Flight Safety Information August 8, 2013 - No. 163 In This Issue FAA Ordering 737NG IFE System Radome Checks Delta Flight to Detroit Diverts to Amsterdam on Flaps Vietnam Airlines aircraft free falls for 122m Drunken passenger forces flight back to Pa Surf Air 'Airline'? What Passengers Need To Know Before They Sign-Up Passenger Defiance of FAA Rules Boon to Accident Investigators New flight rules for air ambulances (Australia) Bombardier Safety Standdown To Precede LABACE Think ARGUS PROS Boeing expects demand for aircraft to remain strong PAL expects delivery of 12 more Airbus aircraft in 5 months It Costs Up To $80,000 To Make A Business Class Airplane Seat Jilly Murphy Memorial Scholarship for Aviation Safety Guidance Aviation Acquires Robinson R66 Industry Research Survey 5th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference & Exhibition (5th GHAC) FAA Ordering 737NG IFE System Radome Checks The FAA plans to order inspections of LiveTV in-flight entertainment system radomes on certain Boeing 737NGs, after 26 reports of radomes being cracked due to mishandling during installation or maintenance. In a draft directive published Aug. 5, the FAA says a "lack of dimensional controls" on manufacturing drawings can lead to preload stress on a radome during assembly with the fairing that surrounds it on top of the fuselage. Combining preload stress with more stress during flight or maintenance-such as by stepping on the fairing-is thought to be causing the cracks. LiveTV addressed the issue by changing the manufacturing drawings, starting with radome serial number 498. The agency's draft airworthiness directive (AD) proposes inspections of radomes with part numbers (P/N) 5063-100-V3 or 5063-101-V2, and serial numbers up through 497. The checks would be required within 1,250 flight hours. The FAA says 165 U.S.-registered 737s require the inspections. Replacement of a cracked radome would cost about $24,000, but the agency says it can not determine how many aircraft would need new parts. The FAA's draft AD is based on a LiveTV service bulletin issued in March. http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/avd_08_06_2013_p03-03-603981.xml Back to Top Delta Flight to Detroit Diverts to Amsterdam on Flaps A Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) wide-body jet bound for Detroit landed safely at the Amsterdam airport after being diverted there because its wing flaps wouldn't retract following its departure from Paris. Flight 99, a twin-engine Airbus SAS A330 jet carrying 309 passengers and crew, touched down about 4:15 p.m. local time at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, Anthony Black, a spokesman for Atlanta-based Delta, said today by e-mail. Video by Amsterdam television station AT5 showed the jet landed without incident. Passengers are being rebooked on a flight leaving Amsterdam at 9 a.m. tomorrow, Black said. While maintenance workers were able to repair the aircraft, crew members reached their work-hour limits and today's trip had to be canceled, he said. Flaps that won't retract keep a plane from reaching its usual airspeed. They are extended from the back edge of the wing in different configurations during takeoff and landing, expanding the lifting surface and allowing a plane to maneuver at slower speeds. The tradeoff is that they increase drag. "The airplane, any airplane, with flaps down could not make it across the North Atlantic," said Les Westbrooks, a former commercial and military pilot who teaches airline operations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. "They had to land." Speed Limit The A330's maximum cruise speed is about 547 miles (880 kilometers) per hour, according to industry website Airliners.net. That's more than twice the top speed when flying with the flaps lowered for takeoff or landing, ruling out a trans-Atlantic flight spanning more than 3,900 miles. Planes have safety systems that block flaps from retracting completely if one isn't moving up in sync with the other, Westbrooks said in a telephone interview. The Dutch television video showed that the flaps on the right wing of Flight 99 were in a downward position, while the view of the left wing was obscured by the fuselage. Three firetrucks were nearby as a precaution, AT5 said. Schiphol airport is a Delta hub. Flap malfunctions aren't common, said G.W. "Bo" Corby, a former commercial pilot who now works with Future & Active Pilot Advisors, a career and financial-planning website. "The flaps are a complicated system with a lot of moving parts, and on occasion for any number of reasons you may have a malfunction" including computer problems, Corby said by phone. "The response of the computer may be to lock them out so they don't go anywhere and put the airplane in a compromised position." http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-07/delta-flight-to-detroit-diverts-to-amsterdam-on-flaps.html Back to Top Vietnam Airlines aircraft free falls for 122m VietNamNet Bridge - The incident occurred with the flight from Bangkok (Thailand) to Hanoi on August 6, scattering the entire luggage and belongings in the cabin, one passenger had leg pain and two attendants were dazed. Information about the incident spread on social networks on August 7, along with the pictures of the messy scene on board of the aircraft. In the photo, the viewers can see a flight attendant (wearing the apron printed with a bronze drum) were collecting things on the floor. The seat cover has Vietnam Airlines logo and name. In the aisles were a lot of lunch boxes, spoons and glasses. In the kitchen, furniture was also scattered. The one who uploaded the photo captioned that this is the scene after the plane "freefell" for "200 meters" in the air. vietnam airlines, flight, free-fall According to Vietnam Airlines spokesperson, an aircraft when flying from Bangkok to Hanoi on August 6 felt into the area of clear air turbulence and free-fell for 122m, at the height of 10,973m. One passenger suffered minor pain at leg and two flight attendants were shocked. But then the aircraft operated normally and landed safely. Aircraft having trouble getting into the clear air turbulence is common. On June 2, an aircraft of Singapore Airlines also faced a similar situation. Photo: An aircraft of Singapore Airlines also had trouble falling into the disturbances on 2/6. In this incident, the Singapore Airlines plane free-fell for 20 meters, making furniture splashing down on the floor. Up to 11 passengers and one crew member were injured. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/81207/vietnam-airlines-aircraft-free-falls-for-122m.html Back to Top Drunken passenger forces flight back to Pa. PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Officials say a flight bound for Spain had to return to Philadelphia after a drunken passenger caused a disruption and had to be restrained by others onboard. Philadelphia International Airport spokeswoman Victoria Lupica says the US Airways Flight 742 took off for Barcelona at about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday but returned at about 9:45 p.m. Police say the unidentified man was restrained by fellow passengers. No one was injured. The plane was cleared to resume its trip. Earlier Wednesday, officials said an investigation into a bomb threat made in connection with a different trans-Atlantic flight that landed in Philadelphia turned up nothing suspicious. US Airways Flight 777 from Shannon, Ireland, landed in an isolated part of Philadelphia International Airport, where its passengers were questioned, but nothing was found. Back to Top Surf Air 'Airline'? What Passengers Need To Know Before They Sign-Up John Goglia, Contributor With all the media hoopla surrounding Surf Air's all-you-can fly business model and comparisons to Netflix, there seems to be some basic information missing that passengers need to be aware of before they decide to spend thousands of dollars - between membership fees and a three-month commitment - to join up. That basic information is that Surf Air does not hold the same FAA air carrier certificate, and is not required to meet the same safety standards, as most scheduled airlines, including commuter or regional airlines. Surf Air holds an FAA certificate issued under Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. While most commuter airlines were required to upgrade to Part 121 standards - after a series of accidents in the 1990s - scheduled operations using aircraft with 9 or less seats were allowed to continue to operate under Part 135. Since Surf Air operates three Pilatus aircraft - with less than 9 passenger seats -it is legally allowed to operate as a commuter under Part 135. But there are significant differences in safety standards between Part 135 operations and Part 121, which include different pilot qualification requirements, crew member flight and duty and rest requirements, flight following, weather, airport and maintenance requirements. For example, a Part 135 commuter captain is not required to hold an airline transport pilot certificate, the highest pilot's license granted by the FAA, but can fly with just a commercial pilot certificate. In addition, the recent changes in pilot qualifications mandated by Congress as a direct response to the Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, New York in February 2009 - significantly increasing the number of hours required for co-pilots and increasing the number of hours required for co-pilots to upgrade to captain - would not apply to commuter operations under Part 135. While Surf Air is experimenting with a new business model that may eliminate some of the hassles of flying, passengers should know that the company is not required to meet the same safety standards as the scheduled airlines they usually book tickets on. So when the New York Times quotes an elite United and Southwest flyer enthusiastically endorsing Surf Air's flying experience, someone needs to tell her she's traded some significant safety standards for convenience. Passengers have every right to make those trade-offs - they should just be knowingly made. http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2013/08/06/surf-air-airline-what-passengers-need-to-know- before-they-sign-up/ Back to Top Passenger Defiance of FAA Rules Boon to Accident Investigators On July 22, as Southwest Flight 345 descended through 400 feet on approach to New York's LaGuardia Airport with an 11 knot tailwind, the captain took the controls from first officer. They were flying onto a runway with headwind of 11 knots, the crew reported. Then, for some reason, the captain put the plane down, nose gear first, sending the gear strut upward into the electronics and equipment bay of the Boeing 737-700 and making a very dramatic screeching skid down Runway 4. These details are among those released by the National Transportation Safety Board today, as the investigation into the cause of the accident continues. If you've noted that more than two weeks has passed since the accident and these details are just coming out, credit that to some extent to the fuss kicked up by the Air Line Pilots Association which as been "engaged in discussions with the NTSB leadership and senior staff" according to a letter sent by Lee Moak, the union boss to members over the weekend. ALPA was none too happy that information about the pilots in command of Asiana Flight 214 was released by NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman within days of the crash landing in San Francisco and the union's lobbying at L'Enfant Plaza does seem to have had some tranquilizing effect on the safety board's press operation, though spokeswoman Kelly Nantel chalks that up to the fact that the Southwest crash did not have a board member on scene. Meantime, NTSB investigator in charge Dennis Jones is getting a big assist in the Southwest 345 probe from videos of the accident, at least two of which were made from inside the airplane. Southwest Airlines B737 crash caught on tape by passenger A total of five videos - some from the passenger cabin and some from outside the plane - are valuable Nantel told me this afternoon. "It allows us to look from a variety of different angles." Digital evidence was "critical to determining what happened" in the crash of Jimmy Leeward's P-51 at the Reno Air Race in 2011, she said. As I wrote for The New York Times these days investigators of all sorts from safety agencies to law enforcement are deluged by digital evidence provided by citizen videographers and their ubiquitous smart phones, iPods, handy cams and tablets. At the same time it can be an overwhelming task for investigators to screen this stuff and evaluate its usefulness. It that is not enough of a dilemma, don't forget that recording inside an airplane below 10,000 feet is in defiance of safety rules. Investigators have so far found no evidence that electro-magnetic interference from those digital devices affected the flight systems, instruments or controls on the Southwest 737 but the fact that could have should give one pause. And with that possibility in mind, its worth considering the implications when airline passengers feel it's okay to decide which rules they'll heed and which they'll ignore. "The regulations are in place for a reason and we support them because they afford a level of safety," Nantel said. "Its always a concern when passengers feel they don't have to comply." Nevertheless, in the case of Southwest 345 investigators find themselves in a dilemma, delighted and yet uncomfortable by the source of what could be illuminating evidence. Asked what the safety board's next step might be to prod someone to sort out the air safety community's use-but-don't-tell relationship with digital devices, Nantel said, "There is no next step, it's up to the FAA to determine if there is some gross non compliance." There already is gross non compliance that is easy part. The "what's next?" question will be a lot tougher to answer. http://blog.seattlepi.com/flyinglessons/2013/08/06/passenger-defiance-of-faa-rules-boon-to-accident- investigators/ Back to Top New flight rules for air ambulances (Australia) RESCUE flights soon will have to adhere to better safety standards being proposed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Under the new proposals, air ambulance services like the CareFlight rescue helicopter, will be included in the aviation safety regulations covering passenger transport operations. Australian air ambulance flights are only covered by aerial work regulations. CASA says higher safety standards are needed, given the "passenger-carrying nature of their operations". The proposal has been welcomed by CareFlight's executive director of flight operations-commercial, Jeremy Ovens. "We are still reviewing the proposal and CASA has asked all air ambulance operators for feedback," Mr Ovens said. "The proposed changes are a positive move for the industry as a whole. "It puts more onus on the operators to make sure their crews are better trained and that safety standards for all aircraft are at a consistently high level." The move would not require more work from CareFlight, he said. "CareFlight already operates in accordance with these rules with our medical helicopters and jets, but it will help improve and standardise the air-medical industry across the board," Mr Ovens said. CASA argues the benefits of the proposed changes include ensuring a "higher level of training and checking for pilots" as well as "fatigue risk management specific to aeromedical operations". http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/new-flight-rules-for-air-ambulances/1975888/ Back to Top Bombardier Safety Standdown To Precede LABACE Bombardier Aerospace will host its Safety Standdown Latin America on August 12 and 13 at the Grand Hyatt São Paulo Hotel in São Paulo, Brazil, immediately before the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition. The theme of this year's event is "Professionalism in Aviation." "Professionalism in operations is the key to maintaining our industry's enviable safety record, and with the Latin American market continuing to grow, hosting this free-to-attend seminar just before LABACE provides us with the perfect opportunity to share the principles of Safety Standdown with a wide audience of industry professionals," said Steve Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft. "With Safety Standdown seminars taking place all over the world, we're confident that this essential knowledge-based training is reaching key growing markets for business aviation." Dr. Tony Kern of Convergent Performance, a highlight presenter, previewed his lecture, saying, "The largest untapped resource in the aviation world today is the difference between the levels at which we are currently operating and the levels we are capable of. The gap is not closed by meeting minimum regulatory requirements; it is closed through enhancing professionalism." http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainmxreports/2013-08-07/bombardier-safety-standdown-precede- labace Back to Top Back to Top Boeing expects demand for aircraft to remain strong Chicago-based Boeing Co. expects aircraft demand to remain strong during the next 20 years but shift to long-range, fuel-efficient, mid-sized planes with strongest growth in demand coming from Asia. Meanwhile, the aviation giant stuck by its forecast for plane production despite turmoil at a key supplier. Boeing, which sees most of its future in making commercial airplanes rather than in the defense industry, forecasts demand for 35,000 commercial aircraft during the next two decades worth about $4.8 trillion, Boeing officials said during a media briefing Wednesday. That would double the world's fleet of commercial planes. The plane-making market is dominated by Boeing and European rival Airbus. The two divide the world market roughly evenly in sales of larger planes. "We're in a very good position as we look toward the future," Randy Tinseth, marketing vice president, said at a briefing in Washington, D.C. Generally, the market for airplanes for commercial use has held up despite a relatively weak world economy, Tinseth said. "We expect to gain momentum as we go throughout this year and see better results from an economic perspective as we get into 2014 and beyond," he said. Cargo traffic, however, has not held up as well as passenger traffic. But that will likely rebound with in step with an improving world economy, he said. Airlines will continue a move toward buying new, more fuel-efficient aircraft, he said. Boeing expects airlines to continue replacing 2 percent to 3 percent of their fleets per year with new aircraft. Many will be replaced by mid-sized planes capable of flying long distances, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The plane was plagued by delays in its introduction and continues to experience glitches, including a serious overheating problem with an onboard battery that led to a worldwide grounding of the plane earlier this year. However, the plane model has been praised by airlines for its fuel efficiency and amenities for passengers. Also during the briefing Wednesday, Boeing said its plane-production rates are unlikely to be affected by the potential sale of the wing division of Spirit Aerosystems Holdings, which warned of a second-quarter charge of up to $400 million on Tuesday and delayed its earnings release. The Wichita, Kan.-based supplier makes wing pieces for all of Boeing's aircraft models and produces fuselages for its top-selling 737 model. Boeing still plans to increase production of 737s to 42 a month by mid-2014 from 38 currently, Tinseth said. "We assume we'll find a way to build these airplanes," he said. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-boeing-expects-demand-for-aircraft-to-remain- strong-20130807,0,2443480.story Back to Top PAL expects delivery of 12 more Airbus aircraft in 5 months MANILA - Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Thursday said it expects 12 more Airbus aircraft to be delivered in the next five months as part of the flag carrier's aggressive expansion. PAL said its second A321-200 is due on August 16, followed by the airline's first A330-300 in the fourth week of September. Yesterday, PAL took delivery of its first A321 from Airbus. PAL expects an additional 17 aircraft next year, 15 aircraft in 2015, 10 in 2016, two in 2017, and four each in 2018 and 2019. In August last year, PAL signed a firm order with Airbus for 55 aircraft worth a combined $7 billion. These include 45 single-aisle A321s and 10 wide-body A330-300. A month later, PAL exercised its option to acquire 10 more A330-300s, raising its total orders to a record 65 aircraft. Ismael Augusto "Nikki" Gozon, PAL senior vice president for operations, told reporters that the new A321 aircraft will be used in flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok ad Japan, as well as for flights to and from Cebu and Davao. PAL earlier said it was giving up the domestic market to focus on international routes. Its budget unit, PAL Express, would take over the domestic routes under a code-sharing agreement. Gozon also said PAL plans to mount flights to London, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and Madrid before the end of the year. "It looks like we might try to do any of those two before the end of the year," Gozon said, adding that PAL will use Boeing 777-300ERs and A340-300s for its Europe flights. The European Union recently lifted a ban on PAL flights to Europe. http://www.interaksyon.com/business/68212/pal-expects-delivery-of-12-more-airbus-aircraft-in-5- months Back to Top It Costs Up To $80,000 To Make A Business Class Airplane Seat A single business class seat in an airplane can cost somewhere between $30,000 and $80,000, according to a New York Times report. That's because while airlines work to pack as many seats as they can into economy class, they're also fighting to offer the most luxurious business class options to attract high-paying passengers. The seats themselves need to be comfortable, of course (some offer massages), but must also meet strict safety standards and be as light as possible, to reduce the plane's overall weight and fuel use. A new seat can take three years to design and produce. First class offerings get even more complicated, Tom Plant of B/E Aerospace, which produces seats, told the Times. With more than 2,000 components, they can cost between $250,000 and $500,000. http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/It-Costs-Up-To-80-000-To-Make-A-Business- Class-4714926.php Back to Top Jilly Murphy Memorial Scholarship for Aviation Safety A $5000 scholarship is being offered to support a project or person which contributes to improved aviation safety in New Zealand, particularly in Canterbury. Applications will open in October for the inaugural Jilly Murphy Memorial Scholarship for Aviation Safety. The scholarship is being offered jointly by Christchurch Airport and Airways Corporation, in memory of Jilly Murphy, a member of the Christchurch Airways tower team who tragically died in central Christchurch during the earthquake of February 22, 2011. Jilly worked for Airways for 20 years as a highly skilled controller and was loved and respected by her colleagues at the airport. Aviation safety was very important to her and her family is supporting the scholarship because of its focus on that. A memorial seat has been placed in her honour at the base of the Airways air traffic control tower at Christchurch Airport. The scholarship fund may be used for learning, resources, equipment or to supplement income for a person focussed on aviation safety. The project could be research, a process, a product or anything else than enhances aviation safety. A shortlist of three applicants will be selected and advised on 22 January 2014 and interviewed by a panel consisting a representative each of Jilly's family, Airways and Christchurch Airport. The successful applicant will be announced on 22 February, on the three-year anniversary of the quake. TIMING: Applications open October 22, 2013 and close on December 22, 2013. Interviewees will be advised January 22, 2014 and the scholarship winner announced on February 22, 2014. To enter, please download and complete the application form on www.christchurchairport.co.nz and/or www.airways.co.nz http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1308/S00290/jilly-murphy-memorial-scholarship-for-aviation- safety.htm Back to Top Guidance Aviation Acquires Robinson R66 Prescott, Ariz. - Guidance Aviation, a leading collegiate helicopter flight training organization with schools in Prescott, Arizona and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has added a Robinson R66 turbine helicopter to its fleet. "The R66 is powered by a Rolls Royce RR300 and will cruise at 125 kts. With significantly improved performance at high altitude, the R66 fits nicely into Guidance Aviation's training regime. There's a good chance a number of our graduates may fly this type of aircraft for their first job," states Dave Roy, Director of Flight Operations. "The R66 will support our ongoing turbine transition training and of course our high altitude training." The R66 turbine helicopter acquisition follows a number of significant developments for Guidance Aviation. In July of this year, Guidance opened its second flight training operation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In partnership with Baton Rouge Community College, the Louisiana program is now the first and only collegiate helicopter pilot school based in State through which students can become Certified Flight Instructors - Instrument (CFI-I) and earn their Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. Additionally, Guidance Aviation's President and CEO, John Stonecipher, was awarded the prestigious Person of The Year Award during the 50th Annual Small Business Week by the National Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. in June of this year. http://www.rotor.com/Publications/RotorNews/tabid/843/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/3276/Guidance- Aviation-Acquires-Robinson-R66.aspx Back to Top Industry Research Survey: Dear Colleagues, The Paperless Aircraft Operations team, at International Air Transport Association (IATA), is currently conducting a research on current and future implementation of RFID technologies in Airline Technical Operations. In doing so, a survey has been designed to evaluate industry's priorities, needs and perceptions regarding RFID use in Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering. If you are an airline employee, please take a few minutes to answer IATA's RFID Survey (excel format), and send it to psc@iata.org before September 15th, 2013. Kindly note that this survey may not be accessible on iPad. The participants will receive a copy of the results. A detailed report can be available upon request. In addition, the results of the survey will be presented and discussed at IATA's 4th Think Tank meeting in Singapore from October 23rd to 25th, 2013. Please note that the IATA RFID guidelines are available to you. You may get a free PDF copy of IATA's publication on RFID guidelines here. With kindest regards from Montreal, Paperless Aircraft Operations Team Tel +1 514 874 0202, Ext. 3244 www.iata.org/paperless-ops International Air Transport Association 800, Place Victoria, P.O. Box 113 Montréal, Quebec, Canada, H4Z 1M1 www.iata.org Back to Top 5th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference & Exhibition (5th GHAC) Dear Colleagues: Greetings from the World Food Programme the Largest Organization fighting Hunger worldwide The World Food Programme (WFP) is pleased to invite you to the 5th Global Humanitarian Aviation Conference & Exhibition (5th GHAC) on 9-11 October 2013 at the Four Seasons Hotel & Resort, Marrakesh-Morocco. The GHAC, which has become an annual global event, aims at assembling elite aviation innovators, decision-makers and accountable managers to discuss a broad spectrum of pressing aviation safety concerns affecting humanitarian air operations and emerging trends in the Aviation industry. As the largest humanitarian agency fighting global hunger, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) is one of WFP's projects and the GHAC is spearheaded by WFP Aviation Safety Unit in coordination with WFP Aviation Service. The Conference has been supported by several Civil Aviation Authorities, national and international organizations, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organizations and various air operators. Particularly, the 5th GHAC will be under the auspices of the Government of Morocco and supported by Morocco's Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, Royal Air Maroc, United Arab Emirates Civil Aviation Authority, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) and the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA), among others. As a mean to encourage participation and reduce financial burden on organizations, the event will be Free of Charge to all participants. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for large exhibition spaces. Interested organizations for exhibition should please contact sharjah.asu@wfp.org For more information and registration, please visit the conference's website at: www.annualghac.com We look forward to seeing you at the conference in our collective quest to promote aviation safety worldwide. Best Regards, Samir Sajet Regional Aviation Safety Officer, UAE World Food Programme Tel. Office Sharjah +971 (6) 557-4799 Fax Office Sharjah +971 (6) 557-4796 Mobile +971 (0) 50-656-1019 Email: samir.sajet@wfp.org Sharjah Airport Freezone, Building Y1 Office 84 P.O.Box: 120390 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates , UTC +4 Safety Works When People Work Together! Curt Lewis