FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — American Airlines said today that it has entered into an agreement with priceline.com to utilize American’s direct connect technology to access fares as well as customized travel products and services.
Priceline.com expects to begin issuing American Airlines tickets through the link in the near future. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The link is part of a long-term relationship between American Airlines and priceline.com.
FAAST Blast
Notice Number: NOTC2108
FAAST Blast — January 20, 2010
In anticipation of a large number of aircraft operating to and from the South Florida metropolitan area during the 2010 Pro-Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV weeks, special procedures will be used to enhance safety and minimize air traffic delays. Among the security provisions for this event are TFRs, two-way communications, and discrete transponder requirements.
Specific procedures for this event may be revised and access to some airports may be restricted. Pilots should be prepared to provide documentation, including personal identification, certificate number,aircraft ownership information, and a contact number. Pilots are also encouraged to check NOTAMs frequently to verify they have the most current information. TFR information is normally disseminated by FDC NOTAM three to five days prior to the event. Once published, text and graphic depictions of restrictions may be found on the following web site: www.tfr.faa.gov. The Super Bowl TFR is scheduled to be in effect on Feb. 7.
ADS-B Debuts in Gulf of Mexico
On January 12, 2010, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt announced that an improved satellite-based system – Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) – is now being used to more efficiently and safely separate and manage aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico.
“This is a significant, early step toward NextGen,” Administrator Babbitt said. “We’re delivering on time, a system that’s not only more accurate than radar but comes with significant safety and efficiency benefits. This will save time and money for aircraft operators and passengers and reduce our carbon footprint.”
Before the installation of ADS-B in the Gulf, controllers were required to maintain a 120-mile separation between aircraft. The new technology shrinks that to only five nautical miles, while increasing safety. The agency also can now provide more direct routes, which reduces fuel costs and improves efficiency.
This is the nation’s second major installation of ADS-B equipment. Controllers at Louisville International Airport started using the technology last fall. This year, ADS-B is expected to become operational at Philadelphia International Airport, as well as in Juneau, Alaska. It is expected to be available nationwide by 2013.
Finding and Fighting Fatigue
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” This simple Irish proverb offers some profound advice, especially to those involved in the aviation industry. Each year, fatigue is all too often a factor in aircraft-related accidents and incidents. Although airline operator mishaps garner the lion’s share of media attention, GA pilots and mechanics are subject to the same fatigue-related risks as are air carrier personnel.
According to “Finding and Fighting Fatigue” in the January/February 2010 FAA Aviation News, the solution is amazingly simple, yet often difficult to implement: Get more sleep. In addition to providing tips to help airmen develop better sleep habits, the article also provides a sleep log which helps readers gauge how much sleep they get during a two-week period. The authors offer some sobering facts about fatigue. For instance, did you know that your performance level after being awake for 20 hours is equivalent to that of a legally drunk driver? Be sure to check out the entire article for more tips on how to combat fatigue.
American Airlines flight AA-5359 had to divert and make an emergency landing in Birmingham, Alabama, on February 15th.
The plane heading from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Virginia, to Jackson, Mississippi, was diverted due to an engine failure.
The plane landed safely. All fifty-two people aboard remained unharmed.
EVERETT, Wash., Nov. 11, 2010 Boeing continues to investigate Monday’s incident on ZA002. We have determined that a failure in the P100 panel led to a fire involving an insulation blanket. The insulation self-extinguished once the fault in the P100 panel cleared. The P100 panel on ZA002 has been removed and a replacement unit is being shipped to Laredo. The insulation material near the unit also has been removed.
Damage to the ZA002 P100 panel is significant. Initial inspections, however, do not show extensive damage to the surrounding structure or other systems. We have not completed our inspections of that area of the airplane.
The P100 panel is one of several power panels in the aft electronics bay. It receives power from the left engine and distributes it to an array of systems. In the event of a failure of the P100 panel, backup power sources – including power from the right engine, the Ram Air Turbine, the auxiliary power unit or the battery – are designed to automatically engage to ensure that those systems needed for continued safe operation of the airplane are powered.
The backup systems engaged during the incident and the crew retained positive control of the airplane at all times and had the information it needed to perform a safe landing.
Molten metal has been observed near the P100 panel, which is not unexpected in the presence of high heat. The presence of this material does not reveal anything meaningful to the investigation.
Inspection of the surrounding area will take several days and is ongoing. It is too early to determine if there is significant damage to any structure or adjacent systems.
As part of our investigation, we will conduct a detailed inspection of the panel and insulation material to determine if they enhance our understanding of the incident.
We continue to evaluate data to understand this incident. At the same time, we are working through a repair plan. In addition, we are determining the appropriate steps required to return the rest of the flight test fleet to flying status.
Boeing will continue to provide updates as new understanding is gained.
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2010
SB-10-14
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said today that the use of data to manage and improve safety in the aviation industry has had a positive effect on the world’s improving aviation safety record but she cautioned against over-reliance on these systems to the neglect of forensic investigation.
Addressing a conference of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators in Chantilly, Virginia, Hersman noted that “we have reached an era when aviation accidents are extremely rare…” One reason is the use of data – particularly, but not exclusively, Safety Management Systems (SMS) – in accident prevention and investigation.
The Board has been advocating the use of SMS for a decade, having issued 17 recommendations in favor of implementing SMS in the aviation industry. When implemented correctly, Hersman said, “SMS holds real promise in a variety of scenarios.” She noted several instances where SMS helped
eliminate potential unsafe conditions, notably a corporate flight operation that used flight data to determine that high bank angles occurred on repositioning flights, and a review of commercial aircraft approach data that indicated a high rate of TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance
System) warnings at a particular airport. In these instances, she said, “data management adeptly identified a clearly measurable set of information and allowed for a relatively simple and effective solution.”
However, Hersman noted, SMS works well for companies that are already “getting it right,” but may provide little more than false confidence for companies with less than robust safety cultures.
Also, there are accidents caused by a combination of factors that SMS cannot possibly detect. As an example, Hersman mentioned the British Airways Boeing 777 crash at Heathrow Airport two years ago involving a dual engine failure on approach. It was not data analysis that solved the mystery, but detailed forensic analysis; the circumstances were so unusual that a data analysis system would not pick them up.
Hersman said she hoped that with all the focus SMS will place on data collection and analysis, “let’s not lose focus on outcomes. The success of SMS won’t be measured by how much data we collect, but by how many lives we save.”
“I will enthusiastically support any approach that will make our nation safer,” she said. “But I think we need a measured approach – one that acknowledges the potential benefits and limitations of SMS, and further, doesn’t discount tried and true methods for identifying vulnerabilities, such as accident investigations.”
American Airlines flight AA 3468 had to return and make an emergency landing at Greater Rochester International Airport, New York, on November 29th.
The plane took off for Boston, Massachusetts, but had to turn back due to a bird strike.
The plane landed safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
American Airlines flight AA-1696 made an emergency landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, on April 13.
The Boeing 737-800 departed LaGuardia Airport at around about 2:15 p.m. but had to divert to JFK shortly afterwards after a bird flew into its left engine. The flight was en-route to Miami, Florida at the time.
The plane landed safely and none of the 152 people aboard was harmed.
The airline arranged an alternate plane for the passengers.
