Flight Safety Information January 8, 2013 - No. 006 In This Issue Experts: Fire may burn Dreamliner's rep Five Americans die in chopper crash in Peru Airplane slides off Kelowna airport apron (Canada) ACSF Says True Charter Safety Means Asking Questions FAA Issues Civil Penalties Against Trans States Airlines Goverment all set to form Air Transport Safety Board (Nepal) 737 jet seized at St. Pete airport strands 130 passengers FAA: Plane in Alabama crash not registered NTSB: Pilot in Libby crash was "noncertified" PROS IOSA Audit Experts American Airlines exec joins Virgin as CEO National Air Traffic Controllers Association Presents Communicating for Safety - March 4-6, 2013, Las Vegas INTERNATIONAL System Safety Society...31st International System Safety Conference...CALL FOR PAPERS Experts: Fire may burn Dreamliner's rep Boeing officials have downplayed the impact of a series of incidents aboard their new 787 Dreamliners, but aviation industry experts say the string of technical mishaps - the latest a fire at Logan International Airport yesterday - on the new luxury jumbo jets risks costing passenger confidence. Federal officials are investigating the cause of yesterday's fire aboard a parked Japan Airlines Boeing 787 at Logan that grounded the new aircraft - the latest setback for the Dreamliner after a series of electrical problems last month. "We are working with our customer regarding the event," Boeing spokeswoman Loretta Gunter said. "It's premature to speculate about future action." Late last month, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said the 787 - made of an industry-first, lightweight carbon- fiber material - had not experienced an unusual number of problems for a new plane, calling them "normal squawks." But an aircraft fire, even on the ground, doesn't "get the luxury of being called a teething problem," BB&T Markets analyst Carter Leake said. "Boeing needs to get ahead of this quickly, because now you run the risk of getting into a passenger aversion issue," he said. The 787 debuted in Boston when JAL launched its nonstop Tokyo service in April. On Dec. 5, the FAA issued a 787 "airworthiness directive" after reports of two fuel leaks and the discovery of improperly assembled fuel couplings on its planes. A United 787 flight made an emergency landing that day in New Orleans after it appeared a power generator had failed. On Dec. 13, Qatar Airways grounded one of its 787s due to the same problem. United then reported a second 787 with electrical issues. The JAL fire demands critical attention, said Kevin Hiatt of the Flight Safety Foundation in Virginia. "The Dreamliner is definitely not immune to issues like all the other airliners have experienced," he said. "It is getting more notoriety because it is a brand-new, cutting-edge aircraft. ... But anytime you have that situation where you have (a battery) overheat, that's extremely serious." Yesterday's fire, isolated in the avionics compartment in the plane's midsection, was extinguished within an hour. Massport Fire Chief Robert Donahue said the "moderate" fire emanated from auxiliary power batteries used when the 787 is on the ground and engines aren't in operation. The flight had landed without incident at 10:06 a.m. after a 13.5-hour nonstop trip from Tokyo. Mechanics prepping the plane for a return flight discovered smoke in the cabin about a half-hour later, after 183 passengers and crew had exited. http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/01/experts_fire_may_burn_dreamliners_rep Back to Top Five Americans die in chopper crash in Peru A helicopter crash in Peru's Amazon jungle Monday killed the seven people on board, a judicial official tells the Reuters news agency. Corpac, Peru's air transport agency, said the chopper was operated by the local unit of U.S.-based Columbia Helicopters. Columbia, says Reuters, is known for its tandem rotor heavy-lift aircraft (CH- 47) used in logging and oil exploration work. Columbia's Lima office declined to comment to Reuters. A Peruvian official said five U.S. citizens and two Peruvians were on the helicopter, and that rescue crews were recovering their bodies. Reuters cites local media as saying the people on the craft were employees of Petrominerales Ltd, a Canadian-based oil exploration firm that concentrates on Latin America. Petrominerales' Lima office declined to comment to Reuters. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57562670/five-americans-die-in-chopper-crash-in-peru/ ************ Date: 07-JAN-2013 Time: 15:03 Type: Boeing Vertol 234LR Chinook (CH-47) Operator: Columbia Helicopters Registration: N241CH C/n / msn: MJ-16 Fatalities: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: near Laguna Yarinacocha, Pucallpa - Peru Phase: En route Nature: Non Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Pucallpa Destination airport: Tarapoto Narrative: Several local news stations report that a helicopter came down in the amazon jungle. All state it was a air frame of columbia helicopters, which only operates chinooks in peru. Broke up mid air and caught fire on the ground. 7 persons are reported as fatalities. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Airplane slides off Kelowna airport apron (Canada) A WestJet airplane bound for Edmonton was halted when the nose wheel of the aircraft slid off the terminal apron at Kelowna International Airport this morning. No one was injured but the passengers had to disembark from the plane, which will now undergo a mechanical review. The incident occurred just before 8 a.m. as WestJet Flight 150 was departing the main terminal from gate 7. Airport officials say there have been intermittent closures of the runway due to heavy snowfall and limited visibility this morning, which has caused flights to be delayed or cancelled. Passengers flying out of Kelowna today are asked to check the status of their flights at the website ylw.kelowna.ca. http://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/185905521.html Back to Top ACSF Says True Charter Safety Means Asking Questions The crash of a U.S.-registered Learjet in Mexico last month raised operational control issues because Mexican officials initially indicated that the aircraft was conducting a Part 135 trip at the time of the accident. The pilot-in-command's U.S. pilot certificate specifically restricted him from such operations. However, Starwood Management, the aircraft's owner, claimed the aircraft was operating legally under Part 91 rules. Bryan Burns, president of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), said such accidents often raise anxiety levels for passengers scheduling trips, especially people new to chartering airplanes. Burns says due diligence before booking is critical to ensuring a safe trip. "The ACSF suggests customers ask to see a copy of the charter operator's FAA air carrier operator certificate, as well as a copy of its insurance documents," he said. "You should see a policy that covers absolutely everything with a minimum of $10 million of [insurance] coverage. Ask how often crews are trained and where, as well as their recency of experience in the aircraft you'll fly on. Ask if maintenance is conducted in-house or is sub-contracted. Ask if they use fully FAA certified technicians for all work." ACSF also recommends charter customers ask for the results of a recent safety audit. The ACSF-a not- for-profit group-and a number of private companies conduct them. Burns also warned consumers to be careful in selecting charter brokers to book flights, since, unlike operators, brokers are not subject to regulation. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainsafety/2013-01-07/acsf-says-true-charter-safety-means- asking-questions Back to Top FAA Issues Civil Penalties Against Trans States Airlines FAA is seeking two civil penalties totaling $633,000 against Bridgeton, Mo.-based regional carrier Trans States Airlines for operating two Embraer 145s that were not in compliance with agency regulations. The agency said the airline operated the two jets on 3,660 passenger flights while they were not in compliance. The first civil penalty is $322,000 for improperly installing replacement radio antenna cables on the two Embraer jets. The second is a $311,000 civil penalty for improperly installed electrical wiring in the fuel supply system of one of the aircraft. FAA discovered both violations during inspections in 2009. http://www.aviationtoday.com/the-checklist/FAA-Issues-Civil-Penalties-Against-Trans-States- Airlines_78178.html Back to Top Goverment all set to form Air Transport Safety Board (Nepal) KATHMANDU, Jan 8: Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has decided to form an autonomous body to look after issues of air accidents and conduct necessary study for enhancing aviation safety. A high level taskforce formed to study the compliance status of safety recommendations made by different air crash investigation committees had about a year ago recommended the government to form an autonomous body to look into air accidents among others issues. The taskforce was led by Medini Prasad Sharma, former director general of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. At present, the government forms investigation commission after air accidents as and when needed. The recent ministerial level meeting decided to form a committee which will prepare primary legislature and working area of the proposed Air Transport Safety Board. According to officials, the ministry has already forwarded the proposal for formation of the board to the Ministry of Finance. The board will comprise aviation experts and representatives from airlines operators, among others. Suresh Acharya, joint secretary of MoCTCA, told Republica necessity of a body of permanent nature was felt to make aviation safe and secure. Formation of the board would ease various issues, including air crash investigations. "Though we are yet to agree on the model of the board, its major objective would be to enhance aviation safety," said Acharya. http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=47849 Back to Top 737 jet seized at St. Pete airport strands 130 passengers All passenger Bill Vargas could do was watch from the terminal as the jet was seized. Flight delays aren't unusual these days. Bad weather, maintenance problems or trouble getting a crew together routinely push back or cancel flights at airports across the country. Not so common: Having a flight canceled when a 737 jet is pulled off the runway because of a legal dispute while scores of passengers wait at the gate. That's what happened today to about 130 Vision Airlines passengers who were scheduled to head from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport to Gulfport, Miss. The unusual incident stemmed from a dispute between Las Vegas-based Vision Airlines and CTS Engines of Fort Lauderdale. The engine company claims in a lawsuit filed in Broward County that the airline owes it around $75,000, said David Meers, senior vice president of Vision Airlines. The airline disagrees, Meers said, and the two have been fighting over the issue in court. On Dec. 19, the company filed to have the lawsuit dismissed, he said, but a few days later, a judge in Broward County signed a "writ of attachment'' allowing the jet to be seized. Meers said his company was never served notice of that action. He called the seizure of the plane an "ambush.'' "We had no knowledge of this whatsoever," Meers said. CTS Engines could not be reached for comment. The flight had been scheduled to depart at 1:45 p.m. Passenger Bill Vargas said the airline staff tried to keep passengers updated and at one point offered hope the flight would leave at 8:30 p.m. But at 8 p.m. the flight was officially cancelled, Vargas said. The passengers were scheduled to travel to Gulfport, Miss., to spend three days and four nights at the Beau Rivage Casino, Vargas said. Now their travel plans are up in the air. "Very irresponsible of the airline," said Vargas, who was traveling with his girlfriend, Susan Konet, both of Tampa. Vargas said he made his arrangements through Beau Rivage and was waiting to contact a casino official to learn what to do next. The plane's itinerary was to fly from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport to Gulfport, Miss. Then it was scheduled to fly to Sarasota, Fort Myers and then back to Gulfport, Miss., Meers said. "The people who suffered were our customers," Meers said. He said the airline's attorney will file an emergency petition Tuesday. He said the airline plans to ask the court to make CTS liable for damages from the flights that had to be canceled when the jet was taken out of service. "They're going to pay," Meers said. http://www2.tbo.com/news/business/2013/jan/07/2/737-jet-seized-at-st-pete-airport-while-130-passen- ar-600776/ Back to Top FAA: Plane in Alabama crash not registered JASPER, Ala. (AP) - Federal Aviation Administration records show that a plane that crashed in Jasper killing three teenagers wasn't currently registered to fly. FAA records show HiFlight Aviation of Jasper bought the plane in May 2010. The company applied for registration, but the application was returned to HiFlight in June 2010 for correction. The FAA received no response and canceled the registration. State business records show HiFlight was organized in Jasper in 2010. A phone number given by the company at the time of registration is no longer active. The plane crash Tuesday night killing 17-year-old student pilot Jordan Smith and his friends, 17-year-old Jordan Montgomery and 19-year-old Brandon Ary. The FAA said earlier that its regulations prohibit student pilots from taking up passengers. ************** Date: 01-JAN-2013 Time: 22:40 LT Type: Piper PA-30-160 Twin Comanche Operator: Private Registration: N7700Y C/n / msn: 30-785 Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Jasper, a mile from the Walker County Airport - KJFX, AL - United States of America Phase: Initial climb Nature: Illegal Flight Departure airport: KJFX Destination airport: KJFX Narrative: A Piper PA-30-160 Twin Comanche has crashed in a heavily wooded area at Jasper, a mile from the Walker County Airport - KJFX, Alabama. (N7700Y was canx. by FAA 19 december 2012). Pilot was a 17 year old student pilot, owner of the aircraft had given him the security code for the gate, as well as his own key for the aircraft. Aircraft had been the subject of an alert, reported missing, now believed to have been taken without the owners knowledge. All three occupants were killed. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top NTSB: Pilot in Libby crash was "noncertified" HELENA (AP) - The National Transportation Safety Board said an Arizona business executive who died along with a co-worker in an airplane crash in northwestern Montana last month was not a certified pilot. The NTSB's preliminary report said the Beech B100 collided with trees near Libby at 12:02 a.m. on Dec. 19, causing the crash that killed 54-year-old Carl J. Douglas and 43-year-old John Smith, both of Coolidge, Ariz. The men were flying from Arizona to Libby for meeting at Douglas' company, Stinger Welding. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed in late December that, according to its records, Douglas had a student pilot license. Under FAA rules, a student pilot may not carry passengers, may not fly for hire or in furtherance of a business and may fly only under visual flight rules. Back to Top Back to Top American Airlines exec joins Virgin as CEO Kreeger, a senior vice president at American Airlines, will succeed Virgin CEO Steve Ridgway when he retires next month. LONDON (CNNMoney) - Virgin Atlantic has picked an American Airlines executive as its new CEO, as it looks toward a partnership with Delta to boost transatlantic business. Craig Kreeger, a senior vice president at American Airlines, will succeed Virgin chief executive Steve Ridgway when he retires next month after a 23-year career with Sir Richard Branson's airline. Kreeger will bring first hand experience of working closely with Virgin's arch rival, British Airways, having spent 6 years in London as American's head of operations and sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa. He worked on partnerships with British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia, both owned by the International Airlines Group. American and British Airways are partners in the OneWorld frequent flyer alliance and operate shared flights across the North Atlantic. Ridgway played a leading role in building Virgin into a major airline brand, which now carries 6 million passengers a year. "It is a great airline renowned for its customer service and innovation," Kreeger said in a statement. "I have been competing with it for many years but have always admired its laser focus on its people, its products and its customers." Kreeger leaves American Airlines after 27 years in commercial, financial and strategic roles. American has just come through a damaging dispute with its pilots, sparked by attempts to impose a new labor deal aimed at reducing costs and preparing the way for the carrier to emerge from bankruptcy. http://money.cnn.com/2013/01/08/news/companies/virgin-ceo/ Back to Top REGISTER OUR WEBSITE AGENDA Annually hosted by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), this three-day conference focuses on safety in aviation, and includes presentations and forums presented by top aviation professionals that concentrate on how to further improve communication and relationships among pilots, controllers and other professionals with a vested interest in aviation safety. Attendees will learn about various topics which may include the effects weather and other environmental factors have on aviation safety, new technology and programs, human factors and modernization efforts. AVIATION INDUSTRY LEADERS: Numerous aviation leaders and stakeholders have attended CFS since it began. Communicating For Safety 2012 in Atlanta marked the first appearances by FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, and ALPA President Lee Moak. Previous appearances by NTSB Chairman Hersman, NTSB Vice Chairman Hart, and many other industry leaders have helped make CFS a continuing success. ARCHIE LEAGUE MEDAL OF SAFETY AWARD BANQUET: Each year, CFS concludes on a high note, with the Archie League Medal of Safety Awards. The only award of its kind, The Archie League Medal of Safety recognizes air traffic controllers who have handled significant and often dangerous air traffic situations with cool, calm professionalism, and always making great saves in the end However, if you were to ask the award winners about it, most would simply say they, "were just doing their job." Read More... For the first time, CFS was proud to host an appearance by the Secretary of Transportation. Secretary Ray LaHood spoke on Wednesday morning and thanked controllers for the jobs they do for the safety of the system. Read More... FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta gave the keynote address at NATCA's eighth annual Archie League Medal of Safety awards ceremony. Thrilled with the successful collaboration between FAA and NATCA, he emphasized the importance of continuing that relationship in order to successfully implement NextGen and to maintain and improve upon the safety and efficiency of the U.S. aviation system. Read More... Alaska bush pilots John Ponts and Luke Hickerson, who have appeared on the television show Flying Wild Alaska, also made a special appearance at CFS 2012 in Atlanta. While at CFS, they captivated the audience of controllers, industry leaders, and fellow pilots with a fun, interesting, and inspiring message for everyone. Read More... 1325 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20005 www.natcacfs.com | natcacfs@natca.net Back to Top INTERNATIONAL System Safety Society 31st International System Safety Conference CALL FOR PAPERS "Safety for the Long Run" August 12-16, 2013 Marriott Copley Place, Boston, Massachusetts, USA The ISSC theme for 2013 is "Safety for the Long Run" to show and learn the long term benefits of integrating safety into a system. We want you to share your knowledge and invite you to just attend and learn. We also invite you to provide a presentation on any safety process, method, or technique you believe contributes to the goals and objectives of system safety. This conference will bring practitioners and the foremost thinkers of the system safety discipline together for an exchange of ideas, knowledge and experiences. There will be contributions from many different industries including: automotive; aviation; defense; health care; oil and gas; power generation; rail; robotics; and transportation. The conference is accepting four types of presentations: Technical Papers, Panels/Roundtables, Tutorials, and Workshops Key Submission Dates March 29 - Paper Abstracts Due April 5 - Panel, Roundtable, Tutorial & Workshop Proposals Due May 10 - Draft Papers Due June 28 - Final Paper July 12 - Draft Presentation July 26 - Final Presentation For more information or to submit a presentation visit: http:/ /issc2013.system-safety.org/ Curt Lewis