Flight Safety Information November 28, 2011 - No. 241 In This Issue Near-Miss on Toronto Runway Renews Safety Worries Cranfield University scoops Queen's award Plane's parachute fails to save four on board (Illinois) NTSB investigator offers new details in Valley plane crash FAA removes emergency oxygen from airline lavatories American Airlines flight from NYC makes emergency landing in Buffalo Mobile phone emits smoke on Sydney flight A new regulation harmonises qualifications for aircraft pilots Initial air safety review moved to January 2012 (Philippines) Airlines cut small jets as fuel prices soar Near-Miss on Toronto Runway Renews Safety Worries By ANDY PASZTOR (WSJ) - An American Eagle commuter plane and an Air Canada jet nearly collided last week on a Canadian runway, rekindling U.S. concerns about ground-accident dangers involving airliners. The Nov. 18 incident at Toronto's Pearson International Airport occurred after pilots of the commuter flight, an Embraer 145 arriving from Chicago, failed to follow an air-traffic controller's instructions to stop short of an active runway. Despite telling the airport tower they understood the instructions, according to people familiar with the details, the American Eagle pilots started to taxi the twin-engine jet across the strip at the same time an Air Canada Airbus A319 was cleared for takeoff and began accelerating toward them. A controller barked "stop, stop, stop," but the commuter jet still continued rolling for a few seconds, according to a preliminary review of traffic-control communications. The Air Canada plane, bound for Halifax, managed to become airborne before reaching the intersection. One eyewitness reportedly estimated that the two aircraft may have been separated by less than 50 feet, these people said. U.S. safety experts familiar with last week's close call said it appears to be one of the most serious near-collisions reported recently on a North American runway. They said that despite significant reductions in such U.S. incidents in the past few years, it highlights the nagging hazards of so- called runway incursions, or planes ending up on the wrong strip. Canadian accident investigators confirmed the sequence of events, and on Wednesday a spokesman for the country's Transportation Safety Board said the incident was under review. The spokesman, however, didn't comment on how close the planes came to each other. A spokeswoman for American Eagle, the commuter affiliate of AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, on Wednesday said company officials are working with the safety board and also conducting an internal investigation. "We don't have anything further to add." About four years ago, U.S. air-safety regulators and accident investigators considered runway incursions one of the most difficult and highest-priority safety hazards confronting commercial aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration sparked an industry-wide "call to action" to alert pilots and controllers about the dangers. The FAA also pushed for enhanced training efforts and revised procedures, along with installation of new warning lights and improved runway signs at many fields. At the same time, airlines underscored the dangers to their crews and redoubled efforts to focus on procedural changes to minimize risks. One of the most harrowing near-collisions took place at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix on March 19, 2010. A propeller-powered Empire Airways commuter plane landed on the wrong runway and passed barely 50 feet above a Southwest Airlines jet that had just been cleared for takeoff, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report. Investigators determined that the Empire Airways pilot had trouble seeing the correct runway because of glare. Last week's incident comes at a time FAA officials and industry safety experts are emphasizing significant progress in reducing the frequency of such serious incidents. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of serious runway incursions dropped by more than 90%, according to the FAA. In the fiscal year ending September 2010, for example, the FAA said there were six U.S. runway incidents classified in the most hazardous category, a 50% reduction from the year before. "We all worked together" to improve runway safety, FAA chief Randy Babbitt said at the time. "We have maintained the focus and we have cut the number" of incursions. Yet the FAA in June issued a safety alert that the number of runway incidents once again was growing, and the agency emphasized that most near-misses stemmed from pilots losing situational awareness or failing to fully follow controller instructions. The FAA also warned the industry that airline crews "need to be mindful of this persistent problem and be proactive in prevention" efforts. FAA safety experts, among other things, urged pilots to learn details of airport layouts; take extra precautions when crossing parallel runways; write down and clarify complex taxi instructions; and visually confirm runways are clear of traffic before starting to cross them. At the same time, the FAA also urged airlines to carefully track close calls on the ground while ensuring that training programs include strong anti-collision measures. But safety experts said the recent safety lapse could prompt further steps and renewed emphasis on the issue, in the U.S. as well as in Europe. Over the years, European air-safety officials reacted more slowly than their U.S. counterparts in recognizing and alleviating the hazards of runway collisions. But recently, the European Aviation Safety Agency has placed more emphasis on tracking incursions and developing techniques to reduce them. Back to Top Cranfield University scoops Queen's award Cranfield University is delighted to announce that it is the recipient of one of this year's Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education. Cranfield's Safety and Accident Investigation Centre has been awarded this accolade for its 'World- leading work in aviation safety through research and training in air accident investigation'. The Safety and Accident Investigation Centre is a world-leading provider of air accident investigation training and research, making it a major contributor to international aviation safety. Over the last 30 years, it has trained over 1,000 air accident investigators and safety managers for national investigation agencies, the military, airlines, regulators and manufacturers. Past students have gone on to investigate some of the most serious aviation accidents in every continent including, most recently, the Qantas Airbus A380 engine failure of late 2010. Professor Graham Braithwaite, Head of the Department of Air Transport said: "We are absolutely delighted with this prestigious award in recognition of the role our work has played in assuring the safety of travellers worldwide. The industry as a whole has benefited from the University's work in aviation safety including passenger behaviour and fire evacuation procedures". In recent years the University's expertise has also been applied to the rail and marine sectors through a rang e of innovative courses and a new MSc degree programme for accident investigators. This is the third time the University has been awarded The Queen's anniversary prize. It was recognised in 2007 for its international role in humanitarian demining and in 2005 for its Fellowship in Manufacturing Management. The Prizes are a biennial award scheme which is within the UK's national honours system. They are the UK's most prestigious form of national recognition open to a UK academic or vocational institution. The Awards Ceremony will take place at Buckingham Palace 24 February 2012. Further information About the Accident Investigation Centre The Safety and Accident Investigation Centre has a world-wide reputation for excellence. The UK's Department for Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority and the MOD turn to Cranfield with its deep knowledge of the aviation sector, to spearhead critical research and training across the UK's aviation fleet. The facilities give students the opportunity to experience practical 'real-life' situations. Students gain skills in evidence collection and witness interviewing and analysis, through simulated accidents staged on the University's own airport. About Cranfield University: Cranfield University is a wholly postgraduate institution with a worldwide reputation for excellence and expertise in aerospace, automotive, defence, engineering, environment and water, health, management and manufacturing.. As the UK's most business-engaged University, and led by research which is applied to real life situations, we are world-leading in our contribution to global innovation. For more information visit: www.cranfield.ac.uk The Royal Anniversary Trust The Royal Anniversary Trust is an independent charity - registered number 1,000,000 -concerned with the advancement of education for public benefit. It was set up in 1990 with the object of carrying out a programme of events and activities during 1992, funded and supported from private sources with official endorsement, to mark the 40th anniversary of The Queen's accession and her years of service as Head of State. The Trust currently works to promote world class excellence in UK universities and colleges through The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education. The Prizes are a biennial award scheme which is within the UK's national honours system. As such they are the UK's most prestigious form of national recognition open to a UK academic or vocational institution. The honour is distinctive in recognising the institution rather than an individual or team. The scheme was established in 1993 with the approval of The Queen and all- party support in Parliament. All eligible universities and colleges in the UK are invited to enter the biennial rounds of the scheme. The assessment process is overseen by the Awards Council of the Trust which makes the final recommendations which are submitted to the Prime Minister for advice to The Queen. http://www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk/ A full list of winning institutions will be available http://www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk... from Friday 25 November 2011. For further information please contact: Alexandra Bevis, Colman Getty Consultancy alex@colmangetty.co.uk. Tel: 00 44 20 7631 2666 For further information please contact: Media Relations, Cranfield University. T: +44 (0) 1234 754999 Media Relations Building 30 Cranfield University Cranfield Bedfordshire MK43 0AL Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754999 Email: mediarelations@cranfield.ac.uk Website: www.cranfield.ac.uk Back to Top Plane's parachute fails to save four on board (Illinois) The parachute attached to the downed plane apparently was deployed as it crashed at Route 14 and Ridgefield Road near Crystal Lake. A final, desperate move to save the four lives aboard a small, single-engine airplane by deploying its parachute wasn't enough to avert disaster, authorities said. Instead, the aircraft, a Cirrus SR20, smashed into a soybean field Saturday morning near Crystal Lake. "Obviously, something did go terribly wrong, but exactly what that is, I don't know," National Transportation Safety Board air safety investigator Timothy Sorensen said. The Cirrus is registered to a flight club in Marion, Ind., but officials said they could not identify the victims as of Saturday evening. The Cirrus SR20 has a built-in parachute that takes the weight of the aircraft, acting almost as a hot-air balloon. Such features are normally only used under "catastrophic" circumstances, Sorensen said. Experts say such devices have to be deployed at the right altitude and time to be effective. Among those rushing to the accident site was Darren Smith, who knew instantly his good intentions were for naught. "There was nothing anyone could do for any of those people," Smith said. Smith, who owns Cal and Shan's Tree Farm in Woodstock, was outside working when he heard an airplane in trouble about 10:30 a.m. The aircraft broke through the clouds and plunged to earth near the tree farm, Smith said. "I saw it a split second before it hit the ground. It was a horrific crash, pretty much nose-first into the ground. The impact was tremendous," Smith said. His son, Cal Smith, was at a tree field to the north when he heard the impact. "It kind of sounded like a gas pipe exploded," Cal Smith said. Worried about his father and others working at the tree farm, he hurried over along with other witnesses. What they saw combined the gruesome and the mundane - bodies lying on the field along with a plastic container with popcorn and papers from the airplane. "We tried to help, but there was no help that could be given," Darren Smith said. The Cirrus SR20 was manufactured in 2000, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The registered owner of the aircraft is the Marion Pilots Club in Indiana, a group of 10 individuals. The aircraft went down west of Route 14 near Ridgefield Road. It appears the pilot was talking to air traffic controllers at the Elgin Terminal Radar Approach Control facility before the crash. The parachute had been deployed, investigators said. Officers responding to several 911 calls found the plane in several pieces, with the parachute snagged in a nearby tree, McHenry County Sheriff's Deputy Aimee Knop said. All the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, Knop said. McHenry County coroner officials said the four adult victims included two males and two females, but authorities stressed that no positive identities had been made yet and said they don't expect to release names of the individuals before Monday after relatives are notified. Officials would not confirm Indiana media reports that the victims included a Marion businessman and his two daughters. "At least nobody got hurt on the ground," said Don Behrens, a tree farm employee, who witnessed a white stream coming from the descending airplane and a huge cloud of dust after it hit. "I've seen a lot of stuff in my life, but I've never seen anything like this," he said. Farmer Marvin Marquardt, who owns the property, said the parachute had caught in a burr oak tree and debris was scattered over his field. The Cirrus "was in little pieces," he said. The plane was operating under visual flight rules. One official said the plane flew out of Marion Municipal Airport, but the destination of the flight has not been reported, and Knop said no flight plan had been found. There was light rain at the time of the accident, along with a cloud ceiling of about 900 feet and visibility of 1.75 miles, according to the National Weather Service. Winds were from the south. It was the second fatal plane crash in the suburbs in the past week. Frank Kehoe, 69, of Hampshire was killed Nov. 20 when his single-engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff from an airstrip west of Elgin. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111126/news/711269915/ Back to Top NTSB investigator offers new details in Valley plane crash APACHE JUNCTION, AZ - First, it was the terrain, then on Friday, clouds kept federal investigators from working at the site of a deadly plane crash atop the Superstition Mountains. National Transportation Safety Board Air Safety Investigator Mike Huhn was planning on spending most of the day looking at the wreckage. Because of cloud coverage, Huhn wasn't able to get to start working until after midday Friday. "We plan tomorrow [Saturday] to recover the aircraft, bring it to a secure salvage facility where we'll do detail examination with airframe experts, engine experts, the FAA and myself," Huhn said. Huhn did release new information about the crash, saying the Twin Commander 690 plane operated by Ponderosa Aviation had been bought and delivered from Indiana to Safford, Ariz. on Nov. 16. Preliminary information also showed the plane had not been used in a few years. Huhn said other investigators are collecting maintenance and pilot records for the airplane back in Safford. "The on-site activity is examining the records, determining what we call the 'four corners' of the airplane: the nose, the tail, the two wing tips," he said. They do that in order to make sure the whole plane made it to the crash site and to understand the pre-impact condition of the aircraft. "The actual crash site itself is one of the most difficult accident scenes I've been on," said Huhn, who has been doing investigations for two decades. He called the terrain at the Superstition Mountains crash site "hostile". It is known the night of the crash was a moonless, dark night and visibility was very limited. Huhn said the flight was a "visual flight rules" flight, which means pilots are not strictly under the command of air traffic control, who typically tells the airplane where to go. The flight path is at the discretion of the pilot, he said. It is believed the flight only lasted four to five minutes and investigators don't think there was a distress call. "Whether they actually saw it [the mountain] or were doing other tasks, I can't answer that question," Huhn said. The spread and duration of the fire points to there being a significant amount of fuel onboard. The subsequent fire in the crash did major damage to the plane. "Some of the aluminum and non-metallic components will be reduced to ash by a fire, so a lot of particularly useful information has the possibility of disappearing," Huhn said. The plan was for the plane to pick up Shawn Perry's three children at Mesa's Falcon Field then return to Safford for the Thanksgiving weekend. Those who last saw the crew before they took off told investigators Perry, 39, wasn't flying the plane. They remember seeing him in the back of the plane consoling his daughter, Morgan. "[The] wreckage has a story to tell and hopefully with a trained eye, we can understand what we're looking at," Huhn said. Read more: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_southeast_valley/apache_junction/ntsb- investigator-offers-new-details-in-valley-plane-crash#ixzz1exCPDZaI Back to Top FAA removes emergency oxygen from airline lavatories Airlines earlier this year quietly removed the emergency oxygen from lavatories because of concerns that it could be used to start a fire. Air traveler Myron Hayden recently had to put an emergency oxygen mask on during a flight, He took this picture of the cabin during the emergency. EnlargeClose Air traveler Myron Hayden recently had to put an emergency oxygen mask on during a flight, He took this picture of the cabin during the emergency. Safety officials now are working with aircraft manufacturers to develop a secure oxygen system. Trouble is, it'll take two to four years to complete the job, the Federal Aviation Administration says. That's not fast enough for safety advocates and flight attendants. They're concerned that passengers, flight attendants and pilots using a lavatory could be seriously harmed or killed if there is an aircraft decompression and emergency oxygen is needed immediately at a high altitude. The FAA ordered airlines to remove the chemical oxygen generators in lavatories because they "were easily accessible and could have been manipulated to create a flight hazard." The decision, made in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI, "was purely a precautionary measure," and "there is no credible or specific threat at this time," the FAA says in written responses to USA TODAY questions. The agency "expects that it will take between two and four years to design, develop and install a secure lavatory oxygen system in all U.S. operated passenger aircraft," the FAA says. "Safety officials are working as quickly as possible with aircraft manufacturers to find a permanent solution." Commercial jets normally cruise at an altitude of about 35,000 feet. In a 1996 advisory issued to airlines, the FAA said that "exposure to cabin altitudes in excess of 25,000 feet for more than two minutes without supplemental oxygen could in some cases cause permanent physiological (brain) damage." Without supplemental oxygen at 25,000 feet, most people will be unconscious in three to 10 minutes, the advisory said. Removal of oxygen from lavatories, each of which was equipped with two oxygen masks, did not affect oxygen stored above passenger seats. The FAA says flight attendants "have their own mobile masks" and are trained to assist passengers in lavatories after an aircraft decompression. Flight attendants, though, say it's not that seamless, and it could take some time before they can help passengers. They're trained to grab the nearest available fixed oxygen mask and remain there until told by a pilot that it is safe to move around the cabin and assist passengers, airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants union say. The union, which represents about 60,000 flight attendants at 24 airlines, says its members are trained to use portable oxygen masks but only to retrieve them after pilots say it is safe. The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 53,000 pilots at 37 U.S. and Canadian airlines, would not comment. http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/story/2011-11-24/FAA-removes-emergency- oxygen-from-airline-lavatories/51386344/1 Back to Top American Airlines flight from NYC makes emergency landing in Buffalo; no injuries reported CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (AP) - An American Airlines flight from New York City has made an emergency landing in Buffalo. Officials say Flight 177 landed safely at Buffalo Niagara International Airport shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday. The flight was headed from JFK International Airport to San Francisco when the pilot noticed smoke in the cockpit. All 173 passengers were escorted off the plane. No injuries were reported. WGRZ-TV (http://on.wgrz.com/tnXOTW) reports the airline is inspecting the plane to try to pinpoint the problem. Back to Top Mobile phone emits smoke on Sydney flight 'PHONE ALARM' took on an entirely new meaning when a mobile phone in a passenger's pocket started emitting dense smoke and a red glow, just as his plane was landing at Sydney airport yesterday. The 'smoking phone' was in the pocket of a male passenger in a Regional Express (REX) flight from Lismore. Sources in the airline, majority owned by Singapore businessmen, told BT yesterday that a male flight attendant who was seated facing the passengers as the flight landed, saw one passenger fretting in his seat and furiously patting his trouser packet. On seeing dense smoke, the attendant shouted at the passenger to throw out whatever he had in his pocket. The object making him uncomfortable turned out to be his mobile phone which by now was 'glowing red'. Flight attendants sprayed several shots from a fire extinguisher before the red glow and the smoking stopped. 'We followed strict air safety regulations to put out the device, and there was no further disruption to the flight. We ensured the safety of the passengers were not compromised,' a senior official of the airline told BT by phone from Sydney yesterday evening. The flight supervisor took pictures of the wrecked device. In a press release issued later in the day, the airline said: 'The mobile phone in question appears to be an Apple iPhone and has been handed over to the ATSB (Australian Transport Safety Bureau) for analysis.' The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is also investigating the incident. The airline is also believed to have called in local representatives of Apple and reported the incident to them and shown them pictures of the wrecked device. Exploding batteries have made headlines over the years. Earlier this month, a baggage handler in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was hospitalised with serious injuries after a battery exploded on the ground after landing. The iPhone carries a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and such batteries are commonly found in a range of devices from laptops to tablet PCs and even rechargeable toothbrushes. Explosions are often attributed to the overheating of the batteries, and one spark ignited in one of the battery's cells can spread rapidly to neighbouring cells, setting off a burst. Airlines have grappled with the issue of mobile devices for a long time and under pressure from passengers have varying restrictions on their use on board. Rex reiterated that it has strict rules on mobile and battery operated devices. A spokesman said that they do not allow the use of such devices on board their flights and do not allow them to be turned on even when the aircraft is on land and not moving. Rex officials said yesterday that they are unable to comment on the cause of the incident, and that only the report from the official probe will be able to throw any further light on the matter. Apple company officials could not be contacted by press time yesterday. http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Science%2Band%2BTech/Story/A1Story20111128 -313139.html Back to Top A new regulation harmonises qualifications for aircraft pilots The European Commission published a regulation harmonising qualification and medical requirements for pilots. The new EU-wide licences seek to make flying safer. The rules will be applicable from 8 April 2012 and, according to the Commission, will contribute to a simpler, more cost-effective and efficient framework to obtain both commercial and non-commercial pilot licenses. The new regulation published by the Commission regarding the harmonisation of qualification and medical requirements for pilots, will enable pilots holding a licence issued in one Member State to fly throughout the European Union without needing to fulfil any additional technical or medical requirements. The rules are based on international aviation safety standards set out in the Chicago Convention. An opinion delivered by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and after extensive consultations with all stakeholders were the basis for the adoption of the proposal by the Commission. This proposal has also received positive backing from the Member States and the European Parliament. On the proposal, the following new approaches have been included: New light aircraft pilot licences and related medical requirements are introduced, making it easier to engage in flying activities while ensuring a high level of safety; The creation of the first set of harmonised rules covering licenses for sailplanes, hot air balloons, airships and powered-lift aircrafts; Medical fitness of cabin crew is harmonised at EU level, improving existing EU rules. Furthermore, the rules will also bring about common requirements for pilots' examiners, instructors and aeromedical examiners, allowing them to fully benefit from the internal market. This legislative measure will soon be complemented with EU-wide requirements for aviation authorities, pilot training organisations, aeromedical centres and simulators that will further contribute to simplifying rules for the aviation sector. http://euroalert.net/en/news.aspx?idn=14065 Back to Top Initial air safety review moved to January 2012 (Philippines) THE US Federal Aviation Authority's (FAA) preliminary review of the Philippine aviation industry has been moved back a month to January next year, a development that comes after the European Union added two more local carriers to a blacklist for not complying with safety standards. "FAA has requested to reschedule it to a month later ... so it will be in January. They weren't able to organize a complete team to send to the Philippines," Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Ramon S. Gutierrez said. A date for the actual audit has yet to be scheduled. The government invited the FAA to conduct the review hopes of obtaining a rating upgrade that would allow local carriers to expand their operations to the US. Mr. Gutierrez claimed his office was "confident" the country had satisfied all requirements. "Yes, we are confident [that we will get a rating upgrade]. Still, audits are subjective. We're keeping our fingers crossed," Mr. Gutierrez said. The FAA downgraded the Philippines to "category 2" in 2008 after a safety audit in November 2007, preventing Philippine carriers from expanding operations. Flag carrier Philippine Airlines is presently the only one flying to the US. The Philippines has since passed Republic Act 9497 or the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008, which aims to upgrade local aviation standards. Mr. Gutierrez said that following the FAA audit, the government plans to invite the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Union (EU) to do their own reviews. The ICAO designated the country as a "significant safety concern" in December 2009. The EU in 2010 blacklisted all Philippine carriers. On Monday, the EU announced that it was adding two local airlines to the list along with carriers from other countries. -- K. A. Martin http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=Initial-air-safety-review- moved-to-January-2012&id=42087 Back to Top Airlines cut small jets as fuel prices soar MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The little planes that connect America's small cities to the rest of the world are slowly being phased out. Airlines are getting rid of these planes - their least-efficient - in response to the high cost of fuel. Delta, United Continental, and other big airlines are expected to park, scrap or sell hundreds of jets with 50 seats or fewer in coming years. Small propeller planes are meeting the same fate. The loss of those planes is leaving some little cities with fewer flights or no flights at all. The Airports Council International says 27 small airports in the continental U.S., including St. Cloud, Minn., and Oxnard, Calif., have lost service from well-known commercial airlines over the last two years. More shutdowns are planned. Travelers in cities that have lost service now must drive or take buses to larger airports. That adds time and stress to travel. St. Cloud lost air service at the end of 2009 after Delta eliminated flights on 34-seat turboprops. Now, passengers from the city of 66,000 have a 90-minute drive to the Minneapolis airport 65 miles to the southeast. Roger Geraets, who works for an online education company based near St. Cloud., flies at least twice a month from Minneapolis. He used to connect from St. Cloud. Now he drives, leaving an extra half hour for bad traffic. There are other headaches. Parking at St. Cloud was free, but in Minneapolis it costs $14 per day. And getting through airport security in Minneapolis takes longer. Another city without service is Oxnard, 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles, which lost three daily turboprop flights operated on behalf of United. The airport's website advises travelers to catch a bus to Los Angeles International Airport. Atilla Taluy, a tax preparer who lives in Oxnard, ends up driving or taking the shuttle to Los Angeles. "In morning traffic, it becomes quite a burdensome trip," he says. Pierre, S.D., will lose Delta flights to Minneapolis in mid-January. Pierre officials are waiting to find out whether those flights will be replaced or whether the city will be left with only Great Lakes Airlines flights to Denver. The Denver flights add almost 600 miles in the wrong direction for people who want to fly from South Dakota's capital to Washington, D.C. "I don't know if they really care about (passengers) in the small markets," says Rick Steece, a consultant for the Centers for Disease Control who travels overseas from Pierre two to three times a year. In the late 1990s, when jet fuel cost one-fourth of today's prices, the small jets and turboprops were a profitable way for airlines to connect people in small cities to the rest in the world. The flights attracted business travelers who tended to pay more for tickets. Airlines loved the planes. Bombardier and Embraer sold more than 1,900 50-seat jets during the late 1990s and early 2000s. "We all got carried away with it," says Glen W. Hauenstein, Delta's executive vice president for network planning, revenue management and marketing. Then jet fuel prices soared. They're at $3.16 per gallon today, up from 78 cents in 2000. That's changed the economics of small planes. For airlines, it all comes down to spreading fuel costs among passengers. A Delta 50-seat CRJ-200 made by Bombardier takes 19 gallons of fuel to fly each passenger 500 miles. Fuel usage drops to just 7.5 gallons per passenger on Delta's 160-seat MD-90s over the same distance. So while the bigger jet burns more fuel overall, it's more efficient. Delta is moving away from small jets more aggressively than other airlines. It will eliminate 121 50-seat jets from October 2008 through the end of next year. That will leave it with 324. Lynchburg, Va., lost Delta's three daily flights on 50-seat jets earlier this year, although US Airways still flies similar jets there. Airport manager Mark Courtney says Delta also served nearby Roanoke and Charlottesville, Va., each about 60 miles away, so it may have figured its Lynchburg customers will drive to those cities to catch a flight. Lynchburg is the home of the 2,000 workers for French nuclear services company Areva, and its largest international destination had been Paris by way of Delta's Atlanta hub, Courtney says. Some Delta routes served by 50-seaters are getting bigger planes instead. Delta's Atlanta-Des Moines flights are on larger MD-88s, which seat 142, and it has shifted the mix toward larger planes between Atlanta and Birmingham, Ala., Nashville, and Savannah, Ga., too. United Continental Holdings Inc. still has 354 50-seat jets. But that number is expected to shrink, said Greg Hart, the airline's senior vice president of network. Continental's effort to get rid of its 37-seat planes shows how eager airlines are to quit flying them. It has 30 of the jets under lease, some until 2018. Twenty-five are grounded. The rest are subleased for $6 million less than Continental is paying for them. American Eagle, which feeds traffic to its corporate sibling American Airlines, owns 39 of the same 37-seaters . But 17 of them were parked as of the end of last year. Parent company AMR Corp. had been trying to sell some of those planes in 2009 but couldn't get any buyers. Many travelers won't miss the small jets. One of them, Tony Diaz, is a technology support manager from Dallas. He was changing planes in Minneapolis on his way to Moline, Ill. The second leg was a small Delta jet. "The larger planes are definitely better to ride in," he said, glancing down at his larger-than- average frame. There's still a market for larger jets, which allow airlines to spread out fuel costs. Nearly all so-called regional jets sold between 2010 and 2019 are expected to have 51 seats or more - with the biggest category being jets with 76 to 130 seats, according to Forecast International. "More of those are going to see the skies," said aviation consultant Mike Boyd. But those aluminum-skinned 50-seaters will be scrapped for parts. "They're on their way to the Budweiser display." Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC