Flight Safety Information July 16, 2012 - No. 144 In This Issue Boeing to be fined $13.6M over fuel-tank safety Nigeria: Commercial Aircraft Rams Into Airforce Plane Brazil airline pilots flying international routes must retake English proficiency tests Cow humidity sparked Korean 747 freighter fire alert United flight stranded in Shanghai for 3 days finally returns to Newark ARGUS PROS Aviation Auditing China to become largest aircraft market: Airbus In Bankruptcy, American Airlines Looks At All Options The 'Helicopter King Of China' Is Quietly Building An Empire The world's best airline for 2012 is QATAR Boeing to be fined $13.6M over fuel-tank safety By Alan Levin, Bloomberg News WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration proposed to fine Boeing $13.6 million, its second-largest penalty ever, for delays in telling airlines how to prevent fuel- tank explosions on 383 aircraft. Boeing was given a Dec. 27, 2010, deadline to submit instructions on how to add explosion-prevention devices in U.S.-registered 747 jumbo jets and 757 single-aisle planes, according to an emailed statement Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration. The Chicago-based company missed the deadline for 747s by 301 days, and was 406 days late for 757s, according to the FAA release. "We are committed to ensuring the safety of the flying public," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in the statement. "Manufacturers must provide the necessary instructions so the airlines can comply with this important safety regulation." The fine is the largest proposed by the FAA since it sought $24.2 million from American Airlines in 2010 for maintenance lapses that grounded its fleet of Boeing MD-80s in 2008. Firms typically negotiate lower payments with the FAA. The agency's action stems from a regulation that requires airlines to install devices that blanket center fuel tanks with non-flammable nitrogen gas. The rule resulted from the explosion in a Trans World Airlines 747 off New York on July 17, 1996, that killed all 230 aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled that a spark triggered an explosion in the tank, tearing the jetliner apart. Tanks located in the fuselage between the wings are heated by nearby equipment and are explosive for a majority of time on flights, the safety board found. Boeing officials just received word of the FAA's proposed penalty and were reviewing it, Myles Kotay, a company spokesman, said in a phone interview. Airbus, Boeing's main competitor for civilian aircraft, met the deadline, according to the statement. The fuel-tank rule requires that airlines install the devices on half their fleets by 2014 and complete the effort by 2017. "The FAA expects that most, if not all, operators will meet both the 2014 and 2017 deadlines, even if they received service instructions later than anticipated," the agency said. Airlines sought a delay in installing the devices in a March 28 letter sent by the Washington-based trade group Airlines for America. The group represents large carriers such as Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Approvals for how to install the fuel-tank devices were so far behind schedule that it would be impossible for airlines to meet the FAA's deadlines, the group said in the letter. The agency told the trade group in a letter today that it wouldn't extend the final deadline. It said would accept applications for extensions from individual carriers. While the final deadline won't be altered, the agency may grant airlines leeway on the 2014 standard, Peggy Gilligan, FAA's associate administrator for aviation safety, said in the letter. The FAA, in the years after the TWA accident, balked at recommendations by the NTSB to require anti-explosion devices as too expensive. The agency reversed itself in 2002 after research showed it would be easier and cheaper than previously thought to use nitrogen gas to prevent explosions. Boeing participated in the research and endorsed the agency's rule. The FAA has also ordered dozens of improvements to tanks and wiring on airliners since the TWA accident to reduce the risks of fires and explosions. Back to Top Nigeria: Commercial Aircraft Rams Into Airforce Plane A commercial aircraft, en route Lagos from Jos, rammed its wings into an airforce C-130 aircraft on the tarmac of Jos airport as it was about to take off, yesterday. The C-130 aircraft was in Jos to airlift students of the Airforce Military School and Airforce Girls Military School both in the Plateau State capital when the accident occurred. As a result of the accident, a substantial part of the mainframe of the commercial aircraft, a Boeing 737-700 with registration No. 5NMJI, was taken off on impact while its dismembered body remained hanging on the C-130 aircraft. A joint investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the accident, which recorded no casualty, involving NAF, the airline and the relevant Nigerian aviation bodies has commenced. A statement released by the Nigerian Airforce on the incident by Wing Commander A. Makun, Deputy Director, Directorate of Airforce information said: " An Arik Airline Boeing 737-700 with registration No 5NMJI on a routine flight to Lagos brushed the wing of a parked Nigerian Air Force C-130 (NAF 917) at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Heipang Jos". "The incident happened at about 1345hrs today when the Arik aircraft was taxiing at the airport tarmac in preparation for take-off. The tank 1 wing tip of the NAF C-130 was damaged while the wing of the Arik aircraft was dismembered and hung on the NAF aircraft". "There was no casualty recorded during the incident, however, the 2 aircraft had to abort their missions. The NAF C-130 was in Jos to airlift students of the Air Force Military School and Air Force Girls Military School . Meanwhile, a joint investigation by the Nigerian Air Force and Arik Airline management has commenced". AllAfrica.com ********** Date: 14-JUL-2012 Time: 13:45 Type: Boeing 737-76N (WL) Operator: Arik Air Registration: 5N-MJI C/n / msn: 28640/799 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Jos Airport (JOS/DNJO) - Nigeria Phase: Taxi Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Jos Airport (JOS/DNJO) Destination airport: Lagos-Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS/DNMM) Narrative: An Arik Air Boeing 737-700 (5N-MJI) struck the wing tip tank of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules of the Nigerian Air Force while taxying past. The Arik Air flight, W3-202, was taxying to the runway for a flight to Lagos. The The C-130 (NAF 917) was in Jos to airlift students of the Air Force Military School and the Air Force Girls Military School. The winglet of the 737 reportedly broke off. www.avaition-safety.net Back to Top Brazil airline pilots flying international routes must retake English proficiency tests SAO PAULO (AP) - Nearly 40 Brazilian pilots who fly international routes must retake English proficiency tests on suspicions they are not fluent enough, Brazil's Civil Aeronautics Agency said Friday, raising questions about air travel safety. The agency, known as ANAC, said 37 pilots obtained English proficiency certificates from Spain's Flight Crew Training Academy, with which it signed an agreement to administer the tests in late 2011. ANAC spokeswoman Karen Bonfim said Brazilian pilots no longer take the tests at the Spanish institution. In May, ANAC conducted a study that showed the proficiency tests administered in Spain did not comply with the standards demanded by the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization, Bonfim said. Suspicions started emerging earlier this year after ANAC noticed "a higher than average number" of pilots going to Spain for their certificates after failing earlier tests administered by ANAC in Brazil. A working knowledge of English is required for pilots flying internationally. "Poor English-language proficiency has a pretty big implication because poor communications can endanger safety and lead to an accidents," said Kevin L. Hiatt, chief operating officer of the Virginia-based Flight Safety Foundation, an industry-supported group that promotes aviation safety worldwide. Hiatt said that by understanding each other clearly a "situational awareness between pilot and air traffic controllers is created ensuring them that traffic is being controlled in order to keep everyone safe." In having pilots retake their English proficiency tests, Brazil "acted in a very responsible and prudent manner to ensure the safety of flights," Hiatt added. If by Dec. 15, the Brazilian pilots don't take and pass another English proficiency test administered by ANAC, they will not be allowed to fly international routes, Bonfim said. She would not say what airlines the 37 pilots fly for. Bonfim said the proficiency tests started being given in 2007. Since then 8,549 Brazilian pilots have been tested, mostly in Brazil, and 74 percent passed. Back to Top Cow humidity sparked Korean 747 freighter fire alert UK investigators have determined that a false fire alarm on a Korean Air Boeing 747- 400F was probably caused by raised humidity levels from a cargo of cattle. The aircraft (HL-7601) had been operating from Chicago to Brussels on 17 January with 390 cows herded onto the main deck. But it diverted to London Heathrow after a detector in the aft main deck transmitted a fire warning to the pilots while the jet was cruising at 34,000ft over the Irish Sea. In a bulletin on the incident the Air Accidents Investigation Branch says the crew "suspected that the warning was false", after making a visual check, but nevertheless conducted a rapid descent and executed a controlled depressurisation. Emergency services at Heathrow discovered "no evidence" of smoke or fire, the AAIB says, adding that the crew believed "higher than normal" levels of humidity from the cattle had triggered the warning. There were no injuries among the three crew members on board. http://www.flightglobal.com Back to Top United flight stranded in Shanghai for 3 days finally returns to Newark Steve Borowka arrives at Newark Airport today after a three-day flight delay in Shanghai on United Airlines. NEWARK - A plane carrying 225 people who were stranded for three days in Shanghai landed in Newark this morning, ending what passengers described as a nightmarish odyssey of cancellations and confusion. "It was hard to believe what anyone was telling us," said Jonathan Sokol, of Manhattan. "We kept getting closer and closer to leaving and then not leaving." After three days of cancellations, a United flight carrying the weary travelers arrived at 11:19 a.m. "It was a very tough time for the customers," said Rahsaan Johnson, a spokesman for the airline. "We hope they give us another chance to win their business." United will cover passengers' expenses during the delay and offer each customer a full refund, as well as $1,000 off of future travel on the airline, Johnson said. The passengers on United Flight 87 were originally scheduled to take off on their more than 13-hour trip at 3:45 p.m. Shanghai time Wednesday, but "a necessary repair" on the plane led to the flight being canceled that night and again on Thursday night, Johnson said. He did not know the type of repair made to the plane. About 50 lucky passengers were put on other flights to the U.S., but packed planes led to the 225 remaining passengers being stranded. were all put up in hotels, Johnson said. On Friday, the plane was fixed, but "we were unable to complete required predeparture activities" in time for the crew to operate the plane within federal work rules. So the hardy travelers stayed one more night in their hotels http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/united_flight_stranded_in_shan.html Back to Top Back to Top China to become largest aircraft market: Airbus (Xinhua) LONDON -- China is sure to become the single largest market for aircraft in the world, said John Leahy, chief operating officer-customers at Airbus, at the Farnborough International Airshow which was closed in southwest of London on Sunday. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Leahy, who help Airbus raise market share from 18 percent in 1995 to the present 50 percent, said: "There's no doubt in my mind that China will become the single largest economy in the world and single largest for aircraft in the world. The two goes together." Speaking of the impact of European debt crisis, he said the crisis is over rated. "It's a financial crisis, not-necessarily a transportation crisis, we have aircraft that help reduce the crisis to running the airline, make travel less expensive. He took Airbus' new aircraft A380 as example. It consumes only 2.9 liters per hundred kilometers. "we build a way for more people to fly, more comfortably at lower cost, that's the way for the future." Commenting on China's domestically designed passenger plane C919, Leahy said C919 will be a very good aeroplane, saying that he had very high respect for the Chinese counterparts. He believed that China would be among the three large manufacturers in the world, namely Airbus, Boeing and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, which is the producer of the C919 plane. The C919 is a 150-seat aircraft designed for short-haul commercial use. The project was launched in 2008 by the COMAC, which is a State-owned company. At the week-long Farnborough Airshow, one of the largest such show in the world, Airbus won about $16.9 billion worth of business for a total of 115 aircraft, including Memorandum of Understanding for 61 aircraft worth $5.8 billion and firm purchase orders for 54 aircraft worth around $11.1 billion. Leahy said that the important thing is that what you show at the airshow, what you sell in the airshow. "This year we will sell more aircraft. It's the record year in term of quantitative delivery years," he said. So this will be a very good year for the Airbus and a very good year for our partners buying our products, " he added. Back to Top In Bankruptcy, American Airlines Looks At All Options Will American emerge from bankruptcy as a stand-alone airline, or will it merge with US Airways? An American spokesman says it's considering all options. (NPR) Imagine going into bankruptcy with billions of dollars in cash still in your bank account. That's what American Airlines did last November. The thinking was that management would gut the company's pensions and union contracts and emerge from bankruptcy ready to compete. But then US Airways said it could take over American and be profitable, and it wouldn't have to hurt American's employees nearly as bad in the process. American's pilots, mechanics and flight attendants loved that idea. James Little is the president of the Transportation Workers International Union of America. His 26,000 members who work at American are still going to be giving back in these newly renegotiated contracts. But it's going to be better than American first proposed. "In one group, the fleet service alone, which is a little over 12,000 members, we were saving about 4,000 jobs. In fact, we were keeping about another 27 cities open that American had chosen to close," Little says. While American Airlines could very well emerge from bankruptcy a healthier stand-alone airline, there are quite a few analysts who believe that if it really wants to compete successfully with United and Delta, American needs to merge. American spokesman Bruce Hicks says it's looking at all options. "American Airlines is committed to the best outcome, whatever that outcome might be, for all stakeholders involved, and particularly our employees, all employees at every level - management, nonmanagement, union, nonunion alike," Hicks says. The New York Times reported that American's management team stands to make between $300 million and $600 million in bonuses if American Airlines emerges from bankruptcy as a stand-alone company, and that only after the giant payday has been pocketed will the inevitable merger with US Airways be allowed to go through. That's not the case, says Hicks. "Trust me: There's nothing motivating the management of American Airlines except the success of American Airlines," he says. Back to Top The 'Helicopter King Of China' Is Quietly Building An Empire WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Known as the "Helicopter King of China," Shenzong Cheng has been quietly building a small empire in aviation manufacturing. Now, the Chinese industrialist is making an ambitious play to acquire Kansas aircraft-maker Hawker Beechcraft's civilian aircraft operations. As details of the $1.79 billion deal with Beijing-based Superior Aviation Beijing Co. Ltd. begin to emerge in bankruptcy filings, so too does the dizzying maze of companies leading back to Cheng in Beijing. Superior is 60 percent owned by Beijing Superior Aviation Technology Corp. Ltd. - a private entity entirely owned by Cheng and his wife, Qin Wang, according to a letter outlining the proposal. Hawker Beechcraft, which filed for bankruptcy protection in May, said it was premature to comment on Cheng's role in the acquisition. Superior CEO Tim Archer told The Associated Press in a written statement Thursday that Superior Aviation looks forward to a strategic partnership with Hawker Beechcraft's civilian aircraft division. He said Superior intends to strengthen Hawker Beechcraft's position as a global leader by "re-igniting" its research and development programs. "We will aggressively work to keep jobs in the United States by continued production of the Hawker and Beechcraft product lines and expanding the production, design, and servicing of civilian aircraft at all locations including Kansas, Arkansas and Texas, and many other states across America," Archer wrote. An assistant for Cheng in China, Qian Chunyuan, said that Cheng was too busy to give interviews. In a report published this week in a Chinese newspaper, 21st Century Business Herald, Qian was quoted saying Hawker Beechcraft is "a company whose brand value is very high, with many bidders." He also told the newspaper that Cheng is pursuing another potential acquisition, an Australian aircraft distributor, which would be used to sell the company's products. Cheng is chairman of Qingdao Haili Helicopter Co. Ltd., a helicopter manufacturer in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao that makes B-2B light helicopters as well as unmanned helicopters. The newspaper Oriental Morning Post in Shanghai reported Qingdao Haili has suspended helicopter production due to poor export orders. Cheng also is chairman of Weifang Tianxiang Aviation Technology Co. Ltd. In 2009, Weifang Tianxiang and an American helicopter manufacturer, Brantly International Ltd., of Coppell, Texas, set up a joint venture, Weifang Tianxiang Aerospace Industry Co. Ltd., and received approval to invest $20 million to set up a production line, according to the website of the Commerce Department of Shandong province, where Qingdao is located. The engineering and administrative offices of Brantly International were relocated to Superior's facilities in Coppell, Texas, where their operations have apparently merged. Brantly, which once built the B-2B helicopters at its Texas plant, says all its manufacturing is done at its parent facility in Qingdao, China. Today, the company's parts and service department remains in business, but its website says no new helicopters are currently available for sale. The Brantly Group paid $7 million in 2009 to acquire U.S. aircraft parts supplier Superior Air Parts Co., which at the time was in bankruptcy proceedings, according to court filings. In a letter sent to Hawker Beechcraft outlining Superior's proposal to acquire the Kansas plane-maker, Cheng touted his company's experience in the United States. "Superior has acquired an aviation business in the U.S. in 2009 out of bankruptcy and has turned the target into a profitable business within less than two ... years under the ownership of Superior, so the management of Superior is very familiar with the bankruptcy acquisition process and acquiring and managing an aviation business in the U.S.," Cheng wrote. Hawker Beechcraft employs about 7,400 people, with roughly 4,700 working at its Wichita, Kan., facility. It also has factories in Little Rock, Ark., the U.K. and Mexico, as well as more than 100 service centers worldwide. Analysts say it is unlikely Superior would move Hawker Beechcraft's entire aircraft production lines to China because doing so would mean the loss of its FAA production certificate, although some work could be farmed out. In his letter to Hawker Beechcraft, Cheng wrote that Superior had no plans to relocate or terminate any manufacturing facilities or product lines. But Cheng also noted that Superior has worked closely with the Beijing municipal government to build a strong aviation industry in Beijing. The remaining 40 percent ownership interest in Superior is held by Beijing E-Town International Investment & Development Corp. Ltd., an investment company controlled by the Beijing municipal government. E-Town owns stakes in 23 foreign investment projects with total assets of $1 billion, according to information publicized by the company in advertising for job applicants. E-Town was set up in 2009 by the Beijing city government's Economic and Technology Development Committee. It is intended to support development in the Yizhuang district on the southern edge of the Chinese capital. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-helicopter-king-of-china-is-quietly- building-an-empire-2012-7#ixzz20n8NwiLW Back to Top The world's best airline for 2012 is ... Asian and Middle Eastern airlines take most of the honors at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards. But who came out on top? Once again, Qatar flies higher than the others.. (CNN) Qatar Airways has flown away with the title of World's Best Airline for the second consecutive year. It took the Airline of the Year prize in Skytrax's annual World Airline Awards, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in England. South Korea's Asiana Airlines and Singapore Airlines followed in second and third place. Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways fell out of the top 10 -- spots they won last year -- while ANA All Nippon Airways and Malaysia Airlines made their top 10 debuts. The top 10 was dominated by airlines from Asia and the Middle East. Skytrax collected opinions from 18 million international fliers between July 2011 and June 2012 on different aspects of airline passenger experience -- from check-in to in- flight entertainment. Etihad Airways won Best First Class Airline, taking home the Best First Class Catering and Best First Class Seat awards too. Cathay Pacific has the Best Business Class while Singapore Airlines won the Best Economy Class award, and also the Best Economy Class Catering award. The Best Airline Signature Dish and Best Cabin Staff went to Malaysia Airlines. The Kuala Lumpur-based carrier serves delicious satay chicken and beef sticks onboard. The 2012 World Airline Awards Airline of the year: 1. Qatar Airways 2. Asiana Airlines 3. Singapore Airlines 4. Cathay Pacific Airways 5. ANA All Nippon Airways 6. Etihad Airways 7. Turkish Airlines 8. Emirates 9. Thai Airways 10. Malaysia Airlines Best first class airline: 1. Etihad Airways 2. Singapore Airlines 3. ANA All Nippon Airways Best business class airline: 1. Cathay Pacific Airways 2. Qatar Airways 3. Oman Air Best economy class airline: 1. Singapore Airlines 2. Qatar Airways 3. Asiana Airlines Best cabin staff: 1. Malaysia Airlines 2. Asiana Airlines 3. EVA Air The full list is here. Best seats: First class: Etihad Airways Business class: Oman Air Premium economy: Turkish Airlines Economy class: Asiana Airlines Best catering: First class: Etihad Airways Business class: SWISS International Air Lines Premium economy: Qantas Airways Economy class: Singapore Airlines Signature dish: Malaysia Airlines Best inflight entertainment: Emirates Best regional airlines: Garuda Indonesia Best low-cost airlines: AirAsia Most improved airlines: China Eastern Airlines Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC