10 JUN 2009 _____________________________________   *Flight 447 Vertical Stabilizer Found *French sub joins plane crash search *Regional Airline Pilot Training Under The Microscope *FAA vows to boost safety inspections of regional airlines *EASA issues emergency AD on BAe Jetstream MLG component issues *Fire forces US jet airliner to land in Canada *NTSB: Pilots ill-trained for water landings  *Airbus A320 makes emergency landing in Canary Islands  ***************************************   Flight 447 Vertical Stabilizer Found   Search crews have recovered a section of the vertical stabilizer from Air France flight 447, which broke up over the Atlantic Ocean last week after apparently penetrating a violent thunderstorm. Authorities say the find could provide clues as to why the airliner broke up in flight, and narrow the search for the Airbus A330's cockpit voice and data recorders. 8 more bodies were also recovered.   William Waldock, who teaches air crash investigation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, told the Associated Press that finding the section of the vertical stabilizer does not necessarily indicate the location of the voice and data recorders, but that it does narrow down the search area. Both instruments are housed in the aircraft fuselage near the tail section. After viewing photos and video titled "Vertical Stabilizer Found" on a Brazilian Air Force website, Wadlock said the damage he saw looked like a "lateral fracture", which reinforces the theory of a mid-flight breakup. "If it hits intact, everything shatters in tiny pieces," he said. Another portion of the investigation is focusing on the aircraft's pitot tubes. Air France has said it was in the process of replacing pitot tubes in its Airbus aircraft when a new version became available late in April, but it had not yet upgraded the system on the plane that was used for this flight.   Locating the voice and data recorders from the flight is still a top priority, but officials remain guarded about their recovery, given the depth of the water and mountainous terrain on the ocean floor. Ocean currents in the 8 days following the crash could have moved debris miles from the actual impact site. FMI: www.airbus.com aero-news.net ***************   French sub joins plane crash search   (CNN) -- A French nuclear submarine joined the hunt Wednesday for the "black box" flight data recorder and other wreckage of Air France Flight 447 as Brazilian air force and navy crews continued to pull bodies from the Atlantic. The French navy's Emeraude began patrolling the search area Wednesday morning.   The French nuclear submarine Emeraude began patrolling the area Wednesday morning, the French defense ministry said. Around 400 French military personnel are involved in the salvage effort. France has also sent two tugs towing 40 tons of recovery equipment, a surveillance ship and a ship equipped for amphibious operations. Fourteen aircraft -- 12 Brazilian and two French -- are participating, along with five Brazilian ships. The U.S. Navy will contribute two high-tech acoustic devices to listen underwater for the emergency beacons that are attached to the voice and data recorders. The "towed pinger locators," which help search for emergency beacons on downed aircraft to a maximum depth of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) -- will be placed aboard the French tugs. Watch challenges faced by search crews »   Brazilian officials emphasized earlier this week that finding bodies was their main priority. The French are in charge of finding the voice and data recorders. So far 41 bodies have been recovered from the search area, according to the Brazilian Navy Command and Aeronautical Command.   Sixteen bodies retrieved Tuesday from the Atlantic were taken to the island of Fernando de Noronha for transport by helicopter to an air base in Recife, Brazil, later Wednesday. The 25 bodies previously found were put aboard a Brazilian frigate. Watch bodies being returned to land »   The first bodies were recovered about 320 kilometers (200 miles) northwest of the Brazilian archipelago of Saint Peter and Saint Paul; Tuesday's recoveries were 80 kilometers (50 miles) away.  See photos of bodies arriving at Fernando de Noronha » It was not clear whether the bodies had drifted in the 1-2 knot currents or whether their separation suggested that the jet may have broken apart in the air.   The location of the crash has not been determined, because ocean currents have moved the bodies and debris. The search area covers 200,000 square km (77,220 square miles), Brazilian officials said.  Map of Flight 447's flight path » The ocean depth where the debris and bodies have been found varies, but averages about 3,000 meters (nearly 9,900 feet) deep, according to the University of New Hampshire/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association Joint Hydrographic Center.   Brazilian officials said the plane debris will be taken to France for investigation but the bodies would undergo forensic tests in Recife. The cause of the crash is still not known, but investigators are looking at the possible role of airspeed sensors known as Pitot tubes, among other factors.  Did plane's tail fin snap off? »   Air France has agreed to replace the sensors on its Airbus A330 and A340 jets, a pilots' union said Tuesday. The airline said Saturday that it began replacing its fleet's sensors last month.   Another Air France pilots' union, ALTER, has advised its pilots not to fly planes until their Pitot tubes are replaced. ALTER, the smallest of three Air France pilots' unions, would not say what percentage of the carrier's pilots it represents. The biggest union, SNPL, said Tuesday it has accepted Air France's assurances that no Airbus A330 or A340 will take off unless at least two of its three Pitot tubes have been replaced.   Union spokesman Eric Derivry added that there is no indication that the Pitot tubes caused the accident. Air France said over the weekend that it began to notice in May of last year that Pitot tubes sometimes briefly iced up at high altitude on A330s and A340s. That caused "a loss of airspeed data," according to the airline -- that is, the pilots didn't know the plane's speed. Air France decided to replace all its probes starting April 27, following laboratory tests earlier in the year, the airline said. *****************   Regional Airline Pilot Training Under The Microscope   Colgan Air Crash Is The Catalyst Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt announced Tuesday that they have ordered FAA inspectors to immediately focus inspection on training programs to ensure that regional airlines are complying with federal regulations. "I have no greater obligation than to ensure the safety of airline travelers in this country," Secretary LaHood said. "One fatality is one too many."   Secretary LaHood and Administrator Babbitt also will gather representatives from the major air carriers, their regional partners, aviation industry groups and labor in Washington, D.C. on June 15th to participate in a "call to action" to improve airline safety and pilot training. This review will address pilot training, cockpit discipline and other issues associated with flight safety.  "It's clear to us in looking at the February Colgan Air crash in Buffalo that there are things we should be doing now," said Administrator Babbitt (pictured right). "My goal is to make sure that the entire industry - from large commercial carriers to smaller, regional operators - is meeting our safety standard."   Department of Transportation and FAA officials said that while they look forward to receiving the results of the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation of the Colgan Air crash, there is no time to lose in acting upon information that is already available. The June 15th summit is designed to foster actions and voluntary commitments in four key areas:   •Air carrier management responsibilities for crew education and support; •Professional standards and flight discipline; •Training standards and performance; •Mentoring relationships between mainline carriers and their regional partners. Secretary LaHood praised Babbitt's experience as a former commercial airline pilot and former president of the Airline Pilots Association, noting that he brings a deep understanding to aviation issues. "I have great faith that Randy's background as a pilot and his thoughtful approach to aviation matters will help us tackle the issues raised in the Colgan Air crash," Secretary LaHood said. "There is nothing more important than safety and safety cannot wait."   FMI: www.dot.gov, www.faa.gov aero-news.net ***************   FAA vows to boost safety inspections of regional airlines   Pilot training and work practices will be among the issues at today's congressional hearings being held four months after the deadly commuter plane crash near Buffalo, N.Y.   Reporting from Chicago -- Four months after a fatal commuter plane crash that pointed to holes in pilot competency, the federal government Tuesday launched an investigation of the nation's smaller airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration's vow to step up inspections of how regional airlines train -- and work -- their pilots was issued under the pressure of congressional hearings that begin today. The hearings will explore pilot workforce issues at regional carriers and the FAA's scrutiny of airline safety standards.   In the aftermath of the deadly accident in February involving Continental Connection Flight 3407 in upstate New York, the public has gotten an unprecedented view into the life of regional airline pilots. Many have second jobs to feed their families and commute to work as passengers before starting their workday in the cockpit. The commuter pilot job is arguably the most difficult in the industry, often involving numerous takeoffs and landings in a shift.   The new FAA inspections are occurring amid the safest period on record for the commercial airline industry. The accident rate over the last decade has fallen to one fatal accident a year for every 10 million flight hours, down from about three fatal accidents annually in the previous 10 years, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Though the FAA officially holds the major airlines and their regional flying partners to the same regulatory standards, safety experts contend that compliance sometimes veers off course at the smaller carriers. The situation has probably grown worse with the increasing financial pressures on airlines.   "I don't think people are intentionally cutting corners in terms of training, working with fewer pilots and less equipment, but I do have some concerns when you go from carrier to carrier," said Frank Ayers, chairman of the flight training department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. The crash of the Continental regional plane, operated by Colgan Air, resulted in the deaths of all 49 people aboard and one person on the ground. Numerous errors committed by the captain and first officer, the crew's limited experience flying in icy weather and warning signs about pilot fatigue were disclosed at a safety board hearing last month. The FAA has invited airline industry officials to a summit Monday to explore ways to improve airline safety, pilot training and cockpit discipline.   Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said mentoring relationships might be established between the major airlines and the regional operators in an effort to ensure that the best practices in pilot training and performance were being applied. FAA inspectors, already stretched thin, sometimes might be tempted to treat feeder carriers as a "collateral duty," said Linda Goodrich, a vice president of the union representing FAA inspectors. Inspectors also are clustered in major aviation hubs, making it more challenging to catch flying or maintenance shortfalls in some of the smaller markets frequented by feeder airlines.   Many smaller carriers are also growing rapidly, adding new types of aircraft to their fleets while juggling traditionally high pilot turnover rates. Ayers said higher salaries would take a lot of pressure off young regional airline pilots. "Trying to make ends meet on $21,000 to $30,000 isn't easy," he said. But the Regional Airline Assn. countered that there was no link between safety and pilot salaries.   "The airline business has never made a profit. Airlines have cut salaries, reduced pension benefits and gone through bankruptcies," said Roger Cohen, president of the association. "Airfares have gone down so passengers can fly at the kind of bargain rates they have been flying for years. The one thing that has improved is safety." http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-faa10-2009jun10,0,3849449.story *****************   EASA issues emergency AD on BAe Jetstream MLG component issues   BAe Systems have been notified by the main landing gear (MLG) radius rod manufacturer that a batch of incorrectly manufactured Buffer Springs (part number 184818) had been supplied to their parts distributor and MRO facilities in North America. There is a risk that any radius rod fitted with one of these incorrectly manufactured Buffer Springs could jam in an unlocked position. This condition, if not corrected, could result in MLG collapse. EASA thus issued an Emergency AD, requiring the replacement of each affected radius rod with a serviceable unit and allows the installation of the affected radius rods only after the accomplishment of APPH Service Bulletins 1847-32-14 and 1862-32-14. The AD covers HP-137 Jetstream Mk.1, Jetstream 200, 3100 and 3200 models. (EASA) (aviation-safety.net) *****************   Fire forces US jet airliner to land in Canada   MONTREAL (AFP) — An American Airlines jet airliner with 210 people aboard was forced to land late Tuesday in eastern Canada when an electrical fire broke out in the bathroom, airport authorities reported. There were no injuries and the passengers and crew are safe, said a spokesman Peter Spurway of Halifax airport.   American Airlines Flight 64 was flying from New York to Zurich when the fire broke out. "We received an advisory at about 7:48 pm Halifax Time," Spurway told AFP.   The aircraft landed "without incident," said Spurway, and the passengers "were evacuated to the ground by a set of air stairs." The emergency was caused by "fire in a fan motor in a mid cabin washroom," he added. Paramedics treated one person on the scene, but the patient did not need to be hospitalized, Spurway said. ****************   NTSB: Pilots ill-trained for water landings    By Alan Levin, USA TODAY   WASHINGTON — The crew aboard US Airways Flight 1549 acted heroically after birds hit their plane over New York, but the dramatic water landing and evacuation had problems that point to needed safety improvements, new investigative reports show. The crippled jet struck the water nearly three times harder than jets are designed to withstand in a ditching, yet the pilots had not been trained on how to perform a soft water landing with no engine power, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in reports released Tuesday. The back of the Airbus A320 jet was heavily damaged during impact, causing water to pour in.   "I almost felt I was in a cruise ship," said passenger Billy Campbell, who watched the water splash against the window next to his seat near the rear of the plane. Campbell testified Tuesday as part of a three-day NTSB hearing. "We were underwater." Robert Sumwalt, the NTSB member who chaired the hearing, said he flew a simulation of the accident that occurred when the jet struck a flock of birds that knocked out most of their engine thrust. He lauded the pilots' and flight attendants' "extraordinary success in saving the lives of all passengers and crew that day." Sumwalt is a retired US Airways pilot.   But he said it is important to critique the landing and study potential lessons that can be learned from the Jan. 15 crash, in which all 155 people aboard escaped. Investigators are months away from final conclusions. According to testimony and dozens of reports:   • Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger testified that he had not been trained during flight simulation training on how to ditch a jet.   The NTSB conducted simulations of water landings in a powerless jet, such as Flight 1549. Out of 12 attempts by four pilots, only one was able to land soft enough to meet federal standards.   • Life rafts were quickly filled, forcing passengers to stand on the wings as the jet slowly sank. Two of the four rafts were unusable, stuck underwater in the rear of the jet.   The inflated rafts were tied to the jet and the crew could not cut them loose. It wasn't until the crew got a knife from a rescue boat that they were able to free the rafts.   • There were chaotic moments during the evacuation. Doreen Welsh, the flight attendant assigned to the rear of the jet, told investigators "she thought she was going to drown, but then told herself she needed to 'fight,' " the NTSB wrote. "She shouted that the exits were unusable and redirected passengers to move forward."   Campbell, who lauded Welsh's performance, said he clambered over seat backs to get forward, dunking in the water several times. ***************    Airbus A320 makes emergency landing in Canary Islands    MADRID, June 10 (Xinhua) -- An Airbus A320 plane made an emergency landing on Spain's Canary Islands, the country's airport authority said Wednesday. No one was hurt in the accident, according to airport officials.   The plane took off from the Canary Islands and was forced to turn around and make an emergency landing, as engine troubles were reported shortly after the takeoff. The airliner was headed for Oslo, Norway. **************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC