Aviation News, Headlines & Alerts
 
Author: <span>George Hatcher</span>

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Dash 7 Lands with Engine Shut Down


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Chaity

What: Berjaya Air de Havilland Dash 7-100 en route from Tioman Malaysia to Singapore
Where: Singapore
When: Nov 28 2010
Why: On approach to Singapore, the flight developed a problem with the right engine and had to shut it down. The flight landed safely.


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Finnair Airbus Aborts Takeoff


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Ilari Lehtinen

What: Finnair Airbus A340-300 en route from Hong Kong China to Helsinki Finland
Where: Hong Kong
When: Nov 27 2010
Who: 256 passengers
Why: The flight rejected takeoff due to some unexplained anomaly and at “low speed.” The plane braked safely on the runway, and took off again about an hour later.


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Continental: Fuel Leak in South Carolina


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer N94504

What: Continental Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Newark to Glasgow, SC
Where: Glasgow
When: Nov 24th 2010
Who: 158 passengers, 8 crew
Why: On approach to Glasgow, a fuel leak was discovered in the right engine. The pilot landed safely in Glasgow, but the return flight was cancelled, and the plane was scheduled for maintenance.

George’s Point of View


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Sun Way Crash in Pakistan

What: Sun Way Ilyushin IL-76 freighter en route from Karachi Pakistan to Khartoum Sudan
Where: Karachi
When: Nov 27 2010, 1:53
Who: 8 crew members
Why: While carrying 31 tons of supplies to the Sudan, the plane crashed near Dalmia. Everyone aboard perished in the crash and there were additional victims on the ground. Buildings in the Naval Housing Colony were on fire, 2 buildings destroyed.

Witnesses report that leaving Karachi, the right engine was on fire. The current report is 10 fatalities (The entire crew plus two persons on the ground.) Five bodies have been recovered.


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All Nippon Network/Air Nippon Terrain Warning


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Kevin Scott

What: All Nippon Network/Air Nippon Boeing 737-800 en route from Nagoya to Asahikawa
Where: Asahikawa Japan
When: Oct 26 2010
Who: 57 passengers and crew
Why: A controller at the Sapporo Area Control Center apparently forgot about minimum altitudes and instructed pilots of the All Nippon Network/Air Nippon jet to drop to 1,500 meters.

Area aircraft are not allowed below 3,000 meters.

Thirty minutes outside of Asahikawa, the plane instigated a EGPWS terrain warning which directed the crew to climb. The pull-up alarm alerts 20-30 seconds prior to projected ground impact.

The minimum safe altitude warning was triggered because over 2,197-meter Mt Pippu in Hokkaido. The plane corrected its height from (up to as close as) 220 meters above the peak to a greater clearance and made a safe landing thirty minutes later.

The Japan Transport Safety Board is investigating the incident.


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Air India Emergency Landing in Delhi

What: Air India en route from Delhi to Patna
Where: IGI Airport
When: Nov 25, 2010, 11:50 am (takeoff) 2 pm (landing)
Who: 120 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane developed technical problems, and returned to Delhi several hours later. The plane made a safe landing with no reported injuries.


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Newcastle: Snowy Runway Overrun


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer DOMINGOS PATENA

What: Thomson Boeing 737-800 en route from Lanzarote to Newcastle
Where: Newcastle
When: Nov 25th 2010
Who: 189 passengers
Why: It was snowing when the plane landed at Newcastle, and due to pavement conditions, the plane overran the runway. Passengers disembarked via stairs on the runway and were taken by bus to the terminal. Apparently no one was injured, but anyone who has been a passenger in a hydroplaning vehicle can sympathize with the passengers fear.


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Air France, Airbus Playing “Hot Potato” with Responsibility

Air France denies responsibility for the Air France Flight 447 crash, saying that they had raised concerns about the sensors before the crash.

If they did so, it would seem the memorandum they presented indicates that they were aware of the problem, and therefore responsible. Though Air France “submitted a memorandum to show it had taken ‘all possible precautions” after a series of earlier sensor failures,’ ” it would seem the memorandum would indicate that they were aware of a problem, and should have cancelled flights until the problem was corrected. Certainly passengers were not made aware that there was a potentially serious issue.

If Airbus had really been concerned, they would have installed the $50,000 backup system used by other carriers in the event of a multiple airspeed sensor failure.

Watching Air France and Airbus (and Thales) shift blame for the crash back and forth is like watching a child’s game of “hot potato.” When they are finished passing the buck, who ever ends up officially responsible, the victims are still just as dead. Time for someone to “man up.”

There are rumors that a request will be made to Transport Minister Thierry Mariani to continue the search for the black box. Three earlier searches failed, seeking the Airbus SAS A330, which crashed into the Atlantic on June 1, 2009, en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, killing all 228 people aboard. 6,700 square miles was searched for the acoustic pings, but the batteries are now dead, and searches changed to sonar imaging.

The BEA claims that only the black boxes will tell the truth of what happened but drags its feet in continuing the search. On May 6th 2010, a French deputy minister told the public that the black boxes had been found (meaning, apparently, that their general location had been pinned down.) That report was withdrawn. That fact, combined with the BEA reluctance to continue searching, has led to persistent rumors of a cover-up.

Private shareholders own 81.4% of Air France, 37% held by former Air France shareholders and 21% held by former KLM shareholders. The Government of France owns 18.6% of Air France—putting the BEA in the awkward position of heading an investigation where it has essentially owes 18.6% responsibility.

Air France was fined €310 million this month for price fixing. Read about their response to the fine


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Flawed Airbus Reverser Cancels Freight Flight


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Johannes Klinghardt

What: Emirates Airbus A340-300 en route from Zurich to Dubai
Where: Zurich
When: Nov 26th 2010
Why: On its takeoff run, pilots reported thrust reverser issues. They rejected takeoff and the flight was cancelled for maintenance.


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Russia: Helicopter Crashes, 7 dead, 3 survive

What: NARZ Mi-8T helicopter RA-22376 en route from Kyshtovka
Where: Strezhevoy, Omsk Region Krapivinskoye field
When: Nov 25, 2010, 12:12
Who: 7 crew
Why: It is reported that on approach, the helicopter went into uncontrollable rotation with subsequent separation of the end beam and the screw gear , then it fell on its side about 50 yards from the landing site. With tanks filled with fuel, they ignited, and the helicopter exploded. It was reported there were 7 crew fatalities and 3 surviving boat crew. Three survivors, who are in the hospital, are Chernov Stanislavski, Kosolapov Victor Ye, Laktyuhin Oleg. Two are stable, one has burns. The helicopter was carrying 1600 kg of food.


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Vueling Skids off Orly Runway


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Niklas Ahman

What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from Barcelona to Paris
Where: Paris
When: Nov 26th 2010
Who: 96 passengers
Why: While landing in snowy weather, the plane skidded off the runway. Passenger disembarked via stairs directly on to the runway, though they were taken by bus to the terminal.


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eptember 2010 Passenger Airline Employment Down 0.6 Percent from September 2009

Tuesday, November 16, 2010 – U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 0.6 percent fewer workers in September 2010 than in September 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today. This is the 27th consecutive decrease in full-time equivalent employee (FTE) levels for the scheduled passenger carriers from the same month of the previous year (Tables 1, 2). FTE calculations count two part-time employees as one full-time employee.

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the September FTE total of 377,676 for the scheduled passenger carriers was 2,248 below that of September 2009 (Table 3). Historic employment data can be found on the BTS web site.

Five network airlines – American Airlines, US Airways, Alaska Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines – decreased employment from September 2009 to September 2010. The sixth network carrier, Delta Air Lines, after completing its merger with Northwest Airlines, is reporting combined employment numbers in 2010 and reported 8.4 percent more FTEs in September 2010 than the combined totals of both carriers for September 2009 (Table 9). Network airlines operate a significant portion of their flights using at least one hub where connections are made for flights to down-line destinations or spoke cities.

All seven low-cost carriers reported more FTEs in September 2010 than in September 2009. They are Spirit Airlines; Frontier Airlines; Virgin America Airlines; Allegiant Air; JetBlue Airways; AirTran Airways; and Southwest Airlines (Table 12). Regional carriers Atlantic Southeast, Comair, Horizon Air, Mesa Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Shuttle America Airlines, and Lynx Airlines reported reduced employment levels compared to last year (Table 15).

Scheduled passenger airline categories include network, low-cost, regional and other airlines.

The six network airlines employed 377,676 FTEs in September, 67.7 percent of the passenger airline total, while seven low-cost carriers employed 17.0 percent and 18 regional carriers employed 13.9 percent (Table 4).

Delta employed the most FTEs in September among the network airlines, Southwest employed the most FTEs among low-cost airlines, and American Eagle Airlines employed the most FTEs among regional airlines. Six of the top 10 employers in the industry are network airlines (Table 6).

Beginning with October 2007 data, US Airways’ numbers are combined with numbers for America West Airlines in the network category. For previous months, America West’s numbers were included with the low-cost airlines.


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NTSB CITES LACK OF BIRD STRIKE RESISTANT WINDSHIELD REQUIREMENTS IN FATAL CRASH OF HELICOPTER IN LOUISIANA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 24, 2010
SB-10-45

NTSB CITES LACK OF BIRD STRIKE RESISTANT WINDSHIELD REQUIREMENTS IN FATAL CRASH OF HELICOPTER IN LOUISIANA

The National Transportation Safety Board today released a final report on a fatal crash involving a transport-category helicopter caused by a bird strike. The Board said the lack of requirements for bird strike-resistant windshields contributed to the crash, and called on the FAA to develop such requirements.

On January 4, 2009, a dual-engine Sikorsky S-76C++ helicopter (N748P), registered to and operated by PHI, Inc., crashed into marshy terrain near Morgan City, Louisiana approximately 7 minutes after takeoff from Amelie, Louisiana, on a charter flight to an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Both pilots and 6 of the 7 passengers were killed in the crash.

The aircraft had reached level cruise flight at 850 feet mean sea level and 135 knots when the cockpit voice recorder recorded a loud bang, followed by sounds consistent with rushing wind and a power reduction on both engines. The aircraft crashed several seconds later. Feathers and other bird debris were collected from the canopy and windshield of the aircraft. Laboratory analysis identified the remains as coming from a female red-tailed hawk; the average weight of such a bird is 2.4 pounds.

The investigation revealed that the impact of the bird on the canopy just above the windshield near the engine control quadrant likely jarred the fire extinguisher T-handles out of their detents and moved them aft, pushing both engine control levers into or near the flight idle position, reducing fuel to both engines. The pilots were probably disoriented from the broken windshield and rushing air and were unable to react in time to maintain control of the helicopter.

The helicopter was originally equipped with laminated glass windshields that complied with European bird-strike resistance standards. PHI replaced the windshields with lighter-weight, aftermarket cast acrylic windshields that did not have any bird-strike resistance standards.

The NTSB determined that the helicopter crashed because of the sudden loss of power to both engines following the bird strike and the subsequent disorientation of the crewmembers. Contributing to the accident, the Board said, were the lack of FAA regulations and guidance requiring helicopter windshields to be resistant to bird strikes, the lack of protections that would prevent the T-handles from inadvertently dislodging out of their detents, and the lack of a master warning light and audible system to alert the flight crew of a low-rotor speed condition.

Recommendations were issued to the FAA dealing with, among other things, the design of S-76C++ fire extinguisher T- handles and engine control quadrants, and similar designs of other helicopters, and of audible low-rotor alarm systems; certification standards for helicopter windshields; and simultaneous dual-engine power loss training for helicopter pilots.


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Mexico: Crash Kills 5

What: Fuerza Aérea Mexicana Antonov 32B
Where: Monterrey-General Mariano Escobedo International Airport, Monterrey Mexico
When: November 24, 2010, 14:36
Who: three officials and two crew members
Why: The Air Squadron 301 plane(#FAM-3101) attempted a takeoff from Monterrey-General Mariano Escobedo International Airport. The flight was to a military air base in Santa Lucia. After takeoff from runway 11, the plane crashed right of runway 16/34. The flight missed striking two jets.

The Mexican Department of Defense mourns Miguel Ángel García Posada, José passenger Carmen González Peña, the rider Victor Manuel Gabriel Martinez, Alberto Valenzuela electrical and mechanical Blanco José Luis Morales Hernández.

The original press release is below:

Lomas de Sotelo, D.F. a 24 de noviembre del 2010.

Se accidentó aeronave de la Fuerza Aérea Mexicana en Monterrey, N.L.

Lomas de Sotelo, D.F. a 24 de noviembre del 2010.- La Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional informa, que aproximadamente a las 1436 horas de esta fecha, el avión Antonov matrícula 3101 perteneciente a la Fuerza Aérea Mexicana, se accidentó en el aeropuerto internacional de la ciudad de Monterrey, N.L.

Dicha aeronave se encontraba destacada en el Escuadrón Aéreo 301 ubicado en la Base Aérea Militar No. 1, en Santa Lucía, Estado de México y cubría un vuelo logístico de Monterrey, N.L., con destino a la Base Aérea indicada.

El percance ocurrió al efectuar el despegue y lamentablemente fallecieron tres oficiales y dos elementos de tropa, integrantes de la tripulación.

El personal de Generales, Jefes, Oficiales y Tropa del Ejército y Fuerza Aérea Mexicanos, se suman a las expresiones de condolencias de nuestro Comandante Supremo, Maestro FELIPE CALDERÓN HINOJOSA, Presidente de la República, dirigidas a los familiares de nuestros compañeros de armas que perdieron la vida en el cumplimiento de su deber, a quienes se les proporcionarán los apoyos correspondientes y las prestaciones sociales a que tienen derecho.


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Emergency Landing in NY

What: Delta en route from New York to Moscow
Where: New York
When: Nov 21, 2010
Who: 193 passengers, 11 crew
Why: After takeoff, ATC saw flames and smoke. The flight returned to JFK. No fire was found, but a compressor stall may have occurred. The left engine was shut down and the flight returned to the airport. Another flight was scheduled departing at 8 for Moscow, for the passengers.


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Anchorage: UPS Lands in Smoke


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Carlos Aleman

What: UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Cargo Jet en route from Shanghai to Anchorage,AK
Where: Anchorage
When: Nov 21, 2011
Who: 7 crew
Why: The flight landed with crew reporting smoke. No fire was found.


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Southwest Airlines Names New Vice President of Network Planning

Southwest Airlines is pleased to announce John Jamotta as the new Vice President of Network Planning. John has been with Southwest Airlines and Network Planning–formerly known as Schedule Planning–since 1987, serving as Senior Director for the past seven years and leading the integrated planning function within Network Planning.

“We are proud to announce John’s new role at Southwest Airlines as Vice President of Network Planning,” said Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President of Strategy and Planning. “We have seen a number of significant and exciting changes for Southwest Airlines recently, including the potential to add the 737-800; the addition of destinations such as Panama City Beach, Charleston, and Greenville/Spartanburg; and the continued press into New York City through the acquisition of Newark slots. Productively growing the network is at the heart of those changes, while at the same time it’s vital that we stay true to our core network fundamentals that have sustained us for nearly 40 years. John’s Leadership will help us shape our network strategy as we look to the future.”

The Network Planning department at Southwest is comprised of a Team of exceptionally talented Employees, who manage Southwest’s flight schedules, routes, capacity planning, integrated planning, and network development as well as conducting operational and traffic analysis.

John is a Leader in advancing technology innovation as tools for the scheduling and planning disciplines. He has also been active in the Company’s efforts to proliferate its culture within the organization, and to the communities it serves. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines, John worked for Pan Am in both ground operations and in management. Originally from New York, John has a Psychology degree from St. John’s University in New York City. For a photo of John Jamotta, please visit: www.swamedia.com/photos.

After nearly 40 years of service, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers — offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the nation’s largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded; now serving 69 cities in 35 states. Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report(TM). Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,100 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.


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Jetairfly Receives Next-Generation 737 With New Boeing Sky Interior

SEATTLE, Nov. 24, 2010 / — Boeing and Brussels-based Jetairfly today celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first Next-Generation 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior. Jetairfly, part of TUI Travel PLC, the largest tourism group in London, is the first European-based airline to operate a 737 with the new passenger-inspired interior.

“The 737’s operating and environmental performance continues to make this airplane a valuable asset to our fleet,” said Elie Bruyninckx, chairman of Jetairfly. “We continue in our efforts to reduce our carbon output and improve the flying experience for our passengers, and we are proud to be the first airline based in Europe to operate with the new Boeing Sky Interior.”

The 737 Boeing Sky Interior features new, modern-sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, larger stow bins and more headroom around the aisle seats. Other features include a quieter cabin, intuitive placement of switches and call buttons, improved sound quality and different interior lighting schemes.

“We congratulate Jetairfly on the delivery of its first 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales & Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Jetairfly’s incorporation of the Boeing Sky Interior and its passenger-pleasing features will reinforce its position as Belgium’s leading holiday airline.”

Watch a video of the Jetairfly airplane and its new interior here: http://www.twitvid.com/ZVSJP.

The Boeing Sky Interior is the latest in a series of improvements to the airplane. Since the Next-Generation 737 was introduced in 1997, customers have taken advantage of continuous improvements to this best-selling airplane that have made it even more efficient, reliable and passenger-friendly. Next to come will be a package of performance improvements that will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 2 percent – making the airplane a full 7 percent more efficient than the first Next-Generation 737 delivered. The performance improvements to the airframe and engine will be in service by early 2012.

To date, 50 customers have ordered the new interior for 1,386 airplanes.


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DHL Freight Flight Landing Delayed due to Light Bulbs


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Tiago Palla

What: DHL Air Boeing 757-200 freight flight en route from Valencia to Marseille
Where: Marseille
When: Nov 23rd 2010
Who: flight crew
Why: On final approach, the plane indicated a gear problem. Pilots aborted the landing and entered a holding pattern. A fly by revealed the gear was down. The flight made a safe landing. Maintenance made minor repairs and the plane was back in service within hours.


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Binghampton Emergency Landing

What: United Airlines/Colgan Air Saab 340B en route from Binghampton to Washington DC
Where: Binghampton
When: Nov 24 2010
Who: 33 passengers
Why: On takeoff, the flight developed an indication of a fire in the left engine. The pilot returned to Binghampton, and made a safe landing. After passengers evacuated, the problem was discovered to be due to a sensor fault.


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AIA Adds New Members to Extend Record

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — AIA enrolled three new full members last week to reach its highest total membership in history, standing at 136 full and 185 associate members.

“In challenging economic times, AIA’s strong representation is essential to protecting the business interests of the nation’s aerospace and defense industry,” said AIA President and CEO Marion C. Blakey. “We extend our congratulations to our new members and look forward to helping establish new opportunities for all of our members.”

AIA’s new full members added to its roster this month include:

Aero-Mark, LLC is an aviation investment and operating company with more than 25 years of experience in the aviation sector. Its current major holding, Certified Aviation Services LLC, provides line and heavy maintenance services to airlines and modification of special purpose aircraft. CAS is headquartered in Ontario, Calif., and operates at 25 airports throughout the United States.

Colt Defense LLC, together with its subsidiaries, is one of the world’s leading designers, developers and manufacturers of small arms weapons systems. The company’s portfolio of products and services meets evolving military and law enforcement requirements around the world. In addition, Colt Defense designs, develops and produces weapon launch systems mounted on and working in conjunction with military aircraft and rotorcraft. Colt has supplied weapons systems to governments worldwide for more than 160 years.

Comtech AeroAstro, Inc. is a leader in satellite systems, components and advanced communications technologies. Comtech AeroAstro combines revolutionary technologies and a unique systems engineering approach to provide dramatically lower cost spacecraft and components to government and commercial customers.


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NTSB PRESS RELEASE: NTSB CITES LACK OF BIRD STRIKE RESISTANT WINDSHIELD REQUIREMENTS IN FATAL CRASH OF HELICOPTER IN LOUISIANA

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 24, 2010
SB-10-45

The National Transportation Safety Board today released a
final report on a fatal crash involving a transport-category
helicopter caused by a bird strike. The Board said the lack
of requirements for bird strike-resistant windshields
contributed to the crash, and called on the FAA to develop
such requirements.

On January 4, 2009, a dual-engine Sikorsky S-76C++
helicopter (N748P), registered to and operated by PHI, Inc.,
crashed into marshy terrain near Morgan City, Louisiana
approximately 7 minutes after takeoff from Amelie,
Louisiana, on a charter flight to an oil rig in the Gulf of
Mexico. Both pilots and 6 of the 7 passengers were killed
in the crash.

The aircraft had reached level cruise flight at 850 feet
mean sea level and 135 knots when the cockpit voice recorder
recorded a loud bang, followed by sounds consistent with
rushing wind and a power reduction on both engines. The
aircraft crashed several seconds later. Feathers and other
bird debris were collected from the canopy and windshield of
the aircraft. Laboratory analysis identified the remains as
coming from a female red-tailed hawk; the average weight of
such a bird is 2.4 pounds.

The investigation revealed that the impact of the bird on
the canopy just above the windshield near the engine control
quadrant likely jarred the fire extinguisher T-handles out
of their detents and moved them aft, pushing both engine
control levers into or near the flight idle position,
reducing fuel to both engines. The pilots were probably
disoriented from the broken windshield and rushing air and
were unable to react in time to maintain control of the
helicopter.

The helicopter was originally equipped with laminated glass
windshields that complied with European bird-strike
resistance standards. PHI replaced the windshields with
lighter-weight, aftermarket cast acrylic windshields that
did not have any bird-strike resistance standards.

The NTSB determined that the helicopter crashed because of
the sudden loss of power to both engines following the bird
strike and the subsequent disorientation of the crewmembers.
Contributing to the accident, the Board said, were the lack
of FAA regulations and guidance requiring helicopter
windshields to be resistant to bird strikes, the lack of
protections that would prevent the T-handles from
inadvertently dislodging out of their detents, and the lack
of a master warning light and audible system to alert the
flight crew of a low-rotor speed condition.

Recommendations were issued to the FAA dealing with, among
other things, the design of S-76C++ fire extinguisher T-
handles and engine control quadrants, and similar designs of
other helicopters, and of audible low-rotor alarm systems;
certification standards for helicopter windshields; and
simultaneous dual-engine power loss training for helicopter
pilots.


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Delta Flight Diverts to Jacksonville


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer John E. Jauchler

What: Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-88 en route from Detroit to Miami
Where: Jacksonville
When: Nov 23 2010
Who: 70 passengers and 5 crew
Why: While en route, the flight developed an engine problem and diverted to Jacksonville. The plane made a safe landing.
http://flightaware.com


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Wrongheaded Industry Reassessing Vulnerable Pitot Tubes vs Ice Procedures instead of Brainstorming Next Generation

Pitot tubes use external air temperature and pressure to calculate changes in speed. Ice crystals that get caught in pitot tubes are considered a contributing factor in a dozen significant events, and the crash of Air France flight 447. As a result of ice crystal accumulation, air temp and pressure readings are false, autopilots shut off, pilots lose altitude readings and receive false warnings. In a fly by wire plane, this is disastrous. In Air France Flight 447, it killed everyone aboard the plane.

Today’s news is full of aviation-safety experts looking for changes in procedures and more-precise checklists. There’s a lot of buzz out there about a new study. I hope that the study, as it has been explained, is not just about adapting to broken technology. I hope this is not the only study out there.

Air France and Boeing are now examining how these ice crystals function (or more correctly, malfunction.) That seems wise.

But one questions why the next step of the anti-icing drive will be to get consensus on how pilots should respond to pitot tube failure.

George’s Point of View

This is like figuring out the best way to drive on a flat tire, instead of making a tire that doesn’t go flat. Sure, pilots should have procedures, but shouldn’t a study be designed with the ultimate goal being to give the pilots a dependable speed sensor, not methods how to mitigate an oncoming disaster? Are designers afraid to trade a known quantity, even though it is flawed, for something unaffected by ice crystals? Even if it is cheaper for airlines to figure out how to muddle on with existing systems than to devise an alternative technology to pitot tubes, shouldn’t the focus of studies be on creating technology that is not disabled by ice crystals?

Not being an engineer myself, I have no ideas on the subject—but somewhere there’s an aviation engineer with a brilliant idea of either a safe design of reconfigured pitot tubes or a completely different system. Let us hope that engineer is able to step up, and be recognized. But it may not be so simple. Apparently Airbus and Air France had been aware of chronic pitot tube problems for years and were content to continue using the same design anyway.

Come on engineers. It’s time for a better mousetrap.


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AFA-CWA Files Interference Charges Against Delta Air Lines Management

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) today filed formal interference charges with the National Mediation Board (NMB) against Delta Air Lines management alleging unlawful conduct during the recent flight attendant representation election.

Delta management compromised the secrecy of the ballot by urging flight attendants to vote on company-controlled work computers that could track whether they clicked on the NMB’s internet voting site. In addition, hundreds of Delta/Northwest flight attendants have reported coercive and unfair methods used by management to influence the results of the recent union election.

Feedback includes reports of the company’s anti-AFA literature, excessive supervisor surveillance and meddling, and repeated supervisor phone calls to flight attendant homes telling them to vote.
“Delta and Northwest flight attendants deserve the opportunity to freely participate in an election without being intimidated by management and heavy-handed efforts to keep them from gaining a voice,” said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. “Delta management launched the largest anti-union campaign in history and spared no expense in attempting to destroy the collective bargaining rights that Northwest flight attendants have worked to maintain for over 60 years. We now call on the NMB to conduct an exhaustive investigation of these charges and hold Delta executives accountable for their actions.”

If the NMB finds sufficient evidence that election interference occurred, it can order a new election that will allow flight attendants to decide representation in a free and fair manner. On November 3, the NMB counted 9,216 votes in favor of union representation for Delta flight attendants and 9,544 votes against.

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