Flight Safety Information June 29, 2010 - No. 128 In This Issue Decision due on charges over Air NZ crash Plane Makers Must Show Freezing Rain, Drizzle Effects, FAA Says PROMISES, PROMISES: FAA slow on cockpit fires Air Tanker Crashes in Colorado FAA proposes $700,000 civil penalty against Executive.Airlines Third 787 returns home for additional inspections Dubai May Defer, Cancel $29 Billion of Airbus, Boeing Jet Orders ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Decision due on charges over Air NZ crash A controversial French prosecutor is expected to announce tonight whether he will take criminal action over a 2008 Air New Zealand Airbus crash which killed all seven people onboard. Five New Zealanders and two Germans were killed when the Airbus A320 plunged into the Mediterranean off Canet-en-Roussillon on November 27, 2008. The plane had been leased to a German company and was being returned to Air New Zealand after being repainted in Perpignan, in the south of France. It is expected that attention will focus on what happened to the near-new plane when it underwent maintenance and re-painting at Perpignan's Europe Aero Services Industries (EAS). It is highly unlikely any criminal action will be aimed at Air New Zealand. Airbus and international regulatory authorities have already issued safety warnings about dangers associated with re-painting aircraft as a result of the accident. Perpignan prosecutor Jean-Pierre Dreno yesterday gave a confidential briefing to Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe and the General Manager Airline Operations and Safety, Captain David Morgan. New Zealand's Transport Accident Investigation Commission was not party to the briefing. They are officially attached to the Paris-based Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA) which is investigating the crash and has yet to produce a final report. The Airbus had been leased to Germany's XL Airways and was due to return to Air New Zealand. It was being flown from Perpignan under the command of two German pilots along with Air New Zealand pilot Captain Brian Horrell, 52, and engineers Murray White, 37, Michael Gyles, 49, and Noel Marsh, 35 and well as Civil Aviation Authority official Jeremy Cook, 58. Prior to heading to Frankfurt the plane made an approach toward Perpignan and according to a BEA interim report "during a phase of flight at low speed, the crew lost control of the airplane, which crashed into the sea." Dreno opened his criminal inquiry and at one stage seized the cockpit voice and flight data recorders as evidence. He would not let them out of France to be examined by their US manufacturers. They were finally allowed out of France and when he obtained the voice recordings he broke aviation protocol by revealing to the media the nature of the last seconds of life for those on the flight deck. Dreno said data retrieved from the flight data recorder showed the aircraft first pitched up suddenly before it fell "on its side" into the sea. He said it all happened "very quickly". The US-based Flight Safety Foundation slammed his behaviour and said prosecutorial inference was harming the flight safety investigations. Ad Feedback BEA's interim report did not give a specific cause for the crash of the Airbus. It said the Germans flying the plane had not received specific training for the flight they had taken that day. Following the crash Airbus issued new safety recommendations, saying during painting and maintenance it was important to protect all aerodynamic data sensors. It has also said that tests, such as low-speed tests, "must be performed at safe altitude and be preceded by a recall of basic rules as regards to minimum speeds and recovery actions". http://www.stuff.co.nz/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Plane Makers Must Show Freezing Rain, Drizzle Effects, FAA Says June 28 (Bloomberg) -- Aircraft and engine manufacturers must show their new models can withstand freezing rain and drizzle, U.S. aviation regulators said today, expanding rules to cut risks from icing in response to a fatal 1994 crash. Complying with the requirement would cost $71 million, mostly absorbed by manufacturers such as airplane makers Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS as well as engine manufacturers General Electric Co. and United Technologies Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney, the Federal Aviation Administration said in the proposed rule to be published in tomorrow's Federal Register. U.S. air-safety advocates recommended icing rules after a flight operated by Simmons Airlines for AMR Corp.'s American Eagle unit crashed in Roselawn, Indiana, on Oct. 31, 1994, killing all 68 people on board. Freezing drizzle led to a ridge of ice on an Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72, causing the airplane to lose control after holding at 10,000 feet, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded in 1996. The NTSB's final report recommended that the FAA require manufacturers to ensure new products are tested for all types of icing conditions the aircraft may encounter in flight. The FAA hasn't previously required manufacturers to show how products can operate in freezing rain and drizzle. The requirement also covers ice crystals, and a mix of the crystals and freezing rain and drizzle. The FAA reported 14 cases of crystals and mixes causing engine loss between 1988 and 2009, though no fatalities. The Roselawn crash prompted additional requirements. In 2009, the FAA issued a rule requiring that new passenger aircraft include ice-prevention systems that automatically activate or alert pilots to turn on the equipment. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PROMISES, PROMISES: FAA slow on cockpit fires WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal aviation officials have known for years that cockpit window heaters in some Boeing planes catch fire. But they haven't required airlines to fix the problem, even after dozens of incidents that unnerved pilots and, in some cases, forced emergency landings. Pilots have complained about heaters that burned, smoldered or sent electric currents dancing across cockpit windows since at least 2002, according to an Associated Press search of a NASA aviation safety database. Safety investigators have traced the problem to a minor cause: a loose screw. None of the reported incidents was deadly, but they were scary. Sometimes, flames would reappear after flight crews had blasted them with fire extinguishers. In many cases, the window heater would cause an inside ply of windshield to shatter into spidery cracks that obstructed pilots' view. Sometimes, pilots and instrument panels were sprayed with glass. Pilots reported having to remove their oxygen masks in smoky cockpits in order to reach circuit breakers or grab fire extinguishers. The National Transportation Safety Board has prodded the Federal Aviation Administration to make airlines fix the problem, concerned that a major accident could happen if nothing is done. The FAA has yet to mandate the repairs, although it has promised the NTSB since 2004 that it would. "There is no shortage of information. In fact, there's no shortage of incidents," NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said in an interview. "What's the missing is the will to do something about it." The FAA did propose a safety fix in March 2008, two months after heavy smoke filled the cockpit of an American Airlines 757 flying from Puerto Rico to Philadelphia. The flight was diverted to Palm Beach, Fla., while terrified passengers were instructed on procedures for a rough ground or ocean landing. "It was absolutely horrifying. There's no other way to describe it," said Rebekah Conrad, 23, who was among two dozen students who held hands, sang hymns and prayed through the ordeal. More than two years later, the FAA's safety fix still is not final. The regulator promised to expedite it after a cockpit fire last month forced a United Airlines 757 to make an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport. In that incident, United pilots emptied one fire extinguisher on the flames, and sent a flight attendant for a second extinguisher after the fire reignited. The FAA hopes to issue a final order next month, said FAA spokesman Les Dorr. He said the process has been slowed by the FAA's obligation to respond to airlines who objected to the proposed remedy. Also, Dorr said, the FAA and Boeing have received new information about the extent of the problem. Boeing has acknowledged at least 29 incidents globally involving cockpit window heaters in its 747, 757, 767 and 777 models since 2002. Their tally includes only those incidents where there was evidence of flame or smoke, not emergency landings due to electrical arcing or cracked windows. NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System, a database to which pilots, flight attendants, airline mechanics and others voluntarily report safety concerns, contained 24 cockpit window heater incidents in those Boeing models over the same time period. Twelve were fires, but the other 12 involved arcing - hot, lightning-like streams of electricity - along windows, as well as emergency landings and cracked or shattered windows, which were not included in Boeing's count. There appears to be a similar problem with the Boeing 737, the most widely used airliner in the United States. The NASA database contains 16 reports of fire, smoke, electrical arcing or cockpit window cracking in 737s since 2002. There also was one December 2007 report in the NASA database of arcing and a shattered window in a Boeing 727 that ultimately made an emergency landing. "We need to have FAA, Boeing and the company take a real, honest look at this systemic window heat problem, implement a fix and get the word out before another crew has to fly a B757 in the smoke with a broken window in front of them spitting glass at them," one pilot complained in February 2008. Between 2004 and 2007, NASA sent four safety alerts to the FAA and the NTSB regarding cockpit fires, smoke or arcing in the 757. It sent a similar safety alert about the 737 in July 2003. For their part, major carriers American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and US Airways are either replacing the old windows or stepping up inspections. Boeing spokesman Peter Conte acknowledged electrical arcing in cockpit window heaters has led to cracked windows in the 737. He said the problem was not considered dangerous because the arcing happens between window layers, unlike the incidents in other Boeing models, and doesn't cause smoke or flames. The 737's heaters require less power to warm the plane's smaller windows, he noted. However, a May 2003 report filed with NASA describes a window fire in a 737 with "blowtorch" flames, smoke and sparking. The plane, which was on a test flight, made an emergency landing. Two other reports mention smoke as well as arcing and window cracking. Two years ago, the FAA said its proposed remedy would affect 1,212 planes. That order does not include 737s. The NTSB said it learned of the window heater problems after two 757 cockpit fires in January 2004. Safety investigators traced the fires to arcing caused by a loose screw that chafed power wires connected to heating wires in the windows, which were manufactured by PPG Aerospace. But the source of the problem may have been known even earlier. A March 2002 report in the NASA database describes a 757 cockpit fire that was traced to a loose screw in the window heater terminal. The problem was uncovered by the airline involved, which was not named in the NASA report. The FAA's 2008 proposal would require airlines to check for the loose screw and replace damaged windows - a task that some airlines say would require extensive window disassembly because the screws are difficult for mechanics to reach. "Even with small hands it cannot be held," a Continental Airlines safety official wrote the FAA in 2008. "This, coupled with poor view ability, turns a very simple installation into a very complex installation." ___ Online: http://www.ntsb.gov/ http://www.faa.gov/ http://www.boeing.com/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Air Tanker Crashes in Colorado Both the pilot and co-pilot walked away. BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- An air tanker fighting one of several wildfires burning in Colorado has crashed outside of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport on Saturday afternoon. The pilot reported that the plane was having mechanical issues before attempting an emergency landing, at 12:27 p.m. A spokesperson with the Federal Aviation Authority said the plane experienced hydraulic failure during the landing. The plane went off the runway and crashed through a fence surrounding the airport. It came to a rest in an embankment and a trail. The plane, a P2V-5 based out of Missoula, Mont., was carrying 1,100 pounds of firefighting slurry when it crashed. Both the pilot and co-pilot walked away from the crash. As a result of the crash, all air support was suspended on Saturday in fighting two fires in northern Colorado. The Cow Creek Fire, located in Rocky Mountain National Park, is burning in over 800 acres. The Round Fire, located in the foothills west of Loveland and near State Highway 34, is burning in 150 acres and near homes. Steve Segin, spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center, said a U.S. Forest Service aviation safety team will investigate the crash, along with the National Transportation Safety Board. Segin said while winged-aircraft support has been suspended on Saturday, helicopters will still assist in fighting the blazes. ***** http://www.firehouse.com/news/top-headlines/air-tanker-crashes-colo Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAA proposes $700,000 civil penalty against Executive Airlines The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a civil penalty of $700,000 against Executive Airlines. The San Juan, Puerto Rico airline, which does business as American Eagle Airlines, allegedly operated eight of its ATR-42 twin-turboprop airliners when they were not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations. The FAA alleges that when Executive Airlines did heavy maintenance checks on its aircraft in 2007 and 2008, mechanics did not perform and document required, detailed visual inspections to detect possible cracks on the aileron center hinge bearing fittings. Executive Airlines operated the eight aircraft on 6,479 flights between the incomplete earlier inspections and September 26-27, 2008, when the company completed the proper inspections and procedures. Executive Airlines has 30 days from the date of receipt of the FAA's letter to respond to the agency. www.aviation-safety.net [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103526150962&s=6053&e=001DR1J-AvhjJYEJ2iaWO6N9_IAm_xPTeB71cNEl3C5TlJAhdJl00SHv0pTAN3aHb3Mj8A9H2iCC6VHEs9yjXioh1n5cD9WVtWt9WjyJZ790ptoAI5u8MfPKBWTnV6zO9ed] Back to Top [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103526150962&s=6053&e=001DR1J-AvhjJaykYSA9ECRVeDPypUpzmr7UXKmGx7l7houYU_WRez-42y99LqNzLV2NF44MBOW_ajGJVLu9axxI-smLPqhQzBV] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Third 787 returns home for additional inspections Boeing's third 787 flight test aircraft has returned home to Seattle for additional inspections on its horizontal stabiliser, following weekend inspections. ZA003, which has been based at Pinal Air Park in Marana, Arizona since 22 June for high-intensity radio frequency (HIRF) testing, returned home to Boeing Field in Seattle. Programme sources indicate that following the aircraft's Sunday return to Boeing Field, ZA003 was set to continue horizontal stabilizer inspections which began 25 June, potentially indicating a discovery and further diagnosis of scope of the improperly installed shims and over-torqued fasteners. Boeing declined to comment on ZA003's return from Marana, citing a policy not to discuss flight test operations. ZA002 returned to flying on 27 June to conduct autopilot functional tests. Programme sources also indicate that flight tests that were previously assigned to ZA003 late last week have been reassigned to ZA002 for testing on Monday. ZA005, the GEnx-1B-powered 787, is expected to make its second flight Monday as well. The inspections were prompted following the discovery of workmanship issues that included improper installation of shims and fastener over-torquing in the horizontal stabiliser manufactured by Alenia Aeronautica in Foggia, Italy. If left unaddressed the fasteners and shims, or engineered fillers, can create a long-term fatigue issue on the structure. ZA003 is slated to be the first aircraft to make its international debut at the Farnborough air show in mid-July. The aircraft is outfitted with a partial interior along with racks of instrumentation to test the aircraft's cabin systems. Boeing aims to certify and deliver the 787 to Japan's All Nippon Airways by years end. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dubai May Defer, Cancel $29 Billion of Airbus, Boeing Jet Orders, WSJ Says Dubai Aerospace Enterprise may defer or cancel $29 billion of orders for 200 aircraft, divided equally between Airbus SAS and Boeing Co., the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. As an alternative, the state-controlled Dubai aircraft-leasing company may try to switch the orders to Emirates Airline and FlyDubai, the newspaper said. The cancelation threat stems from Dubai's parlous financial state, the Journal said, adding that Dubai Aerospace, Airbus and Boeing all declined to comment. http://www.bloomberg.com/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103526150962&s=6053&e=001DR1J-AvhjJbOZz6z4KB_1VILRtGkfiXQyWIXy7cwCcIjA1AaVWYArrmpvRHEQv47Tw2x4q8ou-R_aBa0r2Ev0_hICQKxbJzXEcxCa3Dc0AnEIuStGUQ8LA==] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC