Flight Safety Information April 18, 2012 - No. 077 In This Issue Malaysia Airlines flight lands amid engine woe Sleepy Pilot Mistakes Planet for Oncoming Plane, Sends Passenger Jet Into Dive Stowaway found on plane at Toronto's Pearson airport Man strips naked at Oregon airport in TSA protest PRISM ANNUAL SMS AUDIT RESULTS More runway warning lights will be added at LAX to increase safety Cirrus Aircraft Announces 'Full Speed Ahead' for Revolutionary Vision SF50 Jet Program Boeing Chief Pilot: Training Must Transform to Maximize Full Pilot Potential Delta Air putting seat belts on baggage vehicles Malaysia Airlines flight lands amid engine woe KUALA LUMPUR (AP) - A Malaysia Airlines flight to London has been forced to return to Kuala Lumpur after one of its engines began experiencing trouble shortly after takeoff. The airline says the captain of the Boeing 747-400 plane carrying 351 passengers and 21 crew members decided to turn back in the interest of passenger safety following a technical defect early Tuesday on one of the plane's four engines. It said in a statement that the plane landed safely two hours later and was grounded upon arrival. Passengers were put on another plane to London eight hours later. A spokesman said the airline is still investigating the source of the problem. The plane uses U.S.-made Pratt & Whitney engines. Back to Top Sleepy Pilot Mistakes Planet for Oncoming Plane, Sends Passenger Jet Into Dive A Boeing 767 (767-300-ER) jetliner belonging to Air Canada at the Pearson Airport terminal gate in Toronto, Ontario is seen in this undated file photo. A sleepy pilot who mistook the planet Venus for an oncoming plane sent his Air Canada jet into a steep dive that bounced passengers off the ceiling, injuring 16, and nearly caused a collision with a real plane flying 1,000 feet lower. Air Canada initially described the injuries to 14 passengers and two flight attendants as the result of "severe turbulence," but a report released this week by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada explains what really happened over the Atlantic Ocean on an overnight flight from Toronto to Zurich on Jan. 14, 2011. According to the report, the plane's first officer had been sleeping, as is permitted by Air Canada on transatlantic flights, when he was awakened by the pilot's report of the plane's position. The pilot indicated that a U.S. Air Force cargo plane was approaching the Air Canada 767-300 at an elevation about 1,000 feet below the passenger jet. The "confused and disoriented" first officer, however, believed that the planet Venus was the approaching plane, and was coming right at the Air Canada jet. He forced the plane into a dive. Passengers who were not wearing seatbelts, many of them asleep, were slammed into the ceiling and overhead bins. Realizing what had happened, the pilot was able to pull the plane out of the dive after it had descended 400 feet. The U.S. military plane passed safely underneath. Seven of the injured were treated in a Swiss hospital after the plane landed safely. Astronomers say that on that night in January 2011, Venus would have look exceedingly bright from the airplane's cockpit, and a groggy pilot could easily have mistaken the planet for a plane. "It looks like the headlight on an airplane," said Joseph Rao of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. "It's exceedingly bright. It doesn't twinkle, it's not like a star in that it twinkles. It looks like a steady, white spot of light in the sky. In fact we call it the evening star but they really should call it the evening lantern because it is so much brighter than any of the other stars." "On that night it would have been ten times brighter than the brightest star," explained Dr. Arlin Crotts of Columbia University. John Nance, a former commercial pilot and ABC News aviation analyst, said it was "not outlandish" for a pilot to confuse an object as bright as Venus for an oncoming aircraft. "What's surprising is that it went far enough to take evasive action," said Nance. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/sleepy-pilot-mistakes-planet-venus-oncoming-plane/story?id=16158107 Back to Top Stowaway found on plane at Toronto's Pearson airport A man is facing several charges after somehow getting past security at Toronto's Pearson International Airport and making his way onto a plane this week. Peel Regional Police, which have jurisdiction for the airport just northeast of Toronto's city limits, said the incident happened Monday morning. Const. George Tudos said police received a call at 8:37 a.m. local time from airport authorities, saying someone had made their way into a secure part of the airport. He did not have information on what tipped airport officials off to this breach. He said the suspect was found on a plane about a half-hour later. "We're not disclosing exactly how he did it," Tudos said. "We are aware of how he did make it across security checkpoints and into the secure area, but . . . it's not something that we're going to be releasing." Tudos would not confirm reports the man was found on a Copa Airlines flight bound for Panama, or that he was found in an overhead baggage compartment. Trevor Kendall, 33, a Canadian of no fixed address, has been charged with mischief over $5,000, break-and-enter into a plane, endangering the safety of an aircraft and obstructing police. In April 2009, then-transport minister John Baird criticized security at the Toronto airport after he and Liberal Senator Colin Kenny were able to walk onto the tarmac and other restricted areas without drawing