03 JUL 2009 _______________________________________ *Air France A330 did not break up in mid-air: investigators *Unclear which crew members on duty during A330 loss *BEA releases interim report on Air France Airbus A330 accident *AF 447 Interim Report by French BEA *Airbus considers flight-data downlink to aid investigations *SIA suspends service from Bangkok to Tokyo *DOT Reviews Air Canada US charter flights *Virgin America nears completion of CDA proof of concept *Mexican passenger jet blows 2 tires, lands safely *Naked passenger forces unscheduled stop for US Airways jet *Britain-bound jet diverted to Chicago *Chicago Computer Problem Stalls United Airlines Flights **************************************** Air France A330 did not break up in mid-air: investigators Investigations into the loss of the Air France Airbus A330 over the South Atlantic have determined that the aircraft did not break up in mid-air, and did not transmit a distress message. The French Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses, in an update to the flight AF447 inquiry today, has also stated that it will stop the current undersea search operation for the flight recorders on 10 July. Speaking at the briefing, the BEA's Alain Bouillard said: "As of today we are far from having any real idea of the causes of this accident." But he says that bottom-to-top deformation of structural components recovered from the water showed the aircraft appears to have struck the ocean surface with a "sharp vertical" acceleration. The nature of the damage, he says, indicates that the jet was "not destroyed in flight". Bouillard says the aircraft's maintenance complied with requirements, there were no reports of technical problems from the crew, and there was no distress call - either to air traffic control or other aircraft - at the time of the loss on 1 June. Search teams are still trying to locate the flight recorders but the sonic transmitters are only required to operate for 30 days. The current search effort will be abandoned on 10 July and a second phase, using different techniques, will start after 14 July. "We refuse to believe that we will not find them," says Bouillard. He says the BEA's analysis of the event has also included examination of the behaviour of three other flights in the vicinity: an Iberia Airbus A340, 12min behind the A330, another Air France A330 which was 37min behind, and a Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 which was 20min away. All the aircraft were travelling at flight levels 350-370, around the same altitude as AF447. Bouillard says the aircraft flew to avoid storm cells between the ORARO oceanic waypoint and the TASIL waypoint some 120nm northeast. These flights experienced "moderate turbulence", he says, and diverged from their courses by 10-80nm. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news **************** Unclear which crew members on duty during A330 loss French investigators have so far been unable to determine the composition of the flight crew on duty when an Air France Airbus A330-200 was lost over the South Atlantic last month. The crew had been reinforced with a third pilot to meet flight-duty time regulations, and the aircraft's configuration included a crew rest area. Recovery teams have retrieved 51 victims of the accident from the 228 occupants on board, the aircraft's captain among them. Investigators have not established whether the captain was in the cockpit at the time of the accident. He had 1,747hr on type, all as captain, and 10,988hr in total. The more experienced of the two co-pilots had 4,479hr on type, from 6,547hr in total, while the second co-pilot had 807hr on type from a total of 2,936hr. In its interim report on the accident the Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses states: "From the current state of the information gathered, it is not possible to determine the composition of the flight crew on duty at the time of the event." The rest station on Air France A330-200s includes two beds and is located behind the cockpit. While the reinforcing crew stays in the cockpit for departure and arrival, during the cruise each member of the crew must be able to rest for at least 1hr 30min continuously. Under Air France procedures the captain determines the allocation of tasks before any prolonged absence from the cockpit, identifying the pilot who will replace him. He also specifies the conditions that would necessitate his return to the flight deck. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ************** BEA releases interim report on Air France Airbus A330 accident The French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA) released an interim report based on the initial evidence gathered in the course of the investigation of the June 2 accident involving an Air France A330. Some of the findings are: * the meteorological situation was typical of that encountered in the month of June in the inter-tropical convergence zone; * there were powerful cumulonimbus clusters on the route of AF447. Some of them could have been the centre of some notable turbulence; * several airplanes that were flying before and after AF 447, at about the same altitude, altered their routes in order to avoid cloud masses; * twenty-four automatic maintenance messages were received between 02:10 and 02:15 via the ACARS system. These messages show inconsistency between the measured speeds as well as the associated consequences; * visual examination showed that the airplane was not destroyed in flight; it appears to have struck the surface of the sea in a straight line with high vertical acceleration. (BEA) (aviation-safety.net) **************** AF 447 Interim Report by French BEA The BEA Interim Report (English text) 7/2/2009 is available at: http://www.bea-fr.org/anglaise/actualite/af447/interim.report.info.html or http://www.bea-fr.org/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e1.en/pdf/f-cp090601e1.en.pdf and that the English version does not have appendices but they can be found in the French version (11.6 MB); http://www.bea-fr.org/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e1.en/pdf/f-cp090601e1.en.pdf ************** Airbus considers flight-data downlink to aid investigations Airbus is to examine downlink of flight-critical data, and other possible techniques, to explore whether vital information could be more easily retrieved in the event of an accident. The initiative follows the fatal loss of an Air France Airbus A330 over the South Atlantic on 1 June. Investigators are working with only limited information because neither flight recorder has been located. There have been cases of other inquiries being hindered by flight recorders failing to function or sustaining damage to their recording media or solid-state electronics. Airbus says there are "various technical means" which are "principally available" to "reinforce" recovery of crucial data - among them, extended transmissions from aircraft, although the quantity of information on cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders would require substantial transmission bandwidth. "Gathering information from accidents is vitally important to further improve the safety of flying," says Airbus chief Tom Enders. "We will study different options for viable commercial solutions, including those where our experience with real-time data transmission from our own test aircraft could support the further development of such solutions." Customer services chief Charles Champion and head of engineering Patrick Gavin are to lead the study. Airbus is intending to invite partners from various sectors to participate. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** SIA suspends service from Bangkok to Tokyo Singapore Airlines (SIA) has suspended services on the Bangkok-Tokyo Narita route citing a dip in passenger traffic. A SIA spokesman says that starting 1 August it is suspending its five-times-weekly Bangkok-Tokyo service. "It is part of our ongoing review of our network," says the spokesman referring to how SIA has been cutting capacity in recent months to match the fall in global passenger traffic. He confirms the move to cut this route is in response to falls in the passenger load factor. The Star Alliance carrier is able operate on the route because the flight starts in Singapore and passes through Bangkok to get to Tokyo Narita. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** DOT Reviews Air Canada US charter flights The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is reviewing if Air Canada committed cabotage by offering US domestic flights as part of a charter contract previously authorised by the agency. Cabotage, the practice of a carrier flying domestic flights in a foreign country, is illegal in the US with few exceptions. Under a September 2008 DOT authorisation, Air Canada's Jetz subsidiary received permission to fly 73 flights for the Boston Bruins hockey team for a contract covering their 2008-09 season. Forty-eight of the flights were US domestic flights, including 18 back-to-back flights during December 2008. A report in Air Line Pilot magazine published by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) magazine said Air Canada flew "dozens" of US domestic flights, but Air Canada could not immediately be reached to confirm how many flights it operated. Before the administration changeover this January, the DOT said Air Canada's charter flights did not constitute cabotage as the domestic segments accompanied transborder US-Canada flights, and thus were multi-stop international operations. The DOT's internal review follows a March 2009 request from aviation interest groups including ALPA, the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), and the National Air Carriers Association (NACA). The interest groups have been pursuing the matter since October 2008 when they argued in letter to the DOT that since 48 of the 73 flights were US domestic, the charter could not be considered primarily international. "The Air Canada operation does constitute prohibited cabotage," they wrote. Then-DOT secretary Mary Peters said the number of stopovers was not "decisional" in permitting the charter. She reaffirmed the DOT's earlier view the charter did not constitute cabotage "as long as no local traffic is carried between US points, i.e., that Air Canada carries no one on the flights that it has not carried, or will not carry, into or out of the United States under the contracts." The interest groups contend that expectation is impractical as injuries, illnesses, player changes, and different staff and press personnel mean different individuals will travel on different domestic segments. The DOT said it imposed record keeping conditions on Air Canada to ensure no domestic traffic was carried. Representative James Oberstar, Chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, also unsuccessfully pursued the matter with the DOT under the previous administration. NACA is also concerned that Air Canada does not have to follow the same strict security procedures as US carriers due to loopholes in regulations. The Transportation Security Administration is preparing new regulations to close this loophole, a spokesman said. Until then, the lower security standards mean lower costs for Air Canada. NACA believes the carrier is using this advantage to win additional contracts. The Anaheim Ducks recently signed a three-year contract with Air Canada. If the DOT's review finds the domestic flights are not labeled as cabotage, NACA will still lobby for stricter security standards. "Our carriers are happy to go head-to-head with Air Canada, but the playing field for offering those services has to be the same," a NACA spokesman said. DOT's review of the Air Canada charter operations occurs as the US scrutinise ownership of Virgin America, and has also adamantly refused foreign carriers eighth freedom, or cabotage, rights in the US under the second phase of the Open Skies treaty. NACA expects the DOT to conclude its internal interview soon. The DOT declined to comment as the matter is under investigation. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news **************** Virgin America nears completion of CDA proof of concept Virgin America has been using simulator time to demonstrate fuel-saving arrival procedures at San Francisco International airport as the carrier presses regulators to approve their usage of the procedures at west coat airports in its network. "[We] will be done with our proof of concept work in July. At that point, we will present our data to FAA," a Virgin America spokeswoman tells ATI. The carrier would like to conduct trials of continuous descent approaches (CDA) as part of Required Navigation Performance (RNP) operations on San Francisco's Big Sur arrival as Virgin America's Airbus fleet is already equipped to use RNP. San Francisco-based Virgin America is also interested in using the procedures at Los Angeles International and Seattle-Tacoma International airports as these facilities are less hamstrung than eastern seaboard airports, which have "a lot more complex airspace issues", the operator's senior vice president of legal, government affairs and sustainability Dave Pflieger previously told ATI. CDA is one form of a broader set of tailored arrivals that allow aircraft to use existing flight management computer technology-area navigation (RNAV)/GPS)- to cut fuel burn, noise and emissions while improving traffic predictability for air traffic service providers. RNP enables aircraft to fly along a precise, pre-defined 3-d path tailored to reduce delays, fuel burn and emissions. "We could do RNP approaches tomorrow," Pflieger says but usage is dependent on several factors including Air Traffic Control (ATC) approval. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news ***************** Mexican passenger jet blows 2 tires, lands safely Airport officials say a Mexican passenger jet has landed safely after blowing two tires on its landing gear. MEXICO CITY — Airport officials say a Mexican passenger jet has landed safely after blowing two tires on its landing gear. The press office of Mexico City's International Airport says none of the 48 passengers or five crew members on board the Aviacsa airlines flight were injured. Both tires on one side of the Boeing 737's rear landing gear blew out Thursday. The flight originated in the southern city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, bound for Mexico City. The government briefly grounded Aviacsa in June on safety concerns, but the airline quickly won a court injunction allowing it to fly again. The carrier was cited for safety issues including insufficient staff to inspect aircraft. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009413864_apltmexicoplanein cident.html **************** Naked passenger forces unscheduled stop for US Airways jet A man stripped naked on a US Airways flight from Charlotte, N.C., to Los Angeles Wednesday forcing the flight to make an impromptu landing in New Mexico. US Airways Flight 705 made the unscheduled in Albuquerque after Keith Anthony Wright allegedly stripped his clothes off during the flight. Wright, 50, was restrained on the flight by two off-duty police officers and was arrested by the FBI after the flight landed in New Mexico. Wright, who is from New York, allegedly resisted initial attempts to get him to put his clothes back on or to cover up. Andrew Christie, a spokesman for Tempe-based US Airways Group Inc. (NYSE:LCC) declined to comment on the incident. “The flight diverted to Albuquerque due to a passenger disruption. Since the incident is under investigation we can’t comment any further,” said Christie. http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2009/06/29/daily70.html ***************** Britain-bound jet diverted to Chicago July 3, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- An American Airlines jumbo jet bound for London from Dallas was forced to make an emergency landing at O'Hare International Airport. Flight 78 apparently encountered problems with its generator just a couple hours into its flight. Chicago firefighters were on standby as the Boeing 767 approached O'Hare. During the landing, the brakes on one of its landing gears apparently overheated and started a small fire. That fire was quickly extinguished. No one aboard the jet was hurt. All of the passengers were placed on another jet bound for London. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6897212 ****************** Chicago Computer Problem Stalls United Airlines Flights The Fourth of July weekend started slowly on Thursday for thousands of travelers as United Airlines struggled to repair a computer problem at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, causing delays that rippled across the country and long lines that snaked through the terminal. The problem was apparently limited to the airline’s self-service check-in kiosks at O’Hare, which shut down unexpectedly. The airline relies heavily on the kiosks for passengers to check in and obtain boarding passes. The shutdown left thousands of people standing in lines and half-empty planes sitting on tarmacs. Flights were canceled throughout the morning, and those that took off were delayed an average of 45 minutes. “Most of these flights, as they do let them out, are going to be delayed,” said Bill Burnette, a chief technical officer at Fltadvisor.com, a service that tracks airline delays. “They don’t want planes to leave if half of their customers are still in the terminals trying to check out.” Although not a peak travel time like Christmas or Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July is one of the busiest periods for airlines. Because O’Hare is a major hub, the problems spread to other airports across the country. United issued travel waivers for all flights out of Chicago on Thursday, letting customers reschedule at no additional cost. The airline also encouraged passengers to check themselves in at its Web site, united.com. Mr. Burnette said the havoc underscored the airlines’ dependence on their check-in kiosks. To ease the bottleneck, United brought in extra people to help issue boarding passes. At 12:30 p.m. Eastern time, the airline sent a tweet through its Twitter account, “Computers fixed, flights are improving though some delays continue,” it read. “Expect to have normal operations this afternoon. Apologies 2 all.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/03/business/03air.html?ref=global **************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC