Air Safety

Air Safety

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    Always the Last to Know

    In spite of reports to the contrary, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines deny emergencies that occurred during Sunday’s power outage at the Lagos airport. The rest of the world knew about the power outage even before power was restored. Apparently however, no one told Qatar Airways or Ethiopian Airlines.

    Even the brand-spanking new radar system installed at Murtala Mohammed International Airport will not function without power. And neither can communications.

    Of course, how do you communicate while in denial?

    Pilots coped by flying in a holding pattern or rerouting to other airports when they stopped receiving input from ATC during the power outage.

    Officials of Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways can play all the semantic games of denial that they want. The game is up. Everyone knows. Newspapers got wind of the power outage forcing up to a dozen planes into holding patterns, some of them until they experienced a fuel crisis and had to land without official clearance. There’s nothing like a little journalism to clear the air.

    With enforcement bodies like IATA and EASA empowering the airline passenger and providing oversight, and the aviation industry taking advantage of the (practically) instantaneous communication the world enjoys, legitimate airlines have made it universal policy to be as “transparent” and honest as possible regarding the unavoidable multitude of mini-disasters that constantly creep up in the course of making the world safe for aviation. It is that kind of wide-awake, constant open trouble-shooting and problem-solving which makes flying as safe as it is. No one wants to be “caught with their pants down”– but when it happens, you can be sure most airlines do their best to be wearing shiny clean underwear when it happens.

    Except in countries where denial reigns over truth. Countries that have certain airlines on a banned list.

    Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines say “none of their pilots complained about an enforced landing prompted by depleted fuel.” Maybe their pilots are scared to open their mouths, especially if they’re familiar with that policy of denial.

    One wonders if their pilots–or air traffic control, for that matter–had cell phones. Surely SOMEone in ATC called the main office and said, “Excuse me boss, but we have 12 planes circling, and no electricity. What do we do? What is the policy on that?” Surely SOME pilot used a cell phone, and told somebody somewhere, “Dude, we gotta land, we’re running out of fuel.”

    What did they say at headquarters? Pretend it’s not happening?

    To the folks in charge at Qatar and Ethiopian: Listen, nobody’s perfect. These things happen. Don’t deny it. Take responsibility. You examine what went wrong. You fix it so it doesn’t happen again.

    You don’t pretend it didn’t happen. You’re not a seven year old who broke Mama’s favorite cup or tracked mud on the carpet.

    You don’t fire the poor shmuck who happened to be on the duty that day.

    You admit the problem, own it, examine it in detail, and fix the mechanism, and make helpful policies for what to do if it happens again. And to go the distance, you award that poor shmuck on duty, because while you were sitting there with your head in the sand, denying any problem existed, somebody somewhere on the front lines—pilots and/or ATC—made some right decisions that kept people alive.

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    Dangerous and negligent Use of a Helicopter

    Sean O’Brien of the Island, Ballycumber, Co Offaly, was convicted on ten charges( relating to landing on the roof at the Parkrite Texas Centre, Athlone, Co Westmeath on 7 July 2007 to collect a set of keys) has been given a six month suspended sentence and fined €5,000.

    The most significant charge applied is dangerous and negligent use of a Helicopter.

    Failure to use common sense is not a charge.

    The defendant holds a US pilots’ license but is a man of ‘no means’ who did not own the helicopter and is on disability.

    The judge said, “You are telling me in Florida there are no regulations in relation to landing a helicopter on top of a supermarket?”

    It is illegal under aviation law to land an aircraft of this kind on any elevated helipad in Athlone.

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    Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Radiation

    Terrestrial gamma-ray radiation. No, it’s not the latest incarnation of Captain Kirk’s phaser, even though it does sound like it belongs in prime time on the syfy channel.

    If jets pass near lightning discharges or “terrestrial gamma-ray flashes” (TGF’s), aviation passengers can be exposed to radiation equivalent to 40 x rays. The exposure occurs when the plane is close to the lightning discharge’s origin. Scientists are recommending planes carry TGF meters to help them study the phenomenon. They believe TGFs are generated by electric fields above thunderstorms, although the mechanism is unknown, and the likelihood of exposure is low.

    Famous last words.

    Thank you scientists. More for airline travelers to worry about.

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    South Africa Airlines Under Scrutiny


    Friday, the Commissioner of the South African Civil Aviation Authority will be reporting the results of a SA Airlink safety audit being tendered to Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele due to the incident Monday when an Airlink plane overshot the runway at George Airport, allegedly due to poor pilot training. Three injuries were reported, including an ankle injury of the first officer. In another recent Airlink crash (Durban), the pilot died later of his injuries and 3 passengers were injured.

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    Pilot Fatigue

    Pilot Fatigue:
    George’s Point of View


    We passengers have a problem. We don’t want our pilots falling asleep on the job. Behind that locked cockpit door, there’s a real danger that our pilots might well be dozing off. Like Howard Beale, in the movie NETWORK, we’ve gotta say, “I’m a human being, goddammit! My life has value! … I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!!”

    Apparently aviation authorities are taking notice of the sleepy pilot phenomenon.

    In a September 2009 speech, the Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Raymond Benjamin raised the critical issue of pilot fatigue. The ICAO is coming out with new provisions governing flight times, duty times and rest periods for pilots which are applicable now, in November 2009. Fatigue risk management systems to augment new fatigue provisions are in development. I wonder if this includes things like alarms going off at random times during a flight, random check-ins or shrill-voiced stewards armed with tasers knocking on the cockpit door every fifteen minutes asking “Are you guys still awake?”

    Ever since the Colgan Air crash near Buffalo that killed all 50 people onboard, the United States had been developing more stringent standards; and this has been stepped up even more since the recent occurrence of pilots who overshot their destination by 150 miles–although both pilots in this incident claimed to be distracted and not asleep. American regulations currently allow a maximum of 16 hours on duty–but that figure is currently being reassessed by the FAA.

    Canadian pilots are looking toward the Canadian Transportation Safety Board to also up their standards, which they have not yet done, even though the Canadian Transportation Safety Board recently reported about a pilot: “Fatigue likely resulted in a degradation of his concentration” in reference to a 2005 incident where a pilot nodded off and allowed the plane to slow nearly to a stall. Although a dozen Canadian fatigue incidents have been connected to 23 deaths, the Canadian Transportation Safety Board claims that their current regulations are “adequate.” The European Union allows a maximum of 13 hours. Canadian regulations allow a crew to be on duty for 14 hours in 24), night work, irregular start times, routes that cross several time zones and multiple takeoffs and landings.

    Some of the hardest work to deal with is called continuous or stand-up duty, which is when pilots handle a late evening flight, stay overnight and fly the turnaround leg–or the timing of this type of flight which forces irregular daylight hours to be the only time a pilot can sleep. Turnaround times don’t exactly respect human biorhythms.

    Pilots might be dropping off to sleep while they’re flying, but the rest of us look at the statistics and fly white-knuckled with our hearts in our throats. With worries about everything from plane maintenance, to lax air traffic control, from crowded flight corridors to random part failure, the least we passengers can do is bring alarm clocks, our souped-up air horns, and plenty of high-test Starbucks emergency caffeine to keep our pilots awake, alert and on the mark.

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    Mumbai Aviation News

    Mumbai airport experienced a 35% drop on a runway shortened due to repair work. When visibility decreased, diversions to longer runways and areas of higher visibility increased, and several flights were discontinued entirely.

    Dating from October 27, on every Tuesday, from 12noon to 6pm, the intersection point of cross runways 09-27 and 14:32 is closed for repair work. Four nearly fatal incidents occurred on the runway during the week of November 3.

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    Yemenia Flight 626 Detailed Meteorological Analysis

    by Tim Vasquez
    posted with permission

    Flight details
    Flight 626 departed Sana’a, Yemen (IATA SAH, ICAO OYSN) at 29/1830 UTC (29/2130L) on a four-hour flight destined for Moroni, Comoris Islands (Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport, also known as Hahaya Airport, IATA HAH, ICAO FMCH, WMO 67002. The crash occurred at approximately 29/2250 UTC (30/0150L). The moon phase was a waxing half moon which set at 29/2123 UTC (30/0023L) in Comoros. Therefore there was no solar or lunar illumination available for visual reference, and this does raise the possibility of disorientation as a factor.

    Position of crash
    So far, all available information has come from press reports. Gen Bruno de Bourdoncle de Saint-Salvy, French naval commander in the Indian Ocean, said the plane came down about 15 km (eight nautical miles) north of the Comoran coast (source). Another report indicates the crash occurred as the plane approached the airport; the plane “tried to land, but couldn’t, and then U-turned before it crashed” (source). This gives a tentative position of roughly 11°14’S 43°19’E.

    Presumptions in this incident
    The profile of the approach and the aircraft track is not known due to incomplete media reports and conflicting details about a missed approach. It is significant that Runway 20 would have been the active runway due to the strong southerly winds, requiring a nighttime VFR approach, however there are no published approaches for Runway 20 (source). The location north or northwest of the airport indicates the aircraft was not on a critical leg of its approach and probably was maneuvering at some altitude (3000 to 10,000 ft MSL) to establish itself on the approach.

    Meteorological analysis

    Surface analysis
    The surface analysis showed that the Comoros Islands was not in a typical trade wind regime driven by subtropical high pressure but was under the influence of a decaying polar front generated by a polar high that had spread into South Africa. At approximately 29 June / 0600Z, 17 hours before the incident, a decaying cold front arrived at Moroni with significant strengthening of winds and a shift from southeasterly to southwesterly. The air mass driving this front had been responsible for hard freezes in Zimbabwe Sunday and Monday (source). Though polar fronts are normally found only in temperate latitudes, their presence in tropical locations has been well-documented in the literature.

    This shows that the strong winds are persistent, spanning many hours, and that cloud cover was generally less than 1/8th (mostly clear) at Moroni.
    Sea surface temperatures around the Comoros Islands were 26-27 deg C (79-81 deg F). The strong winds sustained to 29 mph, according to the basic Beaufort Scale definition, are associated with waves of 9 to 13 ft and this would be supported by the long southerly fetch from the Mozambique Channel. Preliminary model data from Oceanweather and FNMOC indicates significant wave heights around Comoros were on the order of 3 to 4.5 meters (10 to 15 ft), which would have caused significant problems for ditching, especially without visual reference.

    Satellite imagery
    At the time of this writing, only 4 km infrared imagery was available and no calibrated spectral data. The 4 km imagery showed a quiescent weather pattern across the Comoros Islands with no deep convection. Layers of broken stratocumulus or altocumulus were prevalent throughout the Mozambique Channel. Due to limited resolution there was insufficient data to determine the extent and coverage of stratocumulus or stratus layers.

    Strong winds

    Yemeni civil aviation deputy chief Mohammed Abdul Qader said the wind speed was 61 km/h (38 mph) as the aircraft was landing (source). This is consistent with observed METAR reports. While these winds can significantly complicate approaches and takeoffs, a high wind speed in itself is ground-relative and does not affect on other phases of flight except for (1) causing course deviations off of presumed routes due to drift and (2) causing mechanical turbulence and shear especially near rough terrain.

    Scott Bachmeier of the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center was kind enough to assist with imagery, and contributed these additional thoughts: “The Meteosat-7 IR cloud tracked winds certainly show the strong equatorward flow (~20-30 knots) that likely caused problems on the approach to the airport on the Comoros Island.”

    Grande Comore Island, where Moroni is located, is a mountainous island about 10 x 30 miles in size with volcanic peaks to 2361 m (7746 ft) MSL that include Karthala, an active volcano. As a result, the island does significantly disrupt the lower tropospheric wind flow in a strong wind regime such as this one, and probably shares characteristics with similarly-dimensioned islands like Kauai, where damaging turbulence incidents have occurred in the past. AQUA high-resolution imagery the next day indicated convergence line downstream from Grande Comodore and the presence of mesoscale open cell convection (see Agee et al. 1973 for more information) which is typical of a cool air mass over a warm surface. While this does not propose that any circulations existed which damaged the plane, it does highlight that the winds were likely variable and somewhat unpredictable, and some shear and turbulence may have existed in the lowest several thousand feet of the atmosphere.

    Conclusions

    Once again we are left with another Airbus mystery, and while it appears certain that weather was not the cause, the weather conditions across the Comoros Islands were atypical and there is some possibility it could have been a contributing factor to the crash. Some individual conclusions are as follows.

    • Conditions enroute. Naturally, consideration must be given to whether damage may have occurred enroute from Yemen and manifested itself during the approach. A review of the satellite imagery showed most of the flight was completely free of weather. However a few strong cumulonimbus clouds (thunderstorms) were present in the Sana’a area at the time of the flight’s takeoff. Sana’a reported no significant weather during the evening except for scattered cumulus and stratocumulus at 3000 ft most of the night, but satellite imagery (here) indicated thunderstorms in the area with -60 deg C tops, probably which were largely confined to orographically-driven storms on the mountains just southwest of Sana’a. These would have been decaying with the loss of solar heating. Until I get archival-grade satellite datasets, I cannot say how close the storms were to Sana’a International Airport or whether they may have been on the departure path, but it does appear they were within about 20 miles of the airfield.
    • Precipitation. The atmosphere at Comoros was far too stable to support deep convection (including thunderstorms). The cold air advection over warm ocean waters did produce sufficient instability for shallow convection, and large water droplets could have existed in these clouds.
    • Icing. Icing was not a factor. The freezing level was above FL150 with extremely dry air through at least FL350.
    • Turbulence. Light to moderate low-level turbulence is likely due to mechanical turbulence from the strong surface winds and cold air advection in the presence of diabatic heating over the warm ocean waters. This could have been compounded further by perturbations embedded in the wake flow downwind of Grande Comodore Island, where the flight is believed to have crashed. As the temperature difference between the water and the air mass was not substantial, it is not believed that severe turbulence could have occurred unless the flight entered a rotor directly downwind from (north of) the island’s 7000 ft peaks.
    • Altimetry problems. The pressure was highly typical for tropical locations (1017 hPa, or 30.03 in Hg). If the aircrew had neglected to change their altimeters from 1013 to 1017 hPa from top of descent then the altimeters would have read about 120 ft low, thus controlled flight into the ground based on altimeter omissions can probably be ruled out; furthermore the warm tropical atmosphere causes the flight levels to be slightly higher than indicated.

      References
      * Agee, E.M., Chen, T.S., and Doswell, K.E., 1973. A Review of Mesoscale Cellular Convection, Bull. Amer. Met. Soc., Volume 54, Issue 10 (October 1973) pp. 1004–1012.
      * Siquerra, J.R., Rossow, W.B., Machado, L., and Pearl. C.. (2005). Structural Characteristics of Convective Systems over South America Related to Cold-Frontal Incursions, Mon. Wea. Rev., Volume 133, Issue 5 (May 2005) pp. 1045–1064.
      Thanks to Tim Vasquez

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    Hudson River Airspace

    Thursday FAA’s new rules for Manhattan airspace go into effect. The Hudson River air corridor will be carved into separate areas for local and long-distance traffic.

    Local planes and helicopters will fly at 1,000 feet or less; those passing through NYV between 1,000 feet and 1,300 feet; and scheduled airline flights directed by ATC at higher altitudes above 1,300.

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    Texas: Falling Parts

    What: Aruban Airbus A319 en route from Dallas Love Field
    Where: Dallas
    When: Tuesday November 10, 1:30 pm
    Who: maintenance crew
    Why: While on a maintenance flight, the privately owned airbus lost a hundred lb. inflatable emergency slide and its storage door over an apartment complex on “webchapel.”

    Maintenance was being performed by Associated Air Center. Air Traffic Control was notified of the falling parts by someone witnessing the event, and the flight was immediately recalled.

    A search is being performed for the rogue door.

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    FAA Press Release: What Pilots Need to Know About Winter Flying

    October 2009 – In the November/December 2009 issue of FAA Aviation News, the focus is on winter flying safety, including icing avoidance strategies, safe operations on icy runways, snow/frost contamination, and more.

    In “On Thin Ice,” Aerospace Engineer Paul Pellicano writes about ice contamination, the differing vulnerability of different airplanes, and the havoc ice can play with lift, weight, and drag. Contributing writer and flight instructor Meredith Saini explains “known icing conditions,” provides resources for finding ice, and then outlines strategies to avoid it. In “A Long Winter’s Nap,” Airworthiness Safety Inspector Suzanne Mejia writes about what to consider in storing your aircraft for the winter.

    Other articles address safety on icy or slushy runways, the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning during winter, and stress the importance of position reporting on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF).

    To read the issue, and to see previous issues for more safety information, go to: www.faa.gov/news/aviation_news.

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    Helicopter Survivor Testifies in Court

    On Nov. 5, Robert Decker, a weather observer on the Hibernia oil rig and the only survivor of the March helicopter crash (Cougar Flight 491 which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Newfound and that killed 17 people) is slated to testify. Decker was hoisted from the water by a Cougar search-and-rescue helicopter.

    In addition to Decker, more witnesses will be testifying in the next six weeks—family members of the crash victims.

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    Air Asia has A Bouncing Baby Boy


    Pictured: AirAsia plane
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer WT

    What: AirAsia’s flight from Penang to Kuching
    Where: Kuala Lumpur.
    When: October 21, 2009
    Who: Liew Siaw Hsia (and child)
    Why: Although 11 weeks short of being full term, Liew Siaw Hsia unexpectedly delivered her son at 2000 feet. Luckily there was a doctor aboard to assist with the delivery.

    Air Asia promises the mother and baby will get lifetime of free flights.

    The incident brings a new meaning to the phrase “baby on board.”

    George’s Point of View

    Welcome to the world.

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    FAA Fine Proposals against United Airlines and US Airways

    $3.8 million fine
    The FAA says United Airlines:

    • Boeing 737 flew in over 200 flights not in airworthy condition (two shop towels in the engine’s oil sump area)

    $5.4 million fine
    The FAA says US Airways:

    • Embraer ERJ-190s on 19 flights in AD violation (open cargo door Directive)
    • Airbus A320s on 26 flights in AD violation (inspection of the landing gear for cracks)
    • A320 on 17 flights in AD violation (inspection of the landing gear for cracks)
    • Airbus A320 on 855 flights in maintenance violation (engine repair)
    • Boeing 757 on 505 flights in maintenance violation(missed engine work inspections)
    • Boeing 757 on 121 in maintenance violation
    • Boeing 767 on 53 flights without weekly inspection
    • Boeing 767 on 51 flights without inspections, tests and sampling
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    Lost hot air balloon


    Pictured: France: Ballongruppe Sky-Birds Kubicek Balloons BB-45; please note that this French attempt at a world record has no connection with this crash in China
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    photographer Pierre Cester

    What: Dongguan Meixiang Aviation Club hot air balloon originating in Yangshuo County
    Where: Maling Township, Lipu County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
    When: 14-OCT-2009
    Who: 4 fatalities 7 occupants
    Why: The pilots lost control of the balloon after it took off. The balloon flew to Maling county where it caught fire. Two pilots and one tourist survived the crash. Two Dutch couples died.

    All Balloon touring businesses were shut down after the incident pending safety review.

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    NTSB Investigation: Marlin Air 2007

    George’s Point of View

    Now held responsible for a fatal June 4, 2007 Cessna 550 crash, pilot Capt. William Serra, 59, had apparently falsified training records and had been convicted in 1987 of conspiracy to import Quaaludes when he piloted a plane with 2,100 pounds of the drug from Canada to the USA in 1981. In the 2007 he had been responsible for safety checks; and both he and the other pilot were unfamiliar with the Marlin Air plane, resulting in a crash in Lake Michigan, killing both pilots and four members of a University of Michigan lung transplant team.

    The NTSB holds FAA inspectors responsible for allowing Serra to conduct pilot inspections and oversee safety.

    Investigators included the NTSB, the FAA, Cessna Aircraft, Marlin Air, Pratt and Whitney and Honeywell.

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    Immunity?

    George’s Point of View

    A ruling by Kentucky Supreme Court regarding the Comair crash that killed 49 people in 2006 says that as part of the county government, Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport cannot be held accountable.

    While not the primary factor, poor runway markings, bad signs, and lighting problems contributed to the accident. The crash is being blamed on decisions made by the pilots.

    Since the crash, have markings, signs and lighting been improved? If so, then it would seem that any such revisions made to improve conditions stand as testament to acknowledge pre-existing problems.

    The sovereign state can do no wrong?

    What country are we in, anyway.

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    Congonhas Closed till Noon

    On Wednesday, September 23, 2009, Congonhas diverted 8 flights due to bad weather in SP. 32 departures and arrivals were delayed and 17 were cancelled.

    Infraero announced cancellation of two flights to the Santos Dumont Airport and two for the Galleon, both in Rio, one for Viracopos, in Campinas, one for the Afonso Pena, Curitiba, and one for the airport of Curitiba.

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    Bomb Threat on American Airlines and…Air France?


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Daniel Werner

    What: American Airlines Boeing 757-200 en route from Miami to Boston
    Where: Miami
    When: Thurs September 17, 2009
    Who: 168 passengers and six crew
    Why: After take-off, a bomb threat note was found on board. The plane returned to Miami where it was investigated. No bomb or explosives were found.

    George’s Point of View

    Ladies and Gentlemen of the aviation world, please consider this and bear with me as I traipse off into the world of conjecture.

    It is a mere day after someone left a note in the bathroom of the above-mentioned plane, and already that fact has been picked up by all the news services. An unsigned, unattributed note that could have been written by anyone on board, for all we know on toilet paper written in lipstick, by anyone from someone hoping to miss a dental appointment, to employees wanting the flight cancelled so they could go take their fatigued selves home to bed. And the threat made the news.

    Even the whisper of bomb threats make the news.

    So when I read now, months after the fact that there was an Air France bomb threat on a completely untraceable and unverifiable phone call on May 27 prior to the Air France flight 447 crash, I hear with very skeptical ears.

    If you followed the coverage after the crash, you’ll be aware of how many ears were pinned to the ground, listening for every hint of possible news. The media hounds pretty much sniffed out every findable trace of even faintly related information and posted it repeatedly, echoing across the internet and print media like (if you will pardon the cliché) ripples in a pond. So this leaves me two choices of thought regarding how to consider the tidbit of a so-called Air France bomb threat.
    1. It’s not true.
    2. It’s true but somehow remained unbroadcast in spite of the ravenous appetite for news coverage of everything Air France/Air France flight 447 related.

    1 is the end of the line for that thought process.
    2…well, we can think about a little. If it is true, where has that little nugget of information been? Why hasn’t a bomb threat listed in an obscure Indian blog in June become big news regarding the Air France crash?

    THis brings me to two more conclusions:
    1. it was true and that fact was suppressed.
    2. it is a rumor.

    1. If it is true and the fact was suppressed, then that’s a very bad thing; the only ones who would suppress such a news item would be someone who would be hurt by Air France’s business being damaged, namely Air France.

    If it is a rumor, then why would anyone spread such a rumor? Who would profit from the rumor? I only think of maybe two or three possibilities offhand. Any party fearing to be held responsible for the crash could float just such a rumor. OR any unscrupulous journalist, or media glutton with an appetite for attention of any kind. A paranoiac (or a writer) who sees plots or the possibilities of plots, without regard to reality. Or anyone in a competitive travel industry who might get a couple of extra travelers if a few borderline fliers turned their back on the convenience of air travel.

    Now I am not saying any of this is true; I am just saying that I am skeptical about the rumors of a threat to a different flight BEFORE the Air France Flight 447 crash coming out as a new development in news months after the crash.

    I’m just saying.

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    Cutbacks and Engine Failure

    What: American Airlines en route from Chicago to Dallas
    Where: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
    When: Wednesday, August 12, 2009
    Why: When the crew experienced engine failure, they declared an emergency and returned to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a safe landing.

    George’s Point of View

    Last Friday, two other flights — one coming from D/FW and the other from West Palm Beach — were forced to land due to engine problems, making this incident a third incident in the recent rash of engine failures (FAA records show 23 this year alone, in older MD-80 model jets), a failure that is attributed in general to financial cutbacks in aviation. American Airlines has bought dozens of 737-800s in 2009, which we hope will address the problem of aging planes.

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    Taban Air Emergency Landing

    What: Taban Air Tupolev TU-154M en route from Mashhad to Kish Island in the Persian Gulf
    Where: emergency landing in Mashhad
    When: August 7 2009
    Who: 150 passengers
    Why: 40 minutes into the flight, the plane had a technical “glitch” (electrical problems affecting several systems) forcing the pilot to declare an emergency.

    George’s Point of View

    This incident follows the death of 17 and the injury of 30 in Mashhad on July 24, 2009. At that time, an Ilyushin jet with skidded off the runway and struck a wall.

    And a little more than a week before that, on Wednesday July 15 a Tu-154M went down 16 minutes after takeoff from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran.

    No airline named “Taban Air” is listed under the IATA membership website.

    Although this flight did land without death or injury, it appears that Tehran has some airline safety issues to work out.

  • AMSAFE: Plane Upgrade


    New plane safety requirements: Plane seats will be required to stay in place when subjected to stresses up to 16 times the force of gravity.

    John and Jane Q Crash dummy will need to scoot over now, to let in some new blood.

    And airbags are coming. In first class, anyway. Maybe those not in first class will just have to die.

    Two new mandates are on order: sturdier seats and airbags.

    Date of compliance is Oct. 27 for new airplanes certified prior to 1988. Older planes with an older seat style aren’t required to be compliant, under the assumption that age will naturally phase them out.

    http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-13093.htm

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    Cleveland ATC: A Close Call

    What: Expressjet Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Cleveland to Kansas City Missouri
    Where: Cleveland Ohio
    When: June 26 2009
    Who: not available
    Why: Runway Incursion aborted. While at the controls, an air traffic control trainee scheduled the Expressjet and a CommutAir de Havilland Dash 8-200 on a collision course. The Expressjet pilot perceived the danger in time to avert the incident.

    The same trainee caused a similar incident between an Expressjet and a Southwest flight on June 3.

    George’s Point of View

    The trainee in question had very little experience. I am more critical of the training process than the trainee. What preparation was there ahead of time? That question is not answered for us. Perhaps this incident is proof that a training system is working, since a collision did not happen. Or perhaps it is an indicator that training methodology needs to be revamped. (Do air traffic controllers train on simulators? I don’t know.)

    What will we learn from this event? What will the ATC trainers learn?

    If I had been a fly on that console, I’d have quizzed that trainee on what he learned from his mistakes. One does not have to make mistakes to learn, but to progress, one must learn from ones mistakes.

    Skill, like character is forged like steel from iron, in trial by fire. How else does an expert become one without the benefit of experience?

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    Co-Pilots to the Rescue

    Capt. Lee Collins of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association said pilots are prepared for emergencies in the air. The pilot of a transatlantic flight died over the Atlantic Ocean, but the jet landed safely.

    What: Continental Airlines Boeing 777-200 en route from Brussels Belgium to Newark, NJ
    Where: en route
    When: June 18th 2009
    Who: 247 passengers and 3 flight crew
    Why: Four hours into the flight, while over the Atlantic, the captain died. The two first officers took over and landed the plane safely in Newark.

    A doctor on board was called to the cockpit, and the on board defibrillator failed to revive the captain who apparently had died of a heart attack.

    George’s Point of View

    It’s a small world.

    Recently I’d been in a conversation with someone about the Colgan flight.

    Remember the Colgan flight? The one that crashed in Buffalo? The wings iced over, the captain was ill-trained, and the co-pilot was too inexperienced and too exhausted to know how to respond to the particular emergency. The combination resulted in disaster for everyone on board.

    So, I was in this conversation with someone about the Colgan flight, and the question came up about the value of the co-pilot’s experience. The rate of the co-pilot’s pay was released, ($11.00/hr) and that provoked me to write about co-pilots needing “professional” pay. What would happen, we speculated (in this conversation) if the pilot died? The copilot becomes the de facto pilot.

    Then, lo and behold, today a pilot dies of a heart attack. Luckily for Continental and everyone on board, there were two co-pilots on hand, and both of them apparently qualified enough to handle the flight. (Apparently so, since they did manage to finish the flight.)

    I just wasn’t expecting that speculative question to manifest itself in a headline today.