Flight Safety Information August 4, 2010 - No. 155 In This Issue Security or Safety Managment System (SMS) Mexicana Airlines files for bankruptcy Honda Aircraft completes tests on HondaJet Boeing raises commercial aircraft sales forecast for India Ask the Captain: Submit your aviation questions...By John Cox Double-blade helicopter breaks air speed record TSA Says Airlines Are Screening All Cargo On Domestic Passenger Aircraft ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Puzzle [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103598804346&s=6053&e=001qGPbNuJa6i-2F0W-H5bCnE8n3J_-hLcwO7BJCIuX40n1xh_CvqchZ8VwXPLyR1C9f0mu5ekA7SAzZOv5nqjbV-oUt23MU4qz-iAmIKFHIKMnGq5E3rYRTQ==] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mexicana Airlines files for bankruptcy Debt-ridden carrier announces filings in Mexico and the U.S. one day after suspending 31 flights in the two countries. It blames much of its financial trouble on high labor costs. A Mexicana counter at Mexico City's international airport. The airline points to pilot and flight attendant salaries for its troubles. It also blames the global financial crisis and the H1N1 outbreak in Mexico, which devastated the country's travel and tourism industry. Mexicana Airlines, the busiest foreign carrier at Los Angeles International Airport, announced Tuesday that it had filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. and Mexico, blaming much of its financial trouble on high labor costs. The debt-ridden airline made the announcement one day after suspending a total of 31 flights in Mexico and across the U.S., including some of its departures from Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco and Oakland. At LAX, the airline put a hold on four of 15 daily flights to Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Mexico City. The Mexico City-based airline promised to contact passengers with tickets on canceled flights for a refund or to rebook them on another Mexicana flight or with another carrier. Mexicana also blames its financial woes on the global financial crisis and the H1N1 (swine flu) epidemic in Mexico that has devastated the travel and tourism industry in the country. Mexicana flies to more than 65 national and international destinations, including the U.S., Canada, Central and South America and Europe. It operates nearly 70 planes and carried 11.1 million passengers in 2009, according to the company website. The airline's parent company, Nuevo Grupo Aeronautico, also operates two low-cost domestic airlines, Click and Link, which will continue to operate without interruption, according to the airline. In a statement, the airline said the bankruptcy protection would allow it to restructure its liabilities and "bring its cost structure, particularly labor costs, into line with market conditions." Mexicana has put most of the blame for its financial crisis on pilot and flight attendant salaries, which the airline says are up to 185% higher than the pay of their counterparts at Mexican airlines like Volaris or Interjet. The airline has been calling for new contracts that would cut wages for pilots by 41% and impose a 39% wage cut for flight attendants. Mexicana also proposed reducing its overall workforce of pilots and attendants by 40%. Among other ideas, the airline's management has suggested the unions buy Mexicana for one peso on the condition that the labor groups take responsibility for the airline's debt, an idea the unions rejected. Lizette Clavel Sanchez, the secretary general of Mexicana's flight attendants union, said Tuesday that the airline's employees were willing to keep negotiating with Mexicana, but only in "transparency and without abuse." Clavel said the airline's contention that Mexicana workers are paid significantly more than those at other airlines in Mexico is like "comparing pears and apples." "Those are low-cost airlines that don't have the same service, technology and flight times we do. Airlines like Volaris or Interjet don't make flights longer than four hours. We have flights that are as long as 16 hours," Clavel said. "It is wrong to quantify our salaries that way." http://www.latimes.com/business/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103598804346&s=6053&e=001qGPbNuJa6i8nMHDPx9pDLVZ6EmsHlPxtbeufNGC-adFCZobejs4MfbOIjvM9JEGSOsZbhmunTbPr26snmKDq0z8VliG9xJd9smm1EMSrSDrdjsLroaV1qTwdLrVOqZX7] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Honda Aircraft completes tests on HondaJet The Business Review (Albany) Honda Aircraft Co., the company building HondaJet, said this week it has completed key tests on its HondaJet aircraft at its factory in Greensboro, North Carolina. HondaJet plans to build a $9 million sales and maintenance hangar at Albany International airport. Construction of the Albany hangar-initially scheduled to open this year-was delayed by the recession. HondaJet will provide sales and maintenance services for Honda Aircraft Co. The Albany HondaJet hangar would open around the time the first HondaJet is scheduled to hit the market in 2012, airport spokesman Doug Myers said. The operation is expected to create 25 to 30 local high-paying jobs. HondaJet will own the building and has a 25-year lease with the Albany airport that includes a first-year leasing rate of $65,393. New York state will pay $500,000 toward the project. HondaJet's recent tests, combined with structural testing planned for this summer and a first "conforming" flight test scheduled for later this year, should lead to Federal Aviation Administration certification of the private five- to six-person airplane, Honda Aircraft CEO Michimasa Fujino said during this week's 2010 EAA AirVenture conference in Wisconsin. "With this significant milestone achieved, we are now focused on the integration of avionics and other electrical systems in anticipation of first flight later this year," Fujino said. While a prototype of the HondaJet light aircraft has been flying since 2003, the conforming craft must meet FAA requirements for flight certification. Honda aircraft also said it is nearing completion of the superstructure of the 250,000-square-foot production facility on its campus near Piedmont Triad International Airport, in Greensboro, with installation of electrical and plumbing systems next on the agenda. That facility should be completed early next year. About 450 people work at the Greensboro HondaJet facility now, with about 600 total employees expected when full production begins. The Albany HondaJet hangar will be built between the Million Air terminal, where HondaJet has set up temporary operations, and the vacant Eclipse Aviation hangar. The Eclipse hangar at the Albany airport has been vacant since the Albuquerque, New Mexico company filed for bankruptcy November 2008. It is being marketed by the Albany office of NAI Platform, a global real estate company. Myers said NAI Platform has shown the hangar a number of times since Eclipse was released from its lease in September 2009. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Boeing raises commercial aircraft sales forecast for India Calcutta News.Net With rising passenger traffic, Indian carriers will require 1,150 aircraft by 2030 for as much as $130 billion, the world's largest manufacturer of commercial aircraft, Boeing Co., said Tuesday. 'The potential for future growth of air travel, both domestically and internationally, is among the greatest in the world,' said Dinesh Keskar, president, Boeing India, releasing the forecast for the Indian aviation market Tuesday. The aerospace giant's forecast was based on factors such as economic growth of the country, increase in load factor and rising profitability of carriers. 'We believe there will be a record 50 million passengers this year if the trend continues and due to rising GDP (gross domestic product) and disposable incomes, availability of airports and Terminals like T3,' Keskar said. Indian carriers flew a record 44 million passengers last year which, the report said, would continue in the coming years. Keskar added that he saw the fastest recovery and growth in Indian market with the recent performance of Jet Airways which registered 35 percent in passenger growth, load factors and yields. 'We went through the deepest recession in the history of aviation but now India's recovery is one of the fastest,' he added. The aircraft manufacturer also said its next generation airliner 787 Dreamliner would be delivered to Air India by the second quarter of 2011. 'Air India would also be entitled for compensation for delays in the delivery of the aircraft.' Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ask the Captain: Submit your aviation questions By John Cox, special for USA TODAY As the newest member of the travel expert panel, please allow me to introduce myself. I am John Cox. After 25 years as a captain with US Airways (originally hired by Piedmont), I retired to found an aviation safety consulting company, Safety Operating Systems (SOS), in Washington, D.C. During my time with the airline, I flew various airplanes including Airbus 319/320/321 and Boeing 737-200, 300, and 400s domestically and internationally. In addition, I was an Air Safety Representative with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) for 20 years. It gave me a different perspective to work with regulators, manufacturers and airline managers promoting aviation safety. As part of that responsibility, I was also an aircraft accident investigator for ALPA. It showed me what can happen when things go wrong and made me a strong advocate for aviation safety. As a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in London, I have the opportunity to work with aviation professionals around the world. In 2007, I was the first American to receive the Sir James Martin award for aviation safety from the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators in London. This month I will celebrate 40 years in aviation, having soloed for the first time in August 1970. During that time, the industry has changed a lot. Living in Florida and working in Washington continues to keep me on an airplane frequently. So does working with clients all over the globe. Whether as a pilot or a passenger, airplanes are a central part of my life. Now I'm happy to launch the "Ask the Captain" column to answer all your questions about aviation and the flying experience. Please submit your questions by posting a comment below. I will answer selected ones each Monday, beginning Aug. 16. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/experts/cox/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Double-blade helicopter breaks air speed record Sikorsky's X2 broke rotary-wing speed record set in 1986 During a test flight last week in West Palm Beach, Fla., Sikorsky's double-blade X2 helicopter broke a rotary-wing air speed record set in 1986. - Maybe it was the new tail design. Maybe it was skilled pilot. Maybe it was the twin rotor blades. Or maybe they all contributed to Sikorsky's X2 helicopter speeding past 249 miles per hour to become the world's fastest helicopter. The chopper broke the air speed record, which has stood since 1986, during a test run last week in West Palm Beach Florida. The X2 Technology demonstrator combines an integrated suite of technologies intended to advance the state-of-the-art, counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter. The experimental craft is designed to demonstrate that a helicopter can cruise comfortably at 288 mph (its target max speed) while retaining such desirable attributes as excellent low-speed handling, efficient hovering, and a seamless and simple transition to high speed. "The X2 Technology demonstrator's latest flight is continuing to push the speed envelope, successfully flying approximately 50 knots faster than a traditional helicopter," said Jim Kagdis, the Program Manager, Advanced Programs, at Sikorsky. "Vibration levels and aircraft performance have continued to meet or exceed our expectations, so we are pleased to report that all systems are 'go' in our mission to achieve a 250-knot cruise speed later this year." In the demonstrator's previous flight, a new tail configuration was incorporated to decrease pilot workload as the aircraft speed is increased, improving the overall aircraft handling qualities. The X2 Technology program began in 2005 when Sikorsky first committed resources and full funding for the program's development. http://www.msnbc.msn.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103598804346&s=6053&e=001qGPbNuJa6i8ILW4GLxfTcDeLhhkpsciX8PMSi8SC-WHWy0msiY1dExwfDCfDjL1ZntEVXoDrqDL7XtROxb21_uG82tpDku1ILjkuLYTpRqpa6jTYdtgQgQ==] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TSA Says Airlines Are Screening All Cargo On Domestic Passenger Aircraft Wed, 04 Aug '10 Meets Requirement Of The 9/11 Act The airline industry has met a key requirement of the 9/11 Act by screening 100 percent of air cargo on domestic passenger aircraft, TSA announced Tuesday. TSA says it has worked closely with the cargo and aviation industries to fulfill this important Congressional mandate by the Aug. 1, 2010 deadline. TSA continues to utilize a multi-layered approach to air cargo security, including procedures for known and established shippers to ship cargo on domestic passenger aircraft, deploying explosive detection canine teams, and conducting covert tests and no-notice inspections of cargo operations. "TSA has taken another step forward in strengthening the security of air travel," said TSA Administrator John S. Pistole. "Screening all cargo on domestic passenger aircraft adds another layer to our already robust security system and ensures that TSA is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of air travel." TSA is also continuing its work to improve cargo security on passenger flights originating in other countries. TSA requires 100 percent of high risk cargo to undergo security screening and has increased the requirements for overall cargo screening. "International air cargo is more secure than it has ever been," added Pistole. "TSA continues to work closely with our international partners and is making substantial progress toward meeting the 100 percent mark in the next few years." Cargo Screening Device To meet the mandate, TSA created the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP), which allows certified facilities across the country to screen cargo before it reaches the airport. CCSP facilities must be approved by TSA and adhere to strict security standards, including physical access controls, personnel security, and screening of prospective employees and contractors. A secure chain of custody must also be established from the screening facility to the aircraft. Prior to the Aug. 1 deadline, over 900 facilities became CCSP certified. This innovative program spreads the cargo screening responsibility, on a voluntary basis, throughout the supply chain to manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. This distributed screening effort has enabled over half of the more than 9 million pounds of cargo loaded onboard passenger-carrying planes each day to be prescreened, avoiding potential bottlenecks at airports. FMI: www.tsa.gov Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC