23 JUL 2009 _______________________________________ *Air France plane makes emergency landing in Boston *NTSB Recommends Lear 60 Thrust Reverser Re-Design *Safety violations ground Mexican airlines *Continental-United Merger Talks Resurface *Continental notifies union it may furlough 310 pilots *FAA Holds First Regional Airline Safety Forum *Senate panel approves air safety measures *$70m claims pending over Marine jet crash in SD *Inquiry: Pilot in safety incident over international retirement age (ISRAEL) *Another temporary funding extension likely for FAA *EASA Safety Figures For 2008 Better Than Historical Average *Lufthansa Cargo Puts First MD-11 Into Long-Term Storage ***************************************** Air France plane makes emergency landing in Boston BOSTON (AP) — An Air France flight out of Boston heading to Paris returned to make an early morning emergency landing 31 minutes after taking off. Phil Orlandella, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, said Wednesday that Flight 321 left Logan International Airport with 125 people on board at 1:16 a.m. Wednesday. Shortly afterward, a warning light flashed for one of its engines. Orlandella said pilots shut down the engine and returned to the airport. The Airbus 340 landed back at Logan at 1:47 a.m. No injuries were reported. Air France spokeswoman Karen Gillo said there was no engine fire. Passengers were booked hotel rooms for the night and scheduled to leave to Paris on another flight later Wednesday. *************** NTSB Recommends Lear 60 Thrust Reverser Re-Design System Cited In 2008 Accident In South Carolina In a letter to FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, acting NTSB chair Mark Rosenker is recommending that the FAA require a re-design of the thrust reverser system on Learjet 60 models. The recommendation stems from a 2008 accident in South Carolina, in which a Bombardier Learjet 60 operated by Global Exec Aviation overran runway 11 while departing Columbia Metropolitan Airport in Columbia, South Carolina. The pilot, copilot, and two of the four passengers were killed. The two other passengers were seriously injured, and the aircraft was destroyed by postcrash fire. The letter states, in part: "Postaccident examination of markings and tire debris indicated that the right outboard tire failed first because of underinflation, followed by failures of the other tires.2 Examination of the engines revealed evidence consistent with high thrust in both engines and indicated that the thrust reversers were stowed when the airplane hit the embankment. In March 2009, Learjet published an FAA-approved temporary flight manual (TFM) change in procedures, which described improved methods for quickly recognizing and handling situations when inadvertent stowage occurs. However, the NTSB is concerned that Learjet 60 pilots are not sufficiently trained to recognize that a failure could occur during takeoff as well as landing phases of flight and could subsequently result in the loss of system logic control requirements for maintaining deployed thrust reversers during a rejected takeoff. The design of the Learjet 60 thrust reverser system (and potentially similarly designed systems for Raytheon Hawker 1000 business jets) is also of concern to the NTSB." The NTSB has made the following recommendations in conjunction with this incident: Require Learjet to change the design of the Learjet 60 thrust lever system in future-manufactured airplanes so that the reverse lever positions in the cockpit match the positions of the thrust reverser mechanisms at the engines when the thrust reversers stow. (A-09-55) Once design changes are developed per Safety Recommendation A-09-55, require Learjet 60 operators to retrofit existing airplanes so that the reverse lever positions in the cockpit match the positions of the thrust reverser mechanisms at the engines when the thrust reversers stow. (A-09-56) Require Learjet to develop and install improved aural or visual cues on future-manufactured Learjet 60 airplanes that would allow pilots to recognize an inadvertent thrust reverser stowage in a timely manner. (A-09-57) Once improved aural or visual cues are developed per Safety Recommendation A-09-57, require Learjet 60 operators to install those cues on existing Learjet 60 airplanes. (A-09-58) Require that all Learjet 60 pilots receive training, for takeoff as well as landing phases of flight, on recognizing an inadvertent thrust reverser stowage, including the possibility that the stowage can occur when the requirements for deploying thrust reversers are not fully met, such as when the air/ground sensor squat switch circuits are damaged. (A-09-59) Evaluate the design of the thrust reverser controls and indications in Raytheon Hawker 1000 business jets for potential thrust reverser failure modes that are similar to those identified in Learjet 60 airplanes and implement necessary changes. (A-09-60) FMI: www.ntsb.gov aero-news.net *************** Safety violations ground Mexican airlines MEXICO CITY — Several Mexican discount airlines have recently been grounded because of safety violations, and regulators are closely watching other financially strapped airlines that often carry American tourists and others on domestic routes. Four airlines, including one that operates in the USA, have been grounded since 2007 after failing maintenance checks. Violations included hydraulic fluid leaks, scrapes on outer skins, and insufficient pilot training, according to Gerardo Sánchez Henkel, the head of enforcement at Mexico's Communications and Transportation Department. The problems come as Mexican airlines suffer from a financial crisis brought on by the recession and this year's swine flu outbreak, which hit tourism. Domestic passenger traffic in May was down 35% compared to 2008. Three other discount airlines have also been grounded in the past year because they failed to pay government fees on time. Following the recent problems, government regulators have increased their inspections of other carriers that are still operating to make sure they don't cut corners, Sánchez Henkel said. "If any ... airline has a problem with debts, then we're going to take note," he said. "If we're seen as too severe, so be it." About 8.7 million Americans traveled to Mexico last year. The safety issues have centered on discount airlines that mostly operate domestic routes and were popular among Mexicans and foreigners alike. Douglas Moss, an airline safety expert at AeroPacific Consulting in Torrance, Calif., said the violations raise concerns about the safety of some Mexican carriers. "Sometimes (airlines) just don't have the money to do it right," he said. Sánchez Henkel said the suspensions show that Mexican regulators are doing their jobs correctly, and that Mexico is still a safe place to fly. The last fatal Mexican commercial airline crash was in 2000. The latest airline affected was Aviacsa, which operates a daily Mexico City-Las Vegas flight. Its fleet of 23 Boeing 737s was grounded last month after inspectors found 280 separate problems with the company's planes, Sánchez Henkel said. The FAA has also barred Aviacsa from flying in the United States at Mexico's request. Aviacsa resumed flying after a court overturned the suspension, but was grounded again July 6 due to $21 million in late air-traffic control fees. Aviacsa's planning director Manuel Cung called the safety issues "cosmetic." He said regulators unfairly shut down entire airlines when they fail safety inspections, instead of grounding individual aircraft or issuing fines as in the U.S. Sánchez Henkel countered: "Cosmetic faults can become big problems that cause accidents. There are no small issues." http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-07-22-mexicoairlines_N.htm *************** Continental-United Merger Talks Resurface New Leadership At Continental May Lead To Possible Merger With the recently-announced resignation of Continental CEO Larry Kellner, some are speculating that Continental and United may again look at merging when Jeff Smisek takes over the reins of Continental next year. Kellner had resisted a merger with United, a move some say was his most important business decision. Reuters reports that the two airlines had been in merger talks, but concerns over the long-term health of United led Continental to break off negotiations in April of 2008. But the talks did lead to Continental joining the Star Alliance, in which United is also a partner. Industry analysts continue to say Keller did the right thing by not merging with United. While Justin Buchman noted in Business Week that United would have given Continental access to Asian markets it does not currently serve as well as the western U.S., industry consultant Darryl Jenkins told the Associated Press that Continental has a "much better" product, and integration would have been difficult. USA Today says other analysts see the a merger as at least a possibility. Hunter Keay, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus, told the paper that while the new alliance between Continental and United means they are, in all reality, merging their networks over the next few months, any formal merger between the two would most likely be "years away." FMI: www.ual.com, www.continental.com aero-news.net *************** Continental notifies union it may furlough 310 pilots Continental Airlines has notified 310 of its pilots that they may be furloughed in the coming weeks. After saying Tuesday it would cut 1,700 jobs companywide, Continental management said in a letter to officials with the Continental chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association that nearly 7 percent of its 4,500 pilots may be laid off. The Houston-based carrier announced the job cuts as it reported a $213 million second-quarter loss. The cuts are in addition to the previous elimination of 500 reservation agent positions and a voluntary leave of absence program for up to 700 flight attendants. “We are taking these actions because of a significant decline in revenue resulting from the global economic recession and previously announced capacity cuts,” said Continental spokeswoman Julie King in Houston. Continental says it and the union are discussing voluntary programs, such as early retirement and leaves of absence, to lessen the total number of pilots involuntarily forced out of the cockpit. “If reductions are necessary, we expect to begin furloughing pilots as early as Sept. 23,” the airline said in letters addressed to each of the 310 pilots whose jobs could be in jeopardy based on seniority. “We expect these furloughs to be temporary but at least six months in duration.” Newark could be hard hit The reduction of jobs could affect pilots based at Continental's hubs in Houston, Cleveland and Newark, N.J., as well as Tamuning, Guam. Capt. Jay Pierce, Continental pilot union leader, said Newark might bear the brunt, since many of the union's junior pilots are based there. “I'm somewhat concerned with the message they're sending if they furlough pilots, that they will be sending a signal that they don't care about our contract negotiations,” Pierce said. Continental and the union have been negotiating the pilots' next contract since July 2007, but so far the two sides have reached tentative agreements on only nine of the 30 issues that must be settled. “Make no mistake about it, your union feels that job cuts among the pilot ranks are not necessary, nor are they prudent,” the union said in an e-mail to its members. The union contends that possible new Federal Aviation Administration rules addressing pilot fatigue could stretch even existing ranks, although Continental says likely flight reductions will lower the number of pilots needed. In a statement June 24, the FAA said it is “making pilot fatigue a high priority and will work rapidly to develop and implement a new flight time and rest rule based on fatigue science and a review of international approaches to the issue.” Stricter rest rules could force carriers to reduce flights or increase their pilot ranks to maintain flying schedules. Either way, changes in flight time and duty regulations could cost carriers money in higher expenses or lower revenue. Continental's King said the possibility of new rules on pilot fatigue is speculative. “We cannot manage our business based on something that may or may not happen, with details completely unknown,” she said in a written statement. Alliance may help Pierce also points to Continental's autumn entrance into the Star Alliance with nine other carriers. “The anticipated growth from this move alone would be indicative of maintaining or even increasing our pilots ranks,” the union said in its e-mail to members. King agreed that the Star Alliance deal will bring growth and more flying opportunities in the future. “Yet because of the significant decline in revenue we are seeing now resulting from the global economic recession, we can no longer delay taking action,” she said. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6542588.html ***************** FAA Holds First Regional Airline Safety Forum FAA this week held its first meeting in what will be a series of 12 nationwide regional airline safety forums aimed at reducing risk at regional airlines. Some 65 safety executives from airlines and unions were at the meeting, which took place in Washington, D.C. The discussions focused on air carrier management responsibilities for crew education and support, professional standards and flight discipline, training standards and performance, and mentoring. FAA plans to collect effective airline best practices and innovative ideas and share that information with airlines and unions. FAA inspectors will then assess how airlines are using the information. The discussions will continue through August at forums to be held in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Atlanta, Anchorage, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Denver, St. Louis, Las Vegas, and Boston. http://www.aviationnews.net/?do=headline&news_ID=169642 *************** Senate panel approves air safety measures Aviation bill contains recommendations from families of Flight 3407 victims WASHINGTON — A key Senate committee Tuesday approved a bill that includes several aviation safety provisions stemming from the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, which claimed 50 lives in February. The bill, which reauthorizes Federal Aviation Administration operations for the next two years, calls for an independent study of scientific research on pilot fatigue—and requires that the findings be included in the FAA’s upcoming new flight-time and duty-time rules for pilots. In addition, the bill passed by the Senate Commerce Committee mandates that airlines adopt additional safety oversight programs. And it encompasses several provisions included in the “One Level of Safety Act” such as allowing airlines complete access to the flight records of potential pilots. Families of the victims of Flight 3407 pressed for inclusion of such provisions and had a strong impact on the bipartisan bill’s final outlines, said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S. C. “I appreciate them being a voice for passengers and passenger safety in this country,” DeMint said. The FAA reauthorization and additional safety recommendations are a long way from becoming law, but congressional aides said they were confident the safety provisions would be in the final version of the bill. The bill now moves to the full Senate for a vote. Then a House-Senate conference committee will have to merge the legislation with a House bill that was drawn up before hearings on the Clarence crash revealed that pilot fatigue and faulty pilot training could have played a role in that accident. Families of the Flight 3407 victims said they were thrilled that Congress appears to be taking seriously the crash’s lessons about the operations of the nation’s regional airlines. “I think it was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Karen Eckert, whose sister, Sept. 11 activist Beverly Eckert, died in the crash. “It was like: Enough is enough.” The bill’s provision on pilot fatigue stems from the fact that the co-pilot of Flight 3407 flew a red-eye flight from Seattle to Newark, N. J., the night before the crash, while the pilot spent much of that night in a pilot lounge at Newark International Airport. And the provision expanding airline access to pilot records stems from the fact that Colgan Air, which operated Flight 3407, hired the flight’s pilot without knowing that he had failed several FAA “check flights.” Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Olympia Snowe, RMaine proposed the change in access to pilot records, along with provisions that: • Require random safety inspections at flight schools and regional airlines. • Improve pilot training standards and set up remedial training requirements. • Require the FAA to explain when and how it will implement safety recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board. Two other provisions related to the crash of Flight 3407 are likely to be added to the bill on the Senate floor through amendments sponsored by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat who is not a member of the Commerce Committee. Those amendments would require travel Web sites to clearly identify when regional carriers are operating flights for major airlines and would mandate that the FAA’s Management Advisory Council include a representative of an aviation safety group. The safety provisions are just one part of the $34.5 billion FAA reauthorization bill, which aims to remake the nation’s flight control system—moving it from ground-based radar to a GPS system — and otherwise modernize American aviation. The move for greater aviation safety, particularly involving regional airlines such as Colgan, is not likely to stop with passage of the FAA bill. In the House, Rep. Rush Holt, D-N. J., has introduced legislation similar to the bill Boxer and Snowe incorporated into the FAA reauthorization. Reps. Chris Lee, R-Clarence, and Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, announced Tuesday that they are supporting Holt’s bill. And Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the West Virginia Democrat who heads the Commerce Committee, stressed that the aviation subcommittee will hold a third hearing on the Clarence crash. Airline industry executives — who refused to testify at an earlier hearing—will appear at the upcoming session. “I think that it’s very significant” that the safety provisions are moving through Congress, Rockefeller said. “But we’ve still got a lot of work to do.” http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/740673.html ***************** $70m claims pending over Marine jet crash in SD SAN DIEGO— (AP) More than $70 million in claims are unresolved over last year's crash of a Marine Corps jet in a San Diego County neighborhood. The military says a series of bad decisions allowed the F-18 to crash in University City after an engine failure on Dec. 8. The crash killed four people, destroyed two homes and damaged others. The North County Times reported Wednesday that 14 claims with the Navy for $70.1 million are still pending. Navy spokeswoman Jennifer Zeldis says a dozen other claims were settled for $83,000. The Navy won't say whether any claims were submitted by Dong Yun Yoon, whose wife, two daughters and mother-in-law were killed. The pilot ejected safely from the plane and has resumed training flights. **************** Inquiry: Pilot in safety incident over international retirement age (ISRAEL) Is 65 too old for a pilot? Do that many years affect his ability to fly? This question is a focus of inquiry following the serious aviation safety incident at Ben-Gurion International Airport last month, in which an El Al flight entered the wrong runway and prepared for takeoff, while an Uzbekistan Air plane was coming in for a landing on the same runway. The preliminary investigation into the incident indicated an error by the El Al pilot is what caused the near-accident. Most international standards ban pilots from flying after age 65, but not in Israel. The pilot involved is over 65 and serves as a first officer on Boeing 747-400s, the plane involved in the incident. The pilot used to fly 737s but recently was transferred to 747s. The issue of the pilot's inexperience with this plane is also being investigated. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration bans pilots from flying commercially after 65. As for copilots, the equivalent of El Al's first officer, the FAA recommends not flying after 65. On Israeli airlines, first officers function as pilots in every way, including making takeoffs and landings. It is highly unusual to find pilots over 65 on foreign airlines, and most countries make pilots' retirement mandatory at age 65. However, some countries such as Canada allow pilots to fly after 65. El Al employs between 10 and 20 such pilots and those who fly international routes must meet strict medical and training standards and undergo three medical exams a year, instead of the two required of younger colleagues, and three simulator training sessions a year instead of two. Until this year, Israeli pilots were forced to retire at 65, but when the legal retirement age was officially raised to 67 the question of the two years from 65 to 67 arose. At first the solution was to ground the pilots and find them other airline work, but this cut their income. The regulations were later changed by the Israel Civil Aviation Authority, with pilots granted special permission to fly until age 67. However, they were not allowed to serve as pilots, but only as first officers. The investigation of the B-G incident shows the El Al pilot was in radio contact with the control tower, while the first officer, the one over 65, taxied the plane. There was also another pilot present in the cockpit. The first officer then entered the runway and positioned the plane for takeoff, even though he was not given permission to do so by the controllers. An alert air traffic controller noticed what was happening and sent the Uzbekistan Air plane around for another landing pass and thereby prevented a tragedy. "It was a mistake to let older pilots on the verge of retirement to retrain and allow them to continue to fly on other planes that are new to them," said an aviation expert familiar with the incident. This should make us reconsider the fitness of these pilots to retrain on other planes and continue to fly, said the expert. El Al's vice president of operations, Lior Yavor, who is also a pilot, rejected the idea: "There is no connection in this incident between the age of the pilot and the mistake. There were three pilots in the cockpit who all shared in the incident. We need to wait until the completion of the inquiry," Yavor said. Yavor said older pilots are more experienced, and they are not the captain in charge but only first officers. In addition, he noted, they must meet all professional and medical requirements. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1102289.html *************** Another temporary funding extension likely for FAA The US FAA will likely continue to be funded through temporary extensions as Congress sorts through other legislation before taking a full vote on the agency's reauthorization. Since 2007 FAA has been running on temporary funding extensions, which allow the agency to collect fuel and ticket taxes, as the its long-term funding for fiscal years 2008-2011 expired. The latest extension expires 30 September. While the US House of Representatives in May passed a FAA funding bill containing a controversial provision on foreign repair station inspections, the full Senate has not voted on FAA Reauthorization. The Senate Commerce and Transportation Committee approved a two-year bill on 21 July. Language in the Senate bill includes carve-outs allowing countries with safety bilaterals in place with the US to rely on local authorities to meet twice-yearly inspection requirements. However, the Senate Finance Committee must address funding issues in the bill before the full Senate can consider reauthorization. Realistically, the Senate will not vote on FAA Reauthorization until October given the priority placed on health care reform and domestic cap and trade legislation, Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) government affairs director Matt Hallett tells ATI. Unless the Senate squeezes in a vote before current funding expires, FAA will need another extension, he adds. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news **************** EASA Safety Figures For 2008 Better Than Historical Average The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued its annual safety review indicating that aircraft registered in one of its member states last year suffered three accidents with fatalities, matching the 2007 result. Overall, the 2008 figure is better than the historic average, only bettered in 2004 when only two airlines registered in EASA member states crashed. However, owing to the loss of 154 lives in the Spanair MD-82 crash last year, fatalities for 2008 were above the average of 105. The total fatality number for last year was 160 persons. In addition to the three aircraft crashes in 2008 for EASA member-state-registered aircraft, the agency notes there were 51 accidents last year involving aircraft registered in other locations. EASA also notes that in the past decade, the accident rate for aircraft registered in its region has declined to three from four per 10 million flights. In categorizing the cause for fatal and non-fatal accidents, EASA says that abnormal runway contact, non-powerplant system or component failure, and runway excursion rated the highest. The accident rate linked to ground handling issues, while still seen as relatively low, is on the rise. http://www.aviationweek.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/search/AvnowSearchR esult.do?reference=xml/awx_xml/2009/07/22/awx_07_22_2009_p0-156633.xml&pubKe y=awx&channel=comm&issueDate=2009-07-22&headline=EASA+Safety+Figures+For+200 8+Better+Than+Historical+Average *************** Lufthansa Cargo Puts First MD-11 Into Long-Term Storage Lufthansa Cargo has flown its first MD-11 into long-term storage. The aircraft, a 14-year-old former Alitalia aircraft registered as D-ALCS, was flown to Victorville, Calif. Company sources say the aircraft may never be reactivated. The airline will put two more aircraft, D-ALCO and D-ALCP, into permanent storage in the fall. The aircraft were delivered to Brazilian airline VASP in 1992 and were later operated by Varig before being taken over by Lufthansa Cargo in 2005. The three aircraft have been particularly expensive to maintain, people at Lufthansa Cargo say. They were also the three oldest of the 17 MD-11Fs the carrier currently operates. Fourteen of the aircraft were delivered new from Boeing from 1998 to 2001, and those jets have proven to be less maintenance-intensive so far. Lufthansa’s cargo unit is expected to incur a deep loss this year as demand for air freight collapsed by one-third. The airline also terminated all former wet-lease contracts with World Airways and Air Atlanta. It has returned three Jade Cargo International Boeing 747-400Fs, the capacity of which it marketed previously. The aircraft now have to be deployed by money-losing Jade at its own commercial risk. http://www.aviationweek.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/publication/aviatio ndaily/loggedin/AvnowStoryDisplay.do?fromChannel=aviationdaily&pubKey=aviati ondaily&channel=aviationdaily&issueDate=2009-07-23&story=xml/aviationdaily_x ml/2009/07/23/15.xml&headline=Lufthansa+Cargo+Puts+First+MD-11+Into+Long-Ter m+Storage ***************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC