Flight Safety Information

March 18, 2011  -  No. 057

In This Issue

France Advances Investigation Into Crash of Airbus Jet That Killed 228 
En Route to Paris
 Virgin Blue to train cadet pilots
Apple IPads in Cockpits May Mean End of Paper Charts
Co-pilot of Denver-bound jet indicted in alcohol case
Omniflight Helicopters Completes Level 1 of Federal Aviation Administration's
Safety Management System
Japan radiation sets off O'Hare airport alarms
Iridium Plans To Monitor ADS-B From Space
Boeing warns of parts shortages from Japan
Watchdog to review FAA's wildlife controls
Airbus defiant as legal investigation opens over AF447 crash
Embry-Riddle Alumnus Astronaut Ron Garan To Spend Six Months Aboard ISS
Graduate Degree Survey

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France Advances Investigation Into Crash of Airbus Jet That Killed 228 En Route 
to Paris

PARIS (NYT) - The European plane maker Airbus said Thursday that a French judge 
had placed the company under formal investigation over accusations of involuntary
manslaughter as part of an inquiry into the 2009 crash of an Air France jet that
 killed all 228 people aboard.

The decision came just days before a new search for the wreckage of the plane, an
Airbus A330-200, was to begin in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It was the latest
phase of a painstaking - yet so far fruitless - effort to locate the plane's flight
recorders. Investigators hope that those recorders, if undamaged, will definitively
resolve the mystery of what caused Flight 447 to go down on June 1, 2009, in heavy
thunderstorms en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro.

Under French law, being placed under formal investigation is one step short of criminal
charges but can lead to an eventual trial.

Tom Enders, the Airbus chief executive, expressed his "strong disagreement" with
 the decision by the investigating magistrate, Sylvie Zimmerman, which followed 
a hearing in Paris with company lawyers on Thursday afternoon.

"Airbus maintains that the focus should be on finding the cause of this accident
 and making sure it can never happen again," Mr. Enders said in a statement.

Judge Zimmerman was to meet Friday morning with Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, the Air France
chief executive. A lawyer for Air France said Thursday that he was certain the airline
would also be placed under investigation.

The decision to move ahead with the criminal inquiry was widely expected, lawyers
involved in the case said. Judge Zimmerman informed relatives of the crash's victims
last month of her intention seek an indictment against Airbus and Air France. "As
far as I know, nothing new has turned up in this investigation for a long time which
would justify this step," said Fernand Garnault, the Air France lawyer.

France is among a handful of countries where the judicial authorities routinely 
prosecute in the event of a fatal air accident. The practice has been criticized
 by airlines and aviation safety experts, who contend that the threat of prosecution
can dissuade some witnesses from cooperating in crash investigations.

Still, Mr. Garnault said he found it "odd timing" to move ahead with the criminal
case against the two companies just as investigators were embarking on their latest
search mission for the plane.

"I would have thought she would at least wait for the end of the search phase," 
he said.

A search team equipped with state-of-the art sonar and ultrahigh-resolution cameras
is to begin a fourth attempt to locate the wreck in the coming days. Airbus and 
Air France have pledged $12.5 million toward that effort, which could extend until
early July. The two companies have already spent more than $27 million on the search.

Searches of approximately 2,800 square miles of seabed have yielded more than 600
pieces of floating debris and 51 bodies, but the flight recorders and the bulk of
the plane's fuselage have not been found.

Investigators have said that without the recorders they may never determine the 
cause of the crash.

So far the main source of information has been the messages sent automatically from
the plane to a maintenance base, which indicated a malfunction of the plane's airspeed
sensors.

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Virgin Blue to train cadet pilots
AUSTRALIA'S second largest airline Virgin Blue will start training cadet pilots 
within the next year, a parliamentary inquiry into air safety has been told.
Previously, the airline had hired pilots from other carriers instead of training
 its own.
Virgin Blue's chief executive John Borghetti said the company would not rush into
setting up the scheme, preferring to take "a good 12 months to get it right".
The airline's operations executive Sean Donohue said the proposed scheme was a long-term
investment for the airline.
"With our pilot turnover of less than one per cent, it is not an urgency," he told
a Senate hearing in Canberra today.
"Obviously it is to make sure we have a pipeline of skilled, trained pilots for 
the future."
Mr Borghetti said he placed a very high degree of importance on safety and being
 accessible to his company's pilots.
He told senators that he met with the chief pilots of Virgin Blue and V Australia
on his first day as the airline's boss.
"The same day I sent an email to every captain in our group of airlines providing
my work number, my email address and personal mobile number inviting their feedback
and comments at any time," he said.
Virgin supported the immunity provisions for pilots reporting on safety matters 
in legislation before the Parliament.
"However, this would have to be subject to amendments that protect against the use
of immunity for industrial purposes or protect against actions that are willfully
reckless, negligent or non-compliant," Mr Borghetti said.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=gqvqzbdab&et=1104868821810&s=6053&e=001g9VfCphJk4xoXjkU1Q_JsakEtu0y1f7zYj2UvEKdL01PPQRHRLJSSMDomkvtoKa2bp2AlmHRYgWjPGc5RSDdpre-N3m4W8-0ek01Kh6iCwdJa4G0_udb1HqvsUaEZM3X]
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Apple IPads in Cockpits May Mean End of Paper Charts

(FAA corrects operators approved to fly using iPads in second paragraph and date
 of first iPad approval in seventh paragraph of story originally published March
 7.)

March 7 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc.'s iPad won approval from U.S. regulators to display
navigational charts for some charter pilots, a step that may speed the end of the
decades-old tradition of paper maps in the cockpit.

With the Federal Aviation Administration approving iPads in test projects at carriers
including Executive Jet Management, a unit of Warren Buffett's NetJets, and Lake
 in the Woods, Illinois-based N-Jet, the way is open for pilots at airlines and 
other commercial carriers to seek authorization for the devices, said Les Dorr, 
an agency spokesman.

IPad use by professional pilots would support Apple's goal of winning more business
buyers. The company's total corporate sales may rise 51 percent to $11.3 billion
 in 2011, said Brian Marshall, a Gleacher & Co. analyst in San Francisco. Revenue
was $76.3 billion last year.

"This is mission-critical computing," said Marshall, who has a "buy" rating on Cupertino,
California-based Apple. "For them to win this type of approval speaks volumes about
the level of sophistication of what can be accomplished with the iPad."

Charts showing data such as airports and radio frequencies for a state or region
 have been staples of U.S. flying since the 1930s, when they replaced the road maps
used by early aviators. With private pilots already able to use electronic navigation
devices, the practice of following a pencil-on-paper route has been fading in recent
years.

18-Pound Bag

So-called electronic flight bags, computers configured for aviation use, began winning
FAA approval for use at airlines in the last decade, supplanting paper charts. A
 unit from Milwaukee-based Astronautics Corporation of America weighs 18 pounds 
(8.2 kilograms), 12 times as much as the iPad.

Apple's tablet was first cleared as a navigation device in a professional cockpit
with FAA's approval of N-Jets in December. On Feb. 1, the agency certified the Cincinnati-based
Executive Jet, whose parent, NetJets, is owned by Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Executive Jet said it made 250 flights as part of the certification process.

Commercial carriers now have a template for winning permission for iPad use, according
to Jeppesen, the Boeing Co. map and accessory business that designed the application
in the Executive Jet test.

Pilots at Alaska Air Group Inc.'s Alaska Airlines, which uses only paper charts 
in its 116 aircraft, are testing iPads for some functions, said Marianne Lindsey,
a spokeswoman. AMR Corp.'s American Airlines and American Eagle rely on paper charts
in its 900-plane fleet, said Ed Martelle, a spokesman.

'Paper Driven'

Delta Air Lines Inc., the world's second-largest carrier, is "still vastly paper
 driven," according to Gina Laughlin, a spokeswoman. Delta is pursuing approval 
to test iPads and other tablet devices next quarter, Laughlin said in an e-mail.

"Many air carriers have been using electronic flight bags for years, but they've
 been carrying the paper with them as well," said Alison Duquette, an FAA spokeswoman.
Executive Jet has "been able to demonstrate the reliability of the EFB, in this 
case the iPad."

Executive Jet declined to comment beyond President Robert Garrymore's statement 
that he was "pleased to collaborate with Jeppesen and the FAA."

About 145,000 pilots were certified to fly for airlines as of 2009, along with roughly
126,000 others classified as commercial pilots, the FAA estimates. About 212,000
 people held active private-pilot licenses.

The iPad's touch-screen and illumination display could be an advantage over folded
paper in finding information such as an emergency-landing site, said John Cox, a
 former US Airways Group Inc. pilot who is now chief executive officer of consultant
Safety Operating Systems LLC in Washington. "It's easier to sort through the charts
that you need."

Personal Use

Part of Jeppesen's impetus for developing the iPad navigation software was requests
from pilots who already use the devices outside of work, said Tim Huegel, the company's
director of portfolio management.

"If you look at the demographic of a pilot, you're talking well-educated, six-figure
income," Huegel said in an interview. "This was a hardware platform that was adopted
in their personal life."

Jeppesen, the publisher of the industry's first flight charts, plans to release 
similar software for iPad competitors running Google Inc.'s Android operating system
this year, said Jeff Buhl, a senior manager in Jeppesen's Enterprise Solutions division
and product manager for the electronic flight bag app, Jeppesen Mobile TC.

Even pilot training may end up paperless, at least for students preparing for airline
jobs. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, is now looking
for an electronic device for its students, said Tim Brady, dean of aviation.

When Brady flies, he has his charts in a Samsung Electronics Co. tablet computer
 roughly the size of an iPad. His paper charts also are at hand.

"For the guys my age, they'll use an iPad for sure, but there will be that little
niggling fear in the background that something is going to happen," said Brady, 
71. "That's just being old-fashioned I guess."

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Co-pilot of Denver-bound jet indicted in alcohol case
A pilot is accused in a federal indictment of flying as the co-pilot of a Denver-bound
United Express jet under the influence of alcohol.
Aaron Jason Cope, 32, of Norfolk, Va., was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday
of one count of operation of a common carrier under the influence of alcohol, U.S.
Attorney for Colorado John Walsh announced Thursday.
"The message this case sends is simple: Pilots who drink and fly will be prosecuted
and face incarceration," Walsh said in a statement.
The indictment stems from a Dec. 8, 2009, United Express flight from Austin, Texas,
to Denver. The flight was operated by Shuttle America Inc.
Shuttle America is a unit of Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings Inc., 
parent of Frontier Airlines.
Cope was second in command on the flight, serving as both co-pilot and first officer.
The indictment alleges that Cope was under the influence of alcohol while he "operated
and directed the operation of an commercial aircraft."
The indictment gives no details of the incident, such as whether was at the controls
or how his alleged use of alcohol was detected.
U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General agents "are in the process of
locating Cope," Walsh's announcement said.
If convicted, Cope faces up to 15 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000 fine.
In a statement Thursday, Republic Airways said that Cope no longer works for the
 company.
Republic's statement said it "has a zero-tolerance policy for violations of its 
restrictions on alcohol consumption, which are more stringent than federal provisions.
We conducted our own internal investigation and will cooperate in any way asked 
with relevant authorities as they review this case."
This case is being investigated by the Department of Transportation Office of the
Inspector General and the FAA, with cooperation from Shuttle America.
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2011/03/17/united-express-pilot-indicted-in.html
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=gqvqzbdab&et=1104868821810&s=6053&e=001g9VfCphJk4ykyRFr9s5RrcICrRKCL1Z2r1EjeOQ4SScIujYvE5v5cF6I23mDN_Hoy91JumbESJAQSRnGYnz_ucdzWd2zX7WNbQpFoxH_pFqivFETraY3nN9SwZnu3Skk7No_tSFxgtk_wY_vi6BY9ELLe6y1HNztQAWiOvCVEWxmZyEp_Qu7zeGWWSuYUBRTmELtsw1gJGheSAeBHiW73A==]
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Omniflight Helicopters Completes Level 1 of Federal Aviation Administration's Safety
Management System

Building on its commitment to safety and quality, Omniflight Helicopters, Inc., 
a leading national provider of air medical services, has completed Level 1 of the
Federal Aviation Administration's Safety Management System (SMS) program and has
 now started on Level 2.

Omniflight announced its achievement today, calling its SMS participation a natural
extension of its "true safety-first culture." The company, which operates some 100
rotor and fixed-wing aircraft nationally, from 77 bases in 18 states, completed 
the first phase in just seven months. Omniflight said the SMS program is helping
 to build on its existing proactive safety efforts.

"We have had proactive safety programs in place for years," said Tom Leverton, Chief
Executive Officer of Omniflight. "Among them is the use of night vision goggles 
for our helicopter pilots in most of our operations. We have also worked hard to
 train our flight crews to the highest standards. We see involvement in the FAA's
SMS program as one more opportunity to further improve our safety and quality and
demonstrate our commitment to our customers."

In the areas where it has base operations, such as the Southwest, Midwest, and Southeast,
Omniflight operates under its own name as well as through affiliated brands such
 as Native Air, LifeSaver, LifeStar, Orlando Regional Medical Center, and Air Idaho
Rescue.

The first level of SMS participation was a tremendously positive experience for 
all of Omniflight's aviation, technical, clinical, and administrative personnel.
 The Level 1 assessment of safety and quality, spanning the entire company, helped
Omniflight develop plans and strategies for improvement.

As Omniflight moves through the Level 2 phase of the SMS program throughout 2011,
it will implement educational plans and program enhancements, involving all of the
company's hundreds of employees. The process includes validation of the effectiveness
of all of Omniflight's systems, improving communications, and refining its problem
solving.

"SMS drives us to ensure that all of our safety programs are fully integrated with
our clinical group, to the point of sharing operational and technical details and
weaving all of our functions together, with a more effective communications flow,"
Leverton said.

Because the SMS program is effectively a partnership with the FAA, designed to establish
and maintain a fully integrated safety system, Omniflight's customers and employees
will be assured that the company meets the highest standards in the industry.

"This program is highly recommended by the FAA for our industry," Leverton said.
 "By participating ourselves and involving our customers in the ongoing program,
 Omniflight continues to demonstrate our commitment to a true safety-first culture."

About Omniflight Helicopters
Addison, Texas-based Omniflight Helicopters, Inc. is a leading provider of air medical
services throughout the U.S. The company operates about 100 aircraft nationally 
from 77 bases in 18 states, with a strong presence across the Southwest, Midwest
 and Southeast regions as well as certain Mountain State areas. Its focus is primarily
on inter-facility and on-site emergency scene response using both rotor- and fixed-wing
aircraft.

For more information, please visit www.omniflight.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=gqvqzbdab&et=1104868821810&s=6053&e=001g9VfCphJk4x3qej7sWO-3-LqViuiZHY0L8ObXgnQqHlOIQvwWlZ2V8hhiEbvkMF3_EquiZ03-tKUiY5j8nQGEXvr8tj8x3mJMzrRvL1wb3xBfzjUOca1zw==].

http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=658223&Itemid=30 [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=gqvqzbdab&et=1104868821810&s=6053&e=001g9VfCphJk4wgawHfjo8rxdU7tY1KWV7pSbuAjCpuCVCSnldQATQPwIzS-v1xBXnO_nYn2jCyOel6QSQ242nXvdDuoX769iU8_CtUjVK2-AWviZqoQmP45ECIqDMgK6mgQRFES2rGrEAVH6pZcdt0HaOhEz4O1UmM0Q51P2Qz9VJZJBuMUtYB5Pc425A4QWPqVdeX01rSh9M=]

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Japan radiation sets off O'Hare airport alarms
CBS News Chicago station reports trace amounts of radiation clinging to flights 
from country ravaged by earthquake, tsunami
Travelers coming in from Japan on Wednesday triggered radiation detectors at O'Hare
International Airport as they passed through customs. Only very small amounts of
 radiation were detected.
"We are aware of the radiation," said Chicago Aviation Department spokeswoman Karen
Pride. "We are adding screenings and precautionary measures."
In one instance, radiation was detected in a plane's air filtration system. Radiation
was also found in luggage and on passengers on flights from Japan.
Mayor Richard M. Daley and other city officials wouldn't provide any additional 
details, saying federal authorities were handling the situation.
"Of course the protection of the person coming off the plane is important in regards
to any radiation and especially within their families," Daley said at an unrelated
event.
The mayor said the city has no local policy when it comes to detecting radiation
 at the airports.
"That would be up to the federal government. Every city can't have a policy. One
 says yes, one says no, you can't do that. You have to have a federal policy dealing
with anyone entering the country in regards to the situations like that," Daley 
said. "And they handle it very professionally and it will be up to Homeland Security.
We've been working with them. They have the primary responsibility."
Homeland Security officials would not comment specifically on the radiation at O'Hare.
But officials from Customs and Border Protection, which monitors ports, said they
are monitoring radiation levels on flights and passengers coming from Japan.
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is monitoring developments in Japan carefully
and is specifically assessing the potential for radiological contamination associated
with the ongoing impact of the earthquake and tsunami to Japan's nuclear facilities,"
customs spokeswoman Cherise Miles said in an e-mail.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Thursday that no harmful levels
of radiation have reached the U.S. since the nuclear crisis in Japan sparked by 
last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami, the Associated Press reports.
Homeland Security announced it was screening passengers and cargo entering the United
States from Japan for "even a blip of radiation."
Customs and Border Protection routinely screens passengers and cargo for radiation.
Agents have been advised this week to pay particular attention to arrivals from 
Japan.
Napolitano said the screening of passengers and cargo is being done "in an exercise
of caution."
The agency handles more than half a million radiation alarms a year, though most
 are related to medical procedures.
United Airlines is the largest U.S. carrier to Asia. The airline said it isn't cutting
flights to Asia but is monitoring the situation in Japan. United uses Tokyo's Narita
airport as a hub for flights further into Asia.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/17/national/main20044341.shtml [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=gqvqzbdab&et=1104868821810&s=6053&e=001g9VfCphJk4xh5sBlEuvcrf5oq59VPEldDE-rpt1yOXEO5A9y8cVEHtfdUVO1hyYBfSJd1YdiJO69ivw3v1bnIpgWIKw8g9LkzcvMoq0SWL2ToJFJU1sC1TYo9DkDWASHGNC5XHCRWe-oNL9WfNYjOIclXrNbvSA2VBZOm588UbAd1bdm6QkToQlVTBfnANkk]
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Iridium Plans To Monitor ADS-B From Space

Tracking aircraft from space using payloads hosted on Iridium's planned constellation
of 66 next-generation communication satellites is a concept that is rapidly gaining
momentum.

Rather than waiting for a government customer to define the requirement and develop
the payload, Iridium is pulling together a venture that will fund and operate a 
global aircraft monitoring service, selling the data to the FAA and air navigation
service providers.

"We've been working hosted-payload opportunities for Iridium Next for three to four
years and, out of the blue, air traffic monitoring came up about four months ago,"
says CEO Matt Desch. "Now it's really getting a lot of momentum." A consortium or
other venture to fund and offer the service could be in place "in the next few months,"
he says.

The concept builds on the fact that Europe, the U.S. and other countries are mandating
that all aircraft be equipped with automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B)
so they automatically report their satellite-based position and other data to ground
stations and other aircraft. By monitoring ADS-B reports from space, Iridium Next
will be able to extend the system's reach out over the oceans, as well as provide
a back-up to the ground-based radios being installed by the FAA and others.

Providing surveillance over the oceans would allow the separation between aircraft
to be reduced, increasing route capacity, Desch says. Over land, satellite monitoring
would extend ADS-B coverage all the way to the ground, providing surveillance even
in mountainous regions, and countries such as China and Russia could avoid the need
to build a ground-based radar infrastructure, he argues.

"We got some interest, initially from Europe, and ran some tests," says Desch, noting
that monitoring ADS-B reports from space "is a unique opportunity for Iridium" because
its constellation of inter-linked satellites in multiple low Earth orbits provides
continuous coverage. "We're the only ones with the persistent satellite capability,
close enough to receive the data accurately and transmit it back to the ground in
real time," he says.

With the Iridium Next constellation to be fully operational by 2017 and the FAA 
mandating ADS-B installation in all aircraft by 2020, "the timelines match well,"
says Desch. Meeting the FAA's performance requirements should not be an issue, he
says, as Iridium's existing constellation is being certified to provide aviation
 safety services. "That shows the current constellation is robust enough, with low
latency and high reliability, and this will transfer to the Next constellation,"
 Desch says.

An ADS-B package would take up about half the hosted-payload space available on 
each Iridium Next satellite, "so we would still have room available," says Desch.
"It probably makes sense to have it on all the satellites. It's not that expensive:
hundreds of millions of dollars, not the billions it costs [for ADS-B ground infrastructure].
And the yearly cost over the 15-year life of the satellites is tens of millions 
globally for the data feed."

While Iridium continues to explore hosted payloads for missions such as climate 
monitoring and space situational awareness, "a lot of opportunities require government
authorization, and their timing is not under our control," says Desch. Proceeding
with the global aircraft monitoring service as a commercial venture "is within our
control-we can get it done. We see a clear path forward."

Creating an entity to fund the system and sell data to the FAA and others "is more
lucrative and fits what the government wants," he says, adding, "I am more excited
about this than any other payload-I have a lot of confidence it will come to fruition."
Iridium is working with technical partners to assemble a consortium or venture within
months, but "we have another year to work on the technical details," says Desch.
 Thales Alenia Space will begin detail design of the Next satellites a year from
 now. The main technical challenge is the need to blank out, or mute, ADS-B reports
from highly congested areas such the U.S. northeast corridor, as these would swamp
the satellite receivers. "We don't need satellite coverage in those areas anyway,
because of all the radios on the ground," says Desch. "The technical work is easily
managed."

A model already exists in the ship-tracking market, where satellites are used to
 monitor the ADS-B-like automatic identification system (AIS) transponders required
to be fitted to most vessels. Canadian company ExactEarth Ltd. offers a commercial
space-based AIS service using two microsatellites built by SpaceQuest and operated
by sister company Aprize Satellite, and Orbcomm plans to offer AIS services with
 its next-generation satellites.

ExactEarth is marketing AIS data from Aprize-3 and -4, with satellites Aprize-5 
and -6 scheduled for launch in May by Russian Dnepr rockets, says Aprize President
Dino Lorenzini. The two new satellites will have an advanced AIS payload with twice
the performance, he says. Aprize is also targeting the machine-to-machine market,
but "AIS is easier to get into, as you don't need a large number of terminals," 
he says.

Utimately, Aprize wants to operate 12 microsats, providing data updates every 30
 min., Lorenzini says. Orbcomm, meanwhile, had planned to provide a space-based 
AIS service using its Quick-Launch satellites, but all five spacecraft launched 
in 2008 failed in orbit and the sixth was scrapped before flight.

Under a new agreement with satellite supplier OHB System, Orbcomm has licenses to
use AIS data from three satellites to be launched by OHB subsidiary LuxSpace. The
first two are planned for launch by June. This will fill the gap until 18 Orbcomm
Generation 2 satellites are available. These are being built by Sierra Nevada Corp.
for launch in 2012-14.

http://www.aviationweek.com/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=gqvqzbdab&et=1104868821810&s=6053&e=001g9VfCphJk4zDhiudP0uKHKkgkpOoylYHenZ49FJGUd5WtqHZWkwClyTxUFhHQWFTJyfRnxI4ahCFuYGtndeDY6p2-hCYAG-SBaWAn5xHNFrEUzS4-dr4iQ==]

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Boeing warns of parts shortages from Japan

Boeing has said the 11 March earthquake in Japan could lead to parts shortages in
the future, and is working to minimise potential disruption to its supply chain.

"We've identified points of risk within the supply chain and are developing mitigation
plans. We feel confident that we'll be able to manage these risks with minimal disruption
to our supply chain, so long as there is no further impact to power distribution
 or transportation infrastructure," says a Boeing spokesman.

"There is potential for future parts shortages with a small number of suppliers 
related to their sub-tiers suppliers and / or infrastructure impacts," he adds, 
without going into detail.

Boeing's 787 programme chief Scott Fancher had said immediately after the earthquake
that there was "no major disruption" to the programme's Japanese suppliers, which
are responsible for 35% of the structural weight of the aircraft.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

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Watchdog to review FAA's wildlife controls

US DOT auditors on 21 March will begin reviewing the FAA's wildlife hazard mitigation
programmes at airports due in large part to concerns about an increasing number 
of bird strikes.

"Data show that the number of wildlife strikes is on the rise, increasing from 1,759
strikes in 1990 to 9,474 in 2009," says DOT assistant inspector general Jeffrey 
Guzzetti in the 15 March letter to the FAA, adding that the agency has spent $387
million in airport improvement programme (AIP) funds for airports to assess and 
mitigate the hazards.

Guzzetti says "public interest remains high" on the topic, accentuated by a Continental
airlines Boeing 737-800 that experienced a bird strike to its engine on departure
from Washington National airport on 28 February. Pilots declared an emergency and
landed at nearby Dulles International airport.

On 8 November 2010, pilots of a Horizon airlines Bombardier Q400 declared an emergency
after a bird strike "substantially damaged the aircraft's right wing" on approach
to Los Angeles, says Guzzetti.

The audit will investigate the FAA's implementation of its Wildlife Hazard Mitigation
Programme, including policies and guidance for monitoring, reporting and mitigating
wildlife hazards.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

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Airbus defiant as legal investigation opens over AF447 crash

Airbus is staunchly defending itself after being put under judicial investigation
in the wake of the loss of an Air France aircraft over the South Atlantic nearly
 two years ago.

The aircraft, an Airbus A330-200, crashed into the sea while operating the Rio de
Janeiro to Paris Charles de Gaulle route in June 2009.

Airbus confirms that it has been "placed under investigation" by magistrates in 
relation to the destruction of flight AF447.

"On behalf of Airbus, I have noted the absence of facts supporting this step and
 stated our strong disagreement," says Airbus chief Tom Enders.

"Airbus maintains that the focus should be on finding the cause of this accident
 and making sure it can never happen again."

Renewed efforts to locate the wreckage and flight recorders from the missing aircraft
are set to start in the next few days.

Enders says: "Airbus will continue to support the investigation, including the continued
search for the flight recorders, which is the only sure way to know the truth."

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news

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Embry-Riddle Alumnus Astronaut Ron Garan To Spend Six Months Aboard ISS

Four ERAU Astronauts Visit The Station In 2011

Following the recent return of Embry-Riddle alumni astronauts Alvin Drew and Nicole
Stott from their STS-133 space shuttle mission to the International Space Station
(ISS), another ERAU alumnus prepares for his own journey to the station, where he'll
spend six months as a flight engineer.

Astronaut Ronald  J. Garan Jr. and two Russian cosmonauts are scheduled for a March
29, 2011, launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan onboard a Russian Soyuz 
spacecraft. Upon arrival at the space station, Garan will serve as a member of Expeditions
27 and 28. He previously visited the ISS in 2008 as a mission specialist with the
STS-124 space shuttle mission, during which he performed three spacewalks.

"I'm obviously looking forward to getting back in space. The first time I flew in
space that was the end of a really, really long journey and I had a sense of accomplishment,"
said Garan, whose life-long aspiration was to become an astronaut. "With my new 
mission on the space station I'll be able to more fully realize that dream."

When Garan's six-month ISS mission winds down in September 2011, another Embry-Riddle
alumnus, astronaut Dan Burbank, will begin a six-month tour of duty on the station
as a member of Expeditions 29 and 30. "This is a banner year for Embry-Riddle, with
four of our alumni astronauts serving on missions to the space station," said university
President John P. Johnson. "In particular, the upcoming long-duration missions will
be the experience of a lifetime for Ron and Dan and truly inspiring proof that Embry-Riddle
is the best choice for students who seek fulfilling and distinguished careers in
 aviation, aerospace, and engineering."

Current astronaut Terry Virts Jr. and former astronaut Susan Kilrain are also Embry-Riddle
alumni.

Ron Garan graduated from Embry-Riddle in 1994 with a master's degree in aeronautical
science from the Las Vegas, NV, campus of the university's Worldwide Campus. He 
also earned degrees from SUNY College at Oneonta and the University of Florida.

During his 25-year career in the U.S. Air Force, Garan attended the U.S. Air Force
Fighter Weapons School and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He served as a weapons
officer, an F-16 aircraft instructor, and an F-16 pilot flying combat missions in
Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm before retiring from the Air Force in 2009
 with the rank of colonel. Garan's numerous military decorations include the Distinguished
Flying Cross for Combat Valor. Over the course of his lifetime he has logged over
5,000 hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

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