23 SEP 2009 _______________________________________ *European air safety agency orders Airbus part checked *NTSB examines crew behaviour in Lubbock ATR crash *American flight bound for Seattle makes emergency landing at D/FW *Ilyushin 76MD Accident (Iran) *New FAA System Improves Safety In Remote, Non-Radar Regions *FAA NextGen Specialists Fan Out Across The Country *Pilot who saved jet passengers can't find new job *Air Canada Pilots Host Global Winter Operations Conference *JAL to Consider Breakup *DGCA in compliance with FAA’s safety audit recommendations (India) *Boeing ready to handle simultaneous first flights of 787 and 747-8 *************************************** European air safety agency orders Airbus part checked European aviation authorities ordered airlines to check "pitot tubes" Pitot tubes convert air pressure into air speed, three are fitted to each plane In July, Airbus urged airlines to ensure at least two were made by Goodrich PARIS, France (CNN) -- A small part that tells computers on some highly-automated Airbus aircraft how fast the plane is flying became a concern again Wednesday. Investigators pore over wreckage of Air France flight 447 which crashed killing 228 people on June 1. European aviation authorities ordered airlines to check "pitot tubes" that have come under suspicion since the crash of Air France Flight 447 in the Atlantic Ocean in June. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued the emergency airworthiness directive Wednesday, requiring airlines to check Goodrich Corp.-manufactured pitot tubes aboard Airbus A330 and A340 models in the next five days. The Goodrich pitot tubes were installed after the EASA issued an airworthiness directive in late August requiring airlines replace pitot tubes manufactured by Thales Avionics on Airbus A330s and A340s. It said airlines should replace them with other Thales tubes and those manufactured by Goodrich. The pitot tubes measure the pressure exerted on the plane as it flies through the air, and are part of a system used to determine air speed. Pitot tubes explained » While French authorities have not yet determined the cause of the June 1 crash, tests conducted since then have brought into question the performance of the pitot tubes and authorities say there have been reports of malfunctions aboard flights. The EASA would not comment on which airlines are flying jets using the pitot tubes in question. The agency cited several recent reports of problems with Goodrich pitot tubes that "could lead to an air leak, resulting in incorrect total pressure measurement and faulty airspeed measurements." The problem may be a production flaw, rather than a design flaw, the EASA said. "As a precautionary measure, this AD (airworthiness directive) requires a torque check of the pneumatic quick-disconnect union on certain Goodrich P/N 0851HL pitot probes and corrective action, depending on findings," the EASA said. All 228 people died in the Air France crash, which involved an Airbus A330. The plane was en route to Paris, France, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when it went down. See a map of the flight route » The flight sent 24 automated error messages in the four minutes before it crashed, French accident investigators have said. The error messages indicate there were problems with on-board information about the plane's speed, which can cause some of the plane's instruments to stop functioning. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered U.S. airlines earlier this month to replace pitot tubes aboard some Airbus A330s and A340s. The FAA's order required operators to replace certain pitot tubes produced by Thales Avionics with certain Goodrich or newer Thales tubes. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/09/23/europe.aviation.pitot/ **************** NTSB examines crew behaviour in Lubbock ATR crash Pilot and first officer interaction during the of the 27 January crash of an ATR 42 cargo aircraft on approach to Lubbock, Texas drew attention of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) members and agency staff during the first of a two-day public hearing held on 22 September examining events leading up to the accident. Empire Airlines was operating the ATR-42 (N902FX) owned by FedEx. The aircraft crashed 300ft short of the threshold on an instrument approach to Runway 17. After departure from Dallas the aircraft encountered ice that Captain Rodney Holberston described as being moderate and bordering on severe at FL180 and descended to FL140. At around 6,000ft the crew was advised of freezing drizzle conditions in Lubbock with a 500ft overcast ceiling, two miles visibility and a 10kt tailwind. Once the crew received additional vectors due to a wind shift from 6,000ft to 5,000ft the captain selected the flaps for 15 degrees while the first officer had control of the aircraft. After he noticed the flaps indicating zero he repositioned the flap handle several times and checked the circuit breakers with a flashlight while on approach. He opted then to place the flap handles in the retracted position to avoid inadvertent travel during approach. The captain also noticed the aircraft was drifting off localizer and observed the first officer flying the approach when the aircraft should have been coupled to the ILS. In previous interviews with NTSB investigators Holberston said he was confused about the autopilot disconnecting, noting he had not heard an aural alert. First officer Heather Cornell said in previous interviews with the board that the stick shaker activated at 1,000ft and apparently disengaged the autopilot. At 800ft Captain Holbertson asked if she wanted him to take the controls, and she agreed since he had "much more" experience with the aircraft". Holberston says shortly after he took control the aircraft became uncontrollable with the terrain avoidance warning system issuing a "pull up" warning. The first officer told the captain the runway was in sight, and the stick shaker activated two additional times with captain calling for maximum RPM. He then realised he had no lateral control and moments later the aircraft impacted the ground. A portion of the first day of the hearings focused on Holberston's decision not to perform a go-around and his decision not to access the quick reference handbook instructions once the flap anomaly was detected. Holberston in testimony today said he had the runway environment in sight, and explained he did not think reconfiguring the aircraft for a go-around was a "safe option at that time". First officer Cornell also in testimony today said she understood Holberston's thought process at the time, noting in order to perform a go-around the aircraft would need to ascend into icing conditions it had just departed. Newly-appointed NTSB chair Deborah Hersman highlighted recent discussion regarding sterile cockpit rules. However, she stated: "There was none of that here." Although during previous NTSB interviews Empire director of operations Randy Lanfell voiced concern over how the flap asymmetry was handled, today he said suggesting that a go-around was a better course of action was "hard to say". "Obviously the crew are here to with us to talk about it," he noted. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************** American flight bound for Seattle makes emergency landing at D/FW D/FW AIRPORT — An American Airlines flight carrying 90 passengers made an emergency landing Tuesday at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. No one aboard the MD-80 was injured, authorities said. An indicator light signaled a problem with the hydraulic system, and the crew turned the aircraft around and landed, said Tim Wagner, a spokesman for American Airlines. The system continued to work, but passengers were back on the ground by 9:55 p.m., Wagner said. Late Tuesday, the passengers were to change to another plane and fly on to Seattle, Wagner said. http://www.star-telegram.com/crime/story/1630003.html ***************** Ilyushin 76MD Accident (Iran) Status: Preliminary Date: 22 SEP 2009 Time: 09:30 Type: Ilyushin 76MD Operator: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force - IRIAF Registration: 5-8208 C/n / msn: First flight: Crew: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 Total: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 Airplane damage: Destroyed Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Varamin (Iran) Phase: Unknown (UNK) Nature: Military Departure airport: Tehran-Mehrabad Airport (THR/OIII), Iran Destination airport: Tehran-Mehrabad Airport (THR/OIII), Iran Narrative: An Iranian jet aircraft was destroyed in an accident near Tehran. Sources in Iran report that the aircraft involved was IL-76MD 5-8208. (aviation-safety.net) *************** New FAA System Improves Safety In Remote, Non-Radar Regions System Is Entirely Transponder-Based, Requires No New Equipment On Aircraft A new surveillance system introduced by the FAA in Colorado allows air traffic controllers to track aircraft not covered by radar in remote, mountainous regions. “The new system, called Wide-Area Multilateration, lets us see aircraft we couldn’t see before due to the rugged terrain,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “It improves the safety and efficiency of those flights and saves time and money for passengers and operators.” The FAA and the Colorado Department of Transportation are sharing the cost of Wide-Area Multilateration, which began initial operations on September 12th at Yampa Valley-Hayden, Craig-Moffat, Steamboat Springs and Garfield County Regional-Rifle Airports. The mountains in those areas are popular ski destinations but make radar coverage impossible because radar signals cannot pass through solid objects. The resulting flight limitations are compounded by seasonal bad weather, which causes flight delays and cancellations. The Colorado Department of Transportation estimates an average of 75 aircraft are delayed each day at remote airports from November to April. The new system is comprised of a network of relatively small sensors deployed in remote areas. The sensors send out signals that are received and sent back by aircraft transponders. No other aircraft equipment is required. System computers are able to determine the precise location of aircraft by triangulating the time and distance measurements of those signals. Controllers are able to see those aircraft on their screens as if they were radar targets. Wide-Area Multilateration (WAM) is being used in the near term while the FAA rolls out Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B), the satellite-based surveillance system that will be fully deployed nationwide by 2013. WAM will then serve as a backup to ADS-B in the event of a GPS outage and provide an additional source of traffic broadcast to properly equipped aircraft. Under the joint cost-sharing agreement, the Colorado DOT paid for the equipment, physical site preparations, power and telecommunications for the new system. The FAA will operate and maintain the system, eventually upgrading it with ADS-B. The FAA will monitor how the system works at the four Colorado airports to determine further deployment. FMI: www.faa.gov aero-news.net *************** FAA NextGen Specialists Fan Out Across The Country Their Job Is To Assist FAA Regional Employees In Understanding The Technology The FAA’s safety organization is locating NextGen specialists at every Flight Standards regional office to make sure the safety workforce is up to speed on the high-tech systems and procedures that are transforming the national air transportation system. These NextGen liaisons will facilitate understanding of the big picture and make sure the FAA’s safety workforce sees, knows, and understands where the agency is headed with NextGen. FAA Administrator Randy Babbit unveiled the plan at a recent conference on NextGen implementation, explaining that the newly assigned specialists will ensure that the approval aspects of NextGen are in gear. “Let’s face it: equipment and procedures aren’t going to amount to much if the players don’t know where it all fits and how it all works,” Babbitt added. “I’m going to make sure that when NextGen shows up at the door, our safety workforce knows exactly what’s in the box.” If employees understand NextGen, they are more likely to accept it and take advantage of its capabilities. “The natural tendency is to be apprehensive about the unfamiliar,” Babbitt said. “NextGen is not a leap of faith. Not only is it the smart way to go, it’s the only way to go.” FMI: www.faa.gov aero-news.net *************** Pilot who saved jet passengers can't find new job Captain Peter Burkill, the pilot who saved 152 passengers by landing a stricken jet at Heathrow airport, has signed on the dole after failing to get a job - because he has a crash on his CV. He was commended after his heroic actions averted disaster as his Boeing 777 narrowly avoided crash landing when its engines failed two miles short of the runway. But the 44 year-old, who took voluntary redundancy last month after 20 years with BA, has already been turned down for one pilot's job and heard nothing back from dozens of other airlines. He has now been forced to live on £64-a-week Jobseeker's Allowance. Airline Korean Air - which has a fleet of Boeing 777s like the one Peter flew at BA - turned him down because his CV showed he was a pilot in charge of a plane which had ''crashed''. Peter's wife Maria, 34, said the family even faced losing their £500,000 home in Worcester if he did not get a new job soon. She said on Tuesday: ''Korean Air said they wanted somebody who didn't have a crash on their record. ''If only they would see how fantastic Pete is and how experienced he is but they refuse to see past the fact that his plane did crash land. They don't want to know the reasons behind it. ''It is frustrating because Pete is a pilot and loves flying. He decided to leave British Airways for lots of reasons but he still wants to fly.'' Maria is also taking on extra hours as a paramedic while Peter stays at home and looks after their three children. She said: ''Pete was given 52 weeks pay as part of his redundancy but sooner or later that money is going to run out. ''I would say we have until next August otherwise we will have to look at selling our home. Pete is looking at doing after dinner speaking to make some money but he really wants to fly.'' Peter was commended for his ''cool, calm reactions'' when he told his co-pilot John Coward to take the controls, while he altered the angle of the plane's wing flaps as it approached the landing strip. His actions allowed the plane to clear Heathrow airport's boundary fence and avoided a disastrous crash into nearby houses. There were claims Peter was forced out of British Airways after a whispering campaign claiming he had ''chickened out'' when he gave the controls to Mr Coward. Maria said: ''There are lots of things we could say but we can't yet because we don't want to jeopardise Pete's redundancy.'' The couple have also written a book about their experiences since the crash which they hope to publish in December. Maria said: ''We are doing whatever we can to earn some more money in order to look after and protect our family.'' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6219298/Pilot-who-saved-jet-passenger s-cant-find-new-job.html *************** Air Canada Pilots Host Global Winter Operations Conference TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 09/22/09 -- The Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA), in partnership with the Canadian Society of Air Safety Investigators, will host a global conference next month to promote aviation safety during winter operations. "Canadian pilots and their aviation partners have learned through many years of experience how to fly safely in challenging winter conditions," said Captain Barry Wiszniowski, Chair of ACPA's Technical and Safety Division. "We want to improve aviation safety not only here in Canada, but around the world by sharing the lessons we've learned with our colleagues in the industry." At the "Safety is No Secret" conference, aviation experts will explain how their expertise, leading-edge technology and lessons learned in the field can keep airlines flying safely in all winter weather. Manufacturers, airlines, airports, de-icing experts and regulatory agencies will address issues key to safe winter aviation on the ground and in flight, from take off to landing. Featured speaker Mission Commander Robert "Hoot" Gibson will provide an in-depth briefing on NASA's efforts to address icing during space shuttle operations. Global aviation industry representatives will gather at the Fairmont Royal York October 7 - 8. Others wishing to attend can review the conference agenda and register on line at www.winterops.ca. Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) is the largest professional pilot group in Canada, representing the more than 3,000 pilots who operate Air Canada's mainline fleet. Contacts: Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) Paul Howard Director of Communications 905-678-9008 ext. 222 phoward@acpa.ca ***************** JAL to Consider Breakup TOKYO – Japan Airlines Corp. will consider a breakup of the company along with a range of other options, according to a person familiar with the matter, as the ailing carrier prepares for a Thursday meeting with government officials to discuss its revival options. .Executives from the carrier, known as JAL, are scheduled to meet with Transport Minister Seiji Maehara Thursday to discuss plans to straighten out the unprofitable company. The transport ministry is supervising JAL's rehabilitation. It isn't clear which of its options the airline is prepared to put forward or which the government might favor. But breaking up the company is among a number of options being considered amid pressure from its creditors to straighten out its operations, said the person familiar with the matter. Such a split could separate JAL's more profitable parts from its unprofitable operations. The meeting comes as Delta Air Lines Inc. woos JAL into joining its airline alliance, which would make it easier for the U.S. airline and its partners to share passengers and facilities with JAL. American Airlines parent AMR Corp., JAL's current partner, is working to keep its alliance with JAL. Both are dangling small equity stakes to cement a deal. JAL said it intends to decide by mid-October on a deal with a carrier, though Chief Executive Haruka Nishimatsu has declined to say which foreign carriers he is talking to. JAL, Asia's largest airline by revenue, has announced plans to cut 14% of its staff and possibly reduce pensions. It is crafting a turnaround plan for government approval and working to raise 250 billion yen (about $2.75 billion) in financing. The airline is also on cutting underperforming routes. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125368602254433331.html *************** DGCA in compliance with FAA’s safety audit recommendations (India) REMAINS IN CATEGORY 1 UNDER INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME (IASA) India has been found to be fully compliant with the international safety standards by an audit done by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America. Before permitting a foreign airline to operate in the USA, FAA of US, backed by the US legislation conducts an audit of the concerned country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/ DGCA to ensure its capability for providing safety certification and continuing oversight on its international carriers. The audit is conducted under an ‘International Aviation Safety Assessment Programme’ (IASA) and focuses on the country's ability to adhere to standards and recommended practices of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for aircraft operations and maintenance. Under the IASA programme, FAA in the year 1997 had conducted an audit of DGCA India and had awarded Category 1 status to India. This year, in March 2009, FAA, based on the report of an audit conducted by ICAO in October 2006, conducted a reassessment of DGCA. While the FAA’s IASA team found India to be compliant in areas of aviation legislation, operating regulations, civil aviation structure and safety oversight functions, and licensing and certification obligations, it raised concerns in the areas of adequate technical guidance for DGCA inspectors, hiring and retaining technical personnel in DGCA, establishment of an on-going surveillance programme of air operators and the resolution of identified safety issues. DGCA was required to rectify the concerns in the identified areas in a short time frame of about five months. Repercussions of non-action could have resulted in India being downgraded to Category 2 status from the Category 1, which has been held by India since 1997. Under Category 2, no expansion/ changes to the services of Indian air carriers would have been permitted by USA and the existing operations would have been subjected to ‘heightened FAA surveillance’. Such a downgrade would not only have resulted to an economic impact to the nation but would also have been a setback to India’s image worldwide in ICAO, EU, USA and in the international aviation community. The FAA IASA team revisited DGCA on 23rd September 2009, to confirm and validate the action taken on the concerns since the audit in March 2009. The visit was also made to ascertain the information which were provided to FAA by DGCA from time to time in the previous few months on the progress made to make good the deficiencies. During the discussions, the FAA team confirmed the action taken by DGCA to make good the identified concerns of the earlier March 2009 audit. • The team confirmed DGCA meeting the international standards in the area of aviation law and regulations and confirmed that the powers of Director General were well laid down in the various parts of the Aircraft Act, 1934 and Aircraft Rules, 1937 and the regulations were available to all users. In the area of CAA Structure and safety oversight functions, the team acknowledged that lack of financial resources is not a constraint for DGCA and that there has been an eight-fold increase in the annual budget for DGCA this year. In 2009-10, DGCA has 40 crores under Plan and Rs 22 crores under non-plan. FAA was informed by DGCA that a feasibility study for establishment of Civil Aviation Authority has been commissioned and will commence in October 2009. The FAA team was shown the technical guidance, which was prepared in areas of operations, airworthiness and enforcement for the guidance and use of safety inspectors of DGCA for day-to-day functioning including the training provided to the inspectors on their use. • The availability of an increased number of flight operations inspectors on board with DGCA which now includes 14 full time Government Flight Operations Inspectors (FOI) and 18 FOIs on secondment from industry was shown to the FAA team as against the previous of only four FOIs in March 2009. It was emphasized to the team that current increased salary levels based on the 6th Pay Commission has increased the attractiveness of Government positions and retention has improved. Government has approved and revised about 560 technical positions and 150 non-technical positions in addition to existing 160 technical and 177 non-technical positions. Aggressive action plan for recruitment is under way. 72 technical officers are being hired in September – October on short term contract. Higher level of financial delegation given to the DGCA by Government of India. DGCA has inturn delegated financial powers to regional offices. DGCA now has 13 directortes as against exiting 9. Four new directorates have been added. A DGCA wide internal and external training programme has been developed. Further, a big project of IT led solutions in DGCA is in advanced stage of action. • DGCA India fulfils all international standards regarding Licensing and Certification Obligations. • The DGCA-wide surveillance program was shared with the team and it was emphasized that all airlines including foreign airlines are included in the surveillance programme which is under aggressive implementation. The programme of surveillance includes Indian registered as well as aircraft taken by Indian operators on wet lease. The current programme for 2009 includes 4,327 surveillance activities, of which 2545 have been conducted till August 2009. The system for addressing deficiencies arising out of the surveillance was discussed. The team was informed of setting up of Surveillance and Enforcement Division (SMED) and the Board for Aviation Safety (BFAS) in headquarters for monthly monitoring of identified Level I deficiencies and progress of other deficiencies. 87 enforcement actions have been taken against personnel and operators. In addition to the surveillance programme, DGCA has put in a System of Quality Check of foreign flying training facilities used by Indian students for obtaining pilot licenses. DGCA officers have recently conducted an inspection of foreign flying institute in Philippines in consultation with their civil aviation authority. A system of recently introduced financial surveillance of airlines was also discussed based on the current economic slowdown and consequent pressures on the airlines. • The revised Schedule VI of the Aircraft Rules 1937on Penalties was shared with the team where substantial increase in financial penalty for non-adherence to regulations has been addressed. DGCA Enforcement Policy and Procedures Manual was provided to the team which was issued on 20 May, 2009 and effective from 15 June 2009. The Manual establishes and publicizes internal deadlines for taking action, appeal actions, and monitoring compliance with enforcement decisions throughout the regions, and implements an effective internal staff process to ensure timely action. The DGCA Officers at headquarters and in the regions have been trained on the manual. Stakeholders are aware that they are subject to enforcement, and the program constitutes an effective deterrent. FAA team was suitably impressed with the amount of work accomplished by DGCA India. FAA stated that complete action and correction of concerns raised by FAA was done in the available time space which is considered rare in the history of IASA. FAA also acknowledged the commitment and support of Ministry of Civil Aviation and Government of India. India was found fully compliant with FAA observations and ICAO Annexes 1, 6 and 8. DGCA stated that India fully meets the eligibility criteria to retain current Category I status under FAA IASA. Based on the discussions held and the information shared, FAA at the close of the discussion informed DGCA of being in compliance with international standards for aviation safety and reported India to continue to be maintained in Category 1. This determination will be made public under FAA public disclosure policy. http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=52797 ************** Boeing ready to handle simultaneous first flights of 787 and 747-8 Boeing has decoupled the flight test programmes for the 787 and 747-8, allowing the two new aircraft to potentially take to the skies for the first time simultaneously. The 787 and 747-8 are both now scheduled to have first flight during the fourth quarter, most likely the second half of November or first half of December. To avoid having to slow down one flight test programme to keep another on schedule, Boeing has taken the unprecedented step of entirely separating the two flight test programmes and allocating each with a dedicated set of equipment and resources. "We have completely decoupled the flight test programme on the 747 from the 787," says 747 programme vice president and general manager Mo Yahyavi. "Each programme [now] has its own allocated resources and support equipment." He says first flight for both the 787 and 747-8 could "absolutely" occur the same day now that the two aren't sharing flight test resources. But whether that happens purely depends on both aircraft becoming ready for first flight at the same time. Yahyavi says separating the two flight test programmes has required additional investment as typically all of Boeing's commercial aircraft programmes share flight test resources and equipment. "We've had to do some extra efforts out of the ordinary because we have two major flight test programmes going on. We needed to make sure our equipment was reinforced and our resources reallocated properly to get the job done," he explained during an interview with Flight International at his office adjacent to the 747 assembly line. Yahyavi says the 747-8 programme on its own now has the resources to fly all three test aircraft before the end of this year. This includes having sufficient test pilots, engineers, data analysts and "supporting team members for operation of the airplane during the flight tests". "We're ready and go and fly the aircraft," he adds. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC