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$325,000 Civil Penalty Against Alfa Chemistry

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $325,000 civil penalty against Alfa Chemistry of Stony Brook, New York, for allegedly violating U.S. Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations.

The FAA alleges that on two separate FedEx cargo flights, Alfa Chemistry shipped undeclared hazardous material that DOT regulations prohibit from being transported on passenger and cargo aircraft. The company allegedly shipped approximately one pint of Acrolein on April 19, 2013 and three additional pints of it on May 23, 2013. Acrolein can become explosive when combined with air and is classified as a toxic/poisonous material and flammable liquid under DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations.

On May 24, 2013, FAA and FedEx personnel tried to inspect the second shipment of Acrolein at the FedEx sort facility in Peabody, Massachusetts, after it began emitting a strong, pungent odor. However, they were unable to examine it because they began to experience coughing fits and extreme eye, nose and throat irritation due to the severity of the odor and vapors coming from the shipment. A FedEx employee had to put on a protective suit to inspect the shipment.

The FAA determined that neither shipment had required shipping papers or emergency response information. The FAA also determined that the May 23, 2013 shipment was not marked, labeled, or packaged as required by the Hazardous Materials Regulations.

Additionally, the FAA determined Alfa Chemistry failed to properly train and test the employees who packaged the Acrolein.

Alfa Chemistry has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

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    FAA Announces $10 Million Grant to Danville Regional Airport

    Washington, D.C. – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a $10 million grant for a runway project at Danville Regional Airport in Danville, Va.

    “One of our key priorities is to ensure that our nation’s airports are properly maintained,” U.S. Transportation Ray LaHood said. “This grant will ensure that the Danville Regional Airport continues to operate safely.”

    The grant will fund the rehabilitation of Runway 2/20. Additional safety benefits include new runway markings and signage for better pilot awareness, grooves in the runway to give aircraft greater traction in wet conditions, new runway edge lighting, and improvements to the runway safety area.
    Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said, “The Danville Regional Airport and its users will benefit from these important safety enhancements for years to come.”

    Aircraft will use the crosswind runway, Runway13/31, during the reconstruction of Runway 2/20. Project construction is expected to begin in September 2012 and completed in November 2013.

    The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) provides $3.35 billion in annual funding for projects that are vital to maintaining the safety, capacity, and environmental stewardship of our airports. More than 3,300 airports are eligible for AIP grants benefiting commercial passengers, cargo operations, and general aviation activities throughout the nation.

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    FAA Proposes $50,000 Civil Penalty Against DebMed USA for Alleged Hazardous Materials Violations

    fine owed the FAA
    Press release

    WASHINGTON, DC–The U.S Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $50,000 civil penalty against DebMed USA LLC, of Charlotte, North Carolina, for allegedly violating the Hazardous Materials Regulations.

    The FAA alleges that on June 22, 2016, DebMed offered 142 lithium metal batteries to American Airlines for transportation by air from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to San Francisco, CA, in the checked baggage of a DebMed employee.

    Lithium metal batteries are prohibited as air cargo on passenger aircraft and are also prohibited in checked baggage. Airline passengers may only carry uninstalled, spare lithium batteries in carry-on baggage when the batteries are for personal use in portable electronic devices.

    Airline baggage is not an authorized method for companies to move lithium batteries or other hazardous materials. The rules for carrying lithium batteries and lithium battery- powered devices as an airline passenger are available on the FAA website.

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    Dreamliner Battery Box Solution

    An upgrade to the battery has been reported, and Boeing is adding a fire-resistant battery box to contain the cells, and insulation around that. The box is to vent smoke outside, and will be made of titanium.

    Boeing is still planning on using lithium-ion cells instead of switching to nickel cadmium. The batteries face a series of twenty lab tests before test flights will be permitted.

    The two approved test flights include one for the new battery, and one for the new box.

    Each Dreamliner has one lithium-ion battery to power cockpit systems, and one to power on-ground functions that used to be hydraulic.

    The FAA statement is below:
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today approved the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company’s certification plan for the redesigned 787 battery system, after thoroughly reviewing Boeing’s proposed modifications and the company’s plan to demonstrate that the system will meet FAA requirements. The certification plan is the first step in the process to evaluate the 787’s return to flight and requires Boeing to conduct extensive testing and analysis to demonstrate compliance with the applicable safety regulations and special conditions.

    “This comprehensive series of tests will show us whether the proposed battery improvements will work as designed,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We won’t allow the plane to return to service unless we’re satisfied that the new design ensures the safety of the aircraft and its passengers.”

    The battery system improvements include a redesign of the internal battery components to minimize initiation of a short circuit within the battery, better insulation of the cells and the addition of a new containment and venting system.

    “We are confident the plan we approved today includes all the right elements to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the battery system redesign,” said FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta. “Today’s announcement starts a testing process which will demonstrate whether the proposed fix will work as designed.”

    The certification plan requires a series of tests which must be passed before the 787 could return to service. The plan establishes specific pass/fail criteria, defines the parameters that should be measured, prescribes the test methodology and specifies the test setup and design. FAA engineers will be present for the testing and will be closely involved in all aspects of the process.

    The FAA also has approved limited test flights for two aircraft. These aircraft will have the prototype versions of the new containment system installed. The purpose of the flight tests will be to validate the aircraft instrumentation for the battery and battery enclosure testing in addition to product improvements for other systems.

    The FAA will approve the redesign only if the company successfully completes all required tests and analysis to demonstrate the new design complies with FAA requirements. The FAA’s January 16, 2013 airworthiness directive, which required operators to temporarily cease 787 operations, is still in effect, and the FAA is continuing its comprehensive review of the 787 design, production and manufacturing process.

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    Mishaps of the day

    Some events that happened today:

    • December 16, 2013, on JetBlue Flight 836#N661JB, the Airbus A320 arrived at the gate at JFK airport, New York, and the left wing struck the jet bridge. There was only minor damage and no injuries reported.
    • In Farmington NY on December 17, 2013, a Piper PA28#N43080 engine caught fire when the plane started up. The fire was extinguished, with unknown damage.
    • December 16, 2013, a Lancair/235#N15TG landing at John’s Island Charleston SC, when the nose gear collapsed. Minor damage was reported.
    • December 16, 2013, a Cessna/172 #N421ER was taxiing when the wing struck a light pole. The accident occurred in Wickenburg Arizona. Minor damage was reported.
    • December 16, 2013, an experimental plane, a Zenith 601#N581SL crashed in Leakey Texas under unknown conditions.
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    Release: Pilots: How to Handle Abnormal Situations

    http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/
    Now available online, the November/December 2010 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on a subject fundamental to pilot safety: how to handle abnormal and emergency situations. The issue stresses the delicate art of planning for the unplanned and outlines several tools and resources pilots can draw upon to handle emergencies.
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    For Aviation Maintenance Technicians, the Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons article explains the Service Difficulty Reporting System and encourages AMTs to use it.

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    Press Release – Federal Aviation Administration Announces Additional Recovery Act Airport Grants

    For Immediate Release

    September 9, 2010
    Contact: Marcia Alexander-Adams

    Phone: (202) 267-3883

    WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration today announced that five additional airport projects have been selected for funding, paid for with $9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds that became available because of low bids on airport projects nationwide.

    “Earlier ARRA projects came in under budget and these savings can now be applied to other projects,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Transportation and infrastructure are the foundation of our economy. These airport projects are putting people to work in good-paying jobs across the country.”

    FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt made the announcement at an event celebrating the completion of a $4.9 million Recovery Act terminal project at Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Va. Yeager Airport will also receive an additional $2.58 million of the newly available ARRA funds to make additional terminal improvements, including a pedestrian bridge which will help passengers access the airport more safely.

    “These additional Recovery Act dollars are giving airports that serve a wide range of communities the chance to make needed improvements that wouldn’t otherwise be possible,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “Safe and modernized airports will benefit these local economies for years to come.”

    Four other airports will also receive additional Recovery Act grants for construction and rehabilitation projects:

    • MBSInternational Airport (Midland-Bay City-Saginaw, Mich.)
      An additional ARRA grant of up to $3.39 million will expedite the completion of this airport terminal reconstruction project. The grant will be used to construct the roof, window systems and the concrete floor. An initial ARRA grant of $11.6 million funded the construction of passenger loading bridges, an access road and the relocation of navigational aids.
    • Killeen Skylark Field (Killeen, Texas)
      This $2.37 million ARRA grant is the first the airport has received. The project will rehabilitate runway 1-19 and the parallel taxiway. The pavement has deteriorated and this project is necessary to extend the useful life of the pavement.
    • BurlingtonInternational Airport (Burlington, Vt.)
      An additional ARRA grant of $452,100 will rehabilitate and realign a critical taxiway to reduce the risk of runway incursions at the airport. An original ARRA grant supported the rehabilitation of two additional taxiways.
    • Avi Suquilla Airport (Parker, Ariz.)
      An original ARRA grant supported the rehabilitation of over 70,000 square yards of pavement on two taxiways. This additional ARRA grant of $310,000 will fund a second phase of taxiway rehabilitation.

    Nationwide, over $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

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