13 JUL 2009 _______________________________________ *EU set to lift ban on Indonesian airlines: DGCA *British jet makes emergency landing in N.L. after developing engine problems *Relatives of plane crash victims to visit Comoros *Air NZ fits blended winglets to wings of 767 aircraft *Incident: Cimber CRJ1 at Aalesund on Jul 12th 2009, flaps problems twice *Milwaukee airport evacuated becaues of 'mysterious odor' *China Eastern to Take Over Shanghai Airlines *FAA Selects Sensis for Low Cost Ground Surveillance Program *Whistleblower Charges An FAA Cover Up In Chalk's Accident *American Eagle flight makes emergency landing *UAE GCAA signs partnership pact with America's FSF *Turkish Airlines academy aircraft damaged in storms **************************************** EU set to lift ban on Indonesian airlines: DGCA The European Union is set to partially lift a ban on Indonesian airlines on 15 July on the recommendation of its air safety committee. "They will issue the regulation about the lifting of the ban" on 15 July and it will come into effect that same day, says Diding Sunardi, the Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) deputy director of standards for airworthiness and air operation. The EU imposed a blanket ban on all Indonesian airlines in June 2007 after a series of fatal airline accidents in the country. The DGCA has recommended that the ban be lifted against Garuda Indonesia, Mandala Airlines, Airfast Indonesia and Premiair. These four have followed the European Commission's recommendations and implemented the DGCA's "new regulation on the installation of safety equipment" such as enhanced ground proximity warning systems, which are mandatory on all commercial aircraft, says Sunardi. Other steps taken by the DGCA to improve safety include employing more safety inspectors, having more aircraft inspections, implementing a quarterly safety audit of all local carriers, grounding carriers and grounding aircraft types, says Diding. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** British jet makes emergency landing in N.L. after developing engine problems ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - There were a few anxious moments at St. John's International Airport on Sunday after a Tornado fighter jet from the United Kingdom made an emergency landing. The jet was experiencing engine problems while on its way home from the U.S. Flight Lieut. Ady Hargreaves says the Tornado can be temperamental and they didn't want to take any risks even though the problem was not major. He says there was no difficulty landing it. Three of the aircraft were on their way back to the U.K. from Arizona. http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iG6N0mm1atZVT2j QZZzG313Lozww *************** Relatives of plane crash victims to visit Comoros PARIS (AP) - At least 150 family members of those who died on Yemenia Airways Flight 626 were flying to the Comoros Islands on Monday aboard a chartered French airplane. Yemenia organized the special flight for relatives of victims and its insurance company paid for it. Flight 626 crashed June 30 on its way from San'a, Yemen, to Moroni, Comoros. A 12-year-old girl was the only one of the 153 people on the plane to survive. Many of those aboard were from the French Comoran community and had embarked in Paris or the southern French town of Marseille. Madaly Aicha told Associated Press Television News at the airport in Paris that she was leaving for Comoros because it was the only way for her to accept that her mother was lost in the crash. "I feel that once I'm there I can really properly mourn her ... for now she is only away," Aicha said Monday. The plane was making a short stop in Marseille to board more passengers. France's Foreign Ministry has said the ambassador named to act as an intermediary for the relatives would travel with them. Yemen's aviation accident committee said investigators have found wreckage of the plane near the coast of Kenya and 27 bodies have been recovered. **************** Air NZ fits blended winglets to wings of 767 aircraft (AP) Air New Zealand hopes that new 3.4m high wing tips on its fleet of Boeing 767 aircraft will reduce its fuel consumption by more than six million litres a year. The airline's first Boeing 767-300ER aircraft fitted with blended winglets landed at Auckland International Airport today. The blended winglets make the aircraft's wing more efficient by reducing drag, cutting fuel use and emissions. Boeing has said it expects most aircraft in the future to be fitted with them. Air New Zealand general manager airline operations Captain David Morgan said the blended winglets also enabled aircraft to climb faster and improved payload performance. The airline is also installing dryers to reduce moisture trapped in the insulation between the aircraft's outer-skin and the cabin lining in its 767 fleet. They will remove around 200kg of water from each aircraft, reducing weight, fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The dryers are expected to save an additional 320,000 litres of fuel and 800 tonnes of carbon emissions annually across the fleet of five 767 aircraft, said Captain Morgan. ****************** Incident: Cimber CRJ1 at Aalesund on Jul 12th 2009, flaps problems twice A Cimber Air Canadair CRJ-100 on behalf of SAS Scandinavian Airlines, registration OY-RJI performing flight QI-2892/SK-2892 from Copenhagen (Denmark) to Aalesund (Norway), was on approach to Aalesund, when the crew could not extend the flaps. Due to the runway length in Aalesund the crew decided to divert to Trondheim (Norway), where the airplane landed safely. The airplane was repaired and departed again 3 hours after landing. However, on the second approach to Aalesund the flaps could again not be extended, so that the crew decided again to divert, this time to Oslo Gardermoen (Norway), where the airplane landed safely again. A replacement aircraft reached Aalesund with a delay of 6.5 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=41c997fc **************** Milwaukee airport evacuated becaues of 'mysterious odor' MILWAUKEE (AP) - Milwaukee authorities say a mysterious odor at General Mitchell International Airport caused several agents to feel lightheaded, prompting the temporary evacuation of the ticketing area. Sheriff's spokeswoman Kim Brooks says a number of Transportation Security Administration agents reported feeling disoriented Friday about 9:45 a.m. She says the odor appeared to be coming from near Midwest Airlines' ticketing counter. She says the area was cleared and travelers were later allowed to return. Airport spokesman Ryan McAdams says the odor was apparently coming from a passenger's bag. Milwaukee Fire Lt. Lawrence Jenkins says a hazardous-materials team was responding. He says six people were affected by the odor, but he wasn't sure if any lost consciousness. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-07-10-milwaukee-airport-odor_N.h tm **************** China Eastern to Take Over Shanghai Airlines SHANGHAI (AP) -- China Eastern Airlines Corp. will take over Shanghai Airlines Co. through a share swap in a deal valued at 8.9 billion yuan (US$1.3 billion), the two carriers said Monday. China Eastern will swap 1.3 of its Shanghai-listed A shares for each Shanghai Airlines share, the two carriers said in separate statements, confirming an earlier story reported by Dow Jones Newswires. In the swap, state-run China Eastern's yuan-denominated A shares will be valued at 5.28 yuan each, and smaller carrier Shanghai Airlines' shares will be valued at 6.875 yuan each. Shanghai Airlines have 1.3 billion outstanding shares. The carrier said it will be delisted from the Shanghai stock exchange after the merger with China Eastern. China Eastern also said it will raise around 7 billion yuan through a sale of new yuan-denominated A shares and Hong Kong-listed H shares. The carrier said it will sell up to 1.35 billion yuan-denominated A shares to 10 institutional investors, and the new shares will be priced at no less than 4.75 yuan each. In addition, China Eastern will sell up to 490 million Hong Kong dollar-denominated H shares to its wholly unit China Eastern International at no less than HK$1.4 per share. Shares of China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines will resume trading in Shanghai on Monday. They have been suspended from trading in Shanghai since June 8, pending the price-sensitive statements. China Eastern closed at CNY5.33 on June 5, while Shanghai Airlines ended at CNY5.92 on the same day. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124744632263630549.html *************** FAA Selects Sensis for Low Cost Ground Surveillance Program Sensis LCGS Leverages NAS-Certified Technologies for High Performance, Low Risk Solution EAST SYRACUSE, N.Y., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected Sensis Corporation's Low Cost Ground Surveillance (LCGS) for evaluation as part of its LCGS Pilot Program. LCGS is an FAA initiative to reduce runway incursions at small- and medium-size airports by providing air traffic controllers with basic ground surveillance of runways and taxiways. Under the LCGS Program, the FAA has awarded contracts to multiple companies to each demonstrate their proposed solutions at one airport. Based on the results of these demonstrations, the FAA may select one or more systems for deployment and operation at additional airports in the National Airspace System (NAS). Sensis will be deploying its initial system to Long Beach Airport, Long Beach, CA. Sensis has a long history of successful FAA programs and is currently deploying the FAA's Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) runway safety program to 35 airports, 19 of which are operational in the NAS and are now providing seamless coverage and aircraft identification to air traffic controllers. Sensis' LCGS solution leverages the ASDE-X technology by using the same solid-state Surface Movement Radar Improved (SMRi) sensor and the same Air Traffic Control Display. The SMRi sensor has been certified by the FAA to meet the stringent requirements which are necessary for any surface sensor -- namely, all-weather detection, high position accuracy and low false alarm rate. Additionally, the Sensis LCGS solution features the Air Traffic Control Display which has been certified to meet the National Air Traffic Controllers Association-approved FAA visual specification and is currently in operation at all ASDE-X airports. Because the Sensis LCGS architecture is based on the FAA ASDE-X configuration, it supports the cost-effective integration of additional sensors including multilateration, ADS-B and terminal radar. Similarly, the LCGS system can be easily upgraded to include ASDE-X Safety Logic, the most advanced conflict detection and alerting technology available today. "The Sensis LCGS solution is based on technologies deployed in the NAS, providing a system that doesn't require a long and costly certification program," said Tony Lo Brutto, vice president and general manager of Sensis Air Traffic Systems. "By leveraging proven ASDE-X technology, the Sensis LCGS solution provides the benefits of a shared test and logistics infrastructure, which provides the best value to the FAA." In addition to the ASDE-X program, Sensis was recently chosen by the FAA to deploy Runway Status Lights (RWSL) to 22 airports. RWSL is a system of red lights embedded in the pavement of runways and taxiways that automatically warns pilots if it is unsafe to cross or enter a runway, or if a runway is unsafe for departure. ABOUT SENSIS CORPORATION Sensis Corporation provides sensors, information technology, and simulation and modeling to the world's air navigation service providers, civil aviation authorities, airports, airlines and militaries. Sensis Corporation solutions are deployed in more than 30 countries across six continents. For more information regarding Sensis Corporation, visit www.sensis.com. SOURCE Sensis Corporation *************** Whistleblower Charges An FAA Cover Up In Chalk's Accident Former Inspector Says Mechanics Were Not Properly Trained, Corrective Programs Terminated According to former FAA Inspector Gabe Bruno, at least one of the mechanics that worked on a Chalk's Ocean Airways Grumman Mallard which went down shortly after takeoff from Miami in 2005 was unqualified for the work, and the FAA is covering up the mistake. Gabe Bruno told The Washington Examiner that the mechanic in question was tested an licensed by Anthony St. George, who was convicted and sentenced to prison for essentially selling licenses. The 58-year-old G-73T lost a wing shortly after takeoff and fell into the water in sight of beachgoers in Miami, killing all 20 on board. Bruno told the Examiner he had instituted a retesting program for mechanics licensed by St. George. About 300 of the more than 2000 mechanics were retested, with a failure rate of over 75 percent. But the program was cancelled by former assistant Administrator Nicholas Sabatini. And when it was reinstated, "it was a rubber-stamp sham, with nobody assigned to monitor the results," Bruno said. Now, The Examiner reports that Bruno has asked the Office of Special Counsel to refer the Chalk's Ocean Airways accident to the Department of Justice to file numerous charges, including manslaughter, criminal negligence, and a cover up by FAA officials. "At one time, FAA was the gold standard in the world," Bruno told the paper. "But for the past several years, there's been a lot of disregard for the standards" of aviation safety. FMI: www.whistleblower.org/content/press_detail.cfm?press_id=1625 aero-news.net **************** American Eagle flight makes emergency landing DALLAS (AP) - An American Eagle flight on its way from Dallas-Fort Worth to Dayton, Ohio, had to make an emergency landing at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. American Airlines Spokesman Charley Wilson says the flight landed safely Saturday morning. He says all 43 passengers aboard and three crew members were put on another flight to Dayton before noon. Wilson said pilots had turned the plane back after receiving indication of a hydraulic system issue. He said they were able to get the landing gear down manually to land the plane. American Airlines and American Eagle are subsidiaries of Fort Worth-based AMR Corp. ***************** UAE GCAA signs partnership pact with America's FSF In order to develop its activities and operations, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said yesterday it has signed a strategic co-operation and partnership agreement with American Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), specialising in flight safety systems research and development. The accord was signed with the objective of setting up a strategic partnership that will enable GCAAGCAA to benefit from FSF's experience in applying the highest flight safety standards, GCAAGCAA said in a statement. "In light of the overall vision adopted by GCAAGCAA to become a world leader, and in the context of our comprehensive development plan, we entered into this strategic partnership with one of the best experts in flight safety," Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Director-General of GCAAGCAA, said in a statement. He added: "It will give us access to best practices and expertise, which will positively reflect on GCAAGCAA's preparations to meet the potential growth with respect to flight safety." http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZAWYA20090713053156/UAE's%20GCAA%20signs%2 0partnership%20pact%20with%20America's%20FSF *************** Turkish Airlines academy aircraft damaged in storms Thunderstorms at Corlu Airport, west of Istanbul, have badly damaged several light aircraft belonging to Turkish Airlines' flight academy. The storms on 10 July damaged four single-engined Cessna aircraft, three of Turkish Airlines and another from Sindel Aviation Academy. Two were flipped over by the winds which gusted to 55kt. Nearby buildings also suffered serious structural damage while a Boeing 747 freighter, operated by Macedonia's Star Airlines, was hit by flying debris and blown about on the apron by the wind. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news *************** Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC