23 NOV 2009 _______________________________________ *Passengers Escape Injury When Landing Gear Fails *Control tower fire shuts down Prague airport *Jet lands safely in Denver after hydraulic problem *Recent crashes fuel push for more regulation of medical helicopter industry *FAA pulls 14-year-old proposed flight time, rest rule *Navy Identifies T-34C Pilot Lost In Gulf Crash *The General Civil Aviation Authority appoints Senior Safety Advisor (UAE) *FAA Issues Icing Rule After Circuit City Plane Crash in 2005 *FAA proposes ice detection rules for commuter aircraft *Lawsuits Reinstated Against TCM, Cirrus, Despite Clear Evidence of Pilot Error *Flight Attendants Celebrate 20 Years Of Smoke Free Flights *ATSB: investigation update on A330 in-flight upset *Senators can fly on corporate, private jets for low fares *Authorities: Man tied lizards to chest at airport *Lufthansa considers slim seats to increase short-haul capacity **************************************** http://www.thebostonchannel.com/2009/1122/21689066_240X180.jpg Passengers Escape Injury When Landing Gear Fails 6 Escape Injury In Emergency Landing At Barnstable Airport HYANNIS, Mass. -- Five passengers and the pilot of a Cape Air plane escaped injury Saturday night when the pilot was forced to land at Barnstable Municipal Airport with a malfunctioning nose gear. The FAA says Cape Air Flight 311 took off from Boston and was headed for Martha's Vineyard. When the indicator light went on, the pilot decided to land at the Barnstable airport as a precaution. The pilot, John Call, 32, of Marshfield, reported the problem just after 7:15 p.m. He did several flybys of the airport while emergency vehicles were put into position. Call landed the twin-engine Cessna 402 safely, but the nose of the plane collapsed and hit the tarmac during the emergency landing. Several agencies responded to the scene, including the Massachusetts State Police, Barnstable police, and the Hyannis Fire Department. The airport was closed for about an hour. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/mostpopular/21689067/detail.html *************** Control tower fire shuts down Prague airport PRAGUE, Czech Republic (CNN) -- A fire in the air traffic control tower at the Prague airport caused it to shut down and suspend or divert flights for several hours Saturday, a spokeswoman said. No one was hurt and no essential equipment was damaged, but the fire created so much smoke that the tower had to be shut, spokeswoman Eva Krejci told CNN. As a result, all flights in and out of Prague airport were suspended. Officials believe the blaze, which broke out at 5:12 a.m. (11:12 p.m. ET Friday), was an electricity fire, Krejci said. Air traffic was interrupted from 7:55 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (1:55 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. ET), she said. Arrivals were sent to other airports and departures were delayed. Ten flights were canceled, she said. *************** Jet lands safely in Denver after hydraulic problem DENVER (AP) - A United Airlines plane has landed safely in Denver after the pilot reported a problem with a hydraulic system. United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy says the plane was carrying 101 passengers and crew on a flight from Kansas City to Denver on Saturday when the pilot declared an emergency as a precaution. She says the plane landed at 6 a.m. McCarthy says she doesn't know the specifics of the problem but says the plane has two backup hydraulic systems. ************** Recent crashes fuel push for more regulation of medical helicopter industry Changes are circling for the emergency medical helicopter industry, which saw a disturbing number of fatal crashes last year. Twenty-nine deaths in 2008 - compared with seven killed in 2007 - spurred calls for regulators to impose new rules for helicopter operators. But some feel that's not been enough; Congress is now poised to pass a series of new rules governing the nation's fleet of medical helicopters. Three recent crashes of medical helicopters have reinforced concerns that the flights often put pilots, medical crew and injured patients in danger. On Sept. 25, a medical helicopter owned by Addison's Omniflight Helicopter Inc. crashed in South Carolina, killing three people; on Nov. 4, two pilots of an Omniflight training flight were injured in a crash in Arizona; and three people died in a Nov. 14 medical helicopter crash near the border of Nevada and California. "We've had many pilots with many years of experience who have gotten into these accidents, and we need to know why," said Gary Sizemore, an official with the National EMS Pilots union. "Our pilots are facing a lot of pressures." In the South Carolina accident, the helicopter crashed in a tree farm near the Charleston airport during heavy rain. The investigation continues, though weather played a role, National Transportation Safety Board staff members say. Getting medical helicopters through bad weather - especially at night - may help curb the conditions that lead to a majority of accidents, regulators say. In September, the NTSB urged the industry's regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, to require night-vision gear, terrain avoidance equipment, and cockpit data and voice recording devices for helicopter operators. The NTSB put the recommendations on its "most wanted" list and urged helicopter operators to install the safety equipment on their own. "You'd think our recommendations would get more traction," said Keith Holloway of the NTSB. "I can't tell you why they're not acted on." FAA spokesman Les Dorr said the agency uses a variety of enforcement tools to make medical helicopter operators safer, such as requiring training programs related to operators' licensing certificates. The agency said it has also recommended that operators add risk-assessment programs and operational control centers. Dorr said the FAA expects to publish new safety rules related to the segment by the middle of next year. Congress could force the issue with the FAA. Language in a bill pending in the U.S. Senate would force the regulator to start a rule-making procedure that would eventually require new on-board equipment, better ground-based weather detecting and improved safety programs. The House already passed a version of the bill, which would also force the FAA to order studies on whether to require night-vision equipment in helicopters as well as improved weather detecting systems. The legislation, which would reauthorize the FAA's funding, could be passed before the end of the year. Wanting regulation Emergency medical helicopter operators may be unusual in welcoming more regulation, said Christopher Eastlee of the Air Medical Operators Association. Eastlee's group has praised the language in the House bill. "We're trying to identify inefficiencies in this system" by working with regulators, he said. Adding gear to helicopters would cost tens of thousands of dollars and put financial pressures on operators, though most are already spending money on night-vision systems and equipment that records flight data, he said. Omniflight said it's adding flight data recording to all its aircraft and had previously announced that it was putting night-vision systems on some of its fleet. The 1,000-employee company, bought by a private equity firm in 2005, declined to comment on how new regulations might affect its business. Emergency operators are a hodgepodge of public and private hospitals, independent companies - like Omniflight - and publicly traded companies. Operators typically collect payment from patients' insurers or from Medicare. Omniflight, which has grown quickly to have a fleet of 100 helicopters spread over 18 states, is a prime example of how the industry has taken off over the last two decades, rising from 225 aircraft in 1991 to more than 850 today. Some point to a 2002 increase in the Medicare reimbursement rate as the start of industry's fast growth. The change allowed operators to recoup substantially more of their costs to fly missions, which can cost $10,000 or more, depending on the emergency. According to the NTSB, the need for emergency flights has increased to where 400,000 patients and transplant organs are transported annually. That compares with about 150,000 patients flown in 1991, according to the air operators association, though that number does not include flights transporting organs. Although the total number of accidents has risen, the increased flying by medical helicopters has kept the industry's accident rate per hour flown fairly steady. Accident causes Pilot error, bad weather, darkness and difficult terrain combine to cause three-quarters of emergency helicopter accidents, with mechanical problems a distant second. Some industry critics contend that operators sometimes fly when they shouldn't, either because of bad weather or because the patient's injuries do not require speedy transport. The industry uses "crew resource management" tactics that give members of the flight crew - typically a pilot and two emergency medical professionals - the power to cancel a flight if conditions are too risky. Still, pilots feel pressure to fly no matter how bad the conditions because their employers need the revenue and because of the "white knight" syndrome, making them feel compelled to save someone, said Sizemore of the pilots' union. Emergency helicopter operators agree that they should use a common risk management process, but it's hard to find one for operators facing such different weather conditions and geography, Sizemore said. Current weather forecasting does well to predict winds and conditions at higher altitudes. But the helicopter industry needs a system that can give pilots better information about conditions just a few hundred feet off the ground. There will be no quick fix to safety because it will take the FAA years to approve a raft of new equipment. For example, the gear for flight data recording needs to be refined so it's lighter, works for helicopters specifically and produces data that can be analyzed industrywide. "FAA rule-making takes time, but it's realistically the best way we can improve safety," said Dr. David Stuhlmiller, a New York-area emergency physician representing the American College of Emergency Physicians, which wants new rules for helicopter operators. Whether it's the FAA or Congress forcing the action, the business of flying emergency medical missions will change. It's only a question of how quickly new requirements trickle down to operators. "Everybody says safety isn't expensive; accidents are," Eastlee said. "Our operators are investing millions of dollars in new equipment for their fleet right now." http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-helicoptersafety_ 22bus.ART0.State.Edition1.3c966d4.html ************* FAA pulls 14-year-old proposed flight time, rest rule The FAA on Monday will officially withdraw a proposed crew flight time limitation and rest rule that languished since its introduction in December 1995 as the agency develops an updated version "later this year". Efforts to overhaul flight duty time and rest rules gained a new urgency earlier this year after indications emerged that pilots of the Colgan Air Q400 that crashed near Buffalo, New York in February may have been fatigued. In response to the crash, the FAA launched a flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) in June, comprised of labour, industry and FAA officials to "develop recommendations for an FAA rule based on current fatigue science and a thorough review of international approaches to the issue," the agency said. Earlier efforts included NASA research, US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations and a 1992 aviation rulemaking advisory committee (ARAC), all of which were incorporated into the FAA's 1995 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The FAA ultimately received more than 2,000 comments on the NPRM, noting, "Although some commenters, including the NTSB, NASA, Air Line Pilots Association and Allied Pilots Association, said the proposal would enhance safety, the same commenters had specific objections." Included in the original NPRM were proposals for a 14-hour duty day for two-pilot operations and a 10-hour flight time limit. "Many industry associations opposed the NPRM, stating the FAA lacked safety data to justify the rulemaking, and industry compliance would impose significant costs," the agency says, adding that reserve duty time proposals, allowing a 32-hour in seven days limit on flight time and a 10-hour rest period, generated the most controversy with air carrier associations and operators. Based on the objections, the FAA launched a follow-on ARAC in 1998 to study the issues. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** Navy Identifies T-34C Pilot Lost In Gulf Crash October Accident Search Yields Wreckage, Remains The remains of Lt. John Joseph Houston were positively identified by medical personnel of Training Squadron 28 Nov. 18. The T-34C Turbomentor aircraft that went missing Oct. 28 has been located and salvage operations have begun. U.S. Navy divers and the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Manatee located the aircraft Nov. 16 approximately 1.5 miles from Matagorda Island in 40 feet of water. Coast Guard Cutter Henry Claiborne was put on station Nov. 20 to assist in lifting the fuselage of the aircraft. Houston and Lt. Bret Travis Miller left Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi on a routine training mission Oct. 28 in the area of Rockport-Aransas County Airport, Texas. The pilots and the aircraft were assigned to Training Squadron 28 of Training Air Wing 4 based out of NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. The T-34C is used to provide primary flight training for student pilots. As a secondary mission, approximately 10 percent of the aircraft provide pilot proficiency and other aircraft support services to Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Naval Air Systems Command's "satellite sites" operated throughout the continental United States. The T-34C was procured as a commercial-derivative aircraft certified under an FAA Type Certificate. The T-34C was derived from the civilian Beechcraft Bonanza. Throughout its life, the aircraft has been operated and commercially supported by the Navy using FAA processes, procedures and certifications. An investigation of the mishap is being conducted. FMI: www.navy.mil aero-news.net **************** The General Civil Aviation Authority appoints Senior Safety Advisor (UAE) Recently, the GCAA announced a significant restructuring proposal effectively segregating the Aviation Security and Safety Department into two separate departments; namely Aviation Safety Department and the Security and Infrastructure Department. The implementation of this strategic initiative was a result of the unprecedented growth in air traffic numbers across the country with a corresponding need to maintain effective control in organizing aviation operations, aviation safety and security of the civil aviation sector. "The GCAA is recognized as a pioneer in the region for aviation safety management and plays a significant role in introducing and enforcing the highest safety protocols for aviation safety," said Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of GCAA. "To ensure the sustained maturity and safety of air operations across the country, we see the appointment of David John Chapman as crucial in developing a more comprehensive world class Aviation Safety facility at the GCAA." Prior to his appointment at the GCAA, Chapman held the position of Group Director of the Safety Regulation Group (SRG) of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and brings with him over 30 years of experience within the aviation industry. As regional airspaces and airports see increased international presence, the UAE looks to ascertain the best in safety procedures for all air operations conducted through all of the country's aviation departments. "I look forward to the challenges and experience my new role at the GCAA will offer. In many ways the nature of my responsibility will mirror the challenges faced while I was part of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, however there are certainly new dynamics relevant to the region that will provide new opportunities for both myself and the organization to further mature in the vast area of aviation safety," commented Chapman. Chapman added: "The GCAA places paramount importance on aviation safety and its success is reflected through the excellent track record the country has maintained over the years across all segments of air operations. However, the region is relatively young despite the boom in economic growth that resulted in the success of high air traffic numbers and rapid expansion plans. Maintaining a high degree of flight safety and maturing existing safety procedures will continue to be a primary focus in order to sustain these strong levels of growth." Part of Chapman's role will include application of better regulation principles ensuring, through strategic oversight, an optimum balance between safety value and cost of regulation. "Through new regulatory and cost effective safety systems, the UAE hopes to influence and guide the development of the Middle East's aviation safety and regulatory systems," concluded Suwaidi. http://www.ameinfo.com/216894.html ************** FAA Issues Icing Rule After Circuit City Plane Crash in 2005 Nov. 21 (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a rule that would require quicker activation of wing de-icing systems in response to the crash of a Circuit City Stores Inc. business jet in 2005. The Cessna Citation 560 jet crashed as it approached Pueblo, Colorado, killing all eight people on board, because pilots let ice build up on the wings and didn't maintain proper airspeed, the National Transportation Safety Board said in 2007. The NTSB then recommended a rule requiring that de-icing systems be activated as soon as planes enter conditions conducive to ice buildup, and the FAA, in a notice to be published Nov. 23, proposes the change. "The proposed rule would enhance passenger safety and prevent icing-related accidents," John McGraw, FAA acting director of flight standards, wrote in a notice to be published in the Federal Register. Circuit City, a consumer-electronics retailer, has since liquidated its stores and is preparing to make a distribution to creditors. Ice forming in flight has been a top concern of regulators because it robs aircraft of lift by disrupting airflow over the wings and creating drag. Special de-icing equipment to counter the threat must be activated by pilots, who may be unaware how close they are to falling from the sky. In the Circuit City flight, a layer of ice accumulated on the front edge of the wings, causing the plane to lose lift, the NTSB said. The pilots failed to activate anti-ice devices or to follow flight-manual instructions to compensate by boosting airspeed, the board said. Engage Systems Pilots at the time were instructed to engage de-icing systems when buildup is between a quarter- and half-inch thick, the NTSB said in its 2007 recommendation for earlier activation. The FAA proposal, which will have a 90-day public comment period, would affect planes weighing less than 60,000 pounds. The aircraft in the Circuit City accident was manufactured by Cessna, a unit of Providence, Rhode Island-based Textron Inc. Operators and manufactures would have two years to comply. Cessna is based in Wichita, Kansas. The Circuit City jet was bound for Irvine, California, from Richmond, Virginia, where Circuit City was based, and was to refuel in Pueblo, about 100 miles south of Denver. The plane carried four company employees and two workers from Circuit City vendors, International Business Machines Corp. and Infinitive. The Citation was one of two Circuit City-owned planes traveling together. The crew of the other jet, 10 to 15 minutes behind the first, properly activated de-icing equipment, increased airspeed and landed safely, the NTSB said. Circuit City sought bankruptcy protection last year after suppliers concerned about declining sales of products such as televisions and computers cut off credit and demanded cash up- front for shipments. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahFwjJcJlR6s&pos=9 **************** FAA proposes ice detection rules for commuter aircraft The FAA on Monday will propose a new rule that would require airlines operating aircraft with maximum take off weight (MTOW) of less than 60,000lb (27,216kg) to begin using equipment and or procedures on those aircraft to aid in ice detection during certain portions of flight. Prompted initially by the ice-related fatal crash of an American Eagle ATR 72 near Roselawn, Indiana in 1994, the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) represents the FAA's attempt to address lingering concerns about flight in icing conditions, particularly for smaller commuter-type aircraft, and how pilots operate ice prevention equipment. The FAA until now has been addressing potential issues on a per-aircraft basis through dozens of airworthiness directives (ADs). Those mandates were based in part on the findings of an aviation rulemaking advisory committee (ARAC) launched in 1997 to investigate the need for ice detectors or other means for alerting crews to active de-ice or anti-icing systems to remove or prevent to the accumulation of ice on critical aircraft surfaces. "An evaluation of accidents and incidents led to the conclusion that the ADs do not provide adequate assurance that the flight crew will be made aware of when to activate the airframe ice protection system (IPS)," the FAA says. FAA says a "limited analysis" of past icing events revealed that aircraft above the 60,000lb cut-off have not "experienced accidents due to in-flight icing, while airplanes with lower certified MTOWs have an event history". The agency notes, however, that if the limit were raised to 66,000lb, the new rule would encompass the Bombardier Q400, which was involved in a fatal accident near Buffalo, New York this February. Icing was originally thought to be a factor in the actions that led to the Colgan Air aircraft to crash, though US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators have downplayed the role of icing as the investigation has proceeded. The new NPRM would require crews to activate icing protection systems based on one of three airframe icing cues: a primary (redundant) airframe ice detection system; an advisory (non-redundant) detector coupled with visual cues; and a method of using temperature and visible moisture conditions as a threshold to active the IPS during most non-cruise flight phases. FAA in parallel with the NPRM has released a draft advisory circular to help operators determine how to satisfy the new requirements, which it says will cost $5.5 million during the next 20 years. Offsetting the expense would be savings of $17.3 million by eliminating one accident and four fatalities. The new rules would also satisfy NTSB recommendations that came in the wake of the fatal crash of a Cessna Citation 560 business jet on approach to Pueblo, Colorado in 2005, says the FAA. Certain recommendations from the ARAC continue to be evaluated by the FAA, including a measure to require "certain" Part 121 aircraft to exit icing conditions. The FAA had earlier mandated the advanced ice detection methods for new build aircraft. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************** Lawsuits Reinstated Against TCM, Cirrus, Despite Clear Evidence of Pilot Error The Increasingly Problematic Legal Lottery Makes Aviation Industry The Loser... Again A state well-known for being a "lawyer's stronghold" has set the scene for a renewed battle over an accident that place in 2002... in New Mexico. The Alabama Supreme Court has just put forth a ruling that allows for the resumption of legal hostilities against two major GA manufacturers... years after the 'negligence' cases were previously thrown out. The Friday judgement ruled that the previous dismissals were in error and ordered the matter reinstated. Duluth, MN, pilot John Swanstrom Jr. was killed on May 28th 2002 as N901CD, a Cirrus Design SR-20 went down in mountainous wooded terrain at a density altitude calculated at over 11,800 feet MSL. The cross-country flight departed from the Angel Fire Airport (AXX), near Angel Fire, New Mexico, at 1627, and was destined for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Swanstrom, a 1350 hour pilot, was the only person on board. Attorneys filed a wrongful death claim on behalf of his wife and children, alleging defects in the aircraft's fuel pump -- despite the fact that the NTSB's Probable Cause determined that the accident was caused by, "The pilot's decision to continue the flight into the rising mountainous terrain, and subsequent failure to maintain clearance with the trees. Contributing factors were the rising mountainous terrain, and the high density altitude." According to data contained in the NTSB reports, the "engine was examined on June 6, 2002 at Teledyne Continental Motors facility in Mobile, Alabama under supervision of an NTSB investigator. The engine exhibited severe impact and fire damage. No anomalies were found that 'would suggest any engine problem prior to the accident.'" Regardless, as evidence of the above pilot errors could not be considered among the factual evidence presented at trial (the data gathered in NTSB investigations, along with the Probable Cause determinations, are not admissible in such proceedings), the Alabama Supreme Court decision will allow renewed action on the 'negligence and strict-liability claims' against TCM and Cirrus. FMI: www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20020605X00811&key=1, www.cirrusaircraft.com, www.genuinecontinental.aero, http://www.aero-news.net/news/genav.cfm?ContentBlockID=206e8e28-e694-4c26-94 f6-d0f0bcd4a292&Dynamic=1 aero-news.net **************** Flight Attendants Celebrate 20 Years Of Smoke Free Flights Legislation Paved The Way For Smoke-Free Workplaces Hard to believe that it has been 20 years since smoking was banned on all U.S. airline flights. In recognition of that anniversary, The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) International President Patricia Friend issued the following statement. "Twenty years ago on November 21, 1989, after non-stop campaigning by AFA-CWA members, a bill was signed into law that banned smoking on all domestic flights. On that day, flight attendants celebrated and we continue to be thankful for that powerful piece of legislation. "At a time when gains and improvement in workers' health conditions on the job were few and far between, AFA-CWA members were able to achieve a remarkable victory. Together, with impassioned Congressional supporters like Senator Frank Lautenberg, whose foresight and leadership were invaluable, flight attendants pioneered the trend of smoke free workplaces. What started in the aircraft cabin, eventually led to clean air in restaurants and most public venues. "As we celebrate this crucial victory, we must continue to fortify our future. There are many flight attendant workplace safety issues that still remain unaddressed - issues that, like the smoking ban, greatly affect the cabin environment for passengers and flight attendants alike. Recently, legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would outline and enforce carry-on baggage requirements. For too many years, excessive carry-ons have not only slowed the boarding and deplaning process, but have resulted in numerous flight attendant and passenger injuries. "Today, flight attendants are healthier because of the smoking ban. However, there is still much work that needs to be done. As long as the flow of carry-on bags into the cabin remains unchecked and out of control, the health and safety of passengers and flight attendants will continue to be compromised. Twenty years ago we considered cabin safety over convenience, and it is time that we do it again." FMI: www.afanet.org aero-news.net **************** ATSB: investigation update on A330 in-flight upset The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released a second Interim Factual Report into the accident involving the Qantas Airbus A330-303 in-flight upset, 154 km west of Learmonth WA, on 7 October 2008. The report summarises new activities conducted since the first Interim Factual Report that was released on 6 March 2009, and it should be read in conjunction with that previous report. The aircraft was being operated on a scheduled passenger service from Singapore to Perth. While cruising at 37,000 ft, the aircraft experienced two uncommanded pitch-down events. The flight crew were able to quickly return the aircraft to level flight on each occasion and diverted to Learmonth, WA for a safe landing. One flight attendant and 11 passengers were seriously injured, and eight other crew members and at least 99 other passengers received minor injuries. The injury rate and severity of injuries was significantly greater for those passengers who were not seated or not wearing seatbelts at the time of the first in-flight upset. The investigation is still following several lines of inquiry to explain why the ADIRU started providing erroneous data (spikes). In addition, the investigation is continuing to examine various aspects of the flight control primary computer (FCPC or PRIM) software development cycle. The investigation is also continuing to examine the performance of the ECAM and its effectiveness in assisting crews to manage aircraft system problems. (ATSB)> ATSB AO-2008-070: http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2008/aair/ao-2008- 070.aspx (aviation-safety.net) ************** Senators can fly on corporate, private jets for low fares Good government groups are blasting the Federal Election Commission today for approving a new rule that allows U.S. senators to fly on corporate and private jets at deeply discounted prices. Watchdogs, such as Democracy 21's Fred Wertheimer, say the provision -- approved by federal regulators on Thursday -- opens a giant loophole in a 2007 congressional ethics law that sought to end the practice of lawmakers flying at cut-rate prices on planes provided by companies and wealthy donors. The law required senators to pay more expensive charter rates, rather than first-class fares, when they take rides on corporate or private jets. Under the new rule, a senator will be allowed to pay the lower commercial fare when traveling on behalf of a political party or a political action committee controlled by the senator. The new rule does not create similar exemptions for House members. Craig Holman of Public Citizen said the commission's move "unabashedly flouts" the ethics law. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who championed efforts to end the cheap flights with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and then-Sen. Barack Obama, said the agency gutted the law and called on commissioners to reverse the decision or "Congress will have to do it for them." The Federal Election Commission had no response today to the strongly worded criticism, but the commission's chairman Steve Walther issued a statement Thursday, saying the decision was consistent with comments received by the agency. http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2009/11/senators-can-fly-on-corporate-p rivate-jets-for-low-fares.html *************** Authorities: Man tied lizards to chest at airport LOS ANGELES (AP) - Federal officials say they arrested a man who strapped 15 live lizards to his chest to get through customs at Los Angeles International Airport. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Friday that 40-year-old Michael Plank of Lomita, Calif., was returning from Australia when U.S. Customs agents found two geckos, two monitor lizards and 11 skinks - another type of lizard - fastened to his body Tuesday. Plank has been released on $10,000 bond and will be arraigned in federal court on Dec. 21. Authorities say the lizards' value totals more than $8,500. All Australian reptiles are strictly regulated and Plank did not have a permit for them. ************* Lufthansa considers slim seats to increase short-haul capacity Lufthansa is looking at introducing new seats in its short-haul fleet next year which would allow it to increase capacity while not reducing space for individual passengers. The move is part of an efficiency drive to reduce costs and offset the effects of the recession as well as growing competition from low-cost carriers such as Air Berlin and Ryanair. While load factors have held up, yields have dropped, a situation that the airline believes is likely to continue. No final decision on the seat change has been made, but it is "very likely" that the new seats will be introduced, says a Lufthansa spokesman. Although no seat manufacturer has yet been chosen, the carrier is looking at new, slimline designs that would "give more freedom" for individual passengers but which would allow more seats to be introduced. Lufthansa is also looking carefully at its economy-class short-haul catering, says the spokesman. While catering levels will remain the same the carrier is looking at simplifying its current multiplicity of contracts. These vary depending on the duration of the flight and are complex to administer. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC