Flight Safety Information June 25, 2013 - No. 127 In This Issue Plane veers off Reagan National Airport runway Qantas Pilots Are Annoyed A Navigator Wore One Of Their Uniforms In The Cockpit Pilot error blamed for Davao airport mishap (Philippines) $1.2 million missing from Swissair jet after JFK stop Manchester Airport runway closes after Thomas Cook plane aborts take-off US Airways Passenger, Arrested After Refusing To Stop Talking On Cell Phone IG Finds FAA Flight Safety Inspector Model Faulty Annual SMS Audit Results Released SAS plans to buy 12 new aircraft from Airbus Boeing to Offer Poland's LOT Airlines 787 Compensation in July Plane veers off Reagan National Airport runway, landing gear stuck in mud; no injuries WASHINGTON (AP) - Officials say a plane leaving Reagan National Airport veered off the runaway and its wheels got stuck in the mud. Delta spokeswoman Sarah Lora said Delta Flight 1763 bound for Minneapolis was trying to enter the runway when the right gear left the pavement. She said the gear was stuck in about 12 inches of mud. Lora says that 160 passengers got off the plane and were bused to the terminal. No injuries were reported. The spokeswoman said passengers were put on another flight that left Reagan about 7:30 p.m. Back to Top Qantas Pilots Are Annoyed A Navigator Wore One Of Their Uniforms In The Cockpit On A Flight A union has lodged a complaint on behalf of Qantas pilots who are unhappy a member of the airline's ground staff wore a second officers' uniform and sat in the cockpit on flights from Sydney to Dubai, according to Fairfax Media. The pilots' union made the complaint after a staff member responsible for preparing flight plans wore the uniform. Qantas has confirmed one of its staff "wore parts" of a second officers' get-up, according to the article. The airline also confirmed the staff member in question was on company business. Pilots claim passengers would have been endangered if something went wrong, and they had looked to her for advice. There were three actual pilots present on the flight. http://au.businessinsider.com/qantas-pilots-are-annoyed-a-navigator-wore-one-of-their-uniforms-on-a-flight- 2013-6 Back to Top Pilot error blamed for Davao airport mishap (Philippines) MANILA (3rd Update) -- The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has suspended the two pilots manning the Cebu Pacific A320 that overshoot the runway of Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City last June 2. "Definitely, it's a pilot error. We do not give sanctions like that unless we prove that is was a pilot error," CAAP Deputy Director General John Andrews said in press conference at CAAP headquarters in Pasay City. CAAP has found Captain Antonio Roehl Oropesa and First Officer Edwin Perello liable for non-compliance with a number of Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations (PCAR). With the failure of the pilots to adhere with the number of PCAR regulations, Andrews said Oropesa has been suspended for six months and he will act only as co-pilot for one year after his airline transport pilot license will be reinstated by the CAAP. On the other hand, Perello will be suspended for three months, subject to his compliance with the requirements for the reinstatement of his Commercial Pilot License. Andrews said both Oropesa and Perello failed to adhere with PCAR provisions relating to Operation Below Decision Height or Minimum Descent Altitude while the aircraft was approaching the runway. Andrews presented an animation made by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board of Singapore, which analyzed the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder. "The pilot could have practice 'balked' landing where the aircraft will take off again after missing the center line of the runway and make a turn around to avoid the accident," Andrews said. He said the two pilots also committed mistakes in declaring emergency evacuation. "They should have declared emergency evacuation 90 seconds after the aircraft came to a full stop but they waited for 15 minutes before declaring emergency evacuation," Andrews said. Andrews said the CAAP probe team also found out that the two pilots failed to comply with PCAR provisions relating to cockpit checklist procedure. CAAP however did not recommend penalty for the cabin crew as they just waited for pilot's command that never came. The cabin crew positioned themselves near the evacuation routes and waited for the pilot and co-pilot's instruction, he added. The Cebu Pacific, the country's budget airline, has not been given sanctions but asked to comply with some policies that is focused on safety, random sampling of flight crew capabilities, reassess its turn-around policy and allow CAAP flight inspectors to monitor their aircraft before leaving the airport. "The role of the CAAP flight inspectors will go on until we are assured that the airline is following certain policies and regulations to assure safety of the passengers," Andrews said. He, however, assured that the public that it still safe to fly with Cebu Pacific, the country's premier budget airline, as well as with other local airlines including flag carrier Philippine Airlines. "Cebu Pacific is safe, we just want to make it safer," Andrews said in Filipino. "CAAP remains steadfast in the pursuit of its mandate to make air transport as safe as possible," Andrews said. Transportation and Communication Secretary Joseph Abaya commended the CAAP for doing a good job in investigating the incident. "With this results, I hoping we can do remedial actions to avoid future accidents like what happened in Davao," Abaya, who joined the press conference. Andrews said the accident cost CAAP at least P3 million in losses as it forced to stop operation of Davao airport for at least two days, affecting nearly 100 flights and more than 50,000 passengers. "That is not counting incurred by other airlines and Davao City itself," he said. Last June 2, Cebu Pacific Flight 5J-971 left Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 5:40 p.m. and reach Davao International Airport at 7:07 p.m. But during, the aircraft rolled out of the runway, came to a halt, and was eventually immobilized 845 meters from its point of touchdown with no one from 70 people on board hurt. On Tuesday, the Cebu Pacific management acknowledged receipt of the Notice of Decision issued by the CAAP regarding the accident involving one of its Airbus 320 aircrafts. "We will comply with all the recommendations indicated within the Notice of Decision," the airline said in an statement. It stressed that safety has always been the highest priority of the company as it aims to "provide the safest airline service possible." Cebu Pacific said that in addition to CAAP's recommendations, it has started additional initiatives that would avert possible occurrence of similar accidents in the future. Overseeing these initiatives is Captain Jim Sydiongco, Cebu Pacific's vice president for flight operations, who has vast experience in aviation industry. Sydiongco is a former head of the Flight Standards Inspectorate Service (FSIS) of the CAAP. He also served as Chief Pilot for Safety Standards and Systems at Philippine Airlines for 21 years; and as the Senior Safety Supervisor of EVA Air for 16 years. "His expertise is invaluable to CEB's pilot management team as he oversees all aspects of flight operations, including pilot training," Cebu Pacific said. "Moving forward, as we further grow and fly to new destinations using new aircraft, CEB will continue to find ways to serve our passengers better," it added. http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/06/25/pilot-error-blamed-davao-airport-mishap-289181 Back to Top $1.2 million missing from Swissair jet after JFK stop Port Authority detectives and FBI agents last night were investigating after $1.2 million in cash was stolen from a Swissair jet that had landed at JFK. The theft was discovered after the plane arrived yesterday, sources said. It was not disclosed who the money was meant for or why it was being sent. But when representatives for the recipient opened the exterior of a cargo container, they found that a smaller receptacle had been emptied, a source familiar with the probe said. "It's an active investigation," a PA police source told The Post last night. Jim Margolin, a spokesman for the FBI in New York, confirmed that the theft was being investigated, but did not provide further details. A key element for investigators is their ability to establish exactly where and when the theft took place. It was not immediately clear if the cash vanished before the jet left its point of departure, which was not disclosed, or if it was stolen after the airplane landed in New York City. The exterior cargo container - the receptacle holding the smaller container that should have been holding the $1.2 million - showed no signs of being compromised, according to a source familiar with the investigation. This suggests that the theft might have occurred at the original departure point, the source added But investigators were also probing whether local mechanics, flight-crew members or other airport personnel had somehow gotten inside the inner container to swipe the dough and then placed the smaller and now- empty cargo container back inside the larger one. Whoever took the money probably didn't have too much trouble making off with it. The weight of $1 million in $100 bills, for example, is estimated at 22 pounds, according to the US Treasury. The largest cash heist in JFK Airport history occurred on Dec. 11, 1978, when an estimated $5 million was swiped at the Lufthansa Airlines terminal. It was, at the time, also the largest cash theft on US soil. That crime was portrayed in the movie "Goodfellas." Airlines regularly transport large sums of US cash under "enhanced" security protocols, such as when fulfilling large banking transfers or when vast amounts of American currency are being permanently taken out of circulation prior to destruction. Those sums can total up to $1 billion or more on a single flight, said a source with direct knowledge of such shipments. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/jfk_heist_lNPACrbzA4GzAyxHJIqV9I Back to Top Manchester Airport runway closes after Thomas Cook plane aborts take-off Jet engine explodes on runway, Airbus A330. Thomas Cook planes The plane was returned to its stand for checks after the aborted take-off Continue reading the main story A runway at Manchester Airport was closed after an aircraft developed an engine problem on take-off. The aborted take-off of the Thomas Cook plane, which happened at about 12:45 BST, saw the airport's first runway closed for 30 minutes. The plane, which was due to take 325 passengers to the Dominican Republic, was returned to its stand for checks. An airline spokesman said the fault was detected "prior to the aircraft being airborne" and no-one was "at risk". He said the airport's emergency services had been called to the aircraft "as a precaution". He added the airline would be working hard to ensure those on board the plane "begin their holiday as soon as possible". The airport's second runway remained open throughout the incident. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-23033556 Back to Top US Airways Passenger, Arrested After Refusing To Stop Talking On Cell Phone Woman Arrested On Charlotte- Bound Flight After Talking On Cell Phone No one likes that airline passenger who's yakking away on a cell phone right up to when the doors close, but one US Airways passenger recently took that breach of etiquette way too far. Lindsay Bien-aime, a passenger on US Airways flight 906 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Charlotte, N.C., allegedly refused several orders from the flight crew to stop talking on her cell phone on Sunday. The pilot was reportedly forced to return the plane to the gate, much to the dismay of travelers on the early morning flight, according to CBS affiliate WBTV. Then things got worse. Sheriff's deputies were called to escort the woman from the plane, but Bien-aime reportedly met them with an expletive-laden flurry of stubborn refusal. Another passenger captured cell phone video of the incident. After a few minutes of coaxing, the deputies attempted to physically remove Bien-aime, who was traveling with her young son, from the cabin. According to an arrest report obtained by WBTV, Bien-aime "kicked one deputy in the groin, elbowed another deputy in the face and scratched at least two other deputies" as they escorted her off the plane, the station writes. Video of the incident was posted to a Reddit forum Monday. Some commenters were surprised the woman continued to make a stink even after deputies were called to the scene. "Wouldn't any normal person see that its a no-win situation, by the time you've got 3 cops on you? That no 'reasoning' -- and certainly not intransigence -- is going to work with them," wrote user petzl20. Federal Aviation Administration rules prohibit the in-flight use of cell phones and other electronic devices once the cabin doors are closed, although a proposal being drafted by the FAA might soon ease restrictions on the use of certain gadgets. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/lindsay-bienaime-us-airways-arrest-cell- phone_n_3491832.html#slide=1347576 Back to Top IG Finds FAA Flight Safety Inspector Model Faulty According to a Department of Transportation (DOT) Inspector General (IG) report, the FAA's new staffing model for flight safety inspectors and the number required has some serious flaws reminiscent of the old system. The new system was instituted in 2009 following the recommendations of a 2006 National Research Council study mandated by Congress. The IG found that the problems with the FAA's new model are rooted in its "failure to fully address all aspects" of the NRC report, including identifying performance measures. The IG called the new model "faulty," containing incomplete, inaccurate, and outdated data, and said it cannot be relied on for its intended purpose. The FAA concurred with six of the IG's seven recommendations for strengthening the program and said it fully understands the limitations of its program and has been working to address them. The FAA noted that the model the IG reviewed was only an initial effort and was intended to be refined as the project matured. http://www.rotor.com/Publications/RotorNews/tabid/843/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2916/IG-Finds- FAA-Flight-Safety-Inspector-Model-Faulty.aspx Back to Top Back to Top SAS plans to buy 12 new aircraft from Airbus STOCKHOLM (AP) -- Scandinavian airline SAS says it plans to order 12 new planes from Airbus in a deal valued at $3.3 billion at list prices. SAS said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding - short of a firm order - for eight A350 and four A330 planes as part of a renewal of its long-haul fleet. The deal also includes upgrades of seven older jets and an option to purchase another six A350 aircraft. SAS said the A330s will be delivered in 2015 and the A350s in 2018. http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/25/3469083/sas-plans-to-buy-12-new-aircraft.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Boeing to Offer Poland's LOT Airlines 787 Compensation in July Boeing (BA) will begin compensating Poland's national carrier, LOT Polish Airlines, in July for the 787 blunder that grounded its fleet of Dreamliners earlier this year. Poland's Deputy Treasury Minister Rafal Baniak told Radio PiN on Monday that the Chicago-based jet maker will make a compensation offer next month. The carrier, which had two Dreamliners in operation during the battery meltdown that grounded the world's fleet of 50 aircraft for months earlier this year, said it lost more than $30 million in lost flights alone. Boeing did not immediately respond to FOX Business for a comment, however it has long pledged to compensate airlines for the grounding and said it would cater its offer to individual carriers. U.K.'s Thompson Airlines in May saw its first serving of 787 compensation when it secured an order for 60 narrow-body 787 MAX at a "significant discount," touting several "concessions, allowances and support" from Boeing in a deal otherwise valued at $6.1 billion. Thomson and LOT are among the airlines that promised to seek compensation for the Dreamliner problems that forced Boeing to stall deliveries, saying that they lost significant portions of revenue by enacting contingency plans. Boeing resumed 787 deliveries in May and launched a program of a new stretched-out Dreamliner this month. Its shares on Monday followed a steep decline in the broader market, slumping more than 3% in recent trade to $96.96. http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2013/06/24/boeing-to-offer-poland-lot-airlines-787-compensation-in- july/#ixzz2XEIpatns Curt Lewis