George’s Point of View
Time goes by quickly but not quickly enough when you are dealing with grief and mourning a loved one. Was it only two years ago? In 2007, on July 17, 187 people in Porto Alegre boarded a Tam Airlines Airbus A320. For six of them, it was just another day at work. 187 of them had plans in São Paulo, Brazil. There were also a dozen others already in Sao Paulo who were going about what they thought would be a normal day–but it was the last day of their lives.
On July 17, people filled out their date books, never knowing it would be for the last time. They made phone calls, packed suitcases, shook their heads over the rising cost of gasoline.
On July 17, husbands and wives and children parted at their doors or at the airport, said their goodbyes, had hugs and kisses as they went off to work, on business trips or on vacation, never knowing that this kiss, this hug, this goodbye was the final goodbye.
I know these families. I have sat in rooms with you, listening to your voices break as you recall those you lost. To many people, July 17 may be just a day, but as for you, I have seen on your face tears that will never dry. Those who were lost on that Tam flight will always be remembered on this sad day. President Lula may have ordered four days of mourning, after which the rest of the world moved on; but there are 199 families for whom the days of mourning will never end.
For you, July 17 will always wear a face.
What is there to say to those 199 lives that have left holes in the world?
We remember you. We remember you. We remember you.
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Flight 1549: A Small Irony
What: Smoketown Banners Piper PA 18 en route from NJ
Where: Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island
When: January 15, 2010
Who: pilot
Why: While engaged in flying a 4,000-square-foot sailcloth banner marking the one year anniversary of the Hudson River emergency landing, the cylinder on the plane’s engine blew, and the pilot had to make an emergency landing. The pilot is shaken but uninjured; and the plane will be towed to New Holland, Pa.The plane’s banner said “If you died today, would you go to heaven or hell? John 14:6”
George’s Point of View
Although the banner’s intent is being summarized as “marking the anniversary” of US Airways Flight 1549’s safe Hudson River landing, a lot of planes flew on Jan. 15, many of them also over the Hudson River location. One might expect that the banner of a flight whose only purpose was to “remember” the anniversary would actually mention Flight 1549 or Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.
One might even wonder at the irony—or synchronicity—of a pedantic bible verse crash landing on a landfill. What would have happened if the banner had said “Thank you Sully” or “1549” or “Remember the miracle” or even “Remember” ?
Was today’s landing an accident, a publicity stunt, or a message?
On the ground, on January 15th 2010, there was a reunion of the survivors of flight 1549.
Do I think the words on that banner were condescending? superfluous? gawky? lumbering? bunglesome?
Well, let me express it this way:
Even without any well-meant instruction from the client who hired the banner flight, in every breath the survivors of Flight 1549 have taken since January 15th 2009 3:31 pm., they have tasted a sweeter blessing than the rest of us can ever guess.
And how does ANY ONE mock that blessing with some pompous, portentous, pretentious homily?
Does the Cutting Edge Cut too Far?
Bombardier is promising their new C series planes will “cut greenhouse gas emissions, ensure substantial fuel savings and be four times quieter .”
Let’s hope all these cuts don’t also sacrifice safety along with heavier materials. As far as safety is concerned, will the new planes made of “lightweight composite and aluminum lithium materials, built to accommodate stricter environmental standards and” well-built airplane(s) … capable of withstanding turbulence” be sacrificing the safety of sturdier construction and time-tested safety features to reach optimistically green standards?
How will these new lighter planes fare when subjected to unexpected turbulence, which is commonplace in realistic day to day flying conditions? I have no answers, only questions.
@JetBlue #LoveforNoah Lights the World
Too fast for Sunday delivery of USPS, UPS or Fed Ex.
If you ask Victoria Haller which is the better airline, she’ll tell you it is JetBlue. That’s because she’s the aunt of Noah Pozner, one of the victims of the massacre in Newtown Connecticut; and when a friend tweeted airlines asking if one could get family letters to Connecticut in time for Noah’s funeral so family letters (including that of Victoria’s five year old son) could be buried with his cousin Noah, JetBlue stepped up. Jetblue called back and made it happen. The letters went from Aunt Victoria to JetBlue flight attendant Craig M. to flight attendants Trisha and Heather.
The letters made it from Seattle to Connecticut in time for the 1 p.m. funeral.
All of this was tracked on Twitter (search the hashtag #LoveforNoah), Huffington Post, MSN, UPN, Jspace, etc…
It does the world good to hear of your kindness. When someone takes an extra step, goes beyond, it reminds us that businesses are not made of steel and ink and the bottom line; they are built of human beings. We are all human, and sometimes we are all we have. JetBlue is an example to us all. A simple act of kindness. A light in the darkness. Thank you.
Air blue Crash Heirs Case Hits Immobile Object
If you’re wondering about the Airblue 202 case, it has run into the politics of Pakistan. The situation has been piled high with difficulty. Even though I am an optimist and see opportunity in every difficulty, even though I have a great team of attorneys in Pakistan, and a great team here in the states coordinating on this case, there comes a time when we must realize where we stand. Despite our efforts, with the present laws and political situation, helping the families is like patching shattered glass with paste. It has been a very difficult to make things stick. Or to change metaphors, it has been an uphill climb.
The Flight: 28 July 2010, Airbus A321, Air Blue Fight 202, en route from Karachi to Islamabad
146 passengers and 6 crew members flew into a mountain near the airport. Witnesses wondered why it seemed as if “the plane had lost balance, and then we saw it going down.”
Why it was flying so low? Why did it strike the mountain? Audio and a report were released that seemed to answer those question—lack of coordination in the flight crew.
Our study of the audio indicates the pilots are served tea early on, then…
- Confusion ensues in the cockpit, caused by some unknown reason.
- Wrong settings introduced into the settings that were already abnormal.
- A tower operator who had gone for coffee was complacent.
- Aircraft flew lower than normal.
- Abnormal personality traits/interaction reflecting mistakes in the cockpit.
- Weather and apprehension and strange out of norm complacency by the FO when he realizes they are going to die
When the audio was released and studied, it became clear there was no teamwork between the pilot Perve Iqbal Chaudhary and the first officer Muntajib Ahmed.
The pilot had 35 years and more than 25,000 hours of flying experience but made inexplicable mistakes and demeaned the co-pilot. The first officer was aware of the danger and tried to amend the situation but he had been so disheartened beforehand by sharp questions putting the first officer “in his place.”
He was unaccountably meek for a former F-16 Pakistan Air Force fighter pilot. The pilot did not properly respond to Air Traffic Control directives and automated cabin warning systems and flew the plane into a mountain. Air Traffic Control responses were less than professional. The first officer appeared helpless and ineffective.
On January 17,2013, two and a half years after the accident, the Peshawar High Court closed proceedings for the Airblue compensation case.
Counsel was directed to withdraw the client’s petition from the Islamabad High Court or the the Peshawar High Court. The client refused to do so on the basis that the cases were different. The court closed the case because the heirs of the victims had had filed an independent lawsuit at Islamabad High Court.
We believed the Airblue compensation case had merit. The pilot committed the error. The first officer was ineffective. They were Airblue employees.
Yes, there was pilot error, but the airline is doubly responsible, because the flight crew did not have adequate CRM training. (COCKPIT Resource Management/Crew Resource Management) Absolutely what happened in the case was the result of the airline failing to establish a working protocol.
It’s like children at school practicing a fire drill so they know what to do when a crisis occurs. Fire drills save lives. They prevent missteps in the face of danger. They give the people in trouble a set of directions to follow that will get them out of the jam they are in. A drill answers questions ahead of time, so precious time is not wasted figuring out what to do. Without the drill, what happens when disaster strikes? Chaos. Loss of life.
I feel bad for the people. First they lose their families. Then they don’t get all the compensation available to them.
Take a look at the safety recommendations from the report (pasted below).
See how 3.1-3.5 and 3.7 all duplicate the same working environment issue? Investigators recognize the troubled working environment. Today’s flight crews are taught CRM which means they have safe practices in place in case the captain is incapacitated and starts to fly into mountains like the captain of Air Blue 202.
But realistically, will recommendations change AirBlue? Will Air Blue be able to implement non-traditional interpersonal relations on the job? And if they can not, how will they ever fly safely with a first officer culturally unable to do his job?
The first officer was ineffective in securing the plane; and sadly, the court appears to be equally as ineffective in getting justice for some of the heirs of the victims.
Re: Investigation Report -AB-202 CHAPTER – 13 :
SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
13.1 All aircrew be re-briefed on CFIT avoidance and Circling Approach procedures
and a strict implementation of this procedure be ensured through an intensive
monitoring system.13.2 Aircrew scheduling and pairing being a critical subject be preferably handled /
supervised by Flight Operations.13.3 The implementation of an effective CRM program be ensured and the syllabus of
CRM training be reviewed in line with international standards.13.4 Existing aircrew training methodology be catered for standardization and
harmonization of procedures.13.5 Human factor / personality profiling program for aircrew be introduced to predict
their behaviour under crises.13.6 Instrument landing procedure for RWY-12 be established, if possible.
13.7 Safety Management System be implemented in ATS as per the spirit of the ICAO
document (doc. 4444).13.8 New Islamabad International Airport (NIIA) be completed and made functional on
priority13.9 Visual augment system (Approach Radar Scope) be installed in control tower to
monitor the positions and progress of aircraft flying in the circuit.13.10 Review of the existing Regulations for the compensation and their expeditious
award to the legal heirs of the victims be ensured.13.11 Adequacy of SIB resources comprising qualified human resource and equipment
be reviewed.13.12 Information to public on the progress of the investigation process through the
media by trained / qualified investigators of SIB be ensured on regular intervals.13.13 NDMA be tasked to acquire in-country airlift capability for removal of wreckage
from difficult terrain like Margalla etc. As an interim arrangement, some foreign
sources be earmarked for making such an arrangements on as and when
required basis.13.14 Civil Police Department be tasked to work out and ensure effective cordoning and
onsite security arrangements of crashed aircraft wreckage at all the places
specially remote / difficult hilly locations.13.15 Environment Control Department be directed to recover the ill effects of
deterioration / damages caused to Marghalla hill due to the crash.How to Freeze, Suffocate, or Brain Damage Yourself; Or Terror at 38,000 Feet
Everyone following Aviation News by now has already heard of the sixteen-year-old boy who rode stowaway in the wheel well of a 767 from California to Kahului Airport in Maui Hawaii, surviving impossible conditions of 38,000 feet. Surviving outside of a plane is nothing short of a miracle. Conditions outside of a plane in flight are sub-human, making suffocation a certainty; and if one somehow were to manage the lack of air, then the trick would be surviving freezing conditions and decompression sickness. Hypoxia is almost a certainty at -80 degrees Fahrenheit, with no air.
Most people who attempt such a feat end up frozen solid, or fall off. Plus, should I not mention that an emotional sixteen year old who ran away from home should not be able to breach airport security;
Should not be able to survive the trip;and after he did, the story
… should not be publicized in such a way that future idiots be inspired to follow in his idiocy. Newscasters may as well have posted an invitation to every idiot, prankster, and t-word in town.
So all you stupids inspired to save yourself the cost of a plane ticket, if you are inspired to sneak on to a wheel well because you have a winter coat, and think you’re invincible, the truth is that this is how idiots die.
In George’s Point of View Of course, the story is the breach of security not that the kid survived. Obviously in a real-life kind of way, it’s good the boy survived. Obviously in a real-life kind of way it is horrible and stupid that his survival is now going to be an idiot’s guide. But now let’s talk about what happened here.
Security failed so many times and so many ways that it boggles the mind. The perimeter of the airport should not have been breached; the security of the plane should not have been breached; and on arrival, the boy should immediately have been discovered. At least the ground crew did eventually find the boy “wandering the tarmac, dazed and confused.” But then the news got ahold of the story and made it global. Good job, news people.
In an interview at San Jose airport the spokesperson there said that no security is 100 percent fool proof.
I disagree. Airport security, access to planes, especially those planes ready to board passengers and take off must be fool-proof.
There are just too many fools out there.
TSA security checks at airport are tedious and essential. Security cannot afford to have one single gun or nut job to get through their security wall, not a single one.
Someone in California PLUS someone in Hawaii failed to do their job. Multiple someones. Aren’t security checks deliberately redundant? Surely someone at Hawaiian Airlines failed in a last-minute maintenance and/or security walk-around.
I do find it ludicrous that all of these security experts and specialists interviewed for news programs about this security breach, industry professionals like the grounds operations coordinator at O’Hare, essentially post detailed “how to” instructions to climbing inside a wheel well.
This is a wake-up call to security teams to plug the holes in their process, just as it is a wake—up call for idiots looking to die at 38,000 feet. Let’s hope the next one who tries this blunders into a security hole that has been filled with a smart security operative with some inescapable handcuffs in his pocket. Then let’s see how the news covers it.
IATA Partnership Boosts SMS Development
George’s Point of View
SMS development is a good thing, but we shouldn’t abandon black boxes.
Airbus wants to replace black boxes with “a more secure system” of real time satellite transmission.
The thing is we HAVE black box technology now. We should keep using it.
Aviation authorities should mandate the usage of both–keep what’s in place as a backup, and go for the real time data relay also. Not everything works as expected, all of the time, so all possible fail-safes should be employed. It’s not just that all that record-keeping keeps everyone honest; in the case of aviation, all those records will keep people alive.
Real time is not fail-proof, but a FANTASTIC idea. The question of cockpit recordings that infringe on the pilots privacy is going to hang in the air unanswered for now while the real time system is tested and perfected.
The privacy issue is an interesting factor. Some real time conversation in a cockpit is simple camaraderie–a workplace environment thing that makes a working environment comfortable. Plus it works better than coffee to keep the pilots awake and generally on task.
No one likes to work with someone looking over their shoulder. Eventually this may become an issue as authorities will inevitably over-regulate the degree of cockpit conversation–bound to be a factor when one considers the Hudson river crash where air traffic control (not pilots) were discussing cat bbq rather than doing their jobs; and the Colgan Air/Pinnacle cockpit recordings that exposed training deficits just before the icing crash in Buffalo .
The point is that we have the technology; we should use it. It will help save lives.
The IATA is the sixty year old international trade body of aviation, which represents, leads and serves the airline industry in general and is made up of about 230 airlines (93% of international air traffic.) The Superstructure Group has become an IATA partner. The Superstructure Group is developing the STEADES exchange system, provides technology and consultancy services to meet information needs and is bringing realtime SMS software to the aviation industry.
IATA Partners are listed here:
http://www.iata.org/sp/partners_all.htm