Flight Safety Information August 31, 2012 - No. 177 In This Issue 2012 ISASI Jerome F. Lederer Award Winner Ethiopian Airlines Creates Marketing Edge With Delivery of Dreamliner GPS Helps Airlines Stop Flying Blind PIA plane crash lands at Lahore airport PRISM Certification Support United Airlines flight attendant, 83, lands in Guinness book for longest tenure Southwest Airlines Announces Executive Changes Fly the Bio Skies: 10 Milestones in the Summer of Aviation biofuels 2012 ISASI Jerome F. Lederer Award Winner Curt L. Lewis has been awarded the prestigious 2012 Jerome F. Lederer Award by the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) at their annual ISASI Seminar in Baltimore on August 30th. The award is for "Outstanding contributions to technical excellence in accident investigation" and recognizes Mr. Lewis's continuing achievement and devotion to aviation safety. The award was created to honor Mr. Lederer, bestowed as the "Father of Aviation Safety" by Congress in 1997. Mr. Lederer was hired in 1926 to oversee aircraft maintenance by the U.S. Post Office and from 1929 to 1940 served as chief engineer for aviation insurance underwriters. In 1940 he accepted an appointment as director of the Civil Aeronautics Board's Safety Bureau, resigning to become director of the Airlines War Training Institute in 1942, training airmen and mechanics for the Air Transport Command and safety consultant to the 2nd Air Force. In 1947 he organized the Flight Safety Foundation and was director through 1967 when he was appointed director of the Office of Manned Space Flight Safety for the Apollo Program, becoming the Director for all of NASA in 1970. Mr. Lewis is an Assistant Professor with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide (Discipline Chair for Aviation Safety). Additionally, Mr. Lewis, following in the footsteps of other Lederer Award recipients and in the spirit of Jerry Lederer, is President/Owner of Curt Lewis & Associates, LLC. The consulting firm's major specialties are Aviation/Airline Safety, Accident Investigation and Reconstruction, Safety Management Systems, and Litigation support. Previously, Mr. Lewis was Director of Systems Safety, Corporate Manager of Flight Safety and Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) for American Airlines/AMR Corporation. Additionally he held safety management positions with LTV-Vought Aerospace and Texas Instruments, was a flight training instructor for Boeing, and a Corporate Pilot. Mr. Lewis is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Professional Engineer (PE), and a ISO-9001:2000 Certified Quality Auditor (PA). He holds "ISASI Fellow" membership. He is also a Fellow of the UK Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS). Mr. Lewis greatly appreciates the honor of the Lederer Award and the recognition of his dedication to "everything safety" and to the principles established by the "Father of Aviation Safety". Source: K. Beyer Curt Lewis & Associates, LLC Back to Top Ethiopian Airlines Creates Marketing Edge With Delivery of Dreamliner As the second airline after Japan Airlines to receive world latest aircraft, Boeing B787, known as the Dreamliner, Africa's most successful carrier, Ethiopia Airlines made history a fortnight ago as the aircraft built with composite material and 20 per cent fuel reduction landed at the runway of Bole Airport, Addis Ababa. Few days later the airline brought the aircraft to Lagos, its most lucrative route and then to Abuja, Nigeria's capital city. Government officials in Ethiopia said the arrival of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner dubbed the game changer, to the nation's international airport gave a boost to their national carrier's vision of becoming the most competitive and leading aviation group in Africa. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Mr. Hailemariam Desalegn, described the arrival of the aircraft as a major milestone not only for the national carrier, but for African aviation as a whole. The long-awaited aircraft, which was sent from the Washington DC to Addis Ababa was received amid celebrations and cultural display by the officials and invited dignitaries from all over the world at the nation's airport. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to Desalegn was an affirmation of the Ethiopian Airlines' commitment to play a leading role in development of "our country and the integration of the continent through the co-bringing of best possible, and reliable expanding services." The deputy prime minister, who said Ethiopia was the second in the world apart of Japan and first in Africa to take delivery of the aircraft, said with the new aircraft, the national carrier was contributing to the implementation of the nation's five-year national development and expansion plan by bringing in new aircraft such as the Dreamliner and expanding the economic development of the country. In this regard, he added, the Ethiopian Airlines "has been a great factor in the success of opening floors for tourism, trade and investment," while also welcoming tourists from Africa and beyond to explore the new aircraft and the nation. It was similar jubilation that welcomed the aircraft to Lagos last Sunday and in Abuja on Monday where excited passenger who flew the world's latest jetliner for the first time could not hold back the fact that they were history makers. In Lagos as the aircraft taxied to the apron from the runway, curious passengers who were to board the flight rushed to the windows to have the glimpse of the aircraft. The pilot of the aircraft with registration number ET- AOQ, Mr. Zelalem Hailu, explained that it was a good experience flying into Nigeria, disclosing that he has been flying for over 25 years and was trained to fly the Dreamliner at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom. Officials of aviation agencies including the managing director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA), Mr. Nnamdi Udoh, was on hand to inspect the aircraft, describing its arrival to Nigeria as a good development for the aviation industry. Some officials of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) were also on hand to inspect the aircraft. Speaking at the pre - arrival ceremony acting general manager of Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria, Mr Solomon Begashaw, described the acquisition of the aircraft as a landmark for the African carrier, which he said was the first airline to make order for the aircraft, even as it is the second airline in the world to operate the aircraft. He explained that being the first airline to introduce the Boeing 787 -800 Dreamliner, passengers would enjoy limitless features including more space for cargo, which the airline has been grappling with for a long time. He explained that the aircraft was designed with the passenger in mind, as it had many facilities that enrich their travel experience. The Ethiopian Airlines general manager also explained that with Africa as the core of its business strategy, Nigerian passengers would have a better experience with the aircraft, which he said would be deployed on the route and others. "As a continent this shows how much we are making progress as Africans... competing on the global stage and changing our image," Ethiopian Airline CEO Tewolde Gebremariam, told reporters at Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport. The plane arrived from Dulles airport in Washington, DC, home to the largest Ethiopian diaspora population globally. State-owned Ethiopian Airlines -- Africa's fastest growing carrier -- has purchased 10 B787 Dreamliners from Boeing. Each has an official list price of some $US207 million. Ethiopian Airlines is expected to operate the aircraft on routes throughout Africa and Europe, including Accra, Lagos, Rome and London. Tewolde said the delivery of the Dreamliner, dubbed "Africa First," was an achievement for the entire continent. The aircraft was constructed with lightweight carbon, as opposed to heavy aluminium found on other planes, consuming 20 per cent less fuel. http://allafrica.com/stories/201208310221.html Back to Top GPS Helps Airlines Stop Flying Blind As part of a $42 billion upgrade of the U.S. air-traffic control system, the Federal Aviation Administration is requiring airlines to install new GPS systems. Unlike a lot of regulation, this could actually end up saving consumers money. Right now air traffic controllers use radar to track planes. The 1940s-era technology works well over land where there are plenty of radar stations, but there is no radar over undeveloped mountain ranges or the oceans. So planes traveling in remote areas have to follow established routes and stay more than 50 nautical miles apart to avoid collisions. That's not the most efficient use of gas or time. By 2020 commercial airlines will have to begin using GPS systems that send out a plane's location once a second, compared with once every 4 to 12 seconds now, which will help controllers guide traffic with more precision. United Airlines (UAL) is taking the technology a step further, to reduce its reliance on controllers and increase the efficiency of its routes. The company is testing equipment that captures the locations of all aircraft within 200 nautical miles on a screen in the cockpit. Made by Honeywell International (HON), the system allows pilots to maneuver closer to other planes. That means they can take more efficient paths to their destinations. "We can save them fuel, and we can save them time, which allows the airline to put more passengers or freight on board the aircraft," says Brian Davis, a vice president of airlines and air transport at Honeywell. Pilots using the Honeywell devices on overseas flights would need to receive permission from controllers to turn or change altitudes but could safely come within 15 nautical miles of other planes, says Davis. That's more than two-thirds less than the current spacing required by the FAA. Having a full picture of air traffic may also improve safety during emergencies and storms, when flight paths may be changed. George Hamlin, president of Hamlin Transportation Consulting in Fairfax, Va., says the technology United is testing will be "a significant expense, but it's going to save [airlines] likely large amounts of money." United estimates that each year it can save an average of $190,000 for each plane that flies international routes, according to a company presentation given at an industry conference this year. The airline has tested the technology 16 times, and trials are continuing, says spokeswoman Mary Clark. The question now is how long it will take for all airlines to begin using GPS to broadcast their locations-and whether they'll pass their savings on to consumers in the form of lower ticket prices. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-30/gps-helps-airlines-stop-flying-blind Back to Top PIA plane crash lands at Lahore airport Passengers and flight staff were injured when a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane made a faulty landing at the Lahore airport, Express News reported on Friday. The airport was closed for all flights following the crash which initial reports say were caused by a problem in the landing gear. There were conflicting reports as to why the plane was resting on its right side on a grassy plane. Some reports said the pilot landed the ATR 653 there instead of the runway to minimize damage after the gear problem whereas other reports state the plane slid off the runway due to rain. The plane was on a routine flight from Islamabad in bad weather, but initial reports from the control tower stated the weather could not have been the main cause of the crash landing. Rescue teams and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) personnel reached the scene. Minor injuries were reported among the flight staff and passengers sitting towards the front end of the plane. Earlier today, a Lahore-bound PIA plane made an emergency landing in Quetta due to technical problems. It was earlier reported that almost a third of PIA flights have suffered delays this year due to technical and administrative reasons, dealing a severe blow to the national flag carrier's business. http://tribune.com.pk/story/429119/pia-plane-crash-lands-at-lahore-airport/ Back to Top Back to Top United Airlines flight attendant, 83, lands in Guinness book for longest tenure In 63 years, Ron Akana has seen it all-from 35,000 feet in the air, that is. The 83-year-old United Airlines flight attendant will appear in the Guinness World Records book in October for having the "longest career as a flight attendant" in the world. Akana, now a Boulder, Colo. resident, finished up his final route last weekend on a United Airlines flight from Denver to Kauai, The Associated Press reported. "I wasn't expecting this much attention," he told the AP on Tuesday. His airborne days started in 1949, when he was a student at the University of Hawaii and his friends saw a newspaper ad. "We didn't even know what a flight steward was," he told the AP. "But it meant getting to the mainland, which was a huge deal in those days." He became one of United's first male flight attendants: "We just liked working with girls," he told the AP. With the exception of two years away to serve in the Korean War, Akana has been in the skies ever since. In over six decades, he has seen the transformation of air travel. He saw meal service improve, the start of in-flight movies, passengers go from dressing up to dressing down, smoking become a federal offense and tighter security in the post-9/11 world. After being offered a buyout, he is retiring, the AP reported. "It was a job that started to grow on a person. I always flew with new personalities," Akana told Boulder's Daily Camera. "I know I'll miss it, but the time has come. Aching bones and joints." But his frequent flier days are far from over: In his retirement, Akana plans to travel frequently with his wife, the Daily Camera reported. "I got terrific travel privileges," he told the AP, adding: "There's a lot to be seen." Akana will miss the passengers and fellow crew members the most: "It's the people I worked with," he told the Daily Camera. "They always had interesting experiences that we all became part of." "We are grateful for Ron's many years of service and wish him well in his retirement," said United spokesperson Charles Hobart, in a written statement. http://overheadbin.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/30/13570654-united-airlines-flight- attendant-83-lands-in-guinness-book-for-longest-tenure?chromedomain=usnews Back to Top Southwest Airlines Announces Executive Changes CFO Laura Wright Announces Retirement; Tammy Romo Named as Successor Southwest Airlines announced that its Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Laura Wright, has advised the Company of her decision to retire. Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chairman, President, and CEO, said that Wright's decision was accepted with profound gratitude for her many significant contributions to the success of Southwest over the course of the last 25 years: "Laura has played a key role in the strong financial positioning of Southwest Airlines during the most challenging and difficult times our industry has ever faced," he said. "She has been a Leader who is respected throughout our Company, our industry, and the financial community." Under Wright's leadership, Southwest has maintained the strongest balance sheet in the American airline industry; the best fuel hedging position in our industry; and an award- winning aircraft financing strategy. Kelly also announced that Tammy Romo has been named to succeed Wright as Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Romo has been serving Southwest as Senior Vice President of Planning. She joined Southwest in 1991 as Manager of Financial Reporting and has previously served as Director of Investor Relations, Vice President - Treasurer, Vice President - Controller, and Vice President of Financial Planning. Prior to joining Southwest, Romo was an audit manager at Coopers & Lybrand, LLP. "We are fortunate to have a deep and knowledgeable leadership bench," Kelly said. "Tammy is an excellent choice based on her strong accounting and technical background, outstanding strategic planning capabilities, and deep knowledge of our Company and overall corporate finance strategy." Romo said: "I look forward to working with our superb Finance organization to continue executing on our well-planned strategies and initiatives designed to enhance Shareholder value. We have great momentum on our plans, and I am honored to step into this role." Wright said the decision to retire was made easier by Southwest's succession planning. "We have an able successor already in place with Tammy, and an amazing Finance leadership team that won't miss a beat. I have a long list of things I'm anxious to tend to, including more time with family. With Gary's leadership and the strategies in place, I leave with confidence regarding the bright future of this great Company." Kelly said: "Although I will personally miss Laura, I am respectful and understanding of her decision. I am also exceedingly pleased that Southwest has the demonstrated depth of management talent and leadership capability that will enable our Shareholders, Employees, and Customers to continue to be proud to be a part of the ongoing Southwest Airlines story of success." The leadership changes will be effective Sept. 20, 2012. Wright will remain with the Company through yearend to assist with the transition. As CFO, Romo will retain her leadership over the Financial Planning and Analysis, and Strategic Planning functions from her current role. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/30/4771365/southwest-airlines-announces- executive.html Back to Top Fly the Bio Skies: 10 Milestones in the Summer of Aviation biofuels As we head into the Labor Day holiday and we look back on a big summer for biofuels development, there has been the Summer of Algae II underway for the past couple of weeks. There's been the drought, and the policy fight over the Renewable Fuel Standard. But in many respects, its been a summer about aviation biofuels - starting with the demonstration of the US Navy's Green Strike Group and continuing to announcements of projects right through the summer. The story has internationalized, the technologies are broadening, and more and more blue-chip players are making serious steps towards commercial deployment. Here were 10 milestones you might have missed. 1. At the beginning of the summer, the Green Strike Group got underway at RIMPAC. The United States Navy may be laboring under a congressional ban on biofuel purchases that cost more than bargain basement fossil fuels, but no one said the Navy can't burn the biofuel it's already got. Nothing would bring that day closer than the naval exercises held off the Hawaiian islands starting June 29, known as the Rim of the Pacific Fleet Exercises, or RIMPAC War Games. The setting of the movie "Battleship", RIMPAC is a competitive war simulation in which participating fleets and naval vessels attempt to outmaneuver and "sink" each others' ships, winning or losing tactical points in the RIMPAC scoring system. Why a big deal: Critics carped over the per-gallon cost, but the demonstration was all about technical performance, and the Green Strike Group performed spectacularly. Next stop for the Navy: parity-performance, parity-cost military biofuels by mid-decade. 2. In mid-June, the DOE released details of a long-awaited funding opportunity announcement for advanced biofuels for aviation and military applications, titled "Innovative Pilot and demonstration-scale production of advanced biofuels." According to the DOE, "the intent of this FOA is to identify, evaluate, and select innovative pilot- or demonstration-scale integrated biorefineries that can produce hydrocarbon fuels that meet military specifications for JP-5 (jet fuel primarily for the Navy), JP-8 (jet fuel primarily for the Air Force), or F-76 (diesel)." Why a big deal: That's major dollars these days at the budget-squeezed DOE. 3. Right before (US) Independence Day, the Air Force tested Gevo's alcohol-to-fuel jetfuel made from isobutanol in an Air Force A-10 Thunder Bolt on June 28 at Elgin Air Force Base. The flight on a 50/50 blend was hailed has a great achievement because of the fuel's alcohol base rather than oils. Why a big deal: The testing and certification effort for alcohol-to-jet fuels is making big strides. It's hoped that these fuels can provide a low-cost path in the near term. 4. In early July, Canada's National Research Council funded test flights in May and June of a Dassault Falcon 20 to test renewable aviation fuel produced from domestically- produced brassica carinata feedstock. The plane was followed by a Lockheed T-33 vintage jet trainer to measure emissions in real time. Why a big deal: Canada's strides towards aviation biofuels are gaining momentum - note that a new Canadian-focused feedstock, carinata, is in the mix here. 5. Also in early July, GE committed to buy 5 million gallons of biofuels annually for its aviation division, starting in January 2015. The commitment totals half of the 10 million gallons used at the company's jet engine testing facilities near Cincinnati. Many Ohioans see a kickstart for the crop economy, which already has the capability to grow and process miscanthus, camelina, soy, and switchgrass, among other more traditional feedstocks. Why a big deal: That's a ton of testing, indicative of a major effort at GE 6. In mid-July, Lufthansa said that it believes that A1 jet fuel will remain the main aviation fuel for the next 20 years but does expect renewable jet fuel to replace up to 5% of the market in the next five to seven years. With the European economic climate no longer interesting for investors, the airline believes that agricultural investments-for feedstock for aviation biofuel, for example-is an area not yet fully exploited. Why a big deal: 5 percent may sound small, but its a 60 billion gallon market - that's 3 billion gallons. 7. In the first week of August, Amyris announced the signing of an amendment to its collaboration agreement with Total. Under the enhanced collaboration, Total reaffirmed its commitment to Amyris's technology and dedicated its $82 million funding budget over the next three years exclusively for the deployment of Biofene, Amyris's renewable farnesene, for production of renewable diesel and jet fuel. Total's commitment includes a $30 million payment to Amyris this year. In related news, Amyris announced a Q2 loss of $46.8 million on revenues of $19.0 million, with revenues down from $32 million for Q2 2011. Why a big deal: Total aims to take Amyris-based jet fuel all the way. 8. Earlier this month, Boeing and COMAC opened a joint Aviation Energy Conservation and Emissions Reductions Technology Center, a collaborative effort to support commercial aviation industry growth. The Boeing-COMAC Technology Center's first research project aims to identify contaminants in "gutter oil" and processes that may treat and clean it for use as jet fuel. Waste cooking oil shows potential for sustainable aviation biofuel production and an alternative to petroleum-based fuel because China annually consumes approximately 29 million tons of cooking oil, while its aviation system uses 20 million tons of jet fuel. Finding ways to convert discarded "gutter oil" into jet fuel could enhance regional biofuel supplies and improve biofuel's affordability. Why a big deal: Can you say China? 9. Last week, Aemetis announced a license agreement with Chevron Lummus Global for the inexpensive, rapid production of renewable jet and diesel fuel by the conversion of existing biofuels and petroleum refineries. The license agreement grants Aemetis Advanced Fuels Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aemetis, the use of the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION Process for the production of 100% drop-in renewable jet fuel and diesel in Aemetis biorefineries throughout North America. Why a big deal: This is 100 percent drop-in fuel, rather than 50/50 blends that biofuels are currently limited to because they lack aromatics 10. This week, the Australian Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (AISAF) was inaugurated on 08 August 2012. It has funding for 12 months in the first instance. The Steering Committee held its first meeting on 20 August 2012. AISAF is a public-private initiative that aims to facilitate sustainable growth of the aviation industry by bringing together Australian leaders in the aviation industry and in the components of the developing supply chain for sustainable aviation fuels, promoting and driving the development of the SAF industry in Australia, undertaking collaborative work under the Memorandum of Understanding on SAF signed by Australian and the USA on 13 September 2011, and undertaking collaboration work with other international partners. Why a big deal: Australia makes a huge stride towards an aviation biofuels industry http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2012/08/31/fly-the-bio-skies-10-milestones-in- the-summer-of-aviation-biofuels/ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC