Flight Safety Information July 2, 2012 - No. 133 In This Issue Eight air marshals fired for drinking during training Helicopter crash reported in remote region of Arizona Air India pilot 'took mother on flight in cockpit' ICAO, IATA pledge to assist Nigeria on aviation safety ARGUS PROS Aviation Auditing 5 women get into brawl on airplane, face charges Malaysia Airlines today celebrates the launch of its first A380 'Superjumbo' service New Airbus jet plant in Alabama to employ 1,000 NIGERIA:...Govt mulls merger for airlines, experts seek four strong carriers for Nigeria Airbus SAS : Poland orders five Airbus Military C295 aircraft Eight air marshals fired for drinking during training Washington (CNN) -- Eight federal air marshals are being fired for drinking alcohol during training, and six others are being disciplined for not reporting it, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The marshals, who typically fly with guns to protect commercial flights, were in New York in February for training and were not scheduled to fly that day. The group, which included one supervisor, went to lunch at a restaurant, where eight drank alcohol, TSA spokesman David Castelveter said. Some of the marshals had their weapons with them at the time. The incident was reported to an internal federal air marshal website by a marshal who was there, and the TSA launched an internal investigation, Castelveter explained. Under employment rules, seven of the agents will have a chance to appeal their terminations. One of the agents had recently been hired and was still on probationary status and so was fired immediately. "TSA holds all of its employees to the highest professional and ethical standards and has zero tolerance for misconduct in the workplace," Castelveter said in a statement. "TSA's decision to remove the individuals involved in the misconduct affirms our strong commitment to the highest standards of conduct and accountability Back to Top Helicopter crash reported in remote region of Arizona; 4 people were on board CAMP VERDE, Ariz.(AP) - Authorities say a helicopter that took off from the Phoenix area has crashed in Arizona. Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, told the Arizona Republic that (http://bit.ly/Ml7KbD ) the wreckage was spotted Sunday morning by a private pilot several miles south of Camp Verde. Gregor said an Aerospatiale AS350 helicopter took off Saturday morning from the Scottsdale Airport and was headed for Sedona, but it was reported overdue when it failed to arrive at its destination. Search crews with the Civil Air Patrol started looking for the aircraft on Saturday. Gregor said four people were aboard the helicopter. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Department said Sunday that the wreckage is in a remote region. No further information was available. Camp Verde is about 86 miles north of Phoenix. Back to Top Air India pilot 'took mother on flight in cockpit' New Delhi - An Air India pilot was under investigation on Sunday night amid claims that he seated his mother in the cockpit after failing to get a free ticket for her. He allegedly insisted his colleagues issued her a "dummy boarding pass" and refused to take off unless they agreed. The flight and its 122 passengers were delayed for 20 minutes as the row flared. The claims of "liberties" taken by pilots in the state-owned national carrier come after recent reports complained of pilots and crew abusing their allowances for free flights for relatives, overspending on five star city hotels on stopovers and a number of scams including widespread theft of alcohol from the drinks trolley. The airline has faced a number of standoffs with pilots over claims that business class passengers have been ejected from their seats to make way for staff members' families. Their union is currently locked in a dispute with the Indian government after a number of pilots were sacked for going on strike. In the latest controversy, airline officials complained the pilot had placed his mother in a jump seat reserved for crew on Air India's flight from Pune in Western India to the capital New Delhi, the Indian Express reported. "When the pilot insisted on taking his mother on board, the operations and commercial departments were informed. The pilot threatened that he would not fly without his mother," an official told the paper. The airline's chairman Rohit Nandan said disciplinary action was being taken against the pilot. The allegations highlight a culture of impunity among pilots, said Dr Sanat Kaul, a former aviation official and council member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. "I hope they will immediately suspend his license and take appropriate action. The pilots have been the most ill-disciplined lot of people. They are continuously going on strike and abusing their position. They believe they're beyond the rules and usually they get away with it," he told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday. http://india.nydailynews.com/article/4597b0f7d7f25da8c739df6c48561ef6/air-india-pilot-took- mother-on-flight-in-cockpit Back to Top ICAO, IATA pledge to assist Nigeria on aviation safety GLOBAL aviation regulatory body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the Air Transport Association (IATA) and the umbrella body for global airlines, have pledged their support to help Nigeria overcome its aviation safety challenges. In a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan signed by the ICAO Council President, Mr. Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez and the Secretary-General, Mr. Raymond Benjamin, ICAO offered its support, saying: "Please, know that ICAO stands ready to assist you in any way as you investigate these accidents and have every confidence that you will personally implement any recommendations emanating from the investigations." Gonzalez, however, reinforced his confidence in the President's "strong leadership and commitment to aviation safety in Nigeria and indeed, in Africa as a continent." Following the Dana crash in which over 153 persons died, precisely on June 3, 2012, the Federal Government enlisted the help of Boeing (along with ICAO) in the evaluation of the airworthiness of airline fleet in the country. IATA, the umbrella body for 240 airlines, said the regrettable accident must not be allowed to derail the reforms instituted in the industry since 2006. In a letter to President Jonathan, IATA Secretary-General and CEO Mr. Antony Tyler, said: "We at the IATA stand ready to support you and your government during this difficult period. While aviation remains the safest form of travel in the world, accidents unfortunately still do happen. "Nigeria should be proud that the commitment of your government to the safety and security of your air transport system has resulted in an impressive overall safety record. While we can and must learn from these tragedies, it is important that we also not allow these exceptional events to lead us to lose perspective on the overall safety of the system," he added. Tyler offered IATA's support, saying the global airline body remains committed to working with Nigeria's civil aviation authorities and authorities around the world to continue to improve the safety of this already safe industry. He noted that as part of its safety initiative, the association has vigorously encouraged governments to mandate airlines to meet the requirements of its Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control system of an airline. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91035:icao- iata-pledge-to-assist-nigeria-on-aviation-safety-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559 Back to Top Back to Top 5 women get into brawl on airplane, face charges (Shanghai Daily) - FIVE women were asked to get off a plane and taken into custody by police during a stopover in Wuhan City after four of them beat the fifth woman, who had refused to adjust her seat during the flight, local media reported. The mid-air incident occurred on a flight from Kunming City of Yunnan Province to Shenyang of Liaoning Province on Saturday morning as a woman surnamed Liu, in her thirties, adjusted her seat to lean backwards, annoying a passenger behind her. According to Wuhan Evening News, the passenger, surnamed Xu, 18, asked Liu to move her seat back up but Liu refused, telling her that other passengers were leaning their seats back, too. Xu then angrily kicked the back of Liu's seat. Liu stood up and slapped Xu in the face, the newspaper said. But Xu was not traveling alone. The young woman was accompanied by another three women - her mother, her aunt and a classmate who were traveling home from a vacation in Yunnan Province. Seeing that Xu had been struck, the three women all assaulted Liu. They beat her with fists and kicked and scratched her, the newspaper said. Liu had several scratches on her body and her clothes were ripped but the plane's crew couldn't stop the fight. It was not until the crew alerted police and other passengers stepped in that the fighting stopped. They were ordered off at Wuhan City of Hubei Province and charged with violating aviation regulations and seriously threatening flight safety. Police said Xu's family agreed to pay 1,000 yuan (US$157) to Liu as compensation. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90882/7862271.html Back to Top Malaysia Airlines today celebrates the launch of its first A380 'Superjumbo' service Malaysia Airlines today celebrated the launch of its first Airbus A380 service between KL International Airport (KLIA), Malaysia and London Heathrow, joining the elite league of airlines to fly the world's largest and most eco-efficient airliner. The A380 painted in its full celebration livery arrived into London Heathrow from KLIA as flight MH002 early this morning before departing on its schedule from the UK at 12.00 GMT. Malaysia Airlines' Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya was joined by Malaysian dignitaries, the first A380 passengers and UK travel trade partners to celebrate the airline's inaugural non-stop Airbus A380 flight from Heathrow to KLIA. Speaking at the event, held in Malaysia Airlines' newly refurbished Golden Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4 prior to the departure of flight MH003, Mr. Ahmad Jauhari Yahya highlighted the airline's commitment to the London Heathrow - KLIA route. "The A380 showcases our latest premium offering and it was imperative that the first of these new aircraft was inaugurated on the prestigious London route, a route we have been operating from Kuala Lumpur since 1974. The A380 is our latest flagship aircraft offering new levels of comfort, luxury and convenience for long-haul travel and we look forward to delivering our great Malaysian Hospitality to our UK guests." Colin Matthews, CEO of BAA added "We are delighted to welcome Malaysia Airlines to the list of carriers that operate A380s here at Heathrow. The A380 represents a significant step forward in improved environmental performance on Heathrow's airfield and we are proud to accommodate this latest addition to the fleet." Malaysia Airlines has introduced a number of unique enhancements onboard its first A380 including the widest seats of any First Class cabin in the sky at 40 inches. Business Class and First Class passengers will also enjoy the pre-ordering 'Chef-on-Call' service, raising in-flight dining to new levels of excellence, whilst all passengers will have access to the latest individual in-flight on-demand entertainment. The A380 has a capacity of 494 seats, comprising of 350 economy and eight fully-flat first-class seats on the main (lower) deck, and 66 fully-flat business-class and 70 economy seats on the upper deck, providing some of the most spacious cabins in the skies. The new interiors have been designed by leading aviation design consultancy, Priestmangoode. Malaysia Airlines preparation for the A380 and its forthcoming membership of the oneworld alliance, which it is set to join in the last quarter of 2012, has also included front and back of house upgrades on the ground at London Heathrow Terminal 4. These include the introduction of more desks enabling faster check-in and swifter bag-drop for those who checked-in online; increased baggage reclaim capacity and the recent refurbishment of Malaysia Airlines' Golden Lounge at Heathrow's Terminal 4 for Business and First Class passengers as well as the Gold and Platinum category members of its Enrich Frequent Flyer programme. The flagship Golden Lounge at KL International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia has also been refurbished and reopened last week in time for the A380 operations. Malaysia Airlines is the only airline to offer a non-stop service between the UK and Malaysia, currently flying 14 times a week between London Heathrow and KLIA, with immediate onward connections to South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The new A380 service will initially serve the route with a thrice-weekly non-stop service increasing to a daily service from the end of August 2012 following the delivery of the second A380 of the six that Malaysia Airlines currently has on order with Airbus, all powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. http://www.incentivetravel.co.uk/airportairline/8246-malaysia-airlines-today-celebrates-the- launch-of-is-first-a380-superjumbo-service Back to Top New Airbus jet plant in Alabama to employ 1,000, company says Airbus' first aircraft-assembly plant in America will produce about four single-aisle passenger planes a month and will compete with Boeing's 737 jet. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Airbus' planned aircraft-assembly plant in Alabama will cost $600 million to build and will employ 1,000 people when it reaches full production, state officials said Sunday, ahead of the official announcement. Two state officials with knowledge of the company's plans said the plant in the port city of Mobile should create about 2,500 construction jobs and will turn out about four planes a month in 2017. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the plant ahead of Monday's announcement. The company's first jet-assembly plant in America will produce single-aisle A319, A320 and A321 passenger planes that will compete with Boeing's 737. The plant will be at Brookley Aeroplex, which was an Air Force base until 1969. First deliveries from the Mobile plant are expected in 2016. News of the plant broke last week, and details about it have gradually emerged in media reports. Boeing is a longtime employer in Alabama, with defense and rocket operations that have 2,700 workers in North Alabama. It used the upcoming announcement to criticize what it sees as European government subsidies that help Airbus compete. "While it is interesting once again to see Airbus promising to move jobs from Europe to the United States, no matter how many are created, the numbers pale in comparison to the thousands of U.S. jobs destroyed by illegal subsidies," the company said in a statement. Carl Moore, the dean of the University of South Alabama business school, said attracting a company like Airbus could have a transforming effect on the state, like Mercedes-Benz had when it picked Alabama for its first U.S. assembly plant in 1993. "It's a prestige name that's internationally known," Moore said. Mercedes' plant was so successful that it was soon followed by Honda and Hyundai assembly plants and a Toyota engine plant that reshaped the manufacturing economy in a state still reeling from the loss of textile and apparel jobs. The Airbus announcement comes as Alabama struggles to recover from the recession. Unemployment has dropped from 10.0 percent in July 2011 to 7.4 percent in May, but part of that drop came from people leaving the workforce. Moore said one job at an aircraft-assembly plant can create up to three jobs at suppliers. "It will be a tremendous economic impact for Mobile, the surrounding area and the state," Moore said. The project marks the second time that Airbus' parent company, the European Aeronautic Defense and Space, has been attracted to Mobile. EADS had planned to build a $600 million, 1,400-employee assembly line at Brookley for Air Force refueling tankers if it won a federal contract, but the company lost the five-year competition to Boeing in 2011. The Mobile operation will join Airbus assembly plants in Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany; and Tianjin, China. Back to Top NIGERIA: Govt mulls merger for airlines, experts seek four strong carriers for Nigeria WITH a view to strengthening operations and enhance air safety of the nation's airlines, the Federal Government is said to be considering a policy that could lead to two or more airlines to merge. This came, as indications emerged that virtually all the carriers in the country were financially insolvent and heavily indebted to a staggering $5billion. A Presidency source told The Guardian that should government go on to carry out financial audit on the airlines, many of them would not pass the test. He said that already some of the perceived big airlines were showing signs of resistance to the proposed policy while others had welcomed the idea. For those planning to resist the idea, he said government intends to raise the stake that would make it difficult to "go it alone'', leaving them with no other option than to merge as it is being done in Europe, United States and Asia. Air France in 2004 merged with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, changing the operating name to Air France-KLM, although the two airlines still operate as separate airlines. In 2006, Cathay Pacific Airways acquired full ownership over Dragonair, which continues to operate as a separate airline. Delta Air, with headquarters in Atlanta Georgia, started as Huff Daland Dusters 1924. It was purchased in 1928 by C.E. Woolman and renamed Delta Air Service after the Mississippi Delta. Between 2008 and 2010, the carrier merged with Northwest Airlines and became the world's largest carrier by passenger traffic in 2008, just as it kept Delta name. The decision to encourage mergers was as a result of insinuations and accusations that because of the insolvency of the airlines, they are tempted to cut corners on maintenance. Not all of them are able to pay salaries, meet their obligations to aviation fuel marketers and other sundry charges. Speaking to The Guardian at the weekend, President, Nigeria Aviation Safety Initiative (NASI), Captain Dung Pam said his only advice to the operators was to consolidate or die. He said it was left to the government to support and restructure the system or lose strategic control of the industry. His words: "I spoke to Patrick Ekunwen, the Director of Airworthiness and I said you are regulating safety but remember it is your duty to economically regulate the airlines, make sure they operate with financial discipline or else safety will be compromised. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91041:govt- mulls-merger-for-airlines-experts-seek-four-strong-carriers-for-nigeria- &catid=1:national&Itemid=559 Back to Top Airbus SAS : Poland orders five Airbus Military C295 aircraft Polish Air Force to become largest C295 operator The Polish Air Force today signed a contract with Airbus Military for the acquisition of five C295 transport aircraft to further expand their transport capabilities. Deliveries will start end of this year and continue into 2013. The aircraft will join the existing C295s currently in service, increasing the fleet to 16 aircraft, and will be used to support the Polish Air Force in its national and international operations. "The C295 is working extremely well with the Polish Air Force and we are proud to have a further vote of confidence from our customer with this new order for a further five aircraft. We have a very close relationship with Poland also through our Polish subsidiary and we look forward to further expand our footprint in Poland", said Domingo Ureņa Raso, CEO of Airbus Military. "This order also underlines our leadership in this segment with over 110 orders of which 27 orders were placed this year." This now brings to the total orders for the C295 to 113, with 85 currently in operation with 13 countries. About C295 The new generation C295 is the ideal aircraft for defence and civic missions to the benefit of society, such as humanitarian actions, maritime patrol, and environmental surveillance. Thanks to its robustness, reliability and simple systems, this medium sized tactical airlifter provides the versatility and flexibility necessary for personnel, troop and bulk or palletized cargo transportation, medical evacuation, communication and logistic duties, and certified air-dropping capabilities. Its mix of dual technology civil/military equipment ensures success in demanding tactical missions, growth potential for systems development, as well as compatibility with the latest civil airspace requirements. The C295 is part of Airbus Military's family of light and medium airlifters which also includes the smaller C212 and CN235. About Airbus Military operations in Poland PZL Warszawa Okecie, was acquired by Airbus Military (then EADS CASA) in 2001. It has two sites, Warsaw and Mielec, employing 620 people. The industrial activities range from the design and manufacturing of light trainer aircraft to the manufacturing of subassemblies for the Airbus Military CN235 and C295, and wiring harnesses for several commercial Airbus types. Specifically, it produces the outer wings for the Airbus Military C295 as well as the cargo doors, the ramp and the doors for the pilot, paratroopers and passengers on the CN235 and C295. This workshare has been recently increased with the assembly of the nose section for those aircraft, making the company the largest supplier to these programmes. In November last year, Airbus Military also opened a new MRO Service Centre dedicated to the repair and servicing of Airbus Military C295 aircraft. This is Airbus Military's second service centre in Europe, adding to the capabilities of its centre in Seville, Spain. The newly opened facility will perform the full scope of repair and service work for C295 airlifters operated by the Polish Air Force and other operators and potential clients in Europe and worldwide. http://www.4-traders.com/news/Airbus-SAS-Poland-orders-five-Airbus-Military-C295-aircraft-- 14395271/ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC