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Southwest Airlines Names New Vice President of Network Planning

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    Southwest Airlines Plane Lands Safely in Kansas City with Cracked Windshield

    Southwest Airlines flight WN-718 suffered a cracked windshield on the way to Kansas City, Missouri, on November 28th.

    The Boeing 737-700 plane flying from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Virginia, was descending toward Kansas City when the captain’s windshield cracked.

    The plane continued for a safe landing. Everyone aboard remained unharmed.

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    OIG: FAA Fulfilled AARA

    ACTION: FAA Fulfilled Most ARRA Requirements in Awarding Airport Grants Federal Aviation Administration Report Number AV-2011-053
    From: JeffreyB.Guzzetti Assistant Inspector General
    for Aviation and Special Program Audits

    February 17, 2011
    JA-10
    Memorandum
    On February 17, 2009, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA),1 designating $1.1 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to invest in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) projects. These funds were intended for airport projects that could achieve several key goals, including investing in transportation infrastructure to provide long-term economic benefits, create jobs, and promote economic recovery. ARRA established tight timeframes for distributing and expending funds and emphasized preference for projects that could be completed in 2 years.

    In August 2009, we issued an advisory to the Office of the Secretary outlining our concerns with FAA’s process for awarding ARRA grants.2 We questioned the economic merit of some lower scoring projects and highlighted several ARRA recipients with grant management problems identified in prior single audit reports.3 Based on these preliminary findings, we initiated this audit to determine the extent to which FAA’s process for awarding ARRA grants complied with ARRA requirements and other associated guidance.4 We conducted this audit from September 2009 through December 2010 in accordance with government

    American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111–5 (2009). OIG Advisory Number AA-2009-003, “FAA’s Process for Awarding ARRA Airport Improvement Program Grants,” August 6, 2009. OIG reports are available on our website: www.oig.dot.gov. Single audit is a mechanism relied upon by Executive Branch agencies to oversee financial compliance and grant 4 assurances. For the purpose of this report, we define “requirements” as a collective term to refer to ARRA statutory requirements, Presidential direction, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and FAA guidance related to ARRA implementation.

    Read the entire PDF here

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    FAA Proposes $54,000 Civil Penalty Against Interscience 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 $54,000 civil penalty against Interscience of Saint-Nom-la-Breteche, France, for allegedly violating the Hazardous Materials Regulations.

    The FAA alleges that on December 21, 2016, Interscience offered six plastic bottles of flammable liquid disinfectant spray to American Airlines for shipment by air from Blagnac, France, to Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

    Workers at the American Airlines cargo facility at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport discovered the shipment.

    The FAA alleges the package was not accompanied by a shipper’s declaration of dangerous goods and was not properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled or in the proper condition for shipment. The agency also alleges Interscience failed to ensure that each of its employees received required hazardous materials training, and failed to provide emergency response information with the shipment.

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

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    Southwest Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing due to Smoke Indication

    Southwest Airlines flight WN-1604 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Amarillo, Texas, on October 24th.

    The Boeing 737-700 plane heading from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Las Vegas, Nevada, was diverted after the crew received indication of smoke in a lavatory.

    The plane landed uneventfully. All passengers and crew members remained safe.

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    American Airlines Employees Aid Veterans, US Troops

    FORT WORTH, Texas, March 2, 2011 — Thanks to the fuel conservation efforts of American Airlines employees, a total of $409,513 is being provided to Air Compassion for Veterans, a not-for-profit organization that helps active military, veterans and their families travel for medical, counseling and rehabilitation needs.

    Through its employee-driven fuel conservation program, called Fuel Smart, American granted a portion of the proceeds from the initiative to assist those who have served or currently serve in the U.S. military when they need access to medical and related resources.

    “American’s ability to make such a significant contribution to help service members and their families is a direct result of our employees’ participation in Fuel Smart,” said Matt Pfeifer, American’s Managing Director – Operations Strategic Planning. “When our troops and veterans return home, it is imperative that we all pull together to ensure that they receive access to the best possible care. This is made easier because of our employees’ tremendous fuel conservation efforts.”

    In 2010, nearly 1,000 flights were made possible on American and American Eagle aircraft as a result of direct contributions from American Airlines employees. In addition to medical-related travel, Air Compassion for Veterans provides transportation for family members to visit service men and women who are undergoing treatment away from home.

    “So many of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have been injured during their military service and face years of surgeries, therapy and rehabilitation,” said American Airlines First Officer Tom Marquardt, a Major in the Air Force Reserve who plays an instrumental role in American’s partnership with Air Compassion for Veterans. “The ability to go home, or to have your family visit while you’re undergoing rehab, is such an important part of the healing process. My fellow employees are helping make sure this is possible for these brave men and women.”

    Today, the final 2010 donation was made during a special ceremony at American’s Maintenance & Engineering facilities at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. A number of employee workgroups that helped make the contribution possible were honored for their efforts.

    “We are honored to partner with a company like American Airlines, which has made such a strong commitment to serving our military and veterans,” said Ed Boyer, President and CEO of Mercy Medical Airlift, the parent organization of Air Compassion for Veterans. “Without the hard work of American Airlines employees, many of the veterans and their family members simply would not be able to make important trips during rehab and recovery. On behalf of the men and women who wear the cloth of our great nation, we express our deepest thanks.”

    The success of this partnership depends on employee involvement in American’s Fuel Smart program, which aims to achieve fuel savings of 138 million gallons and reduce carbon emissions by 2.9 billion pounds in 2011.

    The employee-led program works across all departments to identify fuel savings opportunities and make them a part of daily routines. Several key programs drive donations and help improve fuel efficiency, including:

    Pilots reducing fuel burn by using a single engine to taxi in and out of gates when possible.
    Airport and flight crews working together to quickly connect ground power and pre-conditioned air hoses to planes and turning off the aircraft auxiliary power when they arrive at the terminal.

    Dispatchers and flight crews using all available planning tools, procedures and expertise to safely plan flight fuel loads without carrying excess fuel.

    American Airlines has a long history of supporting the nation’s armed forces and veterans, dating to World War II and C.R. Smith, the airline’s first president. Currently, more than 60 percent of American’s pilots and 10 percent of all American and American Eagle Airlines employees are active military/reservists or veterans. American supports members of the military, veterans and their families when they travel and in their communities, including special military airfares, waived baggage fees, support of non-profit organizations, and employee engagement in a wide variety of events and activities. To learn more about American’s Military/Veterans Initiatives, visit AA.com/JoinUs.

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    Press Release – FAA Proposes Civil Penalty Against American Airlines

    For Immediate Release
    August 26, 2010

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $24.2 million civil penalty against American Airlines Inc. for failing to correctly follow an Airworthiness Directive involving the maintenance of its McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft. This civil penalty is the largest ever proposed by the FAA.

    “We put rules and regulations in place to keep the flying public safe,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We expect operators to perform inspections and conduct regular and required maintenance in order to prevent safety issues. There can be no compromises when it comes to safety.”

    The FAA alleges American did not follow steps outlined in a 2006 Airworthiness Directive requiring operators to inspect wire bundles located in the wheel wells of MD-80 aircraft. The Airworthiness Directive, AD 2006-15-15, required a one-time general visual inspection by March 5, 2008 for chafing or signs of arcing of the wire bundle for the auxiliary hydraulic pump. It also required operators to perform corrective actions in accordance with the instructions of the applicable manufacturer’s Service Bulletin.

    The purpose of the Airworthiness Directive was to prevent the shorting of wires or arcing at the auxiliary hydraulic pump, which could result in loss of auxiliary hydraulic power or a fire in the wheel well of the aircraft. The Airworthiness Directive also sought to reduce the potential of an ignition source adjacent to the fuel tanks, which, in combination with the flammable vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion.

    The FAA first detected the violations on March 25, 2008, during an inspection of two aircraft. The FAA informed American’s management that the aircraft did not comply with the AD, prompting a series of re-inspections and additional maintenance work that occurred during the following two weeks. On March 26, after American performed additional maintenance on its MD-80 fleet, the FAA inspected eight aircraft at American’s Tulsa maintenance base and found that seven did not comply with the Airworthiness Directive. On April 7, the FAA inspected another nine MD-80 aircraft at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and found that eight of them still did not comply with the AD. A tenth aircraft inspected by American mechanics also did not comply. On April 8, American began grounding its MD-80 fleet to conduct new inspections and redo work as necessary.

    The FAA subsequently determined that 286 of the airline’s MD-80s were operated on a combined 14,278 passenger flights while the aircraft were not in compliance with Federal Regulations. American ultimately completed the work required by the 2006 Airworthiness Directive.

    Over the last year and a half, FAA safety officials have reported progress in working with American Airlines to help improve the airline’s maintenance culture. The FAA is committed to continuing that work.

    American has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

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