Flight Safety Information February 14, 2017 - No. 033 Accident: Aerolineas B738 at Bariloche on Feb 13th 2017, tail strike on go-around GoJet flight returns to Boston after pilots smell smoke: media Low-cost Allegiant Airlines defends maintenance record TSA and airport workers indicted for allegedly smuggling 20 tons of cocaine through Puerto Rico Russian Helicopters to provide 220 aircraft to customers in 2017 Metal Master readies LAR-1 personal jet for second-quarter first flight Intech DMLS developing "India's first jet engine AAR selected to do testing on Mitsubishi jet Accident: Aerolineas B738 at Bariloche on Feb 13th 2017, tail strike on go-around An Aerolineas Argentinas Boeing 737-800, registration LV-FUA performing flight AR-1672 from Buenos Aires Aeroparque,BA to Bariloche,RN (Argentina), was on final approach to Bariloche's runway 29 at 12:51L (15:51Z) when the crew initiated a go around, the tail of the aircraft however contacted the runway surface. The aircraft climbed to 7000 feet, positioned for another approach and landed on runway 29 without further incident about 12 minutes after the go-around. Argentina's JIAA reported the aircraft received damage on landing attempt at about 16:30Z, an investigation has been opened. http://avherald.com/h?article=4a4ded31&opt=0 Back to Top GoJet flight returns to Boston after pilots smell smoke: media Pilots flew a GoJet plane bound for North Carolina back to Boston after they smelled smoke in the cockpit, an ABC-affiliated TV channel in Boston reported on Saturday. The Delta Airlines 6266 connection flight bound for Raleigh-Durham International Airport with 76 passengers and 4 crew members aboard landed safely in Boston, WCVB.com reported. The news channel reported that the pilot had said over the radio, "We actually have smoke in the cabin. Declaring an emergency and coming back to the airport." A Delta spokesperson told the station that the pilot asked that the passengers get out of the plane on the tarmac and that they were then taken by bus to the terminal, rather than taxiing to an airport gate in the plane. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-boston-flight-idUSKBN15Q085 Back to Top Low-cost Allegiant Airlines defends maintenance record Jacksonville, Fla -- When Allegiant Airlines evacuated flight 864 a year and a half ago after reports of smoke in the cabin, passenger Joan Morin was pushed down an emergency exit slide. "He said, 'This is an evacuation. Everybody evacuate," Morin remembers. "'Evacuate' didn't even register. I've never evacuated." She'd never heard of the low-cost carrier when she booked a flight from St. Petersburg, FL to Hagerstown, MD to see her daughter. "Narrow, I mean narrow little pad going down, and all you're thinking about is your head hitting the cement," she said. First Coast News obtained a year's worth of Allegiant records from the Federal Aviation Administration detailing maintenance issues and emergency landings. We found at least 54 times in 2016, a plane turned back to its airport or was diverted mid-flight because of a mechanical failure. Records detail landing gear not retracting after takeoff, electrical burning smells in cabins, and autopilot failures. "That is too high. We want it always to be lower," said Jude Brinker, the airline's Chief Operating Officer. During an interview at the airline's training center in Las Vegas, NV, Brinker said Allegiant's diversion rate is higher than industry giants Delta and American. He calls 2016 an improvement from 2015, when the evacuation of Morin's flight started a wave of negative stories about the airline. Most notably, the Tampa Bay Times used 2015 numbers to report Allegiant's planes were four times more likely to fail during flight compared to other major US carriers. "That number is not the case today," Brinker said. Three different aviation experts interviewed by First Coast News attribute many of the mechanical issues to one of the planes Allegiant flies, the same kind Joan Morin was aboard. It's called an MD-80. Most of Allegiant's were manufactured in the late 80's and early 90's. The older model is cheap to buy and makes up more than half of the airline's fleet. Allegiant's Service Difficulty Reports, filed with the FAA, show 30 percent of its fleet had 4 or more safety issues last year. Most of those issues happened with the older MD-80 aircraft. The airline says that number mis-represents its planes. It says out of the 30 percent, only half of the reported maintenance issues actually affected passengers. Allegiant's most problem-prone planes had cracks in wings and the fuselage, irregular cabin pressure, malfunctioning engines and lost navigation capabilities. "We require more mechanics, more spare parts, and more aircraft as spares to continue operating," Brinker said. The FAA requires airlines to self report issues with their aircraft. Compared to other low-cost carriers, Allegiant's planes in the middle of the pack when comparing the service difficulty reports. The FAA says they use those and many other reports to detect trends and mitigate risk with all airlines. With Allegiant, they've added FAA inspector resources and help evaluate their operations. "As long as the FAA signs off on them, that's really all we can be concerned about," said Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Steve Grossman. At Jacksonville International Airport, Allegiant has grown from 1 percent to 2.5 percent of the airport's traffic. "We really don't have a right to say 'No'. We have to allow carriers in in a non-discriminatory way. So, if a carrier wants to come in here, as long as they meet our rules and regulations, we have to let them in and we do not have the right to regulate how they do maintenance, what they do on maintenance. That's the federal government's role," Grossman said. As Allegiant continued to report problems last year, the FAA moved up a regularly scheduled audit. The FAA released a Certificate Holder Evaluation Process report where inspectors said they "identified several element design and element performance deficiencies." Inspectors reported problems with crew training and emergency drills, missing signatures on flight documents, and failures of protocol. "These experts don't just walk in and look around. They've got well documented procedures of everything they're supposed to look for," said Keith Mackey, a pilot and expert witness in aviation court cases. Mackey says only a few US carriers, mainly American and Delta, still fly the aged plane Allegiant does. "Parts are getting harder to find because not many airlines are operating them any longer," he said. During it's review, the FAA spent 3 months with Allegiant. "The outcome of it sort of proved our point which is, yea, we have some reliability issues we need to improve on but we're a safe airline," Allegiant COO Brinker said. At the airlines training facility in Las Vegas, pilots are learning to fly a new Airbus aircraft. Allegiant is building a duplicate training center in Sanford, FL, outside of Orlando, where East Coast pilots will train on the new plane. The Airbus will replace the MD-80 fleet wide by 2019. The new planes won't initially be common for Jacksonville flights. "Given that we don't have control over the quality of a carrier, we'll take all comers," Grossman said. As the airport chief, he considers the airline a good business partner for the city, even among the documented reliability concerns. He says the airline flies full planes to destinations not served by other main carriers at the airport, like Cincinnati and Pittsburg. "My legs were up in the air, you're all turned around, my totes on this shoulder, my body is going this way, and it was a complete mess," Morin said of her 2015 evacuation. She didn't know about the history of Allegiant's maintenance failures. Now, she says she's dealing with medical problems and has to walk with a cane. Her attorney, Bob Spohrer, says he doesn't expect a lawsuit but believes his client Joan Morin is entitled to restitution for her injuries. "We are having a conversation with the insurance carrier for Allegaint Airlines. My prediction is a lawsuit is not going to be necessary," he said. No matter what happens, she says she'll never fly the low cost carrier again. "Never," Morin said. "It could be free. It's not worth it." http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/low-cost-allegiant-airlines-defends-maintenace-record/408006144 Back to Top TSA and airport workers indicted for allegedly smuggling 20 tons of cocaine through Puerto Rico airport In this Oct. 30, 2014, file photo, a TSA officer, left, checks a passenger's ticket, boarding pass and passport as part of security screening at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The investigation of TSA officers at Puerto Rico's San Juan airport was initiated by TSA, officials said, as part of the agency's effort to "address employee misconduct and specific insider threat vulnerabilities," said Jose Baquero, federal security director for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) Twelve current and former TSA agents and airport workers have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico for allegedly taking part in a conspiracy to smuggle tons of cocaine through the airport in San Juan, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico said Monday. U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez said the defendants smuggled suitcases containing at least 8 to 15 kilograms each of the drug through the TSA security system at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Rodriguez-Vélez said sometimes as many as five mules were used on each flight, with each mule checking-in up to two suitcases. Between 1998 and 2016 they are alleged to have smuggled 20 tons of cocaine through the airport. "These individuals were involved in a conspiracy to traffic massive quantities of illegal narcotics to the continental United States," Rodríguez-Vélez said in a statement. Six current and former TSA employees, José Cruz-López, Luis Vázquez-Acevedo, Keila Carrasquillo, Carlos Rafael Adorno-Hiraldo, Antonio Vargas-Saavedra, and Daniel Cruz-Echevarríae allegedly smuggled the cocaine through while employed as TSA officers at the airport, where their responsibilities included providing security and screening for checked and carry-on baggage placed on outbound flights. According to the news release from the U.S. Attorney's office, defendants Edwin Francisco Castro, Luis Vázquez-Acevedo and Ferdinand López served as facilitators between the drug trafficking organizations and the TSA employees who smuggled the cocaine onto the airplanes. Miguel Ángel Pérez-Rodríguez, who worked for the airport security company, was a source of supply of cocaine to the drug trafficking organization. Rodríguez-Vélez said defendant Javier Ortiz began assisting drug trafficking organizations as an employee of Airport Aviation Services as a baggage handler/ramp employee. He allegedly would pick up suitcases he knew contained cocaine from the mules at airline check-in counters. Ortiz would then place the suitcases into the X-Ray machines being monitored by the TSA drug trafficking organization members, who cleared thems. After the suitcases had been cleared by TSA members, Ortiz took the suitcases to their designated flight, making sure no narcotic K-9 unit or law enforcement personnel were present when the suitcase went from the checkpoint to the airplane. Once the suitcases were loaded onto the plane, Ortiz would call the drug trafficking organization member with the all clear and the mules would then board the plane. Ortiz also paid the TSA employees for clearing the suitcases through TSA security, according to the indictment. The factory is getting a facelift, thanks to a raft of new technologies designed to make manufacturing more efficient, flexible and connected. Defendant Tomas Dominguez-Rohena assisted the drug trafficking organization by taking the suitcases he knew contained cocaine after they had been cleared by TSA members or smuggled past security to their designated flight; defendant José Gabriel López-Mercado served as a mule. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison. According to U.S. Attorney's office, the investigation was initiated by TSA. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2017/02/13/tsa-and-airport-workers-indicted-for- allegedly-smuggling-20-tons-of-cocaine-through-puerto-rico-airport/?utm_term=.93515431710d Back to Top Russian Helicopters to provide 220 aircraft to customers in 2017 * Russian Helicopters sign first contract for civil products supply to Pakistan * Moscow, Kabul agree on maintenance of Russian helicopters in Afghanistan * Putin says confident in development of Russian helicopter industry * Russian helicopters service center to be established in Iran in 2-3 years - source * Russian Helicopters sign contract for delivery of three more helicopters to China MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. The Russian Helicopters aircraft holding plans to provide more than 220 helicopters to its customers this year, its chief Andrey Boginsky has said. "Our plans are somewhat smaller than last year's. I believe there will be 220 helicopters. At a later date in the first quarter of the year we will have a clearer picture when we know how many of our products are to be exported. The medical evacuation program is booming," he said. The Health Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade are in the process of specifying the likely demand on line. The Helicopters of Russia is expecting its order books to grow thicker. "If there will be contracts for this year or some extending into next year we shall be able to see in the near future," Boginsky said. http://tass.com/defense/930819 Back to Top Metal Master readies LAR-1 personal jet for second-quarter first flight Polish engineering company Metal Master is in the final stages of ground testing its Flaris LAR-1 personal jet, and plans to fly the five-seat single early in the second quarter. "We are still performing tests of the on-board systems under the supervision of the Polish civil aviation authority," says company founder and LAR-1 project manager Rafa? ?adzi?ski. "But all ground testing should be complete by the end of [March]." Metal Master, based in Podgórzyn, southwest Poland, recently completed the final strength tests of the LAR-1's detachable wing - described by ?adzi?ski as "one of the aircraft's key features" - and cabin pressurisation tests are almost finished. Asset Image BillyPix Unveiled in 2013, the Williams International FJ33-5A-powered aircraft is believed to be the only Part 23 single-engined personal jet being developed outside the USA. Its only rivals in this space are the in- development Stratos 714 and the Cirrus Vision SF50. The latter has already opened up a significant lead, having entered service in December with a backlog of more than 600 aircraft. Privately owned Metal Master says it plans to open the orderbook for the €1.6 million ($1.7 million) LAR-1 following its maiden sortie. The all-composite aircraft - which is planned to be first of a family of small aircraft developed by the company - will initially be validated under the Polish regulator's S-1 experimental aircraft designation, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2018. A certificated version - approved to European CS-23 standards - is expected to follow about two years later. ?adzi?ski says the project was born out of a desire to create a low-cost aircraft that could be used for short-haul point-to point transport for commercial, corporate and private owners. The LAR-1 is targeted at owners and operators who are stepping up from high-performance pistons or turboprops. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/metal-master-readies-lar-1-personal-jet-for-second-q-434104/ Back to Top Intech DMLS developing "India's first jet engine" Intech DMLS, a metal additive manufacturing company from India, have announced the development of the country's first jet engine series. Developed by Intech's R&D arm, 'Poeir Jets', the MJE20 engine starts small, powering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remote-controlled aircraft. According to the Times of India, this will make them the first Asian country to develop an indigenous jet engine. A forward-looking statement from Sridhar Balaram, director of Intech, suggests this won't be the last jet engine created in the country either. They are already developing future engines which will serve larger planes: ...the success we've seen has pushed us to develop bigger engines. We have the MJE-40 and MJE-100, which will be able to power bigger UAVs. The Intech engine being developed. Image via Times of India. 3D printed power The current engine, weighing just over 2 kg, can provide an uninstalled thrust of 20 kg, and as such is not designed to power larger aircrafts. Balaram says "It is for this reason that we will be ready for certification in 24 months," adding "Given that they are gas turbine engines, they will give longer flying hours." Leading direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) techniques under the coined name "Sinteneering Innovations", Intech work with work with titanium, inconel, cobalt chromium, stainless steel strains, aluminium and maraging steel powders to produce parts. Their services cover projects in aerospace, automotive, tool & die, rapid prototyping and medical industries. Balaram's latest update on the MJE20's development is as follows: We fired the engine for the first time on February 8, 2017, and it was a success. Some other tests are going on, and we are confident that it will be ready to be presented for certification in 18-24 weeks. Global trends in metal additive manufacturing Additive manufacturing is proving its worth in the aviation industry as we've seen with GE incorporating the technology into their new engines. The GE9X aircraft engine has already undergone first testing of its 3D printed components. While GE have also had their 3D printed LEAP engine nozzle certified for use. Boeing's 777x aircraft with GE9X engine turbine. Image via Boeing. German tech conglomerate Siemens has also used additive manufacturing to produce the blades for a combustion engine. The technology is especially suited to such production as the engines withstand high stresses and require efficient replacement. Additive manufacturing these parts cuts down significantly on time costs. In the case of Siemens' turbine blades, production took only eighteen months from design to testing - approximately 90 percent faster than the traditional method. Metal additive manufacturing developments can be nominated in the 1st annual 3D Printing Industry Awards. Featured image shows an unmanned aerial vehicle being developed in the UK. Image via GA-ASI. https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/intech-dmls-developing-indias-first-jet-engine-105526/ Back to Top AAR selected to do testing on Mitsubishi jet ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A major announcement coming from the AAR maintenance hangar at the Rockford Airport. Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has selected RFD and AAR Corporation to do testing on a new jet called the Mitsubishi Regional Jet or MRJ for short. It's a twin engine aircraft that seats between 70 and 90 passengers. It's the first Japanese built aircraft since the 60's, according to the Rockford Airport. This comes on the heels of another announcement by AAR - it's hiring 100 aircraft mechanics in the near future. http://www.wifr.com/content/news/AAR-selected-to-do-testing-on-Mitsubishi-jet-413646973.html Curt Lewis