Flight Safety Information January 27, 2012 - No. 019 In This Issue FAA flags improper RVSM access Two Air India Express pilots taken off duty for aborting take off at Singapore Fired pilot claims flights to CHCC were dangerous South Sudan to establish civil aviation authority LAPD cracks down on drone aircraft use by real estate agents 'Nigeria Has Highest Air Safety Standard in Africa' PRISM Certification Consultants Civil Aviation Ministry working on new policy (India) FAA plans to move Fort Worth offices to Alliance Despite economic uncertainty, airlines are seeing good times Airplane Insurers Return to Profit on Fewest Deaths Since 1984 Allied Pilots Association Issues Open Letter to American Airlines' Passengers Aloft Aviation Consulting FAA flags improper RVSM access The US FAA is concerned over a high number of incorrect flight plan requests for reduced vertical separation (RVSM) operations in US airspace. According to an Information for Operators note issued on 18 January, the FAA found 35 cases of incorrectly submitted instrument flight plans with respect to RVSM operations in the first 15 days of November. "These events indicate that not only are 'non-RVSM' aircraft being filed as RVSM authorized, but also, authorized aircraft unable to conduct RVSM due to equipment malfunctions are being incorrectly filed as RVSM authorized," the FAA said. In general, aircraft flying above 29,000ft must have specially calibrated altimetry equipment to allow for adequate clearance with other aircraft flying at 1,000ft intervals vertically. Pilots too must be trained in RVSM operations, which include mandatory use of autopilots in RVSM airspace and actions to be taken if failures occur. The agency notes that the air traffic control automation system does not alert controllers when non-RVSM aircraft file to use RVSM airspace. The FAA is recommending that pilots, dispatchers, flight followers and other industry officials become "knowledgeable of flight planning requirements" related to RVSM, as well as what malfunctions disqualify an aircraft from RVSM operations. While not stated, a key underlying concern is that aircraft not properly equipped for, or pilots not adequately trained for, RVSM operations could pose a collision risk to other aircraft due to the close vertical proximity and high speeds in cruise flight in RVSM airspace. "Pilots should remember that regardless of who files the flight plan, the [pilot in command] is responsible for operating [within the rules], including correct flight plan filing," said the FAA. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/faa-flags-improper-rvsm-access-367464/ Back to Top Two Air India Express pilots taken off duty for aborting take off at Singapore New Delhi: Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday said it is looking into an incident of aborted take-off involving an Air India Express flight from Singapore to Trichy carrying around 90 passengers. Meanwhile, Air India Express officials said that both the pilots have been grounded and de-rostered until an investigation into the matter is concluded. Singapore ATC is also said to be conducting its own investigation. The incident took place on Monday, when the pilots of Air India's low-cost international subsidiary went in for take-off procedures without receiving prior clearance from Singapore Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Changi airport. The pilot was hauled up by the ATC, following which he aborted the take-off at very high speed, thus risking the lives of the passengers. "We have started an investigation into the incident and we have to see in what circumstances the pilots aborted the take-off," senior DGCA official said. According to the official, the aviation regulator is examining technical data to ascertain what all safety aspects were flouted in the process of the abortive take-off. Aviation experts said that aborting take-off is very risky, as the aircraft reaches critically high speeds, also known as V1 speed of around 270 km per hour, just before it takes off. Aborting a take-off can lead the pilot to either lose control of the aircraft or over shoot the runway. "We are conducting the investigation into the matter, all technical data is being seen. Both the pilots have been questioned and we have also grounded them until the investigation is completed," an Air India Express official said. DGCA in its latest financial audit report had rapped the airline for shoddy training and shortage of pilots, instructors, examiners and cabin crew. Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/air-india-express-pilot-tried-to-take- off-without-clearance-170990&cp Back to Top Fired pilot claims flights to CHCC were dangerous VIDEO FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Lifesaving helicopter flights to Children's Hospital Central California may have put crews and patients in danger, according to a former pilot now suing his old bosses. The hospital contracts out to a company called Med-Trans for use of the helicopter known as "Air George." Med-Trans is now facing a lawsuit from a pilot it fired, and the lawsuit makes some frightening claims about what happens behind the scenes. Deverin Karol says he set out to help sick children, but claims he ended up in a pressure cooker where his safety and the safety of the kids he flew from hospital to hospital was not always the top priority. In their sickest hour, young patients rely on "Air George" to deliver them to Children's Hospital Central California. The rides are often life or death for the kids. Now, one of the pilots who made those precious deliveries on Med-Trans helicopters claims in a lawsuit that in his three and a half years with the company, there were dozens of flights where everyone was in danger. "Some of the things we learned about were putting lives in danger," said Karol's attorney, Arnold Peter. Karol says he often felt pressure from supervisors to fly despite safety concerns -- like the day he was asked to fly while extremely tired. "I was just like, 'It's 4 in the morning. I've been up for 20 hours straight. There's no way I can do this safely,'" he said. "So, I turned the mission down. The hospital is fine with it. They're like, 'Oh, we kind of figured you were going to turn that down.' The next day, the company won't say 'Why'd you turn that mission down?' They'll say, 'What can we do in the future so this doesn't happen again?'" Another time, Karol says he got in trouble after letting his crew from the hospital know about a safety problem he found right before taking off. He says this was the exchange that followed: Supervisor: Why did you tell the hospital you found a grease gun on top of a rotor hole? Karol: Well, they were there when I pulled it down. Supervisor: Why did you tell them what would've happened? Karol: They're getting in the helicopter with me. They're entitled to know if that had fallen in the hole it would've been bad. Med-Trans has had two fatal accidents in the last ten years, but none in the last seven and none in California, although this government report details an emergency landing in 2004 in Madera. Investigators concluded that inadequate maintenance inspections were partly to blame. Action News reached out to Med-Trans company executives and attorneys, who would only comment on their safety record, calling the company an industry leader in safety training. But in court documents, they have responded to some of the pilot's specific accusations. "Karol's serial disruptive behavior created a significant burden for management," they claimed in a defendant's statement filed in U.S. federal court. They say the last straw was when he falsified a mission log. "That was it," Karol said. "That was the entire reason for termination." Karol says it's true -- someone definitely falsified the log to show he probably shouldn't have taken the flight -- but it wasn't him, and it was just an excuse to get rid of a headache pointing out serious problems with safety. Karol's case is not scheduled for trial until March 2013. He says he doesn't expect to get much money out of the lawsuit, but he wants to make sure the flights are safe. The lawsuit doesn't target Children's Hospital and a spokesperson there declined comment. Back to Top South Sudan to establish civil aviation authority January 27, 2012 (JUBA) - South Sudan which gained independence from Sudan six months ago on 9 July 9 2011 will soon establish a civil aviation authority that will manage its potential civil aviation industry in the new country, says the Vice President, Riek Machar. Machar announced the plan on Thursday in a meeting with senior South Sudanese pilots, some of whom have over 30 years of experience as pilots, engineers and technicians in the civil aviation in Sudan and abroad. He informed the pilots that the bill for the establishment of the civil aviation authority is already before the parliament for enactment. The meeting which took place in the presence of the minister of Transport, Agnes Poni Lukudu, also discussed the importance of establishing a national carrier that would also manage aircrafts in the airports all over the country. Vice President's Press Secretary, James Gatdet Dak, said Machar stressed the importance of the new country investing in the civil aviation industry as a landlocked nation, adding that a plan is underway to build one of the world's biggest airports in Tali in Central Equatoria state as part of the plan for the building of the new capital, Ramciel, in Lakes state. He said the country would partner with some of the world's most advanced civil aviation industries in order to develop its capability and make Tali an international hub. He further explained that advanced international carriers would handle long flights such as to Asia, America and the Middle East while South Sudan's national carrier would take care of shorter flights to neighbouring countries as well as internal flights to the ten states. The pilots expressed their readiness to establish the base for a national carrier. They presented a list of over 50 South Sudanese experts in the civil aviation including pilots, engineers and technicians. Machar said the issue would be discussed and resolved in the Council of Ministers. Back to Top LAPD cracks down on drone aircraft use by real estate agents The Los Angeles Police Department is warning real estate agents not to use images of properties taken from unmanned aircraft, saying the flying drones pose a potential safety hazard and could violate federal aviation policy. The warning was issued this week after officers saw a television news report showing a basketball-sized object with multiple rotors hovering over an expansive Westside residence. "We are just trying to inform the public to ensure that before hiring these companies to operate these aircraft in federal airspace, that they are abiding by the federal regulations to ensure safety," said police Sgt. George Gonzalez. Drones can range from as small as model airplanes built by hobbyists to as large as a commercial jet. Nationally, there has been an intense and growing debate about the safety of allowing drones to operate in airspace used by passenger aircraft. Federal regulations prohibit the operation of unmanned aircraft in U.S airspace without specific permission, though the rules do allow hobbyists to fly model planes in designated areas. Real estate agents have been posting aerial photos and video of homes for sale in the Los Angeles area, according to the LAPD. The pictures have been taken from several hundred feet off the ground in the city's crowded airspace -- an altitude at which police helicopters often fly. Seeking to maintain the safety of their pilots as well as people on the ground, LAPD officials are first notifying those who are in the market for photos taken by drones "so they make informed decisions and don't hurt anybody," Gonzalez said. The LAPD knows who was operating the "spider-like" drone shown on TV, but hasn't yet contacted the operator, Gonzalez said. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/lapd-cracks-down-on-drone-aircraft- use-by-real-estate-agents.html Back to Top 'Nigeria Has Highest Air Safety Standard in Africa' Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director General, Dr Harold Demuren, has said Nigeria has the highest safety standard. He also said that was why Nigeria has not had any major accident in the recent past, adding that no aircraft can fly in this country today without maintenance and safety record. Speaking to reporters at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos he said "We do auditing every week. It's all over the place and we have a Safety Management System (SMS) that works in place. Our key oversight has reached the highest standard. "The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), an Agency of the United Nations that oversees global aviation also carries out safety audit on member states including Nigeria regularly. We come out clean. The America Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) also carries out Security Audit on Nigeria, particularly on the major airports. "We performed creditably well and for your information that is the reason that Nigeria got Category 1 in the last audit of the country by the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) audit programme. Demuren said that this has enabled a Nigerian registered aircraft to fly directly from Nigeria to the United States of America "and that was what it meant, that you are now number one and that's what we've achieved we are in the Premier League." He further said nobody can bring airplane with questionable safety papers to Nigeria. "It's just a figment of their imagination. No aircraft can fly in Public Transport Category carrying passengers for hire and reward without having a valid Air Operation Certificate (AOC)", he said. He added that to get it is hectic and for maintenance, flight operation, and training, the head of crew of the aircraft and everything concerning it would be scrutinised. http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/-nigeria-has-highest-air-safety-standard-in-africa- /108004/ Back to Top Back to Top Civil Aviation Ministry working on new policy (India) New Delhi: The Civil Aviation Ministry has started working overtime to formulate a new policy to cater to the latest concerns of the aviation industry, especially issues relating to its sustainability like jet fuel pricing, infrastructure, airfare pricing, safety and security. A meeting of major stakeholders and senior Ministry officials was held on Friday to list the entire gamut of issues, elicit the views of the industry and service providers and work out a consensus on the new Civil Aviation Policy, official sources said. The meeting decided that all stakeholders should provide their opinion on the proposed policy by mid-February. The views would be put up on an official website for comments by all other stakeholders immediately thereafter, they said. The ministry has started working overtime to formulate a new policy to cater to the latest concerns of the aviation industry. Apart from airline and airport representatives, the meeting, chaired by Ministry Joint Secretary G Ashok Kumar, was attended among others by officials of consultancy firm KPMG, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), industry bodies FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM. The next meeting the Ministry would have with the stakeholders is likely to be held next month, they said. ASSOCHAM suggested a separate air cargo policy to tone up infrastructure, formulation of a regulatory framework and induct modern technology in the fast-growing industry. Projecting that 200 freighter planes would be required in the next 20 years, it said the government should upgrade infrastructure, attract domestic investment and ease FDI norms. It also suggested giving the sector infrastructure status and jet fuel a declared good to attract a flat four per cent sales tax across the country. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/civil-aviation-ministry-working-on-new-policy/224789-3.html Back to Top FAA plans to move Fort Worth offices to Alliance The Federal Aviation Administration is planning to move its Southwest Region office to a new state-of-the-art building at Alliance in far north Fort Worth in 2015. The federal government has an option on about 45 acres at the northeast corner of Heritage Trace Parkway and Interstate 35W. It wants a developer to buy the land, build a 357,214-square-foot office building and lease it to the FAA, the General Services Administration said Thursday. The building will be large enough for the FAA to consolidate about 1,400 employees now in several leased offices, including a main building that is too small, FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said. The new building will meet the federal government's sustainability initiatives for energy conservation and post-9-11 security, he said. "As of now, all we know is we will have a new building and know where it will go. What we don't know are the costs," Lunsford said. Since 1993, the FAA has been in a 290,000-square-foot building at Sylvania Avenue and Meacham Boulevard and in other nearby offices. The lease was set to expire in 2013 but has been extended through 2015, when the new building is set to be completed, Lunsford said. The FAA has nearly doubled the number of employees in Fort Worth since 2006, when it reorganized. In addition to those in the Meacham building, about 300 employees work nearby. They cross Meacham Boulevard for meetings and other business throughout the day, Lunsford said. In the reorganization, the FAA based the air traffic management services for the 17-state central region in Fort Worth. Construction of the new building received final approval in 2009, but the GSA didn't acquire the option on the land until last year. The GSA will select about 10 companies that will be asked to submit detailed project proposals. A developer is expected to be selected this fall with construction beginning next year, GSA spokeswoman Tina Jaegerman said. The project will include a conference center, cafeteria, fitness center, credit union and 1,700 parking spaces. It will be just north of Alliance Town Center. Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/01/26/3691511/faa-plans-to- move-fort-worth-offices.html#storylink=cpy Back to Top Despite economic uncertainty, airlines are seeing good times Despite a debt crisis in Europe and uncertainty over the global economy, travel demand from businesses and consumers is holding up. Airlines reporting 2011 and fourth-quarter earnings in recent days - generally beating analysts' estimates - said 2012 was starting off strong. "It appears that the underlying economy is better than the macro headlines would lead you to believe," US Airways Group Inc. president Scott Kirby said. The second week in January is typically the busiest booking week of the year, Kirby said, as leisure travelers start planning spring-break and summer vacations, and business travelers return from the holidays and plan their initial trips in the new year, Kirby told investors. US Airways' booked revenue was up 35 percent in that week, and booked corporate revenue was up "almost 30 percent" this year, Kirby said. "If anything, the new year has seen a step up in business demand," he said. "The pricing environment also remains strong, and the industry is successfully recovering high fuel prices." That sentiment was echoed at Southwest Airlines Co., Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways, where fourth-quarter net income almost tripled on strong holiday bookings and mild December weather in the Northeast. Travel agent Kate Murphy, president of Wings Travel in Blue Bell, said the volume of calls "has been unbelievable" from people wanting to make travel plans - corporate, leisure, and group meetings. "We're busy on every end," Murphy said. "The economy is not fabulous, but it's stable. We saw an uptick starting in November. "We are ahead in every aspect of our leisure business," Murphy said. "We are doing destination weddings, honeymoons, and 'baby moons' " - getaway vacations before the arrival of a new baby. "We have not seen companies cutting back at all." Business travel in 2011 finished ahead of expectations and was projected to grow faster than the overall economy in 2012, the Global Business Travel Association said in its latest quarterly outlook Jan. 10. Overall business travel spending was expected to increase 4.6 percent, mainly due to higher travel prices. International business travel was expected to outpace domestic travel, the group said. "We see business travel remaining healthy and growing at a steady rate that outpaces GDP growth," Michael McCormick, executive director of the association, said. Corporations remain cautious as the European economy teeters on the brink. "But because business travel drives corporate growth, we should expect road warriors to remain busy in 2012." Although oil prices are high, most U.S. airlines were profitable in 2011 because they raised fares, cut nonfuel costs, kept a lid on seat capacity, and packed planes fuller. Airlines offset rising jet fuel expenses by reducing their flying - cutting flights, destinations, or switching the size of airplanes - and retiring less-efficient aircraft. Airfares went up on average 12 percent last year, according to the travel website FareCompare.com. Even with higher fares and a fragile economy, airplanes are flying more than 80 percent full. Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said last week travel demand "has just been very steady, very stable, very strong," and that has continued this month. Delta said its transatlantic revenue was up 17 percent in January compared with a year ago, and trends looked strong for February and March. "In the Pacific, we're seeing steadily improving demand trends," Delta president Edward Bastian said. The outlook for Latin America, Mexico, and South America also was solid, he told investors. J.P. Morgan airline analyst Jamie Baker said in a client note that airlines were poised for a third consecutive year of profitability, which would be the longest profit stretch since September 2001. "We believe the industry continues to evolve into one increasingly in control of its own destiny," Baker wrote. Dahlman Rose & Co. airline analyst Helane Becker said she expected "improving earnings in 2012" because carriers took steps to trim unprofitable flights and because of strong bookings in the United States and Latin America. United, the world's largest airline after merging with Continental Airlines, said the majority of its global corporate accounts expected travel volume to be "flat to up" and travel spending to "moderately increase" this year, chief revenue officer James Compton told investors. "We continue to believe we should hold our capacity flat with a downward bias for 2012. That said, core passenger demand remains stable and solid." http://www.philly.com/philly/insights/in_money/138175119.html Back to Top Airplane Insurers Return to Profit on Fewest Deaths Since 1984 Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Aviation insurers, a group including American International Group Inc. and Allianz SE, probably had their first underwriting profit in five years as fatalities fell to the lowest level since 1984, broker Aon Corp. said. Insurers collected about $1.8 billion in renewal premiums last year, and incurred an estimated $1.13 billion in claims, the Chicago-based insurance broker said in a report today. "The low level of claims in 2011 has meant that the market is estimated to have enjoyed healthy returns overall," Aon said in the report. Insurers benefited from reduced costs after the 2009 Air France crash off the coast of Brazil and engine failure on an Airbus SAS A380 jet operated by Qantas Airways Ltd. in 2010 contributed to industrywide underwriting losses those years. Flying is now about twice as safe as it was 15 years ago, according to a report this month from Ascend, a data and analytics provider for aerospace investors. Last year's worst crash happened July 8, when 83 people died after a Hewa Bora Airways Boeing Co. 727-100 undershot the runway on landing in Kisangani, Congo, Ascend said. Thirty-five people survived the crash. Other fatal incidents included an Iran Air Boeing 727-200 crash that killed 69 passengers and nine crew members in Orumiyeh, Iran, in January 2011. A Rusair Tupolev 134 crash in Petrozavodsk, Russia, killed 45 people in June. In September, a Russian plane carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team crashed into a river juts after takeoff, killing 44, according to Ascend. Airline Fatalities There were 175 fatalities covered under standard liability policies through the first 11 months of last year, compared with an average of 582, Aon said in a report last month. Not all incidents are covered by insurance. AIG sells the most aircraft protection among U.S.-regulated providers, with 21 percent of the market, according to 2010 data compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Allianz ranks second and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is third. Prices for hull and liability protection fell 3 percent for coverage placed in 2011, as the low level of claims increased capacity, pressuring rates, according to Aon. Premiums may be little changed or decline in 2012 for airlines that have well understood risks, the broker said. "A single major incident could harden the market quickly, however, particularly given the high level of claims prior to 2011," Aon said. Back to Top Allied Pilots Association Issues Open Letter to American Airlines' Passengers: "We Are Honored to Serve You" FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan 26, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective bargaining agent for the 10,000 pilots of American Airlines, issued the following statement today as an open letter to the airline's passengers: "The 10,000 pilots of American Airlines want to thank everyone who has chosen to continue traveling aboard our airline as we go through bankruptcy restructuring. We appreciate your business and will continue doing all we can to earn it. "We are committed to achieving a successful restructuring and understand that a financially healthy company is a prerequisite to enjoying full, rewarding careers. As pilots, we're in a unique position to provide essential front-line leadership in American Airlines' day-to-day operations, and we will play a vital role in the airline's restructuring. "This won't be the first time we've persevered in tough times. In the days after the 9/11 attacks when air operations resumed, our pilots returned to their cockpits without any assurance that the emergency security measures the industry deployed would prevent additional attacks. Hundreds of our pilots returned to military service to combat terrorism. On the financial front, to help prevent a bankruptcy filing by American Airlines in 2003, our pilots overwhelmingly approved billions of dollars in contract concessions that remain in effect today. "Along with financial reforms, American Airlines' restructuring must also include a commitment by those who manage our company to cultivate a better corporate culture-- a culture that values the crucial competitive edge that a fully engaged workforce provides. Whatever the industry, the best companies all have at least one element in common: highly motivated, enthusiastic employees who deliver exceptional service day after day. We stand ready to help create that same winning culture at American Airlines. "Thank you again for choosing to fly American Airlines. We are honored to serve you." That is the full text of APA's statement. Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association--the largest independent pilot union in the United States--is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 10,000 pilots of American Airlines, including 649 pilots not yet offered recall from furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union's Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org . American Airlines is the nation's largest international passenger carrier and fifth-largest cargo carrier. SOURCE: Allied Pilots Association Back to Top IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aloft Aviation Consulting Announces the Addition of Safety and Risk Management Expert BOB DODD to the Team 18 January 2012, Ashburn VA: Bob Dodd, a former Qantas Airlines Safety Manager with a distinguished 34-year career in aviation safety, has joined the Aloft team as Senior Director - Safety and Risk Management. In his new role, he will lead the launch of the eAPF™, a customizable web-based safety performance management tool. Bob has spent more than thirty years in aviation safety working in both the public and private industry. For the last ten years, he has worked in the safety function of Qantas. Initially focused on establishing safety management systems and basic risk management capability, his role evolved to a more general management of safety across both operational and occupational safety areas. His achievements include the development of a state of the art safety performance indicator system based on risk, building an integrated safety review process, and, more recently, the use of generic bowtie risk models to support continuous estimation of risk levels, threat vulnerability and control effectiveness. Prior to joining Qantas, Bob held senior roles in aviation safety regulation - managing safety promotion, regulatory standards development with CASA in Australia. He has also held a number of roles in safety investigation and analysis with both TSB in Canada and BASI (now ATSB) in Australia. ABOUT US: Aloft Aviation Consulting brings over 250 years of combined expertise in safety, airline commercial and flight operations, airports and air navigation service - air traffic control and regulatory oversight. Our experience will help you manage safety, master compliance, minimize risk, and still maximize profitability. CONTACT: Terry Eisenbart Executive Vice President The Aloft Group Companies 505.306.5326 - Mobile terry.eisenbart@thealoftgroup.com # # # Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC