Flight Safety Information July 2, 2010 - No. 130 In This Issue NTSB Delivers 2009 Annual Report To Congress EASA plans International Air Safety & Climate Change conference Ethiopian aviation expert to head African airlines body Stowaways That Are Disgusting, Even Deadly Arrow Air shutters operations and files for Chapter 11 Pinnacle aims to consolidate CRJ and turboprop flying ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NTSB Delivers 2009 Annual Report To Congress Nearly 140 Aviation Safety Recommendations Were Made By The Board In 2009 The National Transportation Safety Board delivered its 2009 Annual Report to Congress Thursday, which provides a comprehensive accounting of ongoing and completed investigations, as well as other agency activities. The report also highlights successes for the Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements. "The NTSB is dedicated to executing thorough accident investigations and issuing recommendations for improved transportation safety," said Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "The report issued today shows this dedication through detailed and clear accounts of our work and achievements in 2009." New to the 2009 report are enhanced features that illustrate the scope and complexity of the NTSB's work. Among these features are: maps of regional office locations in addition to investigation launch-site maps; additional information describing how non-investigative units support the NTSB mission; key industry facts showing the impact and breadth of completed agency work; and updated "At A Glance" boxes calling out the status of recommendations, investigation and report production statistics, and staff demographics. Among the highlights from the year's activity described in the report are that the NTSB issued 240 new safety recommendations across all transportation modes. Closed recommendations encompass 42 aviation, 10 highway, 14 marine, 6 railroad, and 2 pipeline safety improvements. During 2009, the NTSB also initiated 13 major accident launches and released 19 major investigative reports. In the aviation "Most Wanted" safety recommendations, The NTSB is urging the FAA to "Improve Oversight of Pilot Proficiency." The issue area addresses the NTSB's concerns with the hiring and training of pilots highlighted by the NTSB's recent Board meeting and report on its investigation of the accident involving a Colgan Air Inc., Bombardier Dash 8-Q400, N200WQ, d.b.a. Continental Connection flight 3407, which crashed during an instrument approach to runway 23 at the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, Buffalo, New York. The issue area asks the FAA to (1) evaluate prior flight check failures for pilot applicants before hiring, and (2) provide training and additional oversight that considers full performance histories for flight crewmembers demonstrating pilot deficiencies. The NTSB added Safety Recommendations A-08-44 and -45 from the Kirksville, Missouri, accident investigation to the issue area "Reduce Accidents and Incidents Caused by Human Fatigue in the Aviation Industry." These recommendations address fatigue management systems, which constitute a complement to, but not a substitute for, regulations to prevent fatigue. As far as specific recommendation, the NTSB says the FAA should: Improve Oversight of Pilot Proficiency by evaluating prior flight check failures for pilot applicants before hiring, and providing training and additional oversight that considers full performance histories for flight crewmembers demonstrating performance deficiencies. Install crash-protected image recorders in cockpits to give investigators more information to solve complex accidents. Improve the Safety of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Flights by requiring flights with medical personnel on board to be conducted in accordance with stricter commuter aircraft regulations, developing and implementing flight risk evaluation programs for EMS operators, requiring formalized dispatch and flight-following procedures including up-to-date weather information, and installing terrain awareness and warning systems (TAWS) on aircraft used for EMS operations. Reduce Dangers to Aircraft Flying in Icing Conditions by using current research on freezing rain and large water droplets to revise the way aircraft are designed and approved for flight in icing conditions, applying revised icing requirements to currently certificated aircraft, and requiring that airplanes with pneumatic deice boots activate the boots as soon as the airplane enters icing conditions. Reduce Accidents and Incidents Caused by Human Fatigue in the Aviation Industry by setting working hour limits for flight crews, aviation mechanics, and air traffic controllers based on fatigue research, circadian rhythms, and sleep and rest requirements, developing a fatigue awareness and countermeasures training program for controllers and those who schedule them for duty, as well as guidance for operators to establish fatigue management systems, including a methodology that will continually assess the effectiveness of these systems. Improve Runway Safety by giving immediate warnings of probable collisions/incursions directly to flight crews in the cockpit, requiring specific air traffic control (ATC) clearance for each runway crossing, requiring operators to install cockpit moving map displays or an automatic system that alerts pilots when a takeoff is attempted on a taxiway or a runway other than the one intended, and requiring a landing distance assessment with an adequate safety margin for every landing. Improve Crew Resource Management by requiring commuter and on-demand air taxi flight crews to receive crew resource management training. There have been 138 aviation safety recommendations made by the NTSB over the past year. The office of aviation safety has completed 7 major reports and held 4 public hearings. The office has 10 major investigations currently in progress, each of which will be presented to the NTSB Board members for their deliberation at a Sunshine Meeting. FMI: www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2010/SPC1001.htm Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EASA plans International Air Safety & Climate Change conference While resources are being applied internationally for a more sustainable aviation system, until now less attention has been given to the potential impact of climate change on commercial aviation safety. This is why the European Aviation Safety Agency is hosting an international conference on the potential effects of climate change on civil aviation in Cologne on 8-9 September. The objective of the conference will be, as a first step, to raise awareness on the issue and outline a possible action plan. It will provide a new forum for meteorologists, operators, manufacturers and regulators to identify risks and work towards effective safety measures. The issue is a global one and international cooperation is essential. Europe through EASA will report to ICAO on the outcome of the conference and any resulting recommendations. EASA has launched a call for papers and invites Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and interested stakeholders to submit papers for this conference. For additional information related to this event, please contact IASCC@easa.europa.eu. http://www.charterx.com/resources/article.aspx?id=6875 [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103535365212&s=6053&e=001g_7hqyMI7Dt7hKO0ZFfxUwJmbt7b_LWfTz-ukUSvBFPx47oFJZLvyK_Mi-Lj-o-uCI6k72FoX7tu6eAJtFInept_rnRswyuKy6a6Ud4RvgQxvzJcFLaYXW5yQQiQctEw4fPCYtPTVlBx1bXi5bYckG66g6kXfGyj] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ethiopian aviation expert to head African airlines body Addis Ababa , July 1 (WIC) - African Airlines Association (AFRAA) top decision-making body has appointed Ethiopian lawyer, Tewodros Tamrat, as acting secretary-general, the airlines' body said in Addis Ababa on Wednesday. According to Nigeria Daily Independent, the new Secretary-General would run the affairs of the continental air transport organisation until a substantive secretary-general is elected by the General Assembly, which comprises chief executive officers of nearly 40 African airlines. "Tewodros Tamrat will discharge the responsibilities of secretary-general and act on all matters as may be required in the best interest of AFRAA," an AFRAA statement said. He will steer the affairs of AFRAA in an acting capacity pending the conclusion of the recruitment and appointment of a substantive secretary general. Tewodros is an experienced aviation law expert and industry analyst with combined aviation experience spanning over 25 years. He is currently the Director, Government, Corporate and Industry Affairs of AFRAA, a position he has occupied since 2001. As director, his responsibilities include studying and advising the association and its members on all aero-political and regulatory matters and follow-up developments taking place within and outside the continent, which may have an impact on the African airline industry. He also serves as the Secretary to the Legal Committee of AFRAA, in which capacity he represents the association at various international and regional air transport committees. The position includes engagements with the Yamoussoukro Decision Monitoring Body, which functions under the auspices of the African Union (AU). The Yamoussoukro treaty hopes to create a single airspace in Africa, removing the national restrictions imposed by various African governments. The aim of the treaty is to allow the full opening of the African skies to AFRAA's member airlines. Currently, African airlines blame the high cost of airfare on restrictions imposed by the various national aviation authorities, which include higher landing fees, parking fees for airlines and user-fee charges levied on them for using the various aviation facilities. Tewdros, who replaces Nigeria's Nick Fadugba, who resigned nearly two weeks ago, also sits on the Panel of Aviation Legal Experts of the AU and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC). http://www.waltainfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22221&Itemid=45 Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stowaways That Are Disgusting, Even Deadly By CHRISTINE NEGRONI What do mice, mosquitoes, scorpions and maggots have in common? They all breeze past airport security, and they do not seem to mind flying coach. Passengers on a US Airways flight were disgusted to find maggots falling on them from an overhead bin on Monday. Pilots declared an emergency and returned to the gate in Atlanta at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The plane was emptied and cleaned before proceeding to Charlotte, N.C. The extensive security process may leave passengers feeling that their bodies and possessions are thoroughly inspected before boarding, but there are no regulations prohibiting them from bringing rotting meat on a plane, which is apparently how the maggots got onto the jetliner, said Morgan Durrant, a spokesman for US Airways. "We don't like to take a delay for any reason, but a delay for insect larvae is a new one for us," Mr. Durrant said. Vermin have bedeviled airline officials for years. Aviation databases hold dozens of reports of incidents and accidents in which insects and rodents played a role, often by blocking gauges or clogging mechanical parts. Dan Hall, a pilot from Torrington, Conn., crash-landed his Cessna 182 into a river in Rhode Island in 2007 after four mice were sucked into the plane's carburetor. "The bad news is, you crashed your plane," Mr. Hall said investigators told him, "but the good news is the mice are dead." These problems occur most often on small private airplanes, but in 2002, an Icelandair Boeing 757 en route from Orlando, Fla., to Reykjavik, Iceland, lost altitude and had to make an emergency landing in Baltimore. Insects clogging the tube measuring airspeed were the suspected culprits. There was a similar episode on an American Airlines DC-10 in 1978. Rodents are especially problematic because they gnaw and jump. In January 2008, eight mice were found on a United Airlines plane in China, and in July 2006, maintenance workers at American Airlines said a plane in Kansas City, Mo., was infested with mice, though the airline said that only 17 were alive. Insects are more often a health concern than a safety issue. Some scientists believe mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus were inadvertently transported to the United States on airliners. "Certainly that's the biggest, but the same is so for a whole host of insects that can come aboard an airplane with the passengers," said Philip Tierno, director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center. "What's in one country today," he said of dangerous insects, "can be in another country tonight." The Federal Aviation Administration has no regulations for how airlines should combat insects or rodents, said a spokeswoman, Alison Duquette. US Airways opted to fumigate Monday's flight, No. 1537, when it arrived in Charlotte, a decision made "out of an abundance of safety and cleanliness" said Mr. Durrant, adding that the "gross-out" factor played a role as well. "There are many reports over the years of insects that are routinely detected on passenger aircraft," Dr. Tierno said. "It's one of the reasons why aircraft should be regularly treated with an insecticide, especially when they land in certain areas of the world." Douglas Herbstsommer was not traveling anywhere particularly exotic last summer when he had an uncomfortable encounter with a bed of scorpions. A passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight, from Phoenix to Indianapolis, he was stung on his hand. Mr. Herbstsommer told reporters he saw several more in the overhead bin, so he used his flip-flop to kill them. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/us/02maggots.html?src=mv [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103535365212&s=6053&e=001g_7hqyMI7DvsxsjSZgaDZ1T5V6pwd5IBbLGqqq4HBhn_lkv4Gv5L9I7cHV-3DjHFdZmibX2mSTqDkeYIxdtJzvCI4eklOXeyh3TUOs7kqXn-qj9ZmyEvQqqXgS58Nn-DqmTdiaqhTZzyM0J1slGlYuMim6xmA1nClkaOC26jizY5436fXstsjg==] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arrow Air shutters operations and files for Chapter 11 Arrow Air, the largest all air cargo carrier based in Miami, shut down operations on 1 July and filed for bankruptcy, following months of financial turmoil. "Like many companies in our industry, Arrow Air has experienced significant operating losses as a result of increasing operating costs and declining revenue," the company says in a statement. "The decision was not made lightly and was a last resort after the company exhaustively searched for other options including financing or a sale of the business." The company said it would focus on helping to "smooth the transition" for the estimated 450 employees who are now out of work. News reports say the company posted an operating loss of $26 million in 2009 and lost $28 million in 2008. In court papers, Arrow listed as much as $500 million in debt, with assets of $50 million. The company had successfully exited bankruptcy in 2004 through reorganisation. Arrow Air, founded in 1950, operated more than 60 flights each week to and from Central and South America and the Caribbean, serving an estimated 3,500 customers worldwide, according to the company's website. It operated DC-10s, but was granted certification in May 2009 from the FAA to fly Boeing 757-200s. The company is maintaining operating authority and the potential of flying charter operations in case a potential purchaser steps forward during bankruptcy proceedings. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103535365212&s=6053&e=001g_7hqyMI7DuDqYOUwfjmLfxpkxQX_QVirjZtvHsOfST9nYYRhhC7LPcxI5PG_IIC3F97aCQmvT_BXzrgtpFNj9BmKQtLkShe] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pinnacle aims to consolidate CRJ and turboprop flying US regional operator Pinnacle Airlines in the long-term plans to consolidate the operations of its three carriers into two, which would mean the Colgan Airways brand could eventually disappear. Pinnacle today announced its acquisition of Mesaba from Delta for $62 million. Mesaba operates a fleet of 32 Saab 340B turboprops and 60 Bombardier CRJ200s/440s/900s. Pinnacle through its Pinnacle Airlines and Colgan subsidies flies 57 CRJ900s, 145 CRJ200s, 14 Bombardier Q400s and 34 Saab 340Bs. "Over the longer term, we anticipate that we can enhance efficiency and growth opportunities for our airlines and our people by reorganising around two operating airlines," says Pinnacle CEO Phil Trenary. "Our intent is to combine the regional jets under Pinnacle Airlines and the turboprops under Mesaba Aviation. However, there are many complex issues to be addressed, and this will take time." In the short term Pinnacle has established a new 12-year capacity purchase agreement with Delta, effective 1 July, covering the operation of Mesaba's 41 CRJ900s. Pinnacle explains Mesaba's 50-seat CRJ operations will be governed under Pinnacle's current agreement with Delta that runs through 2017. Delta and Pinnacle have also reached a short-term capacity purchase agreement covering the operation of Mesaba's Saab fleet until they exit Delta Connection operations in late 2011 under Delta's previously announced retirement programme. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC