Flight Safety Information December 10, 2010 - No. 253 In This Issue Blinded by the Light: FAA Warns Pilots of Laser Dangers Eurocopter X3 Hybrid Helicopter Hits 180 Kts NTSB KICKS OFF YEAR-LONG EFFORT ON CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY The end of Harrier jet spells staff cuts at BAE Traffic And Safety Computer Cleared For A320 FAA Steps Up Boeing Checks South Africa to get independent Aviation Safety Investigation Board House Confirms Mica As Transportation Chair Three Aeromexico flight attendants arrested in Madrid airport drug bust ATSB focuses on "mod A" and "mod B" Trent 900s Crashed Tu-154 sustained heavy impact force on landing Qantas 767 and Virgin 737 in separation incident Blinded by the Light: FAA Warns Pilots of Laser Dangers Pilots Have Reported Blurred Vision and Damaged Retinas About a dozen pilots filed reports last week saying someone aimed green laser lights at their cockpits as they tried to land at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. "The Federal Aviation Administration takes laser incidents very seriously because of the potential safety hazards they pose," Jim Peters, an FAA spokesman, said in a statement to ABC News New York affiliate WABC. At Newark Liberty Airport, there have been 17 reported laser incidents involving planes landing from the north within the past week, WABC reported. Some pilots have reported blurred vision and damage to the retina. The powerful laser beam can hit a target miles away and can also burn though thick plastic. "If it punches through plastic this easily, think of what it can do to the retina of your eye," said David Todeschini with the Awesome Lasers website. Laser Incidents on the Rise As hand-held lasers have become more inexpensive, the number of incidents has increased in recent years. In 2010, there have been more than 2,200 reports of laser incidents. Since 2005, more than 5,000 incidents have been reported The Associated Press reported. Shining a laser at an airplane is a violation of federal law. "Interfering with a flight crew is a federal crime, so the FBI has looked into these laser incidents over the last several years. ... We've located some and they've been prosecuted," said FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko. In September, a Rhode Island man was accused of pointing a laser at a plane on final approach at T.F. Green Airport. He was charged with "attempting to interfere with an aircraft with reckless disregard for safety; and interfering with an aircraft with reckless disregard for safety," the Providence Journal reported. http://abcnews.go.com/US/ Back to Top Eurocopter X3 Hybrid Helicopter Hits 180 Kts Step 1 Speed Objective Attained Ahead Of Schedule Eurocopter's X3 high-speed hybrid helicopter demonstrator, which first flew September 6, 2010, has reached the program's Step 1 speed objective ... attaining a true airspeed of 180 kts in level flight at a reduced level of engine power. The flight occurred at the DGA Flight Test base in Istres, France November 29th. In the flight testing performed thus far, the flight envelope has been opened both with and without autopilot to validate the basic hybrid demonstrator aircraft's stability and handling characteristics. The X3 has reached an altitude of 12,500 feet and performed maneuvers with left and right turns at bank angles of up to 60 degrees. The X3 flights to date were performed by Eurocopter test pilot Hervé Jammayrac and flight test engineer Daniel Semioli at the French DGA test facility in Istres. "The X3 has performed extremely well, demonstrating handling and flight qualities that are exactly in line with our ground-based simulator evaluations," Jammayrac said. "This helicopter is really built for speed, and our test team looks forward to taking the X3 to the next steps of its flight regime." Having already surpassed the speed of a traditional helicopter, the next milestone for the demonstrator is the Step 2 phase at Eurocopter's headquarters in Marignane, France, where the X3 will enter a second set of flight tests during which it is expected to reach sustained cruise speeds in excess of 220 kts. The X3 utilizes a Eurocopter Dauphin helicopter airframe. It is equipped with two turboshaft engines that power a five-blade main rotor system, along with two propellers installed on shortspan fixed wings. This hybrid configuration creates an advanced transportation system that offers the speed of a turboprop-powered aircraft and the full hover flight capabilities of a helicopter. It is tailored to applications where operational costs, flight duration and mission success depend directly on the maximum cruising speed. The X3 combines excellent vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with fast cruise speeds of more than 220 kts. Eurocopter envisions a wide range of applications for this concept, including long-distance search and rescue (SAR) missions, coast guard duties, border patrol missions, passenger transportation and inter-city shuttle services. It could also be well- tailored for military missions in Special Forces' operations, troop transportation, combat SAR and medical evacuation. FMI: www.eurocopter.com Back to Top NTSB PRESS RELEASE ************************************************************ National Transportation Safety Board Washington, DC 20594 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 9, 2010 SB-10-47 ************************************************************ NTSB KICKS OFF YEAR-LONG EFFORT ON CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY, DEBUTS EDUCATIONAL VIDEO ************************************************************ The National Transportation Safety Board today concluded its public forum, Child Passenger Safety in the Air and in Automobiles. NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman announced in her opening remarks that the forum marked the beginning of a year-long effort by the Board to promote child passenger safety across all modes of transportation. "Safety for our smallest travelers should not be considered optional or a luxury," said Chairman Hersman. As part of the NTSB's safety advocacy efforts, a short video focusing on the importance of properly securing children in cars and on airplanes was debuted at the start of the forum. The full video is now at www.ntsb.gov/children, as well as two shorter versions - one focused on highway safety and one focused on aviation safety. All three versions soon will be available in Spanish. "The laws of physics don't change, whether you are on an airplane or in an automobile," said Chairman Hersman. "Children rely on their parents to know what is safest for them. The purpose of our forum was to make sure that parents have the information to do the right thing." Chairman Hersman also noted that 18 other states, as well as American Samoa and Puerto Rico, should amend their existing booster seat laws to reflect the Safety Board's longstanding recommendation. An archived copy of the forum webcast will be available on the Public Forums and Symposia page of the NTSB's website, http://www.ntsb.gov/events/symposia.htm Back to Top The end of Harrier jet spells staff cuts at BAE The scrapping of the Royal Navy's Harrier jump-jets led to hundreds of job losses across the county yesterday. Arms company BAE Systems announced that around 1,300 jobs were to go nationwide. There were no jobs cuts at BAE Systems' sites in Broad Oak, Hilsea, or at Portsmouth Naval Base, but 214 are being cut in Farnborough. A number of the losses are because the Harrier fleet - which served on aircraft carriers including Ark Royal - is being put out of service by the government. A company spokesman told The News: 'We designed and built the Harrier. We support it. 'It's going to be withdrawn early so as a result we've had to have a serious look at the business. 'Some of these job losses are as a result of it being taken out of service.' Other cuts are linked to the scrapping of the late and overbudget sea patrol plane the Nimrod MRA4. The bulk of the cuts are to be at BAE plants in Lancashire. But 157 are also earmarked for the chop at RAF bases in Rutland and Moray. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/The-end-of-Harrier-jet.6656472.jp Back to Top Traffic And Safety Computer Cleared For A320 A processor that combines surveillance, air traffic management and safety features in a single unit will be installed on the first Airbus A320s this month following certification. Developed by ACSS, a joint L-3 Communications & Thales company, the T3CAS Traffic Management Computer includes a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Mode S transponder, Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) capability. As part of the installation, ACSS says the TCAS will include the latest Change 7.1 software and the upgraded DO-260A Class A3 transponder, which provides an ADS-B surveillance range of more than 120 nm. ADS-B is a surveillance system based on the capability of the aircraft to automatically and periodically transmit data, such as position, altitude, velocity and identification. These data can be transmitted to ground stations (ADS-B Out), or to other aircraft (ADS-B In). ACSS adds that the T3CAS certification for the A320 represents the first certified ADS-B In functions on a new production aircraft. Based on the combination of the system's ADS-B Out (transmitting) and ADS-B In (receiving) capabilities, ACSS says the unit will therefore also provide the basis for operations in the NextGen and SESAR air traffic redesign projects now underway. The ADS-B In function in T3CAS will also support the Airbus Airborne Traffic Situational Awareness (ATSA) applications, which have been developed to provide enhanced safety and operational efficiency. They include ATSA Airb (airborne operations), flight-level change performances in non-radar coverage areas (such as oceanic airspace) with ATSA-ITP (in-trail procedure) and visual separation on approach with ATSA-VSA. Initial installations of T3CAS will start this month on A320s flying for operators in Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. http://www.aviationweek.com/ Back to Top FAA Steps Up Boeing Checks By ANDY PASZTOR (WSJ) Aviation regulators are poised to order stepped-up inspections of more than 600 Boeing Co. 757 jetliners worldwide, prompted by a recent in-flight incident that left roughly a one-foot hole in the fuselage of an American Airlines plane. Impending safety directives by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to people familiar with the matter, are expected to cover certain older models of the widely used, twin-engine planes. The FAA is drafting enhanced inspection mandates in the wake of the sudden rupture and rapid decompression that occurred Oct. 26 while the American jet was cruising at 31,000 feet en route from Miami to Boston. An American Air Boeing 757 taking off from Miami airport in August. .Regulators in Europe and other regions are expected to follow the FAA's lead, affecting many more planes. Rapid decompressions are rare events, and they may stem from undetected metal fatigue that can suddenly peel back a portion of an aircraft's aluminum skin in midair. On Thursday, Boeing said it already has issued a service bulletin urging airlines to detect potential cracks in the "upper forward fuselage skin on certain" 757s. A Boeing spokeswoman declined to provide details about the results of the continuing inspections, which have been under way for weeks. She said the company continues to work with the FAA, airlines and U.S. accident investigators to assess relevant safety issues It isn't clear how quickly the FAA will act. An FAA spokeswoman said "we are aware of Boeing's service bulletin," but she declined to elaborate. Typically, regulators mandate changes in maintenance procedures suggested by manufacturers. Nobody was hurt in the October event, and the American jet made a safe emergency landing back in Miami. But the incident sparked a National Transportation Safety Board investigation and prompted industry officials to increase scrutiny of the condition of the aluminum skins of 757 aircraft. Investigators also have been looking for links between the October emergency and cracks found the same month in the fuselage of a United Continental Holdings' United Airlines Boeing 757. Previously, the safety board said experts were examining a section of the skin panel removed from the American jet near the roughly one-foot by one-foot tear above its left front cabin door. A safety board spokesman declined further comment Thursday. A spokesman for AMR Corp.'s American Airlines unit said roughly 85 of the carrier's fleet of 124 Boeing 757s are covered by Boeing's nonbinding service bulletin. The average age of the fleet is about 16 years, meaning that many of the jets are classified as middle-aged aircraft. Enhanced inspection programs often are geared toward older aircraft. The American spokesman said the carrier, which uses 757s on domestic and international routes, is conducting inspections "expeditiously," but didn't have details about results or how many planes still need to be checked. An American 757 was undergoing repairs in Los Angeles Thursday, according to one person familiar with the details, after being grounded because of fuselage cracks. Back to Top South Africa to get independent Aviation Safety Investigation Board Minister of Transport S'bu Ndebele says his department intends to establish an independent Aviation Safety Investigation Board (ASIB) in the next financial year. Ndebele, in a written answer to a Parliamentary question to Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald, said the applicable parts of Chapter 4 of the Civil Aviation Act 13 of 2009, which provides for the powers and functions of an ASIB are not yet in force. "The Board of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) will only be able to function when the relevant provisions of the Act are in force and after budgetary allocations have been made for that purpose. It is envisaged that the National Treasury will make budgetary allocations for the creation of the Aviation Safety Investigation Board in the next financial year," he said. In answer to a similar question by the Democratic Alliance's Stevens Mokgalapa, he added that accident investigation was currently conducted by the Accident and Incident Investigation Division (AIID) within SACAA "on a cost recovery basis on behalf of the Department of Transport". Ndebele says this arrangement that has been in place since the creation of the SACAA in October 1998. "The function of investigation of selected accidents and serious incidents will be transferred from the SACAA to the ASIB on a mutually agreed date when the ASIB has been established and is suitably staffed." Ndebele also noted there have been 124 aviation-related accidents for the calendar year to November 3, 15 of which were fatal. Twenty-four deaths were recorded in these 15 fatal accidents. This compares to 126 and 16 respectively for 2009 (with 28 deaths), 190 for 2008 (33 fatal, 94 deaths) and 184 (27 fatal, 38 deaths) for 2007. http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11118:south -africa-to-get-independent-aviation-safety-investigation- board&catid=35:Aerospace&Itemid=107 Back to Top House Confirms Mica As Transportation Chair House Republicans on Dec. 8 confirmed Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) in conference as chairman of the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure in the 112th Congress. Mica, who is the panel's ranking Republican during the current "lame-duck" session, has firm priorities for congressional action regarding aviation funding for the NextGen air traffic management system and passage of a long-term FAA reauthorization bill. Immediately following the mid-term elections, Mica announced his intentions if elected chairman. Among his top legislative priorities are "long-overdue Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization." He is expected to rewrite parts of the House version of the bill written by Democrats. The House on Dec. 2 passed a 17th extension of the FAA's operating authority by voice vote. The current FAA extension expires on Dec. 31, and the subsequent 90-day extension continues through March 31. Before serving as T&I's Republican leader, Mica was chairman of the House aviation subcommittee from 2000 to 2006, when he wrote the last multi-year FAA authorization bill to be signed into law. He has served as a member of the T&I Committee since being elected to Congress in 1992. http://www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Three Aeromexico flight attendants arrested in Madrid airport drug bust MADRID, SPAIN (BNO NEWS) -- The Spanish police on Thursday announced that three Aeromexico flight attendants were arrested at the Barajas airport in Madrid, Spain after they were found in possession of 140 kilograms (308 pounds) of cocaine. The three Mexican nationals, aged 27, 28 and 40, were detained on Tuesday after police officers noticed that they were carrying three identical suitcases. Police found 132 packages shaped as bricks that contained a white powdery substance which was later confirmed to be cocaine. The individuals were taken into custody but they did not identify as Aeromexico employees. During a subsequent search, officers found their identity documents indicating they belong to the Mexican air carrier. The individuals were traveling as tourists at the moment of their arrest, Aeromexico said in a statement, but the suitcases had the Aeromexico logo printed on them. According to the carrier, the three men purchased commercial tickets and did not used company tickets to fly. The SkyTeam membe also said that it suspended the work relationship with the three individuals involved until Spanish authorities conclude the investigation. "We deeply regret the incident, and we reiterate our commitment with following and respecting the laws and legal procedures. Aeromexico is on its best posture for helping authorities in whatever it is required," the airline said. Back to Top ATSB focuses on "mod A" and "mod B" Trent 900s The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) ordered stub pipe inspections on only two specific versions of the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine as part of its investigation into an uncontained engine failure on a Qantas Airways Airbus A380 aircraft on 4 November. The stub pipe inspections completed 8 November were on 45 Trent 900 engines which were exclusively "mod A" and "mod B" versions of the powerplant, a spokesman says. The latest version of the engine, "mod C", was not inspected. The ATSB could not say what differentiated "mod A" and "mod B" versions from the "mod C" version. Rolls-Royce had earlier said "there has been no design change relevant to this failure between A, B and C versions of the engine". However, sources familiar with the matter say that the problem the ATSB identified last week in its preliminary report as the cause of the uncontained engine failure - an axial misalignment of the counter-boring in the stub pipe - is limited to early versions of the Trent 900. "The suspected misaligned counter-boring stopped at a certain point in the production process," says one of the sources, who was unable to elaborate further. The stub pipe inspections found three affected engines, all of which were removed from service. "Based on Rolls-Royce's understanding of the cause of the problem, the inspection was focused on specific types of Trent 900 [engines]," the ATSB spokesman says. "We identified the oil pipe affected and they identified the range of engines affected," he adds. Rolls-Royce submitted to the ATSB the identification numbers of the affected engines, the spokesman says. All of those engines were either "A mod" or "B mod" versions. The ATSB says it is continuing its investigation. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top Crashed Tu-154 sustained heavy impact force on landing Russian investigators have disclosed the extent of the impact forces experienced by the Dagestan Airlines Tupolev Tu-154M which made an emergency landing at Moscow Domodedovo on 4 December. Its initial contact with runway 32R resulted in a vertical load of 3.5g on the airframer, say the Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK). This was followed by an impact of more than 5g in the subsequent landing contact. MAK says it has derived the data from an on-board parametric register. The aircraft landed long on the runway, overrunning and breaking into large sections. There were two fatalities from among the occupants. Russian investigators have not disclosed any further information regarding the whereabouts of the cockpit-voice recorder, which was not recovered from the site of the accident despite the lack of fire and relative integrity of the airframe. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top Qantas 767 and Virgin 737 in separation incident The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating a separation incident involving a Qantas Airways Boeing 767-300 and a Virgin Blue 737-700. In the 5 December incident in Melbourne airspace, the two aircraft were "tracking on the same route when separation reduced to 1.9nm horizontally and 300ft vertically", says the ATSB, which has classified the incident as serious. The Qantas 767, registration VH-OGU, was flying from Melbourne to Sydney. The Virgin 737, VH-VBH, had departed from Melbourne as well, says the ATSB, which did not specify the aircraft's destination. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC