11 AUG 2008 _______________________________________ *USAF Releases Report on Columbus AFB T-38 Accident *Texting saved stricken aeroplane *NRPM Seeks To See Robinson SFAR Renewed *Boeing 767s to exit Air Canada's fleet by yearend *Croatia granted exemption to EU liquid carry-on rules *TACA to resume full services at Tegucigalpa *Qantas Won't Send Airplanes to Malaysia for Maintenance Checks *UWO course trains pilots online *UAL pilots warn of recent engine troubles *************************************** USAF Releases Report on Columbus AFB T-38 Accident Air Force officials have completed their investigation of the April 23 T-38C Talon (file photos, below) accident at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., which resulted in the deaths of two pilots and destroyed the airplane. Maj. Blair Faulkner, a 43rd Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Matthew Emmons, a student pilot assigned to the 50th Flying Training Squadron, were taking off from Columbus AFB when their T-38 began an uncommanded roll to the left. The crew briefly recovered the aircraft to level flight, but as the aircraft gained airspeed the roll intensified. Unable to regain controlled flight, the crew attempted to eject from the aircraft but were too low and the aircraft was inverted. Both were killed on impact with the ground. The accident investigation board determined the cause of this mishap to be mechanical failure of the right aileron, which failed in the full down position before takeoff. There were no other casualties from this mishap and other than the aircraft, there was no property damage. Brig. Gen. Dean J. Despinoy, the 434th Air Refueling Wing commander at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., headed the accident investigation board. FMI: www.af.mil aero-news.net *************** Texting saved stricken aeroplane Text messages saved an aeroplane which lost electrical power and communication abilities last November, a report has revealed. Problems emerged soon after the light aircraft left Kerry Airport en route to Jersey with five people on board. The pilot rang Cork Airport and was told he could land there. The air traffic controller texted instructions on manually lowering the undercarriage. The Air Accident Investigation Unit praised the controller for his actions. The problems emerged after the plane was above the clouds, and the pilot decided to continue flying south to find clearer weather conditions where the ground could be seen. After a number of failed attempts to ring Kerry and Cork Airports, he briefly managed to talk to staff in Cork who told him the plane was still on radar and they could land there. Audio communications were lost again, but text messages from air traffic control guided the pilot in safely. Just before landing, the plane flew past the control tower to confirm the wheels had been lowered. "In this incident the positive and proactive initiative of the ATC controller, who, on realising that mobile audio communication from the pilot was intermittent, quickly switched to texting his instructions instead," the report found. "This contributed to the safe resolution of the incident and, for such, the controller should be commended for his actions." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7548555.stm **************** NRPM Seeks To See Robinson SFAR Renewed Long-Running SFAR Dictated Upgraded Training Protocols... Successfully A 13 year old SFAR, instituted after a number of training related R-22 and R44 accidents, is to be continued by the FAA, according to an NPRM just published in the Federal Register. According to the NPRM, The FAA states that, "This action proposes to continue the existing special training and experience requirements in Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 73 and eliminate the termination date for SFAR 73. Currently, SFAR No. 73 is a final rule that will expire on June 30, 2009. Since 1998, the FAA has extended SFAR 73 for two 5-year periods. The FAA recently re-issued SFAR No. 73 and extended the rule's expiration date to June 30, 2009. SFAR No. 73 requires special training and experience for pilots operating the Robinson model R-22 or R-44 helicopters in order to maintain the safe operation of Robinson helicopters. It also requires special training and experience for certified flight instructors conducting student instruction or flight reviews in R-22 or R-44 helicopters. The NPRM seeks respondents to submit all comments on or before November 5, 2008, for Docket Number FAA-2002-13744. Respondents may make their feelings known by a number of methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically. Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Hand Delivery or Courier: Bring comments to Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251. FMI: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-18239.pdf, http://www.regulations.gov (Docket Number FAA-2002-13744) aero-news.net ************** Boeing 767s to exit Air Canada's fleet by yearend Air Canada plans to remove 10 Boeing 767-200s from its fleet by yearend as part of its overall strategy to cut costs as fuel prices fluctuate to record levels. During an earnings call today carrier CEO Montie Brewer explained the aircraft were leaving Air Canada's fleet and the company is currently reviewing its total fleet requirements. The airline's current projections for yearend 2009 show a fleet of 199 aircraft, an eight plane reduction from yearned totals of 207 aircraft. In February Air Canada management said it was retiring six of its oldest 767s that were more than 20 years old, and at that time said the carrier explained it would retire the remaining four widebodies of that type if economic conditions warrant. Carrier executives note that high-yield executive class traffic increased 14% year-over-year during the second quarter as the lie-flat business seats have made their debut on most of Air Canada's widebody aircraft. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news **************** Croatia granted exemption to EU liquid carry-on rules European regulators have agreed an exemption clause with a second country, Croatia, to its rules to enable passengers arriving from six Croatian airports and transferring at EU airport to take liquids, aerosols and gels onboard connecting flights. Under the change passengers arriving from Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Pula, Split, Zadar and Zagreb and changing aircraft in the EU will no longer be obliged abandon such items contained in their carry on luggage if bought at these airports. Existing rules in Europe, introduced to combat the threat of terrorist attacks, restrict the amount of liquids that can be taken onboard in hand luggage. But a side effect of this has been that arriving passengers are prohibited from taking liquids bought in third countries into the cabin of connecting flights. With no opportunity to place these liquids in hold luggage at the transfer airport, they have been forced to leave them behind. The EC thus last year introduced rules allowing an exemption to the rules on a country by country basis. Croatia follows Singapore in being granted an exemption. EC transport chief Antonio Tajani says: "This is an important step that will save transfer passengers from a lot of inconvenience without compromising security. The Commission was able to grant this exemption for liquids bought at these Croatian airports because the Croatian national authorities have demonstrated that their security measures were as good as ours. "Until methods for screening liquids are deployed at airports - which will allow the current restrictions on liquids to be lifted - this is a means of facilitating passengers and reducing the levels of liquids confiscated. I look forward to swiftly adding more third country airports onto this list." Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** TACA to resume full services at Tegucigalpa Central American airline TACA is to resume full scheduled flights to Tegucicalpa's Toncontin International Airport on 15 August after a two and a half month absence following May's fatal overrun at this airport. The airport of the Honduran capital has remained closed to larger jet aircraft since a TACA Airbus A320 runway overrun in May, which left five people dead. Since then larger jets have been blocked from operating at the airport. Initial plans called for keeping the airport closed until a nearby US air base could be opened to commercial traffic. But while the Honduran Government has made no formal declaration, local press reports says no final agreement over the air base has been reached, effectively triggering a decision to cautiously re-open Toncontin for those Airbus and Boeing jets which can demonstrate required runway performance. An airport source says that revised operational procedures are being prepared to make the operation "absolutely safe", adding that TACA has been performing several Airbus A319-operated test flights as part of the flight resumption. Other international airlines have already restarted operations at Tegucicalpa, or have declared their intention to do so, including Panama's Copa and American Airlines. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************** Qantas Won't Send Airplanes to Malaysia for Maintenance Checks Aug. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Qantas Airways Ltd., the Australian carrier whose maintenance operation is under review by the nation's aviation regulator, has dropped an option to send two airplanes to Malaysia for maintenance servicing. Malaysian Airline System Bhd. issued a statement yesterday defending its work and said Australian media reports of a ``string of faults'' on a Qantas plane it had checked were unsubstantiated. Australia's largest airline won't send two Boeing Co. 737- 400 planes to Malaysia for heavy maintenance checks after space became available for the work at its Tullamarine facility in Melbourne, according to David Cox, Qantas's executive general manager of engineering. ``Qantas only has overflow heavy maintenance work undertaken overseas,'' he said today in a statement to Bloomberg. Qantas's decision to send planes to Malaysia was scrutinized after the first aircraft sent there two months ago came back with a list of defects, the Sydney Morning Herald reported today, without citing anyone. The plane was grounded in Melbourne on Aug. 7 because of noise from an air-conditioning fault, it said. Kristy McSweeney, a spokeswoman for Qantas, declined to comment today on the Herald claim of defects. The issue with the air-conditioning on that plane was not related to the maintenance check overseas, she said in a telephone interview. Malaysian Airline said in a statement that Qantas had 12 of its own engineers oversee the checks in Malaysia. 'Standards Observed' ``All the highlights were rectified, to the satisfaction of the Qantas team, before aircraft delivery to Australia,'' Mohd Roslan Ismail, Malaysia Airline's senior general manager of engineering and maintenance, said in the statement. ``The maintenance standards of Qantas were strictly observed.'' Malaysian Airline's engineering and maintenance division is certified for repair and maintenance by the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation, European Aviation Safety Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Roslan said. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority is reviewing Qantas's maintenance operations after an incident July 25 when an aircraft made an emergency landing in Manila because part of its fuselage came off at 29,000 feet (8,800 meters). More Qantas flights have been disrupted in the past two weeks, threatening to undermine Qantas's reputation as having one of the industry's best safety records. None of the incidents are related to planes checked in Malaysia. Doors Jam An aircraft bound for Melbourne returned to Adelaide on July 28 after its rear landing-gear doors failed to close following takeoff. A Philippines-bound flight was forced to return to Sydney soon after takeoff on Aug. 2 after a fluid leak in a wing. Yesterday, a Qantas flight was prevented from flying to Los Angeles because a screw needed to be replaced, the Herald reported today. The aviation authority is reviewing Qantas's maintenance operations and additional safety checks over a two- week period from Aug. 3. Qantas, Asia's third-largest airline, remains among the safest airlines in the world, outgoing Chief Executive Officer Geoff Dixon said Aug. 4. The carrier, founded in the Queensland outback in 1920, has never had a fatal aircraft accident. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aROShWbe3Ioo&refer=asia **************** UWO course trains pilots online Suzanne Kearns has developed a flight simulator program to help train private pilots. (Susan Bradnam, Sun Media) A new online flight-training program being marketed by the University of Western Ontario should make the skies safer for private pilots. The Web-based program trains general aviation pilots, outside of the commercial airline system, to handle multiple tasks and distractions that often cause accidents. "Pilots are human and humans make mistakes. When you encounter bad weather or system malfunctions it can be overwhelming." said Suzanne Kearns, a lecturer with Western's Commercial Aviation Management Program. Although much attention is centred on commercial airlines, Kearns said about 95 per cent of accidents happen in general aviation -- including private planes, corporate jets, charters and rescue helicopters. Of those accidents, 97 per are caused by pilot error. She said one of the most common accidents occurs when pilots slam an aircraft into a hillside or crash to the ground because they are relying too heavily on their instruments. Kearns said her program gives private and general aviation pilots the same kind of training given to commercial and military pilots. "If you can mentally practise something before you do it, research tells us it improves your performance," said Kearns, who is a licensed commercial pilot. Kearns' program can be downloaded on a home computer and includes instruction as well as flight simulator exercises. Kearns said pilots who completed her program did significantly better in flight simulator tests than another group of pilots who had not taken the program. The program, known as the Online Single-Pilot Resource Management (OSRM), is available at osrm.ssc.uwo.ca. The program costs $50 and takes about 90 minutes to complete. http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Business/2008/08/09/6395416-sun.html ***************** UAL pilots warn of recent engine troubles (Crain's) - United Airlines' pilots have alerted the Federal Aviation Administration to engine problems on 737s that have caused emergency landings in the past two weeks. In letter to the FAA on Wednesday, Air Line Pilots Assn. Chairman Stephen Wallach says there have been four instances of engine failures or compressor stalls in engines on 737s shortly after takeoff, requiring emergency landings. United's assistant chief pilot, Edward Stevens, sent a message to United pilots Aug. 1 noting that there had been two compressor stalls and one engine failure that had occurred both after takeoffs and at altitudes ranging from 400 to 7,000 feet. He advised pilots to be prepared to use emergency landing skills practiced on flight simulators. A fourth incident happened Aug. 3 after a takeoff from Kansas City, according to the letter from ALPA to the FAA. The union says two of the stalls occurred in older engines that were recently put back on the 737s ahead of their return to leasing companies. United says only one of the engine changes involved a plane that will be returned to a leasing company and that the engine involved was less than two years old. Comments These incidents are reported to the FAA. The reason pilots may not. Why do pilots warn us of unsafe flying conditions only when they are. "It may be coincidental, but maintenance standards appear to have deteriorated at United as operational decisions are increasingly driven by economic considerations," Mr. Wallach wrote to the FAA. In a letter to pilots, ALPA criticized increased outsourcing of maintenance work by the airline. United dismissed the allegation. "There is nothing more important than the safety of our employees and customers, and it is unconscionable and intentionally misleading for ALPA to suggest otherwise; our engine performance and maintenance requirements exceed all federal safety standards," the company said in a statement. "All of this engine maintenance is performed by our dedicated and highly competent employees in San Francisco, and is held to our own very high safety standards and those of the FAA." The FAA did not return calls seeking comment Friday. The pilots and UAL management have had an increasingly testy relationship, with disputes over pay and work rules. A veteran United pilot who declined to be named because of company policy said the number of engine problems requiring emergency landing is "very concerning." "There has been a significant spike in the engine-failure rate that is unacceptable," he said. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=30535 ****************