Flight Safety Information June 19, 2012 - No. 125 In This Issue Four people injured when jet runs off PDK runway Nigeria: Experts Rule Out Contaminated Fuel As Cause of DANA Crash Pilots' Deadly Private-Plane Crashes Prompt U.S. Call for Basics Glider crash kills three in Wallis ACI, ICAO sign MoU for airport safety ARGUS PROS Aviation Auditing Private jets taking off among China's affluent Trial flights of 'unmanned' aircraft begin in UK skies First Airport Academy class gets in-depth look at McGhee Tyson Check Out These Crazy Airplane Seats Of The Future 2012 First Annual FAA Flight Standards Asia-Pacific Meeting Four people injured when jet runs off PDK runway Four people were on board the Hawker Beechcraft 400A that ran off the end of Runway 20L around 10 a.m., then went through a fence before coming to rest near Dresden Drive, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen. DeKalb County fire Chief Edward O'Brien said all four people had already gotten out of the plane when his crews arrived, and were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Channel 2 Action News reported their injuries were minor. O'Brien said fire crews worked to contain fuel leaking from the plane's tanks. The plane did not catch fire. The plane was mostly intact, but aerial shots showed at least two large cracks in the fuselage. Bergen said the plane is registered to "N79TE LLC" in Centre, Ala. According to Bergen and the FlightAware flight tracking website, the jet departed the Northeast Alabama Regional Airport in Gadsden earlier Monday morning, and was scheduled to continue on to Jacksonville, Fla., after making a stop at DeKalb-Peachtree. Mark Anderson was driving past the airport on Dresden Drive as the plane went off the runway. "As I was coming eastbound, I said, 'Boy, there's something not right about this,' because the plane was coming at a pretty high rate of speed and he was at the end of the runway and he was flat," Anderson told the AJC. "I accelerated through and as I was in line with him, he was coming off the end of the runway," Anderson said. "He did an evasive action to avoid the barriers at the end, then I heard the brakes squeal, but when he came off the end of the runway, the gear collapsed and he just started coming down the hill." Anderson said he stopped his vehicle and ran back toward the plane. "I got within about 10 feet of it, and the door opened and two guys got out," he said. "One guy was having a lot of trouble standing up." After helping those two men, Anderson went back toward the plane. "I could see the guy in the left-hand seat, the pilot moving around," Anderson said. "But the smell of fuel was intense, and I thought it was going to blow because you could smell the fuel and those engines were still going, those hot engines, so I just started trying to keep people away from it," he said. Anderson said it took emergency personnel about seven or eight minutes to arrive. "By that time, the pilot and co-pilot had gotten out of the plane," he said, adding that the pilot had sustained a fairly severe head injury. Aretha Walker, a delivery driver for Pep Boys, said it appeared the plane was landing but was running out of runway space and attempted to take off again. She said the plane climbed briefly but then dropped and plowed into the fence bordering Dresden Drive. An FAA spokesperson told the station that the pilot did not report any problems prior to landing. The cause of the crash is still being investigated. Channel 2 reported that the jet was moved into a shed at the airport Monday evening. http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/four-people-injured-when-1459897.html Back to Top Nigeria: Experts Rule Out Contaminated Fuel As Cause of DANA Crash Aeronautical engineers and pilots have said contaminated fuel was not responsible for the crash of Dana Air flight J9 0992 that killed all153 person passengers on board on June 3, 2012. The pilot of the aircraft reported the failure of the two engines before it crashed into Iju area of Lagos where it crushed three houses and killed 10 people on ground. Following the crash, there were media reports that the preliminary report from aviation experts from the United States, who are working with the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) had suggested that impure fuel could have caused the two engines and the throttles of the crashed plane to fail midair. However, a pilot who is also an engineer told THISDAY last Sunday that although contaminated fuel could damage and eventually kill the engine of an aircraft but for the fuel to wreck such damage it must have been so contaminated that it could not be dispensed with a browser- the machine that feeds fuel to the aircraft. And the pilot will receive enough signs from the aircraft and gauges to know at the time of taking off that the fuel in the aircraft was highly contaminated. "There is equipment in modern aircraft that signify to the pilot when an engine begins to receive contaminated fuel and these signs will appear in the numerous gauges in the aircraft," the pilot said. According to him, fuel filters would begin to clog and fail to transmit fuel to the engine and the pilot would receive fuel filter warning and if this situation continues a fuel bypass in the aircraft will pass the filters and begin to feed the engine directly. "And the pilot will get the sign from the gauges that fuel filters are clogging. When it clogs too much because it has residues, a fuel bypass will open and deliver fuel directly to the engine. It will give lasting signs to the pilot. Then the fuel pressure gauge will give its own signs when the fuel fails to flow to the engine the way it should and the gauge will begin to drop." He said that a pilot would relate the sign from the pressure gauge to that of the filter gauge and another significant sign is that the engine output would begin to drop. "There is no way a pilot can fly without noticing all these and it takes time for these things to happen. There will be fuel filter warning; fuel pump warning and engine output warning. These are sequences of warning, which the pilot would begin to notice at take- off and should land the plane at the nearest airport. As a pilot you are trained to understand each of these signs and each of the two engines will experience these changes differently." Besides, THISDAY learnt that such contaminated fuel that could kill two engines of an aircraft could not be served by modern browser, used by oil marketers to feed aircraft because it has its in-built filtration system. "If bad fuel caused this it means the fuel is so contaminated that it can be felt and you cannot get such fuel certified. The Jet A1 must be a mixture of diesel and conveyed in drums because any of the modern browsers or refuelling equipment cannot move it to the aircraft with the modern filtration as it is today," another pilot told THISDAY. Last December, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) dismissed the allegation that some fuel marketers sell DPK (kerosene) as Jet A1 (aviation fuel), noting that it had in place stringent measures, which fuel marketers comply with to supply the product. The Director -General of NCAA, Dr Harold Demuren, had said: "I want to put your mind at rest that aviation is safe and secured. But let me say this; I can assure the public that there is no danger in all our flight operations and we will keep it that way. We have stringent measures put in place before aviation fuel can get into the aircraft; and we don't start from the airport. It starts from the refineries because it is a procedural thing. Nobody can import any fuel here without the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR). There are lots of certifications and processes." http://allafrica.com/stories/201206190325.html Back to Top Pilots' Deadly Private-Plane Crashes Prompt U.S. Call for Basics The last fatal airline crash killed 50 people when a Colgan Air flight slammed into a neighborhood near Buffalo, New York, in February 2009. Private-plane wrecks since then have killed 30 times as many. The crash rate on private-pilot flights -- up 20 percent since 2000 -- contrasts with a roughly 85 percent drop in accidents on commercial jetliners, said Earl Weener, a member of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. The disparity is a dark spot on decades of aviation-safety improvements, and the board is weighing how to make non- commercial flying less hazardous. Many accidents have resulted from pilots' inattention to basics, according to research by a group created by industry and the federal government last year. Pilots have overloaded planes, failed to check weather reports, and made flying mistakes that caused planes to lose lift or go out of control. "More often than not it is human factors or a piloting problem," Weener said in a phone interview ahead of today's start of a two-day safety board hearing. Since the 1990s, commercial-airline crashes due to icing, inadvertently hitting the ground, mid-air collisions, wind shear and other causes have been almost wiped out with improved technology and pilot training, according to NTSB accident statistics. Sudden Maneuver A crash May 9, 2009, in Minden, Nevada, that killed five people illustrates that those safety enhancements haven't taken hold in the small-plane world the NTSB will examine. A pilot took four friends on a flight and flew the Beech 95 twin-engine plane low over the conference they'd been attending, according to the safety board. The 58-year-old pilot, who had almost 5,000 hours of flight experience, made an abrupt, steep turn that caused the plane's wings to lose lift, the investigation found. All five people on the plane died when it nose-dived to the ground. Such sudden maneuvers are a known hazard that can cause severe loss of control, according to an NTSB report. The accident rates on non-commercial flights known as general aviation, including corporate and instructional flights, have changed little since 2000, according to safety board data. The accident rate for all general aviation has been about 7 per 100,000 flying hours from 2007 through 2010, Weener said. By comparison, accidents involving private pilots in their own or rented planes, mostly small, single-engine aircraft, averaged about 12 per 100,000 flight hours during the same period, according to Weener. He broke out those numbers from the broader general-aviation statistics. Private Flying The rate of deadly wrecks in such private flying has grown faster than general-aviation accidents as a whole, up 25 percent since 2000. About 1,500 people have died on general-aviation flights since the crash by Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (PNCLQ) (PNCLQ)'s Colgan, Weener said. "That's part of the reason for the focus" of the NTSB's inquiry, Weener said. The board, which has no regulatory power, recommends safety improvements to government agencies and industry. Seeking ways to stem the fatalities, industry groups and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates private flying and sets safety standards, last year created the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee. Losing Control The group found that the largest category of accidents are those in which pilots lose control during flight, Bruce Landsberg, head of the safety arm of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, an advocacy group based in Frederick, Maryland. Landsberg, co-chairman of the steering committee, said the panel endorses working with the FAA to make it cheaper for small planes to install a device that warns pilots when wings are in danger of losing lift. Such devices are standard on commercial airliners. Other frequent crash causes are inadvertently flying into the ground, loss of power and weather-related issues, Landsberg said. Human error underlies the majority of personal flight crashes, Landsberg and Weener said. An accident cited on Landsberg's AOPA Air Safety Institute's website highlights how pilot miscalculations can be deadly. On Feb. 15, 2010, a Cessna T337G twin-engine plane crashed near Monmouth County Executive Airport in Farmingdale, New Jersey, as family members of those on board watched. The three adults and two children on the plane died. Airfield Buzzed After buzzing the airfield at high speed, the plane pulled into a climb and a section of the right wing came off, according to the NTSB's findings. The plane was overloaded and flying too fast for such a maneuver, the agency found. Landsberg said the general-aviation community doesn't see a need for additional regulations. "I don't think you can crash an airplane unless you have broken one and possibly two regulations," Landsberg said. "If everyone flew to the private-pilot practical test standards, we would have a pretty good system." He also pointed to the fact that, however tragic, the numbers of fatalities in plane crashes are far outstripped by those in accidents on the nation's highways --32,885 in 2010, compared with 450 in general aviation. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-19/pilots-deadly-private-plane-crashes-prompt-u-dot-s-dot-call-for-basics Back to Top Glider crash kills three in Wallis A Father's Day ride in a glider went horribly wrong, killing everyone on board, making it a tragic day for a Houston family. The pilot, his daughter-in-law and her young son all perished yesterday when the glider they were in crashed while trying to get up in the air. The NTSB is at the crash site near Wallis, looking into the deadly crash. The crash happened around 5:40pm on Highway 36 at Cougar Road near the GHSA- Wallis Glideport Gliderport at the Austin-Fort Bend county line. We know the initial 911 call came in just before 5pm. DPS has identified the deceased occupants as 68-year-old Fred Blair, the glider pilot; his daughter-in-law, 32-year-old Matilda Blair; and his grandson, 3-year-old Andrew Blair. Investigators say the accident happened on take-off and that the glider was under tow at the time it crashed. The aircraft is an ICA Brasof glider, a 2-seat, all-metal, tandem seat glider, meaning it has a seat in the front and one in back, rather than side-to-side. Both seats have adequate flight controls, so the glider can be flown from either seat. Gliders don't have motors, so to get up into the air, they have to be towed. In this case, it was attached by rope 200 feet long, to another aircraft when it crashed during the climb. "I have talked to the tow pilot. I have talked to witnesses. They were under tow, connected at approximately 75 feet when or the tow rope broke, and the glider above ground level," said Tom Latson, NTSB air safety investigator. Records show the plane is registered to the Greater Houston Soaring Association, a group that offers recreational gliding outside Houston. The FAA inspector is out here, as is the owner of the aircraft. They will start disassembling then moving the wreckage to a hangar at the nearby glider port. The NTSB investigator says he has interviewed the tow pilot, and the ground operations managers. He'll also conduct a full investigation into the maintenance of this aircraft, the medical condition of the pilot, and so forth in the coming weeks. The wreckage will be taken to a facility in Dallas. We spoke to a friend of the victim who told us Fred Blair was a seasoned pilot and certified flight instructor. Members of the gliding community are mourning this family's tragic loss. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8704973 Back to Top ACI, ICAO sign MoU for airport safety The International Civil Aviation Organization and Airports Council International have linked up to improve safety at airports worldwide. Under the MoU the organizations signed on June 15, ICAO and ACI will work together on technical assistance programs, support regional collaboration, exchange data and attain mutual access to each other's databases. The MoU also supports the development of the ACI Airport Excellence (APEX) in Safety Programme, according to a press release. A resource to help airports spot and remedy potential safety risks, APEX incorporates information-sharing, training, and technical assistance. Angela Gittens, ACI director general, said her organization's partnership with ICAO will take APEX - and aviation safety, in general - to a higher level. Calling the MoU significant "for all of us who rely on a safe and secure global air transportation system, Gittens said ACI applauds the "leadership that ICAO has demonstrated for continuous improvement in the safety mission." Roberto Kobeh González, president of the council of ICAO, similarly praised the partnership, remarking on the tangible benefits that will be gleaned from it. "The memorandum that we [signed] provides a framework for enhanced cooperation between our two organizations and reflects ICAO's continuing efforts to take a more action- oriented approach to promoting safety," he said in a statement. http://www.aircargoworld.com/Air-Cargo-News/2012/06/aci-icao-sign-mou-for-airport- safety/187749 Back to Top Back to Top Private jets taking off among China's affluent Growing affluence has led to the growth of the luxury travel market in China. There are more companies offering travel packages on private jets, and for the ultra rich, who can afford their own planes, aircraft manufacturers will even customise their interiors. One such private jet is designed to look like a European palace. Intricate wood carvings adorn the walls, and oil paintings decorate the ceiling. There are cushy leather chairs if one needs to hold a meeting, or one could just adjourn to the bedroom for a nap. Those with money to spend can have any design they want. Li Bing, sales director at Boeing Business Jets, said: "Last year, we sold four Boeing business jets. Among which three were sold to China, all to individual buyers." Aircraft manufacturers are customising the interiors of their jets, to cater to a booming Chinese market. David Velupillai, marketing director at Airbus Corporate Jets, said: "We can do a round table for six. Because the round table is the centre of Asian family life, but we can also convert that table into a square which is better for playing mahjong and other games. We can even do a karaoke bar." It costs some US$10 million for a more humble private jet to about US$68 million to buy an Airbus ACJ318. And this does not include the few million US dollars each year needed for maintenance and fuel fees. Rupert Hoogewerf, founder of the Hurun Report, said: "They just want the best. Like if they buy a car, they are going to buy a Rolls-Royce or Bentley. You got to have one in your collection if you are over a certain status. Rolls-Royce sells a thousand units a year. I am sure it is not going to be long before we sell out at least a hundred jets a year as well." Eurocopter has collaborated with Hermes and Mercedes Benz to develop two designer helicopters, spacious enough to put golf clubs. Bruno Boulnois, CEO of Eurocopter China, said: "Our model can accommodate eight VIP passengers in a very luxurious environment. The colour is very auspicious in the Chinese mood, red colour." For those who own a jet but do not know where to go, or want to charter one for an exclusive weekend, Private Jet Journeys will help arrange their getaway. The trip could include meeting celebrities, or doing as many things as one wants to in the shortest time. The company is one of several that have chosen to set up base in China, in recent years. Jane McBride, CEO of Private Jet Journeys, said: "It can be something as simple as flying in New York...taking your family to Boston...visiting Harvard or MIT with your daughter or son, then flying to Miami, boarding a private yacht to cruise to the Bahamas, where you meet with your investment banker in the Caribbean, perhaps you do some investments, shopping there. And you fly out to Las Vegas...to replenish your coffers after your travels." A luxury travel package that covers two to three cities would cost about US$300,000, and that would be considered small change, for those who are rich enough to have their own private jet. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/1208590/1/.html Back to Top Trial flights of 'unmanned' aircraft begin in UK skies About 20 test flights of the BAE Systems Jetstream aircraft will be conducted over the summer Test flights have begun to see whether unmanned aircraft could someday be of widespread use in British airspace. The BAE Systems Jetstream, which will be manned during the test phase, could potentially conduct search missions and investigate weather systems. BAE believes the aircraft is the first of its kind to autonomously "sense and avoid" bad weather and mid-air hazards. The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said "issues" must be resolved to ensure all airspace users are safe. Unmanned planes or "drones" are already used in the UK for surveillance work. Electronic eye During up to 20 test flights over the Irish Sea, a pilot and co-pilot will be responsible for the Jetstream's take-offs and landings. Also aboard will be three people observing and testing the technology - however, the aircraft will fly as if it were an Uninhabited Air Vehicle (UAV). The public like to be assured when flying that there are capable, professional, well- trained pilots in command. We can not see this changing any time soon." The new technology - which is far more advanced than a standard passenger aircraft - has been developed by Astraea, a £60m UK industry-led programme which has been running for about six years. Astraea are funded in part by the Technology Strategy Board, which is sponsored by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. BAE says the Astraea system can detect and avoid bad weather systems using an "electronic eye" - a cockpit camera linked to the aircraft's internal computer systems. The system can recognise cloud types and autonomously plot a course to avoid bad weather. The electronic eye is also used in conjunction with an aircraft identification antenna to "sense and avoid" mid-air collisions. Infra-red technology on the underside of the aircraft should also help the Jetstream find a safe place to land in the event of an emergency. Lambert Dopping-Hepenstal, BAE's engineering director with responsibility for the Astraea programme, said: "The [aircraft] has been configured as a 'surrogate UAV', where the onboard pilots can take their hands off the controls and hand over control to the on-board system developed by the Astraea team. A bank of computers inside the UAV monitor what it "sees" and reacts to any hazards "Racks of computers and control systems in the rear of the aircraft mean it can fly as if it were [unmanned] without any input from the pilots. "The weather avoidance system will use sophisticated image processing techniques to detect and avoid clouds and is just one of the new capabilities being tested." 'Eyes and ears' If trials are successful, BAE has said the aircraft could become the first "surrogate" UAV to fly in "normal" UK shared civilian airspace. The testing has been cautiously welcomed by Balpa, who say they are not entirely opposed to the development of unmanned flight technology. Capt Mark Searle, Balpa chairman, said: "The most important safety system that we currently have on board aircraft is the eyes and ears of well-trained pilots. "Such technology... could offer benefits for manned aircraft operations as well, but there are issues which must be resolved first in order to ensure safety for all airspace users." Mr Searle added that the biggest hurdle to the use of any unmanned aircraft is the public perception of them. "The public like to be assured when flying that there are capable, professional, well- trained pilots in command. We can not see this changing any time soon." Opponents of the growing use of drones are concerned the public are not being consulted on the rapidly advancing technology and the potential changes on the use of UK airspace. Chris Cole, from the Drone Wars UK website, which follows the use of armed drones, told the BBC: "There is no parliamentary or public consultation in the UK on this and I believe there is a huge amount of public scepticism. "The defence industry is part of the Astraea project. They are working with defence companies to see what changes need to be made to airspace regulation to ensure these drones fly safety in the UK. "There is a big difference between remotely controlled surveillance drones and autonomous drone flights. This is a huge step forward and it is happening too quickly." BAE's Simon Shrouder estimates that pilotless aircraft could be used within three to five years to investigate weather systems or natural disasters, such as volcanic ash clouds. He added: "UAV flights could soon be used to do the dull, dirty or dangerous work, that will not put pilot's lives at risk." Mr Shrouder added however, that pilotless passenger flights are still far from becoming reality. "In years to come, it might be that confidence is so great that there is scope for passengers to be carried on these flights - but that is many, many years off." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18493059 Back to Top First Airport Academy class gets in-depth look at McGhee Tyson Sitting in an airliner at 30,000 feet, most travelers are probably unaware of all the work that had to happen back on the ground at McGhee Tyson Airport to get them there. There are tasks nobody would think about, like replacing the windscreens on a jet. Each one of the dozens of screws that hold one panel in place have to be inspected, replaced if worn, and put back in the same slot. There have to be police and fire fighters available at all times for any emergency. People have to monitor radar and staff the tower. Security workers must screen passengers. There are about 6,800 light fixtures on the runways to keep up with and if some repair work needs to done on a runway, the airport keeps a special 48-inch band saw handy because the pavement is about 16 inches thick. About 30 people spent four Thursday evenings in May getting an in-depth look at what it takes to make McGhee Tyson Airport function, as the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority held the first class in its Aviation Academy. The group, made up of business leaders, public officials, educators, journalists and others, got tours of the airport and other facilities such as McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, the TAC Air general aviation facility, the airport's Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting facility and ExpressJet's Regional Jet Maintenance Facilty. They heard talks from representatives of the Airport Authority, National Safe Skies Alliance, Transportation Security Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, 134th Air Refueling Wing, 1/230th Air Cavalry Squadron and Express Jet. This was the first such class the Airport Authority has held, said spokeswoman Becky Huckaby. It is part of the 75th anniversary celebration of McGhee Tyson Airport, but the plan is to offer the academy each year, she said. About 100 people applied for the first class, but the Airport Authority limited the size to 30 to keep it manageable. Bill Marrison, president of the Airport Authority, said he believes McGhee Tyson is the first airport in the country to offer such a program. The purpose is to acquaint the public with the airport, give them a sense of the role it plays in the community and a feel for all the behind-the-scenes work that has to take place to ensure safe and reliable air travel. "The airport is like a small, self-contained little city," Trevis Gardner, vice president of operations for the Airport Authority, told the class at its first meeting. The Airport Authority, which operates McGhee Tyson and Downtown Island airports, has a staff of about 170, but when all the airlines and other agencies are included, about 3,800 people "call the airport home," Gardner said. "We don't directly employ these people, but we create the environment where they work," he said. One of the lesser-known tenants at McGhee Tyson Airport is the National Safe Skies Alliance. Scott Broyles, its president and CEO, described it as something like the "Consumer Reports" organization for the aviation security industry. Its job is to test security technology, see what works and what doesn't and make recommendations to the industry. It has 18 employees at four facilities, three of them at McGhee Tyson and one in Washington, D.C. Broyles wouldn't go into detail on the organization's work, but gave the class an overview of terrorist attempts on airliners. The problem started much earlier than class members realized, with the first casualty a Boeing 247 propliner. "United Flight 23, from Cleveland to Chicago, exploded in midair in 1933. The explosive used was nitroglycerin," he said. No one was charged, but investigators believed the motive was so someone could collect on a life insurance policy, Broyles said. The Aviation Academy included a tour of the adjoining McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, home to the 134th Air Refueling Wing, which operates KC-135 aerial tankers and the 1/230th Armored Cavalry Squadron, an Army National Guard unit that operates Kiowa Warrior attack helicopters. Besides playing a key role in the nation's defense, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base makes a substantial economic contribution to the area with its 3,604 civilian and military personnel. In 2011, the air base contributed $2.8 million a week, $12.3 million a month and $147.1 million annually to the local economy, according to its budget analyst, Staff Sgt. Scott Brock. McGhee Tyson is the home of a major aircraft maintenance facility operated by the ExpressJet regional airline. Its staff of 211 can do scheduled maintenance on seven jets at a time. The facility is able to handle tasks from routine maintenance to major tasks such as the complete disassembly, inspection and testing of all major components of an aircraft. During a tour of the facility, Aviation Academy members looked over a jet undergoing heavy maintenance. Access panels had been removed all along the aircraft and much of the maze of wiring and plumbing underneath was labeled with tags. Screws and fasteners hung close by in little cloth bags so maintenance workers could put them back where they belonged. Windshield panels were replaced, and the dozens of screws that held each panel were removed and placed in a template that matched the shape of the windshield panel so the screws could be inspected and put back in the same place. Any screw that showed signs of wear must be replaced. Besides an education in the nuts and bolts of an aircraft, the class also learned some nuts and bolts of airport economics. The four main sources of revenue for the airport include FAA airport improvement grant funds, a 4.5 percent fee on the sale of aviation fuel, concessions fees on parking and rental cars and airline user fees and landing fees, Marrison said. Oddly, the airline user and landing fees are the smallest revenue source. The airport makes much more from parking and rental car concessions, he said. McGhee Tyson and Downtown Island airports add about $616 million a year to the local economy, according to a University of Tennessee study commissioned by the Airport Authority. The airports provide about 4,630 jobs and in 2010, brought in 1,691,000 total passengers, of which 366,000 were nonresidents. These visitors spent an estimated $151 million in the area, according to the study. McGhee Tyson Airport has 175 acres and about 7.8 million square feet of airfield pavement. It serves six airlines that fly a total of about 140 flights per day, serving 19 nonstop destinations. For the airport, the airlines are like the tenant stores in a shopping center, with Delta Air Lines the largest tenant at McGhee Tyson, Gardner said. "Our Dillards is Delta Airline," he said. By the numbers 3,800 workers 7.8 million square feet of airfield pavement 16-inches is the average pavement thickness 240,000 square-foot terminal 6 airlines 140 flights per day 6,800 runway light fixtures Source: Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/19/first-class-in-airport-academy-gets- indepth-look/ Back to Top Check Out These Crazy Airplane Seats Of The Future Contour Aerospace Limited, a London-based airplane seat manufacturing company, and consulting firm Factory Design are unveiling a new twist on the pod - wait for it - pod airplane seats! The company doesn't even call them seats. Instead it prefers "lairs." "A lair is a secret or private place in which a person seeks concealment or seclusion, a perfect way to restore your equilibrium after a business trip to the other side of the world," the company said. Indeed, this new airplane seat should appeal to frequent flying passengers. A flip-down screen with a 3-D projector keeps passengers from being bored in the lair. At night, passengers can even pull a shade on their lair to block light and sound in what is called "shut down" mode - complete with a night sky to lull you to sleep. Those worried about fitting in these small spaces shouldn't fret. The lair's chair is 94 centimeters wide, while the bed is 73 inches long. Factory Design attributes the lair's amount of space to stacking the pods on top of each other. Plus, what could be worse than sitting in a coach airplane seat? Air Lair's press release brags "if you can slide into a Ferrari, which is more of a challenge than getting into a lower pod...this is for you." Contour Aerospace is no stranger to innovative airplane seats. But are these seats too weird to catch on? Would you rather travel in a purple pod than an airplane seat? http://www.businessinsider.com/contour-aerospace-factory-design-unveiled-new-lairs- for-airplane-seats-2012-6 Back to Top 2012 First Annual FAA Flight Standards Asia-Pacific Meeting August 14-16, 2012 Long Beach, CA USA The FAA Flight Standards Service is initiating a meeting with the States from the Asia Pacific Region that will provide a unique opportunity to share information on our best practices in the safety oversight of operations and continuing airworthiness with civil aviation authorities in the Asia-Pacific Region. Continuing a tradition of other FAA international outreach activities, this meeting will provide a forum for aviation safety leaders to delve more deeply into the FAA Flight Standards Service activities as well as receive information on safety oversight topics key to the Region. The first two days of the meeting will be open to civil aviation authorities only. The authority only session will be followed by a half day industry session which will provide additional focus on topics related to air carrier operations into the United States. Mr. John Allen, the Director of the Flight Standards Service, will chair this event. Notional topics to be addressed include: International Aviation Safety Assessment Program Technical Review and Technical Assistance FAA requirements for Foreign Air Carrier Service into the United States International Aviation Safety Data Exchange (IASDEx) Ramp Inspection Data Sharing FAA Certification of Maintenance Repair Organizations Pilot Training and Fatigue Risk Management Update to Rulemaking Activities NextGen Safety Management System ICAO Support Initiatives Model Civil Aviation Regulations Government Safety Inspector Training Safety Inspector Training Profiles Work-Tracking System We are also soliciting additional topics of interest that you would like to have addressed at the meeting. Suggested topics can be sent to the contact listed below. Who Should Attend Government aviation standards, certification, operations, and maintenance personnel Industry Participation Half day session on August 16th open to industry representatives Contact For more information, contact: Daniel Chong (202) 385-8076 daniel.chong@faa.gov Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC