Flight Safety Information January 19, 2012 - No. 013 In This Issue Air controller error blamed in U.S. near-miss New Cracks Found in Airbus Wings Rolls-Royce raises safety checks after blast on jet EASA Flight Time Limitation Rules Draw Mixed Reviews Woman Removed From Plane After Bringing Gun Aboard Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University -...Professional Programs Air controller error blamed in U.S. near-miss WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. safety investigators on Wednesday cited air traffic controller error for a near mid-air collision of a commuter jet and a small plane last year in Mississippi. The National Transportation Safety Board NTSB.L said the ExpressJet flight with 53 people aboard and a single-engine Cessna 172 came within 300 feet of each other over the Gulfport-Biloxi airport last June 19. Both took off nearly simultaneously from intersecting runways after receiving clearance to do so from the airport tower staffed by Federal Aviation Administration FAA.L controllers, the NTSB said. "Wow, that was close," the captain of the commuter jet was quoted as saying by his co-pilot, who was flying the plane. The crew of the ExpressJet Embraer 145 operating as a United/Continental (UAL.N) flight to Houston did not sense a potential conflict even though the two were monitoring radio traffic and acknowledged that the other plane had also been cleared for takeoff from the other runway, NTSB interview transcripts showed. The crew said their plane's automatic proximity warning system did not sound and there was no need to take evasive action. The commuter plane flew on to Houston where it landed uneventfully later that afternoon. The Cessna was ordered to go around the airport following takeoff to remove it from any danger. The safety board documents alleged that the controller in question, who was not identified, had a history of "professional deficiencies" that included non-compliance with standard checklist procedures. The controllers' union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, had no comment on any disciplinary issues but said it took "reports like these very seriously." The FAA said in a statement it made management changes at Gulfport following the incident and suspended and decertified the controller involved. The controller has since been retrained and is back on the job. NTSB investigators have made reducing air traffic controller errors and improving runway safety top transportation priorities. The agency is investigating at least two other cases of potential air traffic mistakes, including one involving first lady Michelle Obama's plane flying near Washington last April. In the other, two jumbo jets nearly collided on the ground at New York's John F. Kennedy airport last June, according to a Government Accountability Office report in October that said controller errors nearly doubled between 2008 and 2011. The increase, the GAO said, may be attributable to a changes in FAA policies that encourage reporting mistakes without fear of disciplinary action. Back to Top New Cracks Found in Airbus Wings A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 takes off from Singapore's Changi Airport. The anticipated European Aviation Safety Agency directive, which could come within the next few days, marks the second time in recent months that industry and government officials have focused on cracks inside A380 wings. The latest move highlights evolving maintenance programs that are intended to detect and address unexpected structural issues, sometimes during the introduction or early months of new airliner models. A spokesman at Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co., confirmed the discovery of new cracks in wing components on its A380 superjumbo jetliners. But he said the fissures, which are separate from the earlier hairline cracks found on several planes, don't affect the two-deck airliner's safety. All the cracks are in L-shaped brackets that attach the wings' metal skin to structural ribs inside, said spokesman Stefan Schaffrath. He said that Airbus has already established an inspection and repair program with EASA to address the first category of cracks. Repairs for the second type of cracks are identical, according to people familiar with the plans: replacing the affected brackets. New A380s now in production will incorporate changes that address the problem, one of these people said. The initial cracks, which emanate from bolt-holes in the brackets, were traced to production issues resulting from a combination of the brackets' metallic alloy and how they were attached to ribs. The cause of the second type of crack, which has been found in a separate part of the brackets on two A380s, has not been fully determined, said the people familiar with the situation. An EASA spokesman said that the agency, a division of the European Union, is in talks with Airbus about the issue. EASA could issue official orders to airlines, known as an airworthiness directive, as early as this week, said the people familiar with the situation. Regulators from other countries are expected to follow EASA's lead. Cracks were initially found in the wing brackets during inspections of a Qantas Airways Ltd. A380 that suffered a midair engine blowout after takeoff from Singapore in November 2010. Subsequent inspections found similar cracks in several of the 68 superjumbos now flying with seven airlines. Airbus described the original cracks as "minor." The inspections also turned up the second type of crack, Mr. Schaffrath said. The manufacturer had told airlines to inspect for the first category of cracks during routine major maintenance checks conducted every four years and repair any that are found. It is now discussing with EASA whether to modify those instructions to incorporate the latest findings. The frequency and urgency of any new inspections is not yet clear. Over the years, unexpected cracks have cropped up in the wings of some of Boeing Co.'s 737 and 747 jets. During fatigue testing on the ground in 1998, for example, Boeing discovered certain structural parts on its newest 737 models, called wing stiffeners, failed prematurely. The issues were discovered and resolved after the 737 versions had entered service. Two years earlier, U.S. air-safety regulators moved to require airlines to check for cracks in certain wing sections of aging 747 jumbo jets, which could allow fuel to seep into the forward cargo bay and pose a potential fire hazard. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204616504577170431577851036.html Back to Top Rolls-Royce raises safety checks after blast on jet Qantas chief Alan Joyce was stunned to learn Rolls-Royce had made engine modifications but neglected to inform Qantas. Photo: Getty Images JET engine maker Rolls-Royce has confronted gaps in its quality assurance that were identified by Australia's air safety investigation into the Qantas A380 engine explosion on flight QF32. Investigators have zeroed in on ''missed opportunities'' for the British company to detect defects in the manufacturing tolerances of critical components before they failed in flight. Central to the explosion on Qantas' flagship A380 superjumbo, ''Nancy Bird Walton'', was a badly manufactured oil feeder pipe, which was crookedly bored and cracked after take-off. Advertisement: Story continues below Leaking oil caught fire in the heart of the engine, which then exploded, investigators believe. The investigators examined Rolls-Royce processes that had ''the potential to have detected the reduced [oil pipe] wall thickness ... prior to, during and after the manufacture of the ... assemblies'', the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said yesterday. They also examined what procedures Rolls-Royce had in place to ensure running changes the company introduced to the assembly of its engine parts met with safety standards. In the aftermath of the November 4, 2010, explosion over Indonesia's Batam Island, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce was stunned to learn Rolls-Royce had made running modifications to the internal engine modules, dubbed Mod A, B and C, fitting later designs to new A380s but neglecting to tell Qantas or plane maker Airbus. In May, Australia's air safety investigators reported a lack of records for Mod A and B assemblies meant Rolls-Royce could not establish whether the oil pipes were manufactured to specification. Even where Mod C records were available, one pipe did not conform to specifications, highlighting a gap in checking that the parts actually met the design standard. Yesterday, the transport safety bureau's general manager of air safety, Ian Sangston, said Rolls-Royce had examined processes for ensuring its parts met design standard; that there was a more robust process for sampling parts from manufacturing batches; better record-keeping, risk assessment and parts tracking; and a process for predicting likely effects of component failure. The engine maker had revised its quality assurance processes and procedures affecting these key activities. Rolls-Royce's civil aerospace spokesman, Richard Hedges, said the company was learning lessons from the explosion. ''We are working closely with the ATSB to make sure that all the issues raised in their report are effectively addressed,'' Mr Hedges added. ''Each time an incident happens, the aviation industry learns lessons. ''These are embedded in the rigorous safety procedures and standards of regulation, which make flying an extraordinarily safe form of transport.'' The safety investigation is continuing. A final report is expected in six to nine months. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/rollsroyce-raises-safety-checks-after-blast-on-jet-20120119-1q8fy.html#ixzz1jv0RmELT Back to Top EASA Flight Time Limitation Rules Draw Mixed Reviews New flight time limitation (FTL) rules proposed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have elicited varied responses from industry. The Association of European Airlines (AEA) generally welcomed the new regulations, while the European Cockpit Association (ECA) and some pilot unions said they are concerned the new proposals are not going far enough. EASA on Wednesday published its updated draft rules documents, which include responses to comments from industry. Some of the provisions include a maximum duty time limit of 11 hours for the least favorable starting times as well as rules that address the effect of crossing several time zones. According to EASA, pilots should not fly more than 110 hours in 14 consecutive days. "While the agency makes urgently needed improvements to its original proposal, more needs to be done to protect air passenger safety," ECA says. EASA "ignores scientific research in key aspects of its proposal," ECA adds. The pilots criticized what they see as excessive working times when on standby, and they believe that night duty should be limited to 10 hours. ECA also says there are many more areas that need improvements. AEA, by contrast, argues that the EASA proposal "is extremely strict and will maintain Europe's position as a world leader in aviation safety." AEA Secretary General Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus says he is "disappointed that some pilot unions have tried to leverage this rule-making process to secure better commercial conditions. Individual elements may vary from other regimes around the world, but taken as a whole, these new European FTL rules will be among the most stringent in the world." http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=aviationdaily&id=news/avd/2012/01/19/07.xml&headline=EASA%20Flight%20Time%20Limitation%20Rules%20Draw%20Mixed%20Reviews Back to Top Woman Removed From Plane After Bringing Gun Aboard (AP) A 65-year-old lawyer was arrested Wednesday for carrying a loaded handgun aboard an American Airlines jet at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Judith Kenney was released later Wednesday on her own recognizance, said her attorney, Dallas lawyer David Finn. Kenney carries a handgun for protection but had forgotten that it was in a computer bag she carried on board the plane, he said. She has no criminal history, he said. Screeners at a security checkpoint had detected a gun in a woman's carry-on bag but she "picked up the bag and left the checkpoint before the screening process was over," said Greg Soule, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration, which operates the checkpoints. When TSA screeners spot a gun in a bag, they are supposed to seize the bag and notify police, he said. Officials got a photo of Kenney from a closed-circuit video system and showed it to airport employees. She was taken into custody by DFW Airport police about an hour and 40 minutes later, Soule said. An airline spokesman said Wednesday that the plane was headed for the runway when it returned to the gate and was met by airport police. Kenney was removed from Flight 2385, scheduled to fly to Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport. The flight, with 128 passengers, was delayed for just over an hour and passengers were screened again before the plane took off, American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said. Airport officials said that Kenney would be charged with carrying a gun into a place where weapons are prohibited, a third-degree felony in Texas and punishable by up to 10 years in prison. About 10 other flights were also delayed up to 25 minutes after the TSA closed DFW's Terminal D, Smith said. The terminal, one of five at the airport, is used for both domestic and international flights. Kenney is "absolutely mortified, embarrassed," Finn said. "She feels terrible for putting the pilot and passengers through all that." The incident comes amid heightened criticism of TSA. A soldier arrested on Dec. 31 at the Midland, Texas, airport with C4 explosives in his bag said he probably carried the bomb material on a flight from North Carolina to Texas. Screeners delayed him after finding and confiscating a smoke grenade but let him on that first flight. In other cases, screeners have been overzealous. TSA Administrator John Pistole said in letters made public this week that screeners at New York's Kennedy Airport violated procedures this fall by asking an 85- year-old woman and an 88-year-old woman to reveal medical devices concealed under their clothes. The women said they felt as if they had been strip-searched. Screeners in Las Vegas were criticized this month for confiscating a traveler's frosted cupcake. Back to Top Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Professional Programs is hosting the following five-day Center for Aerospace Safety/Security Education (CASE) short-courses which combine the latest in safety, security, human factors and aircraft accident investigation topics in a professional and dynamic classroom environment. Participants may elect to take course(s) independently or complete three courses (marked with *) to receive a Certificate of Management in Aviation Safety. Occupational Safety& Health/ Aviation Ground Safety for Managers* - C.A.S.E. Course This course is designed to provide the participant with the working knowledge of OSHA's General Industry Safety and Health standards. In addition participants will gain a fundamental working knowledge of an aviation ground safety program. Participants will also receive the OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Safety & Health Training Card. Course Dates: Apr. 16-20, 2012 (Daytona Beach Campus, Florida) Aviation Safety Program Management*- C.A.S.E. Course This course and respective topics are designed to provide the participant with the working knowledge of the development and management of an effective safety program. Course topics include: Safety Culture, Disaster-Emergency Planning, Internal Reporting Systems, Human Error and Human Performance, Introduction to Safety Management Systems (SMS). Course Dates: Apr. 23-27, 2012 (Daytona Beach Campus, Florida) Aircraft Accident Investigation and Management* - C.A.S.E. Course This course is designed to teach the participant the fundamentals required to conduct or manage an aircraft mishap/accident investigation. The participant will review the investigation sequence from the preplanning stage through the general survey and specific analysis of a mishap/accident, culminating with the determination of contributing factors and probable cause/s. Course Dates: Apr.30-May 4, 2012 (Daytona Beach Campus, Florida) ADVANCED Aircraft Accident Investigation and Management - C.A.S.E. Course This course is designed to introduce the participant to advanced accident investigation procedures involving design, materials and aircraft performance. Participants will analyze various mechanical and structural factors and loads on an airplane, as well as be introduced to advanced fire investigation and avionics. Extensive use will be made of crash laboratory simulated accident scenario exercises and case examples will help participants identify, collect and analyze data in the process of determining probable cause/s. Course Dates: May 7-11, 2012 (Prescott Campus, Arizona) *Courses required for the Certificate of Management in Aviation Safety Please contact ERAU Professional Programs/CASE Short Courses: Director: Sarah Ochs Website & Registration Information: www.erau.edu/case Phone: (386) 226-6928 Email: case@erau.edu Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC