Flight Safety Information April 30, 2013 - No. 088 In This Issue Seven civilians killed in cargo plane crash at Afghan air base 1 Dead After 2 Small Planes Collide Near LA Bill would require secondary cockpit barriers to prevent hijackings Majority of airplane stowaways unlikely to survive harsh conditions, FAA says Airline, Airport Employees Caught Abusing Security Badges Law enforcement pilots to convene in Buffalo PROS IOSA Audit Experts United Express to add 30 Embraer regional jets to fleet Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia, flydubai hiring Virgin Galactic aircraft breaks sound barrier on test flight Seven civilians killed in cargo plane crash at Afghan air base Cargo plane crashes in E Afghanistan, killing 7 KABUL, Afghanistan -- Seven civilians were killed aboard a U.S.-contracted cargo plane that crashed shortly after takeoff from Bagram air field in Afghanistan on Monday, according to the international military coalition. The cause of the crash has not been determined, Capt. Dan Einert, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force, told The Times Tuesday morning. Einert said there was no indication of enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the crash, but the insurgent group often issues false claims. Einert did not provide information on the nationalities of the civilian crew members killed aboard the plane, which he said was leased by National Air Cargo, with U.S. headquarters in Orchard Park, N.Y. A brief statement on the company's website confirmed the crash and gave the plane's aircraft identification number as 949CA and the flight number as NCR102. It provided no other information. Coalition forces rely heavily on contracted aircraft to haul troops and supplies in a nation where roadside bombs and insurgent attacks make traveling by road dangerous. Zamaray Khan, the local district police chief, said the plane crashed as it was taking off but provided no other details. Bagram is about an hour's drive north of the capital, Kabul, and is one of the two largest air bases serving coalition forces in Afghanistan. It was the second crash in three days involving coalition aircraft in Afghanistan. On Saturday, four U.S. airmen were killed when a military turboprop plane crashed in southern Afghanistan. The Defense Department identified the four service members as Capt. Reid K. Nishizuka, 30, of Kailua, Hawaii; Staff Sgt. Richard A. Dickson, 24, of Rancho Cordova; Capt. Brandon L. Cyr, 28, of Woodbridge, Va.; and Staff Sgt. Daniel N. Fannin, 30 of Morehead, Ky. http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-civilians-killed-plane-crash- afghan-20130429,0,333048.story Back to Top 1 Dead After 2 Small Planes Collide Near LA WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. April 30, 2013 (AP) - Two small airplanes collided in midair over the Southern California mountains Monday, sending one crashing into a rocky ridge and killing its pilot while the second was able to maneuver a belly-flop landing on a nearby golf course, officials said. Rescuers searched through the wreckage of the plane that crashed and sparked a fire in rocky terrain in Calabasas and found the body of one person believed to be the only one aboard, Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. Firefighters responding to a report of a small wildfire at about 2 p.m. spotted the aircraft debris, put out the fire and began a search for survivors, county fire Inspector Quvondo Johnson said. Three people on the plane that landed on a fairway while stunned golfers looked on had minor injuries. Aaron Jesse, 47, said he had left work early for a round with friends at Westlake Golf Course and saw the low-flying plane hit a tree, spin around 180 degrees and land surprisingly gently. "Finally being a bad golfer paid off," Jesse told the Los Angeles Times. "I hit it in the trees to the right. They landed 50 feet to the left of us in the center of the fairway. All we heard was a thud and then he made a gentle bounce and slid down the center of the fairway." Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said a preliminary review of radar records showed the two flight-paths crossed just after 2 p.m. The golf-course plane, a single-engine Cessna 172, was flying west at an altitude of 3,500 feet when the second plane, also a Cessna 172, approached from the east after leaving Santa Monica Airport for a test flight. The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating. FAA records show the plane on the golf course was manufactured in 1980 and is registered to Ameriflyers of Florida, LLC. A message left at a number listed for the company was not immediately returned. Back to Top Bill would require secondary cockpit barriers to prevent hijackings eye-opener-logo6A new bipartisan bill in the House would require secondary cockpit barriers in all commercial aircraft to prevent terrorists takeovers when pilots open flight- deck doors. Rep. Michael Fitzpatzrick (R-Pa.), who sponsored the measure, is scheduled to introduce the bill to the public on Monday at the Garden of Reflection 9-11 Memorial in Pennsylvania. "This is a common sense matter of public policy," Fitzpatrick said on Friday. "It's a simple solution that provides greater security at a relatively modest cost." Joining Fitzpatrick on Monday will be other members of Congress who support the measure, as well as airline pilots, flight attendants and victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including Ellen Saracini, whose husband, Victor, was a pilot on board one of the planes flown into the World Trade Center. Secondary cockpit barriers typically consist of steel cables that protect the flight deck when its doors are opened. The secondary barriers - typically made of steel cables - can be placed in front of opened cockpit doors to prevent passengers from rushing the flight deck and taking control of an aircraft. United Airlines has voluntarily installed the barriers in some of its largest aircraft, but most airlines rarely use the devices. Saracini last month spent a week in the capital lobbying lawmakers and the White House to mandate their use. The Federal Aviation Administration has required cockpit doors to be heavily fortified since 2001, but the secondary barriers can protect the flight deck when pilots open the compartment to stretch or use the lavatory. The union that represents commercial pilots has backed the Fitzpatrick bill. "Every Democrat or Republican office we've gone into says this makes sense," said Air Line Pilots Association legislative member John Barton, whose group has joined Saracini in pushing for the requirement. "Why would you take a chance at another 9/11?" A bipartisan coalition of eight lawmakers from Pennsylvania and New York have signed on as co-sponsors of the Fitzpatrick bill. Saracini and the pilots association increased their efforts to mandate secondary barriers following reports that United would remove the devices from its new 787 Dreamliners. Airline-safety advocates have grown increasingly active in Washington since the Transportation Security Administration announced plans in March to allow small knives on board airplanes beginning April 25. The agency postponed that policy change indefinitely last Monday, buckling to pressure from lawmakers and airline-industry groups that opposed the move. Two senators have called on the Homeland Security Department's inspector general to examine the potential consequences of the TSA proposal. The agency last week said it had not set a timeline for ending the delay. The policy switch would allow passengers to carry onto airplanes pocket knives with blades less than 2.36 inches long and less than half an inch wide. Labor groups had accused the TSA of disregarding the safety of travelers and flight crews with its decision to relax carry-on restrictions. Many lawmakers have echoed that sentiment. "We should be protecting the safety of the public, but instead we're rolling back the protections put in place after 9/11," Fitzpatrick said. "It defies good sense and judgement." Saracini said on Friday that Congress should ban small knives from aircraft and mandate secondary cockpit barriers. "The whole thing is keeping safety first," Saracini said. "We have to protect passengers and flight crew and potential targets on the ground." http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2013/04/29/bill-would-require- secondary-cockpit-barriers-to-prevent-hijackings/ Back to Top Majority of airplane stowaways unlikely to survive harsh conditions, FAA says It's unclear how many people attempt to stow away in planes, but data shows that those who do are unlikely to make it An inquest in London this week determined that a young man found dead on a suburban street was likely a stowaway who died falling from an airplane descending into Heathrow airport. While unusual, the circumstances of the fatality are not unheard of - the body of another man was found in a plane two weeks before this incident. It's unclear how many people have attempted to stow away in airplanes, but data shows that those who do are unlikely to survive. US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) spokesman Roland Herwig said in an email that the agency does not have a denominator for how many stowaways there are because it only has data for stowaways that are found living or dead. "It is possible that some fall into water or get away successfully," Herwig said. "Of the ones we find out about, 80% have died." Since the wheel wells of an airplane aren't equipped for passengers, they lack the oxygen, heating and pressurization mechanisms that keep ticketed passengers safe. This means stowaways face temperatures that can drop below -55C and oxygen deprivation in the unpressurized compartment. These conditions cause many stowaways to succumb to conditions including hypothermia and hypoxia. Stowaways also have a high likelihood of being crushed by an airplane's wheels when they are retracted after takeoff. Those who survive the flight have are likely unconscious or severely weakened when the compartment doors reopen on landing, increasing the likelihood of falling. Herwig said people are usually motivated to stow away in the hope of getting a better life and that poor countries have yielded the most stowaways. This week's inquest showed that 26-year-old Jose Matada, who was flying from Angola, had a text-message conversation with a former employer about Matada "traveling to Europe for a better life". Detective sergeant Jeremy Allsup, who led the Metropolitan police investigation, said there was no reason to believe Matada's former employer knew about the plans. Forensic pathologist Robert Chapman said in the inquest that Matada seemed to have survived most of the 12-hour flight but the low oxygen levels and temperature would have left him unconscious. "In my view he was either very close to the point of death or, indeed, dead when he struck the ground," Chapman said. FAA data published by the BBC in September 2012 shows that since 1947, 96 wheel-well stowaways have attempted to board 85 flights. The FAA said at the time it was operating under the assumption that Matada was a stowaway. Of the 96 stowaways identified by the FAA, 73 died. That includes a North Carolina 16-year-old who died after hiding in the wheel well on a plane heading to Boston Logan International airport in 2010. A Romanian 20-year-old survived a 97-minute flight from Vienna to Heathrow after crawling "under the wire" of the Vienna airport's fence. The plane was flying "well below 10,000 meters" because of bad weather and experts said the stowaway benefitted from the atypical circumstances. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/26/airplane-stowaways-london-jose-matada Back to Top Airline, Airport Employees Caught Abusing Security Badges Badges seized by DFW Airport police An exclusive NBC 5 investigation uncovered police reports showing workers at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport abusing their security badges, even using them to help family and friends skip the checkpoints to board flights. Government officials and a top airline executive were among those caught. "Sometimes, unfortunately, humans do some really stupid things," said airport security consultant, Larry Wansley. At DFW, thousands of employees have Secure Identification Display Area (SIDA) badges. But SIDA badges can only be used by employees that are on-duty and they're not allowed to take anyone else through the door with them. "You sign a piece of paper when you get your badge that says I have read and understand the rules," said DFW Airport spokesman, David Magana. But that didn't stop an off-duty Continental Airlines worker from using his badge to put his family in a van at a cargo facility and then drive them across the airport ramp to terminal E. They were caught entering the terminal after a police officer "heard children laughing" on the airport ramp. A police report said the worker told officers he, his wife and two children were "cutting through the terminal to catch a flight home to Ohio." DFW police seized his security badge. A spokeswoman for United Airlines, which merged with Continental, said the worker involved no longer works for the company. "Our police department is serious about this," said Magana. Just three weeks ago, DFW police seized a badge belonging to the Fred Cleveland, a senior vice president and chief operating officer at American Eagle Airlines. A report obtained by NBC 5 Investigates said officers caught Cleveland "escorting his wife through the employee portal to meet with his daughter who was flying in." A spokeswoman for American Eagle said "Mr. Cleveland has a full understanding of what the rule is and will complete re-training to get his badge back. He does regret the error." Pilots have been caught abusing badges as well. During a personal trip, one off-duty American Airlines pilot told police "he was aware of the protocol," "But he wanted to avoid the long lines at the checkpoints." In another case, an American Airlines flight attendant was caught sneaking a backpack through an employee entrance and giving it to her husband boarding a flight to Germany. American Airlines told NBC 5 Investigates, "We expect that every employee will follow all rules put in place that govern an airport badge." Kelly Skyles, with the AA Flight Attendants Union, said it's upsetting when some employees don't follow the rules, because they're potentially putting their co-workers at risk. "Absolutely it can be very frustrating. I mean, I understand I make mistakes, we all make mistakes, but we're safety professionals and we're the last line of defense on that aircraft," Skyles said. It's not just airline workers breaking rules. DFW police caught a TSA supervisor taking another worker through an employee door. Officers seized a badge from a Federal Aviation Administration manager caught using it to board a flight for personal reasons. And police even stopped an analyst who works for the DFW airport board, the agency that issues the security badges, as she escorted her husband through an employee door to board a flight. "The vast majority of people working at the airport understand and follow the rules without any problem," Magana said. However records show most of the recent security violations at DFW were caused by workers with security badges. Out of more than 140 confirmed security violations in two years - at least 106 were linked to badge holding employees and vendors. Magana said the airport is confident its security system catches the vast majority of violators and if any are sneaking through, "that number is very small." Aviation Security Consultant Chaim Koppel suspects for every one worker who gets caught as many as two or three abusing their badges manage to get through. Koppel, who works with the TSA and airports and airlines all over the globe, said in a perfect world, airports would shut down the employee portals and require all employees to go through screening each day like passengers. "Best way to do it, not to take any chances, screen everyone physically", Koppel said. But screening all employees at checkpoints could overwhelm the current TSA security system. At DFW airport alone, "...there are approximately 50,000 employees some of which enter and exit the secure area multiple times during the day," TSA said in a statement to NBC 5. "The sheer volume of it, if you did that, would really bring our operations our national operations to a halt," said veteran aviation security consultant Larry Wansley, who once headed security at American Airlines. Because airport badge holders have already submitted to background checks, TSA said it focuses more attention on passengers instead of workers. Trusting employees who have shown, sometimes they cannot be trusted. http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations/Airline-Airport-Employees-Caught-Abusing- Security-Badges-205288061.html Back to Top Law enforcement pilots to convene in Buffalo BUFFALO, N.Y. - (AP) -- More than 100 law enforcement pilots and crew members are expected in Buffalo for a safety seminar. The North East Airborne Law Enforcement Association's two-day event begins Tuesday. The Erie County Sheriff's Air One helicopter is scheduled to land at the Adam's Mark Hotel, where the conference is being held, at about 8:15 a.m. Its pilot, Capt. Kevin Caffery, is vice president of the association. Several topics are on the conference agenda, including aviation smuggling trends and inflight emergencies. Back to Top Back to Top United Express to add 30 Embraer regional jets to fleet United Airlines announced Monday that is is adding 30 Embraer 175 regional jets to the United Express fleet. Brazil-based Embraer is the world's third-largest commercial airplane manufacturer. The Chicago-based airline currently has 324 Embraer aircraft in its Express fleet. The Embraer 175 will be United's largest regional jet with a 76-seat configuration. Embraer predicts it will make its first delivery to United in the first quarter of 2014 with the complete order being delivered by the end of 2015. As the new aircraft are incorporated into United Express' fleet, the airline's older 50-seat regional jets will be cycled out of service. The new E175 is expected to consume 10 percent less fuel per seat than the older aircraft it is replacing. "At United, we are focused on modernizing our fleet," said Jim Compton, United's vice chairman and chief revenue officer, in a news release. "With a large first class cabin, wider fuselage, and larger overhead bins, this aircraft brings an improved regional flying experience to our customers." Continental Airlines carried over the relationship with Embraer during the 2010 United- Continental merger. "With this order for the new enhanced E175 jet, we are delighted to reinforce and extend our long-standing partnership with United Airlines, which was the ERJ 145 launch customer back in 1996, known at that time as Continental Airlines," said Paulo Cesar Silva, President and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation, in a news release. According to Embraer, Monday's agreement with United included options for an additional 40 aircraft of the same model. The total estimated value - if the additional 40 are purchased - is $2.9 billion. United has yet to announce which of its 11 regional partners will operate the new aircraft. http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23133190/united-express-add-30- embraer-regional-jets-fleet Back to Top Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia, flydubai hiring Jobs in this sector set to soar further Jobs in the aviation sector are expected to increase after having remained stable this quarter, according to a new survey released by The International Air Transport Association (Iata), an international industry trade group of airlines. "There was no change in employment during Q1 2013, but that is an improvement on the January survey when a decline in employment was reported for Q4 2012. Looking ahead, the more optimistic profits outlook is supporting an expected increase in employment over the next 12 months," the survey said. Locally, airlines are hiring in a big way. Emirates airline is consistently increasing its head count as the company adds new flight to its network. "Emirates, one of the world's fastest-growing airlines, is looking to recruit 2,700 Cabin Crew members in this fiscal year to support the growing fleet of aircraft and destinations world-wide," a recent media statement said. The statement announced that Emirates is developing five additional towers in Dubai's Silicon Oasis area, with an aim to accommodate 674 of its cabin crew and staff members in Dubai. On an average, Emirates aims to add five destinations per year. It has already signed an agreement with Qantas to provide 98 weekly services between Australia and Dubai, which will be the first stop for many travellers en route to Europe. A new route to Tokyo will start in June followed by Stockholm in September, while daily flights from Milan to New York connecting to a service in Dubai will commence in the latter half of the year. All this expansion work will have to be supported by staff on the ground and those who take it to the skies. Approximately, 80 job vacancies have been posted on the airline's website in the month of April so far. Likewise, Etihad is also expanding its network and resultantly adding staff. The company has recorded its strongest ever passenger and cargo results for a first quarter. The airline has said that passenger numbers in Q1 2013 grew by 18 per cent, rising from 2.3 million to a record 2.8 million, leaving much room to recruit more people. Budget airlines like Flydubai and Air Arabia are also open to hiring staff across departments at different levels. Interested candidates can go to their website to register. The global survey released by Iata highlights that good employment outlook is on the back of a strong business confidence. Optimism has increased in the sector and the majority of respondents (CFOs and cargo heads) who participated in the survey believe that the coming months seem promising. The results of the April survey show a strong increase in the proportion of respondents expecting increased profitability in the next 12 months. The outlook has been improving since early 2012, but in 2013 respondents have become particularly optimistic with a majority anticipating stronger profits in the year ahead. In April, 73 per cent of CFOs and cargo heads said they expect an increase in profits over the next 12 months - that proportion was 56 per cent in January. The outlook for passenger and cargo demand was mostly unchanged in April compared to January, but respondents still anticipate an increase in traffic over the next 12 months, the survey said. The findings indicate an increase in passenger traffic over the past three months compared to a year ago is consistent with air travel data. The first two months of 2013 have seen strong expansion in the growth trend, supported by improvements in the business environment and solid economic growth in emerging regions. However, the boost in optimism does not reflect an improved global economy. The improvement in outlook compared to January largely reflects the outcome of structural changes rather than an acceleration in global economic growth, the Iata findings revealed. Consolidation and efficiency gains have helped airlines in some regions increase profits in 2012, and that is likely driving the expectation for further financial improvements in 2013, said Iata. http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/emirates-etihad-air-arabia-flydubai-hiring- 2013-04-29-1.504373 Back to Top Virgin Galactic aircraft breaks sound barrier on test flight Virgin Galactic The Virgin Galactic aircraft Photo: Virgin Galactic The world's first aircraft designed to carry paying passengers above the Earth's atmosphere has broken the sound barrier. Virgin Galactic's rocket, SpaceShipTwo, was transported to its launch altitude by the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft before being dropped. After engaging its hybrid rockets, it reached a top speed of Mach 1.2 during the 16- second test flight before gliding back to Earth. Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson hopes the vehicle will help him expand his aviation business more than 100km (62 miles) into the sky. The Galactic has taken part in many previous test flights, but Monday's mission from Mojave Air and Space Port in California was the first time its hybrid motor was engaged. Sir Richard said it was big step forward: " For the first time, we were able to prove the key components of the system, fully integrated and in flight. Today's supersonic success opens the way for a rapid expansion of the spaceship's powered flight envelope, with a very realistic goal of full space flight by the year's end. Virgin Galactic's rocket SpaceShipTwo Virgin Galactic's rocket SpaceShipTwo Credit: Virgin Galactic There has been considerable interest from prospective space tourists with rumours that the physicist Stephen Hawking is among those who have already out down a deposit. Virgin has not announced a date for the first flight but has pledged to take his family above the atmosphere at the soonest opportunity in order to demonstrate its safety. http://www.itv.com/news/2013-04-30/virgin-galactic-aircraft-breaks-sound-barrier-on- test-flight/ Curt Lewis