| |

Thai Carriers Face Flying Ban to US

Following a 5-day audit of Thailand’s aviation safety standards, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has pointed out several flaws that need to be addressed in order to continue flight service to the US.

The audit was conducted after Thailand’s DCA failed to address the concerns identified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) within the given 90-day period.

According to Thailand’s Transport Minister Prajin Juntong, the FAA has given them 65 days to fix the shortcomings and if they fail to do so, Thai carriers could face a ban on flying to the US.

The flaws identified by the FAA include shortage of qualified air safety inspectors and redundant inspection methods etc.

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

Similar Posts

  • | | | | | |

    SkyWest Airlines Plane Returns to Tucson International Airport

    A United airlines flight had to return and make an emergency landing at Tucson International Airport in Arizona, on February 7th.

    The plane, operated by SkyWest Airlines, took off for Los Angeles, California, but had to return shortly afterwards after the cabin filled with smoke.

    The plane landed uneventfully. All 73 passengers and 4 crew members were safely evacuated.

    The FAA is investigating.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    FAA Expands Air Traffic Education Program

    April 12–The Federal Aviation Administration announced today five new colleges and universities will be part of the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI). This is the third year the FAA has added schools to the AT-CTI program bringing the total number of schools participating to 36.

    The FAA AT-CTI program was first established in 1990 at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. The program helps recruit candidates for terminal and en route air traffic controller positions.

    Twenty-one institutions submitted applications early last year to join AT-CTI. The applications were evaluated based on the school’s organizational foundation and resources, organization credibility, air traffic basic curriculum and facilities.

    The five schools joining the program are: Sacramento City College, (Sacramento, CA), Florida Institute of Technology College of Aeronautics (Melbourne, FL), Texas State Technical College (Waco, TX), Western Michigan University (Battle Creek, MI), and Hesston College (Hesston, KS).

    CTI institutions are not given federal funds to teach air traffic control courses, however the FAA does provide curriculum and instructor notes on air traffic basics. The institutions independently incorporate the material into their aviation programs.

    The AT-CTI curriculum provides appropriate education, experience, and training which meet the basic requirements for the terminal and en route air traffic occupations. As a result, AT-CTI graduates may be permitted to bypass the initial five-week air traffic basics training when they report to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City.

    No jobs are promised to students, but from fiscal years 2005 until 2009 over 3,000, or 41 percent, of the air traffic controllers hired graduated from an AT-CTI school.

    AT-CTI programs are currently available at these institutions: Aims Community College (Colorado), Arizona State University, Broward Community College (Florida), Community College of Baltimore County (Maryland), Community College of Beaver County (Pennsylvania), Daniel Webster College (New Hampshire), Dowling College (New York), Eastern New Mexico University, Embry Riddle–Daytona Beach (Florida), Embry Riddle–Prescott (Arizona), Florida Community College of Jacksonville, Green River Community College (Washington), Hampton University (Virginia), Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, Mount San Antonio (California), Jacksonville University (Florida), Kent State University (Ohio), LeTourneau University (Texas), Lewis University (Illinois), Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colorado), Miami Dade County College (Florida), Middle Georgia College, Middle Tennessee State University, Minneapolis Community and Technical College (Minnesota), Purdue University (Indiana), St. Cloud University (Minnesota), Tulsa Community College (Oklahoma), University of Alaska, University of North Dakota, University of Oklahoma, and Vaughn College of Aeronautics (New York).

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    Press Release – FAA Accepts Final FTI Outage Review Panel Report


    For Immediate Release
    November 12, 2010

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today accepted the second and final report on the November 2009 telecommunications outage prepared by an independent review panel assigned to investigate the incident.

    FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt had asked the panel to examine the cause of the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) outage and to recommend strategies to reduce the potential for similar future outages. He also asked the panel to examine the FTI’s present and future architecture as it relates to emerging technology and future FAA systems.

    The FTI system operates 24 hours a day seven days a week and provides communication support for the National Airspace System. Harris Corporation operates and maintains the FTI for the FAA.

    Last April the FAA began carrying out the panel’s initial recommendations which included:

    • Developing new automated tools for making configuration changes to network devices
    • Increasing FTI workforce staffing during network maintenance
    • Developing an alternate means for the entry of flight plan information to limit the impact of telecommunications network failures on the flight plan entry system.
    • Creating two network enterprise management centers which give the FAA greater situational awareness of network activity and maintenance
    • Installing additional cybersecurity measures throughout the National Airspace System

    The final report on the FTI outage lays out 14 long-term strategic recommendations the FAA should pursue as it transitions to future network systems. The FAA has already begun evaluating and working through the recommendations which revolve around five areas:

    • Governance: the decision making process for FAA systems
    • Situational Awareness: FAA network monitoring and information sharing
    • Interoperability: data sharing between systems and stakeholders
    • Resilience: ability of a network to continue operating under a variety of conditions
    • Cyber Security: the ability to thwart, detect, and respond to any attempts to compromise the system.

    On the morning of Nov. 19, 2009 the FTI experienced an outage that resulted in system-wide delays. During the four-hour event, air traffic controllers managed flight plan data manually and safely according to FAA contingency plans. Air traffic control radar and communication were not affected during that time and critical safety systems remained up and running.

    The panel confirmed the FAA’s preliminary assessment that the November outage was caused by a series of errors in network maintenance and monitoring during a telecommunications upgrade.

    The panel is made up of the following participants: FAA Chief Information Officer David Bowen; Assistant to the President and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra; Department of Transportation Chief Information Officer Nitin Pradhan; Noblis CEO Amr Elsawy; former Director of Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems Vice Admiral (Ret) Nancy Brown; FAA Air Traffic Organization (ATO) CIO Steve Cooper; and FAA Assistant Chief Counsel for Acquisition and Commercial Law Patricia McNall.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | |

    Press Release – FAA Revokes Phoenix Heliparts Certificate

    For Immediate Release
    September 9, 2010
    Contact: Ian Gregor
    Phone: (310) 725-3580

    LOS ANGELES — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revoked the air agency certificate of Phoenix Heliparts, Inc., (PHI) of Mesa, Ariz., for allegedly performing improper repairs and deliberately falsifying maintenance records. PHI must surrender its certificate to the FAA, as required under the terms of the emergency revocation.
    The FAA alleges that PHI mechanics failed to follow its repair station and/or quality control manuals when repairing aircraft, and used incorrect parts. The FAA also alleges that on at least four occasions, the company made intentionally false entries in the aircraft maintenance records.

    “Safety is not optional for aviation companies. Whether repairing airplanes or helicopters, repair stations are required to follow maintenance rules and procedures,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

    Inspectors from the FAA’s Scottsdale Flight Service District Office inspected PHI Aug. 27, 2008, and found a variety of violations of the Federal Aviation Regulations. They included unauthorized use of an electronic recordkeeping system, failure to operate the maintenance shop according to its approved repair station and quality control manuals, and using unqualified people to perform the work.

    FAA inspectors reinspected PHI’s facility on Sept. 15 and 16, 2008, and discovered hundreds of additional discrepancies. These included identifying unserviceable parts as serviceable and retaining them for reuse; failure to document maintenance work and inspections; and failure to have and use approved data to guide major repairs and alterations.

    PHI performed major restoration work on a damaged Hughes 369 helicopter for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the department retained another company to inspect the helicopter before it returned to service. That inspection turned up more than 30 airworthiness discrepancies. The FAA also alleges company employees deliberately falsified maintenance forms, including a return-to-service authorization, when more than 100 items had not been inspected according to the company’s quality control manual.

    The FAA offered PHI numerous opportunities to correct its problems after the Aug. 27, 2008 inspection, but PHI was unable to bring the company into compliance.
    PHI can appeal the emergency nature of the revocation to the National Transportation Safety Board.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | |

    Thai Air Force Fighter Jet Crashes in Lopburi Province; Pilot Killed

    Royal Thai Air ForceA Royal Thai Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed in Khok Samrong district of Thailand’s central Lopburi province, at around 3 p.m. on February 20.

    The accident happened when the plane was participating in missile-launch training drill.

    According to Lopburi governor Thanakom Chongchira, “The pilot could not eject himself out of the plane in time.” Rescue teams found his body in the wreckage.

    The cause of crash is under investigation.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    Harrison Ford

    Wright Memorial Dinner

    Good evening, and thank you, Lisa [Piccione]. I’ve got to tell you … I had to resist the go-to move to, in the interest of safety, to spend some time talking about why doing “Indiana Jones” style stunts in an airplane would be a really, reallybad idea.

    But that’s not what tonight is all about. We’re honoring a pilot, a man who in spite of being a very well known celebrity has used his passion to serve as a springboard for aviation. Even in this room, Harrison Ford’s passion for aviation stands out. When he and I met and talked at a fundraiser at Oshkosh a few years ago, I learned pretty quickly that this is somebody who just loves aviation. Here’s a guy who is on Hollywood’s speed dial, and he wants to talk about hisidea of fun… which is actually a two-parter: flying, or talking about flying.

    In my book, he’s very clearly a student of the craft. Our system is as good as it isbecauseof him and people like him. There’s no special setting for pedigree on the yoke. You have to know your aircraft, and youhave to make sure that you’re both current and qualified when it comes to flying it.

    The good news here is that is exactly what we find in Harrison Ford. I’ve been flying now for almost five decades myself, and after a while you learn that you really can separate the ones that have it from the ones that don’t… Well, trust me, he’s got it.

    There’s a hangar in Santa Monica that shows he’s got it bad for things that fly. Fixed wing and rotorcraft rated. Walk in that hangar, you’ll find a Bell, a Beaver, a Husky, a Bonanza and a Caravan. He’s a one-man air show. That’s the inventory of someone who is a student of aviation.

    But I must tell you, that list of aircraft takes a back seat to what he has given toour industry. As chairman of the Young Eagles, he has been instrumental in giving our youth their first taste of aviation … their first flight. In his case, the word “chairman” was not a ceremonial title. You might expect that as chairman, he might have flow a fewyoungsters by himself. But you know what? He’s actually flown 306 … to be exact. That’s right kids; Han Solo is the pilot in command. Except you can bet those kids didn’t want to be Han Solo. They wanted to be Harrison Ford, the pilot.

    We’re always looking to ways to boost aviation… to inspire the next generation into aviation, especially to the youth of America. Here’s a guy who does it. We’re all about getting more science, more math, more engineering into our school curriculums. With aviation, you can do all three in with just a barrel roll or two. Wall Street can have Michael Douglas. We got Harrison Ford. Score one for aviation.

    Harrison has also been an outspoken advocate for aviation safety. He’s spoken up about runway incursions and airborne turbulence. His ticket shows me enough ratings to know that he’s not casual about aviation … he’spassionate. And when I talk about professionalism, I’m talking about the man we’re honoring here tonight.

    He has given much to aviation, but his legacy will be as a pilot… as an advocate… as a man whose passion is to enjoy the cockpit view of the horizon … and to give others a chance to do the same. And thatis a very fine legacy and certainly worthy of the honor he’s receiving tonight. Thank you.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.