Flight Safety Information January 5, 2012 - No. 003 In This Issue Officials move ahead with plans for Reno air races India aviation regulator queries Kingfisher on safety General Aviation Accident, Fatality Rates Drop in 2010 China heavy-lift chopper receives certification California legislator caught with gun at airport Battery association challenges FAA study Bristow Appoints New Quality and Safety Manager 74 Year old Aviation Magazine Relaunched as Online Journal Officials move ahead with plans for Reno air races RENO, Nev. - The head of the Reno Air Races Association said Wednesday officials are moving ahead with plans for this fall's competition despite a tragic crash at September's event that killed 11 and injured more than 70. Association President Mike Houghton said the association is enlisting a panel of experts -- including former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall -- to help ensure the safety of the event scheduled for Sept. 12-16 at Reno- Stead Airport. Race officials say they must secure a number of permits to make sure the competition happens. But as of now, tickets are on sale for the event. The deadly crash at the 2011 National Championship Air Races at the Reno airport led to calls that officials consider ending the event, the only one of its kind in the U.S. The NTSB has scheduled a hearing Jan. 10 to examine the safety of air shows and air races in general. The Reno group's directors say in a letter on their website they are "committed to preserving this unique and historic aviation event" that began four decades ago. "While we have many challenges to overcome and much work to do, we are optimistic and hopeful that we will again take to the Sierra skies in the near future," said the letter dated Dec. 28. Among other challenges, the board must secure licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration and Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority. They also have to deal with $1 million in losses caused by cancellation of the 2011 event after the crash as well as insurance costs. Two lawsuits have been filed over the crash so far. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said organizers must develop a comprehensive plan each year that includes requirements for pilot and aircraft qualifications, and a detailed course layout. The 2011 races turned deadly when veteran pilot Jimmy Leeward, 74, of Ocala, Fla., lost control of his World War II-era P-51 Mustang and crashed into the crowd. It was the first time spectators had been killed since the races began 47 years ago in Reno. Twenty pilots, including Leeward, have died in that time, race officials said. Three pilots died while racing in the 2007 competition, and another was killed during a practice race the next year. Past deaths have led to on-again-off-again calls for better safety at the races over the years, but it has grown into a major tourist attraction in Reno. Local officials said the races generate $80 million for the local economy during the five-day event held every September. During the competition, planes fly wingtip-to-wingtip as low as 50 feet off the sagebrush at speeds sometimes surpassing 500 mph. Pilots follow an oval path around pylons, with distances and speeds depending on the class of aircraft. Reno has the world's only multi-class air races, with six classes of aircraft competing, said Don Berliner of Alexandria, Va., president of the Society of Air Racing Historians. Air races elsewhere involve only a single class of aircraft, he said. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9S2ADCG1.htm Back to Top India aviation regulator queries Kingfisher on safety NEW DELHI/MUMBAI, Jan 5 (Reuters) - India's aviation regulator on Thursday demanded assurances from Kingfisher Airlines and the budget arm of Air India that their financial problems would not affect safety. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation told the airlines to offer a timeline to put in place measures to tackle their financial problems, which it said were affecting maintenance, training and other operations that could compromise safety. "There is a list of discrepancies," Bharat Bhushan, the director general of the agency, told reporters, referring to aircraft maintenance and other potential safety problems. "Kingfisher, for example, we have told them to come back to us on Monday...within how many days they are going to complete certain specific things," Bhushan said. Kingfisher said it was operating flights with "utmost safety". A spokesman for Air India also denied there were any safety issues with its budget carrier. Bhushan said there was no threat that any carrier's licence would be cancelled, and he was confident that any problems would be resolved. Earlier on Thursday, the Times of India newspaper, reported that the regulator had determined in an audit that there was a reasonable case to withdraw Kingfisher's licence as its financial problems could threaten passenger safety. "All airlines are going through a difficult patch financially ... our challenge is to see that this financial difficulty does not reflect on safety," Bhushan said. "Please let there be no panic," he added. "The skies are safe." Adding to Kingfisher's problems, the State Bank of India said on Thursday that it now considered its loans to the airline to be non-performing. Most airlines in India, including market leader Jet Airways Ltd, are losing money as a result of high fuel costs, cutthoat competition and a slowdown in the economy. But Kingfisher, controlled by flamboyant liquor baron Vijay Mallya, has been the biggest casualty. The struggling carrier cancelled hundreds of flights late last year and grounded aircraft to conserve cash. More than 100 pilots have left the airline in recent months, putting pressure on the airline to train new staff. Bhushan said that as much as one-third of one particular carrier's fleet had been grounded. He did not identify the airline, but the Times of India identified it as Kingfisher. "The audit was financial but they found the financial situation of Kingfisher and Air India (Express) was so bad that they would be cutting on costs all across, including areas related to safety," said Rajan Mehra, executive director at the Asia Pacific Academy for Aviation and Hospitality. "This will further dent Kingfisher's brand image because once passengers start thinking that an airline is unsafe, that is the final nail in the coffin," he said. Kingfisher's shares closed down 2.62 percent at 20.45 rupees. The shares fell as much as 4.5 percent as investors dumped the stock following the regulator's comments. Kingfisher shares fell more than 68 percent in 2011. "NO SAFETY ISSUE" Representatives of both airlines met with the regulator on Thursday. "DGCA has asked Kingfisher Airlines to provide a specific timeline for getting the grounded aircraft back in the air and for its recapitalization efforts," Chief Executive Sanjay Aggarwal said in an emailed statement. "We would like to clarify that DGCA did not have any significant findings or concerns with regard to safety at Kingfisher Airlines, and that we have adequate number of pilots and engineers to operate our scheduled services," he said. An spokesman for Air India also said the group's budget airline, Air India Express, was facing a shortage of pilots but denied that safety was being compromised. "There is no safety issue," the spokesman said. "There is a shortage of commanders but the number of flights which are operating is actually in accordance with the number of commanders available," the spokesman said. "The DGCA will give us a list of action points and a timeline. We will comply with that". Kingfisher and Air India have been negotiating with banks for a further cushion to ease their debt burden and to raise working capital. Both have undergone a debt restructuring. A government report viewed by Reuters last month said the total debts of India's airlines are expected to rise to $20 billion in 2011/12 ending March as they struggle with rising oil prices, high sales taxes on jet fuel and below-cost pricing driven by fierce competition.. Back to Top General Aviation Accident, Fatality Rates Drop in 2010 Frederick, Md. - General aviation accidents and fatalities declined in 2010 for the fourth consecutive year, according to new National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data. In total number, the 1,435 GA accidents marked a 20-year low, even as estimated total flight hours began to climb for the first time since the Great Recession began. There were 450 GA accident fatalities in 2010, down from 478 in 2009. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Foundation's Air Safety Institute is analyzing the data in detail for the upcoming twenty-second edition of the Joseph T. Nall Report, a comprehensive analysis of accidents that has helped to shape pilot training and safety education. AOPA Foundation President Bruce Landsberg said 2010 was a record year for outreach-more than 1.9 million safety products and courses were used by AOPA members and non-members alike. "Complacency remains the enemy of safety, and we continue to develop new programs for 2012 that dig deeper into the causes of accidents," Landsberg said. "Most accidents result from causes that have plagued aviation for years. That story, unfortunately, is little changed." In 2010, the Air Safety Institute introduced new products, and pilots responded. The institute's online ASI Flight Risk Evaluator drew 64,000 visits in 2010, and more than 40,000 pilots attended safety seminars held around the country and available through online webinars. The Air Safety Institute will continue to work in partnership with the NTSB, the Federal Aviation Administration, AOPA and other aviation organizations to spread the message that education, including ongoing training for active pilots, saves lives. http://rotor.com/Publications/RotorNewssupregsup/tabid/177/newsid1237/74473/mid/1237/Default.aspx Back to Top China heavy-lift chopper receives certification BEIJING (AP) - China's civil aviation authority on Thursday cleared the country's biggest-ever helicopter for domestic use, its state-owned manufacturer said. The 13.8-ton AC313 is the latest advance for China's ambitious aerospace industry that spans military jets, commercial airliners, and even a manned space flight program. The aircraft from Aviation Industry Corporation of China made its first test flight in March 2010 and certification means companies can immediately take delivery and start commercial flights. Its first customer is northeast China-based China Flying Dragon Aviation, which flies cargo and passenger charter flights and does utility work such as forest fire fighting. It plans to lease the first five AC313s produced. AVIC has said it also plans to apply for U.S. and European certification to allow foreign sales, but hasn't said when it will do so. The AC313 is also the latest example of China's adaptation of foreign technology that has facilitated numerous breakthroughs in its aviation industry. The aircraft is a larger and heavily modified version of the 7-ton Zhi-8 medium transport helicopter that is a close copy of the French SA 321 Super Frelon. China bought 13 of the French helicopters in the 1970s and at least one was reportedly disassembled for study and reverse-engineering. It is powered by Pratt & Whitney PT6B-67A engines from Canada, underscoring China's weakness in that key technology. AVIC says the aircraft is suitable for missions ranging from search and rescue to sightseeing and can operate in harsh conditions at a maximum range of 560 miles (900 kilometers) and at altitudes of almost 28,000 feet (8,500 meters). It can carry up to 5 tons of cargo in a sling along with 27 passengers or 15 injured on stretchers. AVIC has been the linchpin in China's aviation push, building latest-generation fighter jets and midrange commercial airliners, and is now working on a larger plane that would compete with Airbus and Boeing. At 56 tons, the Russian Mi-26 is far and away the world's largest helicopter, twice as heavy as the American CH-47 Chinook. Back to Top California legislator caught with gun at airport Sacramento -- A state Assemblyman caught with a handgun in his carry-on bag at Ontario International Airport Wednesday morning said later that he forgot the firearm was in his bag. Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks (San Bernardino County), was cited and released after the incident, which occurred at 7:45 a.m. at an airport security checkpoint as Donnelly was heading to Sacramento for the start of the legislative session. Transportation Security Authority officials said Donnelly was carrying a loaded Colt Mark IV .45 caliber handgun in his carryon bag along with four rounds in a magazine inserted in the gun. He also had another separate magazine with an additional five rounds, said TSA spokesman Nico Melendez. Airport police spokeswoman Sgt. Belinda Nettles said officers initially cited Donnelly for carrying an unloaded firearm but are amending the misdemeanor charge to reflect that the gun was loaded. The weapon was booked at Ontario Police Department, and Donnelly will appear in court at a later date, Nettles said. After arriving at the Capitol later in the day, Donnelly refused to answer questions about whether the gun was loaded or if he has a concealed weapons permit. The assemblyman, an outspoken supporter of gun rights, called the incident an "unfortunate mistake," and said he "completely forgot" the firearm was in his briefcase after placing it there over the weekend, adding that it's about the same weight as his laptop. "I was cited and released for carrying a concealed, unloaded weapon into a sterile area of the airport," he said outside the Assembly chambers Wednesday afternoon. "It was in my briefcase - I put it there on Saturday when I was working alone in my garage. My wife came home, and I didn't want her to see I had a firearm out, because we have received death threats related to my work on AB131." AB131 is the Dream Act, which will allow some college students who are in the United States illegally to qualify for public financial aid. Donnelly opposes the law, which takes effect next year. The assemblyman apologized to anyone inconvenienced by the incident and said he would answer to the misdemeanor charge. People can bring guns on airplanes, but they must be declared to the airport and checked in baggage unloaded and in a proper carrying case, according to the Transportation Security Administration. About 1,200 people were stopped at security checkpoints in similar incidents last year, said Melendez. He said people typically tell the TSA they forgot the weapon was in their possession. California Penal Code Section 12031, under which Donnelly was charged, carries with it a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Donnelly is best known for his strong positions against illegal immigration, but he also made a point to speak out on gun rights during his first year in Sacramento. He was a staunch opponent of a law that took effect Jan. 1 barring anyone from openly carrying unloaded handguns in California. Assembly Speaker John Pérez, D-Los Angeles, said he will wait to see how the case plays out, noting Donnelly "deserves the same due process rights as any member of the public." Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/04/BAR41ML0RR.DTL#ixzz1ibGy8VB8 Back to Top Battery association challenges FAA study The Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) has challenged the Federal Aviation Administration's September study detailing the risk of transporting lithium batteries by air. Dismissing the research as "flawed," the PRBA expressed concern about the FAA's methodology, data and conclusions. PRBA officials laid out their opposition to the study in a letter to Dr. Katherine Rooney, secretary of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Dangerous Goods Panel. A key area of concern, the association explained to Rooney, involves the FAA's conclusion that batteries contributed to two aircraft incidents simply because they were on board. What's more, the PRBA wrote, the FAA "developed its risk model from this assumption." "But no facts are presented that indicate any involvement of batteries in the incidents," the letter stated. "The presence of batteries on board certainly is not enough to justify this assumption and should not be the basis for FAA's next study on the cost-benefit ratios for various mitigation strategies." Such assumptions have also caused "unwarranted scare mongering" in the press and taken attention away from key safety issues, the PRBA wrote to Rooney. "Everyone agrees improperly packaged lithium batteries should not be shipped as cargo," the letter stated. "This safety goal can best be achieved by rigorous enforcement that will ensure compliance with existing international battery transportation regulations." http://www.aircargoworld.com/Air-Cargo-News/2012/01/battery-association-challenges-faa-study/054375 Back to Top Bristow Appoints New Quality and Safety Manager Bristow Helicopters Ltd (Bristow) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Taylor as the European Business Unit's new Quality and Safety Manager. With more than 20 years' experience in the aviation industry, Ian joins Bristow from its affiliate group FB Heliservices Ltd (FBH) where he held the same role. Relocating from Dubai, Taylor will be located at the company's Aberdeen office. Commenting on the new appointment, Bristow's Director of European Operations Mike Imlach said: "Bristow is renowned for being an industry leader in safety and innovation. Ian brings a great wealth of health and safety knowledge and experience to the table and he will play a pivotal role in enabling Bristow to continue to champion safety in the aviation industry as well as drive forward our Target Zero initiative." Taylor's career began in 1992, joining the Royal Navy as an Aircraft Engineer with the Sea King Commando Helicopter Squadrons. His last role within the service was at the Flight Safety Accident Investigation Centre where he assisted in aircraft accident investigation and flight safety initiatives including assisting with the publication of Cockpit, the flight safety magazine. Prior to joining FBH in 2006, Taylor obtained a law degree from the University of Durham focussing on aviation law, whilst continuing to carry out quality assurance and safety work for a range of companies within the aviation industry. Taylor commented: "Safety is at the heart of Bristow's culture and fundamental to its operations. I am looking forward to being part of such a safety conscious team and capitalising on the hard work that has already been invested in Bristow's global Target Zero initiative. "I will be dedicated to helping the organisation achieve the objectives of zero accidents, zero downtime and zero complaints." With numerous bases around the world, Bristow Group provides aviation support to the global oil and gas industry. The company has 3,500 employees and boasts a varied fleet of around 400 aircraft. http://www.oilvoice.com/post/Company_News_Release/Bristow_Appoints_New_Quality_and_Safety_Manager/cb7a313486.aspx Back to Top 74 Year old Aviation Magazine Relaunched as Online Journal BATAVIA, Ohio, Jan. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Air Facts, first published for private pilots in 1938, has new life and has been reinvented as an online journal at www.AirFactsJournal.com . This important aviation magazine was among the first publications to address the growing number of pilots as aircraft became more accessible to the general population. When the first issue of Air Facts appeared in 1938, there was no FAA. In fact, the Civil Aeronautics Administration was formed that year to regulate air traffic. Pam Am flying boats - what the airline called its "Clippers" were flying worldwide and Howard Hughes set a new around-the-world record in an airplane - just under four days. It was in this fledgling industry that aviation visionary Leighton Collins launched his magazine for the everyday pilot - those individuals who were flying their own airplanes to get from Point A to Point B. Leighton wanted these pilots to share their knowledge with one another in order to fly in the safest way possible. "No aviation magazine had previously put the emphasis on safety and accidents and many thought this would cause consternation in the aviation industry," says Leighton's son Richard, who later took over as editor of Air Facts before he went on to a career of his own at other aviation magazines. "When Air Facts ran a study about the safety record in Piper Cubs, everyone thought Mr. Piper would be quite unhappy. To the contrary, he ordered an Air Facts subscription for everyone who bought a new Cub." When Leighton retired, he sold the magazine, which did not survive without Leighton's guidance. Now Air Facts has been reborn online, with Richard Collins back at the controls as its editor. Just like the original, Air Facts concentrates on providing analysis and opinion about important general aviation topics. Much of the content is reader-provided by pilots and aircraft owners. "We've put a twist on citizen-journalists and created journalist-pilots," says Richard Collins. "Pilots form a unique community and Air Facts provides a means for pilots to tap into their shared experiences in order to make their own flying safer." Another difference with the new Air Facts is that it's free. There is no subscription cost, and pilots and those interested in aviation don't have to wait for the next monthly issue as content is continually added. Today's Air Facts is made possible through the financial sponsorship of Sporty's Pilot Shop, the world's largest supplier of pilot supplies as well as a leader in producing educational materials for pilots. SOURCE Sporty's Pilot Shop Back to Top Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC