Flight Safety Information June 4, 2010 - No. 111 In This Issue FAA training aircraft forced to make emergency landing FAA Probes Whether Pilot Sought to Cover Up Mistake FAA To Establish Ops Specs for Non-U.S. Charter Outfits United Airlines plans fuel-saving flight to Europe CareFlite helicopter crash may be tied to problem with main rotor Airbus to test ash-detector for EasyJet on A340 747-8F undergoing repairs after tug incident Getting to grips with overrun risk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAA training aircraft forced to make emergency landing FORT WORTH - A training aircraft belonging to the Federal Aviation Administration made an emergency landing at Alliance Airport on Thursday when its nose landing gear failed to extend properly, authorities said. The aircraft remained intact fafter the nose down landing and no one was injured in the maneuver, an FAA official said. The two pilots in the Beech C90, more commonly known as a Beechcraft King Air, were just completing a training mission about 2 p.m. when they noticed the nose landing gear was only partially extended, said Lynn Lunsford, an FAA spokesman. They did a fly-by and air traffic controllers confirmed that the landing gear was not properly extended, and then they began to work through their options with employees of the aircraft manufacturer and air traffic controllers, Lunsford said. After exhausting all their options and much of their fuel, the two pilots elected to land on the two remaining main landing gear and executed the emergency landing. The Fort Worth Fire Department deployed additional apparatus as a precaution, but none of it was needed, said Tim Hardeman, fire department spokesman. www.star-telegram.com/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103454845802&s=6053&e=001MGOu3kqWKWrVKC0k9usXOhLcYtg-zBtfXTRecdxUdxA-2IS3dlHUohXOv80KEcK-9u_Xo-8G1T1aOu1INXgOpRjr0EjCuLEJFhgx6hjkpe8W513Mk-WvPg==] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAA Probes Whether Pilot Sought to Cover Up Mistake By ANDY PASZTOR Regulators are investigating whether the head of flight operations at Trans States Airlines forgot to turn on one engine of a commuter jet while preparing for take off, then allegedly tried to cover up the mistake, according to government and industry officials. The probe prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to temporarily bar Michael White, the airline's former chief pilot and currently its director of flight operations, from flying passengers. He has since been reinstated after passing a proficiency test, but the incident has prompted high-level concern inside the FAA, these officials said. The agency is continuing to look at whether Mr. White tried to hide a mistake, and whether other airline managers tried to mislead regulators after the incident, according to these officials. Mr. White has said that the engine shut down on its own, and the airline supports his position, according to people familiar with the details. Mr. White declined to comment for this article. Spokesmen for the FAA and the airline, which operates flights for United Airlines and US Airways, confirmed the investigation into the incident but wouldn't elaborate. "We have been fully cooperative with the FAA," the airline spokesman said. The incident initially attracted FAA interest in what officials thought was another example of pilot distraction. In the past six months, at least one other crew flying for a different commuter carrier forgot to turn on both engines before starting to rev up for takeoff. Afterward, that airline revised its pre-flight checklist. But the Trans States investigation has taken an unusual turn. The FAA has opened an enforcement case and is investigating allegations by other pilots that Mr. White tried to cover up his mistake. Some Trans States pilots also have told investigators that they felt airline management tried to pressure them or intimidate them to back up Mr. White's version of events, according to people familiar with the investigation. Labor-management tensions at the airline are already high, with the pilots' union locked in stalled contract negotiations with the airline. "We don't believe that any member of management has tried to dissuade pilots from telling anything" to the FAA, said the spokesman for the airline, a unit of Trans States Holdings Inc. of Bridgeton, Mo. He added that the FAA has "never told us there was any kind of investigation involving intimidation or coercion" of pilots. FAA officials said allegations of a cover-up, if true, are disturbing because the regulator expects pilots and airline managers to promptly and honestly report safety lapses-even if they are serious-so other crews and carriers can benefit from lessons learned. If Mr. White or other members of management are found to have attempted to cover up a mistake, the airline could face financial penalties. In March, Mr. White and another senior Trans States pilot were at the controls of a two-engine Embraer jet getting ready to take off from Washington Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. As the aircraft started to rev up, cockpit warnings that only one of the two engines was running prompted the pilots to pull off the runway and taxi back to the gate. Mr. White wrote in the logbook-and told mechanics and fellow pilots at the time-that the engine had shut down on its own, according to people familiar with the details. Two other Trans States pilots who were passengers on the plane concluded from sounds they heard that only one engine had been started up, they later told investigators, according to people familiar with the investigation. The plane's maintenance records also showed that one engine had never been started up, according to these people. Shortly after the incident, a senior management pilot told one of the pilots in the back of the plane that maintenance data backed up Mr. White's version of events, according to a person familiar with the investigation. The pilot told investigators he interpreted that as indirect pressure to support Mr. White's statements, this person said. The airline asked all four pilots who were passengers on the plane for copies of written statements they had submitted to the agency, according to people familiar with the investigation. Two of the pilots told investigators they felt that was another subtle form of intimidation, these people said. The company removed the two men from flying duties before the FAA took the same action, according to people familiar with the case, and gave them additional training. The FAA required them to pass a proficiency test, which they did. Both pilots have returned to flying status. The other aviator is a senior pilot who checks the proficiency of other Trans States pilots during recurrent training sessions. Trans States flies more than three million passengers annually, using 27 regional jets to serve 46 cities. Trans States Holdings also controls GoJet Airlines LLC, which flies 25 Bombardier regional jets for United Express, operating out of hubs at Chicago, Denver and Dulles. In a taped telephone message prepared last month for Trans States pilots, their union leader alleges what he calls unfair disciplinary actions by the airline's management. Part of that pre-recorded message from Capt. Jason Ruszin refers to minor infractions for which pilots are routinely suspended from work, but also mentions an unnamed management pilot who fails to start an engine and "falsifies an aircraft discrepancy," but then isn't disciplined by superiors. http://online.wsj.com/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103454845802&s=6053&e=001MGOu3kqWKWr7NtJZmd9SxacgoyF6eaROaUPtOEqoIW6HmdA-aS5-rYfl9Nv1jgaiQlfIabn-FajTMBFK6Hjo12eu_Qyg8dMlQv-rh5OeLFTlxYvyWUX4zQ==] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAA To Establish Ops Specs for Non-U.S. Charter Outfits Charter The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that could provide a somewhat simpler means for non-U.S. charter operators to make trips to the U.S. According to the FAA, the new language would "clarify and standardize the rules for applications by foreign air carriers and foreign persons for operations specifications and establish new standards for amendment, suspension or termination of those operations specifications. The rule would apply to non-U.S. commercial operators and to foreign operators flying U.S.-registered aircraft outside the U.S. Foreign air carriers must meet the requirements of Part 129, but there are currently no provisions for operations specifications in Part 129. The new rule would add Part 129.5 (operations specifications), 129.7 (application, issuance or denial of operations specifications) and 129.9 (contents of operations specifications). U.S. charter operators face few constraints when flying trips to Europe, yet without this new rule, European operators face cumbersome and obstructive measures that make it hardly worthwhile to apply for Part 129 approval. Comments on the NPRM are due by August 5. http://www.ainonline.com/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ United Airlines plans fuel-saving flight to Europe MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - United Airlines says it will demonstrate new fuel-saving methods on two flights between Europe and the U.S. on Saturday. The airline says it expects to save about 940 gallons of fuel on the flights, which will carry paying passengers. The testing includes a trip from Frankfurt to Chicago on a United 777 (triple-seven), and a return trip on the same plane. Commercial flights usually stay at a precise altitude. But this flight will drift up and down as much as 3,000 feet. That way the pilots won't need to burn extra fuel maintaining a precise altitude. Several airlines have been testing ways to cut their fuel bill. Last year American Airlines tested fuel-saving technology and practices on a Paris-to-Miami flight. And United used synthetic fuel on a test flight in April. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CareFlite helicopter crash may be tied to problem with main rotor, officials say Investigators looking for the cause of the fatal crash of a medical transport helicopter near Midlothian on Wednesday may already have a pretty good idea of what happened, if not exactly why. The helicopter's main rotor was intact and separate from the rest of the wreckage, indicating that it came loose in flight, leaving the pilot with no way to control the aircraft. Mechanics for CareFlite had worked on the rotor system just before the flight and had replaced key components, Tom Latson, an investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, said Thursday. The Bell 222U took off from Grand Prairie Municipal Airport at 1:52 p.m. on what was supposed to be a routine maintenance checkout flight, and the first 911 call reporting the crash came just eight minutes later, Latson said. A 10-person team from the safety board was at the scene Thursday examining and photographing the wreckage and taking notes. Latson said investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration, Bell Helicopter and engine manufacturer Honeywell were helping his team. "We're documenting the wreckage and will probably start to recover" it at midday today, Latson said. The wreckage will be taken to a secure facility in Dallas where investigators will lay it out and try to determine what parts failed and why. The rotor assembly and the tail boom were found separate from the fuselage, which burned after impact. The tail rotor was apparently severed from the fuselage by the main rotor, but Latson said the sequence of events has yet to be determined. Several things could have caused the rotor assembly to separate from the aircraft, but one aviation lawyer said it appeared that a large nut -- the "Jesus nut" that holds the assembly onto the drive shaft -- may have come loose. "They call it the Jesus nut because if it comes loose, you're going to meet Jesus," said attorney William Angelley, a former Navy helicopter pilot. Victims identified Ellis County officials identified the two men killed as pilot Guy Del Giudice, 44, of Keller and mechanic Stephen Durler, 23, of Dallas. Del Giudice is identified on CareFlite's website as its chief pilot. The men were well-liked and were good employees, Jim Swartz, CareFlite's president and CEO,, told reporters at a briefing Thursday. CareFlite has grounded its other two Bell 222 helicopters until the cause of the crash is determined, Swartz said. The company grounded its entire fleet -- four Agusta helicopters and the two other Bells -- after the crash, but the Agustas resumed flying Thursday. The company was forced to decline patients Wednesday night, but Swartz did not say how many. "I've been in aviation for more than 35 years -- from the military to EMS -- and yesterday was the worst day I've ever had in my life," Swartz said. "This is a day which I hoped would never happen." The Grand Prairie airport is about 24 miles north of the crash scene. CareFlite bought the helicopter in March from a for-profit air medical service, Omniflight Helicopters of Addison. Swartz said the helicopter was undergoing maintenance and testing so CareFlite could obtain FAA certification to use it for emergency and other medical transportation flights. "We commit to work fully with authorities to pinpoint factors which may have contributed to this horrible event," he said. "We haven't had to deal with something of this magnitude -- a death in our family -- in over a quarter-century." CareFlite provides medical air transportation services across North Texas and employs 30 pilots, Swartz said. www.star-telegram.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103454845802&s=6053&e=001MGOu3kqWKWrVKC0k9usXOhLcYtg-zBtfXTRecdxUdxA-2IS3dlHUohXOv80KEcK-9u_Xo-8G1T1aOu1INXgOpRjr0EjCuLEJFhgx6hjkpe8W513Mk-WvPg==] Back to Top [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103454845802&s=6053&e=001MGOu3kqWKWqBfAyJ0gW1fopn91WNnUNU3l6z907uqifDqXm1KKxpMjmvr2d5tWBfA7KKa0YGa7eSgs7d3ds-lNfy0kONmu9-] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Airbus to test ash-detector for EasyJet on A340 Airbus is planning to test an infra-red detector which is designed to pick up traces of volcanic ash, using an A340 platform for the trial. It is to perform the test in co-operation with UK budget airline EasyJet, a prominent Airbus customer, using technology developed by the Norwegian air research organisation Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning (NILU). Airbus has been conducting test flights aimed at establishing the extent of the threat from volcanic ash, following the eruption in Iceland in April, but recently told ATI that these needed verification through scientific measurement. Details of the detection project are still emerging but EasyJet says the equipment is "essentially a weather-radar for ash" and claims it provides images of ash concentrations up to 100km (55nm) ahead of the aircraft. It operates at altitudes between 5,000ft and 50,000ft, the carrier adds, and the images are also transmitted to airline operations control personnel. The equipment, which is known as 'AVOID', has been developed by NILU senior scientist Fred Prata. He says the equipment "enhances the theory" relating to volcanic ash location with "live data". Airlines heavily criticised the computer-based modelling which was used to predict ash concentrations over Europe from the Icelandic activity, and which resulted in extensive airspace closures before tolerance limits for aircraft were revised. EasyJet chief Andy Harrison describes the technology as a "silver bullet" which will "make large-scale ash disruption history". The UK Civil Aviation Authority says it welcomes the effort, and intends to "facilitate" the work. NILU confines itself simply to saying it "looks forward to continued work to provide a better understanding of the risks on aviation, human health and environment from volcanic eruptions". Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 747-8F undergoing repairs after tug incident One of Boeing's 747-8F flight test aircraft sustained damage to its fan cowl and engine inlet when it impacted a tug while being towed. Boeing announced the incident, which occurred at Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California on the evening of 30 May, through its Twitter account. "A tug driver clipped another tug causing a fender bender to a cowling," the company says. Boeing says the right-hand outboard engine casing, number four, sustained the damage. The aircraft involved, RC521, was scheduled to begin nautical air mile (NAMS) testing this week on its four General Electric GEnx-2B engines to establish the fuel efficiency of the aircraft's powerplants, Boeing confirms. The company determined there was no damage to the engine, and NAMS testing is expected to begin shortly. RC521 is the second of four aircraft to enter flight testing, and three aircraft are currently operating in flight test campaign. Boeing is currently undergoing a 1,600h flight test programme for the 747-8 freighter. The airframer is pushing for first delivery to Cargolux during the fourth quarter despite recent warnings that the current delivery schedule is at risk. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Getting to grips with overrun risk NLR-ATSI in the Netherlands has developed a tool to help airlines to monitor and mitigate their landing overrun risk, please check http://www.nlr-atsi.nl/smartsite.dws?ch=ATS&id=14839 for the latest newsletter. The NLR Air Transport Safety Institute (NLR-ATSI) helps airports, ATC organizations, airlines and aviation authorities to achieve safe changes in operations, technology and infrastructure, and to improve air transport safety through research and consultancy. The safety institute is a member of a range of national and international working groups and committees. Working for clients across the globe, NLR-ATSI is currently involved in projects in the USA, Switzerland, Norway, The Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Italy and Taiwan. For more information go to www.nlr-atsi.nl Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC