Flight Safety Information February 23, 2010 No.041 In This Issue Audit report criticizes FAA, American Airlines Reinventing the Commercial Jet...The long-delayed boeing 787 Aviation safety rate: One accident for every 1.4 million flights First flight test of 787 experiences hiccup OUTERLINK AND PHI LEAD THE INDUSTRY WITH LIGHTWEIGHT...FLIGHT DATA SYSTEM HAI 2010 News Clips...February 23, 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Audit report criticizes FAA, American Airlines over maintenance problems The U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued its report on the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of American Airlines' maintenance programs. The audit was prompted by allegations that the overall aircraft operational reliability had decreased at this airline. The audit objectives were to assess (1) FAA's oversight of American Airlines' maintenance program and identify any underlying weaknesses and (2) FAA's response to the allegations. OIG reported that FAA's oversight lacked the rigor needed to identify the types of issues identified in the allegations, at least 4 of which were found to be valid. Specifically, FAA failed to assess systems for monitoring air carrier maintenance programs, identify root causes of maintenance deferrals, ensure properly trained mechanics performed certain required inspections, and ensure prompt responses to safety recommendations and service bulletins. In addition, FAA's internal reviews of the allegations were not comprehensive. As a result, FAA missed opportunities to identify potential maintenance issues and put corrective actions in place. OIG recommended several actions to enhance FAA's oversight in key maintenance areas at American-such actions could also improve FAA's maintenance oversight at other air carriers as well as its processes for assessing industry-wide safety allegations. FAA generally concurred with the recommendations; however, many of the actions FAA has taken are still underway. Therefore, OIG has requested additional information to validate that the issues identified have been fully addressed. (U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG)) » Audit report [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGUIqeA9hJo4KcZQif6-Ka5tjiojGngQu2DS73PdF0cA8rdz2TU-x3XbN67_KsgovmQHbBoeQjhimbNSFfdLm_ih6SDo_qUH2IshowoYavtsI18RPZTDK-nIo6VmbjCjpqzU=] (aviation-safety.net) Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reinventing the Commercial Jet The long-delayed boeing 787 is a lesson in the limits of outsourcing. It is also a preview of the future of air travel. Nearly seven years ago, when I visited Boeing's cavernous manufacturing site in Everett, WA, the sight of machinists playing ping-pong in a vast but idle shop seemed to symbolize the stagnant state of the aviation industry. Air travel had not recovered from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. And Boeing was facing stiff competition: Airbus, its European rival, had made innovative advances in commercial jets, such as rear tail pieces made from lightweight composites. Worse, Airbus was gearing up to build the A380 superjumbo jet--a higher-?capacity, more efficient competitor to ?Boeing's iconic 747. Boeing needed to do something bold. So it bet its business on a medium-sized advanced aircraft called the 7E7--today known as the 787 Dreamliner--that would be 20 percent more fuel-efficient than other jets of comparable size and cost less to maintain. Such a jet would make direct flights between far-flung smaller cities (say, Boston and Bangalore) cost-effective. "It's the future. It really is," Mark Jenks, a Boeing vice president who was then director of technology integration for the 7E7 program, said to me in 2003. "If we get it wrong, it's the end. And everyone here knows that." Boeing's plane would greatly increase the use of advanced composites--layers of carbon fibers embedded in epoxy resin to form durable, lightweight materials. The 787 structure would be 50 percent composite, compared with just 12 percent in Boeing's previous jet, the 777, and 23 percent in the Airbus A380. For the first time in commercial aviation, the entire tube of the fuselage would be a single piece of composite, replacing the customary aluminum alloy skin affixed to aluminum alloy ribs. In another first, the wings and the center wing box--a chunk of fuselage to which the wing structures attach--would also be made of composites. Innovation extended to the design and manufacturing process. Airbus and Boeing had long subcontracted some manufacturing, and Airbus had even invited some subcontractors to invest and share the risk in the A380. But in an effort to reduce its own investment and cut costs, "Boeing took it a lot further," says Hans Weber, owner of San Diego-based TECOP International, a technical consultant to the aviation industry and government agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration. Airbus had never outsourced design or the manufacture of the main airframe. With the 787, Boeing did both. On paper, customers were impressed; by the end of 2007, the 787 was the hottest-selling jet in history. But when the first one took wing for its first test flight in December, it was the most delayed commercial jet in the firm's history--28 months behind schedule. The 787 had become bogged down in a saga of parts shortages, subcontractor failures, and weaknesses in crucial composite structures, requiring retrofits and redesigns. Where's the Duct Tape? So what went wrong? For starters, the company lost track of certain details--namely, fasteners. Building a single Boeing 777 requires 2.7 million titanium, aluminum, and stainless-?steel bolts, rivets, and other fasteners peculiar to airframe manufacture. And the 787 would need more fasteners made of the titanium alloys that are least susceptible to corrosion when in contact with carbon composites. As the 787 project geared up, the industry was already in the midst of a fastener shortage. But Boeing's extensive outsourcing strategy compounded this problem. The back of the fuselage was made by Vought Aircraft Industries in South Carolina; a middle chunk by Alenia Aeronautica in Italy; the nose by Spirit AeroSystems in Kansas. In Japan, Mitsubishi, Fuji, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries built the wing structures--and Kawasaki built yet another piece of fuselage. Suppliers were ordering fasteners in different ways and on different schedules; as a result, the fastener manufacturers found it difficult to make coherent production plans, according to a recent case study by the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business that drew on Boeing reports and interviews with company employees. This bogged down manufacturing. "Boeing was caught off guard," says Ravi Anupindi, a professor of operations management at Ross. "By the time they knew about it, it was at a crisis stage." To solve the problem, the company wound up taking over the ordering of all fasteners. Next, problems arose with the composite structures. In March 2008, ?Boeing said that parts of the center wing box, built by Fuji Heavy Industries, had unexpectedly buckled during stress testing. This caused a six-month setback as Boeing added aluminum reinforcements to the boxes and changed the designs of future ones. Then, days before a planned first flight in June 2009, the company discovered that composite "stringers" joining the main wing structure to the center wing box--the most severely stressed connections on any plane--had delaminated in testing. Boeing had to remake the wing-body connections, adding, among other things, 34 new titanium fittings. The full story behind these issues has not been revealed, and Boeing provided no interviews for this story. "It's hard to tell where a lack of oversight by Boeing ends and a bad contractor performance begins," says Richard Aboulafia, vice president of the Teal Group, a think tank and consultant to the civil and military aviation industries. "Getting other people to build things for them worked well for Boeing, decade after decade. So with the 787, it was just faith. It might have worked with traditional designs, but with composites and new techniques, it was guaranteed to be a disaster." Toulouse Goose The problems and delays contributed to the $3.5 billion in charges the company took last year. And Boeing found it necessary to buy the South Carolina plant of Vought, which had fallen behind on its fuselage work, and to build a second fuselage assembly line. The company recognized belatedly that its outsourcing had gone too far, says Morris Cohen, a professor of manufacturing and logistics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. "We see more and more outsourcing of manufacturing, globally, in high-tech industries," Cohen says. "We are discovering that as you move down that path, the challenges are not trivial. I don't think companies have paid enough attention to how to manage supply chains from a strategic perspective." The clearest consequence, besides the costly delays, is that the first few 787s will probably be heavier than the targeted 108 tons. Nevertheless, the first 787s are scheduled to be delivered this year. And as long as the plane ultimately performs as advertised, the delays may not harm Boeing's long-term reputation. "Boeing can very easily redeem itself by producing a product that the market wants," says Aboulafia. Airlines and passengers, he adds, "remember the product, not how it was executed." Meanwhile, the Airbus A380 program has faced its own manufacturing glitches. More significant, the plane has found relatively few buyers; with a capacity between 525 and 853 passengers, it is simply too big to make sense for many airlines. Whereas Boeing has logged more than 800 orders for the 787, only about 200 have come in for the A380, earning the aircraft--whose maker is headquartered in Toulouse, France--the nickname "Toulouse Goose," after Howard Hughes's infamous "Spruce Goose," the wood-framed World War II-era behemoth that never made it beyond a single prototype. Even if the 787 passes through all the turbulence, Boeing can't rest for long. Airbus now has a 787 competitor waiting in the wings: the midsize A350, also 50 percent composite. About 500 orders have come in, and Airbus says it's on track to start delivering the aircraft in 2013. So in a sense, the 787 program seems likely to pay off one way or another. If it provided a hard lesson about the limits of outsourcing and the risks of innovating with composite materials, the bold design also gave Boeing a much-needed head start on the next phase of innovation in commercial aviation. http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/24567/page2/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Aviation safety rate: One accident for every 1.4 million flights (CNN) -- Air travel has been getting increasingly frustrating, with fees, crowds and other hassles, but passengers may be glad to know that 2009 was a banner year for aviation safety. The year's accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft was the second lowest in modern aviation history -- just behind 2006, according to a new report by the International Air Transport Association. The group started keeping records in 1964. "It's the airlines continuing to invest in training and technology on the aircraft," said Steve Lott, the group's head of communications for North America. "We like to remind passengers that they are still in very safe hands. Aviation [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGUIoif3yq0s9j05N9XdK4zV_gHB6q1MofrVr4Nm6J6GXUfAsbuiB6spVKYTDGWFVXXT1LxLu-1BW50WngLJhU-1hfF-lYkOQBqiHlOCUs6THNUSbTfwAlnwD07jjEM18rcRdNZMKkCYtRQ==] is still the safest form of transportation, and looking at the statistics, it's still very rare and growing increasingly rare that we see any accidents." In 2009, the global accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft equaled to one accident for every 1.4 million flights, the air transport group [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGULvBX6dbwDwzJg6aLc0faZREkWhr-JIXZUpuYGmH96-DYWcCsyNLz1quKierKsoYgAaSClRXck2Ybb5XmExwyqPNo4TZaeUgMq1NIHoq-HUQVWGi5sx0rqYZQ9rNm1_5Yegw429UHT5L6EncBRKyk9Ms2GAivfGn1K4R-R0H2cWp9ZdjGfHphEK] found. To put it another way, if you were to take a flight every day, odds are you could go 3,859 years without an accident, according to the group's report. When accidents did happen last year, pilot handling was a contributing factor in 30 percent of the cases, showing how important the human element is to aviation safety, Lott said. "How do we improve that? It really comes down to training," he said. Runway excursions, such as the December incident when an American Airlines jet overran a runway in Kingston, Jamaica, accounted for 26 percent of accidents in 2009. Ground damage accounted for a 10th of accidents last year. How do those happen? One example is when a catering or fuel truck runs into a plane parked at the gate, causing damage and flight cancellations, Lott said. The 2009 accident rate was significantly higher on Eastern-built aircraft, or those made in Russia and China, but flights on those planes represent about 2 percent of all flights around the world, Lott said. The International Air Transport Association represents 230 airlines around the globe, including major U.S. carriers such as American, Continental, Delta and United. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/02/22/aviation.safety.report/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ First flight test of 787 experiences hiccup A glitch in a pressure sensor in one of the two Rolls Royce engines powering Boeing's first flight test 787 Dreamliner has delayed flight testing of the aircraft while the company makes sure the problem doesn't recur. That problem forced the engine to shut down during flight testing Friday over Eastern Washington and sent the test aircraft to Grant County Airport in Moses Lake for an unscheduled landing. The 787 can fly on a single engine, but a shutdown of one of the two powerplants is alarming enough to get the plane back on the ground as soon as possible. Boeing executive Randy Tinseth said parts shipped to Moses Lake from the company's Everett factory were used to repair the plane, and it returned to its test base Sunday at Boeing Field in Seattle on both engines. The plane will resume testing as soon as Boeing investigates the cause of the sensor failure and corrects its cause. http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/02/23/1082222/first-flight-test-of-787-experiences.html Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://outerlink.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGUJ16Q9ZtGL8TsjDEsTsIko_2aj8xzd_HNU3IiHwu8Gp-EXPffvxAy_lfM2vvMu71W2vHTsR8V7g4ilsKgpF303MZmZTKRdi5y4=]OUTERLINK AND PHI LEAD THE INDUSTRY WITH LIGHTWEIGHT FLIGHT DATA SYSTEM Lowell, MA, 18 February 2010 - OuterLink Corporation, a leading provider of satellite-based mobile asset management solutions, today announced the development and certification of a new, lightweight Flight Data System in conjunction with PHI, Inc. OuterLink and PHI have taken the lead in addressing recent NTSB safety recommendations by jointly developing and certifying a comprehensive Flight Data System that collects and records voice, video and aircraft flight data. The OuterLink FDS [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGUIcICyTGf-6t6GQHzGDPE8EVfMXZyC4WlaiV59dGLTwFqaz07cXjBi1BmO9gmFlIXYkTOO78_zyOSkP-6IvD04fiP8NLX3gOEwWi5Q4iy1s-e-FKtSyyKZZw_IoYeyEEHY=] incorporates the existing OuterLink Voice and Video Recorder (OVVR) with a new Multifunction Data Acquisition Unit (MFDAU) and Quick Access Recorder (QAR). The MFDAU is equipped with internal sensors capable of generating its own basic flight profile information as well as providing analog, digital and ARINC data inputs to acquire advanced engine and systems information. The system conforms to the latest DO-160 Rotorcraft Standards and is in the final stages of receiving an FAA STC on a PHI EC-135 aircraft. Jeff Warner, VP of Sales and Marketing for OuterLink said, "As a manufacturer of aviation safety equipment from satellite communications to advanced mapping solutions, we saw a need to bring innovative ideas and technologies to the aviation industry. PHI has always been committed to leading the industry with cutting edge safety tools and equipment and this partnership is an extension of a solid relationship." Lance Bospflug, Chief Operating Officer for PHI further added, "We began our relationship with OuterLink in 2001 with the introduction of the CP-2 satcom system into the Gulf of Mexico in response to our need for a more robust flight following system as we moved further offshore. I am pleased to be able to continue this relationship and introduce new technology to PHI which strengthens our safety systems. Warner explained that joint development of the Flight Data System enabled the two companies to create a product that satisfies two of the top four recent NTSB recommendations and has the flexibility to work in older analog aircraft as well as the newest digital airframes. "PHI has been instrumental in bringing this system to the market and helping us take the bold step of integrating the recorder into multiple aircraft systems," he adds. "We are very fortunate to have PHI as a partner on this project. They are a forward thinking company with an extremely professional staff and we look forward to teaming with them on the integration with other airframes within their fleet." Jared Simon, PHI's Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) Supervisor elaborates, "The OuterLink FDS will greatly enhance the insight into aspects of flight operations that can truly impact safety margins across the industry. Particularly in lightweight and legacy fleets, a device of this caliber and level of fidelity was non-existent or unpractical due to cost, weight or lack of data. This system addresses all three of these limitations and beyond with provisions for expansion. The fact that we have gone from concept to certification in about a year is truly remarkable." The OuterLink FDS allows customers to record 16GB of data and 16GB of voice and video on easily accessible SD cards in the QAR. All information is redundantly recorded on the crash resistant memory within the OVVR. The FDS also contains OuterLink's Safety Matrix and Reporting Threshold (SMART) internal application that allows customers to develop event criteria based on multiple parameters and uses real-time monitoring and alerts via text message, email or satcom messaging. The OuterLink FDS has been integrated into OuterLink satcom system so that customers may utilize the innovative voice messaging, tracking and communication capabilities. Additional data, such as radar altimeter information, can be transmitted along with the standard 30 second interval position reports. "Whether installed as a stand-alone recorder or integrated with our satcom," Warner concluded, "the FDS represents a huge leap in providing operators with a flexible system at a reasonable cost and weight." As part of the systems' development, OuterLink and CAE Flightscape have teamed together to develop an interface that allows customers to use the comprehensive Flightscape Insight® suite of FOQA software as part of their Safety Management System (SMS). The CAE Flightscape Insight suite is an industry leader in flight data analysis and simulation. OuterLink also teamed with Flight Display Systems of Alpharetta, GA in certifying their FD600CAM-2 High Resolution Cockpit Camera as part of the Flight Data System. OuterLink will be displaying the new FDS at the Heli Expo in Houston, TX (Booth 922). About OuterLink Outerlink Corporation is a leading provider of satellite-based mobile asset management solutions for mission-critical applications. The company develops advanced asset tracking devices and software and provides engineering and integration services for enterprise-level fleet management. Outerlink's satellite-based mobile asset management solutions provide secure, real-time location tracking and satellite communications capability including two-way messaging to strategically manage the operations of air, land and marine vehicles. Based in Lowell Massachusetts, Outerlink is a private, venture backed company. For more information visit: www.outerlink.com # # # Media Contact: Gladys Cruz 978-856-0007 gcruz@outerlink.com [mailto:gcruz@outerlink.com] Back to Top [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGUJRszNj51WDx-psUeQhc4IhNMXDpyB4xrnvZTftpbnKuu_YAWyPuJoK6cV7dDofdgVuZIlsQjFrJA==] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HAI 2010 News Clips February 23, 2010 Rotorcraft [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGUKgLvlHda6MU24TYY1H2jWMavdZWfbHuVqYxVgx_Kd5R0uALN5l2jYUL9RKVP6HIcXy_x3zAxQBPubLwRqyzfO0BMoYDyBFw5wPdw7DQ2AHpKWZ7YkG9-8ZUPzZ1vTwOtw=] S.E.I. Creates Quieter Cabin Servizi Elicotteristici Italiani (S.E.I., Booth No. 2045) has developed a new in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, I-Feel, that can control communications, audio/video playback, cabin functions and passenger settings. It has EASA approval "on most medium and heavy helicopter models." European approval is expected in the first quarter of this year on an AgustaWestland AW139, with FAA certification to follow. The company has also received European certification for Silens, a cabin noise and vibration-reduction system that lowers noise from 76 to 71 dB (SIL4) at a cruise speed of 140 knots. FAA certification is expected in the first quarter. USAIG's Safety Bucks Add Up Aviation insurance underwriter USAIG (Booth No. 1501) is here at Heli-Expo touting the benefits and successes of its Safety Bucks program. Under Safety Bucks, USAIG works with helicopter manufacturers to reward the underwriter's premier accounts that demonstrate a dedication to training and safety. Each participating operator receives up to $30,000 per year to spend on flight or maintenance training. The dollars can be redeemed for training through the OEMs of the aircraft they operate and FlightSafety International. The latest Safety Bucks check went to FPL Group, bringing the total awarded over the 13 years of the program to more than $5,477,450. Switlik Offers Mission-specific Life Vest Trenton, N.J.-based Switlik Parachute (Booth No. 3510) is showcasing upgrades to its FAA-approved modular aircrew life vest, designed for helicopter operators with varied operational needs. Unique looped webbing allows users to equip their vests with pockets, holsters and accessories positioned for their specific mission profiles. New features include beaded inflation handles raising tactile reference to military standards, a back panel for ID or reflective material and a wide variety of pocket options. The MOD vest is also now available in other fabrics and colors, including blue and sage green. Aeromaritime America Expands Facilities Aeromaritime America (AAI, Booth No. 2721) is expanding into its newly built 10,000-sq-ft shop located behind the original building on Falcon Field in Mesa, Ariz., on March 15. It will include 19 technician stations, an environmentally friendly "zero discharge" clean room, machine shop and NDT section. Sections of the original facility will be converted to administrative offices and a greatly expanded new and reworked parts section. The company expects to announce an opening date soon. Granitize Offering Discount on Cleaning Kits First-time Heli-Expo exhibitor Granitize Aviation International (Booth No. 3323) is offering 50 percent off its most popular introductory cleaning and polishing kits here at Heli-Expo. The company's products are helpful for keeping exhaust stains off tailbooms and bugs off windshields. Granitize's Stay Clean kits come in three levels, for heavy, medium and light paint oxidation. Each kit includes the appropriate cleaner for oxidation level, degreaser, spray cleaner/degreaser, hard-surface cleaner, Xzilon (a Granitize hard-surface resin product), a clay bar and special cleaner for use with the clay bar, OSHA-compliant spray bottles and instructions. The kit price during the show is $125, including shipping. European Air Ambulance Meeting at Aero 2010 International air ambulance services will likely dominate the discourse during the first European Air Ambulance Meeting, scheduled to take place during the Aero 2010 show (April 8 to 11) in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Aero 2010 (Booth No. 602) will serve as a platform for exchanging information among organizations and specialists in air rescue, including manufacturers and designers of medical equipment on the aircraft and insurance companies. Organizers expect the show's venue, in the tri-border area of Austria, Switzerland and Germany, will prove ideal due to its setting in the heart of Europe. For details on the Air Ambulance Meeting and Aero 2010, visit www.aero-expo.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103083160960&s=6053&e=001Z_r_XK1JGUIRBAk_i7NMUH4N55yBCZZcdvyx30qN3uA3654WgS4kMyV7wpMIZkx2U858E3M1er_hbCVXiZwGXDjLyPQVilsP5alCjDY-1wpIHn-SOyG-9w==]. http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/hai-2010-news-clips-6/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC