Flight Safety Information November 22, 2012 - No. 235 In This Issue Bird smashes through windshield of Nantucket-bound Cape Air flight Egypt: Pilot killed in jet crash in south Aviation experts welcome inquiry into PK 787 engine failure PROS IOSA Audit Experts Inside China: China to revamp pilot training Bird smashes through windshield of Nantucket-bound Cape Air flight The plane landed safely despite this windshield damage. Passengers flying from Barnstable to Nantucket this morning just in time to enjoy a nice Thanksgiving holiday were splattered with bloody bird guts when a loon smashed through the aircraft's windshield, the Barnstable airport manager said. The Cape Air short-hop flight to the upscale island took off from Barnstable Municipal Airport at about 9 a.m. with two pilots and a handful of passengers on board, said airport manager Bud Breault. Five minutes later, the plane was just soaring over the coastline when a bird crashed into the plane, shattering the windshield, and covering the inside of the aircraft with blood, Breault said. The bird was identified as a red-throated loon. "That's a pretty big bird," Breault said. "A potential catastrophic accident could have happened." The pilots were able to turn the plane around and land safely back the Barnstable airport, he said. "I think the pilots deserve some kudos," Breault said. There were no injuries to anybody on board, but the bird did not make it. The flight on the Cessna 402, a twin-engine, nine-passenger aircraft, normally takes 15 minutes. Once back on land, the passengers cleaned up, changed their clothes, and boarded another flight to Nantucket, he said. In his own career as a pilot, Breault has encountered four bird strikes. "Fortunately, all of them were insignificant," he said. "When you have to share the airspace with birds, things don't always happen the way you thought they would." A spokeswoman for Cape Air didn't immediately return a message seeking comment. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said his agency would investigate the incident. According to the FAA's Wildlife Strike Database, there have been five other reported bird strikes at Barnstable Municipal Airport this year. A Cape Air Cessna 402, the same kind of plane involved in this morning's incident, was reportedly struck by a mourning dove in May, according to the FAA. http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/11/21/bird-smashes-through-windshield- nantucket-bound-cape-air-flight/6taFDpDrIot0ofeixfAtGL/story.html Back to Top Egypt: Pilot killed in jet crash in south CAIRO (AP) - Egyptian security officials say a fighter plane has crashed near the southern city of Aswan, killing the pilot. Officials say the Russian-made MiG-21 jet crashed while on a training flight Wednesday in an agricultural area north of Aswan. Fire fighters rushed to put out the blaze caused by the crash and cordoned off the site. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters. They did not give the cause of the crash. The Russian-made MiG warplanes were once the backbone of Egypt's air force. They began to be replaced in the 1980s and 1990s by U.S.-made fighter jets such as the F- 16. Back to Top Aviation experts welcome inquiry into PK 787 engine failure The inquiry ordered, into the incident of engine failure of PIA flight PK 787, on November 18 (Sunday) by the President of Pakistan has been welcomed by aviation experts and former pilots of national carrier. The PIA Airbus-310 had developed a fault in its engine number one soon after takeoff from Karachi Airport at 12:48 pm. The pilot in command Captain Ahmed Saeed at approximately 1500 feet ground level noticed engine number one stalled, surges took place accompanied by loud thuds, rumbling and bangs were also heard. Air Traffic Controller (ATC) reported smoke coming out of the engine. Check list was carried out immediately by the Captain and using his skills he controlled the aircraft and landed back without any problem ensuring safety of all 167 passengers and 11 crew on board. Captain Ahmed Saeed, assisted by First Officer Faruqi using his experience did not panic in the situation and equipped with expertise and skills imparted during rigorous training sessions by his seniors kept flying the airbus, for about 20 minutes before conducting a smooth landing with precision on remaining one engine. PIA Managing Director, Captain Junaid Yunus, himself an experienced pilot of Boeing 777, after getting complete details about smooth handling of the aircraft in such a situation had announced a medal for the flying crew of the aircraft. However, aviation experts have demanded a probe into the role of Air traffic controllers regarding the incident of flight PK-787 and said only pilot's alertness and skills are not a guaranty to avert such incidents. Air traffic controllers' role is very crucial and government should also inquire into the state of Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) role which neither possess the required equipment nor has trained human resources at its disposal to ensure effective role of ATCs which is currently at its lowest ebb in such incidents. Sources said in the past ATC's negligence had been questioned in many incidents while the role of CAA and ATC could not be put aside in the plane crashes of Bhoja Air, Air Blue and other airliners. He said once pilot had informed the ATC regarding the engine failure then ATC should have engaged the pilot into discussion ensuring that he stays alert and does not panic and performs all procedures according to the safety rules. They said ATC's inefficiency put at risk the lives of around 180 souls. Sources said that radio silence, as reported by media of about 2-3 minutes in this critical situation was a point to be probed, whether the ATC knew the procedures and the requirement. The Airbus A310 at this speed travels about 6-7 nautical miles per minute, hence the travel up to "navigation point" "melom" is not at all a surprise. Experts appreciated the role of cockpit and cabin crew who averted the disaster and instead of panicking kept their minds present and used training and skills not only to land back safely but to disembark the passengers safely. Though, it was a normal engine shut down and pilots are trained for such incidents but the role of ATCs should be more effective to help pilots, they said. Experts also reminded ATCs negligence in the past and said last year on April 14, a PIA flight Airbus PK 370 took off from Karachi for Islamabad around 7 pm, as per routine taking flight height and route approvals from ATCs, it proceeded towards Lahore. While giving descending command/ permission at around 8:15 pm to PK 370 the ATC Lahore did not realise that a PAF aircraft with call sign 047 is cruising at 26,000 feet above sea level, a height which was soon to be attained by PK 370 while descending towards Islamabad. The ATC personnel had given descend order to PK 370 and asked it to change frequency and get connected to Islamabad air field controller. During the switchover frequency procedure, the PIA flight while descending came right at the height at which the PAF 047 aircraft was cruising. Pilot used his training skills thus averted a mid air crash which could have resulted in yet another crisis of Pakistani airspace which had witnessed three worst scenes during last one year. Similarly this year in July, a PIA aircraft avoided colliding head on mid air with a jet fighter of PAF near Quetta due to the negligence of ATC Quetta, On Tuesday morning, June 21, around 9:30 am, PIA's flight PK-363 (an Airbus A-310 bearing registration number AP BEQ) that was arriving at Quetta from Islamabad was asked by the ATC to hold at flight level 20,000 feet. While a PIA aircraft after permission from ATC started approaching the Quetta airport's runway the automatic equipment of PIA Airbus warned the pilot of other aircraft in close proximity and instructed to immediately pull up. The pilot of PIA Airbus showing high skills and reflexes acted upon the advice and pulled the aircraft back to flight level 20,000 feet to avoid colliding with PAF's jet. Sadly enough, no inquiry has yet been ordered into these negligence. http://www.brecorder.com/business-a-economy/189/1260604/ Back to Top Back to Top Inside China: China to revamp pilot training A Chinese People's Liberation Army Airforce's "Bayi Aerobatic Unit" J-10 fighter jet The Chinese People's Liberation Army air force is feeling the heat from higher command for failing to produce enough qualified pilots and for spending too much on pilot training. Last week, a comprehensive combat pilot training program was announced to meet the challenges. China is in overdrive to expand its air power. The air force is under intense pressure to address some of its shortfalls now that Gen. Xu Qiliang, a seasoned fighter pilot and one of the two vice chairmen of the all-powerful Central Military Commission, was promoted to be the first air force general to hold the post in the communist country's history. China's combat pilot recruiting and training program traditionally is among the more elite military-run operations. For several generations, prospective pilots have been recruited from high school under an esoteric process requiring extreme scrutiny of a candidate's loyalty to the Communist Party, a totally trouble-free family history, and perfect eyesight and physical fitness. The process has been carried out with absolute seriousness: In China, becoming a combat pilot is considered the most glorious achievement for a prospective recruit. Rigid selection and training regimes greatly limit the prospective pilot pool, and the result has been a shortage of qualified pilots for the rapidly expanding air force. While their political and ideological correctness is overemphasized, many pilot trainees lack basic knowledge of modern science, or a broad understanding of aviation principles - a requirement for operating sophisticated jet and weapons technologies. In the meantime, the cost of training pilots keeps skyrocketing as training cycles are extended. "Air force training has become more diversified and complex," said a state-run Xinhua news agency report on the new training initiative. All signs indicate the plan to revamp the pilot training program is far reaching. "Reforms related to theoretical study, the pilot selection process, training subjects and methodology have taken place," Xinhua reported. "We have made a lot of effort to develop and use flight simulators to shorten training and save costs," Gen. Xie Hong, deputy head of the air force training command was quoted as saying. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/21/inside-china-china-to-revamp- pilot-training/ Curt Lewis