24 DEC 2009 _______________________________________ * AMERICAN ACTIVATES ITS FAMILY ASSISTANCE CARE TEAMS TO ASSIST THOSE AFFECTED BY THE INCIDENT INVOLVING FLIGHT #331 *American Airlines Flight 331 Crash at NMIA in Kingston, Jamaica * FAA's New Accident Prevention Office * Pratt & Whitney PurePower Engine Core Tested * Aviation experts decry staggering annual losses to aerodrome incidents (Nigeria) * FAA Gives Santa Thumbs-Up for Takeoff ***************************************** AMERICAN ACTIVATES ITS FAMILY ASSISTANCE CARE TEAMS TO ASSIST THOSE AFFECTED BY THE INCIDENT INVOLVING FLIGHT #331 PRNewswire FORT WORTH, Texas FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009, at approximately 9:22 p.m. Central Standard Time, American Airlines Flight 331, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, sustained damage when it overran the runway on landing at Kingston, Jamaica's Norman Manley International Airport. The flight originated out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, operated into Miami International Airport, and then operated into Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport. American Airlines has confirmed that seven passengers were admitted for observation and treatment at area hospitals; all other passengers that had been taken to local hospitals were treated and released. The aircraft was carrying 148 passengers and a crew of six. American has activated its family assistance CARE Teams to immediately help those affected by this incident. "The care of our passengers and crew members remains our highest priority, and we are grateful for the professionalism of our crew members who safely evacuated the aircraft," said Gerard Arpey, Chairman and CEO of American Airlines. Anyone who believes they have family members or friends aboard Flight 331 may contact American Airlines at the following toll-free numbers: (800) 245-0999 for calls originating in the United States; for calls originating in Jamaica, use (800) 872-2881. Family members from other locations outside the U.S. may contact American through the AT&T Direct Access system. Callers should dial the local AT&T Access telephone number, which can be found at www.usa.att.com/traveler for the country from which they are calling. Once in the AT&T system, callers can then dial American toll-free at (800) 245-0999. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin islands can call the (800) 245-0999 number directly. Non-family members are asked not to call those numbers so the lines can be kept available for those who truly need them. American is posting the latest information on its Web site, at www.aa.com, and company representatives are available for media inquiries. ***************************************** American Airlines Flight 331 Crash at NMIA in Kingston, Jamaica iReport - Link to photos American Airlines flight #331 from Miami, Florida over shot the runway and ended up on a road running alongside the airport. http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-373434 ***************************************** FAA's New Accident Prevention Office Wednesday, December 23, 2009 By Ramon Lopez As part of a strategy to reduce emerging aviation risks using national safety data, the agency's Office of Aviation Safety is staffing a new Accident Investigation and Prevention Service that integrates the work of the Offices of Accident Investigation and Safety Analytical Services. "This program give us better tools to spot potential safety problems and head off aviation accidents before they happen," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "If we are going to continue to improve aviation safety, we have to be able to gather safety information from our industry and use data-driven safety programs to identify and address risks before they lead to accidents," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. The new organization consolidates resources so the FAA can better understand current and emerging risks across the aviation community through the use of data from accident and incident investigations, historical accidents and incidents, and voluntarily submitted information from industry programs such as Aviation Safety Action and Flight Operational Quality Assurance programs. The Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing program combines information from industry and government data sources to provide new insights into potential safety issues. The program has matured to the point that the FAA can now look at data from more than 73 percent of current U.S. commercial operations and identify emerging vulnerabilities and trends. Safety improvements are made not only through FAA regulations, but also through the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST). The Accident Investigation and Prevention Service is headed by Jay Pardee, who most recently was the director of the Office of Safety Analytical Services. Pardee is recognized as a leader in safety data analysis. He has been a leader in CAST, He is also the agency's lead to assure that the Next Generation Air Transportation System provides enhanced levels of safety. Tony Fazio, who most recently was director of the FAA's Europe, Africa and Middle East Office in Brussels, serves as deputy director. http://www.aviationtoday.com/asw/topstories/FAAs-New-Accident-Prevention-Off ice_65259.html ***************************************** PurePower Engine Core Tested Wednesday, December 23, 2009 Pratt & Whitney has initiated full-scale testing on the PurePower engine core. According to the company, the engine core is made up of a high-pressure compressor, low-emissions combustor and newly developed high-pressure turbine. Pratt & Whitney and MTU Aero Engines designed the high-pressure turbine. PurePower is intended for next-generation narrow-body aircraft, including regional aircraft and large business jets. http://www.aviationtoday.com/am/topstories/PurePower-Engine-Core-Tested_6525 0.html ***************************************** Aviation experts decry staggering annual losses to aerodrome incidents (Nigeria) Thursday, 24 December 2009 01:15 SADE AYODELE $10 billion to airports' incidents that arise from latent lapses within the airsides of airports. The airside is the main area of an airport where major operations are carried out. Here, operations such as ground handling, engineering and other ground operations are conducted. Airside operations play important role in ensuring flights are safe and on schedule. Airside operators check that runway lights are working, ensure driving at the airside is standardised and that the areas are cleared of anything potentially hazardous. Wildlife clearance is one particular important part of the job. Much of the work is precautionary; it's about dealing with a potential problem before it actually happens. For instance, debris on the aerodrome present hazards to aircraft in several ways. Some debris had at several times, punctured aircraft tyres while taxing to take-off and had caused the airlines invaluable money. "These latent lapses at airsides could be one of the causes of accidents, if those saddled with the critical safety responsibilities fail to address obvious gaps in aerodrome, debris and other foreign bodies on the ground, if not cleared, pose threat to air safety." At an international air safety conference on 'Aviation Safety and Environmental Challenges,' organised by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in Lagos recently, experts identified runway incursions by either wildlife or unwanted plants and other foreign bodies as potential threat to safety, adding that the global aviation industry was grappling with the consequence of aerodrome incident put at $10 billion yearly. For instance, the cow invasion of Port Harcourt International Airport runway in 2004, when an Air France aircraft was taxing caused the airline million of naira to repair some damaged parts. Also, the incursion and clustering of birds at airports, causing bird strikes to many aircraft, especially when they are parked, is another big problem threatening airport and airlines' operations. Harold Demuren, director general, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), disclosed at the event that bird strikes incidents accounted for over 40 percent of all incidents that occur within the airports, adding that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos topped the list of airports where aircraft engines and other parts were damaged by birds. Demuren identified that even at some airports located within the town bird strikes still topped the list of incidents, saying that a careful attempt should be made by personnel saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring that birds activities were minimised at airports to tame the wildlife incursion. This problem of inefficient airside operations is compounded by the fact that many airports in Nigeria are not fully fenced. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards stipulate that all airports, aerodromes, helipads and airstrips must have full perimeter fencing for security reasons. While Richard Aisuebeogu, managing director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), opined that the presence of things that would attract birds within the aerodrome would continue to raise safety concerns and affect flight operations, disclosing the agency had recruited field personnel for operations at the Calabar, Owerri, Enugu, Benin, Ilorin, Kaduna, Maiduguri and Jos airports for its bird/wildlife hazard control (B/WHC) Programme Phase II on B/WHC in 2010. FAAN had in 2007 and 2008 made a documentation of the B/WHC manual containing the legal framework on airport bird hazard control and how the authority intends to pursue it in the Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt airports. In 2007, Aisuebeogun revealed that it procured bird hazard control equipment (pyrotechnics, bioacoustics and repellent chemicals), which are currently in use for harassing and repelling bird/wildlife on the active runway during landing and take-off, as much as allowed by air traffic controllers. http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content &view=article&id=7030:aviation-experts-decry-staggering-annual-losses-to-aer odrome-incidents&catid=95:aviation&Itemid=357 ***************************************** FAA Gives Santa Thumbs-Up for Takeoff Washington Headquarters Press Release For Immediate Release December 22, 2009 Contact: Les Dorr, Jr. Phone: (202) 267-3883 WASHINGTON - Federal Aviation Administration chief Randy Babbitt braved snow, ice and foggy conditions at North Pole International Airport to give Santa Claus and his sleigh a thumbs-up for the jolly old pilot's traditional round-the-world Christmas Eve mission. During a 90-minute check ride, Administrator Babbitt made sure Santa can properly execute the demanding maneuvers and precision rooftop landings inherent in making toy deliveries. He also checked that the sleigh's deicing equipment, reindeer propulsion system and communications and navigation systems are working properly. In addition, the Administrator verified Santa has policies in place to guarantee he and his elves will have a proper rest period before the long, all-night mission. While the elves will have WiFi inflight internet access, St. Nick stressed he will strictly enforce his longstanding ban on distractions in the cockpit. "Santa and his crew have always shown extraordinary professionalism in the cockpit," said FAA Administrator Babbitt "I'm certain they'll pull off the flight without a hitch." This year, Santa has several Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) technology improvements at his disposal to make the annual trip safer and more fuel-efficient. For example, North Pole International Airport boasts a new ASDE-X ground surveillance radar system to help St. Nick avoid marauding polar bears and the occasional Grinch. Santa's sleigh (registration N0EL) boasts all the necessary electronics to use Area Navigation (RNAV) and Required Navigation Performance (RNP), approaches the FAA has in place to help Santa easily reach children's homes. The sleigh also has an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) component that pinpoints its position for air traffic controllers and other aircraft throughout the flight. Mindful of environmental issues, Santa has incorporated several Earth-friendly features this year. Rudolph's bright red nose and the sleigh's warning and decorative lights are all powered by energy-saving LEDs. The public can follow Santa on his Christmas Eve mission at http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html . http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=11063 ************* Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC