says FAA will either lengthen the data collect from current participants or the administration will seek to involve additional carriers if more funding is available. Participating airports include facilities in Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Daytona Beach, Charlotte, Miami, Anchorage, Las Vegas and Phoenix. CommutAir and Shuttle America were not available for comment, Source: Air Transport Intelligence news **************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC