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FAA Safety Team | Safer Skies Through Education

Safety Tip – Airport Surface Deviations
Notice Number: NOTC2731
Ground Operations
As winter gets into full swing across the country we should be aware of its impact on our surface operations at the airport. Operating on a snow or ice covered surface — either in a ground vehicle or an aircraft — requires an extra degree of caution. Movement of ground equipment should be done in a manner that allows you to avoid sliding or skidding into other equipment or aircraft, or skidding across hold lines.

Extreme caution also is needed when towing an aircraft due to the added weight and the fact that most of the time you are relying solely on the braking action of the tug to stop both the aircraft and the tug. On wet, slick or icy surfaces the aircraft in tow can suddenly jack knife out of control as you turn or attempt to stop.

The same cautions must also be adhered to when taxiing an aircraft in these conditions. When diminished braking action is present, aircraft can slide off taxiways and runways if one is not careful. When approaching hold lines and turns, be sure to use minimal speed to ensure your ability to come to a stop prior to the hold line or to avoid skidding off the taxiway during a turn.

As with all ground operations, keep your eyes outside the cockpit while taxiing and adhere to all ATC instructions.

Additional information about ground operations can be found in chapter 2 of the Airplane Flying Handbook, available at http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/

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    Press Release – FAA Mandates Crew Resource Management Training for On-Demand Charters

    For Immediate Release
    January 20, 2011

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalized a rule that requires non-scheduled charter airlines and air taxis to train pilots and flight attendants in Crew Resource Management (CRM), a well-established concept that helps reduce human error in commercial aviation by teaching pilots, flight attendants and other aviation workers to act as a team.

    Air carriers affected by the final rule must establish initial and recurrent CRM training for crewmembers within two years of the effective date of the rule. The training must address the captain’s authority; intra-crew communications; teamwork; managing workload, time, fatigue and stress; and decision-making skills.

    “This type of training is critical for the safety of flight crews and passengers,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.
    The FAA has required CRM training for air carriers operating larger airplanes since December 1995.

    “I know the value of making Crew Resource Management part of the safety culture from my days as an airline pilot,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “A crew that works as a team is a better crew, regardless of the size of the plane or the size of the airline.”

    CRM training focuses on the interactions among personnel including pilots, flight attendants, operations personnel, mechanics, air traffic controllers and flight service stations. This training in communications and teamwork can help prevent errors such as runway incursions, misinterpreting information from air traffic controllers, crewmembers’ loss of situational awareness, and failure to fully prepare for takeoff or landing.

    This final rule responds to a 2003 National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that is currently on the Board’s “Most Wanted” list of safety improvements.

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    IATA: Re-Think Volcano Measures


    IATA PRESS RELEASE SAYS: Re-Think Volcano Measures – Governments Must Base Decisions on Fact Not Theory

    Paris – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sharply criticized European governments for their lack of leadership in handling airspace restrictions in light of the Icelandic volcano eruption and urged a re-think of the decision-making process.

    “We are far enough into this crisis to express our dissatisfaction on how governments have managed it-with no risk assessment, no consultation, no coordination, and no leadership. This crisis is costing airlines at least $200 million a day in lost revenues and the European economy is suffering billions of dollars in lost business. In the face of such dire economic consequences, it is incredible that Europe’s transport ministers have taken five days to organize a teleconference,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    “Governments must place greater urgency and focus on how and when we can safely re-open Europe’s skies. This means decisions based on risk-management, facts and utilizing operational procedures that maintain safety,” said Bisignani.

    IATA criticized Europe’s unique methodology of closing airspace based on theoretical modeling of the ash cloud. “This means that governments have not taken their responsibility to make clear decisions based on facts. Instead, it has been the air navigation service providers who announced that they would not provide service. And these decisions have been taken without adequately consulting the airlines. This is not an acceptable system particularly when the consequences for safety and the economy are so large,” said Bisignani.

    “Safety is our top priority. Airlines will not fly if it is not safe. I have consulted our member airlines that normally operate in the affected airspace. They report missed opportunities to fly safely. The European system results in blanket closures of airspace. I challenge governments to agree on ways to flexibly re-open airspace. Risk assessments should be able to help us re-open certain corridors, if not entire airspaces,” said Bisignani.

    To assist governments in assessing risk, airlines have conducted successful test flights in several European countries. The results have not shown any irregularities or safety issues. Airlines are also exploring various operational measures to maintain safe operations. These include day flights, restrictions to specific flight corridors, special climb and descent procedures, and more frequent detailed boroscopic engine inspections to detect damage.

    The scale of airspace closures currently seen in Europe is unprecedented. “We have seen volcanic activity in many parts of the world but rarely has it resulted in airspace closures—and never at this scale. When Mount St. Helens erupted in the US in 1980, we did not see large scale disruptions, because the decisions to open or close airspace were risk managed with no compromise on safety,” said Bisignani, who urged Eurocontrol to establish a volcano contingency centre capable of making coordinated decisions.

    Bisignani called for an urgent meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the specialized agency of the UN, to define government responsibility for the decisions to open or close airspace in a coordinated and effective way based on real data and special operating procedures.

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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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    Pilot Fatigue Fact Sheet

    For Immediate Release
    September 10, 2010
    Contact: Alison Duquette or Les Dorr
    Phone: (202) 267-3883

    Last year, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt identified the issue of pilot fatigue as a top priority during the Airline Safety Call to Action following the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 in February 2009. Administrator Babbitt launched an aggressive effort to take advantage of the latest research on fatigue to create a new pilot flight, duty and rest proposal based on fatigue science.
    Updated rules are necessary and must take into account today’s modern, global aviation system. After years of debate, the FAA published a landmark Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in September 2010 which would allow pilots more rest and give airlines the flexibility to integrate fatigue science into their scheduling practices.
    This new proposal recognizes that airplanes operate globally over multiple time zones and that short-leg, multi-leg, and long-haul flights all present challenges. In addition, technology has evolved to enable airplanes to fly much further than in the past. In this environment, a variety of factors can affect pilot alertness, judgment and performance. Those factors include: the time of day of a flight; day-night or night-day transitions; daytime sleep periods; time off between consecutive work periods; the number of takeoffs and landings in a given time period; the impact of time zone changes on circadian rhythms; early start times; and commuting.
    The proposal includes provisions related to a pilot’s commute, including consideration of commute time when determining rest periods, and consideration of flight and duty time in relation to a pilot’s “home base.” The FAA welcomes public comment on strategies to address this important issue.
    While FAA rules already state that a pilot must be fit for duty, the FAA is proposing to strengthen that requirement. Under the proposal, an air carrier would not be able to assign (and, a pilot would not be able to accept) an assignment if the pilot is too fatigued. In addition, a company employee who suspects a pilot of being too fatigued to perform his or her duties during flight would be able to report that information to the air carrier, so that the air carrier could make a determination of whether or not the pilot is too fatigued to fly.
    The public will have 60 days to comment on all provisions in the proposal which is available at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/recently_published/.
    The FAA will then issue a final rule by August 1, 2011.
    What is fatigue?
    Fatigue is a general lack of alertness and degradation in mental and physical performance. There are three types of fatigue: transient, cumulative, and circadian.
    In aviation, fatigue may cause a pilot to fall asleep during cruise flight or it may impact alertness during take-off or landing. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has included an item to “Reduce Accidents and Incidents Caused by Human Fatigue in the Aviation Industry” as an action area in their aviation safety “Most Wanted List.”
    Although sleep science is evolving, research has indicated that most people need eight hours of sleep in 24 hours to perform effectively, and the average person needs in excess of nine hours of sleep per night to recover from accumulated sleep debt. Most people find it more difficult to sleep during the day than at night. In addition, the risks of fatigue and making a mistake increase the longer a person has been awake and working on a task.
    Key differences between the new proposal and the current rules
    The proposal reflects the universal nature of fatigue. The proposed rules would be the same for all types of Part 121 flights (passenger and cargo airlines): domestic, flag (international), or supplemental (unscheduled). There are currently different requirements for each of these categories of operations. The proposed rule does not apply to Part 135 operators, but FAA may address fatigue for Part 135 operators in the future.
    Unlike the current rules, the proposal provides a circadian component for reducing the flight time and duty time when the pilot is operating in his or her window of circadian low.
    The proposal clearly states that fatigue mitigation is the joint responsibility of both the airline and the pilot. A pilot may not accept an assignment if that pilot is too fatigued to fly.
    The proposal would give airlines the flexibility to adopt individual Fatigue Risk Management Systems. Fatigue Risk Management Plans, recently mandated by Congress and now addressed by FAA policy, would set out a carrier’s own policies and procedures for reducing the risk of fatigue and improving alertness. These plans are specific to an air carrier’s type of operations, are subject to the FAA’s review and acceptance, and include fatigue education and awareness training.
    Rest
    The FAA proposes to set a nine-hour minimum for rest prior to flying-related duty, a one-hour increase over the minimum in current rules.
    Flight Time
    Weekly: Currently, pilots flying domesticallyare limited to 30 hours of flight time in any seven consecutive days. Those flying international operations are limited to 32 hours in seven consecutive days, and there is no seven-consecutive-day limit for supplemental operations. The proposal provides pilots with at least 30 consecutive hours per week free from all duty, compared to the current 24 hours free from all duty on a weekly basis – a 25 percent increase.
    Monthly: Under the proposal, there is a 100-hour maximum for flight time in any 28 days. Current rules set a limit of 100 hours for every 30 days.
    Yearly: There is a current limit of 1,000 hours in any calendar year for domestic flights. Under the proposal, all types of operations will now be limited to 1,000 hours per 365 days.
    Duty Time
    There is currently a 16-hour duty period between rest periods. The proposal would limit the daily flight duty period to 13-hours, which could slide to nine hours at night (depending on take-off time and number of segments scheduled).
    Recent FAA guidance
    The FAA has published the following guidance to help air carriers and pilots prepare Fatigue Risk Management Plans:
    InFO: Fatigue Risk Management Plans (FRMP) for Part 121 Air Carriers – Part 2, August 19, 2010.
    InFO: Fatigue Risk Management Plans (FRMP) for Part 121 Air Carriers – Part One, August 12, 2010.
    Both InFOs are available at: http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/info/all_infos/
    Advisory Circular 120-100 Basics of Aviation Fatigue, June 7, 2010.
    http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.list
    Advisory Circular 120-103, Fatigue Risk Management Systems for Aviation Safety, August 3, 2010.
    http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.list
    Background
    Withdrawal of the 1995 proposal
    In order to move forward with a new rulemaking, the FAA formally withdrew the old proposal by publishing a notice in the Federal Register on November 23, 2009. The notice reiterated that the 1995 proposal was outdated and raised many significant issues.
    Fatigue ARC
    On June 24, 2009, Administrator Babbitt announced that the FAA would undertake an expedited review of flight and rest rules. This followed Administrator Babbitt and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood’s June 15 meeting with airline safety executives and pilot unions to strategize on how to best reduce risk at regional airlines. The FAA chartered an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), which began work in July. The ARC, which consisted of representatives from FAA, industry, and labor organizations, was charged with producing recommendations for a science-based approach to fatigue management. The ARC forwarded its recommendations to Administrator Babbitt on September 9, 2009.
    2008 FAA Fatigue Symposium
    In June 2008, the FAA sponsored the Fatigue Symposium: Partnerships for Solutions to encourage the aviation community to proactively address aviation fatigue management issues. Participants included the NTSB, the Institutes for Behavior Resources, Inc., and many of the world’s leading authorities on sleep and human performance. The symposium provided attendees with the most current information on fatigue physiology, management, and mitigation alternatives; perspectives from aviation industry experts and scientists on fatigue management; and information on the latest fatigue mitigation initiatives and best practices.

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    FAA Penalty Against Circor Aerospace


    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a civil penalty of $205,250 against Circor Aerospace, Inc., a Sylmar, Calif.-based aircraft repair station, for allegedly violating FAA drug and alcohol testing regulations.
    The FAA alleges Circor failed to conduct required pre-employment drug tests and receive verified negative drug test results before hiring 29 people to perform safety-sensitive aircraft maintenance work.
    The FAA also alleges the company failed to include two individuals in its random drug and alcohol testing pool.
    The FAA discovered the alleged violations during a December 2011 inspection of Circor’s antidrug and alcohol misuse prevention program. The alleged violations took place between September 2010 and December 2011.

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    PR: FAA Taps ITT Corp. and GE’s Naverus to Develop NextGen

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding a contract to ITT Exelis and GE’s Naverus to help accelerate the development of satellite-based procedures that will allow aircraft to fly more directly to their destinations.

    “NextGen will help deliver an environmentally friendly, more efficient traveling experience for the flying public,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

    Under the $2.77 million contract, ITT Exelis, the prime contractor, and GE’s Naverus, the sub-contractor, will develop Required Navigation Performance (RNP) approach procedures into five airports: Ted Stevens Anchorage International, James M. Cox Dayton International, Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (Kansas City), General Mitchell International (Milwaukee) and Syracuse Hancock International. ITT Exelis and GE’s Naverus will be responsible for designing, implementing and maintaining a total of 10 procedures – two for each airport. The FAA will closely monitor the work to make sure all safety and environmental steps are conducted properly. This effort will supplement the FAA’s work to develop RNP procedures for airports across the country. The FAA has developed 305 RNP procedures.

    “If you imagine highways in the sky, then these are high-speed off ramps,” said Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “Aircraft using RNP approaches make a more direct and efficient approach into the airport, also decreasing fuel burn.”

    The FAA awarded the contract to ITT Exelis and GE’s Naverus through a competitive process under the System Engineering 2020 contract, a portfolio of work designed to help the agency roll out NextGen. Fiscal year 2012 appropriations included funding for a contractor to develop and deliver NextGen procedures, and the FAA reauthorization bill called for the agency to demonstrate the ability of a contractor to design, implement and maintain these procedures.

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