14 AUG 2009 _______________________________________ *Skies over Hudson have seen many close calls *2 Air Traffic Workers Suspended in Inquiry on Hudson River Crash *2 Controllers Put on Leave *India: Loss-making airlines will face safety audits *Pilots may ground Southwest-Frontier deal *NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY NAMES DR. DENNIS LESSARD DEAN OF SCHOOL OF EDUCATION *Brazil Airlines See 25.6% Rise In July Passenger Flow *Boeing Halted Work at Dreamliner Plant *EBJ staffer headed to FAA as assistant administrator *Hart Rejoins NTSB, Upping Board to Three Members *US Airways plans to launch Phoenix-Tokyo flight in 2012 *S7 to limit fleet to 767s and A320 family *Airbus considers automated emergency descent for A350 ***************************************** Skies over Hudson have seen many close calls NEW YORK (AP) - When a small plane collided with a sightseeing helicopter over the Hudson River last week, it was only the second time in decades that crowded skies near Manhattan led to a midair crash. But an Associated Press review of pilots' safety reports found many more close calls in the same airspace in recent years, including several between small planes and helicopters flying the busy river corridor near the Statue of Liberty. Almost all the incidents involved small aircraft flying at low altitude in an area where pilots pick their own routes and watch for conflicts without help from air traffic controllers. In 2006, the pilot of a prop plane headed south for a sightseeing swing around the Statue of Liberty said he may have inadvertently passed just 50 feet above a helicopter flying a similar route. In 1998, the pilot of an air taxi headed to LaGuardia Airport from a heliport on Manhattan's West Side reported coming within 200 to 300 feet of being clipped by a Cessna. One pilot told of a harrowing 1996 flight down the Hudson to his home airport in Linden, N.J. He had three close calls in 20 minutes. "Do we need another midair before the FAA ... gets its act together?!" he wrote. Pilots provided the accounts via the Aviation Safety Reporting System, which allows fliers and controllers to voluntarily and anonymously disclose incidents that they felt involved a safety risk. A database of those reports reviewed by the AP included at least 11 incidents filed since 1990 that described aircraft coming dangerously close over the Hudson. Those reports involve only a tiny fraction of incidents within that corridor, and experts say that most close calls, regardless of where they happen in the country, go unreported, meaning the actual number of close calls is probably much higher. Other close calls between helicopters and planes were reported in 2001, 2000, 1995, 1994, and 1996, when a plane on another sightseeing flight near the statue descended to avoid a helicopter and came within 300 feet of the water. "I'm surprised we haven't had more incidents," said Chris Meigs, an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University who became familiar with the Hudson River airspace while flying for a commercial airline out of Newark, N.J. "It's a really, really busy airspace," she said. "You need to be a fairly skilled pilot to handle it. There isn't much margin for error." Saturday's crash, which killed nine people including three members of a Philadelphia-area family, renewed old questions about the safety of the Hudson River flyway for general-aviation aircraft. It was the first midair collision between two pilots near the city's waterfront since 1983, when a seaplane coming in for a landing near Wall Street collided with a police helicopter over Brooklyn. Air traffic above the East River was placed under tighter restrictions in 2006 after Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor were killed when their plane failed to execute a proper turn in the tight airspace and plowed into a high-rise apartment building. But the Hudson River is still governed by fewer rules. It is often bustling with helicopters and small planes; all must stay under 1,100 feet and stick to the river to avoid entering airspace reserved for big jets taking off from and landing at LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airports. According to FAA statistics, more than twice as many general-aviation aircraft have been involved in near-collisions in the United States over the last 10 years as aircraft operated by commercial air carriers. A majority of aircraft involved in close calls were operating under visual flight rules, where they can pick their own routes as long as they avoid other aircraft. Only 164 of the 1,638 near-collisions reported in the last decade involved two aircraft flying on instruments under controllers' supervision. By 2020, the FAA plans to require that all aircraft have ADS-B systems capable of transmitting their positions to other aircraft. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20090814_Skies_over_Hudson_have_seen _many_close_calls.html *************** 2 Air Traffic Workers Suspended in Inquiry on Hudson River Crash Federal officials on Thursday suspended two air traffic employees at Teterboro Airport who had been overseeing the Piper plane that collided with a helicopter over the Hudson River on Saturday, killing nine people. Collision Bares Longtime Rift Over Air Safety (August 14, 2009) One of the employees was the air traffic controller who handled the flight but was on the phone "involved in apparently inappropriate conversations" at the time of the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The second was the traffic controller's supervisor, who was supposed to be present but was out of the building at the time, the agency said. The agency said, however, that it did not believe the employees' behavior had any role in the collision. "While we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident," the F.A.A. said, "this kind of conduct is unacceptable, and we have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings." Federal officials did not identify the employees, but a report in The Daily News said that the traffic controller had been on the phone with his companion. Citing an unnamed senior agency official, the newspaper said that the controller had been in radio contact with the Piper - while speaking to his companion on a separate line - and that he had given the pilot the correct radio frequency for Newark Liberty International Airport and handed him off to controllers at that tower, as required. But according to investigators, the pilot never contacted Newark. It was unclear why the controllers did not hear from him. Moments later, just before noon, the small plane collided in midair with a New York tourist helicopter and plunged into the Hudson River off Hoboken, N.J. All on board the two aircraft - three in the plane and six in the helicopter - were killed. In its statement on Thursday, the F.A.A. said that it was still trying to determine the cause of the accident. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/nyregion/14controller.html ************** 2 Controllers Put on Leave (AP) The Federal Aviation Administration said last night that it had placed an air traffic controller and the controller's supervisor on administrative leave in connection with Saturday's midair collision over the Hudson River. The controller handling the small plane that collided with a helicopter was on the telephone, involved in "apparently inappropriate conversations," at the time of the crash, the agency said, and the supervisor on duty was not in the building then as required. The FAA said it had begun disciplinary proceedings against the two. Several news organizations said the employees worked at Teterboro (N.J.) Airport. But the employees' actions, the FAA said, did not appear to have contributed to the collision itself, which left nine dead. ************* India: Loss-making airlines will face safety audits The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated an audit of maintenance procedures of major airlines to check whether the projected losses of Rs 100,000 million this fiscal year are leading to a compromise on passenger safety. The audit will scrutinise availability of spares, timely maintenance and deployment of adequate number of engineers and technicians as well as try to capture the level of financial distress, especially situations that could endanger safety. (aviation-safety.net) ************** Pilots may ground Southwest-Frontier deal Southwest Airlines and Republic Airways Holdings are scheduled to begin an auction to acquire Frontier Airlines Thursday, though Southwest reportedly has developed a problem with its pilots' union that could keep it from closing any deal. The Dallas Morning News is reporting that pilots for Denver-based Frontier and Dallas-based Southwest could not reach an agreement Wednesday on integrating their two unions and on key issues such as seniority calculation. Such a deal must be reached before Southwest can buy Frontier and bring it out of bankruptcy, according to a bid it submitted to a federal court in New York Monday. Spokesmen for the two airlines said they could not comment on the pilots' talks, and requests for interviews with both carriers' pilot unions were not immediately returned Thursday morning. The Morning News article also reported that Southwest has asked for a delay in the auction process. Southwest spokeswoman Chris Mainz said, however, that he could not discuss details of what is happening at the auction. "There are ongoing discussions at a law firm in New York at this point in time. We're still an active participant," Mainz said. Frontier declared bankruptcy in April 2008 and has spent more than a year cutting costs and trying to exit Chapter 11. Indianapolis-based Republic, which is now the parent company of Oak Creek-based Midwest Airlines, has been the main provider of debtor-in-possession financing during the process, and on June 22 it announced it would pay $108.8 million to make Frontier a wholly owned subsidiary and bring it out of bankruptcy. A month later, Southwest, which is initiating Milwaukee service Nov. 1, said it would offer $113.6 million in a bankruptcy auction and on Monday it upped that bid to roughly $170 million. With its greater infrastructure and more solid financial footing, many analysts expect Southwest to win the bidding process. Frontier employees took to the streets of downtown Denver last week to urge that their company be left intact and that their jobs be retained. Republic, which largely flies regional