attention from airport security or being asked for proper credentials Read more: http://www.canada.com/Stowaway+found+plane+Toronto+Pearson+airport/6477961/story.html#ixzz1sOZQJ5oU Back to Top Man strips naked at Oregon airport in TSA protest (CNN) -- A 50-year-old man who said he felt that airport screeners were "harassing" him stripped naked at Portland International Airport, police in Oregon said. Police charged John E. Brennan with disorderly conduct and indecent exposure after he disrobed while going through the security screening area at the airport Tuesday evening. "When interviewed about his actions, Mr. Brennan stated he fly's (sic) a lot and had disrobed as a form of protest against TSA screeners who he felt were harassing him," a police incident report said. John Brennan faces disorderly conduct and indecent exposure charges for an incident at Portland International Airport. He was not intoxicated or under the influence of drugs at the time, police said. Brennan was scheduled to fly on Alaska Airlines from Portland to San Jose, California. Police said screeners asked him "numerous times" to put on his clothes, but he refused. "Mr. Brennan's actions caused two screening lanes to be closed and while some passengers covered their eyes and their children's eyes and moved away from the screening area, others stepped out of the screening lanes to look, laugh and take photos of Mr. Brennan," the police report said. Back to Top Back to Top More runway warning lights will be added at LAX to increase safety Federal and local officials announced Monday that more runway warning lights will be added at Los Angeles International Airport to help prevent aircraft from unsafely entering active runways and taxiways. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, an earlier installation of lights greatly reduced the number of runway incursions at LAX, which had the most runway safety violations in the nation from 1999 to 2007. LAX completed the project's first phase in June 2009, when lights were installed along a runway and eight taxiways that were deemed to have the highest risk for aircraft accidents. The second phase of the airport's runway status light project is scheduled to begin construction in September at the intersections of taxiways and runways that have not been equipped with the safety system. The cost of the additional lights, which will be completed in May 2013, has not been determined. "This project means safer runways and peace of mind for our passengers and is an integral component of the modernization of LAX," said Gina Marie Lindsey, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, the operator of LAX. Runway status lights, which are linked to radar and embedded in the pavement, warn pilots of potential conflicts between their aircraft and other planes or motor vehicles traveling near runways and taxiways. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/lax-runways-gets-a-new-round-of-warning-lights-to-increase- safety.html Back to Top Cirrus Aircraft Announces 'Full Speed Ahead' for Revolutionary Vision SF50 Jet Program New Investment Spurs Hiring and Development Ramp Up To Complete the Innovative Single-Engine Personal Jet DULUTH, Minn., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cirrus Aircraft announced today that its Cirrus Vision SF50 personal jet program, with major investment by its new owner CAIGA, is fully funded through certification and initial production. The company anticipates first customer delivery will take place in 2015. The Cirrus Vision creates a new category in personal aviation - it is the first aircraft of its kind to fill the gap between high performance pistons and traditional turboprop twins and light business jets. The Vision will offer the same class-leading innovation, technology and style hallmarks that Cirrus is known for in its best-selling SR20, SR22 and SR22T family of single engine piston aircraft. Seating up to five adults and two children in an expansive cabin that sets a new standard in luxury and flexibility for pilots and passengers, the Vision is designed for performance, affordability and safety. "Today is simply a tremendous milestone for Cirrus," said Dale Klapmeier, CEO and Co-founder of Cirrus Aircraft. "We revolutionized general aviation with the introduction of the SR20 just over a decade ago. With more than 5,100 SR-series aircraft delivered to date, pilots, entrepreneurs, families and aviators of all kinds have embraced our dream. Today, that dream is renewed as we are on the cusp of an even bigger leap with the Cirrus Vision. Cirrus customers, employees and partners around the world are rightfully proud of this moment." Klapmeier added, "We have come so far in just a brief time with our new owners as they share our vision for the future of aviation and personal transportation. They have set the highest expectations for the Cirrus team. But more importantly, they are actively partnering with Cirrus while providing substantial resources for us to meet and exceed our shared goals as we build an entire family of Cirrus aircraft." The first flight of the Vision concept aircraft was in 2008. Detail design, systems verification and full flight envelope testing have been ongoing since that time. Today's investment, however, significantly increases the pace and momentum of the program and allows the company to bring the jet to the market. In an effort to ramp up to certification and production, Cirrus Aircraft will accelerate hiring of engineers, designers and other related technical disciplines critical to the completion of the program. The Cirrus Vision development team, working with global design and vendor partners, is based at Cirrus Aircraft company headquarters in Duluth, Minn., and Vision jets will be assembled right alongside the SR20, SR22 and SR22T in the same Minnesota and North Dakota Cirrus Aircraft production facilities. Garmin (avionics and flight deck), Williams International (turbofan engine) and Triumph Group (trailing link landing gear) are just three of the strongest brands in aerospace that are members of the Vision supplier team. Through June 30, 2012, the list price for a well-equipped Cirrus Vision SF50 is $1.72 million with list price moving to $1.96 million effective July 1, 2012. For more information visit www.cirrusaircraft.com . About Cirrus AircraftCirrus Aircraft is a recognized leader in general aviation. Its all-composite line of personal aircraft - the SR20, SR22 and the turbocharged SR22T - incorporate innovative and advanced performance, electronic and safety technologies, including Cirrus Perspective(TM) by GarminŽ avionics and the unique Cirrus Airframe Parachute System(TM) (CAPS). As of early 2012, total time on the worldwide Cirrus Aircraft SR-series fleet surpassed five and a half million flight hours with 53 lives saved to date as a direct result of CAPS being a standard safety feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The Cirrus Vision SF50 jet, with over 500 production positions reserved, will provide a new personal and regional business transportation solution - the personal jet. All Cirrus aircraft are made in the USA with a direct sales force in North America and authorized sales centers covering export markets in 60 countries around the world. Cirrus Aircraft is wholly owned by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co., Ltd. (CAIGA). For additional information on Cirrus and its products please visit cirrusaircraft.com. SOURCE Cirrus Aircraft Back to Top Boeing Chief Pilot: Training Must Transform to Maximize Full Pilot Potential Emphasize competency-based training for next generation of aviation personnel ORLANDO, Fla., April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Boeing /quotes/zigman/220026/quotes/nls/ba BA +1.94% called today on the aviation industry to transform aviation training for the next generation of commercial airline pilots and maintenance technicians. At the World Aviation Training Symposium in Orlando, Fla., Mike Carriker, Boeing Test & Evaluation chief pilot for New Airplane Development, focused on training future aviation personnel to their fullest potential to maximize the capabilities of today's high technology airplanes. "In my 25-year flying career - spanning military and commercial aircraft - there has been little change in training. Yet aircraft and teaching technologies have evolved exponentially," Carriker said. "We must make use of modern technology and focus our training efforts on equipping pilots and technicians with the knowledge to make the right decisions for the best, most efficient global transportation system." Carriker called for reducing classroom training times and urged an industry transition from memorization-style training to competency-based training. He urged representatives of the aviation training industry to leverage the capabilities of today's advanced airplane systems. "We need to make these changes today to reestablish the aviation industry an attractive career option. We need to bring back the magic of flying." In its annual Pilot and Technician Outlook, Boeing forecasts a need for more than one million new pilots and technicians over the next twenty years. Boeing offers a comprehensive portfolio of commercial aviation services, collectively known as the Boeing Edge, bringing value and advantages to customers and the industry. Boeing Flight Services provides integrated offerings to drive optimized performance, efficiency and safety through advanced flight and maintenance training as well as improved air traffic management and 24/7 flight operations support. Flight Services provides digital tools and data to enhance overall operations, airport infrastructure, fuel efficiency, flight planning, navigation and scheduling. Contact: Samantha SolomonCommunications Boeing Commercial Aviation Services +1 206 304 8127samantha.solomon@boeing.com More information: www.boeing.com/boeingedge SOURCE Boeing Back to Top Delta Air putting seat belts on baggage vehicles ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc. has agreed to install seat belts on its airport vehicles after a baggage handler died last year after being ejected from a vehicle. In addition the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it would "address this hazard throughout the airline industry" and that it had recently written to other airlines "reminding them that they are obligated to comply with applicable seat belt use requirements." Delta will put seat belts in 6,000 baggage handling vehicles, according to its agreement with OSHA. Delta also agreed to pay an $8,500 penalty. The agreement calls for Delta to train workers in the safe use of the vehicles, and to order future vehicles with seatbelts installed. Its current vehicles will have seatbelts installed within the next year when they come in for regular maintenance. The agreement announced on Monday also said Delta will enforce seat belt use among its workers and hire safety consultants to monitor the company's seat belt use and report it to OSHA. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9U6URT80.htm Curt Lewis, P.E., CSP, FRAeS, FISASI CURT LEWIS & ASSOCIATES, LLC