Flight Safety Information April 29, 2011 - No. 087 In This Issue Canada flies on top air safety record Continental jet makes emergency landing after odor in cabin IJT aircraft crashes for third time in 4 years (India) NTSB's Airline Accident Report Shows Need For Rest Rules For All Airline Pilots Passenger threatened to kill teen girl during Salt Lake flight Flight delayed after fuel truck hits plane FAA Names Fornarotto Associate Administrator of Airports African Airline Group Asks Governments To Fix Safety Problems Countries Split As EU Softens Flight Liquids Ban EC accused of providing misleading information in ash crisis FAA SAFETY BRIEFING...May-June 2011 Graduate Survey Request Canada flies on top air safety record Canada's privately-owned air traffic control is an industry leader Controllers urged to discuss stresses, nap if necessary, avoid blame culture In U.S. controversy rages after controllers were caught sleeping on the job Canada was judged the world's best Air Navigation Service Provider in 2010 Toronto, Canada (CNN) -- It's a witty irony that Kurtis Arnold's claim rings true for him on most days; the most stressful part of his job as an air traffic controller is his commute in by car. As the scrutiny over air control safety continues, Arnold admits it can be a stressful job but that Nav Canada, his employer and Canada's only air traffic control provider, has put the training and tools in place to manage that stress both on duty and off. "I think the air traffic controllers are like the wizard who's behind the curtain," says Arnold while perched in a tower high above Toronto's Pearson Airport on a hectic day with fog finally rolling out and severe thunderstorms rolling in. "At our busiest peak periods we'll have a takeoff or landing at this airport about every 25 seconds. So what's it like to work that? Well there's a lot going on. You really train yourself to internalize the procedures so you're really making decision sub-consciously because you're communicating constantly." says Arnold. As Arnold hits the screens for a typical day of work, the atmosphere both in the control tower at Toronto's airport and the Area Control Center next door, is professional yet genial. The future of U.S. air traffic safety Controllers are encouraged to talk about their best practices as well as their stress without engaging in what they call a "blame culture." U.S. air traffic control training Simple models used in U.S. FAA training What looks like a maze of computers and monitors are Arnold's tools of the trade and increasingly he and his colleagues rely on electronic data for flight information and updates. At certain intervals in these control centers you can hear the pace of the chatter quicken and short, sharp bursts of communications rattle through headsets. But quickly, critical moments pass without incident, as flights are shepherded through unpredictable weather and turbulence. Through it all, the center maintains its air of calm, something they know the traveling public is relying on. "They need to have faith in what we do and I guess that we're so successful at it that when something comes unraveled for a few minutes, it's so noteworthy because it doesn't happen very often" says Arnold. Nav Canada controllers are meticulously trained, they never work alone, they work no more than about 17 days in every 28 and they must have at least 10 hours off between shifts. For more than a decade Nav Canada has researched and implemented strategies to mitigate the effects of fatigue and that includes sanctioning a nap if needed. "We actually have a lounge where Nav Canada provides us with reclining chairs so we'll use them for naps and if you go over there in the morning you'll often see a controller who's had a long commute and they'll slide away on their breaks and take a 10 or 15 minute nap to re-energize," explains Arnold. Can technology fix FAA's air traffic troubles? But napping is not the only thing that sets Nav Canada apart. Canadian controllers are trained and managed by one of the most successful and safe air traffic control systems in the world. Last year they won the IATA Eagle Award winner means they were judged the world's best Air Navigation Service Provider What is perhaps surprising is that unlike in many countries, including the United States where there has been controversy over controllers caught sleeping on the job, it is not government owned or operated. "We can demonstrably show that our system is safer today than it was when it was in government," says John Crichton, Nav Canada's current and founding CEO. Crichton says in 1996 the Canadian air traffic control system was in crisis; chronically mismanaged, the system was soaking up government money, using out of date equipment and there was very low morale among its controllers. "The employees in the system were not happy, they were subject to wage freezes, they were concerned about the technology and the tools they had," says Crichton. He explains how he set out to change that with a revolutionary model that would see him take air traffic control out of government hands and transformed into a thriving business with a bottom line. "Flights are shorter, people get more direct routing, there is very little delay in our system attributable to the air traffic control system, very little, almost negligible," says Crichton. Nav Canada has won industry awards for both safety and efficiency and it now sells its expertise and technology around the world. The one thing Nav Canada does not do is return a profit to its members or stakeholders, any profits or efficiencies are plowed back into the business. "The profits come in safety, greenhouse gas emissions or our own cost improvements," says Rudy Kellar, Nav Canada's Head of Operations. Nav Canada claims to have saved more than a $1.5 billion dollars for its airline clients over the years as well as maintaining a stellar safety record. "Equally as important, or perhaps more important, are the savings we provide to the airlines by giving them more direct routes, more efficient flight profiles and that now is running into the billions in terms of reduced fuel burn. Not to mention the greenhouse gas emissions that are reduced," says Crichton. Crichton is blunt about the consequences if any facet of his business should let down the traveling public. "Conceptually at least our only product is safety. We cannot afford to ever let a public perception arise that we anything but as diligent as possible about safety because it would be bad for business," says Crichton. Back to Top Continental jet makes emergency landing after odor in cabin (USA TODAY) A Continental Airlines jet that had just taken off from San Antonio International Airport was forced to return Thursday morning due to a strong chemical odor in the cabin, according to Reuters. At least four people were treated for respiratory distress and one person was taken to a hospital, it says. The Houston-bound plane took off shortly before 9 a.m. local time. The plane landed away from the main terminal as a precaution and to accommodate firefighters wearing hazardous materials suits. "They did not want to bring it back to a gate, just because of the strong odor," spokesman Rich Johnson told Reuters. "They're not sure what it is, so as a precaution they are taking it out to a ramp area." Back to Top IJT aircraft crashes for third time in 4 years (India) The Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), suffered yet another setback as the prototype version of the aircraft crashed in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, after taking off from HAL Airport in Bangalore on Thursday afternoon. The mishap, which is the third involving the IJT, occurred when the prototype aircraft S-3466 on a routine flight test crashed at Kelamangalam, near Lakshmipuram Village in Hosur taluk of Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu at 3.10 pm with both the pilots on- board ejecting safely. The aircraft was piloted by group captain Mathur of the National Flight Test Centre and wing commander Patra of Air Force Technical College. No loss of civilian life or property was reported when the aircraft crashed in a forest area. HAL chairman, Ashok Nayak, said that during the test flight, the pilots may have performed an 'unintended difficult' manoeuvre "and could not recover from it due to which they lost control and ejected." HAL has constituted a court of inquiry, as is the case in such occurrences. The pilots were airlifted from the crash mishap site and directly taken to HAL Hospital in Bangalore to be kept under observation. The flight data recorder of aircraft has been recovered by the search and rescue teams and the data is expected to be retrieved in a couple of days, said HAL officials. The IJT flights tests on Thursday were part of the aircraft's pursuit to attain the much- awaited Initial Operational Clearance which HAL intends to get by June so IAF can test the craft before its induction for training rookie pilots. The two-seater IJT, a sub-sonic intermediate jet trainer aircraft, is expected to replace the depleting HJT-16 Kiran fleet in its role as a stage II trainer in the IAF and also be part of the famed Surya Kiran aerobatics team in the future. During the Aero India 2007, the prototype version of IJT swerved off the runway just as the pilot was getting airborne. This caused damage to the aircraft. Again, in February 2009, the second prototype of the aircraft landed on its belly. http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_ijt-aircraft-crashes-for-third-time-in-4- years_1537328 Back to Top NTSB's Airline Accident Report Shows Need For Rest Rules For All Airline Pilots April 29, 2011 - Captain Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), issued the following statement in response to the National Transportation Safety Board meeting this week regarding the 2009 Empire Airlines Flight 8284 accident at Lubbock, Texas. "The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l, commends the National Transportation Safety Board for its work to enhance aviation safety with a thorough review of the Empire Airlines accident. "In its meeting, the Board discussed flight crew fatigue, flight operations in icing conditions, and the need to enhance crew resource management training for all airline pilots. Unfortunately, these safety concerns, which ALPA has pressed to address for decades, persist in our industry today, even in this period of remarkably safe airline operations. "The Board reported that the flight, conducted under 14 CFR 121 supplemental rules, was operated in the very early hours of the morning, and the crew experienced a level of fatigue that likely contributed to the accident. "For decades, ALPA has called for 'One Level of Safety' and sought standardized, science-based flight- and duty-time limits and minimum rest requirements that apply to all airline operations, regardless of whether the pilots fly cargo, military equipment and troops, or commercial passengers. The Board's discussion pointed to the particular threat posed by operations during times of 'circadian low'-overnight flights when pilots are especially vulnerable to fatigue. "In addition, the Board drew attention to the icing conditions in which the Empire Airlines flight was operating, which included 'supercooled large droplets' that can significantly degrade aircraft performance. In the nearly 20 years since the tragic accident near Roselawn, Indiana, that was linked to this type of icing, the weather phenomenon has been studied extensively, but our industry has only recently begun taking positive steps to account for its effect on aircraft performance. "Much more needs to be done to address the hazards posed by in-flight icing conditions, and the NTSB echoed many of ALPA's long-standing priorities such as avoiding flight in supercooled-large-droplet-icing conditions unless manufacturers' testing has concluded it can be done safely. Other ALPA priorities include enhanced training for pilots, dispatchers, and flight followers, and greater fidelity in flight simulator replication of icing conditions. The NTSB also highlighted the need for airline captains to be required to receive specific training in leadership skills as they apply to effective crew resource management. "We owe it to all who were affected by this accident to act on these opportunities to advance safety. ALPA particularly commends the recognition by the Board that all airlines, regardless of the size of the aircraft, the size of the airline, or the nature of the payload, must be operated to a single high safety standard." On January 27, 2009, N902FX, an Aerospatiale Alenia ATR-42-320, operating as Empire Airlines flight 8284, sustained substantial damage when it landed short of the runway threshold while executing the Instrument Landing System (ILS) RWY 17R approach at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB), Lubbock, Texas. The airplane was registered to Federal Express Corporation, Memphis, Tennessee, and operated by Empire Airlines, Hayden, Idaho. The captain was seriously injured and the co-pilot sustained minor injuries. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW), Fort Worth, Texas, approximately 0319. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the supplemental cargo flight operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. A preliminary review of air traffic control communications revealed that the captain contacted the Lubbock Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at 0422, and reported that they were descending from an altitude of 10,000 feet down to 8,000 feet mean sea level (msl). A controller acknowledged the transmission and then provided the airport's current weather information and a runway breaking-action advisory. In addition, he provided vectors for the ILS 17R approach. At 0430, the controller instructed the airplane to descend and maintain an altitude of 5,000 feet msl. At 0432, the controller informed the flight crew that the wind had shifted 180 degrees from the north to the south between 5,000 and 6,000 feet msl. The captain responded and added that he also noted a drop in the outside air temperature of 8 degrees and concurred with the controller's observation regarding the wind shift. The controller cleared the airplane for the ILS approach at 0433 and instructed the flight crew to contact Lubbock Control Tower. The captain acknowledged. At 0434, the captain contacted the control tower and a controller cleared the airplane to land on runway 17R. The captain acknowledged the landing clearance and there were no further communications. Approximately three minutes later an airport maintenance employee contacted the tower and asked "what is that fire there at the end of the runway?" A controller responded, "it's an airplane." The controller had witnessed the accident and had activated the alarm for the airport rescue and fire fighting equipment to respond. An on-scene examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane landed short of the runway threshold and collided with the approach lighting system before it skidded off the right side of the runway into the grass. The airplane came to rest on a westerly heading perpendicular to the runway. A post-impact fire consumed a large portion of the fuselage and the right wing. At 0415, the special weather report at LBB included wind from 350 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 2 miles, light freezing drizzle, mist, ceiling 500 feet overcast, temperature 46 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 48 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.02 inches of Mercury. http://avstop.com/April_2011/ Passenger threatened to kill teen girl during Salt Lake flight, charges state SALT LAKE CITY - Two teenagers sitting next to an allegedly drunken airline passenger found out the hard way that the skies aren't always friendly. A 15-year-old girl told federal authorities a man continually harassed her and another teenager on a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City Sunday, and at one point threatened to kill her. The badgering started after she refused to give up her window seat to the man and asked him to turn off his iPod during takeoff per the flight attendant's instructions, according to court documents. The man smelled of alcohol. The girl struck up a conversation with a teenage boy seated in front of her and the man continued to bother both of them, including sticking his middle finger in their faces, court documents show. The man also placed his hand on the girl's shoulder. When she told him not to touch her, he yelled, "I'll slap you, (expletive)." About 15 minutes before landing, the man yelled, "I'll kill you," and threatened to go to her school, the location of which he learned from overhearing her conversation with the boy, according to court documents. Several passengers told the man to leave the girl alone. The commotion drew the attention of flight attendants who moved the teen to another seat. They also contacted Salt Lake airport police and the FBI. The girl told authorities she did not tell flight attendants earlier because she was scared of the man. Timothy Keith Ohlsson, 39, was charged in federal court with one count of simple assault, specifically "communication of a threat to inflict injury, and with the apparent present ability to do so." http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705371605/Passenger-threatened-to-kill-teen-girl- during-Salt-Lake-flight-charges-state.html Back to Top Flight delayed after fuel truck hits plane Passengers taking a United flight from O'Hare International Airport to Memphis, Tenn., experienced delays this morning after a fuel truck clipped the wing of their plane. United Express Flight 6188, scheduled to depart O'Hare at 8:10 a.m., was sitting at the gate about 7:40 a.m. waiting for passengers to board when the fuel truck hit the aircraft's wing, said David Cook, a passenger on the flight. The tanker caused minor damage to the aircraft, said Charlie Hobart, a spokesman for United. No one was injured. A photo from Cook showed workers examining the aircraft's wing, with a fuel truck in the background. Passengers were being accommodated on a different aircraft, which Flightracker.com showed departed a little before 11 a.m. and was due in to Memphis about 12:30 p.m. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-flight-delayed-when- fuel-truck-hits-plane-20110428,0,4699420.story?track=rss Back to Top FAA Names Fornarotto Associate Administrator of Airports The FAA has named Christa Fornarotto, a former staff member of the House aviation subcommittee, associate administrator for airports. She will oversee the $3.5 billion airport grants program and collection of passenger facility charges. Fornarotto previously was deputy assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs at the Transportation Department and has served as legislative director for Rep. Jerry Costello (D.-Ill.). http://www.aviationweek.com Back to Top African Airline Group Asks Governments To Fix Safety Problems The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) is calling on local governments to "address the serious safety oversight deficiencies" on the continent, and engage with the European Union to "find a mutually acceptable and agreed approach to jointly addressing safety issues." The association's reaction comes after the European Commission banned all Mozambique-based airlines because of the lack of safety oversight in the country. According to AFRAA, Mozambique is the 14th African state on the European Union blacklist, thus 26% of all African countries are affected. AFRAA says the decision is "disturbing." AFRAA particularly points to the fate of LAM Mozambique Airlines: "Its safety record is impeccable. Since the company was established in 1980, it has not had a single major accident. However, the airline's impeccable safety record, and dual achievement of the internationally reputed IOSA Certification and ISO 9000 Certification, has not spared it from the EU blanket banning." AFRAA says it "fails to see how such blanket banning contributes to encourage African carriers which strive to achieve industry best practices in safety standards." The association also highlights the commercial consequences of the blacklisting. "The banning of an airline not only prohibits the airline from operating to the EU, but also impacts its ticket sales to other destinations." The ban was a "blunt instrument that constrains the development of a viable African air transport industry in Africa. While the net losers are African carriers, the net beneficiaries are always the EU Community carriers that swiftly step in to fill the vacuum and take the market share of the banned airlines." http://www.aviationweek.com Back to Top Countries Split As EU Softens Flight Liquids Ban (Reuters) BRUSSELS - A ban on passengers taking liquids on aircraft will be partly lifted in the European Union on Friday, but up to half the EU's 27 member states are expected to ignore the change, citing security concerns. Passengers traveling from non-EU countries to or through the European bloc will be allowed to carry onboard duty free goods containing liquids, aerosols and gels. A full lifting of the ban is scheduled for April 2013. Carrying more than 100 ml of liquid onboard aircraft has been banned since 2006, when British police uncovered a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners bound for North America using bombs made from liquid explosives. Several EU member states, particularly those with busy airport hubs, remain staunchly opposed to a softening of the ban, saying there are still widespread security concerns. France has said it will not take part in the partial lifting of the ban, saying its military involvement in Afghanistan and Libya makes it a potential target and that it wants to maintain the tightest possible security. European airports association ACI-Europe said in January lifting the ban too soon- before technology is in place to detect possible liquid explosives-could threaten aircraft security. It has called Friday's deadline "overly ambitious." While many passengers, long frustrated by the limits on carrying liquids on aircraft, will cheer the change, the fact some major countries are not taking part means there is likely to be continued confusion and frustration for travelers. An EU source said about half the EU's member states were not expected to make the rule change on Friday, although only one or two countries have formally applied for a derogation-permission to opt out of the change in legislation. Companies that operate airport shops are keen to see an end to the ban, which is expected to lead to an increase in sales of alcohol, perfume and other products sold in quantities over 100 ml. ACI said that in principle it supported the full lifting of the ban, but said current liquids- scanning equipment was "unfit for purpose," meaning not certain to capture all potential liquid explosives that might be smuggled. The partial lifting of the ban has already been postponed for a year as a result of opposition from EU member states, who raised concerns about the quality of the liquids-scanning machines and the potential ramifications for security. Back to Top EC accused of providing misleading information in ash crisis European ombudsman Nikiforos Diamondouros today criticised the European Commission (EC) for providing "misleading information" to air passengers during last year's volcanic ash crisis. The ombudsman has given the EC until the end of May to describe the measures it has taken to avoid the same thing happening again in the future. Diamondouros says the EC provided passengers with inaccurate information concerning compensation for delayed luggage. Following an earlier prompt from the European Regions Airline Association, the ombudsman has ruled that a Q&A document published by the EC on websites offering information for passengers stranded during the ash cloud crisis - which led to the closure of European airspace for a week in April - "wrongly implied that passengers had an automatic right to compensation in all cases involving delayed luggage". The ombudsman adds that it took the EC "two weeks to conclude that part of the Q&A document was indeed misleading and more than a month to remove it from the websites". This is the second time the ombudsman has accused the EC of publishing misleading air passenger information. If the information provided by the EC by the end of May is insufficient, it faces a possible investigation into systemic problems. European transport commissioner Siim Kallas announced earlier this month that Europe's controversial passenger rights rules are to be modified, although it remains unclear whether the planned review will take a tougher or more lenient view of the current regulations. Source: Air Transport Intelligence news Back to Top FAA SAFETY BRIEFING May-June 2011 The new issue of FAA Safety Briefing, available on the FAA Web site at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/, explores how developments in the National Airspace System affect and benefit general aviation pilots. Articles highlight some of the changes and challenges of flying in today's NAS, and provide tips pilots can use to meet those challenges safely and efficiently. Feature articles highlight changes to the NOTAM system, how controllers are working with pilots to improve communication, and what goes into the establishment of a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR). The issue also explores the transformation of the NAS that the FAA is undertaking: the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen. Over time, NextGen will fundamentally change how the agency manages air traffic. To prepare for NextGen, it is important for GA pilots to keep abreast of what those changes will mean. To learn more, download the May/June issue of FAA Safety Briefing at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/. FAA Safety Briefing is the safety policy voice for the non-commercial general aviation community. The magazine's objective is to improve safety by: · making the community aware of FAA resources · helping readers understand safety and regulatory issues, and · encouraging continued training Download the May/June FAA Safety Briefing at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/ Back to Top Graduate Survey Request I'm a graduate student in Human Factors department at Virginia Tech. Currently, I'm studying the use of the ASAP data to develop an analysis toolkit for this type of incident records. If you are dealing with the ASAP data in your organization, please share how the data are being utilized. This is a short (10 question) and anonymous survey. Here's the link to the survey. https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_elJFCHjkTrXwH8E Thank you so much in advance! Kahyun "Sophie" Kim Graduate Research Assistant / Ph.D. Candidate Human Factors & Ergonomics Eng. Industrial & Systems Eng. Dept. Virginia Tech Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC