News

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    News:

    • AAAE President Charles Barclay urged the Senate majority leader and his Senate colleagues to quickly pass a multi-year FAA bill reauthorization bill and to permanently eliminate the AMT penalty on airport private activity bonds. Rushing the bill through in its current format would seriously hurt Federal Express. FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009
    • Northwest Airlines pilots Capt. Timothy Cheney of Gig Harbor, Washington, and First Officer Richard Cole of Salem, Oregon, who overshot Minneapolis by 150 miles have filed appeals of their license revocations with the National Transportation Safety Board.
    • Bill introduced to ban pilots from using laptops.
    • PASADENA, Calif. — /PRNewswire/ — The Tournament of Roses revealed that the heroic pilot who masterfully landed US Airways Flight 1549, Captain Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, III, will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 2010 Tournament of Roses festivities: Themed 2010: A Cut Above the Rest.
    • NAPA, Calif. — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Accused whistler-blower Dr. Frederick J. Foreman, former Senior Analyst for Metron Aviation Inc. (an aviation consulting company with numerous government contracts), who was fired for allegedly revealing critical information regarding airline passenger safety to Kate Hanni of the Flyers’ Rights coalition, has joined forces with the volunteer organization.

    VERO BEACH, Fla., November 6, 2009 — Piper Aircraft today announced that Piper Chief Executive Kevin J. Gould will assume the company’s presidency effective December 1, 2009. In addition, three other Piper executives have been promoted to vice president positions and one to a senior director position.PIPER AIRCRAFT ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP CONSOLIDATION

    EMBRAER HAS A NEW COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR ASIA PACIFIC
    Based in Singapore, Shorbani Roy is responsible for media relations in the region São José dos Campos, November 4, 2009 – Embraer has named Shorbani Roy as Corporate Communications Manager for Asia Pacific, reporting directly to Alex Glock, Embraer Asia Pacific (EAP) Managing Director. Embraer also announced they will produce its 120-seat E-190 jet in China to respond faster when the country’s aviation market recovers, O Estado de S. Paulo said on Friday.

    LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 6, 2009 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) received Aviation Week magazine’s Program Excellence Award in the category of System Level Research & Development/System Development & Demonstration at the Aviation Week Aerospace & Defense Programs conference in Phoenix on Nov. 3. Boeing C-130 Avionics Modernization Program Receives Aviation Week Program Excellence Award

    Mesa Air Group, Inc. Announces Update on CRJ-200s Operating at United Airlines
    PHOENIX, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The timeframe for United Airlines to exercise its renewal rights with respect to extending Mesa’s operation of 26 CRJ-200 aircraft under its code-share agreement with United Airlines has expired. Mesa plans to work with United Airlines on an orderly transition plan, but, in any event, the date of exit from service is expected to be no later than April 30, 2010. Mesa Air Group, Inc. Announces Update on CRJ-200s Operating at United Airlines

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    California Crash Update

    The pilots of the mid air coastal collision were flying “see and avoid, ” i.e. during clear flying conditions, pilots are responsible for making sure their flight paths are clear.

    So far, there is no information disseminated regarding potential reasons behind the California coastal collision of the C-130 Hercules transport plane and a Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra. Two transports were on a training mission as 2 Cobras were also flying together, at the time of the crash.

    The C-130s had been searching for a lost boater who is still lost; and the seven Coast Guard and two Marine Corps service members have not yet been recovered.

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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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    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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    Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009

    Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 deals with flight crew qualifications. The bill attempts to address flight crew standards for ATP certification and experience, largely as a result of the Colgan Air crash.

    Higher standards, which reduce the applicant pool will inadvertently cause an escalation in pay, and hopefully in safety as well.

    See the bill before and after the house on Thomas:

    http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:h3371

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    Tam: Musical Chairs

    In SAO PAULO, on Nov 28 2007, (Reuters) told us that TAM, Brazil’s largest airline appointed David Barioni Neto as its chief executive, replacing Marco Antonio Bologna, who stepped down following disaster after disaster over the past year. Though Bologna resigned, he remains a special adviser to TAM’s controlling shareholders, the airline said in a statement.

    TAM hired Barioni Neto in September from rival Gol Linhas Aereas

    Now Tam has announced Neto is resigning and is being temporarily replaced by Current VP of Finance, Management and IT Libano Miranda Barroso.

  • Haiti Crash Kills 11


    Pictured: A CASA C-212 in Scotland outfitted as a Geophysical survey aircraft
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Fred Seggie

    What: United Nations Uruguayan CASA212 surveillance plane assigned to the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti
    Where: rugged terrain west of Fonds-Verrettes near the Haiti-Dominican Republic border.
    When: Friday 10/10/2009
    Who: 11 on board
    Why: The UN plane carrying 11 passengers crashed. The rescue team confirms that all passengers died in the crash. Search teams are hiking into the area.

    The plane went down on “mountainous farmland” near Pays-Pourri village in Ganthier district, east of Port-au-Prince. The plane crashed into a mountain.

    The victims are Uruguayan and Jordanian military personnel. The Brazilian-led UN mission has been deployed since mid-2004.

    Updates follow


    View Larger Map

  • Brookings Releases Travel Trends Report

    According to a Brookings Institute study, people are traveling less since September 2008.

    Most US travel is concentrated around 26 hubs.

    Half of the flights are less than 500 miles.

    Expect delays in metropolitan centers of air travel.

    The replacement for radar, the Next Generation Air Transportation System will not be operable until between 2012 to 2018.

    There are worse than average delays in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, and San Francisco.

    http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2009/1008_air_travel_tomer_puentes/1008_air_travel_report.pdf

  • Mitsubishi. With Wings.

    Boeing advised Japan’s Mitsubishi Regional Jet to revamp the design of their upcoming 70-90 seat airliner MRJ by increasing cabin and cargo space and switching to aluminium for the wings, from carbon-fibre.

    US carrier Trans States has signed a letter of intent for 50 orders of this, the first jet to be developed in Japan. The jets are expected to be in circulation by 2014.

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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.

  • Boeing Upgrades 787 Wiring

    Three cheers to Boeing for wiring changes before anything bad
    happened

    Supplier Spirit AeroSystems announced that Boeing will be introducing a new wiring standard for the 787 to reduce weight, improve maintainability and address a spacing issue between wires.

    The revised wiring standard is known as NC5 or Net Change 5 which is planned for entry into service for the 787 by the end of 2010 should deal with eliminating a problem with the original configuration picking up signals jumping from wire to wire.

    http://www.spiritaero.com

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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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    IATA Partnership Boosts SMS Development

    George’s Point of View

    SMS development is a good thing, but we shouldn’t abandon black boxes.

    Airbus wants to replace black boxes with “a more secure system” of real time satellite transmission.

    The thing is we HAVE black box technology now. We should keep using it.

    Aviation authorities should mandate the usage of both–keep what’s in place as a backup, and go for the real time data relay also. Not everything works as expected, all of the time, so all possible fail-safes should be employed. It’s not just that all that record-keeping keeps everyone honest; in the case of aviation, all those records will keep people alive.

    Real time is not fail-proof, but a FANTASTIC idea. The question of cockpit recordings that infringe on the pilots privacy is going to hang in the air unanswered for now while the real time system is tested and perfected.

    The privacy issue is an interesting factor. Some real time conversation in a cockpit is simple camaraderie–a workplace environment thing that makes a working environment comfortable. Plus it works better than coffee to keep the pilots awake and generally on task.

    No one likes to work with someone looking over their shoulder. Eventually this may become an issue as authorities will inevitably over-regulate the degree of cockpit conversation–bound to be a factor when one considers the Hudson river crash where air traffic control (not pilots) were discussing cat bbq rather than doing their jobs; and the Colgan Air/Pinnacle cockpit recordings that exposed training deficits just before the icing crash in Buffalo .

    The point is that we have the technology; we should use it. It will help save lives.

    The IATA is the sixty year old international trade body of aviation, which represents, leads and serves the airline industry in general and is made up of about 230 airlines (93% of international air traffic.) The Superstructure Group has become an IATA partner. The Superstructure Group is developing the STEADES exchange system, provides technology and consultancy services to meet information needs and is bringing realtime SMS software to the aviation industry.

    IATA Partners are listed here:
    http://www.iata.org/sp/partners_all.htm

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    Comoros: Putting together the Black Box puzzle

    Yemenia Flight 626 from Paris to Moroni sank into the ocean on June 30, killing 152 people, with one survivor. The black boxes were found Friday.

    Just because the black boxes were found does not mean the route to discovery is on track. Apparently there was so much damage to the black boxes, there is going to be trouble recovering the data. That’s not new. In fact, usually when there is trouble reading the black boxes, investigators call in the company that made the boxes, and they are usually able to mine the data in spite of damage.

    The BEA, the French aviation authority is handling the investigation. Many of those aboard were French and/or French Comoran.

    Did they–are they–sending the boxes to the US? They’d have a better chance of recovery if they do.

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    Comoros Black boxes found


    View larger photo here
    Contact photographer Iam Lim
    What: Yemenia Air Airbus 310 flight 626 lost at sea en route to Moroni

    George’s Point of View

    What an amazing coincidence…that the news that the black boxes from the Comoros crash are recovered crosses the internet on practically the same day that they throw in the towel for the search for the Air France black boxes.

    But the news is out:

    They were detected on July 23rd and now, Comores Officials have reported on Aug 28th, that both black boxes have been recovered.

    I am delighted with the wonderful news and am as excited as everyone to learn what’s inside. Now maybe they can re-allocate their resources to recommence the search for the black boxes of Air France Flight 447.

  • NY Collision over the Hudson


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Tom Turner

    What: Piper PA-32 registered to LCA Partnership in Fort Washington, Pa flying out of Teteboro Airport to Ocean City and a Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tour Eurocopter AS 350
    Where: over the Hudson River between New York and Hoboken, New Jersey near West 14th Street
    When: Sat Aug 8 2009
    Who: Helicopter: 5 Italian tourists and a pilot;
    plane: pilot and 2 passengers (including a child)
    Why: The airplane flew into the helicopter. The impact (or rotors) severed off the plane’s wing. Both aircrafts are in the river. The helicopter is reported to have “dropped like a rock” when the aircrafts “clipped.”

    Two bodies have been recovered. Recovery mission is ongoing.

  • FAA Says No More Aviacsa

    The Mexican Aviacsa airline has been banned from US airspace by the FAA. Until the airline comes up to code and addresses the safety violations the FAA pointed out, it will not be allowed to fly over its former Las Vegas service area. Twenty-five of Aviacsa’s Boeing 737s are not deemed airworthy. Ironically, Aviacsa’s repair stations have retained their certification and can still work on planes.

    Read more at flightglobal…

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    Famílias acionarão Airbus nos EUA

    Famílias acionarão Airbus nos EUA

    Consultor americano que atuou no caso da TAM afirma que “projeto do jato é defeituoso”

    Marcelo Ambrosio

    Ainda que as causas do acidente com o A330 da Air France jamais venham ser realmente conhecidas, para as famílias das vítimas os caminhos para minorar a dor das perdas que sofreram estão abertos. Isso porque para o direito, em qualquer país, não há distinção sobre o motivo do desastre quando o que conta realmente é a morte de quem era transportado. Um dos maiores estrategistas do mundo nesse tipo de processo judicial esteve ontem no Rio para discutir com parentes de vítimas do voo AF447 e deixou claro esse recado: não importam as causas, o fabricante tem o ônus. O mexicano George Hatcher integra a equipe de um escritório de advocacia (Masry & Vittoe), cuja expertise mundial é a de arrancar de empresas de transporte somas altíssimas, a maioria das vezes, em acordos judiciais, como indenização por danos morais.

    Hatcher costuma fazer extensas investigações particulares antes de se decidir por recomendar que o escritório atue nesse ou naquele incidente. No caso do desastre do Atlântico, cujo montante de pagamentos pode alcançar o valor recorde de US$ 700 milhões de dólares, o veredito já foi dado.

    – Vamos processar a Airbus. Tenho uma lista de 700 pilotos com os quais costumo discutir. Dois deles são comandantes da ativa do A330 e, embora não se conheçam, disseram a mesma coisa: foram os computadores defeituosos os responsáveis pela perda da aeronave. O Airbus, na avaliação deles, é um projeto defeituoso – definiu o consultor, cuja atuação junto às famílias de vítimas do acidente com o Airbus da TAM em Congonhas o levou a um processo em fase adiantada em uma corte da Flórida, nos EUA. São 77 famílias representadas pelo escritório e uma vitória já alcançada, que foi o acordo com a companhia aérea.

    O que define o caso é o fato de que algo falhou e que o passageiro nada podia fazer para alterar esse quadro. As companhias tem noção disso e tentam jogar com o tempo e com a possibilidade do menor dispêndio de dinheiro possível. A escolha dos tribunais americanos, especialmente na Flórida, segue a lógica da possibilidade de sucesso.

    O consultor garante que lá, em casos como o do AF447 ou do A320 da TAM, decisões são mais céleres e rígidas. A idéia de ingressar com uma ação na França não está descartada, mas os EUA seguem como a 1ª opção. A justiça brasileira é séria, na avaliação do especialista, mas demorada. A remuneração do escritório segue as mesmas regras das demandas trabalhistas, com o cliente arcando com custos após a sentença. Os advogados ficam com 30%.

    – As cortes da Flórida são rigorosas, tem uma simpatia pelo drama das famílias e não perdem tempo. Os acordos nos EUA são os mais altos no por isso. No caso do acidente de Congonhas são processos que somam US$ 100 millhões e a audiência na corte já está marcada, para março de 2010. Fizemos um acordo parcial com a TAM, mas há outros réus, como a BFGoodrich, responsável pelos freios, e a Pratt&Whitney, fabricante das turbinas, uma das quais estava com o reverso quebrado.

    A ação relativa ao caso da Air France deve ser aberta também na Flórida, onde há um centro de treinamento do consórcio europeu e um escritório comercial.

    – Incluiremos também a Honeywell, que fabricou os computadores e os produtore dos softwares. Desde 2001 há alertas sobre essa questão nos aviões e nada mudou. Foram feitos 5.200 jatos pela Airbus até hoje e eles já tiraram 2.600 vidas, 600 em três desastres – acrescenta.

    O mais complicado é calcular o valor de cada indenização, valor que leva em conta fatores, como idade, expectativa de vida ativa, etc.

    – Para a Justiça americana, não há limite para esse valor – completa Hatcher, que conhece todos os representantes nos 77 processos relativos à TAM. – Conversei muito com todos eles esse tempo.

    Terça-feira, 21 de Julho de 2009 – 00:00

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    Tam Chided by Brazilian Consulate

    The Brazilian Consulate in Paris has accused Tam of negligence when loading planes in Brazilian airports. The consul said that even having paid a total of € 83 thousand in fines for transporting passengers with inadequate documentation to enter France, [Tam] did not pay attention to requirements of the Direction of French Border Police.

    On the Tam website, Brazilian diplomats found incomplete information regarding requisite documents required by the French government to allow entry into France. Paris headquarters could not comment on these developments without permission from São Paulo.

    Original article in portuguese

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    Airbus Abandons Yemenia Air


    Splitting the blanket?

    Because Airbus has circulated the statement that the crash was due to “technical problems” (when no official statement should be made prior to an investigation), 49% Saudi-owned Yemenia Airlines is rumored likely to pull it’s order for 10 Airbus A350s. The order has been standing since a 2007 airshow, and involves millions. The Yemenia Airlines crash that occurred during a stormy weather landing on the Comoros Islands involved an Airbus.

  • July 2009: Ban List Update

    Commission updates the list of airlines banned from European airspace

    The European Commission adopted yesterday evening the eleventh update of the Community’s list of airlines banned in the European Union which comprises those of two additional countries. With this update the ban imposed upon five airlines is lifted given satisfactory improvements in safety.

    “We cannot afford any compromises in air safety, we have to remain vigilant; citizens have the right to fly safely every where in the world” said Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani and concluded that “we will not accept that airlines fly at different standards when they operate inside and outside Europe – it is high time that the international community rethinks its safety policy; those airlines which are unsafe should not be allowed to fly anywhere. This list has greatly contributed to making Europe’s skies safer. We should gradually move towards an international strategy based on cooperation between countries around the world”.
    The new list replaces the previous one and can already be consulted on the Commission’s website[1].

    The key conclusions to be drawn from this latest update of the list are twofold: a) the list acts a strong incentive to remedy safety deficiencies; withdrawal from the list is indeed possible, when the parties concerned put effectively in place sound corrective action to comply with all relevant safety standards; b) the concept of a Community list is increasingly proving to serve as a preventive rather than punitive instrument for safeguarding aviation safety. This is illustrated by the numerous instances where the Community has successfully addressed potential safety threats well ahead of resorting to the drastic measure of imposing restrictions.

    Significant improvements and accomplishments of the Indonesian civil aviation authority are recognised in the area of safety. Since the imposition of the ban in July 2007, four air carriers – Garuda Indonesia, Airfast Indonesia, Mandala Airlines and Premiair can be taken off the list, because their authority ensures that they respect the international safety standards. The Thai carrier One Two Go has been removed from the list as its certificate has been revoked by the Thai aviation authorities. Progress made by the civil aviation authority of Angola and the air carrier TAAG Angola Airlines to resolve progressively any safety deficiencies are recognised. In that context, the cooperation and assistance agreement signed between the civil aviation authorities of Angola and of Portugal allowed the airline to operate again into Portugal only with certain aircraft and under very strict conditions.

    This update also highlights the continuous dialogue with certain States regarding the safety of their carriers. In this respect, following evidence of improvements in the safety standards, the performance of various Russian air carriers on which the Russian authorities have imposed operating restrictions will be closely monitored.

    It also acknowledges the efforts made by the civil aviation authorities of Indonesia, Gabon, Ukraine and Angola to enhance the exercise of their oversight responsibilities with a view to improving safety and cooperate closely to that end with the Commission.

    Safety deficiencies identified in the system of oversight by the aviation authorities of Zambia and Kazakhstan, led to an operating ban on all carriers from these two countries, with the exception of the Kazakh air carrier Air Astana, whose operations into the Community are frozen under strict restrictions.

    Nonetheless, all carriers covered by this and previous updates continue to be subject to prioritised ramp inspections at Community airports in order to ensure their consistent adherence to the relevant safety standards.
    Hence, today, the Community’s list has 9 individual carriers whose operations are fully banned in the European Union – Air Koryo from the Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRK), Air West from Sudan, Ariana Afghan Airlines from Afghanistan, Siem reap Airways International from Cambodia, Silverback Cargo Freighters from Rwanda, Motor Sich, Ukraine Cargo Airways, Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines and Volare from Ukraine; all carriers (246) from 12 countries – Angola, Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, (with the exception of three carriers which operate under restrictions and conditions), Indonesia, Kazakhstan (with the exception of one carrier which operates under restrictions and conditions), the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland and Zambia; 7 air carriers which are allowed to operate under restrictions and conditions – TAAG Angola Airlines, Air Astana from Kazakhstan, Gabon Airlines, Afrijet and SN2AG from Gabon, Air Bangladesh and Air Service Comores.

    The safety audits of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) constitute a pillar and one of the common criteria which are used to impose an operating ban. Enhancing the cooperation in this area with ICAO is therefore essential. This was the key subject at a meeting on 9 July between Vice President Tajani and the President of ICAO’s Council, Mr. Kobeh. A report later this year on the functioning of the rules wiill also contain proposals to strengthen the international dimension.

    http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1136&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

  • The Search: Flight 447

    -17 bodies found 45 miles from last transmission

    -two airplane seats, debris with Air France’s logo, and recovered dozens of structural components from the plane

    -Tuesday Brazilian and French ships will be using American equipment to listen for the missing beacon.

    French Statement:

    ORGANISATION DE L’ENQUETE TECHNIQUE

    L’Airbus A 330-200, immatriculé F-GZCP, exploité par Air France, vol AF 447, a disparu dans la nuit du 31 mai au 1er juin 2009. L’avion avait à son bord 216 passagers et 12 membres d’équipage et assurait la liaison Rio-de-Janeiro (Brésil) – Paris-Charles de Gaulle (France).

    L’avion ayant disparu dans les eaux internationales, le BEA, représentant l’Etat d’immatriculation, a ouvert une enquête, conformément à l’Annexe 13 à la Convention relative à l’aviation civile internationale et au Code de l’Aviation civile (Livre VII).

    Une équipe d’enquête a été constituée et s’est mise au travail.

    L’enquêteur désigné, M. Alain BOUILLARD, a constitué quatre groupes de travail dans les domaines suivants :

    Recherches en mer,
    Historique de l’avion,
    Exploitation de l’avion,
    Systèmes et équipements.

    Deux enquêteurs du BEA accompagnés de spécialistes d’Airbus et d’Air France sont actuellement à Rio de Janeiro.

    Le BEA prévoit de publier un premier rapport fin juin.

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    29 Air Incidents posted April 6 2009


      04/04/2009 1830 CENTRE, AL 8560E 7HC A DEST 1 AIRCRAFT CRASHED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, CENTRE, AL
      04/04/2009 2249 VALDOSTA, GA 456CH EXP A DEST 1 AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORT OF THE AIRPORT, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, 5 MILES FROM VALDOSTA, GA
      04/05/2009 1742 LONG ISLAND, NY 740RB EXP A SUBS 1 AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES INTO THE OCEAN, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, NEAR SMITH POINT PARK BEACH, LONG ISLAND, NY
      04/04/2009 1842 ENGLEWOOD, FL 88WG EXP A UNKN 1 AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE WERE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD, ONE WAS FATALLY INJURED, ONE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, NEAR ENGLEWOOD, FL
      04/04/2009 2246 KALISPELL, MT 6433A C182 A DEST 0 AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD AND FLIPPED OVER, LOST PRAIRIE, 30 MILES FROM KALISPELL, MT
      04/04/2009 2300 CHICALOON, AK 40684 M4 A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, FLIPPED OVER, CHICALOON, AK
      04/05/2009 2100 NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 9600D PA22 A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF, FLIPPED OVER, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR
      04/04/2009 1819 MONTEREY, CA 224RA 7GCA A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF, LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, MONTEREY, CA
      04/05/2009 1815 SONOMA, CA 100VH BE36 A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND WENT INTO A DITCH, SONOMA, CA
      04/06/2009 0420 RIDDLE, ID 610RJ EXP A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD, NEAR RIDDLE, ID
      04/05/2009 0242 GAITHERSBURG, MD 28059 BL17 A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A BIRD STRIKE DAMAGING THE WINDSHIELD, GAITHERSBURG, MD
      04/04/2009 2145 OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC 1838Q C177 A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC
      04/04/2009 2305 SNOHOMISH, WA 491SF C172 A SUBS 0 AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BIRD, LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, 3 MILES FROM HARVEY FIELD, SNOHOMISH, WA
      04/04/2009 1940 BROOKSHIRE, TX 89EA EXP A UNKN 0 AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES NEAR THE AIRPORT, BROOKSHIRE, TX
      04/04/2009 1425 PHOENIX, AZ UNK J3 I MINR 0 PIPER J3 AIRCRAFT, REGISTRATION UNKNOWN, WHILE BEING HAND PROPPED, STARTED AND TAXIED UNOCCUPIED INTO A NEARBY HANGAR, GOODYEAR AIRPORT, PHOENIX, AZ
      04/03/2009 2125 FRESNO, CA 4326H MO20 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, FRESNO, CA
      04/05/2009 1210 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 767PA C402 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT WHILE AWAITING TO DEPART, FRONT WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
      04/03/2009 1721 KEY WEST, FL 350ST PA31 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, KEY WEST, FL
      04/03/2009 2253 NORTH POINT, FL 509SR SR22 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A ROAD, NEAR NORTH POINT, FL
      04/03/2009 1726 WEST PALM BEACH, FL 8909A BE36 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, WEST PALM BEACH, FL
      03/29/2009 1900 LAKE CHARLES, LA 740PH B407 I MINR 0 N740PH, A BELL 407 ROTORCRAFT, WHILE LANDING ON AN OIL PLATFORM, STRUCK A FENCE; GULF OF MEXICO, 120 MILES FROM LAKE CHARLES, LA
      04/05/2009 1849 CHARLESTON, SC 18PN SR22 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT ON LANDING RAN OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS, CHARLESTON, SC
      04/05/2009 1922 CHARLESTON, SC 6208V C172 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, CHARLESTON, SC
      04/03/2009 1920 BREMERTON, WA 74545 M20 I MINR 0 AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP, BREMERTON, WA
      04/04/2009 1538 ZEPHYRHILLS, FL 1077X PA28 I NONE 0 AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD, NEAR ZEPHYRHILLS, FL
      04/04/2009 1800 MARYSVILLE, OH 7288F PA28 I NONE 0 AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD, 15 MILES FROM MARYSVILLE, OH
      04/03/2009 1703 HOUMA, LA 2399V EXP I UNKN 0 AIRCRAFT ON LANDING, BLEW A TIRE AND VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY, HOUMA, LA
      04/05/2009 1634 STEVENSVILLE, MD 923AY EXP I UNKN 0 AIRCRAFT PROP STRUCK A PASSENGER WHO HAD JUST EXITED THE PARKED AIRCRAFT, STEVENSVILLE, MD
      04/04/2009 2020 PORTSMOUTH, NH 60402 BE36 I UNKN 0 AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF, LOST POWER, AND SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY GEAR UP, PORTSMOUTH, NH
  • |

    Platinum Jet Management LLC, of Fort Lauderdale Has Day In Court

    2009-Feb 5-Platinum Jet co-founders Michael Brassington, 35, and Paul Brassington, 29, company manager Andre Budhan, 42, and maintenance director Brien„© McKenzie, 42 were arrested Wednesday on charges they violated federal aircraft regulations, contributing to a 2005 accident –Canadair Challenger 600 business jet failed to take off, crossed a heavily traveled road, hitting cars along the way, and slammed into a warehouse–at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport. Additional warrants have also been issued for charter director Joseph Singh, 37, and pilot Francis Viera, 59.

    What: Canadair Challenger 600 business jet
    Where: New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport
    When: Feb. 2, 2005
    Who: 20 people injured
    Why: The accident has been judged to be due to fuel loading (weight shift)

    See NTSB Publication Below:

    Aircraft Accident Report
    Runway Overrun and Collision
    Platinum Jet Management, LLC
    Bombardier Challenger CL-600-1A11, N370V
    Teterboro, New Jersey
    February 2, 2005

    NTSB Number AAR-06/04
    NTIS Number PB2007-910401

    Executive Summary: On February 2, 2005, about 0718 eastern standard time, a Bombardier Challenger CL-600-1A11, N370V, ran off the departure end of runway 6 at Teterboro Airport (TEB), Teterboro, New Jersey, at a ground speed of about 110 knots; through an airport perimeter fence; across a six-lane highway (where it struck a vehicle); and into a parking lot before impacting a building. The two pilots were seriously injured, as were two occupants in the vehicle. The cabin aide, eight passengers, and one person in the building received minor injuries. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postimpact fire. The accident flight was an on-demand passenger charter flight from TEB to Chicago Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois. The flight was subject to the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 and operated by Platinum Jet Management, LLC (PJM), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, under the auspices of a charter management agreement with Darby Aviation (Darby), Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan.

    The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the pilots’ failure to ensure the airplane was loaded within weight-and-balance limits and their attempt to take off with the center of gravity well forward of the forward takeoff limit, which prevented the airplane from rotating at the intended rotation speed.

    Contributing to the accident were: 1) PJM’s conduct of charter flights (using PJM pilots and airplanes) without proper Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification and its failure to ensure that all for-hire flights were conducted in accordance with 14 CFR Part 135 requirements; 2) Darby Aviation’s failure to maintain operational control over 14 CFR Part 135 flights being conducted under its certificate by PJM, which resulted in an environment conducive to the development of systemic patterns of flight crew performance deficiencies like those observed in this accident; 3) the failure of the Birmingham, Alabama, FAA Flight Standards District Office to provide adequate surveillance and oversight of operations conducted under Darby’s Part 135 certificate; and 4) the FAA’s tacit approval of arrangements such as that between Darby and PJM.

    The safety issues addressed in this report include weight and balance procedures; flight crew actions, training, and procedures; company oversight and operational control; FAA responsibility and oversight; cabin aide actions, training, and procedures; and runway safety areas.