Flight Safety Information April 15, 2013 - No. 077 In This Issue Investigators probe jet's crash into sea in Bali Bali crash rings alarm bell on pace of Indonesian aviation sector's growth Delta jet gets stuck trying for takeoff FAT airplane forced to land due to in-flight engine shutdown FAA Orders Inspections on Boeing's 737 Aircraft NTSB: Texting, Distracted Multitasking Factors in 2011 EMS Helicopter Crash American, Canadian pilots killed in Guyana plane crash PROS IOSA Audit Experts Not Enough Pilots For Latin America's Booming Private Jet Sector World Food Programme taking aviation safety message to North Africa AirAsia Starts Hiring Pilots For India Budget Carrier FAA Foot-Dragging on Rule to Prohibit Texting and Flying Fuller questions FAA support for third-class medical exemption Investigators probe jet's crash into sea in Bali The wreckage of a crashed Lion Air plane rests on the water near the airport in Bali, Indonesia, Saturday, April 13, 2013. The plane carrying more than 100 passengers and crew overshot a runway on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Saturday and crashed into the sea, injuring nearly two dozen people, officials said. BALI, Indonesia Indonesian investigators on Sunday began working to determine what caused a new Lion Air passenger jet to miss a runway while landing on the resort island of Bali, crashing into the sea without causing any fatalities among the 108 on board. The National Transportation Safety Committee is examining the wreckage of the Boeing 737-800 that snapped in half before coming to a stop in shallow water near Bali's airport on Saturday, said Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan. He said aviation authorities had already removed the plane's flight data recorder and were planning to tow the aircraft to a beach. Divers were searching for the cockpit voice recorder located in the tail. Experts are examining what could have caused the crash, including whether wind shear may have played a role. Officials said there were three foreigners on board - two Singaporeans and a French national - all of whom suffered slight injuries. Lion Air spokesman Edward Sirait said the plane crashed about 50 meters (164 feet) ahead of the runway. The weather was cloudy with rain at the time of the incident. He said the Boeing 737-800 Next Generation plane was received by the airline last month and was declared airworthy. The plane had landed in two other cities on Saturday prior to the crash. Given that the aircraft was new, Sydney-based aviation expert Tom Ballantyne said a technical or mechanical problem would seem unlikely. He said it was fortunate that the plane landed flat in shallow water rather than nose-diving or hitting deep water, where it could have quickly been submerged. "I'm surprised. The airplane split in two upon impact," he said, estimating it was likely traveling close to 300 miles (483 kilometers) per hour. "It was coming into land and hit the water very hard. It's a miracle nobody was killed," Ballantyne said. It was unclear whether human error may have played a role in the accident, and Sirait said the pilot was experienced, logging 10,000 flying hours. However, Indonesian aviation analyst Ruth Simatupang, a former investigator at the National Safety Transportation Committee, suspects some sort of miscalculation involving the landing. "Something was obviously wrong with the pilot, and wind shear is a possibility that could lead to an unstable approach," she said. Sudden changes in wind speed or direction can lift or smash aircraft into the ground during landing. The pilot and co-pilot will be grounded for two weeks for tests to ensure they were healthy during the flight and for questioning by investigators. They also have undergone alcohol and drug testing, and the preliminary results were negative, Herry Bakti Gumay, a Transportation Ministry official, told a news conference Sunday. In the past two years, three pilots, one co-pilot and a flight attendant from Lion Air have been arrested for illicit drug use. The airline said it planned to suck the remaining fuel from the undamaged tanks in the plane's wings before towing it at high tide to avoid destroying the area's coral reefs. Bali is one of Asia's most popular destinations, drawing millions of vacationers with its world- class surf and beautiful beaches. Rapidly expanding Lion Air is Indonesia's top discount carrier, holding about a 45 percent market share in the country, a sprawling archipelago of 240 million people that's seeing a boom in both economic growth and air travel. The airline has been involved in six accidents since 2002, four of them involving Boeing 737s and one resulting in 25 deaths, according to the Aviation Safety Network's website. Lion Air is currently banned from flying to Europe due to broader safety lapses in the Indonesian airline industry that have long plagued the country. Last year, a Russian- made Sukhoi Superjet-100 slammed into a volcano during a demonstration flight, killing all 45 people on board. Indonesia is one of Asia's most rapidly expanding airline markets, but is struggling to provide qualified pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers and updated airport technology to ensure safety. Lion Air, a private company which started flying in 2000, signed a $24 billion deal last month to buy 234 Airbus planes, the biggest order ever for the French aircraft maker. It also gave Boeing its largest-ever order when it finalized a deal for 230 planes last year. The aircraft will be delivered from 2014 to 2026 as the airline positions itself to take on AirAsia, which dominates budget travel in the region. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57579495/investigators-probe-jets-crash-into- sea-in-bali/ ************* Status: Preliminary Date: 13 APR 2013 Time: ca 15:15 Type: Boeing 737-8GP (WL) Operator: Lion Air Registration: PK-LKS C/n / msn: 38728/4350 First flight: 2013-02-05 (2 months) Engines: 2 CFMI CFM56-7BE Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 101 Total: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 108 Airplane damage: Written off Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport (DPS) (Indonesia) Phase: Approach (APR) Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Bandung Airport (BDO/WICC), Indonesia Destination airport: Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport (DPS/WADD), Indonesia Flightnumber: 904 Narrative: A Boeing 737-800 passenger plane, registered PK-LKS, suffered an accident at Bali's Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport (DPS) in Indonesia. According to Lion Air there were 101 passengers and seven crew members on board. All aboard survived. Flight JT-904 departed Bandung Airport (BDO) at 12:48 on a domestic flight to Denpasar. At the time of the approach there were Cumulonimbus clouds in the area. The wind direction began to change rapidly, varying between 110 and 270 degrees. According to eyewitnesses it was raining in the approach path as flight 904 descended over sea toward Denpasar's runway 09. According to the Ministry of Transportation, the airplane came down in the water just short of the runway while on final approach to runway 09. Weather reported about the time of the accident (07:15 UTC / 15:15 LT) was: WADD 130800Z 10009KT 9999 FEW017CB SCT017 30/26 Q1007 NOSIG WADD 130730Z 15006KT 110V270 9999 FEW017CB SCT017 30/25 Q1007 NOSIG [07:30 UTC / 15:30 LT: Wind 150°, varying between 110 and 270° at 6 knots; unlimited visibility; few Cumulonimbus clouds at 1700 feet AGL; scattered clouds at 1700 feet AGL; Temperature: 30°C; Dewpoint: 25°C; Pressure: 1007 mb] WADD 130700Z 09006KT 9999 BKN017 30/26 Q1007 NOSIG www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Bali crash rings alarm bell on pace of Indonesian aviation sector's growth Experts warn a lack of experienced flight crews may be a ticking time bomb for safety as Indonesian air travel grows at 20pc a year Lion Air's Boeing jet split in two in a crash after the plane overshot the runway in Bali on Saturday. (AFP) The dramatic crash of a Lion Air plane into the sea off Bali has raised fears that Indonesia's fastest-growing carrier may be putting passenger safety at risk with its huge expansion plans, analysts said yesterday. Experts also warned that Saturday's crash, in which all 108 people on board survived, highlighted a "ticking time bomb" under the country's aviation sector - a lack of experienced crew to meet rapidly growing demand. Launched 13 years ago with just one plane, Lion Air has made two of the world's largest aircraft orders in a US$46 billion bet on Indonesia's air transport boom. France announced last month that the carrier had agreed to buy 234 medium-haul A320 jets worth US$23.8 billion from European aerospace giant Airbus. That came after Lion Air astounded the industry with a US$22.4 billion agreement for 230 Boeing 737 airliners signed in 2011 as a visiting US President Barack Obama looked on. The company is betting big on the formidable expansion of air transport in Indonesia, which is experiencing passenger growth of about 20 per cent every year. But Saturday's crash has heightened fears that the plans are overambitious for an airline with an already poor reputation after a string of accidents and which is banned from European and US skies over safety fears. The Boeing 737-800 missed the runway entirely as it came in to land at the airport on the resort island of Bali, hitting the water and splitting in two, causing dozens of injuries but no deaths. Officials have given no indication as to what may have caused the plane, brand new and delivered to Lion Air last month, to crash. The National Transportation Safety Committee was examining the wreckage, transport ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said. The plane's flight data recorder had already been recovered and it was planned to tow the aircraft onto land and retrieve the cockpit voice recorder located in the tail, he said. Lion Air spokesman Edward Sirait said the Boeing 737-800 Next Generation plane was received by the airline last month and was declared airworthy. The plane had landed in two other cities on Saturday before the crash. The pilot was experienced, having logged 10,000 flying hours, Sirait said. Lion Air is currently banned from flying to Europe due to broader safety lapses in the Indonesian airline industry that have long plagued the country. "I do question whether Lion Air's exponential growth ... will put safety at risk," an analyst at Hong Kong-based consultancy Aspire Aviation, Daniel Tsang, said. "When an airline is too focused on growth and puts an emphasis on cutting costs, safety could be compromised." An aviation expert at the University of Indonesia, Wawan Mulyawan, who specialises in crew health issues, said the cause of the accident could have been pilot exhaustion. Pilots becoming overworked and rundown could become more of an issue for the country's aviation sector as a whole, he said, as airlines expanded rapidly and there were not enough qualified crew. "Yesterday's crash was the tip of the iceberg," Mulyawan said. "If the number of pilots cannot grow as fast as the number of planes and flights, we can expect worse cases in the future. It's a ticking time bomb." Back to Top Delta jet gets stuck trying for takeoff A Delta jet carrying 270 people got stuck in the grass at Detroit Metro Airport on Saturday night after partially going off the taxiway just before takeoff. "It went past the end of the runway. It was still on a taxiway, and it was turning around to come back and went off the edge of the taxiway," airport spokesman Michael Conway said. It happened shortly before 11 p.m. There were no injuries and the airport personnel worked with Delta Air Lines to arrange for shuttles for the passengers, he said. The plane -- a Boeing 777 -- was headed to Amsterdam. Delta Airlines could not be reached for comment Sunday. http://www.freep.com/article/20130415/NEWS06/304150035/Delta-jet-gets-stuck- trying-takeoff Back to Top FAT airplane forced to land due to in-flight engine shutdown Taipei, April 13 (CNA) A Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) plane experienced an in-flight engine shutdown Saturday as it was en route to Taipei from the outlying island of Kinmen, forcing it to return to Kinmen. Upon arrival, all 147 passengers and crew, including three infants, were safely evacuated, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) confirmed. FAT said it was arranging another flight to bring the passengers back to Taiwan proper. One passenger told of his horror when he heard a huge noise in the aircraft about 20 minutes after takeoff. The CAA said that the cause of the failure had not been ascertained. It was the fourth case of an in-flight engine shutdown involving a FAT aircraft since the carrier resumed operations less than two years ago. http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aall/201304130014.aspx Back to Top FAA Orders Inspections on Boeing's 737 Aircraft By ANDY PASZTOR Federal aviation regulators on Monday will order special inspections and, if needed, replacement of improperly manufactured parts on more than 1,000 Boeing Co. BA +0.41%737 jets that could cause pilots to lose control. Industry officials said the directive is unusual because it applies to factory defects potentially affecting such a large number of planes, particularly relatively new versions of the most widely used jetliner flown by carriers world-wide. The Federal Aviation Administration's safety mandate covers certain corrosion-prone pins used to attach movable tail panels to the jetliner's fuselage. The order was prompted by "reports of an incorrect procedure used to apply the wear and corrosion protection surface coating" to the affected parts, which the agency determined could result "in premature failure" of the attachments and potentially "loss of control of the airplane," the directive says. The suspect parts, which haven't caused any accidents, help secure so-called horizontal stabilizers that control the up-and- down movement of the nose. The directive takes effect in late May and gives airlines various compliance times based on the age of aircraft and other factors. The compliance deadlines are far enough ahead that they aren't expected to have an impact on airline schedules. The directive was posted on the Federal Register website on Friday and will be formally released Monday. It applies only to planes flown by U.S. carriers, but foreign regulators are expected to adopt it for hundreds of additional jets. Serious failures or structural weakness involving horizontal stabilizers-movable tail surfaces perpendicular to rudders-potentially can be deadly because they may put planes into steep dives or climbs that pilots may be unable to prevent. The FAA order includes six versions of the popular twin-engine plane, starting with 737- 600s and stretching to the latest 737-900 extended-range version. Boeing agreed with details of the final rule, which was initially proposed last September, according to the FAA. The company was preparing a comment Sunday. The FAA rejected industry requests to exclude some planes from inspections on the grounds that complex schedules for deliveries of new aircraft and spare parts otherwise make "identification of the affected planes difficult." The FAA estimated maximum total compliance costs at about $10 million for U.S. carriers. The rule follows a recent pair of separate FAA safety directives affecting various flight- control panels on the tails of most of the same 737s. About two weeks ago, FAA officials mandated Boeing-recommended fixes to prevent "severe vibration" that poses a threat of "structural failure" of the horizontal stabilizer or another section of the tails of 737s. Earlier this year, the FAA expanded proposed inspections and fixes prompted by improper installation of certain bolts used to attach horizontal stabilizers to 737 aircraft. In 2000, catastrophic failure of part of the horizontal stabilizer on an Alaska Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83 caused it crash into the Pacific Ocean, killing all 88 people aboard. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324345804578423021967685776.html Back to Top NTSB: Texting, Distracted Multitasking Factors in 2011 EMS Helicopter Crash Report also cites training, fatigue and failing to react to an emergency situation as contributing to the AS350 accident in Mosby, Mo. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that a private text conversation was one of the factors that contributed to a series of poor decisions resulting in the August 2011 crash of an Air Methods Eurocopter AS350 B2 in Mosby, Mo. Four people died as a result of the accident, including the pilot, James Freudenberg. According to NTSB, in addition to being distracted from texting, three other factors contributed to the crash-fatigue, training, and taking off with less fuel than needed resulting in the pilot failing to "make the flight control inputs necessary to enter an autorotation," an emergency maneuver required within about two seconds after the loss of engine power in order to land safely. The agency released a report regarding the LifeNet-operated AS350 that reveals the pilot engaged in a text conversation while conducting mandatory pre-flight checks, prior to accepting a mission to transport a patient from a hospital in Bethany to a Liberty, Mo. hospital about 62 miles away. After departing the Air Methods base, the pilot reported having two hours' worth of fuel, but then reported having only about 30 minutes of fuel remaining once he reached the first hospital, according to the safety board. An examination of the pilot's cell phone records caused NTSB to cite distraction from texting as a contributing factor, as Freudenberg made several calls and text messages during the helicopter's pre-flight inspection, as well as in flight to the first hospital and while he was making "mission- critical decisions" about delaying the operation due to the fuel situation. After arriving at the first hospital, the pilot was scheduled to fly the AS350 to a nearby airport for refueling. The helicopter ran out of fuel and the engine lost power within sight of the airport, and Freudenberg did not respond with the necessary flight inputs for autorotation. Investigators found that because of a lack of specific guidance in FAA training materials, the pilot may not have been aware of specific control inputs needed to enter an autorotation at cruise speed. The agency is recommending FAA suspend the use of non-flight-related portable electronic devices (PEDs) during flight and safety-critical inspections, along with eight other safety recommendations resulting from the crash investigation related to updating flight manuals, informing other pilots about the circumstances of this accident, and installing crash-resistant flight recorder systems on all turbine-powered aircraft. The findings highlight "what is a growing concern across transportation distraction and the myth of multi-tasking," NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman noted in a statement. "When operating heavy machinery, whether it's a personal vehicle or an emergency medical services helicopter, the focus must be on the task at hand: safe transportation." - http://www.aviationtoday.com/asw/topstories/NTSB-Texting-Distracted-Multitasking- Factors-in-2011-EMS-Helicopter-Crash_78962.html Back to Top American, Canadian pilots killed in Guyana plane crash The plane is registered to a Miami-based aerial photography and survey company Sparendaam, Guyana (CNN) -- Two pilots, an American and a Canadian, were killed Saturday when the small aircraft they were flying crashed into a house in Guyana, officials said. The pilots, whose names were not released, were the only people on board the six-seat plane. Their Piper Aztec twin-engine aircraft had just taken off from Guyana's Ogle Airport when it encountered engine trouble, according to Robeson Benn, the South American country's minister of transport. The plane crashed into a house in the coastal village of Sparendaam, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) east of the capital city of Georgetown, authorities said. Residents in Sparendaam said they heard a loud explosion as the aircraft crashed into a small wooden house. The only person in the house, Florence Dyer-Tyndall, 69, told reporters she ran out of the house after hearing the impact and seconds before it burst into flames. The plane was registered to an American aerial photography and survey company based in Miami, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority said. Back to Top Back to Top Not Enough Pilots For Latin America's Booming Private Jet Sector SANTIAGO - The rapid expansion of large Latin American companies is pushing up demand for private airplanes and helicopters like never before. The reasons are simple - these companies want the speed, flexibility and autonomy that private air transport provides. The only problem: There are not enough pilots, America Economia reports. This creates an interesting situation. Many large companies, instead of contracting with an air transport company, will hire pilots directly and buy their own vehicles. Often, these companies are former clients of companies that provide private air transport. Jorge Bitar Neto, president of Helimart, one such private air company, explained that his clients have turned into his competitors. Not only do they buy their own planes, they then hire away the pilots that they are used to flying with, usually offering vastly better salaries. The air transport companies can't compete. If it's crunch time for the companies, it's time to rake in the money for pilots. An inexperienced co-pilot can expect to earn between $3,500 and $5,000 per month, and experienced pilot over $12,500 per month, reports America Economia. http://www.worldcrunch.com/business-finance/not-enough-pilots-for-latin-america-039- s-booming-private-jet-sector/helicopter-private-plane-jetstream-latin- america/c2s11416/ Back to Top World Food Programme taking aviation safety message to North Africa The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) aviation arm operates in some of the most unforgiving and hostile areas in the world playing a major role in the respiration process of the afflicted areas. The WFP's aviation team - based in Sharjah - enforce strict aviation safety standards by requesting the contracted air operators to comply with the international aviation standards as well as UN WFP particular requirements in order to reduce the risk levels and to avoid adding an aviation catastrophe grief. Having adopted a methodology for safe skies the WFP has branched out to share knowledge and experience by promoting flight safety worldwide, and conducting workshops, seminars, trainings and conferences. Later this year WFP will host the 5th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference & Exhibition which will be held in Four Seasons Hotel Marrakesh-Morocco, 9-11 October 2013, where an elite aviation innovators, decision makers and accountable managers meet to discuss a broad spectrum of numerous imperative aviation concerns and apprehensions. This conference has been endorsed, recognised and supported by many international and national organizations such as ICAO, FAA, EASA, FSF, IFALPA, UAE-GCAA, and many National CAAs from numerous countries due to its significant affirmative impact in improving the aviation safety standards, and risk mitigation strategies worldwide. WFP will be opening its doors at the conference to any operator with safety at the heart of their operation. The organisation is also looking for support through sponsorship or donation. See http://www.wfp.org/ for further details or contact Captain Samir Sajet regional aviation safety officer at the Sharjah regional headquarters. http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/world-food-programme-taking-aviation-safety- message-to-north- africa.html?utm_source=googleNews&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=news_feed Back to Top AirAsia Starts Hiring Pilots For India Budget Carrier AirAsia Bhd. said Saturday that it has started hiring pilots for its Indian budget carrier joint venture ahead of its launch, planned by the end of the year. AirAsia is looking for India-based captains and first officers, the company said on its website. Tony Fernandes, the Malaysian discount carrier's group chief executive, separately posted an advertisement on Facebook and Twitter social media websites calling for applications. "AirAsia India is taking off," read an ad on Mr. Fernandes' Facebook page, which indicated the closing date for pilots' applications is April 19. Neither Mr. Fernandes nor staff from AirAsia's corporate communications department immediately responded to emails or other messages from The Wall Street Journal seeking to confirm the information. The company is interviewing candidates for cabin crew positions on Saturday and Sunday, according to an advertisement that was previously posted on the company's website. AirAsia Bhd. will own 49% of AirAsia India, according to a previous company announcement. Indian conglomerate Tata Group will own 30% and Arun Bhatia, a relative of steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, will own the remainder. AirAsia's investment proposal was approved by the Indian government earlier this month, and AirAsia India is expected to apply soon for a license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. www.foxbusiness.com/news/2013/04/13/airasia-starts-hiring-pilots-for-india-budget-carrier/#ixzz2QVtNnwzo Back to Top FAA Foot-Dragging on Rule to Prohibit Texting and Flying With so much focus on accidents related to texting and driving, why would the FAA delay a rule that would prohibit texting in the nation's airline cockpits? It doesn't take an aviation safety expert to figure out that texting and flying - like alcohol and flying - don't mix. Concern mounted on the fatal consequences of electronic distractions in the cockpit as a result of the NTBS's finding this week that the crash of a medical helicopter August 26, 2011 was due in part to the pilot's texting while flying, including seven texts during critical phases of the flight. Four people died in the crash. FAA Slow To Implement Congressional Mandate So, even though Congress ordered the FAA to issue a rule prohibiting airline flight crews from personal use of electronic devices in the cockpit in January of last year, no rule has been issued to date. A notice of proposed rulemaking was issued in January of this year (eight months after the FAA was required to begin rulemaking), although the FAA could have used its authority to issue what's called a "direct final rule". A direct final rule would have allowed the prohibition on personal use of cell phones and other electronic devices in the cockpit to be immediately effective, without a time consuming notice and comment period. While notice and comment before an agency's rulemaking usually make sense to get input from affected parties, when the FAA is required by law to implement a rule (as it is here), it makes no sense to drag out the rulemaking process. Comments can be gathered after the rule goes into effect and the rule tweaked, if necessary. The FAA had the authority to immediately issue a rule prohibiting airline crews from personal use of electronic devices in the cockpit - including texting while flying - and should have done so. This would in no way have prevented airlines from continuing to use technology in the cockpit - including electronic flight bags- as the law prohibits personal use of electronic devices. While this rule would not prohibit texting and flying in the cockits of all aircraft - including the EMS helicopter that crashed- it would be a start. http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2013/04/13/faa-foot-dragging-on-rule-to- prohibit-texting-and-flying/ Back to Top Fuller questions FAA support for third-class medical exemption Reporting on a recent meeting with FAA Administration Michael Huerta, AOPA President Craig Fuller said support in the agency for the third-class medical certificate exemption seemed to be waning. "High-level FAA staffers told us the exemption was not a priority for the agency," Fuller said, referring to a meeting earlier between FAA executives and leadership teams from AOPA and EAA. The two associations jointly petitioned the FAA last year to allow pilots of four-place, 180-horsepower fixed-gear aircraft and smaller to fly in day VFR conditions using only a driver's license as a medical certificate. The proposal included a requirement that pilots regularly complete online training courses that educate them on their health and how it relates to flying safely. After the staff-level meeting, Fuller and EAA Acting President and CEO Jack Pelton met with Huerta on April 8. Speaking to attendees at a town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) at Sun 'n Fun International Fly-In & Expo, Fuller said Huerta seemed interested in the subject and asked good questions, clearly wanting to understand the issue more fully. Noting some eight years of data from sport pilots flying light sport aircraft using only driver's licenses in place of a medical certificate and no resulting decrease in safety, Fuller wondered aloud whether the agency would ever approve such an exemption if not now. "How much more compelling can the data be?" he asked. While the agency may not see it as a priority, Fuller noted that the issue is clearly a priority for his membership and those of EAA. "Do they really think we would be in favor of an initiative that would harm our members?" he asked the Sun 'n Fun crowd. If the agency can't say yes to the exemption, Fuller encouraged at least a small scale study of just a few pilots for one to two years. If successful, it can then be expanded to more pilots. The FAA has not said when it will respond to the petition, which garnered more than 16,000 responses from pilots and organizations such as AOPA and EAA. http://www.aopa.org/sunnfun/2013/130413fuller-questions-faa-support-for-third-class- medical-e.html?CMP=News:S1RM Curt Lewis