15 MAY 2009 _______________________________________ *Crash hearing may lead to changes in regional airlines' operations *Tired and Confused, Doomed Pilots Made Bad Choices *Buffalo crash exposes gaps in safety *6 reported dead in Guatemala City plane crash *GE joint venture reveals new jet engine details *For safety, DGCA asks airlines about financial health (India) *CVR should remain "sacred cow" to accident probes: ALPA **************************************** Crash hearing may lead to changes in regional airlines' operations WASHINGTON - Wrenching testimony this week about the fatal crash of a regional jet near Buffalo, N.Y., in February will spawn a series of congressional hearings and could lead to changes in pilot rest and duty rules. If regulators require that pilots have more rest, regional carriers such as American Eagle will have to hire more pilots, increasing their costs when the industry is on pace to lose several billion dollars this year because of low demand. Fifty people died when a Colgan Air turboprop lost speed and crashed on approach to Buffalo's airport Feb. 12. The National Transportation Safety Board hearings revealed that both pilots were fatigued, broke rules about nonessential cockpit chatter during the flight's descent and may have been undertrained. Both pilots commuted long distances to arrive at their designated "base" prior to the flight, sleeping in break rooms and on couches before starting long days with multiple short flights. The pilots appeared to not recognize the plane's computerized response to stall conditions; initial reports suggest that the pilots reduced the plane's speed too quickly and never recovered. "What we have now learned in recent days causes a lot of tough questions to be asked," Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said Thursday. Dorgan, who chairs the aviation subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said he would hold hearings in June to study whether the failures identified by the NTSB were more common among regional carriers. A spokesman for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said that panel also planned to hold a hearing in June. Dorgan said his subcommittee would look into who is responsible for allowing the Colgan crew to fly with relatively little experience with the aircraft and almost no sleep the night before. "What has happened that allowed that circumstance to exist?" Dorgan asked. "Is that an FAA regulatory deficiency? Is it something that represents lax enforcement? I don't know the answer to that, but we intend to find out." Pilot unions have long argued that pilot fatigue can affect safety, and the hearings provided a glimpse into the grinding lifestyle that many pilots face. The low pay - starting regional airline pilots are paid around $20,000 a year - long hours and forced commutes will be scrutinized. "It is tragic and really should force us to think about what sort of conditions we want for what are now half [or more] of domestic departures," said Robert W. Mann, an airline and union consultant in Port Washington, N.Y. "We see what a laser focus on low-low-low costs over all other considerations can cause." Regional aircraft make up more than a third of all flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, where Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc. flies more than 80 percent of the passengers. American's partner carrier, American Eagle, is the nation's largest regional airline. The regional carrier industry is fighting a perception this week that it's not as responsible as its larger airline partners, said Roger Cohen, president of the Regional Airline Association in Washington, D.C. "We're doing our best to counter misperceptions," he said, noting that crew rest and duty rules are the same for pilots of smaller planes as they are for pilots of the largest aircraft. "Whatever the rules about rest are decided, our members are going to do everything they can to meet and exceed the standards." American Eagle officials deferred to Cohen for comments about the hearings. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/airlines/stories/ 051509dnbuspilothearing.3cc1d42.html ************** Tired and Confused, Doomed Pilots Made Bad Choices WASHINGTON - Flying fatigued and confronting an unfamiliar situation are ingredients for seizing on the wrong solution in an urgent situation and sticking with it, an aviation psychologist said Thursday at a National Transportation Safety Board hearing into the crash of a commuter plane near Buffalo that left 50 dead. R. Key Dismukes, a researcher at NASA's Ames Research Center, said that the challenge before the crew of Continental Connection flight 3407, a twin-engine turboprop flying from Newark, N.J., to Buffalo, was to monitor several different factors at once. The pilot and copilot evidently missed one; the plane, which was collecting ice on its windshield and wings, was slowing to an unsafe speed. But when a warning system began vibrating the control column to get their attention, the captain pulled the nose up when he should have pushed it down. The plane plummeted to the ground and landed on a house, killing all 49 people on board and one man in the house. But preparing pilots to do a number of things at one time is difficult. "We don't really train pilots" for that, Dr. Dismukes said during the third and final day of hearings into the Feb. 12 crash. "We tell them they're supposed to be vigilant, we tell them to monitor, but we haven't developed explicit techniques." Juggling tasks is easier with practice, as anyone who has learned to drive a car can attest, he said, but confronting the vibrating column, called a stick shaker, was probably something new and startling. The airline that was contracted with Continental Airlines to make the one-hour commuter flight, Colgan Air, said on Wednesday that it had given the crew simulated training in the activation of the stick shaker, but not in the next step, activation of the stick pusher, which takes control and pushes the nose of the plane down. In this instance, the stick pusher kicked in shortly after the captain pulled instead of pushed. "I don't see any evidence that he ever understood the situation he was in," said Dr. Dismukes of the 47-year-old pilot, Capt. Marvin D. Renslow. "He knew something was wrong, but I don't see that he ever said, 'wait a minute, I've got to get the nose down.' " Rather, he said, the tendency in such situations is for tunnel vision to set in, and for the pilot to stick with the chosen course, whether or not it is appropriate. Investigators say the captain may have mistaken his situation, the impending stall of the wings, with a related problem, a stall of the tail. If the tail stalls, the solution is to pull the nose up, not push down. Distinguishing between the two is difficult, although better awareness of the overall situation of the airplane might have made the situation clearer to Captain Renslow or his first officer, Rebecca Shaw, 24. In addition to trying to determine what went on in the cabin in the moments before the crash of the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400, investigators followed the standard procedure of trying to document the work and sleep schedules of the pilots. Ms. Shaw had spent the previous night taking two flights from her home near Seattle to Newark. Captain Renslow had also come to Newark the night before the flight from his home in Lutz, Fla., near Tampa, but investigators said they could not find evidence that he had stayed at a hotel or in an apartment and instead might have napped in a crew lounge at Newark Liberty International Airport. Another issue is the whether non-pertinent conversation during the approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, something that violates F.A.A. rules, distracted the two pilots. A voice cockpit recorder showed that the two pilots discussed a range of subjects unrelated to the landing in the moments leading to the crash While the safety board will not issue a final report on the crash for months, it might reiterate a recommendation it made after a crash in 2002 that took the life of Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, who was flying in a smaller twin-engine turboprop. In that instance, the board recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration consider requiring that planes give audible warning of deteriorating speed before the stick shaker goes off. Some pilots oppose the notion of having more warning systems in the cockpit. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/nyregion/15pilot.html?hpw **************** Buffalo crash exposes gaps in safety The pilots of Flight 3407 failed to notice that the plane was moving too slowly, then jerked the turboprop into a steep climb that caused it to swing out of control, according to NTSB records. By Alan Levin, USA TODAY WASHINGTON - Investigators probing a commuter plane crash near Buffalo criticized federal regulators Thursday for failing to impose safety improvements that might have prevented the deadly accident. Before the Feb. 12 crash, which killed 50 people, the Federal Aviation Administration had sent safety alerts to airlines on some of the issues that surfaced in the accident, such as fatigue and training for poorly performing pilots. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation found that Colgan Air, which operated the flight for Continental Airlines, did not act on the FAA's alerts. The alerts were not mandatory, and the agency does not check whether airlines follow them, its officials testified during the three-day hearing. "That, from my perspective as a board member, is a major flaw in the system," said the NTSB's Kitty Higgins. "If it's safety-critical, why isn't it being required?" The FAA's Rick Clarke, whose office develops the safety alerts, defended the voluntary system, saying that it allowed regulators to act quickly to warn airlines about known safety hazards. The pilots of Flight 3407 failed to notice that the plane was moving too slowly, then jerked the turboprop into a steep climb that caused it to swing out of control, according to NTSB records. Neither Captain Marvin Renslow, 47, nor co-pilot Rebecca Shaw, 24, had a full night's sleep before the crash, records show. One of the safety alerts urged airlines to better train pilots in how to recognize and prevent fatigue. Colgan instituted such a program after the crash, the records said. Another alert urged airlines to identify pilots who had "persistent performance deficiencies" and to give them remedial training. Renslow had failed three flight tests prior to his employment at Colgan in 2005 and two more after he joined the carrier, according to NTSB records. Colgan did not have such a program, according to the NTSB. Renslow had told the airline about only one of the failures that occurred before 2005. Meanwhile, an expert in how pilots make mistakes said the apparent string of errors that led to the crash was typical of how pilots react when they are startled. "You're surprised, you're under stress, you're flailing around," said Key Dismukes, a NASA researcher. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-05-14-buffalocrash_N.htm *************** 6 reported dead in Guatemala City plane crash GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - A small plane crashed into a yard in Guatemala City on Thursday, reportedly killing six people on board and setting a home on fire near the airport. The Francisco Marroquin University said four of its professors were on the plane and died in the crash, along with the pilot and another passenger. Authorities were unable to confirm the number of dead, saying the blaze made it difficult for emergency personnel to examine the crash site. Guatemala's director of civil aviation, Juan Jose Carlos, said the plane's flight plan listed six people aboard. It was not immediately known if anyone was in the house. Carlos said the six-seat plane took off from the La Aurora airport just 200 yards (meters) from the crash site and was bound for the neighboring country of Belize. Part of the aircraft came to rest in a swimming pool. ***** Date: 14-MAY-2009 Time: Type: Piper PA-23 Aztec Operator: Aeroservicios Registration: TG-ALD C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Guatemala City - Guatemala Phase: Initial climb Nature: Passenger Departure airport: La Aurora Destination airport: Belize Narrative: Six persons are reported killed when the aircraft crashed in a backyard. The aircraft departed La Aurora airport for Belize but crashed for unknown reasons shortly thereafter. (aviation-safety.net) ************** GE joint venture reveals new jet engine details CFM International Inc. officials unveiled components of the their next-generation jet engine at GE Aviation this week. The project promises to improve fuel efficiency by 16 percent over today's engines but wouldn't be available for commercial service until at least 2017. CFM is a joint venture of GE and France's Snecma. Its CFM56 line of engines for large, narrow-body airliners such as the Boeing 737 has been the most successful jet engine in commercial aviation history. GE produces the hot section, or core, of the engines. Snecma, part of Safran Group, makes the front fan assembly and low-pressure compressor. Final assembly takes places at GE's Evendale complex and at its testing grounds east of Cincinnati in Peebles. For engines bound for overseas markets, Snecma assembles the engines in France. The new CFM engine is intended to replace the current CFM56 model when Boeing and Airbus develop replacements for the popular 737 and A320 family of aircraft. Airlines use the narrow-body, single-aisle planes on short-hop routes all over the world, with some planes making 10 or more takeoffs and landings daily. The new CFM engine will include numerous innovations GE developed for its much larger and higher-thrust GE90 and GEnx engines that power wide-body aircraft used for longer intercontinental routes. The trick will be to incorporate them into a smaller engine that can withstand many more daily takeoffs without sacrificing reliability and durability. Much of the development work is done in Evendale. The new core is scheduled to begin a series of tests in Evendale this week. Snecma's front fan assembly meanwhile will be undergoing crosswind and acoustic tests at Peebles over the next month to six weeks. The fan blades are made of a composite material - resin molded over a woven-fiber base - with a titanium leading edge. Combined with a composite fan case, they will reduce the weight of each engine by 500 pounds. Officials at Cincinnati-based CFM said a complete development engine is scheduled to be built by 2012. It could be Federal Aviation Administration certified by 2016 if they know what plane it's going on, they said this week. Whether Boeing or Airbus will have a new narrow-body aircraft by then is an open question, however, because of the continuing popularity of the 737 and A320. Much could depend on the pace of economic recovery and the price of jet fuel. Fuel prices spiked to more than $4 a gallon last year but have since fallen sharply with the price of oil. Higher fuel prices increase airlines' demand for more-efficient aircraft and engines. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/05/11/daily45.html *************** For safety, DGCA asks airlines about financial health (India) NEW DELHI: Worried over the poor health of Indian carriers, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has shot off a detailed questionnaire to airlines for gauging their financial stability, a move aimed at ascertaining aircraft maintenance and passenger safety. The first of its kind exercise asks airlines if they have seen a "significant or sudden" fleet reduction and if their flight cancellations and delays have increased in recent past. "Based on the responses from airlines, we may do an internal and informal ranking of airlines. The carriers that figure low on the financial stability checklist will have to face more than routine checks on aircraft as we will not tolerate any compromise on air safety," said highly placed sources. The government's worry stems from the fact that loss-making carriers are now finding it difficult to get loans from banks due to a perceived poor capacity of the ailing industry to pay back. As a result, despite cutting fleet sizes there have been several instances of airlines taking parts from grounded planes to keep the remaining ones flying. The DGCA has asked airlines if they are deferring capital expenditure and training of personnel. The questionnaire also asks if airlines have sold assets to raise funds. "Since there has been trouble with airports, oil companies and several other service providers, airlines have been asked to detail if they have lost suppliers due to any factor like non payment. This will be used to determine financial stability of airlines," said sources. Airlines have also been told to give details of the relationship between operator and employees, a clear attempt to gauge unrest, if any, due to huge salary cuts, delayed payments and training programmes. "Employee morale, including that of pilots, cabin crew, maintenance staff and others, goes a long way in ensuring air safety. There have been complaints of employees not getting paid for long time in some companies," said sources. To check whether there has been any exodus or big layoff due to these reasons, airlines have been asked to clearly state if any key department has seen a drastic reduction in personnel. "We have been asked to state if there have been delays due to maintenance issues or due to delay in crew availability. Some airlines have already sent their reply. The industry is facing severe financial turmoil and some operators may be cutting costs in maintenance," admitted a senior airline official. The DGCA expects to get reply from all carriers by early next week. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India-Business/For-safety-DGCA-a sks-airlines-about-financial-health/articleshow/4531122.cms **************** CVR should remain "sacred cow" to accident probes: ALPA Cockpit voice recordings are intended to be used as aids in accident investigations and should "remain a sacred cow for that", the Air Line Pilots Association's top safety executive said today in response to Colgan Air's proposal that the data be used to try and prevent accidents. On 12 February, a Colgan Q400 stalled and went out of control on approach to Buffalo, New York. The aircraft crashed into a house about 9km (5nm) from the airport at 22.17, killing all 49 on board and one person on the ground. A three-day National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) inquiry into the crash has honed in on the crew's lack of adherence to sterile cockpit rules. The casual banter between the Colgan captain and first officer during most of the flight and the fact that neither individual spoke up about the breech in sterile cockpit is a concern, says NTSB member Debbie Hersman. She wonders whether this is occurring "on other flights" and suggests there would be "less violations and demeanour [would be] more upright if pilots are being checked". To this end, Colgan has requested that its pilots union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), review the feasibility of using CVR recordings as part of an enhanced quality assurance programme. But ALPA is opposed to such a measure. During testimony today, ALPA executive air safety chairman Rory Kay said he was "disappointed" about the Colgan letter, noting that the intent of a CVR is for accident investigation, not regular monitoring of pilots in the cockpit. Kay says that while it is important for pilots to remind each other about the sterile cockpit "and important for airlines to remind crew about sterile cockpit", pilots should also be encouraged to hold discourse. "In the old days, you had pilots who snarled at each other. We are enlightened these days. Even if I don't care for the person sitting next to me, we understand the importance of the information exchanges," says Kay. Asked by a NTSB member if Colgan's letter is "reactive", Kay answered in the affirmative, adding that he does not want a pilot to be worried or stressed about an ever-present monitor. Kay does not believe that more accidents would be prevented by introducing CVR to a flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) programme. Long pilot commutes and fatigue have also been extensively addressed in this week's hearings. NTSB members learned yesterday about a software programme that would assist airlines to better match pilots to schedules to mitigate these problems. Kay says ALPA "is on board" with the concept of a pilot fatigue mitigation system but that such a system should not replace changing "archaic flight time duty times". He adds: "The FAA has got to get onboard and we have got to work collaboratively to create a new set of operating rules." Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC