Flight Safety Information January 12, 2012 - No. 008 In This Issue US Airways Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Charleston The FAA's Secrecy Around Drones Sparks Lawsuit Malaysian Airlines Pilot Busted With Meth In Sydney U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Selects Saab Sensis for Airport Surface Surveillance DGCA to meet top airlines officials on safety lapses issue (India) Philadelphia Airport Cocaine Bust Is Largest In Airport History Unruly Air Passenger From Japan Arrested in Hawaii US Airways Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Charleston CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A plane headed to Washington, DC was forced to make an emergency landing at Yeager Airport in Charleston Thursday. Emergency crews were called to the airport about 8 a.m. due to a report that smoke was in the cargo area of the plane. A passenger on U.S. Airways flight 2514 tells WSAZ.com about 20 people were on the plane and they were alerted by the flight crew there was reports of smoke on the plane and they would be making an emergency landing in Charleston. The flight crew told passengers the pilot noticed a light on the instrument panel indicating a problem. Crews thought at first the leak was liquid oxygen -- but it was actually smoke coming from a fire suppression system on plane. Yeager Airport Director Rick Atkinson tells WSAZ.com that there was such a large response because liquid oxygen is highly flammable. The passenger says the plane left Nashville and was headed to Washington, DC when it was forced to make an emergency landing. At least a dozen of emergency vehicles responded including the Kanawha County Metro 911 mobile command center. Airport road was closed for about 5 minutes until the plane landed safely and the passengers were bused off the plane along with their luggage. Back to Top The FAA's Secrecy Around Drones Sparks Lawsuit Who's got drones? We know that drones are mighty popular for fighting wars, but how popular are they here in the U.S.? A privacy and civil liberties group has been trying to find out who currently has the right to fly drones in the States, but the Federal Aviation Administration - the gov agency with the power to give out drone licenses - has failed to respond to the group's FOIA request. Now the Electronic Frontier Foundation is suing the Department of Transportation to get its hands on those records. Any drone flying over 400 feet needs a certification or authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration, part of the DOT. But there is currently no information available to the public about who specifically has obtained these authorizations or for what purposes. EFF filed a Freedom of Information Act request in April of 2011 for records of unmanned aircraft activities, but the DOT so far has failed to provide the information. I'm sympathetic. While the EFF wants to know which law enforcement and government agencies currently have the right to fly drones (and surveil citizens), I've been wondering which private actors currently have the right to fly unmanned aircraft in the U.S.. I've also been stonewalled by the FAA in a year-old FOIA to find out which 18 private, nongovernmental actors have active "experimental certificates" to fly drones. I've come to understand that part of the reason for the delay is that the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Program Office is a bit undermanned. While it's currently difficult to get permission to fly drones in U.S. airspace, the FAA is revisiting its restrictions with plans to release new rules later this year. Drone makers are pushing hard for this, hoping to expand the market for their products. Gretchen West, executive VP of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), an industry group that has been lobbying the FAA to free up air space for unmanned vehicles told me last year that "law enforcement agencies are chomping at the bit to get [drones] in the air." One drone maker's representative said the NYPD had questioned them about the possibility of a drone with a loud speaker and listening device, which they could use when dealing with bridge jumpers (assuming the FAA ever gave them permission to use drones in New York's crowded airspace). "As the government begins to make policy decisions about the use of these aircraft, the public needs to know more about how and why these drones are being used to surveil United States citizens," said EFF attorney Jennifer Lynch in a statement. EFF's lawsuit seeks an immediate response to their FOIA request, which would tell us exactly who currently has permission to fly drones, and who has sought permission and been denied. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/01/11/the-faas-secrecy-around-drones- sparks-lawsuit/ Back to Top Malaysian Airlines Pilot Busted With Meth In Sydney A Malaysian Airlines pilot with 5kg of methamphetamine in his suitcase was arrested in Sydney Tuesday. Thiagu Supramaniam, 30, of Malaysia, has been charged with two counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, with one charge reportedly stemming from a previous drug deal, according to The Daily Telegraph. Australian police have been on Supramaniam's tail after an August drug transaction, also in Sydney. Tuesday, upon arrival in Australia, his bags were searched by customs, which uncovered "six packages containing a 'white crystalline substance.'" Typically it's passengers -- be it on cruises or airplanes -- who are caught trying to transport illegal drugs. But, there have been instances of pilots and flight attendants caught in the act. In August 2011, an Aeromexico pilot was detained for trying to smuggle 93 pounds of cocaine into Spain. And, in November 2011, Russian flight attendants and pilots were accused of smoking marijuana before flying. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/12/pilot-busted-with-meth-on-malaysian- airlines_n_1201430.html Back to Top U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Selects Saab Sensis for Airport Surface Surveillance Capability Program EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y., Jan. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Saab Sensis Corporation, a U.S. subsidiary of the defense and security company Saab, has been selected by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) program. FAA has incrementally funded MUSD 5 (MSEK 34) of the MUSD 54 (MSEK 370) five year contract. In addition, options for deliveries beyond the five year period are valued at MUSD 65 (MSEK 442), for a total contract value of MUSD 119 (MSEK 825). ASSC is a program that will bring enhanced surface situational awareness and advanced warning of potential runway incursions to nine U.S. airports for increased safety and efficiency, including options for additional sites. Each ASSC deployment will incorporate Saab Sensis multilateration, safety logic conflict detection and alerting software, air traffic controller working positions, and recording/playback functionality. ASSC will process Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) data along with other sensor sources for a single, fused view of the airport runways and taxiways. In addition, the flexible nature of the ASSC system architecture enables future airport surface safety enhancements, such as Runway Status Lights (RWSL), and airport surface movement data distribution to other approved systems and users. The FAA has indicated the following airports to receive ASSC: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (Alaska), Andrews Air Force Base (Maryland), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (Kentucky), Cleveland Hopkins Airport (Ohio), Kansas City International Airport (Missouri), Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (Louisiana), Pittsburgh International Airport (Pennsylvania), Portland International Airport (Oregon), and San Francisco International Airport (California). "Through ASSC, Saab Sensis will draw on its successful ASDE-X program and strong working relationship with the FAA to improve the surface safety at nine more U.S. airports. The system uses technologies already certified for use in the National Airspace System for an efficient, cost-effective solution," said Ken Kaminski, vice president and general manager of Saab Sensis. "This program further strengthens Saab Sensis' position as the world leader in Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems and surface conflict detection and alerting with more than 50 sites worldwide." Saab Sensis has deployed Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X), the FAA's primary runway situational awareness system, to 35 major U.S. airports and is the prime contractor for the RWSL program with 23 airports under contract. The company is also participating in the FAA's Low Cost Ground Surveillance program. Internationally, the company is deploying or has deployed Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems to nine airports and surface multilateration at 18 additional airports. Saab Sensis Corporation provides the defense and aviation markets with advanced sensor technologies, next-generation radars, automation, modeling and simulation solutions. The company serves military, civil aviation, airport and airline customers in more than 35 countries across six continents. Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions ranging from military defense to civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents and constantly develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers' changing needs. www.saabgroup.com SOURCE Saab Sensis Corporation Back to Top DGCA to meet top airlines officials on safety lapses issue (India) New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Aviation regulator DGCA is reviewing the replies by airlines on the safety lapses pointed out by it in a financial audit and would be meeting top officials of the air carriers shortly, sources said today. Weeks after several safety lapses were pointed out by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after a financial surveillance, the Indian carriers claimed they were complying with all safety regulations for their flight operations. The DGCA would hold a meeting "shortly" to tell airline representatives whether their plans to comply with all instructions and rules, as pointed out by the regulator following the audit, were practicable and feasible, the sources said. The audit found a long list of discrepancies and violations by the cash-strapped airlines due to widespread sickness in the sector which was seriously impacting safety of flight operations. Taking serious note of non-compliance or flouting of safety rules by the carriers, it recommended action against the airlines under the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs). After the meeting with all the airlines, the DGCA would carry out a safety review under the Safety Evaluation Assessment Tool (SEAT) which has over 150 parameters, the sources said. Now on, the regulator would constantly monitor the airlines to keep a track on whether they continue to maintain high standards and practices to ensure fool-proof safety of flight operations, they said. http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/dgca-to-meet-top-airlines-officials-on- safety-lapses-issue/949856.html Back to Top Philadelphia Airport Cocaine Bust Is Largest In Airport History Customs officials at Philadelphia International Airport seized a 130-pound cache of cocaine valued at $4 million Sunday. The drugs were found in three unattended duffel bags. It's believed this is the biggest cocaine bust the airport has seen, according to records going back to 1990, reports MyFox Philly. The largest seizure on record is 55 pounds in 2000. "The volume alone raises concern for us. Customs and Border Protection officers remain steadfastly vigilant to stop narcotics here at our border before it can hurt our families and our communities," said Allan Martocci, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. The duffel bags, which arrived on a flight from the Dominican Republic, were picked up by CBP after passengers had left the international terminal, reports ABC Philadelphia. A drug-sniffing dog detected they might contain narcotics. When officers unpacked the bags, they discovered 52 bricks wrapped in blankets. A field test confirmed the presence of cocaine. No arrests were made. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/12/philadelphia-airport-cocaine-bust-is-largest- in-airport-history_n_1201518.html Back to Top Unruly Air Passenger From Japan Arrested in Hawaii HONOLULU January 10, 2012 (AP) - A 65-year-old Japanese man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a flight attendant aboard a Delta Airlines flight from Tokyo to Honolulu. According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Sohei Yamanouchi hit the flight attendant once with an open hand and once with a closed fist after drinking multiple glasses of wine. Officials say the flight attendant was not seriously injured. FBI agents arrested Yamanouchi after the flight landed Monday morning at Honolulu International Airport. The Japanese citizen was charged with assault aboard an aircraft, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $10,000 fine. He was ordered to give up his passport and stay in Oahu, and was released on $10,000 bond. A hearing is set for Jan. 20. Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC