Flight Safety Information April 11, 2012 - No. 073 In This Issue NTSB: Pilot overwhelmed by g-forces in Reno crash Korean Air says jet diverted in Canada after threat Venezuela threatens retaliation after Conviasa's EU ban U.S. Looks to 'Harmonize' With UN Lithium-Battery Rules PRISM ANNUAL SMS AUDIT RESULTS FAA to help overhaul Brazilian aviation Navy grounds Fire Scout helicopter drones after 2 crashes EASA: European pilot certificates only, please! Garuda Indonesia signs order for 11 more Airbus A330-300 NTSB: Pilot overwhelmed by g-forces in Reno crash This modified 1944 P-51 Mustang crashed into spectators at the Reno Air Races September 16, 2011. Washington (CNN) -- The pilot of the P-51 Mustang that crashed at the Reno Air Races last September experienced overwhelming g-forces at the outset of the incident, and likely was incapacitated almost instantly, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday. The safety board said the pilot rapidly experienced more than 9 g's of acceleration, enough to decrease blood flow to his brain and render him unconscious. Photographs show the violent force deformed the plane's fuselage, forced the tail wheel to deploy and likely resulted in the plane's trim tab -- a piece of the tail -- to fly off, the safety board said. The safety board released the details at a news conference in Reno, Nevada, not far from the crash site. Board chairwoman Deborah Hersman said it would be months before the board determines the probable cause of the accident. Nonetheless, the board issued seven recommendations to make conditions safer at the next Reno air race, scheduled for September. Foremost among the recommendations: the safety board said all of the unlimited class aircraft like the P-51 Mustang should be made to demonstrate their airworthiness at racing speeds before participating in a public air race. The P-51 aircraft, The Galloping Ghost, was flying the fastest it had ever flown on the Reno course since the plane had been modified in 2009, the safety board said. "This pilot, in this airplane, had never flown this fast, on this course," Hersman said. Tuesday's news conference cast strong doubts on at least two widely-held beliefs about the accident. The first was that 74-year-old pilot James "Jimmy" Leeward took last-minute actions to avoid hitting the crowded grandstands. The NTSB said that Leeward was likely incapacitated in the very first second of the accident sequence. The plane experienced g- forces exceeding the 9-g limit of the plane's accelerator, Hersman said. It is difficult for trained pilots to remain conscious with even 5 g's, Hersman said. "But more importantly is the rapid onset in less than a second of this increased load," she said. Photos show the pilot is not visible in the canopy just two seconds into the accident sequence and is seen bent forward and leaning to the right in a later photo, Hersman said, indicating he lost consciousness early in the mishap. The NTSB also cast doubt on speculation the loss of the plane's left trim tab caused the plane crash. Photos show the trim tab departing the plane six seconds into the accident sequence, meaning the break may have been a result of the mishap, not its cause. Hersman noted the aircraft was highly modified to improve its speed. Its 37-foot wingspan had been reduced to 29 feet. In addition to other alterations, the right trim tab was locked in a faired position, in aligned with the tail wing. Log books indicate a mechanic certified the plane had been tested and "throughout its normal range of speeds" and maneuvers. But that statement, the NTSB said, "does not necessarily mean that the airplane... was evaluated while operating at speeds it would encounter on the race course. The plane was traveling about 530 mph when it veered off course, entered a steep climb maneuver and then spiraled down to a box seat area filled with spectators. The NTSB recommended the National Air Racing Group Unlimited Division require aircraft owners in the unlimited class to provide an engineering evaluation that includes flight demonstrations and analysis prior to a race. It also recommended the group provide high g training to pilots and study whether pilots should wear g suits. The NTSB recommended race sponsors evaluate the course to minimize potential conflicts with spectators. The NTSB said it found numerous discrepancies, errors and instances of outdated information" in Federal Aviation Administration documents that provide guidance for air races and course design. In one noteworthy instance, one document requires a 500-foot distance between spectators and the race course, while another requires 1,000 feet. At Reno, a 500-foot separation was used. Hersman said a lot of work remains to be done before the safety board rules on the probable cause of the accident. "This is an ongoing investigation," Hersman said. "What we're seeing is a lot of very heavy forces on this aircraft and this pilot and what we're working on now is what precipitated that." The pilot and 10 spectators were killed in the Sept. 16, 2011, crash. In addition, more than 60 spectators were injured. "We are not here to put a stop to air racing," Hersman said in a statement. "We are here to make it safer." A representative of the Reno Air Racing Association did not immediately return a call for comment on the recommendations. Back to Top Korean Air says jet diverted in Canada after threat SEOUL (Reuters) - A Korean Air passenger jet made an emergency landing at a Canadian military airbase after a call centre in the United States received a threat by telephone late on Tuesday, the airline said. Korean Air flight 72, which was en route to South Korean capital Seoul, diverted to the Comox base on Vancouver Island in Canada's Pacific province British Columbia, soon after takeoff from Vancouver, the airline said in a statement released on Wednesday in Seoul. "The (Korean Air) US call centre received a call that there was a threat on board the aircraft," Korean Air (003490.KS) said in a statement. A Korean Air spokeswoman could not confirm whether it was a bomb threat, as earlier reported by Canadian media. The plane, a Boeing 777, had 147 people including 134 passengers on board, the airline said. Two U.S. fighter jets, which took off from Portland, Oregon, intercepted it and shadowed it until it landed at the Canadian base, the Pentagon said in a statement. "The airline will decide about the continuation of the flight after discussion with the airport and related authorities," Korean Air said. Back to Top Venezuela threatens retaliation after Conviasa's EU ban The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has formally protested against the inclusion of state- owned flag carrier Conviasa in the European Union's list of unsafe airlines, alleging that banning the airline from European airspace contradicts International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it "firmly rejects" the decision of the EU and that it considers it "disproportionate" and "contrary to the regulations of ICAO about the adequacy of Venezuela's Air Safety Oversight Authorities". It also warned of possible retaliatory measures, announcing the possibillity of "proportionate reciprocal measures to preserve [Venezuela's] fundamental interests and Conviasa's reputation". According to a Conviasa spokesman the airline will continue to operate its flights to Madrid, using aircraft operated by privately-owned Caracas-based carrier SBA Airlines. SBA operates Boeing 767s on long haul routes. It recently dropped flights to Madrid but continues to operate to Spain with a flight from Caracas to Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. In terms of Spanish carriers, the route is served by SkyTeam's Air Europa and Oneworld's Iberia, which both operate daily Airbus A330 and A340 flights to Caracas. Conviasa, whose only EU route was a thrice weekly Airbus A340-200 flight between Caracas and Madrid, has had two accidents since its launch in 2004. This has cast significant doubts over the airline's operational and maintenance procedures. Conviasa has a fleet of ten aircraft currently. In 2006 the US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded Venezuela's safety oversight authorities to International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) category II, which banned Venezuelan carriers from adding flights to the US. However, shortly after Venezuela threatened to ban all US carriers from operating to the South American country, the FAA upgraded Venezuela again to category I. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top U.S. Looks to 'Harmonize' With UN Lithium-Battery Rules (Bloomberg) - The U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking comments on whether to align rules restricting lithium-battery shipments by air with United Nations standards, after companies including Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Samsung Electronics Co. opposed stricter U.S. regulation. Lithium batteries, used in laptop computers, mobile phones and hearing aids, can spontaneously combust and were part of the cargo aboard two U.S. jets destroyed in fires since 2006, including one that crashed after leaving Dubai. UN rules approved in February would require airlines like FedEx Corp. (FDX) and United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) to inspect shipments before loading and after removal. The Transportation Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed rules in January 2010 that were blocked by the U.S. House after industry groups said they would cost $1.1 billion to implement. Congress passed legislation in February preventing U.S. regulators from imposing rules stricter than those adopted by the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization. The department sought public comment on "harmonizing" its rules with the UN's in a notice posted yesterday on the Federal Register's website. Industry Groups "The ICAO recently adopted lithium battery provisions that will become effective on Jan. 1, 2013, and we are asking the public to provide additional comments on the potential impact of adopting these ICAO standards," Jeannie Layson, director for governmental, international and public affairs for the pipeline safety agency, said in a statement. The UN rules are supported by Airlines for America, the main trade group for U.S. airlines, and the Rechargeable Battery Association which represents battery and device makers including Apple, Samsung and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. The U.S. government should "align its regulations with the new standards recently adopted by ICAO," Steve Lott, a spokesman for Washington-based Airlines for America, said in an e-mailed statement. Without new safety rules, there would be the risk that fires from lithium batteries would destroy a U.S.-registered cargo jet as often as every two years, according to a study commissioned by U.S. and Canadian aviation regulators. Dubai Crash Under the ICAO standards, pilots would have to be notified when lithium batteries are on a flight, shipments would have to be labeled as hazardous materials, and employees would need to be trained in handling such cargo, according to George Kerchner, executive director of the Washington-based battery trade group. The new standards would exempt shipments of two or fewer batteries as well as items that have installed batteries. A UPS Boeing 747-400 that caught fire shortly after it left Dubai on Sept. 3, 2010, was carrying more than 81,000 lithium batteries, according to a preliminary report by the General Civil Aviation Authority of the United Arab Emirates. The jet crashed at a military base as pilots tried to make an emergency landing. Both pilots died. Three UPS pilots escaped on Feb. 7, 2006, after fire broke out on a Boeing DC-8 as it approached Philadelphia, a U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigation found. The jet was carrying "numerous" lithium batteries in computers and other products, according to the NTSB. The investigation, which focused on batteries, was unable to determine the cause of the fire. Back to Top Back to Top FAA to help overhaul Brazilian aviation Airspace management is to be the focus of a new US-Brazil aviation partnership designed to support Brazil's aviation infrastructure development, while connecting US companies to the growing business opportunities in the sector. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has joined with the US Department of State, US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) together with Brazil's Ministry of External Relations to launch the partnership. The Aviation Partnership is a unique public-private partnership that will support bilateral cooperation in areas such as airport expansion, airspace management, safety and security. The Memorandum of Understanding establishing the Aviation Partnership was signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak, TSA Administrator John Pistole, and FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta on behalf of the United States; and by Minister of External Relations Antonio Patriota on behalf of Brazil. Initially, six companies will participate in the Aviation Partnership, alongside the supporting US and Brazilian Government agencies. "Brazil and the United States have a long history of cooperation in the aviation sector, and the Aviation Partnership will open more opportunities to work together," stated USTDA Director Zak. "We are excited to work together to support the growth of Brazil's dynamic aviation sector and deepen our commercial engagement with Brazil." The launching of the Aviation Partnership during President Rousseff's visit to the United States is timed to better coordinate US engagement with Brazil in the aviation sector. As a result of rapidly increasing air traffic because of Brazil's growing economy and the upcoming World Cup and Olympic Games, Brazil is facing an urgent need to increase its investments in aviation infrastructure in order to accommodate the expected growth. US companies are eager to connect to the export opportunities created by these investments. As the first official activities under the Aviation Partnership, in June 2012, USTDA will host a delegation of Brazilian aviation officials on a reverse trade mission to the United States to familiarise them with US technologies, best practices, and regulatory approaches for airports modernisation. In October 2012, USTDA will host a Latin American Aviation Summit in Miami, Florida, to introduce hundreds of U.S. aviation company representatives to aviation officials from countries across Latin America, including Brazil. http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2012/04/faa-to-help-overhaul-brazilian-aviation/ Back to Top Navy grounds Fire Scout helicopter drones after 2 crashes The Navy confirms that it temporarily suspended flights of the 14 remaining Fire Scouts, robotic spy helicopters developed by Northrop Grumman. An MQ-8B Fire Scout is flown remotely in Afghanistan. The Navy has accepted delivery of 16 of the 168 helicopter drones it has ordered from Northrop Grumman. The U.S. Navyhas grounded a fleet of helicopter drones after two of the aircraft crashed overseas within a week. Known as MQ-8B Fire Scouts, the robotic spy choppers were developed by Northrop Grumman Corp.engineers in Rancho Bernardo, Calif. Armed with high-powered cameras, radars and sensors, they were first deployed to war zones in Afghanistan and Libya last year. On Tuesday, the Navy confirmed that it had temporarily suspended flight operations for its 14 remaining Fire Scouts while system performance and operational procedures are reviewed. It also said that the crashes resulted in no injuries or damage to other aircraft. In the first incident, the Navy said, a Fire Scout crashed off the coast of western Africa on March 30 when it was carrying out safety and security missions. The Navy did not disclose the exact location, citing national security concerns. Operators crash-landed the Fire Scout in the ocean after it was unable to lock onto the Navy warship Simpson's automatic landing system - a requirement for landing aboard a ship at sea. "After multiple approaches and exhaustive troubleshooting by operators, the aircraft was positioned a safe distance from USS Simpson and the flight was terminated," the Navy said in a statement. "Subsequently, Simpson crew performed a nighttime recovery of the aircraft." On Friday, another Fire Scout crashed in Afghanistan but could not be recovered. The Navy said the cause of the incident had not been determined. The Navy said it is conducting a thorough investigation of both incidents. In all, the Navy has ordered 168 Fire Scouts at a total estimated program cost of $5.6 billion. So far, the Navy has accepted delivery of 16 from Northrop. The company has about 350 employees working on the program in Rancho Bernardo. The drones are manufactured in Moss Point, Miss. "Northrop Grumman is working closely with the U.S. Navy to determine the cause of the incidents," Northrop spokesman Warren Comer said in a statement. "We cannot provide further information at this time pending the results of the investigation." The grounding order was first reported by aviation website FlightGlobal.com before the Navy released information on the incidents. The 32-foot-long Fire Scout can fly as long as eight hours, as fast as 130 mph and as high as 20,000 feet. Although takeoffs and landings are automated, the drone is remotely controlled by a pilot on a warship. In addition to its battlefield missions, the Fire Scout has been used against piracy in the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia. It's also been deployed to spot drug smugglers in Latin America. In November, the Navy demonstrated that it wanted to expand the drone's capabilities even further when it awarded a $17-million contract to Northrop to arm it with a missile. Final delivery of a weaponized Fire Scout is expected by March 2013. "The Navy sees the promise for the aircraft to take on more diverse missions in the future," said Phil Finnegan, an aerospace expert with Teal Group Corp., a research firm in Fairfax, Va. "The program is still in its early stages." The Fire Scout program has experienced other problems. In a test flight in August 2010 from Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, operators lost contact with a Fire Scout that wandered into restricted airspace nearWashington, D.C.Navy operators were ultimately able to get control of the drone and later blamed a software problem. In June, a Fire Scout was shot down as it was being flown by the Navy in NATO's support mission of the Libyan rebels. Finnegan said that the Fire Scout's issues are another black eye for Northrop. Earlier this year, the Air Force said that a version of Northrop's highflying spy drone, the RQ-4 Global Hawk, should be taken out of service because it didn't have proper capabilities and cost too much to operate. "There are clearly issues to be resolved here," Finnegan said. "A lot of lessons are being learned with this technology." http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drone-chopper-down-20120411,0,638191.story Back to Top EASA: European pilot certificates only, please! In a move that had been in the works for years, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA-the European Union's equivalent of the FAA) took a major step in revamping its flight crew licensing (FCL) regulations. The new rules, which went into effect April 8, officially end the reciprocity agreements that have existed for decades between Europe and the United States. Where once an American-or any other non-European-certificated- pilot could fly to Europe, have the authorities quickly recognize the validity of a U.S.- issued pilot certificate, and fly general aviation airplanes with minimal hassle, he or she must now face the end of such privileges. Now, non-Europeans must jump through numerous bureaucratic hoops. These include enduring a series of written tests and checkrides. The good news is that thanks to efforts by AOPA-US and the AOPAs in Europe the full-blown regulations-the ones that must be completed in order for non-European-certified pilots to earn fully equivalent, European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) pilot certificates-don't kick in until a two-year grace period elapses. Americans and other non-Europeans seeking to fly in either the United Kingdom or Germany can apply for a validation of their certificates under less-restrictive rules, until 2014, when the new rules come into full effect. For VFR flying in Germany, for example, the validation rules in the grace period involve passing written exams on aviation law and human performance. Each test has 100 questions, and some 10 hours of study will usually be needed to prepare for each of these exams. Then comes an EASA-endorsed medical exam, a background check for security purposes, and a test of your English proficiency. You also have to prove you have at least 100 hours flying time in the category of aircraft you intend to fly. Finally, there's a checkride-which must be carried out in an airplane operated by a flight school. An IFR validation involves additional written exams on meteorology and flight planning, plus proof you've logged 100 hours of flying time as pilot in command under instrument flight rules. These new European validations are valid for one year only, and nonrenewable. After the year has expired, pilots seeking flying privileges will have to earn JAA certificates and ratings. For non-Europeans wanting to fly in the rest of the 25 nations in the European Union, the rule mandating full JAA certification apparently kick in immediately. However, rules can always be changed, and the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA) is working hard to secure liberalization of the new regulations. AOPA-Germany and AOPA-UK have already demonstrated an impressive persuasive power, as evidenced by the temporary validation clauses for those two nations. Craig Spence, AOPA vice president of operations and international affairs, said, "AOPA- US has been working with the FAA, and the AOPAs in Europe have been working with EASA to make sure that pilots continue to have the right to fly. The bottom line is yes, the rule goes into effect, but each nation has a two-year grace period to implement it. AOPA-US and the AOPAs in Europe continue to fight this battle on several fronts." The new rules will have a potentially massive effect on American flying schools that cater to European students. For years, Europeans having been coming to the United States to earn U.S. pilot certificates at prices thousands of dollars less than what it would have cost had they learned in Europe. Then they return to Europe and fly N-registered aircraft. Now, American flight schools will presumably have to alter their curricula to conform to EASA standards. European pilots, many of whom have benefitted from reciprocity, are justifiably concerned and upset by the new rules. To get a taste of the sentiment and a sense of the full-blown JAA pilot certification requirements, read the editorial by Jan Brill, editor in chief of Germany's Pilot und Flugzeug magazine, a popular monthly that caters to a wide GA audience. http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2012/120409easa-european-pilot-certificates- only-please.html Back to Top Garuda Indonesia signs order for 11 more Airbus A330-300 wide-body aircraft LONDON (AP) - Airbus says Garuda Indonesia has placed a firm order for 11 A330-300 aircraft, bringing the airline's total order to 21 for that version of the wide-body plane. Airbus announced that the contract was signed Wednesday in Jakarta by Emirsyah Satar, the airline's president and CEO, and Tom Williams, executive vice president of programs at Airbus. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and British Prime Minister David Cameron attended the signing. Airbus says more than 800 of the twin-engine planes are in service. The company has booked nearly 1,200 orders for the A330 family since it was introduced. Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC