PR: Proficiency Goes Beyond Currency

September 3–The September/October 2010 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on proficiency and its absolute importance for pilots and aviation maintenance technicians. In the issue, you will find tips on developing your personal improvement plan, suggestions about getting back to flying after an absence, recommendations on how AMTs can keep their edge, an article on the complicated subject of receiving compensation for your flying, and much more.

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    FAA Press Release: New Certification Rule for Small Airplanes Becomes Effective


    New Certification Rule for Small Airplanes Becomes Effective

    On August 30, the final rule overhauling airworthiness standards for general aviation airplanes published in December of 2016 officially went into effect. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects this rule will enable faster installation of innovative, safety-enhancing technologies into small airplanes, while reducing costs for the aviation industry.

    With these performance-based standards, the FAA delivers on its promise to implement forward-looking, flexible rules that encourage innovation. Specifically, the new part 23 revolutionizes standards for airplanes weighing 19,000 pounds or less and with 19 or fewer passenger seats by replacing prescriptive requirements with performance-based standards coupled with consensus-based compliance methods for specific designs and technologies. The rule also adds new certification standards to address GA loss of control accidents and in-flight icing conditions.

    This regulatory approach recognizes there is more than one way to deliver on safety. It offers a way for industry and the FAA to collaborate on new technologies and to keep pace with evolving aviation designs and concepts.

    The new rule responds to Congressional mandates that direct the FAA to streamline approval of safety advancements for small GA airplanes. It also addresses recommendations from the FAA’s 2013 Part 23 Reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which suggested a more streamlined approval process for safety equipment on those airplanes.

    The new part 23 also promotes regulatory harmonization among the FAA’s foreign partners, including the European Aviation Safety Agency, Transport Canada Civil Aviation, and Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Authority. Harmonization may help minimize certification costs for airplane and engine manufacturers, and operators of affected equipment, who want to certify their products for the global market.

    This regulatory change is a leading example of how the FAA is transforming its Aircraft Certification Service into an agile organization that can support aviation industry innovation in the coming years. AIR Transformation improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the Aircraft Certification Safety System by focusing FAA resources on up-front planning, the use of performance based standards, and a robust risk-based systems oversight program, while leveraging Industry’s responsibility to comply with regulations.

    Additional Resources:
    FAA Press Conference: Part 23 Rule Announcement
    Revitalizing General Aviation: The New Part 23 (video)
    New Part 23 for Aircraft Certification Changes for Designees (video)

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    FAA Proposes New Policy on Antidepressants for Pilots

    For Immediate Release
    April 2, 2010

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that it will consider the special issuance of a medical certificate to pilots who are taking medication for mild to moderate depression, conditions that now bar them from all flying duties.

    On a case-by-case basis beginning April 5, pilots who take one of four antidepressant medications – Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zoloft), Citalopram (Celexa), or Escitalopram (Lexapro) – will be allowed to fly if they have been satisfactorily treated on the medication for at least 12 months. The FAA will not take civil enforcement action against pilots who take advantage of a six-month opportunity to share any previously non-disclosed diagnosis of depression or the use of these antidepressants.

    “I’m encouraging pilots who are suffering from depression or using antidepressants to report their medical condition to the FAA,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “We need to change the culture and remove the stigma associated with depression. Pilots should be able to get the medical treatment they need so they can safely perform their duties.”

    The FAA’s policy is consistent with recommendations from the Aerospace Medical Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Air Line Pilots Association and the International Civil Aviation Organization. The Civil Aviation Authority of Australia, Transport Canada and the U.S Army already allow some pilots to fly using antidepressant medications.

    Psychiatrists and Aviation Medical Examiners who have specialized training under the Human Intervention and Motivation Study (HIMS) program will help the FAA evaluate and monitor pilots under this new policy. The HIMS program was established 40 years ago and has been highly effective for the assessment, treatment, and medical certification of pilots who need help with alcohol and drug issues.

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    FAA Proposes $168,000 Civil Penalty Against D&M Plastics

    For Immediate Release

    WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a $168,000 civil penalty against D & M Custom Injection Molding Corp. of Burlington, Ill., doing business as D & M Plastics, for alleged violations of Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.

    D & M offered a five-piece shipment of approximately 2,000 Runyan Rapp E-Mysticks smokeless cigarettes to Federal Express for transportation by air from Indianapolis to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Aug. 14, 2009. Each smokeless cigarette contained alcohol, a flammable liquid, and a lithium battery, a hazardous material. Each box contained 400 E-Mysticks, including 7.6 kilograms of lithium batteries, exceeding the five-kilogram limit for shipment aboard passenger aircraft. Because the shipment was not packaged in accordance with regulations it was forbidden on all aircraft, including all-cargo flights.

    As the flight approached Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the FedEx flight crew received a fire warning on the instrument panel. The crew discharged the fire suppression system during the landing and taxied to the gate. The airport fire department responded and extinguished a fire in an LD3 cargo container. The fire was started by the lithium batteries in the shipment.

    D & M offered the shipment for transportation by air when it was not packaged, marked, classed, described, labeled or in condition for shipment as required by regulations.

    D&M has 30 days from receipt of the FAA letter to respond to the agency

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    FAA Proposes Safety Management Systems for Airlines

    For Immediate Release
    November 4, 2010

    WASHINGTON – In a continuing effort to take the U.S. aviation system to the next level of safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed to require Safety Management Systems (SMS) for most commercial airlines.
    Safety management systems give operators a set of business processes and management tools to examine data from everyday operations, isolate trends that may be precursors to incidents or accidents, and develop and carry out appropriate risk mitigation strategies. They are a formal approach to managing an organization’s safety through four key components – safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion.

    “Safety is our top priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This program can help airlines identify possible safety problems and correct them before they lead to accidents.”

    “We need a holistic approach to safety that allows us to spot trends in aviation and make necessary changes to help avoid incidents and accidents,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “Safety Management Systems are a critical piece of a successful safety culture.”

    The requirements of the SMS proposal would define “what” is expected rather than “how” the requirement is to be met. This allows for development and implementation of an SMS that matches the size, complexity and business models of diverse organizations in ways appropriate to their unique systems and operating environments.

    Under the proposed rule, scheduled air carriers and a few others operating under Part 121 of federal aviation regulations would be required to implement an SMS within three years. The carriers would have to submit their SMS implementation plans to the FAA within six months of the final rule’s effective date. The plan would be required to show how the airline intends to comply with the rule within the three-year implementation period. An SMS would not take the place of regular FAA oversight, inspection and audits to ensure compliance with existing regulations

    The FAA began exploring system safety-based oversight concepts in the mid- to late- 1990s. During that time, the agency concluded system safety has to be practiced by operators, repair stations, flight schools, other aviation service providers and the agency itself. In 2006, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) required that all member countries implement SMS standards for operators and approved maintenance organizations.

    The FAA’s own Air Traffic Organization has already begun implementing an SMS, and the agency recently issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require FAA-certified airports to establish SMS for all airfield and ramp areas.

    The estimated cost of this proposed rule for U.S. air carriers is $390 million, with estimated benefits of $470 million. The proposal conforms to ICAO SMS provisions.

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  • FAAST Blast — August 10, 2010

    FAAST Blast — August 10, 2010
    Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update

    FAA Issues Cessna SAIB and Piper AD

    On July 30, 2010, FAA issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-10-40R1 regarding a safety concern with water contamination in the fuel systems of Cessna 100-, 200-, and 300- series airplanes. FAA recommends you check all fuel drain locations every time before you fly. Take at least one sampler cup of fuel from each drain and check for water, proper clarity, odor, and/or contaminants. If you discover contaminants, take repeated samples until clear. Do not fly the aircraft if any contaminants cannot be cleared. Instead, contact maintenance personnel to drain and purge the fuel tank. FAA also recommends regularly checking all external entry sites, e.g., caps and access panels, for evidence of water entering the fuel system. To view the SAIB, go to www.faa.gov/aircraft/safety/alerts/SAIB/.

    FAA issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for certain Piper PA-28, PA-32, PA-34, and PA-44 series airplanes. The AD, which results from field reports of incorrectly assembled control-wheel shafts, requires these shafts to be inspected, and if necessary, replaced. A faulty control wheel shaft may lead to a loss of pitch-and-roll control if left uncorrected. The AD, which is effective August 31, 2010, affects nearly 42,000 airplanes. For more details, go to www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/airworthiness_directives/ and search AD 2010-15-10.

    Westfield Air Show Promises Plenty of Aviation “Star” Power

    On August 21 and 22, visitors to the 2010 Westfield International Air Show are in for a special treat. The two-day event at Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield, MA, will host more than 60 aircraft displays and flight demonstrations, ranging from the legendary U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to such aerobatic greats as Mike Goulian and Greg Poe.

    Also on hand will be members of the FAASTeam to help answer questions and provide airmen with information on the updated www.FAASafety.gov Web site and WINGS Program. “We’re excited to help spread the word about safety at such an important celebration of aviation,” said FAASTeam Manager James Adams. If you’re at the show, be sure to stop by the FAA booth to meet Adams and FAASTeam Manager Al Schnur. Visit www.westfieldairshow.net/ for more information.

    Do’s and Don’ts for Datalink Weather

    Datalink is an industry term used to describe a wide range of equipment and services that all do one basic thing—get data into the cockpit so pilots can use it to make decisions. This is especially the case with weather data, which can now be received, processed, and displayed in a myriad of panel-mounted displays and hand-held devices. In the July/August 2010 FAA Safety Briefing article, “Do’s and Don’ts for Datalink Weather,” author Meredith Saini warns pilots of some of the pitfalls of these high-tech devices. “Pilots must understand the limitations of any datalink weather product before using it to make strategic inflight decisions,” writes Saini. In addition to processing delays, NEXRAD data from ground stations can be affected by interference from buildings or terrain. “No matter how many full-color displays you have working for you, it’s still your responsibility to obtain a standard briefing before any flight.” See that article and more in the July/August issue for strategies to cope with Mother Nature.

    Produced by the editors, FAA Safety Briefing, http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/

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    PR: New International Aircraft Emissions Standard

    July 18–The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recently took another step to make aviation “greener” when it unanimously approved a metric that will be the basis for developing the first-ever carbon dioxide standard for commercial aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) played a key role in making progress toward a new international standard.

    “A core element of the Obama Administration’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in aviation is to support development and integration of new, more fuel-efficient technologies,” said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta. “This international agreement underscores our nation’s commitment and the commitment of other countries to make aviation as environmentally efficient as possible.”

    The FAA is a member of ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP). Recently, the CAEP was charged with developing a new standard as more scientific evidence has found that CO2 contributes significantly to global warming. A team of technical experts from the FAA, together with experts from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), worked closely with experts from other ICAO member countries to develop this new CO2 metric for aircraft. The new metric, which is based on fuel-burn performance at three different cruise conditions and accounts for different aircraft sizes, now lays the groundwork for development of an internationally agreed upon CO2 aircraft standard.

    The FAA has long been a leader in making aviation as environmentally friendly as possible. At the heart of the FAA’s work in developing the Next Generation of Air Transportation system, or NextGen, is the promise of more direct routes that will reduce fuel and emissions. In addition, the FAA has been working with its academic and industry partners to develop sustainable alternative fuels, as well as more efficient aircraft engine and body designs through the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) and the agency’s Continuous Lower Energy, and Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) programs.

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