Flight Safety Information January 12, 2013 - No. 010 In This Issue Boeing Dreamliner to undergo federal safety review U.S. safety chief tests "future for aviation" with 787 review The Safest Airline in the World is... Boeing 777 Emergency Landing - South Atlantic PROS IOSA Audit Experts FSF Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award - Call for Nominations American Airlines commuter partner to end service at San Juan airport Boeing Dreamliner to undergo federal safety review The FAA's 'comprehensive safety review of Boeing 787 critical systems' includes a sweeping evaluation of how the problem-plagued plane is designed, manufactured and assembled. According to industry analysts, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is undergoing a type of sweeping review that passenger jets haven't been subject to in decades. Above, a Dreamliner takes off at Los Angeles International Airport. Plagued by one mishap after another, Boeing Co.'s much-heralded 787 Dreamliner passenger jet for the 21st century is feeling new heat from federal regulators. Days after one of the planes caught fire while parked in Boston and another experienced a fuel leak, the Federal Aviation Administration has launched an unusual "comprehensive safety review of Boeing 787 critical systems." This includes a sweeping evaluation of the way Boeing designs, manufactures and assembles the aircraft. The review - just 17 months after the FAA gave the go-ahead to the new $200-million- plus plane - does not ground the 50 Dreamliners currently being flown by eight airlines around the globe. Since the inception of its next-generation passenger jet, Boeing has touted the revolutionary way the Dreamliner is made and the way it operates. But those novel technologies will now attract greater scrutiny from U.S. regulators after recent events have raised questions about Dreamliner safety. New planes, in general, have "teething" issues as they are introduced. But, industry analysts said, the type of review the Dreamliner is undergoing is rare, and passenger jets haven't been subject to this sort of sweeping government review for decades. Boeing said it will participate in the review with the FAA and believes the process will underscore customers' and the traveling public's confidence in the reliability of the aircraft. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA chief Michael Huerta launched the effort Friday at a news conference in Washington, revealing plans for a "comprehensive safety review of Boeing 787 critical systems." This includes a complete evaluation of the aircraft, including an assessment of the way Boeing designs, manufactures and assembles the aircraft. The move comes despite the "unprecedented" certification process in which FAA technical experts logged 200,000 hours of work over nearly two years and flew on numerous test flights, Huerta said. There were more than a dozen new special conditions developed during the certification process because of the Dreamliner's innovative design. "The purpose of the review is to validate the work that we've done," Huerta said, "and to look at the quality and other processes to ensure that effective oversight is being done." Certification of the Dreamliner was completed Aug. 25, 2010, and the first plane was delivered to All Nippon Airways a month later. It was more than three years late because of design problems and supplier issues. The Dreamliner, a twin-aisle aircraft that can seat 210 to 290 passengers, is the first large commercial jet with more than half its structure made of composite materials (carbon fibers meshed together with epoxy) rather than aluminum sheets. Another innovative application is the changeover from hydraulically actuated systems typically found on passenger jets to electrically powered systems involving lithium ion batteries. For instance, Boeing has said electric brakes "significantly reduce the mechanical complexity of the braking system and eliminate the potential for delays associated with leaking brake hydraulic fluid, leaking valves and other hydraulic failures." Because of these technologies, Boeing says, the new plane burns 20% less fuel than other jetliners of a similar size. But the use of such extensive electronic systems was called into question when a smoldering fire was discovered Monday on the underbelly of a Dreamliner operated by Japan Airlines Co. after the 173 passengers and 11 crew members had deplaned at the gate. The incident prompted the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate. "We don't know the cause of the fire, but it's a serious issue," said Scott Hamilton, an aviation industry consultant and managing director of Leeham Co. in Issaquah, Wash. "Did the FAA miss something? Did Boeing have an oversight in the design process? Was there a problem in the supply chain? These are questions we don't have answers to." In December, the FAA ordered inspections of fuel line connectors because of risks of leaks and fires. On the same day, a United Airlines Dreamliner flight from Houston to Newark, N.J., was diverted to New Orleans after an electrical problem popped up mid-flight. Qatar Airways, which had accepted delivery of a Dreamliner just a month earlier, grounded the aircraft for the same problem that United experienced. Still, both LaHood and Huerta insist the Dreamliner is safe. Ray Conner, Boeing's chief executive of commercial aircraft, attended the conference and said the company was "fully committed to resolving any issue related to the safety" of the Dreamliner. The Chicago company has taken 848 orders for Dreamliners from airlines and aircraft leasing firms around the world. The price ranges from $206.8 million to $243.6 million per jet, depending on the version ordered. Major parts for the plane are assembled at various locations worldwide - including Southern California, Russia, Japan and Italy - and then shipped to Boeing's facilities in Everett, Wash., where they are "snapped together" in three days once production hits full speed, compared with a month the conventional way. Boeing currently is making five Dreamliners a month. The company plans to reach 10 a month late this year. Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with Teal Group Corp., a Virginia research firm, said the review will be beneficial for the Dreamliner program in the long run. "There's no showstopper here; it's a short-term embarrassment for the company," he said. "Then again, this program is full of short-term embarrassments." http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-boeing-dreamliner-review- 20130112,0,5802912.story Back to Top U.S. safety chief tests "future for aviation" with 787 review WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Michael Huerta joined the Federal Aviation Administration as its second-in-command in 2010, grumbles spread through the industry: This was a career transportation official but an outsider to the aerospace world. Now, Huerta is at the helm of the FAA and has been thrust into a very public review of what is seen as the future of aviation. Huerta's FAA is heading up a wide-ranging review of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a carbon-fiber marvel that has been bedeviled in the past week by incidents including a battery fire, an oil leak, a wiring problem, brake problems, and a cracked cockpit window. U.S. transportation officials and Boeing say the plane is safe to fly but that they need to take a comprehensive look to ensure there aren't flaws that should be remedied. The review is a test of Boeing's bet on technological advancements in flight and a test of the FAA's certification process, which deemed the 787 good-to-go in August 2011 after some eight years of review. But it's also a personal test for Huerta: Will this aviation outsider be able to strike the right balance between fostering innovation in the skies and ensuring that safety remains the No. 1 priority. Huerta's public transportation career started in the 1980s when he was commissioner of New York City's Department of Ports, International Trade and Commerce. He then became executive director of the Port of San Francisco, before serving a series of senior positions at the U.S. Transportation Department in the 1990s. After a stint in the private sector and a turn as managing director of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Huerta returned to government and became the FAA's deputy administrator in June 2010. Huerta unexpectedly rose to the top of the FAA in December 2011 after then-head Randy Babbitt resigned because of a drunk-driving charge that was later dismissed. In another unexpected turn, Huerta had to help anchor a press conference on the Boeing snafus, just two days after officially being sworn in to head the FAA this week. Huerta made a point of discussing the 787's contribution to innovation, calling its technology "the future for aviation." "The Dreamliner is a technologically very advanced plane," Huerta said at Friday's press conference. "I believe this aircraft is safe, and what we're seeing are issues associated with bringing any new technologically advanced product into service." While those comments may be soothing overtures to industry, experts said Huerta will also have to reassure any critics of the FAA's ability to deliver on its commitment to safety. "The FAA's reputation is on the line here, too, because they did certify the airplane," said Leeham Co aerospace analyst Scott Hamilton. "The FAA is as deep in this as Boeing." "REALLY SHARP" While some industry insiders were initially wary of Huerta's aerospace chops, he has since won over skeptics, in part by his ability to foster agreement among divergent groups and by deftly taking over the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System. The multibillion-dollar high-tech program, dubbed NextGen, is a shift of the U.S. National Airspace System from using radar-based systems for ground-based air traffic control to satellite-based ones, or GPS. McLeod, executive director of Aeronautical Repair Station Association, a trade group that represents aviation maintenance and manufacturing companies, said Huerta's technological savvy impressed her. "When you meet him -- I spent my 45 minutes with him -- his ability to absorb information was pretty incredible. ... I thought for being an outsider to aviation, this guy was really sharp. There wasn't any mistake why he was appointed." That sharpness will now be called on, as the FAA takes on a complex review whose outcome could have far-reaching implications for companies' investments in cutting-edge aerospace technology. "We're bringing technical experts together and what we want to develop is data," Huerta said at the press conference. "Based on what we learn we will take whatever appropriate action is necessary." Back to Top The Safest Airline in the World is... The Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre (JADEC), which is based in Germany, has revealed its safety rankings for airlines based on serious accidents and aircraft loss incidents that have happened over the last 30 years. This Safety Index then compares the accidents to the airlines' revenue per passenger kilometre over the same period. The result this year is that Finnair is the safest airline in the world to fly with, while China Airlines is the most dangerous. The top 10 safest airlines in the world are (in order): Finnair, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, TAP Portugal, Hainan Airlines, Virgin Australia and British Airways. The bottom 10 are (starting with the most dangerous): China Airlines, TAM Airlines, Air India, GOL Transportes Aéreos, Korean Air, Saudia Arabian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways, South African Airways and SkyWest Airlines. Among the top nine, none had aircraft losses or fatalities over the 30 years surveyed, but several hadn't been active for the entire period. Etihad Airways, for example, has only been established since 2003. China Airlines, on the other hand, has been in operation since 1959. Over the last 30 years, the carrier has lost eight aircraft and had 755 fatalities. This includes the death of 264 crew and passengers in a crash landing at Nagoya Airport in Japan in 1994. However, Air New Zealand has been operating for longer, and was ranked second on the list. David Morgan, the airline's chief flight operations and safety officer, says this recognition shows how dedicated they are to maintaining a strong culture of safety. Safety is non-negotiable and a top priority for the airline, and they have worked hard to create such a culture, which has been adopted by over 10,000 staff. It's pleasing that an external agency has acknowledged this. While European, New Zealand and Hong Kong carriers scored the highest for safety, North American airlines seem to have fallen in the middle of the 60-carrier-long list. Rather than national airlines making it into the top 20, it was the budget airlines. JetBlue Airways made it to 14th in the rankings, and WestJet Airlines was ranked 19th. Both of these carriers haven't had any crashes or fatalities, but they haven't been in operation for as long as Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada. JetBlue was founded in 1999 and WestJet was founded in 1996. Overall, there were 496 deaths recorded among commercial airline passengers last year, which is only two less than the year before. The biggest incident involving deaths last year was a Dana Air crash in Nigeria that killed 169 people, while 127 people died in a Bhoja Air crash in Pakistan. These figures resonate with previous statements that last year was good for airline safety. The Aviation Safety Network (ASN) said that flying is becoming less dangerous all the time. Harro Ranter, the president of ASN, says that the average amount of carrier incidents since 1997 has shown consistent decline. This could be credited to the continued efforts by international aviation organisations like the International Air Transport Association (IATA), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Flight Safety Foundation, and the aviation industry to improve safety. http://news.carrentals.co.uk/the-safest-airline-in-the-world-is-34265429.html Back to Top 7-foot gator stopped from landing on airport's runway Airport officials spotted a 7-foot gator very close to the main runway at the Punta Gorda Airport -- just as a commercial jet was due to arrive, according to a news release from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. So an agriculture detective was called to the airport by security who found the gator about 30-feet away and heading in the direction of the main runway. The detective managed to drive the wandering gator back from the flight line, with the assistance of an FWC officer and airport security officer, who worked on getting the gator's attention, the report stated. This maneuver allowed the detective to sneak up on the gator and get his hands around its mouth and then tape it shut. FWC officers relocated the gator to another area...far away from the airport. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/strange/floriduh-blog/sfl-gator-airports- 20130111,0,5877616.story Back to Top Back to Top Call for Nominations! Nominations Being Sought FSF Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award Nominations for the FSF Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award must be received by April 19, 2013. First presented in 1968 as the FSF Publication Award, the award was renamed in 1988 in memory of Cecil A. Brownlow, a veteran newspaper, wire service and magazine journalist who was the FSF editor of publications from 1981 until shortly before his death in 1988 at age 61. The award recognizes significant contributions by journalists to aviation safety awareness. Candidates for the prestigious award may be individuals, publications or organizations. Nominations may be for long-term achievement or for outstanding articles, books or works in electronic media published or broadcast in a 12-month period. The recipient of the award, sponsored by IHS Aviation Information, will receive $1,000; a hand-lettered citation; and transportation to the 2013 Aerospace Media Dinner, the award venue. Nominations of individuals or organizations, including a detailed description (400 words or fewer) of the nominee's achievements, may be made using the online nomination form (link below) or sent to Rick Darby, associate editor, Flight Safety Foundation, 801 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-1774 USA. Nominations, both online or delivered, must be accompanied by representative hard- copy, videocassette, CD or DVD samples of the nominee's work (not Internet links), sent to the address above. An independent board will consider the nominations that in its judgment meet the award criteria. The nominating deadline is April 19, 2013. The award will be presented at the 2013 Aerospace Media Dinner, incorporating the 2013 Aerospace Media Awards, which will take place in Paris on June 16, 2013, the eve of the Paris Airshow. Please consider submitting a nomination for this important award. If you would like to learn more about the award or its past recipients and download a nomination form, click on the links below: FSF Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award Download the 2013 Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award Nomination Form[MSWord 29 KB] Back to Top International System Safety Society - Conference "CALL FOR PAPERS" The 31st ISSC will be held in Boston at the Marriott Copley Square August 12-16, 2013. This year's theme is "Safety for the Long Run." Deadlines for the technical program are: * Abstract Submission Deadline: March 29, 2012 * Tutorial, Workshop, and Panel/Roundtable Proposals: April 5, 2013 * Draft Paper Submission Deadline: May 10, 2013 * Final Paper Submission Deadline: June 28, 2013 * Technical Paper Presentation Slides: July 26, 2013 Any other information on the conference, including links for registration, can be found at our website: http://www.system-safety.org/issc2013/ Curt Lewis