Flight Safety Information June 14, 2010 - No. 116 In This Issue Passenger plane crash-lands at South African airport, no injuries Jetstar pilot 'was sending text messages' Greece-bound flight diverted to Logan Kingfisher investigates passenger's presence in cockpit Second non-crew voice in crashed Tu-154 identified 'DGCA should check record of expat pilots' (India) Commercial jet pilots issue 'safety concern' minutes before safe landing at Portland IATA bids to improve safety and infrastructure in Ukraine Sun Country launches unusual transatlantic service with 737-800 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Passenger plane crash-lands at South African airport, no injuries By BNO News JOHANNESBURG (BNO NEWS) -- A South African Airways passenger plane crash-landed at Lanseria International Airport near Johannesburg on Sunday, airport officials said. The Metroliner aircraft - which has a general capacity of 19 passengers and two crew - made a belly landing around 11 a.m. local time, according to Johan Opperman, a spokesman for the airport. He said the aircraft was carrying 13 passengers and 2 crew. The Polokwane-bound plane had taken off from from Lanseria but decided to return when the crew realized there were problems with the undercarriage. "They decided to return to Lanseria," Opperman said. "They flew around for about an hour to get rid of excess fuel and then completed a wheels-up landing." The airport was temporarily closed after the crash to remove the wreckage of the aircraft from the main runway. Actor John Travolta, who flies his own Boeing 707, was delayed because of the closure. "Mr. Travolta is to leave at 5.30 p.m.," Opperman said. Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jetstar pilot 'was sending text messages' seconds before plane had to abort Singapore landing Air safety officers in Australia are investigating claims that a pilot on a budget airline was sending text messages shortly before his jet had to abort a landing in Singapore. The plane had to take to the sky less than a minute before it was due to touch down because its landing gear was not down, according to claims made today. Carrying 167 passengers, the aircraft, operated by Jetstar, an arm of Qantas, was just 400ft above the ground as it approached the runway at Changi Airport when the pilots were ordered to go around and attempt to land again. Investigation: It has been alleged that a Jetstar pilot was texting shortly before his jet had to abort a landing in Singapore There have been claims a pilot on the A321-200 jet was text-messaging on his mobile phone just before the aircraft was forced to pull out of the landing, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. After what is believed to have been an 'incorrect configuration warning' was triggered because the landing gear was not down, the 210-seat plane landed safely after its second approach. The paper said an investigation into the incident will examine allegations that one of the pilots on JQ57 was using his phone to send messages shortly before the landing. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau confirmed that a 'missed approach' in Singapore was being investigated. The bureau's director of aviation safety investigation, Ian Sangston, said the inquiry would try to determine the trigger for the 'incorrect configuration' warning. He would not comment on claims that one of the pilots had been using his mobile phone, but conceded that the aircraft was 'lower than they would have liked' when the landing was aborted. What is known as 'go arounds' - when landings are aborted and an aircraft has to circle for another approach - are not uncommon, but investigators pay special attention when an incorrect configuration warning is made. Simon Westaway, a spokesman for the airline, declined to comment on details of the incident, but said the airline was assisting the safety bureau in its inquiries. 'We don't comment on any circumstantial information,' he said, adding that the two pilots were still flying. Earlier this year the transport safety bureau reported that the pilots of a Jetstar plane came within 36ft of the ground during an aborted landing at Melbourne airport. The pilots, it was found, had failed to correctly perform a go-around procedure and there had had also been confusion over cockpit alarms. In October last year, two pilots of a Northwest Airlines - now part of Delta Air Line - jet overshot their destination in the US by 100 miles because they were chatting and using their laptops, violating safety rules. Their licences were revoked. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1286044/Jetstar-pilot-sending-text-messages-seconds-plane-abort-Singapore-landing.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0qkyayfvP [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103477589032&s=6053&e=001Q768q5D2Z4mf3FZdaAlJ5w6ezdHBeHz77EdoyBn-Crq7yg5fbGVtsoP2KZmNnYIp_u8AmYAHSvI7oc-lx3vi4FOmsAgeD7l0UCKX_iX-1kn9JVRxui0M0Y6qJOEnZaWtT6e9HEKqpM9Y3lo9Ioqo4tnXUF0GXZZnzJB0D_DkmHR7WdveV6LgT-aIH-NImr8OfZ1CYNLakdOymeoGi7f7xngDPbOIfeYqlBaIw5q_72X7sd-rhGq4U8JNCbERTqYcRzAB_ZFuoUjZGy08y3Za6BYT-UYHO-y00kia6zTXaUKmz0cdCRV5TCgke35nvlHb] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Greece-bound flight diverted to Logan A Continental Airlines flight carrying more than 200 passengers bound for Greece was diverted to Logan International Airport last night after an odor of smoke was detected in the cabin, an airline spokesman said. Continental spokesman Andrew J. Ferraro said the flight, which was bound for Athens, took off from Newark Liberty International Airport at about 6:30 p.m. and landed at Logan shortly before 8 p.m. He said the flight was diverted "in the best interest of everyone's safety.'' Ferraro could not say whether a passenger or a crew member detected the odor. He also could not say what caused the odor or when it was detected. Ferraro said a second aircraft for the passengers was en route to Logan from Newark last night. Passengers were scheduled to resume their trip in the new aircraft early this morning, he said. He said there were 220 passengers and 13 crew members on the diverted flight. A spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs Logan, said the captain had reported smoke in the cockpit. Ferraro said that account was incorrect. Ferraro declined to say exactly what accommodations the airline would make for passengers last night, but said "the customers are being taken care of in Boston.'' Continental may offer food and beverage carts to passengers during delays, as well as hotel accommodations in some cases when delays exceed four hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to company documents posted online. http://www.boston.com/ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103477589032&s=6053&e=001Q768q5D2Z4lGh93LNkj1SVgEBYaIksaAZ5Q40gHW2zWLtNgMSRxrd3odkQpkzvaE-b5ZBYYsMtjDLE6h-15VEhekjDZGZQUFwwCHLuW_NwwCkCS-YBatMA==] Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kingfisher investigates passenger's presence in cockpit New Delhi: Private carrier Kingfisher said on Saturday it was probing how a woman passenger travelled in the cockpit on the Chandigarh-Jammu leg of a Delhi-Srinagar flight. "We are looking into the matter. We will probe it," a Kingfisher statement said. This followed a TV news channel airing a video clip of the woman comming out of the cockpit when the plane landed at Jammu on June 9. Khurshid Taju, from Srinagar who was on board the Kingfisher Red IT 4633 flight, said he saw a woman passenger entering the cockpit before the plane took off from Chandigarh and shot the video when she came out, followed by the pilot, Times Now TV said, claiming that Taju had shared the video with the news channel. Flight safety norms strictly prohibit any passengers inside the cockpit. Taju said he spoke with a crew member to know if they allowed passengers inside the cockpit. http://sify.com/news/kingfisher-investigates-passenger-s-presence-in-cockpit-news-national-kgnaHKefbcb.html Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Second non-crew voice in crashed Tu-154 identified Investigators have identified a second non-crew voice captured by cockpit recordings extracted from the crashed Polish presidential Tupolev Tu-154M. The Russian Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) has not given a name for the individual, but says it has "identified the second specific person" whose phrases were listed in the transcript of the cockpit conversation. One other non-crew voice has already been confirmed as belonging to Polish air force commander Andrzej Blasik. While a version of the transcript from the MARS-BM cockpit recorder was formally handed to Polish authorities on 31 May, several sections of the conversation were rendered unintelligible by noise. Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) says it is working specifically to clarify two phrases from the previously-unidentified non-crew voice. The Tu-154 crashed on approach to Smolensk in dense fog on 10 April, after sinking below the correct approach path, but no explanation has yet been given for the decision to attempt the landing in conditions far below minima. Specialists in the audio spectrum analysis are attempting to refine the transcript of the cockpit discussion, to obtain a clear understanding of the reasoning which led to the fatal approach. Russian authorities have also recruited test pilots from the Gromov research institute as well as the military, along with highly-experienced Tu-154 cockpit personnel and aviation psychologists, to analyse the Polish flight crew's actions. Analysis of the terrain-awareness warning system and the flight-management system on board the ill-fated Tu-154 shows both were providing information to the crew correctly. This research was carried out in the facilities of Universal Avionics Systems in the USA. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103477589032&s=6053&e=001Q768q5D2Z4nOEYXLO7NSLzK7dIZ63EP1c0TEuCwqrQLzrfQXhcXFqGl9s8G9kXxEj22MgZtRtS5bTYvdTY87vQ-ln3E2qqRi] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'DGCA should check record of expat pilots' (India) A pilot's body has said that the civil aviation regulatory body needs to thoroughly check the professional background of foreign pilots - something which is now delegated to the airlines. In its letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) earlier this month, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) - an umbrella body for all commercial pilots of the country - has said that the regulator body ought to scrutinise competence, skills, history of failures, including remedial and corrective training records of expats, with the same thoroughness as it does in the case of Indian pilots. "The responsibility of ensuring that a pilot being hired has an accident-free record should fall on the DGCA and shouldn't be deferred to the operator. It should be made a part of the verification certificate issued by the contracting state regulatory body," said a pilot. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/-DGCA-should-check-record-of-expat-pilots-/633420 Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commercial jet pilots issue 'safety concern' minutes before safe landing at Portland International Airport Pilots of a commercial Boeing 737 jet alerted Portland International Airport of a "safety concern," possibly involving smoke in the cockpit, minutes before landing safely at the airport this afternoon. The pilot reported the safety concern at 1:40 p.m., and the airport immediately dispatched emergency crews, said Josh Thomas, spokesman for the Port of Portland. Six minutes later, the airplane was safely on the ground. Thomas said he did no know which airline company was flying the airplane or how many people were aboard. The Boeing 737 has seating for anywhere from 108 to 189 people depending on the model. The safety concern, at one point described as smoke in the cockpit by one dispatcher, was unclear, and port officials are investigating, Thomas said. "A smoke-in-the-cockpit warning sometimes is triggered by a warning light and might be related to something overheating, an electrical smell, any number of things," he said. http://www.oregonlive.com/ Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IATA bids to improve safety and infrastructure in Ukraine IATA has forged a partnership with Ukrainian authorities which aims to improve the country's safety status as well as its infrastructure. The US FAA lists Ukraine as non-compliant with ICAO safety oversight practices, and while its safety oversight has improved, says IATA, "more needs to be done". IATA says it wants to make its operational safety audit scheme a national requirement for the country. The association has formalised a strategic partnership through a memorandum of intention with Ukraine's transport ministry and state aviation administration. "This [agreement] gives us a strong framework to contribute to building an even more competitive Ukraine air transport sector, with the benefits being spread across the economy," says IATA director general Giovanni Bisignani. It covers aspects of IATA's 'Simplifying the Business' initiative to improve service levels and cut costs, and the agreement also aims to address issues with Ukraine's airport and air navigation services. "Ukraine's system is one of the most expensive in Europe and remains one of the least productive," says Bisignani. "This undermines the competitiveness of Ukraine. We need immediate reform. The government can no longer treat aviation, including air traffic management, as a cash cow." Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sun Country launches unusual transatlantic service with 737-800 US low-cost carrier Sun Country Airlines has launched its first transatlantic service - an unusual Boeing 737-800 route connecting Minneapolis with London Stansted. Flight SY47 departed Sun Country's Minneapolis base for London Stansted at 16:32 this afternoon local time. The flight, which is operating as a seasonal scheduled service, is due to land at Stansted at 8:10 local time tomorrow following a brief fuel stop in Gander. The flight is made possible after Sun Country secured extended twin operations (ETOPS) certification from the FAA at the end of last year, opening up the possibility of flights to Europe and Hawaii. Sun Country so far has only committed to operating one transatlantic flight per week for the summer season but director of financial planning and analysis Rex Boutelle says the carrier will consider a more extensive transatlantic schedule depending on the outcome of the Stansted trial. "This is a toe in the water. We have 10 trips planned for this summer and we'll see how it goes," Boutelle says. Sun Country began selling the 10 round-trip flights on its website in March. Boutelle acknowledges bookings for the first few weeks of the service are "low" but overall he says demand is meeting the carrier's projections. "It's about what is expected. We're still seeing bookings coming in," Boutelle told Flightglobal after speaking at the 4 June Low-Cost Airlines World Americas conference in Miami. "We're still waiting to see how it goes." The flight is historic and unusual on many fronts. Not only does it mark Sun Country's debut in the competitive North Atlantic market, it marks the return of US service for Stansted. At one point in 2007 Stansted had three US carriers - American Airlines and all-premium operators Eos and Maxjet. But Maxjet ceased operations at the end of 2007, Eos shut down in April 2008 and American dropped its short-lived New York JFK-Stansted route in mid 2008. It also marks the first time an airline has used 737s on scheduled transatlantic services since the summer of 2007, when Scottish low-cost carrier Flyglobespan operated a 737-700 to Boston from Glasgow and Knock. Air Canada, however, is using a similarly sized Airbus A319 this summer to London Heathrow from St. John's. Sun Country also marks the return of low-cost service between the US and Europe. Flyglobespan ceased operations late last year and Zoom Airlines - which at one point operated low-cost long-haul services from London Gatwick to Fort Lauderdale, New York JFK and San Diego - ceased operations in 2008. Sun Country currently operates a mix of scheduled and charter services with a fleet of nine 737-700/800s. The carrier also typically brings in additional aircraft for its peak season, which runs from January to April. Boutelle says this year Sun Country bolstered its fleet for four months by dry-leasing two 737-800s from Dutch carrier Transavia. Boutelle says Sun Country for now has no plans to expand its fleet. "We're always looking for opportunities but until we come out of bankruptcy protection we're sitting tight," he says. Sun Country has been operating under bankruptcy protection since October 2008. "We filed our reorganisation plan and hope to be out this summer," Boutelle says. To avoid stranding the crew in London for a week, Sun Country is keeping its 737-800 at Stansted for 28 hours before operating the return flight to Minneapolis. Sun Country's first westbound transatlantic flight is scheduled to depart Stansted on 13 June at noon local time and land at Minneapolis at 16:55 local time following a fuel stop in Gander. Sun Country has rolled out a new partnership with digEcor to offer portable in-flight entertainment units on the new transatlantic flights. The digEplayer XT system will be available for $10 in coach class but will be complimentary for first class passengers. Boutelle says Sun Country's 737s are configured with 12 first class seats. "Our first class sales are modest but we get a lot of upgrade traffic and we get a decent amount for that upgrade," Boutelle says. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Graduate Degree Survey: Airline Overbooking Policy Survey I am currently trying to gather survey data for my graduate research project at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. I would appreciate it if you could take the time to fill out a short survey to assist in my data collection (URL below). The survey is only 7 questions long. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance in taking this survey. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WHV7TPJ [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103477589032&s=6053&e=001Q768q5D2Z4nJwkuwI9d6Q8a8aAaGNndoXr_MI-EnGSiAyA9PDW-ZwXrjCDVkH8mXeSZirvGFyhaTtQaxChCnRBL_vM-2nx2Fk9_lm773Nl7OCi6Ynw7k2oC5_lttbleaBpb-M-fYGjg=] Christopher Rupp Back to Top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC