Flight Safety Information April 21, 2010 - No. 079 In This Issue 3 safe after Coast Guard helicopter crash FAA grants expanded TIA to 787 flight test programme Tu-154 crash probe strives to clean 'noisy' voice recording FAA proposes fine against AZ flight school HAI Safety Committee ISO New Members FLIGHT TEST SAFETY WORKSHOP...3-6 May 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 safe after Coast Guard helicopter crash Three U.S. Coast Guardsmen aboard a U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit HH-65C rescue helicopter are safe after their helicopter crashed during nighttime training in southern Lake Huron Tuesday night. The helicopter was practicing rescue hoists with a 41-foot Coast Guard utility boat based in Port Huron when something went wrong at 9:45 p.m. The orange helicopter crashed into the 50-foot-deep water, missing the boat, and sank nine miles north of Port Huron, Jerry Popiel, assistant chief of incident management for the Coast Guard's 9th District said this morning. "At this time, we really can't say what caused the accident, really because we don't know," Popiel said. "Incidents like this typically happen very quickly." All three aviators were able to get out of the helicopter before it sank. No injuries were reported, but they were taken to a local hospital as a safety precaution and were later released. Coast Guard Sector Detroit has established a three-mile safety zone around the location of the helicopter in preparation for the investigation and salvage operations, which are scheduled to begin today. The U.S. Coast Guard HH-65C is a multi-mission, short-range recovery helicopter. http://www.freep.com/article/20100421/NEWS01/100421010/1320/3-safe-after-Coast-Guard-helicopter-crash Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAA grants expanded TIA to 787 flight test programme The US FAA granted Boeing expanded type inspection authorisation (TIA) yesterday for its Boeing 787 flight test programme. The move will pave the way for FAA personnel to fully take part in future test flights, and to collect flight test data. "Boeing achieved the expansion by demonstrating the readiness of the airplane throughout a variety of speeds, altitudes and configurations," says the airframer. Initial TIA was granted on 11 February, supporting the collection of flutter certification data. "This TIA expansion is another significant step toward delivering airplanes to our customers. We remain on track to deliver the first airplane to All Nippon Airways this year," says Scott Fancher, VP and general manager of the 787 programme. Boeing also announced it has finalised the aerodynamic configuration of the 787, and will make no further changes. "We have completed sufficient testing to decide that no additional changes to the external lines or shape of the airplane are required," says Fancher. "Having an airplane match its expected performance with so few changes is rare and speaks to the maturity of the design." The first delivery of the 787 to ANA is scheduled for 2010's fourth quarter. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tu-154 crash probe strives to clean 'noisy' voice recording Investigators analysing the communications from the crew of the crashed Polish state Tupolev Tu-154 are trying to clean intrusive noise on recordings of the accident. Polish specialists are being assigned the task of identifying the voices of the crew members. "Voice information is very noisy and there are many sections that need restoration," says the Russian Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK). The aircraft was destroyed as it struck trees while attempting an approach to Smolesnk, in dense fog, on 10 April. Investigators have been working to determine the precise trajectory of the aircraft. The crash site is substantially to the left of the approach centreline to the runway marked 26 at the military airport. MAK also states that it is analysing data from checks on the airport's navigation aids. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAA proposes fine against AZ flight school WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal aviation officials are proposing a $330,000 fine against an Arizona flight school for graduating would-be pilots who hadn't completed the school's training program or who had failed final tests. The Federal Aviation Administration also said Tuesday that North-Aire Aviation of Prescott Valley, Ariz., didn't correct the discrepancies after they were pointed out. FAA said the school's training program didn't meet federal regulations and it failed to retain student records as required. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement that it's important that pilots receive full training and that short cuts aren't taken. The agency said the fines relate to 18 students who graduated between April and August of 2008. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HAI Safety Committee ISO New Members Committee Identifies Safety Risks, Works On Mitigation HAI's Safety Committee is looking for new members to join its ranks. The primary objective of the Safety Committee is to improve hazard and risk identification, assessment, and mitigation, with the result of eliminating fatalities, accidents, and incidents in the helicopter industry. It also seeks to advise, educate, and consult with HAI members and the helicopter industry on safety issues. The Committee is looking for individuals with experience in the following areas: Safety Management Systems Safety Auditing Safety Certification HAI's Safety Committee meets three times a year. Domestic Members (U.S. and Canada) are required to attend two of three meetings annually. International Members must attend one of three meetings annually. Regular scheduled meetings are held every four months and, if required or appropriate, the Committee may meet by teleconference. The upcoming meeting will be held on June 27 & 28, 2010 at HAI's headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Interested parties should plan on attending. There will be an HAI-sponsored reception the evening of June 28. Membership is open to employees of HAI Regular Members, helicopter manufacturers who are HAI Associate members, and to HAI Sustaining Members who have relevant rotorcraft safety experience. FMI: www.rotor.com Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FLIGHT TEST SAFETY WORKSHOP 3-6 May 2010 The Doubletree Hotel San Jose, California The Flight Test Safety Committee (FTSC) will be sponsoring the annual Flight Test Safety Workshop on 3-6 May 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel - San Jose, 2050 Gateway Place, San Jose, CA 95110. The purpose of the Safety Workshop is to provide an open forum where flight test safety issues can be presented, discussed, and probed with other members and other disciplines within the flight test community. FTSC Board of Directors Member, Rod Huete, FAA (Ret) is coordinating the event with the assistance of The Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) and the Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE). The theme of this year's workshop is "Configuration Management - Know What You're Testing". The technical program will concentrate on the most essential aspects of a safe and effective flight test team. The four individual sessions will be tailored to highlight particular components of the overall safety process. As we develop the future of flight technology, it is important to recognize the core safety values and processes used by today's successful flight test teams. The workshop will highlight the importance of sharing information and learning from other participants' successes and failures. No proceedings are published; therefore, formal written papers are not required. To ensure freedom of communication, there will be a safety-related non-attribution policy in effect throughout the Workshop. Please submit abstracts by email to shawna@setp.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by fax to 1-661-940-0398, or by mail to: SETP, PO Box 986, Lancaster, CA 93584. The deadline for abstracts is 19 March 2010 and should be limited to one page or less. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Doubletree Hotel. The hotel has provided a special rate of $132 single/double per night + tax. Please note that the Doubletree hotel is part of the Hilton HHonors group. YOUR RESERVATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY MONDAY, 19 APRIL 2010 TO GUARANTEE A ROOM AT THE SPECIAL RATE(extended). Rates are subject to change after the cut-off date. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-222-8733 or on-line at http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/JOSE-DT-SOE-20100430/index.jhtml. REGISTRATION AND CHECK IN: The Workshop registration desk will be open: Monday, 3 May - Tour - Lobby at 7:30am, tour departs at 8:15am. Registration - in the Gateway Foyer from 6:00pm - 8:00pm Tuesday, 4 May - 8:00am - Gateway Foyer Wednesday, 5 May - 8:00am - Gateway Foyer Thursday, 6 May - 8:00am - Gateway Foyer REGISTRATION FEES: (Deadline for refunds on cancellations is 26 April 2010) Technical Tour - $40.00 Full Registration (includes Tutorial, Workshop and Reception) - $550.00 Speaker Registration (includes Tutorial, Workshop and Reception) - $350.00 One Day Registration (Tuesday or Thursday) - $150.00 One Day Registration (Wednesday) - $250.00 (includes reception) Cooper-Garrod Winery Event - $100.00 (for those not registered for the workshop) Click here to register for the Workshop on-line. MONDAY, 3 MAY - TECHNICAL TOUR: A specially arranged tour of NASA Ames is being coordinated by Warren Hall. As a leader in information technology research with a focus on supercomputing, networking and intelligent systems, Ames conducts the critical R&D and develops the enabling technologies that make NASA missions possible. In addition, Ames works collaboratively with the FAA, conducting research in air traffic management to make safer, cheaper and more efficient air travel a reality. NASA Ames has requested that each international visitor complete the International Visitor Information Form and fax to 1-650-604-6104 by 23 February 2010. If you are an international attendee, NASA Ames MUST have this form 23 FEBRUARY 2010 in order for you to attend the tour (NO EXCEPTIONS). Following lunch, the bus will depart for the Hiller Aviation Museum which includes a collection of aviation history spanning over the past 30 years by Stanley Hiller. The bus will depart the hotel at 8:15am and return at 4:00pm. The cost for this event is $40.00 and includes continental breakfast, bus transportation and entrance into the Hiller Aviation Museum. Attendees will purchase their own lunch in the NASA cafeteria. TUESDAY, 4 MAY - Tutorial: The FTSC is again sponsoring a full-day Flight Test Safety Tutorial on the first day of the Workshop. This year's theme is "Safety Management Systems (SMS) - What is it and how do you implement it?" Continental breakfast will be served at 8:00am in the Gateway Foyer. The Tutorial will begin at 8:30am in the Oak Fir room. Lunch will be held in the Gateway Foyer at 12:00pm. The tutorial is included in the registration fee. WEDNESDAY, 5 MAY - TECHNICAL SESSIONS: Technical Session One and Technical Session Two. Continental breakfast will be served at 8:00am in the Gateway Foyer. The workshop will begin at 8:30am in the Oak Fir room. Workshop attendees are eligible to receive Continuing Education credits through Embry-Riddle University. A certificate will be provided if requested on the registration form. At the conclusion of the sessions, attendees will be transported to the award winning "Cooper-Garrod Winery", located in the Santa Cruz Mountains and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There you will enjoy a tour of the winery, a wine tasting and a dinner reception. Cooper-Garrod Winery was founded in 1973 by SETP Charter Member, George Cooper. He wanted something fun to do after his "retirement", so he planted grapes and set about learning to make wine. He produced a private reserve enjoyed by the family for 20 years before commercial sales began in 1994. Buses will depart the hotel at 6:00pm and return at 10:30pm. The event is included in the registration fee, but if you wish to bring a guest, tickets may be purchased for $100.00. THURSDAY, 6 MAY - TECHNICAL SESSIONS: Technical Session Three and Technical Session Four. Continental breakfast will be served at 8:00am in the Gateway Foyer. The workshop will begin at 8:30am in the Oak Fir room. At the end of Session four the FTSC will award a Best Presentation Award which is sponsored by Bombardier Aerospace. The Flight Test Safety Committee (FTSC) was formed jointly in November 1994 by members of The Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), the Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). The purpose of the FTSC is to initiate and sustain a flight test safety related organization intended to promote flight safety, reduce the risk of mishap, promote risk reduction management, and continually improve the profession's communication and coordination. -- http://www.flighttestsafety.org/ -- See link below for program http://www.setp.org/workshop-3-6-may-2010/flight-test-safety-workshop-presentations.html Deadline for refunds on cancellations is 26 April 2010 Thomas E Roberts Chairman Flight Test Safety Committee work 301-342-3425 cell 240-298-6486 Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC