Flight Safety Information September 3, 2012 - No. 178 In This Issue Soviet-era military jet crashes at Iowa air show, pilot killed Plane evacuated at Cologne-Bonn airport Author and aviator Richard Bach injured in plane crash IATA urges collaborative African safety approach PRISM Certification Support New FAA Safety Briefing Magazine Highlights Aviation Educators Threat forces Chinese flight diversion for 2nd day in a row Aviation company TAE Systems fined for plane fuel tank explosion at Adelaide Airport Jordan- Announcing the WFP's 4th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference Soviet-era military jet crashes at Iowa air show, pilot killed Plane was performing in the Quad-City Air Show in Davenport when the crash occurred A daring maneuver ended tragically for a pilot at an air show in Iowa on Saturday after he was killed in a feiry crash, authorities said. The unidentified pilot inside a Soviet-era retired military jet was performing in the Quad- City Air Show in Davenport when the crash occurred, the Quad-City Times reported. Authorities said the jet was flying in formation with other jets when it failed to pull out of a 45-degree bank and crashed into a field north of Interstate 80 around 1:25 p.m. Saturday. Assistant Davenport Police Chief Don Schaeffer did not reveal the pilot's name, but said he was not from Davenport. "He never had an opportunity to come out of it," Schaeffer said. Schaeffer said at a news conference that the plane flew directly into the ground. No one on the surface was hurt, but crowds watching the show saw the plane go down and erupt in flames. Davenport police and federal investigators planned to comb the field Saturday for widely scattered wreckage from the plane. Schaeffer estimated parts of the plane were strewn over an area up to 220 yards, or a tenth of a mile. "There are literally hundreds of pieces of debris scattered across the field," he said. "We want to collect and catalog each piece so that if the FAA or some other investigating body wants to rebuild the plane, they can do it." Schaeffer said he had no information about what may have caused the crash. Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration were at the scene, but they did not take part in the news conference. The crash investigation was expected to resume Sunday morning, Schaeffer said. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/soviet-era-military-jet-crashes- iowa-air-show-pilot-killed-article-1.1149971#ixzz25PpUHSGd Back to Top Plane evacuated at Cologne-Bonn airport BERLIN (AP) - Authorities at the Cologne-Bonn airport say 11 people have been injured after smoke filled the cabin of a Turkish airliner. Airport fire department spokesman Jens Mueller said Monday the plane was evacuated midday at the airport. Seven people were treated on the scene for minor smoke inhalation and four others were taken to the hospital with slightly more severe injuries. He says it is not yet known what caused the smoke. There were about 200 people on the plane. Airport police say some of the passengers on board the Oger Turk flight reported smelling kerosene. Mueller says the plane had landed as scheduled in Cologne-Bonn en route to a final destination elsewhere, but that he didn't have further details of where the plane started its journey or was bound. ********** Date: 03-SEP-2012 Time: 11.39 a.m. Type: Boeing 737-800 Operator: XL Airways Registration: D-AXLF C/n / msn: 28218 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 193 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: None Location: Cologne-Bonn airport - Germany Phase: Landing Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Hannover Destination airport: Cologne-Bonn airport Narrative: Authorities at the Cologne-Bonn airport say 11 people have been injured after smoke filled the cabin of a Turkish airliner. Seven people were treated on the scene for minor smoke inhalation and four others were taken to the hospital with slightly more severe injuries. He says it is not yet known what caused the smoke. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Author and aviator Richard Bach injured in plane crash CAMANO ISLAND, Washington (Reuters) - Richard Bach, a pilot and author of the 1970s bestselling book "Jonathan Livingston Seagull," was seriously injured when he flipped his small aircraft on landing at an island in northwestern Washington state, authorities said on Saturday. Bach, 76, clipped power lines with the landing gear of his 2008 Easton Gilbert Searey as he tried to land on a grass airstrip on San Juan Island , said Michael McElrath, the dispatcher for the San Juan County Sheriff's Office. The crash left Bach suspended upside down and strapped to his harness in the single- engine plane, McElrath said. A group of tourists found Bach and cut him loose from the wreckage. He was bleeding and had a "dent" in his head, Lucy Williams, one of the tourists, told the San Juan Islander, a local publication. Bach was transported by helicopter to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. A nursing supervisor said on Saturday that he was listed in serious condition. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were on San Juan Island on Saturday to probe the cause of the crash, McElrath said, adding that Bach lived on nearby Orcas Island though it was unclear where he had taken off from. The plane was "heavily damaged" in the crash, McElrath said. Back to Top IATA urges collaborative African safety approach The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reinforced its commitment to African aviation and called on industry and government leaders in Central West Africa to work together to make aviation an even more integral part of African economic development and integration. Safety, regional cooperation and global standards for infrastructure funding were highlighted as key issues which must be addressed. "African aviation supports 6.7 million high quality jobs and business activity totaling some $67.8 billion. Aviation could play an even bigger role in facilitating Africa's growth and development. To achieve this, however, we need a team effort of government and industry focused on improving safety, adopting a coordinated policy approach and implementing global standards," said Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO in a keynote address to open IATA's Aviation Day in Dakar, Senegal. Safety "The most pressing problem for African aviation today is safety," said Tyler. In 2011, the continent experienced an average of one accident for every 305,000 flights using Western-built jet aircraft. This was an improvement over 2010, when the average was one accident for every 135,000 flights. But it was still nine times worse than the global average. "It should be as safe to travel by air in Africa as it is in any other part of the world," said Tyler. In May 2012, IATA, with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and a host of other organizations committed to an Africa Strategic Improvement Action Plan aimed at addressing safety deficiencies and strengthening regulatory oversight in the region by 2015. "The goal of the Africa Strategic Improvement Action Plan is to achieve world-class safety levels across Africa by 2015," said Tyler. The Plan was endorsed as part of the 'Abuja Declaration' by the Ministerial meeting on Aviation Safety and Security of the African Union in July. The next step is ratification at the Assembly of the African Union in January 2013. The Plan is based on key priorities: ?Adoption and implementation of an effective and transparent regulatory oversight system including mandating the implementation of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) ?Implementation of runway safety measures ?Training on preventing loss of control ?Implementation of flight data analysis (FDA) ?Implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) These priorities address the most pressing issues as identified through analysis by ICAO and IATA of Africa's safety performance between 2006 and 2010. "For example, runway accidents accounted for about a quarter of the accidents over the period. If we target measures to address them, we will see results that will make a difference. This has already proven to be the case with FDA. Since making FDA available to all IATA members in April 2008, deviations from optimum flight trajectories were halved for those airlines in the programme. FDA improves safety. And the spirit of the Plan is to work with governments across the region to make more broadly available across Africa tools, programmes and standards that will improve safety," said Tyler. Tyler emphasized the importance of IATA's two main audit programmes-IOSA and the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO). "In 2011, the African accident rate was nine times the global average. But if we look only at the performance of IOSA- registered African airlines, the accident rate was similar to the global average. That tells us that applying global standards to African aviation will yield results. And the most effective way to increase the adoption of IOSA in Africa is for governments to mandate participation for all airlines." IOSA is a condition for membership in IATA as well as in the African Airlines Association (AFRAA). Strong regulatory oversight is also crucial. Global standard audit programmes such as IOSA and ISAGO will also help improve safety oversight, a key responsibility for governments. "The commitment of governments to establish Civil Aviation Authorities with full autonomy, with sustainable funding and without political interference is fundamental," said Tyler. Common Approach: Using Aviation as an Economic Driver Tyler also called for a coordinated regional approach to aviation. "Africa faces many common challenges. In addition to safety, these include inadequate infrastructure, 'brain drain' and skills building, finding sources for capital, fleet modernization, building competitiveness and much more." An example of regional cooperation is the multi-state Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), which was established in 1959 and provides air navigation services across a vast section of the African continent. "We look forward to working with them to continually improve service levels and cost efficiency," said Tyler. However, Tyler noted that for many of Africa's governments, aviation is not the top priority. "Eliminating poverty, improving health, raising living standards, and generating jobs rank much higher. My message is not to shift priorities, but to ask governments to see aviation as an economic driver and develop policies to support that important role." Appropriately Funded Infrastructure One impediment to aviation's ability to serve as an economic catalyst in Central West Africa is the proliferation of fees and taxes to support infrastructure development. "Infrastructure is critical to aviation. And it must be paid for. But there are established principles for such funding developed through ICAO. These include transparency, consultation with users and cost-relatedness. To ensure that the benefits accrue to those that have paid, pre-financing is not allowed unless specific safeguards for users are met. Unfortunately, these basic principles are not being followed in the case of infrastructure development fees in Africa. This can only have an adverse effect on the growth of aviation. And if aviation is taxed too highly, its ability to be an economic catalyst is compromised," said Tyler. Tyler noted that the Airport Development Fee in Senegal now stands at $68 per person- the highest in Africa. Benin, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo all have development charges ranging from $9 per passenger to over $50. "The example of Senegal is an immediate opportunity to work together, make improvements and help states in this region develop a clearer understanding that aviation is not a cash cow to be milked. It is a powerful work horse. Public policies should be designed to take advantage of aviation's unique ability to catalyze economic growth," said Tyler. Commitment to Africa Tyler noted that the 2013 IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit will be held in Cape Town. "Africa has the greatest potential of any continent for aviation to contribute even more to its development. Supported by adequate infrastructure, the proper cost structure, and operating within a policy framework that values its contribution, aviation could play a much larger role in the African economy as a whole." "Aviation connectivity is about people doing business, products moving to markets and new opportunities being discovered. With a few kilometers of runway even the most remote location can be connected to the global village. This has a huge and positive impact on development. And that is the best reason for governments across Africa to care about aviation and work together to ensure its safe, efficient and sustainable progress," said Tyler. http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2012/09/iata-urges-collaborative-african-safety- approach/ Back to Top Back to Top New FAA Safety Briefing Magazine Highlights Aviation Educators The Sep/Oct 2012 issue of FAA Safety Briefing explores the critical role of the aviation educator. Articles focus on flight instructor requirements and best practices as well as the many tools and educational resources that can help sharpen teaching skills. The link to the online edition is: http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2012/media/SepOct2012.pdf Back to Top Threat forces Chinese flight diversion for 2nd day in a row A Shenzhen Airlines Airbus A319 plane taxis at an airport in October 2011. Beijing (CNN) -- For the second time in as many days, an unspecified threat forced a Chinese airline to divert a flight, raising public concern about aviation safety in one of the world's fastest-growing air travel markets. A Shenzhen Airlines flight en route to southern boomtown Shenzhen from Xiangyang -- a medium-sized city in central Hubei Province -- was diverted Thursday night to the provincial capital, Wuhan, shortly after takeoff, the airline said. "At 10:29 p.m. on August 30, 2012, flight ZH 9706 received threatening information after takeoff," the airline said in a short statement posted online. "To ensure safety, this airline diverted the flight immediately and the plane landed safety at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport at 11:22 p.m. Police have been called in to investigate." Read more: Threats prompt Air China turnaround The airline did not reveal the nature of the threat or the number of passengers and crew members on board. The aircraft type is listed as an Airbus A320 -- which typically seats 150 passengers in a two-class configuration -- in its timetable. An anonymous call containing a threatening message prompted the diversion, the Wuhan airport authority disclosed in a statement released online. State media reported that passengers stayed in Wuhan overnight and would travel to their destination on a new flight Friday. Retweeting the airline statement, many users on Chinese social media sites expressed rising anxiety about flying after two successive incidents and demanded more information from the airlines and authorities. On Wednesday, an unspecified threat forced New York-bound Air China flight CA 981 to return to Beijing seven hours after takeoff, the Chinese flag carrier said. Police found nothing suspicious in their investigation of the plane, the airport authority said in statements posted online. State media also quoted police as saying that the initial warning of the threat came from U.S. authorities, who warned China that dangerous goods that may harm the plane and passengers were on board. The flight took off again at 12:31 a.m. Thursday after a change of crew and arrived in New York at 12:38 a.m. the same day, according to the airline's website. Beijing-based Air China was also tight-lipped about the nature of the threat and other details. The aircraft involved, a Boeing 747 jumbo jet, seats up to 344 passengers in the carrier's configuration. Messages and photos posted on Chinese social media sites Wednesday night showed passengers and their luggage being rescreened at the Beijing airport upon landing. One passenger on CA 981, 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 violently tried to take control of the plane before being subdued. The plane returned to its point of 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. Back to Top Aviation company TAE Systems fined for plane fuel tank explosion at Adelaide Airport Emegency services on the scene after a fuel-tank explosion at Adelaide Airport. AN aviation company has been fined in the state's Industrial Magistrates Court over an explosion in the fuel tank of a plane at Adelaide Airport earlier this year. TAE Aviation was fined $56,000 after it admitted to failing to provide a safe workplace to a man injured when the fuel tank of a Cessna twin-engine plane exploded in a hangar at the airport on March 25. The man, an employee of National Aerospace Systems, sustained minor burns to his face and lacerations in the blast. Industrial Magistrate Stephen Lieschke said the man was "relatively fortunate" not to have been seriously injured through the company's failure to properly drain the fuel tank in the wing of the plane before repairs on the wing of the plan began. "He was exposed to an explosive force, of sufficient intensity to deform metal and break an arm bone, and with the potential to cause shards of metal to fly off," Mr Lieschke said. TAE Systems was charged following a Safework SA investigation and pleaded guilty to breaching the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act. Mr Lieschke said TAE had taken an "unacceptably casual attitude" in preparing the aircraft to be worked upon and had relied on a 1976 Cessna manual and the individual discretion and judgment of various employees. "It accepts it should also have developed and implemented a safe working procedure that eliminated or minimised the risk of generation of sparks," he said. Mr Lieschke reduced the fine from $70,000 to $56,000 on account of the company's guilty plea and recorded a conviction. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/aviation-company-tae-systems-fined-for- plane-fuel-tank-explosion-at-adelaide-airport/story-fndo471r-1226464190251 Back to Top Jordan- Announcing the WFP's 4th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference (MENAFN Press) The World Food Programme (WFP) which is part of the United Nations programmes held a press conference at Bristol Hotel very recently to announce the date of the 4th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference, which will take place between the 9th and the 11th of October 2012 at King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center at the Dead Sea in Jordan, with great support and coordination of the Jordan Aviation Airline and other support partners such as Royal Jordanian airline . On that note, Captain Samir Sajet, WFP Regional Aviation Safety Officer and the organizer of the conference said: "One of the many key objects of the conference is raising awareness throughout the world of the services provided by the programme that benefits around 90 million people a year, among whom are displaced people, refugees and people living in utter and vicious poverty. Also, It is extremely important to note that WFP is funded by voluntary donations from world governments, corporations and private donors. Donations take three basic forms: money, food supplies and other items. Therefore, awareness is extremely important for supporting and sustaining the programme which serves humanity at large." One way of providing the inflected with food supplies is having those items dropped off of planes, a step that is considered vital and highly important, especially in areas where reaching those people on land is almost impossible. The programme also focuses on aviation safety, which is the technical part of the operations, in order to accomplish the highest standards during missions. Captain Samir Sajet " elaborated on the importance of this programme which goes far beyond simple humanitarian work and is manifested by aiding and supplying those inflected with the woes of unfortunate circumstances with food. In addition to seeking provision of good health to all nations, this programme is considered one of the largest humanitarian organizations, which serves alone more than 70 countries worldwide, with its projects that fight poverty and deprivation, along with supporting and sustaining educational institutions, health centres, infrastructures, and bringing refugees back to their homelands, but the highest purpose of the programme is to provide people with food supplies in times of peril and strife". The press conference will be headed by a number of UN representatives, WFP Jordan Country Director Ms. Maha Ahmed, main support partner to the conference Captain Mohammad Al-Khashman, CEO of Jordan Aviation, His Excellency, Captain Mohammed Amin AlQar'an, CEO of CAA in Jordan, and Captain Samir Sajet, WFP Regional Aviation Safety Officer and the organizer of the conference, in addition to representatives of CAA and a number of official sponsors. http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093553521/Jordan-Announcing-WFPs-4th-Global- Humanitarian-Aviation-Conference Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC