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Yemenia Flight 626, Comoros, Updated

The BEA sent this letter to the president of the Inquiry committee, the Ministries of Communications of Moroni, New technology, Transportation and tourism (Loosely translated. For the original, click the link below the letter):

Re: Yemenia Flight 626
Monsieur President,

I have read the first progress report on flight IY626 that crashed June 29, 2009 during the landing procedure at the airport in Moroni. This report is dated June 25, 2011 but has not, to my knowledge been released to date.

This report contains the facts that for the most part, were already available three months after the accident.

However, the BEA addressed you in May 2010 regarding the publication of a progress report in the context of the first anniversary of the accident. This note has been taken into consideration after a year.

No action improving safety of flights has been recommended by your Commission which is the Commission’s responsibility.

I recall that France, through the intermediary of BEA, has been deeply involved in this investigation. The underwater research was funded by France for $ 3 M.

The fact that the commission has not yet begun to use the information collected from its recorders, two years after reading them. This is inacceptible.

I urge you that the investigation that you lead henceforth be conducted with diligence and in accordance with international provisions.

I would be grateful for the Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry to please ensure that is has established a plan to lead to the publication of a final report within the best times.

In the meantime, I urge you to accept the assurances of my highest consideration.

Director of the BEA
Jean-Paul Troadec

lettre.commission.d.enquete.comorienne.

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    Dassault Falcon Focuses on the Growing Market in India as the Company Strengthens its Position in Emerging Markets Worldwide

    BANGALORE, India, February 4, 2011 — Dassault Falcon is presenting its Falcon fleet of large cabin, long range business jets at Aero India 2011, starting on February 9th in Bangalore. The Falcon range of aircraft will be on display alongside the Dassault Rafale fighter, which will perform in the air display. Dassault Falcon’s share of the Indian market is strong and growing as the benefits of business aviation are recognized by an increasing number of Indian companies and private owners. Private investment in India’s aviation infrastructure and support by the Indian authorities are making this dynamic market even more attractive.

    Dassault Falcon currently has over 60% share of the Indian market for large cabin/long range aircraft and is rapidly consolidating its position with an increase in local customer support and parts services. An Authorized Service Center is also under consideration, in addition to the existing Dassault liaison office in New Delhi which serves both the Indian military and Falcon operators.
    More than 20 Falcon aircraft are currently operating from airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Another 15 aircraft are on order for delivery to Indian customers within the next two years. Almost half of the new aircraft orders are for the Dassault flagship Falcon 7X, the first business jet certified with a fully-digital flight control system.

    In 2010, Dassault Falcon reinforced its position in key markets such as India and South America – where the company has the largest market share in its segments – and Asia, specifically China, where aircraft sales are growing quickly. In India, Dassault built its reputation for advanced technology and efficient aircraft from its first military sales. Today, the Indian military operates 50 Mirage fighters. In the business aviation sector, Dassault Falcon’s success has been driven by new models with exceptional performance, comfort and fuel economy such as the Falcon 2000LX and the Falcon 7X.

    “We have been encouraged about the potential for long term growth in business aviation in India,” said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. “Business jets are now seen in the region as a powerful tool to enable quick and convenient access to customers within the country, and worldwide. The dramatic growth of the economy and the experience of travelling on commercial airlines have all contributed to the expansion of the market over the last few years. The worldwide crisis did not impact our regional sales as severely, and the second half of 2010 was much active for us.”

    The performance of the Falcon fleet is especially valued in India, where short airfields, elevated runways and high temperatures are common. The Falcon aircraft are also more economical to operate and more environmentally responsible than any other large cabin aircraft. Their efficient design and technological optimization means less weight, 20-60% less fuel consumption and lower emissions than other airplanes in their class.

    Dassault Falcon aircraft are very well suited to the Indian customer, offering long range – the Falcon 7X can connect Mumbai to Cape Town, Bangalore to the challenging London City Airport in the heart of the City and is the only jet in its category to meet the demanding performance requirements of the airport with its steep approach and noise restrictions.

    “With their exceptional performance and fuel efficiency, I have no doubt that the Falcon fleet is positioned for long term success in the region and that we will maintain a high level of market share, ” concluded John Rosanvallon.

    To support its growing fleet in India and the increased number of transient airplanes, Falcon Customer Service has based a Customer Service Manager and opened a spares distribution center with DHL in Mumbai. Dassault Falcon has already authorized service centers nearby in Dubai, Jeddah and Singapore.

    About Dassault Falcon
    Dassault Falcon is responsible for selling and supporting Falcon business jets throughout the world. It is part of Dassault Aviation, a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 70 countries across five continents. Dassault Aviation produces the Rafale fighter jet as well as the complete line of Falcon business jets. The company has assembly and production plants in both France and the United States and service facilities on multiple continents. It employs a total workforce of over 12,000. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, 2,000 Falcon jets have been delivered to 67 countries worldwide. The family of Falcon jets currently in production includes the tri-jets-the Falcon 900EX, 900LX, and the 7X-as well as the twin-engine 2000LX.

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    Lufthansa first airline to use biofuel on commercial flights

    Bio-synthetic kerosene to be used from April 2011

    At a joint press conference today, Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber, with Peter Hinze, Parliamentary State Secretary and Government Aerospace Coordinator, and Professor Dr. Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), presented a biofuel project planned by Lufthansa. The project is backed by the government within the framework of its aviation research programme aimed at underpinning the sustainability of air traffic.

    In April 2011, Lufthansa is to begin a six-month trial with an Airbus A321 on scheduled com-mercial flights on the Hamburg-Frankfurt-Hamburg route. Pending certification, one of the aircraft’s engines will use a 50-50 mix of biofuel and traditional kerosene. The primary pur-pose of the project is to conduct a long-term trial to study the effect of biofuel on engine maintenance and engine life. During the six months trial, Lufthansa will save around 1,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions, said Lufthansa Chief Wolfgang Mayrhuber in Berlin today. “Luft-hansa will be the world’s first airline to utilise biofuel in flight operations within the framework of a long-term trial. This is a further consistent step in a proven sustainability strategy, which Lufthansa has for many years successfully pursued and implemented,” said Mayrhuber.

    Peter Hintze, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, said: “With its aviation research programme (LUFO), the Federal Government is supporting the German aviation industry in its efforts to master the technological challenges of establishing a safe and sustainable air traffic system. That backing is afforded within internationally comparable framework conditions.

    About 77 per cent of LUFO funding is directly or indirectly related to the environment and sustainability. Only an integrated research approach of the like practised in research net-works, above and beyond the classical discrete disciplines, offers the chance of achieving the ambitious climate protection objectives by 2020 and, simultaneously, safeguarding the technological competitiveness of the German aviation industry.”

    The “burnFAIR“ project dedicated to the testing of biofuel, unveiled by Lufthansa today, is a successful example of integrating research efforts for the purpose of realising climate care objectives. This project is part of an overall “FAIR” initiative (Future Aircraft Research), in which other issues – alongside biofuel compatibility – such as new engine and aircraft con-cepts or other fuels, e.g. liquified natural gas (LNG) are under study. The Federal Government is contributing a total of five million euros towards the “FAIR” initiative, of the total 2.5 million euros is earmarked for the Lufthansa “burnFAIR” project.

    Prof. Dr. Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), dwelt on the project background at the Berlin press conference: “Our “burnFAIR” project is designed to research the long-term alternatives to conventional aviation jet fuel. The object is to gather data on pollutants from biofuel in com-parison with conventional kerosene over a longer period. The measured pollution pattern related to diverse stresses in flight and the composition of the exhaust gases will allow us not only to draw conclusions about the compatibility of biofuel but also about the maintenance needs of aircraft engines. Since, above all, we expect a significant reduction in soot particles.

    Lufthansa is currently making intensive preparations for the practical tests. Aside from the actual research project, the acquisition of biofuel in sufficient volume and the complex logis-tics it involves is proving a challenge in the run-up to the trial. The aircraft, for example, will be fuelled only in Hamburg. Furthermore, an array of internal processes must be modified, since Lufthansa does not normally deploy a plane exclusively on a single route, but always in a rotation chain on flights to different destinations.

    The project will cost Lufthansa an estimated 6.6 million euros. “We know that biofuel is an issue we must address carefully. We can see the opportunities this fuel offers and give seri-ous attention to the debate on the requisite raw materials. But we first want to acquire expe-rience in daily practice in the use of biofuels. We are doing pioneering work in that no other airline to date has operated an aircraft engine with biofuel over a longer term,” observed Wolfgang Mayrhuber. “Our fuel is sustainable. No rain forest will be deforested for Lufthansa biofuel. In the procurement of biofuel, we ensure it originates from a sustainable supply and production process. Our licensed suppliers must provide proof of the sustainability of their processes.“

    Production of the bio-synthetic kerosene utilised by Lufthansa rests on the basis of pure bio-mass (Biomass to Liquid- BTL). The producer is Neste Oil, a fuel refining and marketing company from Finland. The company has years of experience in biofuel production and has cooperated with Lufthansa for many years. Certification of its biofuel is expected in March 2011.

    The use of biofuel is one element in a four-pillar strategy aimed at reducing overall emissions in air traffic. Ambitious environmental goals can only be achieved in future with a combination of various measures, like ongoing fleet renewal, operational measures such as engine washing and infrastructural improvements. Projects dedicated to these themes are also underway under the aegis of the aviation research programme. Thanks to new technologies, Lufthansa has improved its fuel efficiency by 30 per cent since 1991. Average fuel consump-tion per passenger is now down to 4.3 litres of kerosene over 100 kilometres.

    Deutsche Lufthansa AG
    Media Relations, FRA CI/P

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    NY: Hudson River Crash Update


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Tom Turner

    What: Piper PA-32 registered to LCA Partnership in Fort Washington, Pa flying out of Teteboro Airport to Ocean City and a Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tour Eurocopter AS 350
    Where: over the Hudson River between New York and Hoboken, New Jersey near West 14th Street
    When: Sat Aug 8 2009
    Who: Helicopter: 5 Italian tourists and a pilot;
    plane: pilot and 2 passengers (including a child)
    Why: The airplane flew into the helicopter. The impact (or rotors) severed off the plane’s wing. Both aircrafts are in the river. The helicopter is reported to have “dropped like a rock” when the aircrafts “clipped.”

    All bodies have been recovered.

    Though not necessarily considered directly responsible, two FAA employees (the plane’s air traffic controller and the ATC supervisor) have been put on administrative leave in connection with this crash. The ATC was engaged in inappropriate conversation, and the supervisor was not in the room as required.

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    Press Release – FAA Celebrates Recovery Act Funded First Responder Facility

    For Immediate Release
    January 24, 2011

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today celebrated the completion of an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting building at St. Louis Downtown Airport, East St. Louis, Ill., paid for with $4.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

    “This new facility in East St. Louis is one of the many Recovery Act projects that are helping make important safety improvements at airports around the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

    Recovery Act funds paid the full cost of building the structure, which will house employees and a fire and rescue vehicle. FAA regulations require airports with unscheduled passenger-carrying aircraft of at least 31 passenger seats to have a fire and rescue facility on airport property. St. Louis Downtown Airport now receives charter operations by unscheduled air carriers and commuter service about three times per week and was required to build this facility.

    “Airports need to be prepared for any emergency, and this facility will help ensure the safety of passengers and flight crews,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

    The St. Louis Downtown Airport is the third-busiest Illinois airport in number of operations, behind only Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway Airport. In fiscal year 2010, the airport had more than 111,000 takeoffs and landings.

    Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment as well as airport projects. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

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    FAA Needs To Improve Risk Assessment Processes For Its Air Transportation Oversight System


    Office of Inspector General Report

    On December 16, 2010, we issued our report on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Transportation Oversight System (ATOS). FAA uses ATOS to conduct surveillance of nearly 100 airlines that transport more than 90 percent of U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. While ATOS is conceptually sound, our prior reports have found that FAA needs to strengthen national oversight of the system. Following safety lapses at a major airline in 2008, the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transportation and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure asked us to assess weaknesses systemwide. Accordingly, our audit objectives were to determine (1) whether FAA has completed timely ATOS inspections of air carriers’ policies and procedures for their most critical maintenance systems; (2) how effective ATOS performance inspections have been in testing and validating that these critical maintenance systems are working properly; and (3) how well FAA implemented ATOS for the remaining Part 121 air carriers and what, if any, oversight challenges FAA inspection offices face.

    While FAA has worked to continuously improve ATOS, we found that FAA inspectors did not complete ATOS inspections of air carriers’ maintenance policies and procedures or systems performance on time. In addition, FAA transitioned all of its Part 121 inspection offices to ATOS at the end of 2007, but–due in part to training gaps–some inspectors for smaller air carriers had difficulty adapting ATOS to those carriers’ operations. We made seven recommendations to FAA to improve its data, training, and risk assessment processes for ATOS. FAA concurred with four of our seven recommendations and partially concurred with three.

    Read the full .PDF report here

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    NASA RESCHEDULES NEWS CONFERENCE ON STARDUST-NEXT COMET FLYBY

    PASADENA, Calif. — NASA has rescheduled the news conference about the Stardust-NExT comet flyby for 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST) today.

    The briefing will release images and early data from the comet encounter and will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

    The participants are:

    -Ed Weiler, NASA’s associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, Washington
    -Joe Veverka, Stardust-NExT principal investigator, Cornell University

    -Tim Larson, Stardust-NExT project manager, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
    -Don Brownlee, Stardust-NExT co-investigator, University of Washington, Seattle
    -Pete Schultz, Stardust-NExT co-investigator, Brown University

    The news conference was originally scheduled for 10 a.m. PST (1 p.m. EST). The additional time will allow scientists to process and analyze data and images gathered when the spacecraft flew past comet Tempel 1, with closest approach at a distance of 112 miles. The mission team had expected the closest-approach images to be sent first. Instead, the images were downlinked in chronological order, starting with the most distant approach views.

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