Flight Safety Information February 11, 2013 - No. 032 In This Issue Guinea military plane crashes in Liberia Suspected drunk Romanian pilot halts flight from London Watchdog sounds alarm over runway safety in Canada Fire forces evacuation of US Airways jet in Nashville PROS IOSA Audit Experts S. Korean carriers to introduce 23 new aircraft this year NCAA Boss Warns Against Corruptible Aviation Workers (Nigeria) Airplane ice crashes through roof 2013 ESASI Seminar in Madrid, April 18 & 19, 2013 Guinea military plane crashes in Liberia (BBC) At least 10 members of a Guinean military delegation, reportedly including the army chief, have died when their plane crashed in Liberia, officials say. No-one is said to have survived but it is not clear how many people were on board. The plane was carrying officials to Liberia's annual Armed Forces Day. It came down in Charlesville, near Monrovia's international airport, Liberia's Information Minister said. At the ceremony, Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf dedicated a minute's silence to "several" Guinean officials "involved in the tragic plane crash". Guinean military spokesman Alpha Barry said that armed forces head Gen Souleymane Kelefa Diallo was among those killed in the crash, according to the AP news agency. The Roberts International Airport is about 45km (32 miles) south of Monrovia. Back to Top Suspected drunk Romanian pilot halts flight from London BUCHAREST (Reuters) -- Romanian airline Tarom canceled a flight to Bucharest because the pilot was suspected of being drunk before takeoff from London's Heathrow airport, it said on Friday. In a story reminiscent of Denzel Washington's portrayal of flying under the influence of alcohol in the movie "Flight", British authorities refused permission for the pilot to take off in the Airbus A318 from Heathrow on Wednesday morning. "We canceled the flight because one crew member was not physically fit to operate. His medical incapacity was tracked down in London during routine checks," the state-owned Romanian carrier Tarom said in a statement. "The pilot returned home on Thursday and we suspended him from activity until the investigation is finalized. "If official results we receive show he tested positive for alcohol, we'll immediately fire him," the airline said. Back to Top Watchdog sounds alarm over runway safety in Canada More than seven years after an Air France plane shot ended up in a ditch on landing at Pearson Airport, Canada's air safety watchdog is still concerned about runway overruns in this country. The Transportation Safety Board is worried that foot-dragging by Ottawa on implementing tougher safety regulations and an unwillingness by airports to install safety measures are endangering the public. The rate of runway overruns in Canada is twice the world average - and four times the world average when runways are wet. An overrun occurs when a landing aircraft exceeds the available runway, running off the end. With accidents showing little sign of decreasing, an exasperated TSB took the unusual step last month of taking to social media to make its point, tweeting a video expressing its concern. "We first raised the issue of runway overruns and landing accidents in 2010 with the launch of our first safety watch list," the safety board says in its video, "but since then, the number of accidents has not significantly decreased. "This watchlist issue is one that can no longer be left unaddressed." "This is one area where the board is concerned and would like Transport Canada to do more," says Mark Clitsome, the board's director of investigations, air branch. The safety board, an arm's-length government agency mandated with investigating accidents and making safety recommendations, says there were 12 runway overruns in Canada in 2010 and nine in 2011. There were 15 overruns in 2012, but the Safety Board cautions this figure is preliminary. In 2005 an Air France A340 Airbus overran the runway while landing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport during a severe thunderstorm. The 297 passengers and 12 crew members all survived, but the jet burst into flames and was destroyed. The Air France episode sparked TSB criticism of Canada's lack of compliance with international standards. Canada is still not in compliance. The International Civil Aviation Organization mandates that there be a "runway end safety area" of at least 90 metres beyond the end of any runway longer than 1,200 metres, and recommends a runway safety area of 240 metres. The safety board acknowledges the Greater Toronto Airports Authority has a 90-metre overrun at Pearson, but it is immediately followed by a ravine, which the Air France jet fell into after it overran the runway. In its 2011 aviation review, Transport Canada stated it is revising runway standards and "will require certain designated certified aerodromes to install and maintain a Runway End Safety Area." However, Transport Canada said in an email these "revisions are not yet complete," and won't be for years. It said it has "the objective of commencing public consultations in late 2013 or early 2014." The Federal Aviation Administration in the United States requires a runway end safety area at major U.S. runways of at least 300 metres from the end of a runway. Airports in the U.S. that have found it difficult to meet FAA compliance due to obstacles in place prior to implementation of runway safety area regulations have started installing something called an "engineered material arresting system" at the ends of runways. The system is a soft, crushable material designed to slow an aircraft that has exceeded the runway landing area. The safety board is recommending airports in Canada install the arresting systems at runways that are unsuitable for overrun areas due to space limitations. In October 2012, Transport Canada issued an advisory to provide guidance for the installation of arresting systems, but such an advisory cannot mandate their installation. "Currently, there are no airports in Canada with (the arresting system)," says Clitsome. Clitsome acknowledges Transport Canada is doing "some studies and some research based on our recommendations, but we don't know where or how far that's developed." The safety board says "Canada now lags behind international standards" because airports have not installed overrun areas or arresting systems. "The bottom line is, if we don't do anything to prevent landing accidents and runway overruns, passengers, crew and aircraft will continue to be placed at unnecessary risk of injury or damage," says Clitsome. Even though Transport Canada acknowledges it does not yet have in place regulations mandating overrun areas, it maintains "Canada has one of the safest aviation systems in the world," Transport Canada spokesperson Kelly James said in an email. "Between 2000 and 2011, Canada's air transportation accident rate decreased by 25 per cent." http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/1578972--watchdog-sounds-alarm-over- runway-safety-in-canada Back to Top Fire forces evacuation of US Airways jet in Nashville NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Two dozen passengers were evacuated from a U.S. Airways airplane at the Nashville International Airport after a small electrical fire started. The incident on Saturday afternoon involved Flight 3411 from Philadelphia. Airport communications manager Shannon Sumrall told WKRN-TV that a defogging system on the plane's windshield was manufacturing and is believed to have sparked the fire. The fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported. U.S. Airways spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said the plane was operated by the airline's partner, Republic Airlines. Back to Top Back to Top S. Korean carriers to introduce 23 new aircraft this year SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean airlines plan to introduce 23 new aircraft this year as they seek to meet growing demand for air travel at home and abroad, data showed Sunday. Korean Air Lines Co., the country's top air carrier, has said it plans to introduce two Airbus A380 passenger jets, five other passenger jets and two cargo planes this year, according to data posted on its Web site. The planned delivery of the Airbus A380 passenger jets would raise Korean Air's superjumbo fleet to eight. Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea's No. 2 flag carrier, has said it plans to introduce two A330-300s, a A321-200 and a B777 this year, raising its fleet to 84. Meanwhile, the country's five budget airlines __ Jeju Air Co., Air Busan Co., Jin Air Co., Ltd., Eastar Jet Co. and T'way Airlines __ plan to introduce two aircraft each, according to a separate survey by Yonhap News Agency. Air carriers are "expected to steadily introduce new aircraft for the time being due to growing demand for air travel," an airline official said on condition of anonymity, citing policy. http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/ Back to Top NCAA Boss Warns Against Corruptible Aviation Workers (Nigeria) Dr Harold Demuren, the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Sunday said that the compromising of Nigerian aviation workers portended grave threat to the sector. ``It is high time we raise alarm on the consequences of insider threat to our aviation security,'' he told newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. He said that the security of the nation's airports would not improve if it experienced much ``insider`` threats, adding that such a trend ``will be quite unfortunate.`` Demuren urged the Federal Government to be diligent with the way it scrutinised security personnel that were protecting the country's airports. ``Aviation security remains the greatest challenge to safety of airport users and has assumed a source of worry to world aviation experts lately. ``Nations now work toward their aviation security personnel to be more vigilant because saboteurs, criminals and terrorists are evolving new ways to outwit them," he said. The NCAA boss expressed delight that the African Union (AU) has approved the 2012 Abuja Declaration which made it mandatory for every African country to be IATA Operational safety Audit (IOSA) compliant by 2015. He noted that being IOSA compliant was good for the continent, adding that it would enhance safety of the African airspace. ``We, here, will keep improving on safety of our aviation sector since we recognise that it is the engine of our economy." http://leadership.ng/nga/articles/ Back to Top Airplane ice crashes through roof Jeff Scriven's pictures show the damage ice caused Credit: Jeff Scriven A block of ice, believed to have fallen from a passing airplane, has ripped through the roof of a conservatory in Clanfield, Hampshire. The home owner, Jeff Scriven, said the ice was "the size of a bowling ball". Jeff Scriven's pictures show the damage ice caused Credit: Jeff Scriven He was working from home when he heard an "almighty bang" and found that the ice had shattered all over his conservatory floor. He told reporters: "It's just lucky no one was in there at the time. There was glass everywhere, it had shattered a 6ft by 2.5ft double glazed panel in the roof. "It's clearly an ice ball. It was the size of a bowling ball and I believe it came from a plane. "I could not imagine where else it could have come from. We get a lot of planes overhead but we don't normally hear them, just see them." Jeff Scriven's pictures show the damage ice caused Credit: Jeff Scriven He said the Civil Aviation Authority, sent him a letter confirming that the incident had been logged. They also explained that it's unlikely that the responsible airline will ever be identified. Experts believe that these chunks of ice fall from planes as they fly overhead - made up of frozen rainwater or toilet waste. http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2013-02-11/pictures-airplane-ice-crashes- through-roof/ Curt Lewis