Flight Safety Information January 15, 2014 - No. 013 In This Issue More Battery Problems for Boeing's Dreamliner Jet Ethiopian Airlines high-risk landing - result of an investigation Man arrested at Nashville airport with $153K in his suitcase Boeing hails green diesel 'breakthrough' for aviation industry GONE WEST: Dr. July (Julie) Harkey Think ARGUS PROS Announcing...The Annual "Moral Courage Safety Awards" United Drops $1.08 Billion of Airbus Orders in Jet Shift Secretary Foxx Announces 10 New Members to FAA Management Advisory Council Man tried to sneak onto flight at Md. airport More Battery Problems for Boeing's Dreamliner Jet Battery problems have prompted the grounding of another Boeing 787, one year after a similar issue led to a months-long global suspension of the jet's flights. Japan Airlines reported that a mechanic saw white smoke rising from beneath the cockpit of a parked Dreamliner during routine maintenance at Tokyo's Narita International Airport on Tuesday. An investigation found one of the eight cells of the plane's troubled lithium-ion battery had leaked. It said a safety valve meant to release excess pressure had worked properly and that it did not catch fire. JAL replaced the plane with another Dreamliner jet, and said it will keep flying its other 787s following routine maintenance checks. The worldwide fleet of 50 Dreamliners was grounded for more than three months last year after battery problems sparked a fire in a parked plane and forced the emergency landing of another. Boeing later rolled out modifications to the battery, but admitted it did not know what caused the meltdowns. The U.S.-based multinational company said the modifications appeared to work as designed in Tuesday's battery incident in Tokyo. http://www.voanews.com/content/more-battery-problems-for-boeings-dreamliner- jet/1830372.html Back to Top Ethiopian Airlines high-risk landing - result of an investigation On December 18 eTN reported about a high-risk landing of an Ethiopian Airlines commercial plane in Arusha, Tanzania. Ethiopian Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance. ETN acknowledges Mr.Richard Gomes' as the source of this information. The findings shown below refer to the Arusha incident of Ethiopian Airlines'. The information is relayed here without any alterations or additional comments. AIB Bulletin AIB No. 15 Ref. CAV/INC/15/13 Category: 1.1 Aircraft Type: Boeing 767-383 ER Reg. ET-AQW Serial No. 24476 No. and type of Engines: Two Pratt and Whitney PW 4000 Year of Manufacture: 1989 Date and Time (UTC): 18 December 2013 at 0948 hours (1248 hours Local Time). Location: Arusha Airport, northern Tanzania Latitude: S 03 22.04 Longitude: E 036 37. 48 Elevation 4,550 ft Type of Flight Commercial scheduled flight. Persons on Board: Crew - 10 Passengers - 213 Injuries: Crew - Nil Passengers - Nil Nature of Damage: There was no damage to the aircraft Commander's Licence: ATPL Commander's Age: 51 years Commanders Experience: 11,000 hours of which 800 hours were on type. Last 28 days: 30 hours. Last 90 days: 200 hours. Information Source: Telephone from Kilimanjaro ATS ALL TIMES UTC The Bulletin contains facts relating to the accident which have been determined up to the time of issue. This information is published to inform the public and the aviation industry of the general circumstance of the accident or incident at the preliminary stage and must necessarily be regarded as tentative and subject to alteration or correction if additional evidence becomes available SUMMARY The incident was reported to the Air Accident Investigation Branch by the Kilimanjaro Air Traffic Services shortly after it occurred. The investigation started immediately. Whilst descending for Kilimanjaro International Airport, the flight crew saw an airport (Arusha airport) and prematurely abandoned the given standard arrival procedure that would have taken them to the Kilimanjaro runway access. They subsequently landed at Arusha airport. The failure of the flight crew to report at given reporting positions and the failure of the controller to ask for the aircraft position reports were factors which contributed to the incident. History of the Flight The aircraft was operating Ethiopian Airlines Flight ETH- 815, a scheduled commercial flight from Addis Ababa to Mombasa via Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA). It was carrying 213 passengers and a crew of 10 including two pilots. The fuel load was 18,000 kg which gave an endurance of 0430 hours. The pilot in command testified that he was airborne at 0745 hours and climbed to a cruising altitude of 36,000 feet. The flight was uneventful. Whilst descending to FL 240 the pilot made the first contact with the Kilimanjaro International Airport. He reported that he had been cleared by the Dar es Salaam Area Control Centre to descend to FL 240 estimating the reporting point LOSIN 0937 hours, and touchdown at Kilimanjaro at 0950 hours. At 0929 hours the pilot was informed by the Kilimanjaro Approach that runway 09 (the runway with instrument arrival) was not available due to a disabled aircraft at the approach end. He was advised to use the reciprocal runway (runway 27) which had 3,300 metres available for the landing. This runway was not equipped with instrument landing system. The pilot acknowledged the clearance at 0931hours. He was cleared to FL 120 EVATO 1A arrival, and was advised to report on breaking visual for runway 27. At 0943hours the pilot reported to have airport in sight and advised that he would be joining left downwind runway 27. The controller instructed Flight ETH-815 to report left base runway 27. The pilot acknowledged. At 0945 hours the pilot requested the position of the disabled Caravan 1. The reply was 300 metres from the threshold of runway 09 and the available landing distance of 3,300 meters for runway 27. At 0946 hours the pilot reported left base. He was given the surface wind 080/02 and cleared to land. When the controller failed to see to the aircraft, he tried to raise it on the Kilimanjaro frequency but there was no reply. It was during the repeated calls that he received a telephone call from the Arusha tower informing him that ET-AQW had landed at Arusha airport. The aircraft made a safe landing on runway 27 of Arusha airport and stopped within the length of the runway. During an attempted 180 degrees turn, the nose and main landing gear wheels exited the runway and were stuck in soft soil. There was no damage to the aircraft. There were also no injuries to the 223 persons on board. The aircraft was later towed back to the runway and made a successful takeoff for Kilimanjaro International airport on 20 December 2013 at 0849 hours. It arrived at Kilimanjaro at 0857 hours with a crew of 5 and no passengers. Damage to aircraft There was no damage to the aircraft. The weather It was a bright, sunny day. The weather does not appear to be a significant factor in this incident. Arusha airport Arusha airport elevation 4,550 feet has one runway 09/27 which is 1,640 metres long and 30 metres wide. The surface is tarmac (PCN 15) and was in good condition at the time of the incident. The runway has no turning pads. The airport is used by light and medium aircraft. There is one NDB, AR 391 KHz. Arusha airport is 27 nautical miles (50 km) west of Kilimanjaro International Airport. Kilimanjaro International Airport Kilimanjaro International Airport, elevation 2,930 feet has one runway 09/27 which is 3,600 metres long and 46 metres wide. The surface is tarmac and was in good condition at the time of the incident. The navigational aids include one Instrument Landing System KK frequency 110.9 KHz; One VOR, KV 115.3 MHz; One NDB KB 293 KHz and two locators, KL 283 KHz; KO 298 KHz. Most of the navigational aids support instrument approach procedures for runway 09. The airport has several standard arrival procedures (STARS) and Flight ETH-815 was cleared for EVATO 1A arrival into Kilimanjaro. It was the second time that the pilot in command was flying to Kilimanjaro. He had previously flown into the airport as an observer. However, the co-pilot had flown into Kilimanjaro three times before in the right seat, the last time being September 2013. Discussion The investigations have so far found no technical problems with the aircraft that could have contributed to this incident. This was corroborated by the company's Captain who subsequently flew the aircraft out of Arusha. The pilot reported nothing unusual during takeoff, climb, cruise and descent. However, the pilot failed to report at the mandatory reporting point, LOSIN. He was also not asked by the Kilimanjaro Approach to do so. The only position report he made was 43nm (80 km) from the Kilimanjaro VOR, KV. During the descent he saw an airport and prematurely abandoned the given arrival procedure (EVATO 1A) which would have taken him to position TESOV, and subsequently to the Kilimanjaro runway axis. He subsequently joined left downwind for runway 27 Arusha Airport while believing that he was proceeding to land at Kilimanjaro. His downwind position report was not challenged by the Kilimanjaro controller, who should have had him in sight in that position. http://www.eturbonews.com/41701/ethiopian-airlines-high-risk-landing-result- investigation Back to Top Man arrested at Nashville airport with $153K in his suitcase Police arrested a money laundering suspect Tuesday just before he was set to board a chartered flight from Nashville International Airport to California with $153,000 in cash. Conor Guckian, 33, was charged after an officer discovered the cash, which was wrapped in a suitcase in the same manner as drug profits, according to his arrest warrant. A police dog smelled drugs on the cash. Guckian told police he was traveling from New York to California to buy gold. He admitted that he had been arrested in New York on a cocaine charge, the warrant said. Someone at the airport reported Guckian to police after he booked the chartered flight with $20,000 cash. He remains in jail on a $10,000 bond. http://www.wbir.com/story/news/crime/2014/01/14/man-arrested-at-nashville-airport- with-153k-in-his-suitcase/4474013/ Back to Top Boeing hails green diesel 'breakthrough' for aviation industry Fuel made from vegetable oils and fats could offer low carbon answer to rising airline pollution levels Biofuels currently used in cars and trucks could be used to power planes, according to leading aircraft manufacturer Boeing. It says Green Diesel, which is derived from vegetable oils and fats, is chemically similar to aviation biofuels and releases 50% less carbon dioxide than oil-based fuels over its lifecycle. In a statement Dr James Kinder, a Technical Fellow in Boeing Commercial Airplanes Propulsion Systems Division, said this discovery could represent "a major breakthrough." "We are collaborating with our industry partners and the aviation community to move this innovative solution forward and reduce the industry's reliance on fossil fuel." Boeing says it is seeking approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration for aircraft to fly on green diesel, but admits current levels of production would only be able to provide 1% of global jet fuel demand. Climate change Efforts to develop cleaner alternatives to jet fuel that release lower quantities of climate warming greenhouse gases have accelerated in recent years. Air transport currently accounts for between 2-5% of global CO2 emissions. Rising oil prices and the threat of an aviation carbon trading scheme have forced companies to consider ways of powering planes through various types of fuel. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has set an ambitious target to halve net 2005 emissions levels by 2050. Figures from PwC indicate this requires efficiency savings of 5.1% a year. Aviation expert Professor David Lee from Manchester Metropolitan University told RTCC various forms of biofuels could offer anything between 10-25% of the fleet's liquid volume requirement by the middle of the century. "Biofuels are a realistic prospect. They can't be produced in sufficient volumes yet, but they may start to make a difference if pursued vigorously by about 2040-2050," he said. Systemic problems Green Diesel is frequently described as one of the cleaner members of the biofuels family, but still faces some of the same issues - including the need to sustainably source raw materials. In theory biofuels can offer a 'zero net emissions' source of fuel, but in practice this depends where they are produced and what plants are used. Critics say the growth of the biofuel industry is linked to land grabs in poorer parts of the world, as well as rising levels of hunger, as agriculture is switched from food to fuel crops. The impacts of climate change may also play a role in determining the success of biofuels - drought or excessive rainfall in growing areas may mean some crops are unsustainable. http://www.rtcc.org/2014/01/15/boeing-hails-green-diesel-breakthrough-for-aviation- industry/#sthash.doBvqzVn.dpuf Back to Top GONE WEST: Dr. July (Julie) Harkey She lost her battle with cancer this week. Julie was the Flight Safety Manager at ATA Airlines, and then has been with the FedEx Safety Department. Back to Top Back to Top Announcing The Annual "Moral Courage Safety Awards" Presented at Heli-Expo 2014 Presented by the US DOT - Transportation Safety Institute Call For Nominations The purpose of the award is to promote and foster positive safety culture in the rotorcraft industry by recognizing those individuals and organizations that make sometimes difficult operational decisions based on continued safe operations. Example of a deserving individual and organization - I learned of a HEMS pilot who aborted a critical neonatal transport because of unforecast bad weather. It was a tough call and one that haunted him, but he knew it was the right decision to ensure a safe outcome. His organization supported the decision and went so far as to recognize him for making the tough call. In this case both the individual and the organization should be recognized. Let's face it; it's always easy after the accident to second guess the decisions that put a crew in trouble. What our industry needs is to reward those who make the tough decisions that keep them out of trouble. That's walking the talk of positive safety culture! Sometimes choosing the safest course of action can be difficult, especially if it means modifying the mission. Bottom line, it takes moral courage to do the right thing. You can help - nominate someone today! Who is eligible? Any Crew, Crew Member, Maintainer, Supervisor, Manager, employee and or their organization who demonstrates commitment to a positive safety culture. Email Mr. D Smith for a nomination form. D.smith@dot.gov Or call (US) 405.694.1644 Back to Top United Drops $1.08 Billion of Airbus Orders in Jet Shift An employee works on the Airbus A320 single-aisle passenger aircraft wing production United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL), the world's second-biggest airline, canceled orders for 12 Airbus SAS single-aisle planes valued at about $1.08 billion that the carrier said were no longer needed. The move affects six Airbus A319s and six A320s, Christen David, a spokeswoman for Chicago-based United, said today by e-mail. The A319s have a list price of $85.8 million each, while the A320s retail for $93.9 million, according to an Airbus statement yesterday. Airlines typically buy at a discount. "We are continually evaluating our fleet needs and making adjustments to our order book as appropriate," David said in an e-mail, declining to elaborate on United's strategy. The airline has 152 A319s and A320s. Narrow-bodies are the workhorses of global aviation and are typically used on domestic routes. After once targeting the Airbus jets for removal, United said Nov. 19 it was upgrading them with new seats, larger overhead bins and satellite Wi-Fi, deferring $3 billion of capital expense needed for new jets. The orders were canceled in December, David said. The change in United's plans was reflected in Airbus's website. Mary Anne Greczyn, a U.S. spokeswoman for Toulouse, France-based Airbus, didn't immediately comment on the cancellations. United rose 4.8 percent to $46.75 at the close in New York, leading advances by all nine carriers in the Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index. The airline's last narrow-body order came in July 2012, when United agreed to buy 150 Boeing Co. (BA) 737s valued at $14.7 billion. The order consisted of 100 737 Max 9 jets -- the biggest, most-expensive version of Boeing's revamped single-aisle plane -- and 50 737-900ERs. The Max is about 13 percent more fuel efficient than current 737s and the 900ER 15 percent better than the Boeing 757-200s it will replace, the airline said at that time. United has about 700 planes in its main jet fleet and said in November it will hold at about that number for the near future. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-14/united-drops-1-08-billion-of-airbus- orders-in-jet-fleet-shift.html Back to Top Secretary Foxx Announces 10 New Members to FAA Management Advisory Council The 10 new members are: Steve Alterman, Bill Ayer, Montie Brewer, Ray Conner, Craig Fuller, Jane Garvey, Mayor Michael Hancock, Lee Moak, John "Jack" Potter, and Gwynne Shotwell. WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx today appointed 10 new members to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Management Advisory Council (MAC). The council advises the FAA on management, policy, spending and regulatory matters. The 10 new members are: Steve Alterman, president, Cargo Airline Association; Bill Ayer, former chairman, Alaska Air Group; Montie Brewer, former president and CEO, Air Canada; Ray Conner, vice chairman, The Boeing Co., and president and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Craig Fuller, president, the Fuller Co. and former president, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA); Jane Garvey, Meridiam Infrastructure/MITRE board member and former FAA administrator; Mayor Michael Hancock, City of Denver, Colo.; Lee Moak, president, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA); John "Jack" Potter, president and CEO, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA); and Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO, Space X. "These established aviation leaders will help guide the FAA in its many critical air- transportation policy decisions, supporting our commitment to a first class aviation system," said Secretary Foxx. "These proven aviation experts will be lending their knowledge to help advance the nation's air travel system as the safest and most efficient in the world." Created by the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996, the MAC meets quarterly to assess and advise the FAA on carrying out its aviation safety and air travel efficiency mission. The panel members serve three-year terms in a volunteer capacity and retain their private sector positions. "We are at a pivotal time in both the FAA and the aviation industry. These new MAC members will provide essential guidance and input as the FAA moves forward with NextGen and makes critical decisions about the future," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. By law the MAC has 13 members. The new appointments join the three incumbent council members: Department of Transportation Acting Deputy Secretary Victor Mendez; Department of Defense Brig. Gen. Steven M Shepro; and Paul Rinaldi, president, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/11293306/secretary-foxx-announces-10- new-members-to-faa-management-advisory-council Back to Top Man tried to sneak onto flight at Md. airport Authorities say they arrested a Brooklyn man on Sunday night after he sneaked onto the airfield and attempted to board an airline flight at a small Maryland airport. It seems the man may have been looking for a free ride home, according to local reports. The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office tells WBOC Channel 16 of Salisbury, Md., that 30- year-old Darnel Richards was taken into custody Sunday at the Salisbury-Ocean City: Wicomico Regional Airport on Maryland's Eastern Shore. According to WBOC, authorities responded after the man allegedly "created a disturbance at the airport while attempting to locate transportation back to New York. However, the Sheriff's Office said, Richards did not have any money on him." Officials tell WBOC that Richards left the airport on request from law officials, but returned a short time later and made another attempt to approach a commercial aircraft at the airport. Following his failed second attempt, authorities say Richards became uncooperative and was then placed under arrest on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct, according to WBOC. He was ordered held on $5,000 bond. http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/01/14/police-man-tried-to-sneak- onto-flight-at-md-airport/4470657/ Curt Lewis