Flight Safety Information February 27, 2013 - No. 045 In This Issue FAA Mulls Decision on 787 Tests No safety briefing on balloon flight - photographer (Egypt) Man dies aboard JetBlue flight bound for Boston Indonesia's Sky Aviation receives first Sukhoi Superjet PH passed aviation audit (Philippines) Puerto Rico Airport to Go Private It's a White-Knuckle Ride as Passenger Jet Makes Emergency Landing at State College Airport PROS IOSA Audit Experts Helicopters compete with business jet industry US Airways West Pilots: We Won't Back Down on Seniority FAA Mulls Decision on 787 Tests By ANDY PASZTOR (WSJ) - Federal regulators have been working to give Boeing Co. BA +0.82%the green light for airborne tests of proposed lithium-ion battery fixes for its 787 Dreamliner as early as next week, though the actual test flights aren't likely to come that quickly, according to people familiar with the details. The people said Boeing has told some airline customers that if testing is conducted in early March, the grounded jets could resume carrying passengers in a matter of weeks, perhaps even by the end of the month. A final decision on the timing of the permission hasn't been made and must be reviewed and approved by senior Transportation Department officials, including Secretary Ray LaHood. Once Boeing gets the green light, it could take some time to organize details of the test flights. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said "reports that we are close to allowing 787 test flights are completely inaccurate." Boeing, among other things, is counting on the fact that the Federal Aviation Administration's technical experts have supported the proposed changes, these people said. Boeing didn't have any immediate comment. Boeing's aggressive timetable for resuming regular flights could be upset if the FAA has any major questions or concerns about the battery enhancements before or after the test flights. Some industry officials project the Dreamliner won't be able to resume commercial service until April or later in the year. An early March approval for test flights, however, would indicate the FAA is prepared to sign off on Boeing's package of proposed fixes before an international probe pinpoints a specific root cause that led to burning batteries last month aboard a pair of 787s operated by Japanese carriers. Mr. LaHood has been leery of approving the fixes without a definitive cause, according to one person briefed on the matter. The battery incidents prompted the FAA to ground U.S. 787s on Jan. 16, causing similar moves by regulators world-wide. Boeing's proposals are geared toward ensuring that even if another battery starts to dangerously overheat, the situation won't turn into a crisis. The proposals emphasize changes to the guts of the plane's lithium-ion batteries along with a new protective fireproof container, according to people familiar with the details. The metal "containment box" would be intended to ensure that flames and toxic chemicals automatically will be vented outside the aircraft, preventing damage to nearby wiring or structures. Boeing also envisions redesigning the power packs to keep internal battery cells from moving around or spreading heat or flames, as well as changes aimed at keeping closer track of battery conditions. Back to Top No safety briefing on balloon flight - photographer (Egypt) An American photographer who was nearby when a hot air balloon exploded in Egypt on Tuesday, says his flight had no safety briefing and flights were cancelled the day before. The scene soon after take-off, with the balloon that later exploded, shown at top. Christopher Michel heard the explosion which killed 19 people as the balloon he was in, was coming in to land at Luxor. The company operating the balloon said a gas cylinder appears to have caught fire and exploded 300 metres above the ground. It was one of several making a dawn flight, Mr Michel said his flight was cancelled the day before because of an argument between airport officials and balloon owners. He told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme the operators were still disorganised the second day, but they were able to fly. Luxor is on the banks of the River Nile and has long been a popular tourist destination. It is home to some of Egypt's most famous ancient ruins. Tourists go to Luxor to visit the temples and the tombs of the Valley of the Kings. In 2009, 13 foreign tourists were injured when their hot air balloon hit a phone mast and crashed. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/129185/no-safety-briefing-on-balloon-flight- photographer Back to Top Man dies aboard JetBlue flight bound for Boston A man died this evening aboard a JetBlue flight that took off from Fort Myers, Fla., bound for the Hub, authorities said. The victim, who was not identified, suffered a "medical incident" on board the aircraft, JetBlue officials said in a statement. Boston EMS crews met the plane as it landed at Logan International Airport about 7:40 p.m., JetBlue said. Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley's office is expected to lead an investigation into the man's death as it does all unattended deaths in Suffolk County, a spokesman said. JetBlue said Flight 462 departed Fort Myers at 5 p.m. with 149 passengers and five crew members. http://bostonherald.com Back to Top Indonesia's Sky Aviation receives first Sukhoi Superjet Indonesian carrier Sky Aviation received its first Sukhoi Superjet aircraft on 27 February. The aircraft, with serial number 95022, was delivered to the airline's base in Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, says Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. This is the first of 12 aircraft that Sky Aviation has on order. Three of the aircraft will be configured with 93 seats, while the remaining nine will be configured with 98 seats - eight in business and 90 in economy class. Sky Aviation had previously told Flightglobal Pro that it will base the first aircraft in Makassar and use it on domestic routes to Balikpapan, Denpasar, Sorong and Jayapura. The carrier is scheduled to receive five Superjets this year, while the remaining seven will be delivered from 2014 through to 2015. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/indonesias-sky-aviation-receives-first-sukhoi- superjet-382797/ Back to Top PH passed aviation audit (Philippines) Passengers form a long line in front of airlines check in counters at the terminal building of Manila international airport on June 16, 2008. MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) denied reports that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) flunked the audit of the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) team. DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told Rappler via SMS on Saturday, February 23, that the team was actually going to recommend to ICAO headquarters in Montreal, the lifting of the Significant Safety Concerns issued to the Philippines. During the Philippine Economic Briefing on February 13, Abaya said the global organization International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was set to audit the CAAP on February 18. "The ICVM team was satisfied with their observations / findings on CAAP's efforts to comply with international safety standards and no longer sees any significant safety concerns; they will recommend to the ICAO headquarters, Montreal, the lifting of the Significant Safety Concerns issued to the Philippines. We are very confident that the ICAO will adopt/ approve the recommendation," Abaya said. In a statement on Saturday, February 23, Abaya said the ICAO official announcement on the lifting of the SSCs is expected to be made within two to three weeks' time. ICAO's validation mission focused on two critical elements only, namely, the OPS 1 Certification of Airlines in the Philippines and the Air/7 registration of Philippine- registered civil aviation aircraft. The other three critical elements, which are Legal, Organization and Licensing, were already satisfactorily addressed last October 2012, and, thus, were no longer validated again by the ICAO ICVM Team. "With the lifting of the ICAO SSCs, CAAP can now focus on regaining the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 rating. Category 2 status is issued by the FAA to the civil aviation authorities of countries that are non-compliant to ICAO Standard And Recommended Practices (SARPs) on international civil aviation safety," the DOTC said. On Saturday, Palace spokesperson Abigail Valte lamented the reports that came out stating that the CAAP flunked the audit of the ICVM. Valte said the story was completely the opposite of the mission's assessment. "Maling-mali 'yang istoryang 'yan. Hinihintay ho sana namin 'yung kanilang magiging pahayag ngunit dahil ho lumabas na itong istoryang ito, we feel duty-bound to address and to come out with the information immediately because that's a false---that is actually a very grossly inaccurate report [That story is wrong. We were waiting for the official statement from ICAO but because the wrong story came out, we felt duty-bound to address and and to come out with the information immediately because that's a false--- that is actually a very grossly inaccurate report.]," Valte said in a radio interview. On Friday, February 22, in the Makati Business Club forum, US Department of State Assistant Secretary Jose Fernandez said there are no shortcuts to ensuring aviation safety. Philippine carriers, including Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific, are keen on the safety rating upgrade so they could mount new and additional flights to the US. The audit results of ICAO -- a United Nations agency that oversees international civil aviation -- are the basis of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in deciding whether to keep or lift the Category 2 status imposed on its counterpart in the Philippines, the CAAP. FAA downgraded the safety rating of CAAP's predecessor in 2009 largely over issues that the CAAP is unable to implement global safety standards over aviation players that the CAAP overseas. The European Union followed suit and also blacklisted the Philippines in 2010. - Rappler.com http://www.rappler.com/business/22441-abaya-ph-passed-aviation-audit Back to Top Puerto Rico Airport to Go Private U.S. regulators said Tuesday they had approved a plan for investors to operate Puerto Rico's main airport for profit, boosting a long-standing federal effort to test the private- sector's appetite for infrastructure development. The proposed $2.6 billion deal to lease San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to a private consortium is being watched by bankers and industry officials keen to import a business model that is widely used in Europe and Asia. Airports have been attractive targets for private investors elsewhere because of rising air traffic and the opportunity to boost profits by expanding services such as terminal shopping, while cash-strapped governments are eager to find new funding to upgrade the facilities. The Federal Aviation Administration launched a pilot airport privatization program 16 years ago, giving the cities and counties that own most commercial airports another funding option. The plan gained little traction, in part because of broader public opposition to privatization and the availability of cheap municipal bond funding and passenger ticket- tax revenue. But rising government deficits have since spurred efforts to tap alternative sources for transportation and other infrastructure projects. Only one airport-Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, N.Y.-was privatized under the FAA program. The 2000 deal was unwound seven years later when the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey bought the airport back from National Express Group NEX.LN +0.36%PLC, a U.K. transportation company that opted to exit the airport business. San Juan emerged as the largest airport in the FAA program after the 2009 collapse of efforts by the city of Chicago to lease Midway airport, as the financial crisis drained funding for the planned project. Chicago has since revived its plans. Last week it said it had received 16 expressions of interest in running Midway under a proposed lease of 40 years or less, shorter than that envisaged under the previous plan. The approval of the San Juan deal by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood "is a good indicator that this can be done, and done right," said Kathleen Strand, a spokeswoman for Chicago. Only three of the 10 slots in the FAA pilot program are filled, with San Juan joined by Midway-which occupies the sole berth for a large hub airport-and Airglades Airport, a small facility in Hendry County, Fla. Others, such as Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, joined the program only to drop out, in part because of public opposition to privatization. Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla had voiced broad reservations about privatization before taking office in January, though previously said he would stand by the San Juan deal negotiated under the administration of his predecessor, Luis Fortuno. San Juan will be operated by a 50/50 venture between infrastructure-investment company Highstar Capital and Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste SAB de CV, ASUR.MX +0.40%which runs nine airports in Mexico. The partners plan to invest more than $1 billion in the airport, including $615 million up front in a leasehold fee. In addition, the consortium will pay Puerto Rico's airport authority $2.5 million a year for the first five years, 5% of revenue for the next 25 years and then 10% of revenue for the final 10 years. Deborah McElroy, an executive vice president at the North America branch of Airports Council International, an airport industry trade group, said interest in the Puerto Rico deal among U.S. airports has been high. But she said it is unclear how many others will explore privatization. "Ultimately, individual airports will have to determine if it's right for their unique circumstances," she said. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323699704578328583512502920.html Back to Top It's a White-Knuckle Ride as Passenger Jet Makes Emergency Landing at State College Airport A routine flight from Cleveland to New York City turned into a terrifying aerial experience Tuesday evening. It happened aboard a Chautauqua Airlines Embraer 145, a 50- passenger jet. Chautauqua Airlines is a regional carrier that provides flights for Delta Connection. There was some turbulence aboard as Flight 6044 flew through a stormy night, heading for LaGuardia. The aircraft was carrying 16 people, 12 passengers and 4 crew members. On the ground at University Park Airport snow plows were busy clearing runways. A slushy mix of snow and sleet had been falling since late afternoon. According to passenger accounts the pilot suddenly announced an unspecified in-flight emergency. As the drama began to unfold, one passenger described the flight attendants as "visibly upset." A man who identified himself as "Laurence" says passengers were kept in the dark and were not told what was really happening. But some passengers reported smelling smoke. The atmosphere aboard the plane was described as tense, "really scary." Doctor Jay Sugunaraj was flying back to his home in Connecticut. Sugunaraj says many of his fellow passengers appeared worried as the plane began its descent, heading for an emergency landing at University Park Airport. It would be a tense 15 minutes until the plane reached the runway. Back on the ground, a Level 3 emergency was declared, which means emergency responders were called in from State College, Bellefonte, Penn State and the Mount Nittany Medical Center. Fire trucks and ambulances lined the tarmac as Flight 6044 touched down without incident. The aircraft was quickly surrounded by emergency vehicles, flashing red and blue lights swirling through the snow. The plane sat on the runway for about an hour while emergency workers evaluated the situation. No fire was reported. According to University Park Airport Director, Bryan Rodgers, passengers were evacuated and taken inside the airport terminal. Rodgers says there are no reports of injuries. Inside the terminal a group of very relieved-looking passengers waited to learn what the airline planned to do with them. Some passengers were hoping to be taken to a hotel. As of 10 p.m. there was no word on how they were getting home. Sugunaraj, the passenger from Connecticut, looked tired as he said, "We're just happy to be alive." The airplane was towed to a holding area. Rodgers confirmed that the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit but it's unclear what caused the problem. Asked about the bad weather, Rodgers said the storm did not appear to be a factor in the incident. A call to Delta Airline's Corporate Communications office was not returned. http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/its-a-whiteknuckle-ride-as-passenger-jet- makes-emergency-landing-at-state-college-airport-1253999/#sthash.PJbsvyEv.dpuf Back to Top Back to Top Helicopters compete with business jet industry Business jets get the headlines, but the helicopter industry is just as economically relevant and vital, said analyst Brian Foley with Brian Foley Associates. Taken together, the value of civil and military rotorcraft delivered over a year's time is comparable to business jets, Foley said. Foley describes that realization as an "aha" moment for him. "When you put the helicopter value on the military side and combine that with the civil side, that piece of the pie is just as big as business jets," he said. The helicopter market is more diversified, while the business jet market is more vulnerable to cycles. The civil and military markets often run counter-cyclical to one another, he said. "This makes for a more stable sales environment for helicopters, with military frequently compensating for any civil slack and vice versa," Foley said. The rotorcraft market is important to Wichita, where some suppliers build parts for the market. Seventy-five percent of the work at Kaman Composites-Wichita, for example, is for the helicopter industry. The Helicopter Association International is holding its annual Heli-Expo in Las Vegas next week, Monday through Thursday. Corporations and individuals are the primary buyers of business jets. Civil rotorcraft counts those sectors in its customer base, but helicopters also are used for emergency medical services, police, utility, search and rescue, and offshore oil and gas. Military markets include scout/attack, naval warfare, squad transport, combat search and rescue, and special operations, Foley said. In addition, manufacturers can use the same platform for military and civil configurations. The more diverse customer base helped the industry during the economic downturn. When civil sales activity was down, firm government contracts from the military helped offset it. "Now, just as military contracts are threatened by shrinking defense budgets, civil is making a timely comeback," Foley said. On the other hand, corporations and individuals canceled business jet contracts and orders slowed during the recession. "That was catastrophic to Wichita and other business jet providers," Foley said. Helicopter manufacturers delivered 1,044 helicopters last year, up 21.5 percent from 859 shipments in 2011, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Business jet makers, meanwhile, delivered 672 business jets in 2012, down from 696 in 2011, GAMA said. Last year was the first time that GAMA compiled delivery numbers for the helicopter industry. Over the 10 years from 2013 to 2022, Foley expects the helicopter industry to deliver 24,000 helicopters, including about 12,000 civil turbines, 6,000 military turbines and 6,000 piston-powered helicopters valued at approximately $250 billion. He expects the business jet manufacturers to deliver a similar dollar amount of jets. "For years, the helicopter industry has had something of a Wild West, maverick image," Foley said. "With numbers like these, there's no denying that they're just as relevant as the business jet crowd, only better diversified, which makes the space even more attractive." Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2013/02/26/2693350/helicopters-compete- with-business.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top US Airways West Pilots: We Won't Back Down on Seniority CHARLOTTE, N.C. (TheStreet) -- Despite widespread hopes that a merger with American(AAMRQ.PK) would bring closure to a pilot seniority dispute at US Airways(LCC_), it's not that simple. A controversial 2007 seniority ruling by arbitrator George Nicolau followed the 2005 merger between US Airways and America West. The ruling, which resulted from binding arbitration, led to a bitter separation among pilots from the two airlines. This month's American/US Airways merger will lead to another round of pilot seniority integration, this time under guidelines established by the McCaskill-Bond Amendment. The 2007 congressional legislation requires unions to resolve seniority disputes through negotiations and, if that doesn't work, through binding arbitration. Leaders of the Allied Pilots Association and the U.S. Airline Pilots Association seem hopeful that the process will go smoothly and resolve the simmering dispute at US Airways. But another round of binding arbitration, if it is not based on the Nicolau list, isn't acceptable to former America West pilots. Their attorney said they will go to court if the ruling isn't part of the merged airlines' seniority list. "We expect the parties to abide by the Nicolau list, which is the arbitrated joint seniority list accepted by the company in 2007," said Mark Burman, spokesman for Leonidas, a group of pilots who have supported the continuing court battle to have the ruling implemented. On Feb. 7, US Airways pilots overwhelmingly approved a memorandum of understanding, setting temporary contract terms that would be implemented in the event of a merger. In a Feb. 18 letter to the labor attorneys for US Airways, Leonidas attorney Marty Harper referred to a 2010 finding by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that the west pilots' claims regarding Nicolau implementation would be "ripe," or ready for a court's consideration, once a contract was signed. "The time has come with ratification of the MOU and approval of the merger," Harper wrote. Harper said west pilots have until early August to seek relief in their duty of fair representation case against USAPA. "They will do so, " seeking a temporary restraining order, if pilots have not agreed prior to that date to implement the Nicolau award, he said. USAPA President Gary Hummel has said the west pilots are trying to delay the merger. But Harper wrote that "the west pilots supported this merger from the start, have no interest in delaying it now. (But) the west pilots must do whatever is needed to defend the Nicolau award." In a Feb. 21 letter to USAPA members, Hummel declared the union continues to oppose the Nicolau ruling. "This merger provides substantial and life changing benefits to all USAPA pilots, including those based in Phoenix," Hummel wrote. "USAPA will aggressively oppose any efforts to slow down or stop the merger process and will be equally vigilant in adhering to our constitutionally mandated principles that reject the Nicolau Award in its entirety." In his letter, Hummel said USAPA has asked the Ninth Circuit for an expedited ruling on a pending appeal filed by US Airways. The airline, joined by west pilots, appealed an October ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver in its case seeking clarification of the necessity to adapt the Nicolau list. In her ruling, Silver said USAPA's seniority proposal could be acceptable "provided it is supported by a legitimate union purpose." USAPA wants an expedited ruling because "We want there to be no uncertainty about whether USAPA can pursue a different seniority proposal," Hummel said. http://www.thestreet.com/story/11851932/1/us-airways-west-pilots-we-wont-back- down-on-seniority.html Curt Lewis