commuter jets for larger airlines, said it hopes to keep Frontier whole if it purchases it; Southwest has said it will look to jettison Frontier's Airbus fleet and absorb the company within two years. Frontier pilots' refusal to reach agreement with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association could be a last-ditch effort to try to keep Frontier from Southwest ownership when all the signs otherwise appear to be pointing in that direction. Whenever the auction begins, Republic and Southwest officials will occupy separate rooms and will bid to buy Frontier until one side declines to match the other's price, Frontier spokesman Steve Snyder explained. Frontier's board of directors and its executive officials will decide, in conjunction with a committee of Frontier's unsecured creditors, which side has submitted the "highest or otherwise best offer," Snyder said. Factors other than just the submitted price will be taken into account in that decision. Southwest, for example, has offered to reimburse unsecured creditors 12 cents on the dollar, while Republic's current bid holds a reimbursement rate of 8.7 cents per dollar. "You do have to consider a lot of different factors, including a group's ability to otherwise close the deal," Snyder said Thursday morning. "Certainly, your creditors have a constituent in that. There's not really a specific formula for determining a winner." The auction can run through Monday if needed, Snyder said. http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/08/10/daily52.html *************** NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY NAMES DR. DENNIS LESSARD DEAN OF SCHOOL OF EDUCATION PRESCOTT VALLEY, ARIZONA, August 7, 2009 - Dr. Dennis Lessard has been appointed Dean of the School of Education at Northcentral University (www.ncu.edu), effective August 10, 2009, according to an announcement made today by Dr. Clinton Gardner, President of the leading 100% online university. "I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dennis Lessard, PhD, as our new Dean of Education, effective August 10, 2009," Gardner said today. "Dr. Lessard received his PhD in Business Administration, Management from Northcentral University, and, as a result, he brings a unique perspective to his new position, one that I believe will greatly benefit all students enrolled in the School of Education." Dr. Lessard also holds a Master's degree in Management and Supervision, Administration from Central Michigan University. Previously, Dr. Lessard served as Chair of the Aeronautical Science Department and Interim Chair of the Safety Science Department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Prescott, Arizona. Dr. Lessard also served in various senior-level positions for United Airlines after first completing a long and distinguished career in the United States Air Force. Dr. Lessard has extensive experience in administration, management, program development, teaching, and accreditation issues. "I look forward to serving as Dean of the School of Education and supporting our learners, mentors and degree programs," Dr. Lessard said today. "I come from a family with a long tradition of teaching through the generations. After I completed my own undergraduate degree in secondary education I taught high school biology in Scottsdale, Arizona. As a result, I am excited to be able to return to my educational roots in this new position." www.ncu.edu *************** Brazil Airlines See 25.6% Rise In July Passenger Flow SAO PAULO (Dow Jones)--Brazil's domestic airline passenger flow rose 25.6% in July from a year earlier, according to figures released by the Civil Aviation Agency, or Anac, Thursday. Passengers flew 4.23 billion kilometers on domestic flights in July, while available seat kilometers rose 15.3% to 6.32 billion, according to Anac. The numbers were slightly below June figures, however. The average load factor was 66.9% compared with 65.44% in June. Brazil's leading airline, TAM S.A (TAM), saw its market share diminished once again in July, to 43% from 51% last year and 44.7% in June. Meanwhile, rival GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA (GOL) saw its share rise to 42.8% from 41.7% last year and 42.19% in June. Recently created Azul - Linhas Aereas Brasileiras increased its market share again to 4.69% from 4.3% in June and 4.2% in May. Azul, a new low-cost airline set up by JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) founder David Neeleman, started operating late last year. Meanwhile, small operator Webjet Airlines' share rose to 4.52% from 3.1% last year and 4.23% in June. The number of passenger-kilometers flown by paying customers on international flights run by Brazilian airlines was 2.04 billion, down 10.15% but up from the 1.63 billion in June as July is a holiday month here. *************** Boeing Halted Work at Dreamliner Plant Boeing Co. has encountered new flaws in the production of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft that have led it to order work to be halted at a plant in Italy that was making parts of the fuselage, the company confirmed Thursday night. It is unclear how the work stoppage, ordered almost two months ago, will impact the delivery of the 787, which is already two years behind schedule. The production flaw found in the Italian factory is the latest issue to beset the 787. On the same day that the company ordered work to be stopped at the fuselage plant, Boeing announced in a conference call that it had found a separate structural flaw where the wings meet the body of the plane. That flaw set back the Dreamliner's first test flight. Boeing still hasn't rescheduled the plane's maiden flight or updated its delivery schedule. Though Boeing officials knew about the problem at the fuselage plant at the same time, they never mentioned it publicly. The work-stoppage order is detailed in a letter written on June 23 by Boeing to Alenia Aeronautica in Naples. Boeing officials instructed them to stop manufacturing the two mid-fuselage sections it builds for the 787 after flaws in the fuselage's composite skin were discovered. The existence of the work stoppage and the letter were first reported on the FlightBlogger Web site, which covers the aviation industry. The problems with the center barrel of the plane's body could "lead to significant degradation of the structure," the letter said, according to the report on the Web site. Alenia is one of hundreds of global subcontractors Boeing is using to build the 787. Boeing downplayed the significance of the problem. In a statement emailed Thursday night, a Boeing spokeswoman said "a modification needed to accommodate these findings is already designed and being installed" on the affected fuselage parts. "After a thorough review we found only two locations on each airplane that needed to be strengthened with a fairly simple patch," said Lori Gunter, spokeswoman for the 787 program in Everett, Wash. The two patches can be applied externally and should prevent any "wrinkling" of the composite material, which could lead to further damage if left unrepaired. Ms. Gunter confirmed that the first 23 production aircraft will need the fix, which can be applied at factories in Washington, South Carolina or Italy, depending on how far along each aircraft is in the production cycle. The affected areas are located on the fuselage behind the wing and were first introduced on parts for the fifth Dreamliner, when the Italian factory began using a new tooling machine. Ms. Gunter said the company was still trying to confirm that two of the six aircraft that will be used in Boeing's test flights won't need a modification before they make their first flights, but Boeing didn't rule out the possibility. She said the Alenia factory in Italy hasn't resumed manufacturing of new fuselage parts. Boeing engineers continue to try to rework the design to reduce the potential for fatigue and "wrinkle" in the Dreamliner's composite skin on that part of the fuselage. Work also continues on the fuselage barrels that had been fabricated before production was halted nearly two months ago. Asked if the company should have disclosed the Alenia factory closure, Ms. Gunter said via email, "The stoppage of work has no affect on schedule or cost. This is fairly normal for a new development program. These issues come up and we deal with them and move on." However, Boeing customers have already complained about a lack of transparency as delays have accumulated. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125021879263331325.html ************* EBJ staffer headed to FAA as assistant administrator Roderick D. Hall, a longtime aide to Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas, is likely headed to the FAA as its assistant administrator for government and industry affairs, according to several officials. In that capacity, Hall would manage FAA's relations with Capitol Hill and airlines. The appointment is scheduled to be announced Monday. Hall, 33, started his congressional career in Johnson's Dallas office and was most recently her deputy chief of staff and a professional staffer on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, meaning he handled transportation issues for Johnson at the committee and in her personal office. He graduated from Dillard University in New Orleans. Given his time in Johnson's office and the T&I Committee, Hall has strong relationships with the North Texas-based airlines. He's also well known among the professional staff of the House Transportation committee, headed up by Rep. James Oberstar of Minnesota. His portfolio at FAA would include a range of issues that are hot buttons on the Hill, including the long-stalled FAA reauthorization legislation, the air traffic controller contract, maintenance outsourcing, safety issues, and passenger/consumer complaints. http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/08/ebj-staffer-headed-to-fa a-as-a.html ************** Hart Rejoins NTSB, Upping Board to Three Members A lawyer and aerospace engineer, he was deputy director for Air Traffic Safety Oversight at the Federal Aviation Administration when the president nominated him. He was sworn in Aug. 12. A busy month for departures and confirmations at the National Transportation Safety Board continued Aug. 12 when Christopher A. Hart was sworn as the third current member of the board. Hart rejoined NTSB; he was a member from 1990 to 1993, then was deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration before joining the Federal Aviation Administration. His most recent position before this appointment was deputy director for Air Traffic Safety Oversight at the Federal Aviation Administration, according to biographical information posted on NTSB's Web site. His current NTSB term will expire Dec. 31, 2012. The site indicates Hart, a licensed pilot with commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings, has a law degree from Harvard University and master's and bachelor's degrees in aerospace engineering from Princeton University. The site's information says Hart's great-uncle, James Herman Banning, was the first African-American to receive a pilot's license issued by the United States government, in 1926. Two members, including acting chairman Mark Rosenker, resigned recently from the board, and Deborah A.P. Hersman was sworn in July 28 as its chairman. http://ohsonline.com/articles/2009/08/14/hart-rejoins-ntsb.aspx ************** US Airways plans to launch Phoenix-Tokyo flight in 2012 US Airways Group Inc. said Thursday it would launch the first direct flight between Phoenix and Asia. Tempe-based US Airways (NYSE: LCC) said it would start nonstop service between Sky Harbor Airport and Tokyo in 2012. Phoenix has never had a direct flight to Asia and has only one direct flight to Europe, a British Airways flight to London). "US Airways, our hometown airline, recognizes that Phoenix is an emerging international city and the right city to invest in international growth. In any economy, Phoenix has a very bright future and investing here makes good business sense," said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. US Airways could also launch a new flight between Phoenix and Sao Paulo, Brazil. The carrier operates most of its international flights out of its Philadelphia hub. Phoenix has lagged Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas, Houston and Dallas in terms of international flights and Gordon has been pressing to attract more international service into Sky Harbor. http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2009/08/10/daily61.html ************* S7 to limit fleet to 767s and A320 family Russian carrier S7 Airlines is set to adopt a two-type fleet model in a bid to cut operating costs. In its report for the second quarter of 2009, the management says S7 will only operate Airbus A319/320 and Boeing 767 jets starting from next year. The airline currently has six Airbus A310s but these will be phased out in favour of more efficient and cost-effective 767s, according to the report. S7 does not specify the number of aircraft to be acquired and their delivery schedule but indicates that taking them is in line with its fleet-renewal strategy. The carrier cancelled an order for Boeing 787 aircraft earlier this year. In the first half of 2009 the carrier posted net profit of Rb138.4 million ($4.3 million), down 13% compared with the previous year. Revenue fell 15% to Rb15.4 billion, reflecting higher maintenance costs, airport charges and borrowing expenses as well as the effects of rouble devaluation. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************* Airbus considers automated emergency descent for A350 Airbus is considering equipping the A350 XWB with an automated system which would put the aircraft into an unaided emergency descent if it detected unsafe cabin pressure. The system would only initiate the descent if the pilots failed to respond to a cautionary alert - potentially indicating that the crew was incapacitated through the effects of oxygen depletion. Failure to recognise non-pressurisation of a Helios Airways Boeing 737-300 rendered the crew unconscious from hypoxia while en route to Athens four years ago. The jet continued to fly, unattended, at cruising altitude until it crashed through fuel exhaustion. Airbus insists that it has not committed to installing the system. A spokesman for the airframer says: "It has not been decided yet to fit out the A350 XWB with the 'auto emergency descent' - it is a potential system which could be installed but, for the moment, it is under consideration." But while the company says it is "too early" to provide details, it has outlined the envisaged mechanism to a delegation from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations. Should the aircraft's monitoring system detect an unsafe cabin pressure, it would warn the crew via the primary flight display and commence a countdown. The length of time has not been specified. If the crew did not act to cancel the warning or take positive control of the aircraft, the A350 would perform a side-step manoeuvre, taking it 2.75nm (5km) to the right of the designated airway to avoid conflict. This side-step would automatically account for any existing lateral offset selected by the crew. The aircraft would also be put into a rapid descent at maximum operating speed towards flight level 100 - the target altitude for depressurisation incidents, at which oxygen masks are no longer necessary - although the jet would adjust for minimum altitude and terrain-clearance requirements. Airbus could potentially provide the system for other types in its range as a retrofit option, although it has yet to confirm this possibility. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC