Flight Safety Information August 30, 2012 - No. 176 In This Issue Dutch F16s Escort Spanish Jet to Schiphol Afghanistan: Helicopter Crash Kills 2 NATO Troops Threat prompts Air China midflight turnaround Airline safety, finances need separate watchdogs PRISM Certification Support PIA clears EU safety audit, gears up for EASA 145 Woman gives birth in Emirates airplane Custom-controlled climate on airplanes Graduate Research Survey Dutch F16s Escort Spanish Jet to Schiphol The Netherlands scrambled two F16 fighter jets Wednesday to escort a Spanish passenger plane to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport after air traffic controllers could not make contact with the aircraft's crew. Dutch media initially reported a possible hijacking, but local police and Vueling, the Spanish carrier whose jet was at the center of the scare, later confirmed there was never a hijacking or a hostage situation. "Amsterdam's protocol for security was activated owing to a temporary loss of communication between the plane and air traffic control," Vueling said in a tweet. The Dutch Defense Ministry said the F16s were scrambled when no radio contact could be made with the plane, which was carrying more than 180 passengers. The ministry's statement said that F16s are sent up to "establish visual contact with the crew" whenever a plane is in Dutch airspace and cannot be contacted by radio. After it landed, the Vueling Airbus 320 taxied to a remote corner of Schiphol about two kilometers (1.5 miles) from the main terminal and was immediately surrounded by security personnel and several ambulances. A bus later arrived to ferry the passengers to the airport. National Dutch broadcaster NOS spoke by phone with a person it identified as one of the passengers who said that there was no panic on board. "Everything is calm," the passenger said shortly after the plane landed. A Vueling spokeswoman said one of the company's planes had a similar communication problem while flying the same route last year. She said the problem occurred over France and that France sent up a Mirage 2000 to escort it for a while. The plane was allowed to continue its journey and land as planned. The spokeswoman was unable to say if it involved the same plane or pilot. She spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with company rules. The security alert in Amsterdam came as part of Schiphol Airport already was evacuated and several flights had been delayed or cancelled after workmen digging a trench unearthed a 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) German World War II bomb. The bomb was safely removed by late afternoon. Nazi forces who occupied the Netherlands in WWII took over Schiphol and used it as a base for Luftwaffe aircraft. It was repeatedly bombed by Allied and German air forces during the war. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/reports-plane-spain-amsterdam- hijacked-17103377#.UD9GBsFlTnQ Back to Top Afghanistan: Helicopter Crash Kills 2 NATO Troops KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The international military coalition in Afghanistan says two international service members have been killed in a helicopter crash in the country's south. NATO forces said in a statement that they had no reports of enemy activity in the area where the helicopter crashed Thursday. The statement does not provide further details on the incident nor the nationality of the dead. At least 54 international service members have been killed in Afghanistan so far this month. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/30/afghanistan-helicopter- crash_n_1841889.html Back to Top Threat prompts Air China midflight turnaround An unspecified threat forced a New York-bound Air China flight to return to Beijing on Wednesday seven hours after takeoff, the airline said. "Due to threatening information received about flight CA 981, to ensure the safety of passengers, this flight has returned to Beijing Capital International Airport," the Chinese flag carrier said in a terse statement posted online. The flight took off at 1:30 p.m. (1:30 a.m. ET) Wednesday and was scheduled to land at John. F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at 2:20 p.m. the same day. Instead, it turned around midair and returned to Beijing at 8:26 p.m. Wednesday, according to the airline's website. Police were called in to investigate but found nothing suspicious, the airport authority said in statements posted online. State media also quoted police as saying the initial warning of the threat came from U.S. authorities. The flight took off again at 12:31 a.m. Thursday and is expected to arrive in New York at 12:45 a.m. the same day, according to the airline's website. Beijing-based Air China did not reveal the nature of the threat or the number of passengers and crew members on board its Boeing 747 jumbo jet. The aircraft seats up to 344 passengers in the carrier's configuration, and it is peak travel season between China and the United States. Messages and photos posted on Chinese social-media sites showed passengers and their luggage being rescreened at the airport upon landing. One passenger, whose online handle is Kejiwaijiao, said he noticed something was wrong when the flight map on board indicated the plane was headed back to Beijing. When he inquired, he said, flight attendants told him it was a map display error. "The captain notified us (of the reason) after we safely landed," he wrote on Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter. Another passenger, whose Weibo name is Nataliebu, said crew members only told passengers to buckle up and sit tight due to strong air turbulence. On June 29, passengers and crew members thwarted a hijack attempt on a short-haul flight within the far western Chinese province of Xinjiang. Authorities said six ethnic Uyghur men tried to take control of the plane through violence before being subdued. The plane returned to its origin safely. Security is usually tight throughout Beijing Capital International Airport, the world's second-busiest air hub after Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta. More than 78 million passengers passed through the Beijing airport's three terminals last year. http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/29/travel/air-china-flight-threat/index.html Back to Top Airline safety, finances need separate watchdogs The most recent developments in Kingfisher Airlines, where the pilots are yet again on strike and the company is operating only 11 aircraft and 85 flights in a day, raises an important question: Should the financial viability of an airline be totally and completely linked with its safety aspects? Or, should the two - financial sustainability and safety -- be separated, with lapses in either providing enough grounds to shut down an airline? Should an airline that may be technically 'safe', but financially in a poor state, be allowed to run? After all, could not its poor finances eventually compromise on the safety of its operations as well? At the moment, both the financial and safety aspects of airlines are looked into by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). According to Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) norms regulating the operations of airlines in the country, the DGCA can consider adverse financial indicators - such as significant lay-offs or turnover of personnel, delays in meeting payrolls, evidence of cutting corners, demands for 'cash on delivery' by suppliers who were earlier providing credit, inadequate maintenance of aircraft, shortage of supplies and spare parts, curtailment or reduced frequency of revenue flights, and sale or possession of aircraft or other major equipment - for taking action, including shutting down, against the airline. It is another thing, though, that the DGCA hardly invokes these provisions. Instead, the airline watchdog confines itself to only the safety aspects. As a result, there is no body that closely monitors the financial conditions of airlines and takes action based on these indicators that can be the precursor to non-adherence to safety standards. Bifurcating functions The Government is making some attempts at changing this state of affairs by proposing the setting up of a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), whose mandate would extend to safety, economic regulation and grievance resolution functions. The CAA will be a financially autonomous body, which will have separate wings looking into the financial and safety aspects of operating airlines. The proposal of bifurcating the two functions within a single regulatory body was mooted first two years ago, after the crash of an Air Indian Express airline in Mangalore, which resulted in the death of 150 people. Given the precarious finances of not just Air India, but even Kingfisher - which have implications in terms of unpaid, overworked and de- motivated employees not giving their best - the need to take action based on both aspects cannot be overemphasised. Incidentally, this is also the practice globally, where the safety and financial aspects of the aviation sector are looked after by different agencies. In the US, for example, there is the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The NTSB is an independent federal agency charged with determining the probable cause of transportation accidents, promoting transportation safety, and assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families. The FAA's mission on the other hand is to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world. No clarity in the air Coming back to the domestic aviation sector, the guidelines for running a domestic airline currently require an airline to operate with a minimum fleet of five aircraft and a paid-up capital of at least Rs 50 crore. Both these are conditions that the likes of Kingfisher or Air India meet. Of course, it is a different matter when the airlines have disgruntled staff members, owe various entities thousands of crores in arrears, and operate truncated flight schedules for months leaving harassed flyers literally on the ground. Should the Government in these cases wait for an untoward incident to happen, before initiating any action? Or is it waiting for the airlines to collapse under piles of debt, which will then save it from taking any tough decision? In the current scenario, there is no clarity as to what a body like the DGCA can do about addressing the financial viability aspects of any airline. DGCA officials claim they are only a safety watchdog - though the CAR says otherwise - and hence not mandated to shut down an airline if it is not financially viable. At the moment, any decision to shut the airline will have to be taken by the DGCA in consultation with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. And while this is not happening, Kingfisher continues to operate its truncated fleet. Way forward Another school of thought believes that if Kingfisher - or for that matter any other airline is not making money - it should be the owner's decision to shut down the airline. After all, this is what happens in any business. But since the government gives permission to airlines to fly in the skies after checking out their financial standing, shouldn't it also play a role in deciding to shut down an airline? Of course, in the event of shutting down, what will happen to the employees of the airlines and thousands of others who depend on it for their livelihood? The only way forward is to expedite the formation of the CAA and ensure that its mandate is carefully thought through before it becomes operational. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/article3836241.ece?homepage=true Back to Top Back to Top PIA clears EU safety audit, gears up for EASA 145 KARACHI: Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has improved its safety record and cleared all time critical safety audit of its engineering facilities while its aircraft managed to impress the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) inspections at different European destinations. The airline after this success is gearing up for EASA 145 certification, which is another milestone required for making airline's engineering facilities a revenue making entity by offering services to regional airlines. Quite contrary to its track record of last 2-3 years the national flag carrier has surprised the aviation circles by passing with flying colours a Basic Aviation Risk Assessment audit of the airline, which was carried out by the European Union (EU) aviation audit team. The EU inspectors have cleared the airline with nil findings/objections in its operations viz safety of passengers and aircraft. This audit is a mandatory requirement for the aircraft operating in or even overflying Europe and since PIA is also having more and more charter business from UN etc these days, it was a must thing for the airline. A quality assurance team of PIA has already conducted the audit of flights operations, flight safety and engineering facilities while teams of PIA and Civil Aviation Authority will also jointly conduct quality assurance audit so that airline could make headway in obtaining European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 145 certification. EASA Part 145 applies to the aircraft maintenance sector. It is the standard for the certification and operation of an aircraft maintenance organisation, such as a repair station and its employees. The EASA regulates and enforces the standards for civil aviation safety in Europe. They serve the same purpose as the Federal Aviation Administration does for the United States. Once a repair station has a Part 145 certification, they will be a recognised maintenance organisation worldwide. However, the applicable rules must be adhered to, staff report. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C08%5C30%5Cstory_30-8- 2012_pg5_5 Back to Top Woman gives birth in Emirates airplane A mother who went into premature labour on a flight was forced to give birth in the airplane toilet. The aircarft was forced to make an emergency landing in Vietnam after the Filipina woman gave birth to a boy. Two Filipina nurses on the flight rushed over to help with the mid-air delivery as the plane flew from Dubai to Manila. And the mother has decided to name the boy EK after the airline code for Emirates. Flying high: The parents of EK pose for the camera after the birth in the Emirates plane's toilet One of the nurses, Karen Caballes-Santos told Gulfnews partner website XPRESS: 'When I saw the mother walking toward the toilet, she seemed to be in pain. The father was restless... walking back and forth, nearly in tears, so I offered to help.' She said she found the baby inside the toilet turning bluish-brown' due to lack of oxygen.' Happy crew: After the drama of an emergency landing in Vietnam the baby was named after the airline's code After clearing the amniotic fluid from the baby's mouth, nose and ears, oxygen masks were given to the pair. The baby was kept wrapped in cabin blankets and kept warm using the LED lamps attached to the passengers seats. The website reported that the 35-year-old mother was discharged from hospital on Friday, but the baby, born early at 27 weeks, is still in critical care. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2195605/Baby-boy-born-Emirates-airplane- toilet-named-EK-airline-code.html?ito=feeds-newsxml Back to Top Custom-controlled climate on airplanes The indoor climate on airplanes is a frequent source of complaints. In the future, passengers should be able to set their own individualised climate and temperature controls and also be able to adjust air supply to their own personal preference. At the ILA Berlin Air Show from 11 to 16 September, among other things, researchers will be presenting an airplane seat that is able to provide for these settings. Start your vacation as soon as you walk into the airplane. But the indoor environment inside these metal birds often leaves much to be desired: while it's too cold for him, it's too dry for her; is there more fresh air, and can you make it cooler? Also the low humidity may still cause dissatisfaction among several passengers. This may all change in the future. Until now, indoor climate could only be set by the main controls, but soon, the passenger will be able to modulate it individually - from the temperature, to the speed at which fresh air flows in, and even the humidity in the air. Because the temperature and humidity that different people find comfortable varies widely. More comfort through seat heating and ventilation, and adjustable air supply The technologies that are needed for this purpose are currently being developed by the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP in Valley, working in a consortium - together with nine partners from universities and the aviation industry - through iSPACE, a project funded by the EC. All that you need to regulate indoor climate individually, explains Dr. Gunnar Grün, head of department ''indoor climate'' at IBP: ''You need various components that we engineered within the consortium. Humidifier units deliver greater humidity; air purifier technologies filter unwanted substances from the air; optimised vents allow fresh air to flow in, and the passengers can set their own personal comfort temperatures through the seat heaters, just like the ones we find in cars today. And there is seat ventilation that draws in heat and moisture between body and seat, thus keeping the seat comfortably cool.'' Fraunhofer researchers have devoted their attention primarily to the supply of fresh air. Until now, passengers could only manipulate an air jet in the ceiling. The majority of passengers shut these off right when the flight begins, because it blows air directly onto their heads, creating heavy drafts and additional noise. The scientists have now developed other alternatives; they have integrated air inlets into the seat's armrests, into the back rests of the seat in front and, in first class, also into gooseneck cables that currently house the reading lamps. Researchers initially simulated the airstreams that blow out of the various air inlets. Which geometry is best suited for these air inlets? How fast should the air flow out, so that it does not blow on the passengers or cause their skin and mucous membranes to lose too much moisture from the blowing speed, while allowing the optimal exchange of ambient air? Here, the researchers identified an area that allows passengers to regulate the air current themselves. In addition, the scientists have simulated and studied the ''age'' of air particles and studied how long the air remains within a certain region with particular ventilation systems. Practice tests in the aeronautics lab The systems that delivered the most promising results in the simulations were then subjected to a practice ''live'' testing by the researchers, at the Flight Test Facility in Valley. Located in an enormous hall is a 30-meter long low-pressure tube that, in turn, houses the front end of an Airbus A310. The low pressure tube makes it possible to drop the pressure to 150 hectopascals - and thus, replicate an altitude of up to 13,000 meters. Even the temperature and humidity during the ''flight'' are set so that they simulate those that would be found on a real flight. The researchers and their partners have installed their engineering advances into this airplane. To test these technologies, about 50 test subjects participated in each of three different ''flights.'' Inside the airplane cabin, at an ordinary ''cabin pressure altitude'' of 2,100 meters, the ''passengers'' could test which system best enabled them to attain their personalized indoor climate settings Visitors of the ILA Berlin Air Show, from September 11 - 16, will be able to try out the airplane seat - including testing seat heating and ventilation, as well as various air outlets (Hall 3, Booth 3221). Nonetheless, it may still take a few years until these technologies are installed on airplanes. http://www.domain-b.com/technology/20120830_airplanes_oneView.html Back to Top Graduate Research Survey Future cockpit display study: Airline pilot volunteers needed! Drew Henderson, a graduate student from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, is looking for active airline pilots to help him complete a study. The study takes 25 minutes to complete and involves a short flight simulation on a laptop computer and a questionnaire. If you live in the Washington DC area and would like to participate in the study please contact Drew at henderson464@hotmail.com or 703-400-8049. Drew is a former airline pilot and a member of an industry committee that is working on standards for the design of new cockpit displays for pilots. Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC