Flight Safety Information January 31, 2011 - No. 022 In This Issue Air-Safety Experts Study Sensor Failures American jet makes emergency landing in Jamaica Jet skids off runway at Los Angeles-area airport Pilot survives Elbert County plane crash (Colorado)... CHAIRMAN ROCKEFELLER INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE AIR SAFETY Pilots: US Airways scrimps on safety Airline Safety Rankings Like Baloney All Flavor - No Substance DOT Secretary Views On "The Future of Aviation In America"... Delta 'indefinitely suspends' Cairo operations Jetstar A330 suffered icing of Goodrich pitots: ATSB Airbus juggles A330-300 weights to offer longer range Safety Manaement Systems (SMS) Air-Safety Experts Study Sensor Failures By ANDY PASZTOR (WSJ) Recent Australian reports of potentially hazardous cockpit-instrument malfunctions on three different Airbus jetliners have prompted new safety concerns about future such incidents elsewhere. Each of the jets, operated by the an affiliate of Qantas Airways Ltd., temporarily lost critical airspeed- measuring devices and various automated flight-control systems, according to reports released in the past two days by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. None of the incidents involving Jetstar Airways planes ended with injuries or aircraft damage, but the events sparked interest from international air- safety experts. Factors that prompt external airspeed-sensors to malfunction-often a buildup of ice crystals blocking openings on the devices-have been under extensive scrutiny for years. Such problems are considered dangerous because they can cause autopilots to suddenly disconnect, pilots may become confused by incorrect or contradictory data and in some cases, the result could be hazardous maneuvers and even stalls. Reliability of airspeed-measuring devices, and how pilots should respond if they go haywire, gained particular prominence after the June 2009 crash of an Air France A330 en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. Airspeed-sensor malfunctions on that plane, as it flew through a violent storm, triggered a chain of events that affected flight-control computers and prompted a cascade of automated cockpit warnings, according to investigators. The cause of the crash, which killed all 228 aboard, hasn't been determined. Australian air-crash investigators have determined that a Jetstar Airbus A330 experienced two separate incidents of airspeed-sensor malfunctions in 2009, eight months apart, each time while flying through intense storms. Each malfunction lasted for only a few seconds. Examining what happened to the Jetstar A330 on Oct. 28, 2009, the safety board determined that high- altitude ice crystals blocked certain parts of its speed-measuring devices while the plane was cruising at 39,000 feet en route to Australia from Japan with 214 people on board. According to the report, the captain's instruments showed airspeed plummeting by more than 200 miles an hour in five seconds. The incorrect date prompted various automated flight-controls to switch off or issue warnings. The plane's autopilot briefly switched off twice, according to the report, indicating that the airspeed- sensors, called pitot tubes, suffered two separate, distinct malfunctions. The pilots retained control of the aircraft, and quickly re-engaged the autopilot. The safety board said the same aircraft had a similar malfunction eight months earlier, also while maneuvering around storms at 39,000 feet, though that incident wasn't investigated at the time. The details of both incidents suggests that in extreme, turbulent conditions like those encountered by the Air France and Jetstar planes-where the smallest, least-understood types of ice crystals are likely to form- previous safety directives may be inadequate to prevent future incidents. Last month, European air-safety regulators stepped up warnings about extensive dependence on A330 and A340 autopilots in the event of major airspeed-sensor malfunctions. Most Airbus jets have three independent pitot tubes providing redundancy, but onboard automated systems typically disconnect if two of the speed-sensors simultaneously become blocked, damaged or provide contradictory information to the cockpit. The Jetstar A330s speed-sensors were manufactured by Goodrich Corp. Prompted by the Air France crash, European and U.S. regulators in August 2009 mandated that A330 and A340 operators use Goodrich pitot tubes to replace certain devices manufactured by France's Thales Group SA. Investigators consider the Goodrich devices to be more reliable than Thales devices manufactured prior to 2009. The Australian report reiterated that point, but also stressed that regulators and industry experts need to go further to develop more-reliable airspeed-measuring devices, better able to operate in extreme cold and other conditions. Between the fall of 2003 and the summer of 2009, French investigators have identified more than three dozen instances of pitot tubes on Airbus A33O and larger A340 aircraft that were blocked by ice. In a separate safety bulletin, Australian investigators this week said a smaller Jetsar Airbus A320, cruising at 30,000 feet in rain from Brisbane to Mackay last September, suddenly lost its primary airspeed indications. It's not clear whether ice crystals were at fault. The A320 pilots lost autopilot and computerized thrust-controls, while they received incorrect altitude data and outside temperature readings. Standby speed indicators continued to function. After about two minutes, the primary airspeed indicators and other systems returned to normal, according to Australian investigators. After the plane landed safely at its destination, maintenance officials didn't find any mechanical or computer defects, according to the Australian safety board. The probable cause won't be determined until a final report is completed. Regarding ice-formation on pitot tubes, Boeing Co. and Air France-KLM SA have been leading a broad study of the dangers posed by tiny, high-altitude ice crystals. Manufacturer Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. has conducted flight tests and performed various analyses of the issue. Australian investigators concluded that Jetstar, Qantas and Airbus all took appropriate steps in response to the 2009 A330 incidents. Qantas, for example, incorporated special training for "unreliable airspeed" procedures in its recurrent pilot training. Back to Top American jet makes emergency landing in Jamaica KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - An American Airlines jet en route to Miami from Ecuador has made an emergency landing in Jamaica. The airline says the jet landed at the Montego Bay airport and all passengers disembarked normally without incident. American said in a statement that the pilot decided to land as a precaution after getting a temperature indication warning on the right hand engine. The Boeing 757 took off from Quito, Ecuador, on Friday with 155 passengers and a crew of eight. American says the passengers are being rebooked on other flights. Back to Top Jet skids off runway at Los Angeles-area airport (AP) A twin-engine jet plane aborted a takeoff and skidded off a runway at Van Nuys Airport on Friday but the three people aboard escaped injury, authorities said. The Mexican-registered Falcon jet was taking off from the San Fernando Valley airport on a flight to Tucson, Ariz., when it aborted the flight at about 1:15 p.m., said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane belonged to the Mexican Federal Police and had been sent to Los Angeles for maintenance work because of a mechanical problem, Federal Police spokesman Juan Carlos Buenrostro told The Associated Press. The skid occurred during a test flight, Buenrostro said. No Mexican officials or police were on board, he added. The plane stopped about 75 feet off the end of a runway in a runway safety area, he said. Televised reports showed black skid marks leading from halfway down the runway into the dirt safety area. Three people aboard the plane were unhurt, airport spokeswoman Diana Sanchez said. The accident temporarily closed the airport's only functioning runway until the plane could be moved, Sanchez said. A second runway already was closed for construction. The airport re-opened for both departures and arrivals later Friday. The cause of the accident remained under investigation. Van Nuys Airport is heavily used by private, corporate and government aircraft Back to Top Pilot survives Elbert County plane crash (Colorado) KIOWA, Colo. (AP) -- A man survived a crash after an onboard parachute system on his single-engine plane deployed and dropped the craft and pilot softly into a dry river bed in rural Elbert County. Elbert County emergency management Director Cory Stark says the pilot reported having some type of mechanical problem onboard his Cirrus aircraft while in flight shortly before the 6 a.m. Saturday crash. The plane had taken off from Centennial Airport in Englewood, about 35 miles west. Stark says investigators from theFederal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are en route to investigate. Back to Top CHAIRMAN ROCKEFELLER INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE AIR SAFETY, MODERNIZE NATION'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM WASHINGTON, D.C.--Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has introduced the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act. It is the same bill that passed the U.S. Senate last year, 93-0. "This is a significant FAA package that will support thousands of jobs, strengthen airline safety and modernize America's outdated air traffic control system. It will lead to a better aviation system for all Americans," Chairman Rockefeller said. "Our aviation system is fundamental to our communities and our nation's long-term economic growth. I am committed to getting this bill to the President's desk this year." IMPROVING AIRLINE SAFETY The FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act would: *Require the FAA to develop a plan to provide runway incursion information to pilots in the cockpit, and initiate better processes for tracking and investigating operational errors. *Require better safety oversight of foreign repair stations. * Improve safety for helicopter emergency medical service operations by mandating that the FAA standardize dispatch procedures, and requiring the use of terrain awareness and warning systems, and flight data and cockpit voice recorders on board such helicopters. *Strengthen the inspection of airline operations. MODERNIZING AMERICA'S AVIATION SYSTEM The FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act includes several provisions to modernize the nation's air transportation system, and to ensure that the FAA adopts the next generation of air traffic control technology in a timely and effective manner. The bill would: * Establish clear deadlines for the adoption of existing Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) navigation and surveillance technology. For example, the bill requires the development of Required Navigation Performance (RNP) and Area Navigation (RNAV) procedures at the busiest 35 airports by 2014, and for the entire National Airspace System (NAS) by 2018. * Direct the FAA to accelerate planned timelines for integrating Automatic Dependent Surveillance- Broadcast (ADS-B) technology into the NAS. * Create an "Air Traffic Control Modernization Oversight Board" to provide better oversight of FAA's modernization programs. * Establish a "Chief NextGen Officer" position at FAA to oversee implementation of all NextGen programs, and provide greater accountability over the modernization process. IMPROVING ACCESS TO AIR SERVICE Chairman Rockefeller included key provisions in the bill to strengthen the federal government's commitment to small community air service. The FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act would: * Propose a number of improvements to the Essential Air Service (EAS) program to allow communities greater flexibility in attracting desired air service, including: (1) permitting new financial incentives into contracts with EAS carriers to encourage better service; (2) allowing longer-term EAS contracts if such an arrangement is in the public interest; (3) allowing the development of incentives for large airlines to code-share on service to small communities; and (4) requiring large airlines to code-share on EAS flights in up to 10 communities. * Establish an Office of Rural Aviation within the Department of Transportation (DOT) to focus on the development of longer-term EAS contracts. * Extend a provision that raises the federal share for certain small airport improvement projects to 95 percent. http://robotics.tmcnet.com/news/2011/01/28/5275095.htm Back to Top Pilots: US Airways scrimps on safety Pressure for profitability has led US Airways to cut safety corners, some pilots contend in a new survey. Many of the 1,560 pilots surveyed "feel pressed to push in areas where it would be better to slow down," according to a survey summary obtained by the Observer. US Airways officials say many of the concerns are unwarranted and that the survey is being used by pilots to gain leverage in contract negotiations. In a letter to employees, US Airways Chief Operating Officer Robert Isom said Friday that safety is the airline's top priority. Last year, he said, was the airline's best in terms of overall safety. In an interview with the Observer, Isom said: "So much of this survey, I think, is about the perception of a limited few." Airline cites new study The airline pointed to results of a new U.S. News & World Report study that assessed the safety of the eight largest U.S. airlines. That study ranked US Airways third overall in safety - and first among the major network carriers. The survey of US Airways pilots - conducted in October at the behest of a union that represents many of them - found that many considered safety to be one of the airline's "core values." Overall, however, "the results of the survey indicate that the safety culture at US Airways is generally negative and in need of intervention," the summary says. Among the concerns expressed by pilots: The airline's push for on-time departures may hinder safety. US Airways showed an "unsatisfactory response" to reported safety issues. Pilots felt they had little input on the airline's safety decisions. Safety personnel were viewed as "out of touch with the risks of flight operations." The confidential survey was conducted by University of Illinois professor Terry von Thaden, a well- respected aviation safety expert. The summary obtained by the Observer doesn't specify the survey questions, or the results for each question. Whether US Airways pilots have more safety concerns than those at other airlines is unclear. The summary provides no comparisons with other airlines. Few incidents in 2010 But it's apparent that US Airways' passengers have experienced few safety problems recently. In 2010, the airline had just 24 documented incidents out of about 1.1 million flights, the U.S. News & World Report study found. In 2010, US Airways said it posted all time lows in navigation errors, erratic landing approaches and cases in which planes nearly collide on runways. "On every important safety metric, we met or exceeded our goals," Isom wrote in his letter to employees. In one of last year's rare safety mishaps, a US Airways Express regional flight overran a runway in Charleston, W.Va. due to an incorrect flap setting. The National Transportation Safety Board found the probable cause to be unprofessional behavior by crew members who were engaged in conversation that distracted them from their duties. Concerns aren't new But many have credited the training and experience of one US Airways pilot with saving 155 lives. On Jan. 15, 2009, US Airways Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger safely landed a jet with crippled engines in the Hudson River. Soon afterward, Sullenberger expressed concern that financial pressures might soon make it harder for the airline industry to attract experienced pilots. US Airways pilots are paid the least of those serving the country's five major airlines. This month, the US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA), the union that represents US Airways pilots, protested what it contended were deliberate efforts by the airline to stall contract talks. The airline has said it's working to reach an agreement. In 2005, the airline emerged from bankruptcy and merged with America West Airlines. 2010 was the second most profitable year in the airline's history. Survey results skewed? US Airways officials contend that the survey wasn't a random sample. Less than 40 percent of the airline's 4,100 pilots participated. Few of the airline's Phoenix-based pilots responded, and that may have skewed the results, airline officials said. The airline's "west" pilots - mostly former America West pilots - are fighting with the longtime US Airways pilots from the east over seniority. East pilots say they believe they were shortchanged when a seniority list was created. USAPA President Mike Cleary said the survey was statistically valid and disputed that it's being used as a negotiating tool. With management's help, he said, the survey can be used to identify weaknesses and enhance safety. "USAPA has a singular goal - to improve the safety culture of the airline," Cleary said. http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/01/29/2791873/pilots-us-airways-scrimps-on-safety.html Back to Top Airline Safety Rankings Like Baloney All Flavor - No Substance My middle-school teacher Paul Wesche once told me that the word assume could be broken down to into three parts ass -- u -- me, as in - to assume is to make an ass out of you and me. The truth behind this clever wordplay was made abundantly clear in the article just published by U.S. News and World Report, America's Safest Airlines. Look, I know that everything associated with the word "airline" is out-of-control sexy, and that the fact that US airlines have completed a year of fatality-free flying is frustrating for journalists who see the airlines as a source of juicy news when they are a) crashing airplanes b) annoying passengers and c) embarrassed by the antics of pilots and/or flight attendants. I could rest my case by writing that the article's author, Hamooda Shami's last venture into the world of air travel journalism resulted in America's Meanest Airlines, but that would be too easy. Anyway, in this latest endeavor to capitalize on the fact that airline articles are a search engine optimization jackpot on par with Bradgelina, U.S. News has produced an article based on the premise that by counting up airline safety incidents and dividing by the number of flights, the consumer can accurately gauge how safe is a specific airline. That this is nonsense is even implied in the article itself when Mr. Shami writes the incidents used in calculating this safety ranking "should be taken with a serious grain of salt." Fourteen hundreds words on the subject is enough salt to season a lot of baloney, (Coincidence? I think not!) Nevertheless, as an aviation writer seeking to uphold the reputation of aviation writers everywhere, I feel compelled to point out that this article has holes of logic through which we could route the entire fleet of Airbus A380s. Mr. Shami limited his mathematical analysis to major US carriers, excluding regional airlines from his calculations even though they are responsible for moving one in four air travelers in the United States and responsible for 100% of the eleven airline crashes since 2000. If this weren't caveat enough, the article then goes on to say that in doing the math Mr. Shami is going to include only those incidents in which the "airlines were at fault." Say what? The National Transportation Safety Board employs upwards of 90 scientists and engineers to determine probable cause, but one reporter has read, digested and analyzed a year's worth of airline incident reports and come away with 305 incidents in which he has determined fault lies with the airline? Fast work Mr. Shami! I'm exhausted at the very thought. Even having excluded the "airline-blame-free incidents" from the calculus, he can't resist the urge to tell us the details of some of them. Two American Airlines turbulence events and a Continental near-collision are described as Mr. Shami justifies American's (7) and Continental's (4) position on his list. There, there, there, airline executives, I know you're grimacing at my even mentioning these numbers but don't get your shorts in a bunch. The safety ranking collapses under the weight of its own moronic conclusions. Have no fear for your reputations. If there's anyone who should be worried, its the editors at U.S. News. They've risked the magazine's well-established reputation for careful list making by attaching its name to this dreck. Posted by christine negroni http://blog.seattlepi.com/flyinglessons/archives/237505.asp Back to Top DOT Secretary Views On "The Future of Aviation In America" January 31, 2011 - On Wednesday of last week, Department of Transportation, Secretary Ray LaHood spoke at the Aero Club of Washington, DC Annual Luncheon on "The Future of Aviation in America". Below are his remarks. Good afternoon. Thank you, Monte [Belger], for the introduction and congratulations on your new gig. We look forward to working with you. Before we get too far along, let me also say to Lisa [Piccione]: On behalf of President Obama and the U.S. Department of Transportation, thank you for your extraordinary service to the Aero Club and the traveling public. I must say, last night was very exciting for all of us. We heard President Obama talk about what it will take for America's economy to grow and compete - and about the critical importance of America's transportation infrastructure for Americans' economic security and opportunity. I also found myself thinking about the state of America's aviation industry. And it occurred to me that if we were to draft and deliver a "state of our skies" address, it would have to include this simple and powerful fact: They're the safest they've ever been. They're getting safer all the time. But we will not rest on our laurels. Safety will always be our number one priority. The safety - the safe and strong state - of American aviation is a credit to each of you. You're sure doing something right. It's a credit to the hard work of the technicians, pilots, air traffic controllers. It's a credit to so many others who make America's aviation industry the world's envy and example. Still, there's no doubt that we face our share of challenges. For one thing, we need to get the FAA's reauthorization done this year. I've met with Speaker Boehner and Transportation Chairman Mica. My DOT colleagues and I believe that the House of Representatives is primed to get this legislation passed and onto the president's desk expeditiously - even in these tough fiscal times. For another thing, we need to keep working, fighting, and building to secure prosperity for ourselves and for future generations of Americans. There's no question that the economy we preside over today is stronger than it was two years ago. It's growing again instead of shrinking; it's creating jobs rather than shedding them. But we're just getting started because too many of our family members, friends, and neighbors who want jobs can't find them - because America can't compete and flourish in the 21st century with overburdened and obsolete roadways, railways, and runways. We've all heard the prediction that air travel is expected to grow 50 percent during the next decade. This dramatic challenge also provides enormous opportunity for the industry, if we plan and invest for it now. And while we can't know with precision what air travel will look like during the years and decades ahead, we do know that NextGen is the future. Look: in some ways, the technology we have in our cars is more up to date than the technology we have in our cockpits. By retrofitting aircraft and air traffic control centers with ADS-B, advanced communications systems, real-time weather reports, and other technologies, NextGen will make air travel safer and our tarmacs and skies less congested. It will cut travel times and alleviate delays. It will make the industry's carbon footprint smaller. It will help the civil aviation sector, responsible for 11 million jobs and $1 trillion of economic activity, to become more efficient and competitive. During the last two years, DOT has been hard at work laying groundwork for the transition to NextGen. We've tested ADS-B capability in places ranging from the high-traffic airspace over Philadelphia to the Gulf of Mexico. We've demonstrated that surface surveillance and data-sharing technologies can measurably improve taxi times in Memphis and New York. And companies like Southwest are equipping their planes, training their pilots, and putting in place new procedures, which, in Southwest's case, could eventually save $60 million every year. Now, in order for other airlines to reap similar long-term benefits, they'll need to make similar up-front investments. That's why we're particularly excited about the tax legislation that President Obama signed into law before the holiday break. From watching the news, you might think that the tax package was only about extending tax cuts. But there's a lot more to it. In fact, the new law provides businesses with the largest temporary investment incentive in American history: 100 percent expensing of eligible capital investments for one year. What does this mean for the airline industry? It means there is no better time to invest in NextGen, to enjoy minimum costs and maximum long-term benefits. It means there is no better time to plan, invest, and build for our future competitiveness. And - not un-coincidentally, that's exactly what we're doing within the department. As many of you know, last spring we launched the Future of Aviation Advisory Committee. We asked this diverse group of policy experts to make policy and regulatory recommendations that will: enhance aviation safety, ensure a world-class aviation workforce, balance the industry's competitiveness and viability, secure predictable funding, and address environmental challenges. They answered our call with 23 consensus recommendations, not bad for an industry rarely associated with consensus. We're closely reviewing these recommendations now. We're working to implement them quickly and responsibly. That's why we'll be appointing someone full time, someone directly accountable to me, who will make sure we're getting this done in the right way. And we will put in place a reporting structure so we can keep monitoring, evaluating, and refining our efforts over time. The bottom line is this: These recommendations will not sit on a shelf. They will not whither in a file cabinet. They will guide our actions today, tomorrow, and in the years ahead, which is already happening as the NextGen Advisory Committee works to implement the FAAC's recommendations. Now, I mentioned projected growth in airline travel, and how it can benefit the industry. I also want to speak for a moment about another presidential initiative with the potential to greatly increase the industry's economic prospects: the National Export Initiative. Simply put, President Obama has set an ambitious goal of doubling American exports within five years. As we all know, without transportation, there are no exports - and without aviation, our transportation system would literally be stuck on the ground. That's why aviation is so critical to the National Export Initiative, and why the NEI offers such great opportunity for the aviation industry. DOT sits on President Obama's National Export Initiative "mini- cabinet." And several leaders among your ranks serve on President Obama's Export Council - including Jim McNerney from Boeing; Glenn Tilton from United-Continental; and Scott Davis from UPS. As the FAAC advised, DOT will be a champion for the aviation industry in these important forums. I will see to it personally. So, that's our 30,000-foot view of aviation's future. It's a future with more travelers filling seats and more cargo exported from America to the world. It's a future with more flights safely occupying the airspace - and more passengers safely occupying those flights. It's a future with lower fuel costs, fewer delays, and higher profit margins. It's a future where travelers and airlines all benefit and prosper together. Yes, securing this future will require us to make tough choices today. Yes, we'll hit some turbulence along the way. But you can count on this: Together, we're laying the foundation for progress. We're laying the groundwork that gets America moving, building, and competing once more. Thank you for your partnership in that effort. http://avstop.com/news_january_2011/dot_secretary_views_on_the_future_of_aviation_in_america.htm Back to Top Delta 'indefinitely suspends' Cairo operations Delta Air Lines has "indefinitely suspended" flights from New York's John F Kennedy International airport to Cairo, Egypt amid widespread unrest across the country. The Atlanta-based carrier confirms Delta Flight 84 operated with a Boeing 767-300ER to the Egyptian capital has been cancelled for 28 January. In a communication via Twitter, Delta says its last flight to Egypt, Flight 85 which flies six days per week, will depart Cairo for New York on 29 January and service will be "indefinitely suspended as a result of civil unrest". Additionally, Egyptair JFK station chief Amr Elmorsy, tells ATI that Egyptair has not suspended operations and both inbound and outbound flights for 28 January remain fully on schedule. Cairo International airport has suspended departures until 07:00 local time 29 January, though scheduled arrivals remain unaffected. Elmorsy says its daily Flight 986 from JFK with an 18:30 local departure to Cairo remains on time for 28 January, but he adds scheduled operations for 29 January remain unclear. Egyptair's flight 986 and Delta's Flight 84 are the only two scheduled services from the USA to Egypt. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top Jetstar A330 suffered icing of Goodrich pitots: ATSB Australian investigators have concluded that an unreliable airspeed incident involving a Jetstar Airbus A330-200 was caused by ice obstructing at least two of the twinjet's pitot probes. The aircraft involved in the 28 October 2009 event, VH-EBA, had also been involved in a similar occurrence seven months earlier, says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Pitot icing has become a focus of attention in flight operations following the loss of an Air France A330 over the Atlantic in June 2009. Although the accident remains unexplained, the French investigation has gathered evidence of unreliable airspeed indications before the crash. While the Air France aircraft was fitted with Thales pitot probes, the Australian inquiry notes that the Jetstar A330 - which was operating from Tokyo Narita to Coolangatta - was fitted with Goodrich probes. These have been "associated with a much lower rate of pitot probe obstruction due to icing" than other probes. In the wake of the Air France crash, European safety authorities instructed operators to ensure that at least two of the three pitot probes were the Goodrich type. The Jetstar aircraft had been cruising at flight level 390, through a region of cumulonimbus cloud, when there was a "rapid and momentary drop" in the airspeed indication, from about 250kt to 50kt, on the captain's display, says the ATSB. There was also a brief decrease in the standby airspeed indication. This was immediately followed by automatic disconnection of the autopilot, autothrust and flight directors, and the flight control system reverted to 'alternate' law. The crew responded with Jetstar's procedures for handling unreliable airspeed, and then re-engaged autopilot and autothrust, although both automatically disconnected a second time shortly afterwards. After switching autopilot, and re-engaging autothrust again, the crew checked that all three airspeed indicators were in agreement and continued to monitor them for the rest of the flight. The event had no effect on the aircraft's flight path. The previous incident to the same aircraft had occurred on 15 March, but was not investigated at the time. But the ATSB has obtained information showing that the jet had been flying in the vicinity of thunderstorms and that there had been "problems with the incoming airspeed information", including a speed decrease of more than 30kt in 1s on at least two airspeed channels. "The crew [during the 15 March event] recalled that the captain's airspeed quickly went to zero, the autopilot disconnected and various other messages were presented on the [electronic centralised aircraft monitor]," it adds. "The event was over very quickly and there was no ongoing disagreement between the three airspeeds." Jetstar had started introducing unreliable airspeed training for cockpit crews shortly before the October 2009 incident, although the ATSB points out that many pilots had not received this training at the time of the event. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top Airbus juggles A330-300 weights to offer longer range Airbus is to offer carriers a higher-weight A330-300 from the fourth quarter of this year, taking the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) to 235t. Raising the MTOW would extend the range by 135nm (250km) with a typical 300-passenger load, or provide a 1.4t payload increase at a range above 4,200nm. TUI Group is ordering a pair of the jets, with 362 seats, for its French division Corsair. Airbus has identified the new weight variant as WV54. It will offer a 2t increase in MTOW over its predecessor, the WV52, and 5t above the baseline WV50. The airframer says that design-load analysis indicates that the 2t increase is achievable if it is "compensated" by a 2t reduction in maximum zero-fuel weight, to 173t. Maximum landing weight, 187t, will remain unchanged from the WV52. Local structural modifications will be required for the new airframe - including changes of rivets in the forward lower fuselage shell - but these will have "negligible impact" on aircraft empty weight. Part of the change has already been implemented as part of A330-200 production. Airbus says it wants to increase the payload-range performance of the A330-300 while "taking full benefit of demonstrated wing structural capability". Maximum aft position of the centre-of-gravity has been reduced at the higher weight, to keep vertical static load on the main landing-gear unchanged. "These improvements have been achieved with little impact on the aircraft's operability, meaning that the aircraft will be able to use most of the existing runways and the airport take-off slots without penalty," says Airbus. Take-off and go-around thrust are unchanged on the higher-weight variant, which will require a 70-90m (230-300ft) increase in take-off distance. But while the Rolls-Royce Trent 772- and Pratt & Whitney PW4170-powered versions of the aircraft will meet QC2 take-off noise criteria, slight engine modification will be needed for certain airframes equipped with General Electric CF6-80E1s. The A4 model of the GE powerplant will fall within the QC2 threshold, says Airbus, but not the A3 model. In order to bring the latter into line, GE is developing a nacelle modification and noise tests are scheduled to take place in the first quarter of this year, with certification planned for the third quarter. Although the engine modification will be available through retrofit, Airbus is not offering the higher- weight airframe as a retrofit package. But it says this possibility "will be investigated...depending on customer requests". Airbus expects delivery slots for the new A330-300 variant to become available from the first quarter of 2012. Its A330-300 backlog at the end of 2010 stood at 141 aircraft. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC