Agency

Public, government, national and international agencies

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    Aussie Aviation engineers urged to learn about new rules

    All licensed aircraft maintenance engineers, apprentices and aircraft maintenance engineers are being urged to attend a seminar on Australia’s new aviation maintenance regulations.

    All licensed aircraft maintenance engineers, apprentices and aircraft maintenance engineers are being urged to attend a seminar on Australia’s new aviation maintenance regulations.

    A series of 13 seminars on the new maintenance rules are being held by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority across the nation from mid March to mid April.

    Seminars are being run in all capital cities, except Canberra, as well as Newcastle, Wagga and Cairns.

    The new maintenance regulations come into effect on 27 June 2011.

    All licensed aircraft maintenance engineers (LAMEs) with current licences will have them converted to the new regulations before 27 June 2011. It is expected new licences will be issued in early June.

    LAMEs with licences that expire before the end of June are reminded to renew their existing licence.

    While LAMEs will retain their current privliges under the new rules it is important they understand how the new regulatory system operates and its impact on all sectors of the aviation maintenance industry.

    Apprentices and aircraft maintenance engineers also need an overview of the rule changes.

    Importantly, under the new rules there will be a focus on safety management systems and human factors training will be introduced for maintenance organisations which support regular public transport operations.

    The new maintenance suite of regulations covers all LAMEs, all maintenance training organisations, maintenance organisations maintaining regular public transport aircraft and regular public transport air operators.

    Revised maintenance regulations for other sectors of aviation such as charter, aerial work and private operations will be developed at a later date, after wide consultation with these sectors.

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    FAA, Europe Sign NextGen Research Agreement

    March 3–The FAA and the European Union formally signed an agreement today to work together on research aimed at providing seamless air traffic service to aircraft flying between the United States and Europe.

    The agreement, signed in Budapest, calls for both sides to research the interoperability of avionics, communication protocols and procedures, as well as operational methods under NextGen and its European counterpart, the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR). Carey Fagan, the FAA’s executive director for international affairs, signed for the U.S. Pal Volner, state secretary for transport for Hungary, and Siim Kallas, EU vice president and commissioner for transport and mobility, signed on behalf of the EU.

    The agreement encourages industry participation on both sides of the Atlantic, ensuring the development, harmonization and use of the best technologies available. The collaborative arrangement will lay the foundation for expanding air traffic modernization around the world.

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    Wildlife Hazard Mitigation Program Facts Released

    Background
    For almost 50 years, the FAA’s wildlife hazard management program has focused on mitigating wildlife hazards on or near airports through various methods including habitat modification, harassment technology, research, and partnerships with academia, military, government, and the aviation industry. The FAA has two wildlife staff biologists who manage the FAA’s wildlife program through the airport regulations (Part 139); advisory circulars and manuals; education and outreach; data collection; and memorandums of agreements and understanding with other government agencies, and the military.
    FAA Wildlife Hazard Mitigation Efforts
    In 2009, following the USAir 1549 bird strike and emergency landing in the Hudson River, the FAA started a number of new initiatives, including:
    National Wildlife Strike Database Goes Public
    On April 24, 2009, the FAA made its entire bird strike database available to the public. Previously, only portions of the database were publicly available. The FAA began collecting data in the 1990s for use by the FAA, academia, and researchers as a means to improve airport safety and reduce wildlife hazards. Over the last three years the FAA has received 21, 489 strike reports – 7,545 strikes in 2008; 9,484 in 2009; and 4,460 through July 2010.
    Certification Alert
    The FAA issued a certification alert to airport operators on June 11, 2009, reminding them of their obligation under the FAA regulations to conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments if they experience a triggering event such as wildlife being ingested into an aircraft engine. The FAA provides Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds for assessments and for the development of a follow-on Wildlife Hazard Management Plan, if needed.
    Mandatory Wildlife Hazard Assessments
    The FAA initiated rulemaking in late summer 2009 to make assessments mandatory whether or not an airport has had a triggering event. The FAA plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking later this year for Part 139 airports.
    Wildlife Hazards at General Aviation Airports
    The FAA’s Office of Airports is initiating a program to encourage general aviation (GA) airports to conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments. The FAA will support GA airports by making Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants available to conduct an assessment. The assessments will help the airport operator understand the nature of wildlife in the vicinity. It can lead to the preparation of a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan to implement measures to mitigate the risk of wildlife strikes.
    Level of Reporting and Mandatory Reporting
    In a report dated December 2009, Dr. Richard Dolbeer and SRA International, Inc., estimated that the total number of reported strikes has increased from 20 percent during the period from 1990-1994 to 39 percent from 2004-2008 at the Part 139 airports. Although the number of reports has increased, the number of damaging strikes has not risen. Dolbeer and SRA attributed this to the successful implementation of professionally-run wildlife hazard programs at many certificated airports. Dolbeer determined the current level of reporting (39 percent) is statistically valid and is sufficient for the FAA to develop national trends and mitigation policies, making mandatory reporting unnecessary. The study did identify some reporting gaps among certificated airports, air carriers, and from general aviation airports, that have prompted the FAA conduct educational outreach with the aviation community to emphasize the importance of wildlife strike reporting and to close the reporting gaps.
    Redesigned Web Site
    The FAA redesigned the wildlife hazard web site to make it more user-friendly and to allow more advanced data mining. The new site, FAA Wildlife Strike Database, has search fields that enable users to find data on specific airports, airlines, engine types, as well as the date and state, without having to download the entire database.
    Online Strike Reporting
    The FAA developed mobile application software to make strike reporting easier. Now, anyone who needs to report a wildlife strike can do so via the web or their personal data devices such as the Blackberry and iPhone.
    “One-Stop-Reporting”
    The FAA also has made strike reporting easier by creating a generic web service. When airline and airport employees report a wildlife strike the information is automatically sent to the FAA’s wildlife database.
    Continuing Wildlife Hazard Efforts
    Avian or Bird Radar Technology
    In 2001, the FAA began working with the United States Air Force to develop a radar system for detecting and tracking birds on or near airports. Because of the rapid development of avian radar, the FAA switched its research focus and began evaluating commercially available avian radar. Specifically, the FAA wanted to know how airport operators could use the technology to help implement their wildlife hazard mitigation programs.
    Commercial avian radar systems are designed to detect birds flying on and in the vicinity of an airport and to provide information about the bird targets in terms of position and direction of movement. The target information can be displayed in the form of text, visual display or map. People who need the data will then be able to use that information to mitigate the risks associated with the bird activity and aircraft safety.
    The Center of Excellence for Airport Technology (CEAT) at the University of Illinois has served as the FAA’s research partner for the performance assessments. CEAT selected airports based on size, type of operations, weather condition, and the wildlife programs at the airports. The initial avian radar systems were deployed at Seattle-Tacoma and Whidbey Island Naval Station in 2007, Chicago O’Hare in 2009, and John F. Kennedy and Dallas-Fort Worth in 2010.
    The goal of the avian radar evaluation program is to deploy commercially available avian radar systems and complete assessments that document the performance of the radar. In November, 2010, the FAA published a performance specification in the form of an advisory circular, which airports can reference to competitively purchase bird radar systems. The specification provides the operational guidelines for airport operators to competitively acquire avian radar systems to enhance wildlife hazard mitigation practices.
    The FAA will continue to evaluate commercially available avian radars and emerging sensor technologies such as phased array radar systems. These systems send beams out in all directions rather than using the standard revolving radar antenna. Phased array radar systems eliminate the time delay for scanning that is incurred with standard revolving radar. A new research effort will begin at the end of 2011 and will examine the feasibility and practicality of having pilots and air traffic controllers use aviation radar data to further reduce the likelihood of collisions between birds and aircraft.
    FAA-Smithsonian Interagency Agreement
    The FAA’s working relationship with the Smithsonian goes back to the 1960s, when the two agencies, along with the military and aircraft manufacturers, began working together to identify the bird species from remains after a strike. Bird identification helps airfield personnel implement habitat management schemes that discourage birds from airfields and provides information so aircraft manufacturers can better design engines and aircraft to withstand the impact of bird collisions. The FAA has provided financial support to the Smithsonian to identify bird remains from civil aviation bird strikes as a free-of-charge service to any United States-registered aircraft, regardless of where the strike occurred, and foreign carriers if the strike occurred at a United States airport. The Agency also provided funding for another Smithsonian program for bird strike identification using DNA technology.
    United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
    For the last 15 years, the FAA and the USDA have conducted a research program to make airports safer by reducing the risks of aircraft-wildlife collisions. The research efforts designed to improve wildlife management techniques and practices on and near airports include:
    Methods for making airport habitats less attractive to species that are the most dangerous in terms of aircraft collisions. This is accomplished by studying which species use the airport property, how they behave in that environment, and why they are attracted;
    Techniques for controlling species by restricting access to attractive features like storm water ponds; and
    Technologies for harassing and deterring hazardous species.
    FAA Partnerships and Outreach
    Bird Strike Committee USA
    The FAA cosponsors the Bird Strike Committee-USA as part of its continued public outreach and education effort to increase awareness within the aviation community about wildlife hazards. This is an international forum where biologists, engineers, airline personnel, and others come together to exchange ideas and learn about the latest technology to mitigate wildlife hazards. The FAA has three members on the Bird Strike Committee – one wildlife staff biologist and two airport safety certification inspectors.

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    Nama Goes Digital GPS

    Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is moving to the satellite-based navigation framework known as WGS84″. IATA has been contracted at a cost of ?360 million. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS is carried out through the World Geodetic System 84 (WGS84) survey. The federal government will bear the cost of 22 airports controlled by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) including two others owned by the Akwa Ibom and Gombe State governments.

    So far the project has begun at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja; Port Harcourt Airport, Rivers; and Aminu Kano Airport, Kano.

    Pilots using the system will rely on the satellite to navigate to the airport.

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    FAA Announces Improvements

    Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the completion of the expansion and renovation of the passenger terminal at the Pitt-Greenville Airport in Greenville, N.C. The project was paid for with $7.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

    “Investing in projects like this is critically important to helping us compete in the global economy,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These improvements at Pitt-Greenville Airport will result in business and employment opportunities in North Carolina that will strengthen America’s future economic competitiveness.”

    The Pitt-Greenville Airport terminal was expanded to a two-story structure that meets current floodplain standards. The airport was severely flooded during Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Improvements include a departure waiting area for passengers, two additional gates and a security checkpoint.

    “Recovery Act dollars have given FAA an additional tool to maintain and improve airport infrastructure across the country,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
    Under the Recovery Act, more than $1.3 billion have been made available nationwide 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, equipment and airport projects. These grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation flights.

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    FAA Proposes $227,500 Civil Penalty Against Dover Chemical

    ATLANTA– The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a $227,500 civil penalty against Dover Chemical Corporation of Dover, Ohio, for alleged violations of federal hazardous materials regulations.

    The FAA alleges that Dover Chemical offered sulfur monochloride, a hazardous material, to United Parcel Service for transportation by air from Hammond, Ind., to Dover on June 15, 2010. The hazardous materials regulations prohibit carriage of sulfur monochloride aboard any type of aircraft. The chemical’s vapors are poisonous if they are inhaled.
    Dover Chemical allegedly offered the material when it was not packaged, marked, classed, described, labeled or in condition for shipment as required by regulations. UPS workers at the carrier’s sorting hub in Louisville discovered the shipment because it had leaked.

    Dover Chemical has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

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    FAA Announces Recovery Act Funded Improvements

    Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the completion of the expansion and renovation of the passenger terminal at the Pitt-Greenville Airport in Greenville, N.C. The project was paid for with $7.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

    “Investing in projects like this is critically important to helping us compete in the global economy,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These improvements at Pitt-Greenville Airport will result in business and employment opportunities in North Carolina that will strengthen America’s future economic competitiveness.”
    The Pitt-Greenville Airport terminal was expanded to a two-story structure that meets current floodplain standards. The airport was severely flooded during Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Improvements include a departure waiting area for passengers, two additional gates and a security checkpoint.

    “Recovery Act dollars have given FAA an additional tool to maintain and improve airport infrastructure across the country,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

    Under the Recovery Act, more than $1.3 billion have been made available nationwide 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, equipment and airport projects. These grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation flights.

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    LUNAR AND PLANETARY CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION

    HOUSTON — NASA researchers and other scientists will present findings that provide new insights into the evolution of the solar system during the 42nd annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.

    The conference will run March 7-11 at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, 1601 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, Texas.

    Key events include the unveiling of future planetary science strategy; early science results from a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency mission, called Hayabusa, that returned the first particle samples from an asteroid; presentations about the recent comet Hartley 2 flyby; and the upcoming MESSENGER mission, the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.

    The conference also will include a briefing about the Planetary Decadal Survey at 5:30 p.m. CST on March 7. The survey is a strategy released by the National Research Council in Washington to prioritize missions, research areas and observations ten or more years into the future. The briefing’s featured speaker will be Steve Squyres of Cornell University. He is the survey’s chair and principal investigator for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers.

    News media representatives interested in registering or obtaining more information should visit:

    http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2011/

    The conference is hosted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute in . The institute is managed by the Universities Space Research Association, a national, nonprofit consortium of universities chartered in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences at NASA’s request.

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    Aircraft Accident Rate is Lowest in History – Still Room for Improvement, Regional Concerns Remain

    Tokyo – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the aviation safety performance for 2010 showing that the year’s accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft as the lowest in aviation history.

    The 2010 global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jet aircraft) was 0.61. That is equal to one accident for every 1.6 million flights. This is a significant improvement of the 0.71 rate recorded in 2009 (one accident for 1.4 million flights). The 2010 rate was the lowest in aviation history, just below the 2006 rate of 0.65. Compared to 10 years ago, the accident rate has been cut 42% from the rate recorded in 2001. A hull loss is an accident in which the aircraft is destroyed or substantially damaged and is not subsequently repaired.

    “Safety is the number one priority. Achieving the lowest accident rate in the history of aviation shows that this commitment is bearing results. Flying is safe. But every fatality is a human tragedy that reminds us of the ultimate goal of zero accidents and zero fatalities. We must remain focused and determined to move closer to this goal year by year,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    In absolute numbers, 2010 saw the following results:

    • 2.4 billion people flew safely on 36.8 million flights (28.4 million jet, 8.4 million turboprop)
    • 17 hull loss accidents involving western-built jet aircraft compared to 19 in 2009
    • 94 accidents (all aircraft types, Eastern and Western built) compared to 90 in 2009
    • 23 fatal accidents (all aircraft types) compared to 18 in 2009
    • 786 fatalities compared to 685 in 2009

    IATA member airlines outperformed the industry average with a Western-built jet hull loss rate of 0.25. That rate is equal to one accident for every 4 million flights. The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) became a condition of IATA membership from 1 April 2009. All 234 IATA member airlines are now on the IOSA registry. The IOSA registry is open to all airlines and it currently consists of over 350 airlines.

    “The numbers tell the story. In the first full year after the IOSA became a condition of IATA membership, the accident rate for IATA carriers has never been so low. The data confirms that IOSA is helping to drive safety improvements around the world. It is an important part of a comprehensive safety strategy involving governments and industry working together to further reduce the number of accidents and fatalities,” said Bisignani.

    There are significant regional differences in the Western built jet hull loss accident rate:

    • North America (0.10), Europe (0.45), North Asia (0.34) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (0.0) performed better than the global average of 0.61
    • Asia-Pacific was higher than the global average at 0.80 in 2010 and about the same from the previous year (0.86)
    • The Middle East and North Africa region saw its accident rate fall significantly to 0.72 (compared to 3.32 in 2009) with only one accident involving a carrier from the region
    • Latin America & the Caribbean reported a higher accident rate of 1.87 with four airlines from the region involved in accidents, compared with a zero accident rate in 2009
    • Africa had an accident rate of 7.41, which was lower than the 2009 rate of 9.94. While showing improvement, Africa once again has the worst rate in the world. There were four Western-built jet hull losses with African carriers in 2010. African carriers are 2% of global traffic, but 23% of global western-built jet hull losses.

    Safety in Africa

    In 2010, the accident rate of IOSA carriers in Africa (for all aircraft types) was more than 50% better than non-IOSA airlines. Among IATA’s efforts in Africa, it established the IATA Program for Safe Operations in Africa (IPSOA). IPSOA ensured that flight data analysis tools are available to all IATA carriers in Africa, and as of the last quarter of 2010, all IATA carriers have this essential safety tool in place. IPSOA will provide IATA with the data needed to develop safety programs targeted at specific challenges in the region.

    “Flying must be equally safe in all parts of the world. An accident rate in Africa that is over 12 times the global average is not acceptable. Improvements can happen. IATA’s African carriers performed significantly better than non-IATA airlines in the region. I encourage all governments in the region to make use of the IOSA tool to boost the region’s performance,” said Bisignani.

    An analysis of the causes of the 2010 accidents focuses on several areas:

    Runway excursions, which are instances when an aircraft departs the runway during takeoff or landing, were once again the most common cause of accidents, accounting for 21% of all accidents in 2010 (vs. 26% in 2009). The number of industry runway excursions accidents dropped by 13% (20 vs. 23 in 2009) and IATA members have reduced their runway excursion accidents by 43% since 2008 (4 vs. 7 in 2008).

    IATA analysis shows about 35% of runway excursions on landing occurred on wet runways. Another leading cause of runway excursions on landing is an “unstable approach,” where the aircraft is approaching too fast, too high, or touches down beyond the desired runway touchdown point. IATA is working with industry and regulators to address this safety challenge.

    In 2009, IATA released the Runway Excursion Risk Reduction (RERR) toolkit which provides high-level reference material as well as an in-depth analysis of runway excursion accident data and a compilation of significant risk factors. The toolkit also provides recommendations for operators, pilots, airports, air traffic management, and regulators. A major update to the RERR toolkit is planned for the spring of 2011 and will bring together all major international safety organizations in a collaborative effort to eliminate these types of accidents.

    Ground damage accounted for 11% of all accidents in 2010, improved from 17% in 2008 when IATA launched the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) to address this challenge. ISAGO is the industry’s first global standard for the oversight and auditing of ground handling companies. The program, containing over 400 standards, was launched in February 2008 and the first audits took place in May of the same year. To date, a total of 288 audits have been conducted and 56 providers operating at 81 different locations are already on the ISAGO registry. The program has gained broad support from several aviation authorities and airports and has been mandated in Lebanon and Turkey.

    Data Driving Further Improvements

    Further improvements to the industry’s safety performance will be guided by data that can assist airlines in identifying trends and initiate preventive measures. IATA established the Global Safety Information Center (GSIC) in 2010. This interactive website is a one-stop resource combining safety data from sources such as IOSA and ISAGO audits, flight data analysis, pilot reports and accident investigations without compromising commercial privacy.

    “Safety is a constant challenge. Industry and governments need to accelerate their efforts on data sharing. In 2010, IATA launched GSIC providing its members with unprecedented access to safety information. More than 430 different organizations are already submitting safety data into the GSIC, and over 50% of IATA member carriers are participating. Substantial GSIC expansion is planned over the next few years and the industry will reap the benefits,” said Bisignani.

    In September 2010, IATA signed an historic agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the US Department of Transportation and the Commission of the European Union to launch the Global Safety Information Exchange. This first global private/public partnership will exchange safety information aimed at improving safety by reducing risk.

    “Safety is not a competitive issue—among carriers or governments. Improvement is in everybody’s interest. By sharing data and best practices we will continue to drive improvements to make a safe industry even safer,” said Bisignani.

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    ICAO: CLEAR, PROACTIVE AND TARGETED STRATEGY TO MANAGE SUSTAINED GROWTH IN TRAFFIC

    MONTRÉAL, 17 February 2011 – The annual number of passengers worldwide will increase from 2.5 billion to 5 billion over the next 20 years and the number of flights from 26 million to 50 million, Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of ICAO told a luncheon hosted by the French Chamber of Commerce in Canada today.

    The major challenge for the air transport sector will be to manage this sustained growth and, at the same time, improve the safety, security and sustainability of civil aviation.

    “Our strategy is clear, proactive and targeted,” said Mr. Benjamin before a gathering of leaders of the Franco-Canadian business community.

    Through its Global Air Navigation Plan, ICAO will facilitate the harmonization of a variety of large scale regional programmes to be implemented by States in the next 10 years to upgrade their national aeronautical infrastructures.
    To reduce the number of accidents occurring during take-off and landing at airports, today’s leading cause of serious accidents, the United Nations agency has adopted a multi-disciplinary approach involving the relevant government entities and industries.

    Special efforts will also be undertaken to promote closer cooperation between civil and military aviation authorities, which will lead to more efficient use of airspace for the benefit of all users.
    As concerns security, “Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the wait times at checkpoints are as short as possible and that the measures deployed are unnoticeable to passengers, while providing the highest level of protection,” the Secretary General explained.

    This will require proactive measures including the application of improved technologies for the detection of prohibited items, the further strengthening of international standards, more effective sharing of security information, the continuation of the mandatory audits by ICAO, and assistance to States that lack the expertise or resources to develop their aviation security systems.

    Finally, although aviation accounts for a very small proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, Mr. Benjamin presented a bold strategy for the aviation sector. “What matters most is that we stick to our targets of zero emissions growth as of 2020 and a 2 per cent annual fuel efficiency improvement up to the year 2050, on the basis of a global approach that takes into account technological progress, operational improvements, market-based measures and sustainable alternative fuels for aviation,” Mr. Benjamin concluded.

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    Airline Passengers Benefit as Flight Attendants Gain Ground on Sanitation and Temperature Standards

    Flight Attendants Get Cabin Health and Safety Standards in Senate’s FAA Reauthorization

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2011 e-USNewswire/ — Members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) put key U.S. Senate offices on speed dial in a successful call-in campaign to press for long-overdue health and safety protections: Yesterday, the Senate defeated an attempt to strip OSHA protections for Flight Attendants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Bill. The amendment to remove health and safety protections for Flight Attendants and passengers, including sanitation and temperature standards in the aircraft cabin, was rejected by a 52-47 party line vote.

    “No sanitation standards in the passenger cabin. Really???” said Veda Shook, AFA International President. “It is not funny. To date, OSHA has been kept out of the aircraft cabin and that means Flight Attendants and passengers are subject to an environment absent sanitation standards, temperature standards and proper procedures for clean up of biohazards. This is inexcusable and our union of Flight Attendants will not rest until we get the OSHA protections for passengers and crew. We applaud the Senate for taking this action today and we implore the House to act quickly to include the same provision in their version of the bill.”

    For Flight Attendants, each day on the job brings potential exposure to turbulence, severe air pressure changes, unwieldy service carts, broken luggage bins, balky exit doors and door handles, exposure to toxic chemicals, unruly passengers, communicable diseases, and emergency evacuations. As a result, safety and health violations occur on a daily basis for Flight Attendants yet the Federal Aviation Administration, which claims exclusive jurisdiction over the safety and health of crew members on civil aircraft, has failed to extend basic OSHA protections afforded to other workers across the country.

    The Association of Flight Attendants has already begun a targeted grassroots advocacy campaign to implore members of the House to include the health and safety provisions for Flight Attendants and passengers. The FAA Reauthorization bill has been extended 17 times over three years, delaying critical safety and health protections for Flight Attendants and the traveling public

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    OIG: FAA Fulfilled AARA

    ACTION: FAA Fulfilled Most ARRA Requirements in Awarding Airport Grants Federal Aviation Administration Report Number AV-2011-053
    From: JeffreyB.Guzzetti Assistant Inspector General
    for Aviation and Special Program Audits

    February 17, 2011
    JA-10
    Memorandum
    On February 17, 2009, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA),1 designating $1.1 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to invest in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) projects. These funds were intended for airport projects that could achieve several key goals, including investing in transportation infrastructure to provide long-term economic benefits, create jobs, and promote economic recovery. ARRA established tight timeframes for distributing and expending funds and emphasized preference for projects that could be completed in 2 years.

    In August 2009, we issued an advisory to the Office of the Secretary outlining our concerns with FAA’s process for awarding ARRA grants.2 We questioned the economic merit of some lower scoring projects and highlighted several ARRA recipients with grant management problems identified in prior single audit reports.3 Based on these preliminary findings, we initiated this audit to determine the extent to which FAA’s process for awarding ARRA grants complied with ARRA requirements and other associated guidance.4 We conducted this audit from September 2009 through December 2010 in accordance with government

    American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111–5 (2009). OIG Advisory Number AA-2009-003, “FAA’s Process for Awarding ARRA Airport Improvement Program Grants,” August 6, 2009. OIG reports are available on our website: www.oig.dot.gov. Single audit is a mechanism relied upon by Executive Branch agencies to oversee financial compliance and grant 4 assurances. For the purpose of this report, we define “requirements” as a collective term to refer to ARRA statutory requirements, Presidential direction, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and FAA guidance related to ARRA implementation.

    Read the entire PDF 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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    Air Transport Association Congratulates Senate on FAA Bill Passage That Furthers NextGen and Creates Thousands of U.S. Jobs

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today congratulated Chairman Jay Rockefeller, Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison and the Senate for passage of the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act (S.223), which will help create jobs and modernize the air traffic control system. A modernized air traffic management system will improve operational efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and lower airline operating costs.

    “This bill moves the United States toward our goal of enabling a safe, sustainable and profitable airline industry that provides good value to customers and promotes global competitiveness,” said ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “We applaud the leadership and significant work to pass a bill that reflects a continued commitment to safety and modernization of the air traffic control system by requiring that FAA establish and track performance metrics.”

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    Press Release – FAA Proposes $585,725 Civil Penalty Against Corporate Air

    For Immediate Release
    SEATTLE – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $585,725 civil penalty against Corporate Air of Billings, Mont., for allegedly operating a Shorts SD-3-30 twin-turboprop cargo aircraft when it was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

    The FAA alleges Corporate Air failed to maintain the aircraft under the company’s general maintenance manual, which requires daily post-flight inspections that include examining the exterior skin for corrosion. In addition, the maintenance manual requires structural inspections on the basis of flight hours or flights.
    The FAA alleges that Corporate Air operated the aircraft in violation of regulations on at least 81 revenue flights between Dec. 21, 2009 and Feb. 4, 2010 with corrosion that had not been detected during the post-flight inspections. The FAA also alleges that structural inspections were not conducted at the required intervals, between Mar. 16, 2006 and Feb. 3, 2010, in violation of federal regulations.

    Corporate Air operates charter and air taxi service under Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations and makes daily feeder cargo flights under contract to a major next-day air package airline.

    “Keeping aircraft well-maintained and in good condition must be a top priority for any operator,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “All operators must comply with maintenance requirements.”

    Corporate Air has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
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    Safety from the Ground Up

    February 17, 2011–GA pilots know that flight preparation takes a good deal of planning and coordination. With so many checklists and steps, it is easy to overlook another important component of a safe flight: ground safety. In his article, “Safety from the Ground Up,” pilot, mechanic, and FAA Safety Briefing associate editor Tom Hoffman walks you through some essential ramp risk management strategies to ensure a smooth take-off. Beginning at home, before you even head out to the airport, start by picking the right clothes appropriate for the weather and to protect yourself from ramp safety hazards. Look out for foreign object debris on ramps and taxiways to avoid damage to your aircraft. Use and be attentive to signals indicating that aircraft propellers are moving to avoid devastating accidents. Read about these and other essential components of ground safety on page 11 of the January/February 2011 issue of FAA Safety Briefing at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/.

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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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    Adoption of Security Roadmap Key Step In Countering Terrorism

    MONTRÉAL, 15 February 2011 – The adoption of a roadmap by 14 ICAO Member States to further protect global air transport from terrorist and other security threats was praised today by the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Raymond Benjamin, at the conclusion of a two-day regional aviation security conference in New Delhi.

    Among the measures included in the roadmap are actions that States will take to strengthen security screening procedures by ensuring that professionals are appropriately trained and equipped. Air cargo security will be enhanced through working with Customs authorities on common goals. Capacity-building assistance to States in need in cooperation with ICAO, other States and the aviation industry is emphasized in the roadmap.

    The conference was the first in a series on implementing the ICAO Declaration on Aviation Security, unanimously adopted by the Organization’s Assembly last October to deal with known, new and emerging threats to civil aviation.

    “The challenge, OUR challenge, is to turn commitment into action. Terrorism is a global problem that requires global solutions,” Mr. Benjamin emphasized when urging participants to develop the roadmap during the opening of the conference.

    “This roadmap is a key step in addressing the security challenge and can serve as a model for other regional aviation security conferences, culminating in a global security conference planned for next year at ICAO Headquarters in Montréal,” Mr. Benjamin indicated.

    In support of the roadmap’s initiatives, Mr. Benjamin pointed to ICAO’s ongoing collaboration with the air transport industry on a security checkpoint of the future concept to improve the effectiveness of passenger and carry-on baggage screening at airports. ICAO is also working with the World Customs Organization to establish best practices for air cargo security.

    The Government of India, through the Minister of Civil Aviation, is to play a leading role in the implementation of the roadmap in the region through technical cooperation and other initiatives.
    Attachments
    EN.pdf

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    Aerospace Industries Association Supports FAA Reauthorization Act

    ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — AIA supports the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011 (H.R. 658) as introduced by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation Feb. 11.

    “We’re very pleased with the Committee’s decision to address environmental streamlining, third-party performance-based navigation procedure design and the establishment of NextGen performance metrics,” said AIA President and CEO Marion C. Blakey. “These policies will make our air transportation system more efficient and also protect the investment of the American taxpayer.”

    Blakey’s testimony before the subcommittee Feb. 9, outlined a number of initiatives to improve FAA efficiency and capitalize on the experience of the private sector.
    “This is a good bill,” said Blakey. “It’s fiscally responsible to fully fund programs like NextGen, which have a strong economic and environmental return on investment and help the FAA carry out its fundamental safety mission.”

    AIA also commended the committee’s acknowledgement of the benefits of bilateral aviation safety agreements and a risk-based inspection regime when applied to repair station oversight. These carefully negotiated agreements make FAA more efficient, enhance the agency’s international safety oversight and help protect U.S. jobs.

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    Founded in 1919 shortly after the birth of flight, the Aerospace Industries Association is the most authoritative and influential trade association representing the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft systems, space systems, aircraft engines, homeland and cybersecurity systems, materiel and related components, equipment services and information technology.

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    FAA Forecast Predicts Air Travel to Double in Two Decades

    “NextGen” Investments Necessary to Meet Airspace Demands

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its annual forecast today predicting that air travel will more than double in the next 20 years. This report underscores the need to keep the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) on track to accommodate future growth.

    “We need to invest in aviation today to make sure America’s economy remains competitive,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “Innovative NextGen technology will help meet the demands of the future by getting passengers to their destinations safely and more quickly.”

    Today’s release of the FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2011-2031 predicts that U.S. airlines will reach the one billion passengers-per-year mark by 2021, two years earlier than last year’s prediction of 2023.

    Through NextGen, the FAA is transforming the U.S. aviation system from radar- to satellite-based systems that will help passengers reach their destinations more quickly and will increase capacity and safety. New, more precise routes will also reduce fuel burn, carbon emissions and noise.

    “We are already seeing the tangible safety and efficiency benefits of NextGen,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “Only a modernized air transportation system will be able to keep up with our forecasted demand.”

    The aviation standard to measure air travel volume is Revenue Passenger Miles (RPM) or one paying passenger traveling one mile. According to the forecast, RPMs are projected to more than double over the next two decades, from 787 billion in 2010 to 1.7 trillion in 2031.

    The FAA 20-year forecast predicts the number of passengers traveling on U.S. airlines will increase by 3.5 percent from last year to 737.4 million passengers in 2011. That figure is projected to grow an average of 2.8 percent each year during the remaining forecast period to 1.3 billion by 2031.

    Total landings and takeoffs at FAA towered airports are forecast to slightly decrease in 2011, and then grow at an average annual rate of 1.6 percent each year, reaching 69.4 million in 2031.

    Additional details on the forecast, including a detailed breakdown on general or private aviation, cargo demand, and landing and takeoff operations at airports and FAA facilities can be found in the FAA Forecast Fact Sheet Fiscal Years 2011-31 .

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    Actions Needed To Meet FAA’s Long-Term Goals for NextGen

    On February 16, 2011, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Transportation testified before the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics regarding the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) efforts to develop and transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The Inspector General noted significant challenges FAA faces in achieving its long-term goals for NextGen across two areas: (1) addressing schedule delays and cost overruns with the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) program–without ERAM, other programs intended to provide more efficient data sharing and airspace routes will not be possible–and (2) reaching consensus with partner agencies on key research and development efforts that will affect the cost, schedule, and capabilities of NextGen. The Inspector General also highlighted several management actions that FAA can take now to strengthen FAA’s management of long-term NextGen initiatives. These include clarifying responsibility within FAA for critical NextGen development areas, finalizing performance goals and metrics for NextGen, establishing an integrated budget document to align and track all partner agencies’ NextGen resources, and fully leveraging the technology portfolios of partner agencies to assist with NextGen development.

    See the Statement of the Honorable Calvin L. Scovel III Inspector General U.S. Department of Transportation

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    Newfoundland Sikorsky Crash: Final


    Pictured: Couger-owned Sikorsky S-61N Helicopter
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Phil Earle
    On March 12, 2009, about 0926 ADT, Atlantic Daylight Time, a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter, Canadian registry C-GZCH, operated by Cougar Helicopters, impacted the waters of the North Atlantic about 28 miles east of Cape Spear near St. John’s, Newfoundland. There were two pilots, Pilot Matthew William Thomas Davis, 34, of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and First Officer Tim Lanouette, 48, of Comox, British Columbia, both of whomdied in the accident, and 16 passengers on board the helicopter. One passenger, Robert Decker, survived with serious injuries, but the other occupants were fatally injured. The helicopter was en route from St. John’s International Airport (CYYT) to an offshore oil platform in the Hibernia oil field. The pilot made a MAYDAY call due to a mechanical difficulty, and was returning to St. John’s at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the sea state had 3 – 5 meter swells. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.

    The NTSB has recommended that any gearbox losing oil pressure should have the capacity to run dry for 30 minutes before failure. In the case of Flight 491, the elapsed time between the warning light and the ditching of the aircraft in the sea was 11 minutes. Two of the three main gearbox mounting studs were broken. When they broke, the helicopter lost oil rapidly and the gears began to overheat.

    On March 23, 2009, Sikorsky released a bulletin that most of the world’s S-92TM helicopter fleet already had complied with the company notice to retrofit the aircraft’s gearbox oil bowl with steel mounting studs.

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    Jeppesen and Executive Jet Management Collaborate to Gain FAA Authorization for Use of Jeppesen Charts on iPad

    ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 11, 2011 — Jeppesen today announced that Executive Jet Management has received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to use the Jeppesen Mobile TC App for iPad as an alternative to paper aeronautical charts. The authorization allows Executive Jet Management to use iPad and the Jeppesen Mobile TC App as the sole reference for electronic charts, even during taxi, takeoff and landing. Executive Jet Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of NetJets Inc., is a leading provider of worldwide jet charter and aircraft management services.

    This announcement is a result of a three-month extensive in-flight evaluation managed by Executive Jet Management and Jeppesen with regular engagement of the FAA (including local and national Electronic Flight Bag authorization authorities). The cross-industry collaboration sets an important precedent for the aviation community. Lessons learned, processes established, and templates developed during this project may benefit other companies seeking to deploy EFB solutions on iPad.
    “The exceptional collaboration between operator, supplier and the FAA was remarkable,” said Mark Van Tine, Jeppesen president and chief executive officer. “This serves as a model for how the FAA can be engaged in working through a challenge and defining a solution that moves the industry forward safely and efficiently. Executive Jet Management’s role was critical to the success of this project. They possess the necessary skills, credibility and EFB experience to help all parties understand, from an operator’s perspective, the unique issues and benefits related to using iPad in flight.”

    The Jeppesen Mobile TC App and iPad were thoroughly evaluated by Executive Jet Management pilots who logged more than 250 flight segments. Pilots participating in the evaluation reported that they were particularly pleased with the App’s ease of use, simplicity to manage, speed and display clarity. As a result of the full analysis, enhancements to crew procedures, training updates and software improvements were included in the Jeppesen Mobile TC App version 1.2, released last month.
    The authorized EFB configuration is a Class 1 portable, kneeboard EFB solution that is secured and viewable during critical phases of flight as defined in FAA Order 8900.1. Information obtained from this evaluation will also be useful in gaining future authorization for Class 2 mounted configurations utilizing iPad.

    “Executive Jet Management was pleased to collaborate with Jeppesen and the FAA on this leading-edge iPad EFB solution and to support the introduction of this technology to the industry,” said Executive Jet Management President Robert Garrymore. “The collaboration with Jeppesen and the FAA was key in making this innovation possible and we are proud to be a part of it.”
    In support of the authorization effort:

    A total of 55 pilots and 10 different aircraft types from the Executive Jet Management fleet were involved in 250 flight segments to ensure a broad scope of feedback
    Jeppesen commissioned a successful rapid decompression test on iPad to 51,000 feet in altitude
    Executive Jet Management completed successful non-interference testing on the evaluation aircraft
    The project followed established FAA EFB authorization requirements applicable to an air carrier

    For more information on the Jeppesen Mobile TC App, please visit www.jeppesen.com/jeppesen-mobile-tc.

  • Air Transport Association Applauds House FAA Bill for Furthering Airline Global Competitiveness; Urges NextGen Investment to Grow the Economy

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2011 — The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, issued a statement commending the strong leadership of Chairman John Mica and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) for releasing a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill (H.R. 658) that recognizes the airlines’ critical role in the economy and takes measures to enhance the global competitiveness of U.S. airlines.

    “ATA applauds Chairman Mica and the House T&I Committee for crafting a bill that recognizes the critically important role that airlines play in driving the economy and job growth and takes measures to promote global competitiveness of the U.S. airlines while not further harming an industry and its customers already overburdened with taxes,” said ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “We urge Congress to pass this bill and to invest in a NextGen air traffic management system that will improve the industry’s safety and efficiency, grow jobs and enable U.S. airlines to keep pace with global competitors.”

  • Airworthiness Directive AD-2011-03-14

    FAA released Airworthiness Directive AD-2011-03-14 requiring all Boeing 737-100, -200, -300, -400 and -500 types to install two additional warning lights, one for takeoff configuration and one for cabin altitude warning, and introduce updated documentation within 36 months following March 14th 2011.

    “SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD requires installing two warning level indicator lights on the P2-2 center instrument panel in the flight compartment for certain airplanes. For a certain other airplane, this AD requires activating the cabin altitude warning and takeoff configuration warning lights. For all airplanes, this AD also requires revising the airplane flight manual to remove certain requirements included by previous AD actions, requires new pressure altitude limitations for certain airplanes, and advises the flightcrew of the following changes: revised emergency procedures to use when a cabin altitude warning or rapid depressurization occurs, and revised cabin pressurization procedures for normal operations. This AD was prompted by a design change in the cabin altitude warning system that would address the identified unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the flightcrew to recognize and react properly to a valid cabin altitude warning horn, which could result in incapacitation of the flightcrew due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen in body), and consequent loss of control of the airplane.”

    http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library