Flight Safety Information May 31, 2010 - No. 107 In This Issue Officers arrest 'person of interest' on diverted plane New Generation of GPS Sats Checks In FAA Solicits Commercial Space Grant Proposals Mangalore crash: Captain ignored co-pilot's plea to abort landing Libya plane crash 'not technical fault' Air France crash victims' families want new search... Volcanic Ash Closes Guatemalan International Airport Maintenance Worker At TIMCO Aviation Services Falls To His Death Giant ash cloud threatens flights in Pacific Hawaiian promotes Sardinha to VP of maintenance... Landing gear mishap spurs NTSB recommendations for maintenance training NTSB investigates US Airways and Cargolux near miss ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Officers arrest 'person of interest' on diverted plane (CNN) -- An Aeromexico flight from France to Mexico was diverted to Montreal, Canada, Sunday because a "person of interest" was on board, a Transportation Security Administration spokesman said. Law enforcement officers removed the passenger from the flight after it landed at the Montreal airport, and arrested the individual on an outstanding warrant, TSA spokesman Sterling Payne said. All other passengers were rescreened before the flight continued to its destination of Mexico City, Mexico, he said. The Boeing 767 originated in Paris, France. Payne said TSA would continue to monitor the flight. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New Generation of GPS Sats Checks In GPS IIF-1 Satellite Sends 1st Signals from Space The first on-orbit signals from the new GPS IIF-1 satellite, the inaugural spacecraft in a 12-satellite constellation that the company is building for the U.S. Air Force have been received. The signals indicate that the spacecraft bus is functioning normally and ready to begin orbital maneuvers and operational testing. A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket launched the GPS IIF-1 satellite at 11 p.m. Eastern time on May 27 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At 2:33 a.m., the satellite separated from the rocket's upper stage, and a ground station on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean received the first signals from the newest member of the Air Force's GPS satellite constellation. The Air Force 19th Space Operations Squadron and Boeing's Mission Operations Support Center in El Segundo, Calif., confirmed that the satellite is healthy. GPS signals from the spacecraft payload will be turned on for test purposes in the coming weeks. GPS is the U.S. Department of Defense's largest satellite constellation, with 30 spacecraft on orbit. The GPS IIF satellites will provide more precise and powerful signals, a longer design life, and many other benefits to nearly 1 billion civilian and military users worldwide. "The inaugural launch of the GPS IIF-1 is a milestone in Boeing's 30 years of support to the Air Force that goes back to the first days of this program," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager, Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "The new GPS IIF satellites bring key improvements, including a more jam-resistant military signal, a new civil signal to enhance commercial aviation and search-and-rescue operations, and significantly improved signal accuracy as more of these new satellites go into operation." The GPS IIF-1 satellite will undergo months of on-orbit tests, including functional testing of its payloads and end-to-end system testing to verify operability with older GPS satellites, ground receivers, and the ground control system. Boeing has production of the next 11 GPS IIF satellites well under way as it implements an innovative pulse-line manufacturing approach that will help deliver the satellite fleet on schedule. Adapted from Boeing aircraft and helicopter assembly lines, the Boeing GPS IIF pulse line efficiently moves satellites under development from one work area to the next in a steady, pulse-like rhythm. The second GPS IIF satellite is scheduled for launch later this year. FMI: www.gps.gov, https://gps.afspc.af.mil/gpsoc/Default.aspx, www.boeing.com Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAA Solicits Commercial Space Grant Proposals $500,000 Available To be Awarded This Fiscal Year If you've been mulling over some great ideas about how to help facilitate commercial space flight, there is federal money available for the first time to start putting those plans into place, if you're willing to jump through a few hoops to get it. The FAA has published in the Federal Register a request for grant proposals in an effort to begin beefing up the infrastructure that will support commercial space flight. Grant proposals for technical and environmental studies; construction, improvement, and design and engineering of space transportation infrastructure, including facilities and associated equipment; and real property to meet the needs of the United States commercial space transportation industry, will be considered. The program has an initial appropriation of $500,000 to be used for space transportation infrastructure projects. The FAA says it hopes to award the appropriated funds before the end of fiscal year 2010. To that end, the FAA will review and evaluate all applications for a grant under 49 U.S.C. chapter 703 (Chapter 703), and may make one or more grant awards based upon its evaluations of the grant proposals. All grants awarded under this program are discretionary awards. Given that the FAA may award multiple grants, the grant proposals may include multiple or alternative funding proposals for financing the proposed project. The grant proposal should also indicate how applicable environmental requirements were or will be satisfied, and applicants may submit multiple grant proposals. Although the Congressional authorization has been in effect for some time, FY 2010 is the first year Federal funds have been appropriated. Grant applications are due on or before July 6, 2010, and the FAA hopes to turn the applications around quickly, with money going to recipients by August 31. The FAA says the Commercial Space Transportation Grant Assurances should be similar in nature and purpose to those required under the Airport Improvement Program www.faa.gov [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103447276487&s=6053&e=001DIg2ADlsR-IrEQJZeejYPakDZTU37MOP9VjkUVjyXCJElblhxtutZ7WgdqSpbgiIePiRBE-Sn_sSWAgTfB9mO4idF0NXiPyj3jq_TS5p4RY=] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mangalore crash: Captain ignored co-pilot's plea to abort landing NEW DELHI: The horrific Air India Express crash in Mangalore on May 22 that killed 158 people could have possibly been averted had the expat commander heeded his Indian co-pilot's advice. Records of the conversation between the pilots and ATC has shown that co-pilot H S Ahluwalia more than once urged Captain Zlatko Glusica not to land and instead go around. Importantly, Ahluwalia's warning had come well before the aircraft had descended below decision height - the critical level at or before which a final decision on whether to land or go around is to be taken - said highly placed sources. Ahluwalia, who was based in Mangalore and had landed there 66 times, voiced his concern when the aircraft was about 800 feet high, they added. "Ahluwalia warned at least twice against landing and urged his commander to go around. He had probably realized the aircraft was either too fast or too high on approach - indicating unstable approach - and would not be able to stop safely on the table-top Mangalore runway. In such situations, going around is a standard operating procedure which enables the aircraft to land safely in second attempt," said a source at ATC. The aircraft (IX 812) was coming from Dubai. But the warning went in vain and the aircraft did not go around. It landed, only to crash and fall off the cliff from this table-top runway. The latest revelation only confirms Ahluwalia's excellent knowledge of the local runway condition. The co-pilot lived in the city. He was due for commandership later in May. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has guidelines for cockpit resource management (CRM) that makes it mandatory for commanders to listen to their comparatively less experienced co-pilots as they may also have something valid to say. According to industry sources, CRM training is very strong in Jet Airways, where Ahluwalia had served earlier. "This is the backbone of Jet and this training would have made Ahluwalia call out very strongly," said sources. Authorities are now pinning their hopes on details from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (black box) to know what exactly transpired inside the cockpit in the final moments. More importantly, they now want to know what made Ahluwalia give the warning for a go-around and why the commander did still went ahead to land. But the CVR and black box have got substantially damaged and may have to be sent to the manufacturer (Boeing) in US for decoding. The Boeing 737-800 touched down after overshooting 2,000 feet of the 8,000-feet-long runway. The second error followed seconds later. Sources said preliminary probe is indicating that the crew realized they may not be able to stop in the remaining airstrip and attempted to take off again. But it was too late by then. A Boeing 737-800 can stop in 4,500-5,000 feet. The Mangalore runway is 8,000 feet long and even if the pilots had overshot the touchdown point by 2,000 feet, there was enough length left to stop. "Initial observations reveal the pilots may have attempted to take off again," a source said. Meanwhile, the aviation ministry has decided to extend Mangalore runway's length by 1,000 feet. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103447276487&s=6053&e=001DIg2ADlsR-IXC4bWh6pneuj_5xcV2VLU4IuvO2COP0mDHPXim5iZ_KzQVKSWHvEhZNA5GydCe0OcHMVGGbZkXHGs6fbDy3q8dcgCp4w5hJUJ13ONKZU419t-HJlGnw2P] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Libya plane crash 'not technical fault' (BBC) Officials said there was no evidence of a terrorist act A plane crash in Libya that killed 103 people on 12 May was not caused by mechanical failure, according to a preliminary inquiry. The "black box" recorders indicated that the Afriqiyah Airways plane had enough fuel and made no call for help. A nine-year-old Dutch boy was the sole survivor of the crash. Most of the dead were Dutch citizens killed when the plane missed the runway at Tripoli airport as it flew in from South Africa. Neji Dhaou, head of the Libyan commission investigating the crash, said the causes remained unknown and indicated it could be some time before his conclusions were ready. "There is no sign indicating a technical failure in the plane before the incident, according to data recovered up until now from the two black boxes," he said in a statement reported by Reuters. The flight recorders were sent to Paris for an examination that was overseen by international observers. After studying the recorders, officials also ruled out a terrorist act as a potential cause. The Airbus 330 was carrying 93 passengers and 11 crew. Some 70 of the dead were Dutch citizens; all of the crew were Libyan. The airline said nationals from South Africa, the UK, Austria, Germany, Zimbabwe and France were also killed. Back to Top [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103447276487&s=6053&e=001DIg2ADlsR-LWwbtW-eG-SctTTJ0rL9ARwKI3KdMq4PAbL1Krnt-OR1kQTYYKqNerKypZ29GDLqQD2JV7MaJCqsRrfbiyqy7P] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Air France crash victims' families want new search PARIS (AP) - A year after Air France Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, families of some of the 228 victims are demanding a new search for the flight recorders. Jean-Baptiste Audousset, president of the French families association Mutual Aid and Solidarity AF447, said Monday that the families need to know what happened. A third, euro13 million ($15.8 million) search effort that ended last week failed to find the flight recorders or even the plane. It is not clear whether the French accident investigation agency will conduct a fourth search. Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau wrote to the families on May 28, in a letter seen by The Associated Press. He promised to do everything possible to find answers, but stopped short of guaranteeing another search. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Volcanic Ash Closes Guatemalan International Airport A blanket of volcanic ash has closed Guatemala's international airport. The ash came from the nearby Pacaya volcano which began erupting on Thursday, killing at least one person. Thousands of passengers were stranded as workers tried to clear the runway of ash. That task became more difficult as rains from Tropical Storm Agatha began mixing with the falling ash. The ash posed a serious threat to airplane engines, as Guatemala's president explained: [Alvaro Colom, Guatemalan President]: "The three planes which are still on the ground must get a special treatment. Special technicians need to come to make sure the ash has not affected them , most of all, the turbines and other mechanical equipment. Everything that needs to be done is taking place to make sure that the aircraft are safe. It won't open (the airport) until all the necessary safety protocols take place." The volcano, which is 40 kilometres south of Guatemala City, sent plumes of ash almost 1,500 meters above its peak. Authorities declared a state of emergency for the surrounding area, evacuating more than 1,600 people. Scientists said this eruption was the volcano's strongest in decades. Pacaya has been continuously active since the 1960's, but not since 1998 has it showered down rocks and ash. http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_sa/2010-05-31/068218329977.html Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maintenance Worker At TIMCO Aviation Services Falls To His Death May 30, 2010. TIMCO Aviation Services has lost a long time and valued employee, Preston Strickland in a tragic accident at its Greensboro, North Carolina facility on Friday. Guilford County Sheriff Department reported that Preston Strickland, age 41 while working on a plane at TIMCO Aviation Services fell at a height of about two stories and was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff's department would not say whether Strickland was wearing safety equipment. Strickland had been with the company for 16 years and was an honored veteran of Operation Desert Storm. Ron Utecht, CEO and President, said, "We are truly heart-broken at this terrible and devastating loss. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his immediate family and to all of his extended family and friends." An investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances that led to the tragedy.Details about the incident and about the employee are being withheld out of respect for the family and until the investigation is complete. TIMCO Aviation Services provides fully integrated aviation MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) services for commercial and government aircraft operators. The MRO services include complete airframe MRO for Boeing and Airbus fleets at TIMCO's corporate complex in Greensboro, North Carolina near Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) as well as at facilities in Macon, Georgia and Lake City, Florida. Through its TIMCO Aerosystems division in Greensboro, the company provides fully integrated aircraft interiors design, manufacturing and certification services and composite facility capable of handling advanced composite and bonded aluminum honeycomb assemblies. The company's Brice Manufacturing division in California designs, engineers and produces a full line of aircraft seating and parts. Maintenance operations are also supported by an advanced engine center in Oscoda, Michigan, and line maintenance operations located at airports throughout the United States. http://avstop.com/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Giant ash cloud threatens flights in Pacific SYDNEY (AFP) - A giant plume of volcanic ash over the South Pacific prompted warnings to tourists and airlines Monday but caused only minor disruption to flights compared with recent chaos in Europe. The cloud billowing from Vanuatu's Mount Yasur volcano rose about 6,000 feet (1,800 metres) high and was spread over about 340 square kilometres (130 square miles), affecting flights in neighbouring New Caledonia. Tourists have been banned from scenic Mount Yasur, which has been exploding and spitting lava and burning rocks, while officials are assessing whether to evacuate some 6,000 nearby villagers. Meanwhile, New Zealand officials warned airlines to avoid the ash -- which can seize up jet engines by being churned into glass -- echoing the Iceland eruption which caused mass disruption in Europe including a week-long shutdown. "The Mount Yasur volcano on Tanna island has been very active the last three days and the eruption is ongoing," said Tristan Oakley, an aviation forecaster with New Zealand's Meteorological Service. Peter Korisa of Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office said ash was contaminating drinking water for villagers in the volatile region, which sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire" known for its volcanic and seismic activity. "Last week we recorded a very high activity for the volcano with hot lava, hot rocks falling from the volcano," he told AFP from Mount Tasur's surrounding island of Tanna. "There are 6,000 people in the villages around the volcano, we're not moving them out yet. All tourists and tourist operators have been asked to not access the volcano. The access is restricted." The plume has disrupted a handful of domestic flights operated by New Caledonia's AirCal, although disruption remains tiny compared with the havoc seen in Europe. Air Vanuatu local supervisor David Dick said flights were still running between the South Pacific country's capital, Port Vila, and Tanna island, while tourism officials also said the industry was unaffected. Resort-owners said tourists were still driving out to see the volcano but had to keep their distance, while the trucks carrying them returned covered with ash. "They can get to the volcano, but are restricted and don't have access to where we usually take them," said Lina Tuprick, who works at Tanna Evergreen Bungalows. "There are explosions on the volcano. It's the first time in two years it's been so active." Australia also issued a travel advisory saying visitors were "strictly prohibited" from visiting the volcano. Vanuatu was rocked by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Friday, prompting a brief tsunami warning. The archipelago, which lies between Australia and Fiji and north of New Zealand, was hit by three major quakes in October. Iceland's ash cloud has been severely disrupting European air travel since April, widely affecting airports and closing down airspace in the continent's north for a week. Last week, eruptions in Guatemala and Ecuador killed two people, forced thousands to flee and shut down two airports, smothering runways in ash. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hawaiian promotes Sardinha to VP of maintenance Hawaiian Airlines has firmed up Lorrin Sardinha as its new VP of maintenance. Since November of 2009 Sardinha has been acting VP of maintenance, and prior to that post he was senior director of maintenance. A 24 year veteran of Hawaiian, Sardinha started with the carrier as an aircraft mechanic. He reports to President of Operations Charles Nardello. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Landing gear mishap spurs NTSB recommendations for maintenance training A retracted landing gear incident at Air Wisconsin Airlines has led the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to conclude more on the job training is necessary for mechanics performing certain tasks. The Bombardier CRJ on 14 December 2008 landed in Philadelphia with its left main landing gear retracted, which caused damage to the aircraft's left wing, aileron and flap. During its investigation NTSB determined the aircraft underwent extensive maintenance that included the removal, replacement and visual inspection of the left and right main landing gear uplock assemblies. Work performed on the assemblies was identified as a required inspection item (RII). NTSB's investigation revealed that the mechanic who replaced the left uplock assembly had not completed uplock assembly work previously, received no on the job training for the task and was not supervised during the procedure. The left uplock assembly, upper attachment bolt, nut and cotter pin assembly used to mount the left main landing gear to the structure were installed, but did not engage the uplock assembly. As a result the uplock assembly pivoted about to the lower bolt. Since the upper attachment bolt didn't engage the uplock assembly, the left main landing gear remained in the up-and-locked position, and did not respond to pilot commands to lower prior to landing. NTSB concluded the incident mechanic was not properly trained or supervised during the procedure, and the error was not detected by a supervisor. The board states it is "concerned FAA does not currently require mechanics to receive on the job training or be supervised while performing RII tasks for the first time". NTSB's investigation revealed that post maintenance inspections were not adequate to detect mis-rigging of the uplock assembly. With the investigation complete NTSB has sent two recommendations to FAA. One is to require mechanics performing RII and other critical tasks receive on the job training or supervision when completing the task until the mechanic shows proficiency in that specific procedure. The second would require RII inspectors to receive supervision or on the job training on proper RII inspection until the individual demonstrates proficiency in completing inspections. The board also reiterated three previous training recommendations it sent to FAA after other maintenance related accidents, including the January 2003 crash of an Air Midwest Beech 1900. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NTSB investigates US Airways and Cargolux near miss Staff of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating a near midair collision of a US Airways Airbus A319 and a Cargolux Boeing 747. The incident occurred on 21 May at Anchorage International airport when the two aircraft came within an estimated 100ft vertically and within .33 mile of laterally as the Cargolux 747 was departing the airport and the A319 was executing a go-around. The US Airways A319, inbound from Phoenix on runway 14, had 138 passengers and crew onboard. The 747 was departing Anchorage en route to Chicago on runway 25R. NTSB says the incident occurred at 12:10am Alaska Daylight Savings Time in night visual meteorological conditions with 10 miles of visibility. The Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) report from the A319 crew shows that as the airport was approaching Anchorage the crew initiated a missed approach due to the effects of tailwinds in the approach path. NTSB explains the tower controller instructed the A319 to turn right, heading 300 and report the departing 747 in sight. Once the A319 crew reported seeing the 747, the controller instructed the US Airways crew to maintain visual separation from the 747, climb to 3,000ft and turn right heading 320. The A319 refused the right turn "because the turn would have put their flight in the direct conflict with the 747", says NTSB. The crew then received a resolution advisory to monitor vertical speed and the pilots flying the A319 complied with the descent command. But during descent the A319 pilots lost sight of the 747, and at about 1700ft above ground level the A319 crew received and aural "clear of conflict" command. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC