Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Bjoern Schmitt

What: Lufthansa Airbus A380-800 en route from Tokyo to Frankfurt
Where: Estonia
When: Aug 6th 2010
Why: While en route, the left engine developed oil pressure problems and the crew shut it down. The flight continued to Frankfurt where they made a safe landing.

Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Royal S King

What: United Airlines Airbus A319-100 en route from Denver to Des Moines
Where: Omaha
When: Aug 10th 2010
Why: After take-off, the flight ran into weather.

The pilot diverted to Omaha, where they made a safe landing. However, on departure from Omaha, the plane developed engine vibration, and had to return to Omaha.

Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Alasdair Mulhern

What: British Airways Boeing 747-400 en route from London to Los Angeles
Where: over Scotland
When: Aug 7th 2010
Why: While en route, the British Airways plane developed a problem with the fuel system, dumped the fuel while at sea and returned to Heathrow. No injuries. Safe landing.

The event has received significant coverage, chiefly because Victoria Beckham was aboard the flight, and managed a wardrobe change–and photos of both outfits have been published online.

The FAA says the rudder system design in the Airbus A300-600 and the Airbus 320 is susceptible to potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at higher airspeeds. The system is designed to limit available rudder pedal deflection as airspeed decreases, so at higher speeds, the pedal must be manipulated with greater sensitivity.

The plane’s vertical stabilizer can separate due to excessive input because of the speed differential limits of rudder pedal deflection.

The findings may affect several accident cases where the Airbus rudder separated, causing catastrophic conditions.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published its Annual Safety Review for 2009. The review shows the high safety level has been maintained in commercial air transport operations of EASA Member States*.

Commenting on the release of the review, EASA’s Executive Director, Patrick Goudou, said: “The results of the Annual Safety Review 2009 are an encouragement to continue our efforts to maintain and further improve aviation safety in Europe”.

The year 2009 had one of the lowest numbers of fatal accidents involving aircraft operated by EASA Member States commercial air transport operators. During the year, there was a single fatal accident involving an Airbus A330 over the South Atlantic Ocean which resulted in 228 fatalities.

The Annual Safety Review addresses all types of aircraft operations. For the first time, the review includes data from the European Central Repository for occurrences which is a project led by the European Commission to collect safety data at a European level.

The Annual Safety Review also offers an overview of aviation safety measures taken by the Agency, including the progress of the European Strategic Safety Initiative (ESSI).

NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
August 8, 2010

The five Members of the National Transportation Safety Board will meet the board of directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) on Monday, August 9, at 2:30 p.m. at the WMATA headquarters building, 600 Fifth Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C.

The two groups will discuss the recently issued NTSB findings and safety recommendations related to the NTSB’s accident investigation of the June 2009 Red Line collision of two WMATA trains.

At the conclusion of the meeting, there will be a brief press availability with Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman in the WMATA board room.

Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Jordi Grife

What: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 747-300 en route from Islamabad to Karachi
Where: Karachi
When: Aug 7th 2010
Who: 400 passengers
Why: After landing in heavy rain, the plane was in the process of taxiing to the gate when the crew was informed that the tires had blown on landing. Passengers disembarked via mobile stairs directly on to the tarmac and were provided transport to the gate.

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Contact photographer Sandro Koster

What: Emirates Boeing 777-200 en route from Dubai to Houston
Where: Dubai
When: Aug 8th 2010
Why: The pilot taking off in the Emirates 777 rejected the high speed take-off, deflating nose gear tires. No injuries were reported.

A replacement jet was provided.

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Contact photographer Bruce Leibowitz

What: Delta Airlines Boeing 737-700 en route from Key West Atlanta
Where: Sarasota
When: Aug 8th 2010
Who: 2 flight attendants
Why: While en route, the flight encountered turbulence, injuring two flight attendants. The flight flew on to Atlanta and made a safe landing.

What: TSI Titanium (1982) Beechcraft 58 Baron en route from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Where: Bell Township Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
When: Aug 7 2010 9:19 am
Who: 2 fatalities
Why: The plane crashed nine minutes after take-off. Witnesses say it sounded like the engine cut out before it crashed. The pilot did not contact ATC and the cause is unknown, pending investigation.

Edward Sobota, president and owner of TSI Titanium, was flying his new Beechcraft two engine plane, and working on getting certified in it, when it crashed into a Bell Township neighborhood. Ted Kokolis a pilot for Bayer, who was also on board and killed in the crash. Steve Yanko was sleeping on his couch in his family room and was not injured when the plane crashed and burned in his wife’s art studio at the opposite end of the house. His wife was not in the house at the time.

What: 2006 Robinson R44II en route North Palm Beach County airport to Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa in Young Harris
Where: north Georgia mountains
When: Monday evening
Who: pilot Adam Reeves, of Jupiter, Fla and unidentified passenger
Why: The helicopter had been missing since Monday. It was found Friday afternoon by the Civil Air Patrol, having crashed in the N. Georgia mountains in northern Lumpkin County around 2:30 p.m. The search began after relatives of the passengers made inquiries at the airport about a helicopter that had never arrived.

The flight had been due in Blairsville at 7 p.m but had never arrived.

The helicopter refueled in Madison, Ga around 6:30 pm Monday. At some unknown time it left North Palm Beach County.

Reeves was a former U.S. Air Force medic who ran health care and realty companies in Palm Beach County.

What: Cessna 206 en route from Alma Michigan to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn
Where: Lake Michigan, Ludington MI
When: July 23, 2010
Who: 4 fatalities, 1 survivor 66-year-old pilot, Jerry Freed
Why: While en route on a medical evacuation flight, the pilot contacted ATC about experiencing mechanical problems, then the medical flight crashed into Lake Michigan on July 23. The pilot was rescued by boaters Randall Schmidt and his wife, Kristin Berg, about 2 miles from shore. Six foot waves hindered the recovery efforts.

The Michigan State Police Underwater Recovery Unit sonar found the plane at approximately 6 p.m. last Thursday.

The remains of Alma school superintendent and cancer patient Don Pavlik and his wife, Irene, were recovered Friday by divers. The body of Dr. James Hall was recovered Saturday night and identified Sunday. Co-pilot Earl Davidson was found last, on Sunday at 9 a.m..

What: S7 Sibir Airlines Airbus A319-100 en route from Perm to Moscow
Where: Moscow
When: Aug 6th 2010 19:47 Moscow time
Who: 94 passengers
Why: On landing approach, the Airbus hydraulics failed. The pilot managed a safe landing. Smoke from forest fires did not impair visibility.

George’s Point of View
No surprise to me. Details of the hydraulic issue might be of interest.

I recall S7 Airlines Flight 778, an Airbus A310 with 193 passengers and 10 crew members aboard. On landing at Irkutsk , the airbus had a runway overrun. 124 people died when it crashed into the runway barrier.

HELENA-WEST HELENA, AR—Although under control by 6 a m, the hanger fire in West Helena Arkansas consumed seven planes, two trucks, a number of tools and repair equipment, and a tractor. The hanger is one of three, and the only one that burned.

The owner of South Delta Aviation said while the planes were insured, the other items were not. According to locals, some tools had been operating in the hanger for twenty-thirty years. The business plans to stay open.

Air India has informed Boeing that it is not making any more pre-delivery payments on 27 Boeings which are currently being built in Boeing’s Seattle plant.

The delivery of the planes has been pushed back to 2011. Air India representatives independent director, Air Chief Fali Major, and the Chief Operating Officer, Captain Gustav Baldau will be visiting the plant to see the progress made on Air India’s 787s.

Air India has around 15 Boeing 777s. Air India determined that “Fuel efficiency of the B 787 aircraft was found to be better than that of the competitor A330-200 by 17 per cent.”

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
August 6, 2010

NTSB Safety Recommendation A-10-119 and -120
and Reiteration of NTSB Safety Recommendation A-04-63

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the European Aviation Safety Agency:

Modify European Aviation Safety Agency Certification Specifications for Large Aeroplanes CS-25 to ensure safe handling qualities in the yaw axis throughout the flight envelope, including limits for rudder pedal sensitivity. (A-10-119)

After the yaw axis certification standard recommended in Safety Recommendation A-10-119 has been established, review the designs of existing airplanes to determine if they meet the standard. For existing airplane designs that do not meet the standard, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) should determine if the airplanes would be adequately protected from the adverse effects of a potential aircraft-pilot coupling (APC) after rudder inputs at all airspeeds. If adequate protection does not exist, EASA should require modifications, as necessary, to provide the airplanes with increased protection from the adverse effects of a potential APC after rudder inputs at high airspeeds. (A-10-
120)

In addition, the National Transportation Safety Board reiterates the following recommendation to the European Aviation Safety Agency:

Review the options for modifying the Airbus A300-600 and the Airbus A310 to provide increased protection from potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds and, on the basis of this review, require modifications to the A300-600 and A310 to provide increased protection from potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds. (A-04-63

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Contact photographer BravoAlpha

What: TAM Linhas Aereas Airbus A319-100 from Sao Paulo to Sao Jose do Rio
Where: Sao Jose do Rio
When: Aug 5th 2010
Who: 137 people on board,
Why: Before touching down, the crew reported technical problems. A hundred meters before the runway threshold, they landed onto grass, damaged a perimeter fence, and had a flat, but managed to taxi to the gate. There were no injuries. An alternate plane will be provided for the next leg of the journey.

Date: 4 August 2010

Jakarta – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) outlined the priorities for Indonesia’s aviation industry. “Now is the time to plan and build for the future. With 240 million people living on thousands of islands and great world-class tourist attractions, the potential for aviation to grow and drive economic development is enormous. Coordinated government policies to ensure safety, cost-efficient and effective infrastructure and environmental sustainability are needed,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“Indonesia has a remarkable story to tell. The country weathered the global financial crisis better than most with a 4.5% GDP growth in 2009. And the turnaround at Garuda has been dramatic. While the world’s airlines were generating losses, Garuda’s passenger demand grew by 3% and they improved net profits by over 50% in 2009. Everyday brings new challenges and Garuda is well-placed to face them,” said Bisignani.

“The good news for Indonesia is that Asia Pacific is expected to be the most profitable region this year,” said Bisignani. Asia Pacific is leading the recovery with forecast profits of $2.2 billion and strong traffic growth. June passenger and cargo traffic for the region grew at 15.5% and 29.8% respectively, above the global average.

While in Jakarta, Bisignani met with Indonesian Vice President Prof. Dr Boediono, airlines and infrastructure operators and ASEAN leaders.

IATA laid out three priorities for Indonesian aviation: safety; cost-efficient and effective infrastructure and environmental sustainability.

Safety: “Safety is always the top priority. Safety issues require constant attention and commitment. There have been three non fatal accidents involving Indonesian airlines this year. And there were 5 accidents involving Indonesian operators in 2009, and 24 over the past 5 years. The situation is improving, but the damage done to Indonesia’s safety reputation will not be solved with short-term measures. A long-term strategic commitment is needed from both industry and government. I encourage the Indonesian government to make the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) a national requirement. It will ensure best practice in operational safety with global standards. And it will be a strong signal to the world that Indonesian aviation safety is moving in the right direction,” said Bisignani. Garuda and Mandala Airlines are the only two Indonesian airlines currently on the IOSA registry.

IATA is also working with the Indonesian government to improve safety by sharing global best practices through safety seminars and by supporting Indonesia’s implementation of the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan.

Infrastructure: Bisignani identified infrastructure as being critical to support Indonesia’s traffic growth. “With the completing of Terminal 3, Jakarta’s airport has the capacity to handle 38 million passengers a year. But passenger numbers are already topping 36.5 million with the government predicting 10% annual growth. Jakarta’s airport infrastructure will not be able to cope. There is no time to waste. Planning and implementation of the next stage of development is critical. It is very important that airport operators engage airlines in meaningful consultation to make the most of the current infrastructure and to plan for future developments,” said Bisignani.

“We do not see the cost-efficiency improvements in Indonesian aviation infrastructure that we see in other parts of the region. We appreciate that the increases announced in 2001 have not been enforced. But to remain competitive, the focus must be on cost-reduction. I encouraged the government to challenge Angkasa Pura 1 and Angkasa Pura 2 to deliver greater cost-efficiency,” said Bisignani.

Environment: The aviation industry has agreed to three targets: (1) improving fuel efficiency by 1.5% a year to 2020; (2) capping emissions with carbon neutral growth from 2020, (3), cutting emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. “All growth must be environmentally sustainable. I encourage the Indonesian government to support aviation’s aggressive and responsible approach to climate change,” said Bisignani.

“We need a global approach for aviation, not local excuses for governments to gain access to new sources of taxes. We must also take a strong stand against regional schemes like the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. I hope Indonesia will be a strong voice against Europe’s unfair and ineffective plans,” said Bisignani.

Bisignani praised Garuda for taking the lead in implementing the IATA industry standard carbon offset program – an industry-wide management service that delivers best practice, standard methodologies and quality control. He also suggested that Indonesia explore the possibilities of producing biofuels source crops such as camelina, jatropha, and algae.

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

August 5, 2010

The National Transportation Safety Board is devoting two
days at its Training Center to offer guidance to aviation
public affairs professionals on how to most effectively
manage emergency communications following a major aircraft
accident or incident.

The training will be offered on October 7-8, 2010, at the
NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia, (near Washington,
D.C.) and is aimed at communications professionals working
with airports, airlines and corporations with aviation
departments.

Representatives from the NTSB Office of Public Affairs will
explain the process by which investigation-related
information is verified and released to the news media and
the family members of those affected by a major accident.

Members of the national news media will be there to discuss
how previous accidents have been covered and to talk about
how social media is changing how breaking news is
disseminated and consumed. Airport and airline
communications professionals will provide case studies on
how communications during previous aircraft incidents and
accidents were handled.

Those interested in learning more should see the complete
description of the training, registration information, and
cost to attend at:
http://www.ntsb.gov/TC/CourseInfo/PA302_2010.htm

Although the head of Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority David Chawota confirmed with the BBC: “I can confirm that a 767 plane coming from London has had an accident at Harare airport,” the whole thing was a drill with paid actors.

BBC’s Brian Hungwa reported seeing a large plume of smoke and helicopters over the runway.

Apparently no one but a chosen few were informed it was a drill. Apparently seeing what the media would do was part of the Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority’s “exercise.”

George’s Point of View
Maybe I’m out of line here, but it seems to me a drill is supposed to test responses in-house.

The fire drill at a school, for example, involves firemen arriving and evaluating the response time of those endangered.

But if someone at the school sets off an alarm to see what would happen, or calls 911…they’re criminally liable. Okay, well maybe they were testing emergency services which for the CAA might be considered in house.

But testing the media? Allowing the news to go out to the media that there was a disaster? As someone who deals with people suffering horrible loss from disasters that are real, this sounds more like a cruel joke than a drill. I wonder what the IATA and ICAO will have to say about this. At the very least, it is unethical.

Chawota said “This was a usual drill for the period. We do this once every three years. This was for the benefit of our police personnel, security, aviation, medics, hospital — everyone was involved. This exercise helps the general preparedness of our facilities here.”

What: Cirruss S-R 22 single-engine plane in Phoenix
Where: Deer Valley Commerce Park, near 19th Avenue and Deer Valley Road
When: August 4 2010 6:00 a m
Who: pilot
Why: The pilot of the plane was in contact with Deer Valley air controllers prior to the accident but did not radio for help. Apparently the engine had caught fire, and the plane lost altitude. On impact, the plane was engulfed in flame.

The plane with only the pilot aboard crashed not long after takeoff.

The plane was registered to Magneto Investments of Phoenix.