Flight Safety Information May 15, 2012 - No. 097 In This Issue Russian jet's emergency transmitter found, but not 'black box' Cause of Russian Jet Crash: Pilot Bravado? Nepal plane crash raises fears over lax safety Drones Up to 25 Pounds Allowed for U.S. Safety Agencies PRISM CERTIFICATION CONSULTANTS Sumwalt Stresses SOPs for Accident Prevention Indonesian airlines Sky Aviation delays its Sukhoi plane order World War II Airplane, Kittyhawk P-40, Found In Egyptian Desert 70 Years After Crashing Ghana's Female Pilots Are Ready for Takeoff "A Practical Approach to Safety Management Systems" Course Russian jet's emergency transmitter found, but not 'black box' yet at Indonesian crash site JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Search teams have found some cockpit instruments in the wreckage of a Russian passenger jet that slammed into a cliff atop a dormant Indonesian volcano. But National Transportation Safety Commission chief Tatang Kurniadi said they have found the emergency locator transmitter but not the voice-and-data recorder. The "black box" data could help explain what caused the deadly crash. Joint teams of Indonesian and Russian experts continued to comb through debris at the bottom of a 1,500-foot (500-meter) ravine on Tuesday afternoon. The Sokhoi Superjet is Russia's first passenger jet model since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago. It was being demonstrated for potential buyers when it slammed into the jagged, mist-shrouded cliff last Wednesday. It had 45 people on board. Back to Top Cause of Russian Jet Crash: Pilot Bravado? Russian rescuers approach the crash site. 'Joy flight' pilot approached mountain infamous for crashes (Newser) - The crash of a Russian jet during a demonstration flight in Indonesia last week may have been caused by pilot bravado, Der Spiegel finds. The flight was all about offering a spectacular show to journalists and potential buyers, and the captain of the Sukhoi SuperJet-100, despite his inexperience, appears to have attempted a foolhardy move before crashing into the side of a mountain, experts say. Steep mountain ridges and chaotic air circulation patterns make the area tricky even for local pilots, but the Sukhoi pilot "had absolutely no experience with the area's unique topographical traits," a flight safety expert says. Authorities say they were surprised by the pilot's request to approach Mount Salak, which has been the site of seven other plane crashes over the last decade. The crash has put the spotlight on manufacturer demonstration flights, dubbed "joy flights" for their informal atmosphere, notes AP. "The purpose of these flights, obviously, is to show off the aircraft to potential customers," says an aviation expert who has gone on many such trips. "If they are flying over a landmark, they might circle around it so the passengers can get a better look. They might fly a little lower or show the rate of climb of the aircraft." All 45 people on the Sukhoi flight are presumed dead, and investigators will know more about the cause of the crash when its black box is recovered. http://www.newser.com/ Back to Top Nepal plane crash raises fears over lax safety Inexperienced pilots, poor management and ineffective rules are endangering air travellers' lives in mountainous Nepal, aviation experts warned after the latest in a series of fatal accidents. The comments came after the crash of an Agni Air plane on Monday, which killed 13 Indians and two Nepalese pilots. Aircraft and pilots often have to contend with bad weather and difficult landing strips in the Himalayan country. But Kul Bahadur Limbu, a retired pilot and former head of the national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines, said: "Like the country's other sectors, aviation suffers from lack of professionalism and leadership. "There's also a cultural tendency not to strictly follow the rules. But in aviation, you can't deviate from the rules. Either you follow the rules or you don't -- there's no middle way. "If you don't follow them, at some point, you will be caught, which could claim your life," he said. His comments came following Monday's crash Monday near the high-altitude Jomsom airport, a gateway to the Annapurna mountain range, shortly after the pilot reported a fault. It was the fifth fatal plane crash in less than two years in Nepal, which have claimed a total of 76 lives. The frequency of accidents underscores the gap between the safety practices common in wealthy countries and those in Nepal, which only replaced radio guidance systems with radar in 1998. The nation has a poor road network and large numbers of tourists, pilgrims and professional climbers often rely on the country's 16 domestic airlines and 49 airports to reach remote areas. In 2008 the Initiative for Aviation Safety in Nepal (IASN), a lobby group promoting air safety, released a study which blamed the rising number of plane crashes in the country on 16 main factors. Chief among them was a failure by government, the Civil Aviation Authority and airlines to implement recommendations proposed by accident investigation commissions. "After every air crash the government forms a probe team. The team comes up with a report, which is never made public," said Limbu. "Also, its recommendations for the concerned authorities are hardly ever implemented. Even if they do, they do it half-heartedly." In its 2008 report the IASN concluded that a rapid increase in competition since the liberalisation of the industry in the 1990s -- opening up the skies to private airlines -- had not been accompanied by a rise in safety standards. The group also warned that many aircraft were poorly maintained while runways across the country were dilapidated and flights often operated in bad weather and carrying excess weight. "The government and air services operators have not been able to ensure flight safety. Both parties seem apathetic towards this issue," Toya Dahal, the author of the IASN report, said at the time. "The trend of flying in hazardous weather and weak technical conditions must come to an end. "There must be monitoring to ensure that aircraft are not flying under pressure in the name of business competition, and strict action must be taken against those found responsible for such actions." Hemant Arjyal, an engineer and aviation analyst who is a member of the non-profit Nepal National Aviation Council, told AFP the industry was often dishonest in apportioning blame for fatal accidents. "There is a tendency to blame the dead pilot," he said. He conceded, however, that human error was a large factor in many of Nepal's plane crashes, with pilots -- often with little experience -- tending to be over-confident and even "adventurous" in the air. "The mechanical systems will have enough back up," he told AFP. "But it's human beings who are responsible for the decisions that lead to crashes. "Humans are the weakest link in the aircraft." http://news.malaysia.msn.com/ Back to Top Drones Up to 25 Pounds Allowed for U.S. Safety Agencies By Alan Levin Public safety agencies will be able to operate unmanned aircraft with fewer restrictions, in the first changes in U.S. regulations that Congress ordered to broaden domestic use of non-military drones. Police, fire and similar departments will be able to fly drones weighing as much as 25 pounds (11.3 kilos) without applying for special approvals needed under previous regulations, the Federal Aviation Administration said today in a statement on its website. Today's step is an interim one until the FAA completes rules to allow small drones for commercial purposes, Ben Gielow, government relations manager for the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said in a phone interview. Congress ordered the FAA to complete those rules within two years. A proposed regulation is due this year. "The FAA's sole mission and authority as it focuses on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems is safety," the FAA said. Congress is encouraging more U.S. drone flights under a law that became final on Feb. 14, with the goal of adapting technology used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. The law also requires the FAA to name six test sites by June and integrate drones into the U.S. aviation system by 2015. The rule announced today calls for agencies to first show they can operate a drone before getting an FAA permit. Drones must fly within 400 feet (122 meters) of the ground, remain in sight of the operator and stay clear of airports, the FAA said. Expedited Approvals The FAA also said it has streamlined the approval process for special certificates it requires for other agencies and for larger drones. The new application process, which can be completed over the Internet, creates expedited approvals for time-sensitive emergency missions and a procedure letting applicants appeal when they are denied, according to the statement. The FAA has received applications from 61 agencies, police departments and public universities to fly drones, according to documents the agency released in April. They range from the North Little Rock, Arkansas, police department to the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines, according to agency records. While the FAA has shortened the time it takes to consider requests to fly unmanned aircraft, some applicants have found the process cumbersome, Gielow said. The Arlington, Virginia- based Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International represents more than 2,100 members, including Boeing Co. (BA) (BA)'s Insitu Inc. and Aerovironment Inc. (AVAV) (AVAV) A Slow Increase Drone use by law enforcement probably will begin slowly as a few early adopters build confidence in the systems, he said. "This will certainly make the process easier," Gielow said. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based free-speech advocacy group, filed suit against the FAA last year to force the agency to reveal the identities of drone operators. "I don't think the FAA should be increasing the number of drone flights until they at least release the information on who is flying drones already," Jennifer Lynch, a foundation staff attorney, said in a phone interview today. The FAA released names last month of agencies that had applied to fly drones. It has not provided any additional details about the restrictions it imposes and how those drones are used, Lynch said. The law ordered the FAA to let public safety agencies fly unmanned aircraft weighing less than 4.4 pounds. The agency expanded that to 25 pounds. Its statement gave no explanation for the change. The FAA wrote the drone rules for public safety agencies in conjunction with the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice, according to the statement. http://www.businessweek.com/ Back to Top Back to Top Sumwalt Stresses SOPs for Accident Prevention Robert Sumwalt, National Transportation Safety Board member In the never-ending search for accident prevention's silver bullet, NTSB member Robert Sumwalt said recently that reinventing the wheel isn't always the best solution. In remarks at the Flight Safety Foundation Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar (CASS) last month, Sumwalt said that sometimes simply reinterpreting the data on hand can provide fresh insights. "The NTSB conducted a safety study several years ago of 37 crew-caused accidents," he explained. "Procedural errors, not making required callouts or not using the appropriate checklists were discovered in 78 percent of the reviewed accidents." After the crash of a Hawker 800 in Owatonna, Minn., in July 2008, the NTSB stated, "Well-designed cockpit procedures are an effective countermeasure against operational errors, and disciplined compliance with SOPs [standard operating procedures], including strict cockpit discipline, provides the basis for effective crew coordination and performance." Sumwalt summarized, "That means we should begin focusing on how to get crews to more strictly adhere to SOPs." The big question, of course, is why pilots avoid SOPs. Sumwalt said, "An organization might never have developed any in the first place, or for some reason, the crews intentionally disregard those SOPs." He cited an Astra runway-departure incident at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) in Atlanta. The investigation showed the company had no SOPs, therefore, no guidance on where to make any of the necessary callouts, or how to fly the approach, or even when to put the gear down. The reason was simply because the company began flying with just a single airplane and one fulltime pilot. "Over the years, the fleet grew, but the infrastructure and procedures didn't," Sumwalt said, adding that the guiding document for developing SOPs, AC 120-71, says that "SOPs should be clear, comprehensive, and readily available in the manuals used by flight deck crew members." http://www.ainonline.com/ Back to Top Indonesian airlines Sky Aviation delays its Sukhoi plane order Jakarta, May 15 (Xinhua-ANI): Following the Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner's crash, an official from the Indonesian carrier PT Sky Aviation affirmed on Tuesday that the company will re-evaluate its contract with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft over the purchase of 12 airplanes, local media reported. Sky Aviation's safety manager, Sukamto, said on Tuesday that the accident had triggered the company to delay the delivery of the ordered aircraft. "We will wait for the results of the ongoing investigation into the cause of the accident before we take the next step," he said as quoted by the Kompas.com. According to Sukamto, officials from the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) have confirmed that the air crash investigation would take one year to complete. Earlier, an official statement from the Russian Embassy in Jakarta confirmed that the contract was signed during the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2011 in Zhukovsky, Russia, on Aug. 16, 2011. The contract was valued 380.4 million U. S. dollars. Last week, an executive at Indonesian domestic carrier PT Kartika Airlines said that the delivery of 30 Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft that his company had ordered would also likely be delayed following the plane crash. Another Indonesian carrier, Queen Air, which has ordered six Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, has yet to confirm whether they will cancel their order. A Sukhoi Superjet 100 jetliner crashed during a promotion flight in the slope of Mt. Salak, West Java, on May 9, to demonstrate its airworthiness to potential Indonesian customers, killing all the 45 people on board. It is the first deadly accident since the introduction of the Russian iconic passenger plane into the southeast Asian country. Sukhoi Superjet 100, the first passenger version developed by Russian fighter jet maker Sukhoi after the fall of the Soviet Union, is highly expected to drum up Russia's passenger plane business to contribute to the country's exports. (Xinhua-ANI) http://www.newstrackindia.com/ Back to Top World War II Airplane, Kittyhawk P-40, Found In Egyptian Desert 70 Years After Crashing A World War II airplane belonging to Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) has been found in the Sahara Desert nearly 70 years after it crash landed, Metro reports. According to Vintage Wings, a Canadian aviation news website, Jakub Perka, who works for an oil company, came across the Kittyhawk P-40 in March when his team was on an expedition in the Egyptian desert. The plane is in remarkably good condition, with the cockpit's instrument panel and plane's body nearly unharmed despite almost seven decades in the Sahara. "It is a quite incredible time capsule, the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's Tomb," said Andy Saunders, a UK-based historian, according to the Daily Mail. According to the press agency Bournemouth News & Picture Service, the pilot is thought to have been Flight Sergeant Dennis Copping, who was 24-years-old at the time of the crash. Saunders speculated that Copping survived the crash because a parachute was found near the airplane. "[My] guess is the poor bloke used it to shelter from the sun," Saunders said, according to The Daily Mail. "If he died at the side of the plane his remains would have been found," he added, according to The Mail. "Once he had crashed there, nobody was going to come and get him. It is more likely he tried to walk out of the desert but ended up walking to his death. It is too hideous to contemplate." Metro reports that Copping belonged to the RAF's 260 Squadron that was based in Egypt during a campaign against German General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. According to the paper, Copping "had been told to fly two damaged Kittyhawk P-40 planes from one British airbase in northern Egypt to another for repairs" when he lost his way and crashed during the flight. WW2 Kittyhawk aircraft discovered in the Western desert after 70 years. According to the Telegraph, the Egyptian military recently removed ammunition and guns from the single-engine airplane. In a video posted to YouTube, available below, men in camouflage can be seen removing ammunition from the aircraft. According to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, there were 13,737 Curtis P-40's built between 1939 and 1944. The model found in the Sahara, a P- 40E, had six .50 caliber machine guns mounted on the wings. The single-engine airplanes had only one crew member. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ Back to Top Ghana's Female Pilots Are Ready for Takeoff Ghana's first licensed female pilot is working to train more women to fly and maintain light aircraft. Patricia Mawuli was nineteen years old and had just finished high school when she saw an airplane for the first time. As she was collecting wood in a field outside of her uncle's house in a rural area of Ghana, Mawuli heard loud noises that she said scared her at first. "I saw these airplanes flying overhead, but because I was very close to the airfields, I thought the airplanes were chasing me," she recalled years later. But Mawuli said her fear did not last long. Before long, she started "to chase them -- to see what they were up to." I told them I could prove them wrong, because women can do things, and even do it much better than men sometimes." Patricia Mawuli, Ghanaian pilot She followed the airplanes to find out where they were landing. And once she arrived, she asked what she could do to work near the planes. They told her she could clear wood from the area. She gladly accepted - but all along her sights were set higher. "They didn't have any plans for training girls," she said. "Well I told them I could prove them wrong, because women can do things and even do it much better than men sometimes." Eventually, Jonathan Porter, an engineer and pilot at the airfield, trained and taught Mawuli to fly. Two years ago, on her 21st birthday, she became the country's first licensed woman pilot - and that only marked the beginning of her journey. Mawuli then helped found the AvTech Academy, short for the Aviation and Technology Academy Ghana, which trains young women how to fly, build and maintain light aircraft. People forget," she said "it's only two percent of the world's aircraft that are airliners," she said. "The rest of the 98 percent are private planes and ultralights." That means, Mawuli explained, there are real opportunities in the aviation industry for the young women taught at AvTech. This is the academy's second year, and there are three students. Four women are enrolled for next fall, added Mawuli. The school focuses on training young women from rural areas, who might not otherwise have the opportunity for advanced schooling. Mawuli puts most of her own salary from piloting and engineering back into the academy. She said she wants to see young women pushed to achieve their potential. "I told myself, well if I have done this, there are many more women out there," who might want to do the same. "And yet how many don't have enough money to send them to continue their education." She said working at the academy has been a privilege. "In the world these days, not many girls go into engineering. And to be able to see these young and enthusiastic ladies, who are looking to learn more about engines, it's a bit more encouraging - there's hope for the future." http://www.voanews.com/ Back to Top Beyond Risk Management Ltd. in conjunction withCurt Lewis & Associates LLC are pleased to host "A Practical Approach to Safety Management Systems" a course designed for the aviation industry. With the ICAO recommendations and standards for the introduction of Safety Management Systems throughout the world - you can get ahead of the curve and save time and money by learning the potential pitfalls and challenges associated to its implementation. The Canadian large aircraft aviation industry has experienced many of the same challenges likely to be faced by others. To better prepare you and your organization to meet these challenges we are pleased to bring to you the Canadian 705 experience with regulated Safety Management Systems adapted to your needs. Dates - June 18 & 19, 2012 (Monday and Tuesday), SEATS ARE LIMITED - to ensure good discussion and time to question in a workshop environment class size is intentionally intimate. Register now to avoid disappointment. Important Details - This course covers the ICAO standards and the Canadian requirements and experience. The content is global in nature enabling participants from other nations and industries to find the material both useful and beneficial. For Canadian attendees this course fulfills the requirements for CASO training (non 705 operators.) Schedule Day One (Monday) 0730 - 0800 hrs. Registration & continental breakfast 0800 - 1200 hrs. Session #1 1200 - 1245 hrs. Lunch 1245 - 1700 hrs. Session#2 Day Two (Tuesday) 0730 - 0800 hrs. Continental breakfast 0800 - 1200 hrs. Session #3 1200 - 1245 hrs. Lunch 1245 - 1630 hrs. Session #4 1630 - 1700 hrs. Closing remarks and Presentation of certificates Overview - Improve safety performance by applying the fundamentals of SMS within your organization. Get past the barriers of independent departments to an integrated system. This two-day course gives you the comprehensive understanding of SMS and the tools to assist you in preparing for change in your organization. Who should attend - Any individuals who will be actively involved in the organization's Safety Management System (safety program). Individuals with previous experience and those with no knowledge in safety management will find this course useful for the formation or expansion of safety programs within their organizations. What you get - Participants will receive a consolidated reference binder of class material as well as an electronic version of the material which will provide guidance for setting up a system within their organization. Upon successful completion of the course a certificate will be issued. Subjects that will be reviewed are: * Safety and security * What Safety Management Systems is (definitions) * Corporate culture - The push for change (an overview of the proposed FAA Safety Management Systems, current ICAO and Transport Canada requirements) * Risk Assessment techniques * Data collection and processing * Front line involvement and committee process * Incident Reporting * Incident/Accident investigation techniques and process * Trend Analysis * Response to events and emergencies * Safety promotion * Implementing change (and the obstacles to change) * Documentation process. Location & Logistics - Calgary, Alberts, Canada. Tea/coffee/juice/water will be provided in the classroom at all times, continental breakfast and lunch on both days is included. Cost - $1,195.00 per person Canadian Funds SPECIAL OFFER: When you register three people from one organization they may bring a 4th person as our guest to this session! (Save $1,195.00!) for any given session the fourth attendee is our guest! DISCOUNTS: Option 1 - When attending the following CAP - Corrective Action Plan Course (June 20, 2012) and this course there is a special discount - the two courses for $1,600.00 a $345.00 savings! To receive this discount enter the code "CAP2012" when registering for the Safety Management Course, then register for the Corrective Action Plan Course and enter the discount code "SMS2012." Option 2 - When attending the following Quality Assurance and Auditing Course (June 21 & 22, 2012) and this course there is a special discount - the two courses for $2,000.00 a $390.00 savings! To receive this discount enter the code "QA2012" when registering for the Safety Management Course, then register for the Quality Assurance course and enter the discount code "SMS2012." Option 3 - BEST SAVINGS - When attending both the Corrective Action Plan Course & the Quality Assurance and Auditing Course (all three courses, five days) there is a bonus discount - the three courses for $2,500.00 a $540.00 savings! To receive this discount enter the code "ALL2012" when registering for the each of the courses. *all costs shown are exclusive of GST* Hosted by Beyond Risk Management Ltd. -Seating Restricted for better workshop discussion- -Registration is limited - Register now- Register on line at: http://www.regonline.ca/SMSYYCJune2012 For further information or questions: email - Brendan@beyondriskmgmt.com Or call: Brendan Kapuscinski 403-804-9745 Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC