DOT 11-10
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Contact: Olivia Alair
Tel.: 202-366-4570

Additional Assistance Includes Ferry Service and Exemptions that Expand the Pool of Aircraft Available to Help in Relief Efforts

At the request of the Haitian government, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) dispatched a portable, temporary control tower to Haiti today to help assist with aircraft operations at Port-au-Prince International Airport. The tower is being transported aboard a large, chartered cargo aircraft and FAA technicians will install and prepare it for service which will take about 48 hours once it arrives in Port-au-Prince.

“This tower is a visible representation of the Department’s contribution to our government’s swift and considerable efforts to help Haiti deal with this terrible tragedy,” said DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. “We had great support from the military in arranging for the transport of this critical equipment.”

“We are all grateful for the incredible effort put in by FAA employees who have worked around the clock in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to help relief supplies and emergency responders arrive quickly and efficiently,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

The portable tower is 44 feet long, 13 feet high and eight feet wide, and weighs about 25,000 pounds. It comes with two diesel-powered generators and supporting fuel tanks, plus tools and other support equipment for installation and maintenance. The FAA uses this tower and others like it to support airports where existing towers are out of service after a disaster, like a major hurricane.

Controllers providing terminal air traffic control services have worked outside at a folding table, using military radios to handle about 160 flights a day. The airport’s control tower was rendered unusable by the devastating earthquake on January 12. Tower controllers provide service to arriving and departing flights in the immediate area of the airport and serve as ground controllers for movements on the airport surface.

Besides air traffic employees, the FAA has an airports division team on the ground to inspect and evaluate the physical condition of the runway as it handles a high volume of heavy military transport and cargo aircraft.

Immediately following the earthquake, the Department granted two exemptions from current aviation restrictions, expanding the pool of available aircraft by making them easier to charter. The first exemption helps streamline the ability of the U.S. Government to procure charter air services on short notice. The second granted authority to a class of carriers that operate large aircraft in private carriage, allowing them to evacuate persons from and bring personnel and supplies to the disaster area. Without this exemption, such conduct could violate the Department’s economic licensing requirement for airlines.

In addition to the FAA assistance, Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff granted an emergency petition to the principal public ferry service in Puerto Rico to use the Federally-funded vessel the “Cayo Largo” to transport 65 rescuers, rescue vehicles, and medicine to the port of Baraona, Dominican Republic to help in the Haiti relief effort. The ship sailed Monday from San Juan.

Also over the past week, the Department’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) mobilized six ships to assist with relief efforts in Haiti. Gopher State, Petersburg, Huakai, Alakai, Cornhusker State and Cape May are all either being prepared or currently loading. All are owned or controlled by MARAD, and will be crewed by civilian U.S. merchant mariners.

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Two Boston EMS uniformed staff members, EMT Mike Vojak and Paramedic Greg Bond, and Senior EMS Fellow Dr. David Hirsch, all volunteers with disaster medical organizations, were deployed last night to help with emergency response efforts after Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti and the surrounding area. Each has been asked to report back on the conditions so that information can be relayed to other authorities and supportive assistance can be provided as applicable.

Both EMT Vojak and Dr. Hirsch are members of DMAT-1, the Disaster Medical Assistance Team based out of Boston. Vojak has been with Boston EMS since 1982 and Hirsch since 2008. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams are under the jurisdiction of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Paramedic Bond, a member of IMSuRT-East, the International Medical Surgical Response Team based out of Boston, has been with Boston EMS since 1997. IMSuRT is a specialized team of highly trained personnel and is equipped to establish a fully capable free-standing field surgical unit anywhere in the world.

Deployments typically last two weeks with a rotation of staff but depend heavily on the conditions on the ground.

Emergency Notice
Notice Number: NOTC2101
Emergency Notification
The FAA has been made aware of an issue with an update to a navigation database that became effective on 14 January 2010. To date, the known affected models are: Honeywell Bendix/King KLN 35, KLN 88, KLN 89, KLN 89B, KLN 90, KLN 90B, KLN 94, KLX 100, KLX 135, KLX 135A, KLN 900.

*** URGENT SAFETY BULLETIN ***

January 11, 2010

Reference: Databases for KLN 35A/KLN 88/KLN 89/KLN 89B/KLN 90/KLN 90A/KLN90B/KLN 94/KLX 100/KLX 135/KLX 135A/KLN 900

After production and distribution of the Cycle 1001 databases (effective date 14-Jan-2010),Honeywell was informed by our data supplier, Jeppesen, that the data file delivered to Honeywell contained incorrect Dynamic Magnetic Variations for all terminal and en route waypoint records.For that reason, it is imperative that the incorrect databases NOT be used for arrival, departure, or approach operations.

Any of the following databases contain incorrect data that must be corrected before use:
1. Cycle 1001 databases downloaded from Wingman Services prior to January 12th, 2010.
2. Cycle 1001 databases on programmed media and received prior to January 12th, 2010.

To fix this issue, a corrected database must be installed prior to the next flight. For all units except the KLN 94, refer to the applicable pilot’s guide for database update instructions. For operators using KLN 94 equipment who downloaded the Cycle 1001 database prior to 16 January 2010, please refer to Service Information Letter “Incorrect Dynamic Magnetic Variation Data on database cycle 1001” PN D201001000010.

To obtain a corrected database:
1. For customers with web distribution, download the new data file Cycle 1001 and load the new database in the unit.
2. For customers with all other types of distribution, return the distribution media (except diskettes) to Wingman Services and a new Cycle 1001 will be sent back to be loaded into the unit.

Note that if it cannot be determined whether the Cycle 1001 database falls within the categories listed above, or if there is any uncertainty about the correctness of the data, a corrected database should be installed.

The Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings, including its Aviation Consumer Protection Division, monitors compliance with and investigates violations of the Department of Transportation’s (Department) aviation economic, consumer protection, and civil rights requirements. The Office also provides legal review and support on aviation economic licensing matters. The new website is located here. Click the banner below to take a look. The new site allows you to file a consumer complaint, look at security links, check out the Department of Transportation’s monthy ranking of airlines, read consumer tips, enforcement guidelines, bankruptcy news…

And of course, we will be putting a link up on our sidebar.

January 14 – The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative (CAAFI), a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sponsored effort to develop environmentally-sound, sustainable-alternative jet fuels, has received “one of the most coveted and valued honors” by a leading aviation-industry publication. Air Transport World’s Joseph S. Murphy Industry Service Award is given to an individual or an organization that has performed outstanding service benefiting air travel.

“This recognition is a strong endorsement of CAAFI’s innovative public-private partnership and recognizes the tremendous joint effort leading to significant advancements for alternative jet fuels this past year,” said FAA Acting Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning and Environment Nancy LoBue. “Environmentally sound alternative jet fuel is a key priority for the FAA and it is rapidly becoming a reality.”

CAAFI seeks to enhance energy security and environmental sustainability for aviation through alternative jet fuels. The initiative is a coalition of the U.S. commercial aviation community that acts as a focal point for engaging the emerging alternative fuels industry. It enables its diverse stakeholders to build relationships, share and collect needed data, identify resources, and direct research, development and deployment of alternative fuels. The initiative is fostering efforts to ensure critical issues in fuel safety, research and development, environmental impacts, and business and economic viability are addressed.

CAAFI’s sponsors include the FAA Office of Environment and Energy and three trade associations: Airports Council International of North America (ACI-NA) representing commercial airports, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) representing U.S. manufacturers, and the Air Transport Association (ATA) representing U.S. airlines. CAAFI stakeholders are drawn from all elements of the international commercial aviation industry, fuel suppliers, universities, and multiple U.S. government agencies.

The industry awards program was created in 1974 to recognize excellence. Originally a modest program, over intervening decades it has become of the most valued recognition a company or person in the airline community can receive. CAAFI will receive the award at a ceremony in Singapore on February 1.

2009 in a nutshell

» Over the year 2009 ASN recorded a total of 30 fatal multi-engine airliner accidents, resulting in 757 fatalities and 1 ground fatalities.
» The 1999-2008 ten-year average is a total of 32 fatal multi-engine airliner accidents, resulting in an average of 802 fatalities.
» Over the year 2009 ASN recorded a total of 4 fatal corporate jet accidents, resulting in 11 fatalities.
» The year 2009 recorded 3 (attempted) hijackings. [
» The year 2009 recorded 1 criminal occurrences (excl. hijackings).

Date: 31 December 2009
the Aviation Safety Network / Harro Ranter

The Aviation Safety Network today released the 2009 airliner accident statistics showing a total of 757 airliner accident fatalities, as a result of 30 fatal multi-engine airliner accidents.
Over the year 2009 the Aviation Safety Network recorded a total of 30 fatal airliner accidents, resulting in 757 fatalities and 1 ground fatality.The number of fatalities is lower than the ten-year average of 802 fatalities. The number of accident is on average.

Of those 30 fatal accidents, 11 involved passenger flights. This is the lowest number in over sixty years.

Founder and president of the Aviation Safety Network, Harro Ranter: “Aviation has become safer every year during the last decade. A record low number of 11 fatal accidents on passenger flights in 2009 signifies this.”

Five out of 30 accident airplanes were operated by airlines on the E.U. “black list” (as opposed to nine out of 26 in 2007 and three out of 32 in 2008).

In 2009 Africa was again the most unsafe region: 30% of all fatal airliner accidents happened in Africa, while the continent only accounts for approximately 3 percent of all world aircraft departures.

The Aviation Safety Network is an independent organisation located in the Netherlands. Founded in 1996. It has the aim to provide everyone with a (professional) interest in aviation with up-to-date, complete and reliable authoritative information on airliner accidents and safety issues. ASN is an exclusive service of the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF). The figures have been compiled using the airliner accident database of the Aviation Safety Network, the Internet leader in aviation safety information. The Aviation Safety Network uses information from authoritative and official sources like NTSB, ICAO etc.

More information http://aviation-safety.net

Harro Ranter
the Aviation Safety Network
e-mail: hr@aviation-safety.net

EASA Distributes FAA Recommendation: Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin

FAA Aviation Safety
SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN
SAIB: NM-10-12
SUBJ: Navigation: Flight Management System Date: January 7, 2009
This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) advises registered owners and operators of
the transmission of incorrect information from the Honeywell NZ-2000 Primus Epic Flight
Management System (FMS) software having part number (P/N) VAR9XX, VAR10XX, or
VAR11XX and installed on Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (Type Certificate Previously Held
by Raytheon Aircraft Company) Model 4000 airplanes, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
Model G-IV, GIV-X, and GV-SP airplanes, Agusta AW-139 helicopters, and Cessna Aircraft
Company Model 680 airplanes.

Background
During an RNAV approach an airplane programmed with NZ-2000 FMS software (version 5.2), flew
the WATTS THREE ARRIVAL (RNAV) Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR). A different
runway was selected in the FMS during the STAR, and resulted in the FMS navigating the airplane
toward the initial STAR waypoint instead of the next sequential STAR waypoint. As a result of this
incident, Honeywell International Inc. issued Service Information Letter, D200909000044, dated
October 15, 2009, to provide operators with guidelines for flight plan modifications made on the
ARRIVAL page, including a destination runway change. This SAIB addresses the Primus Epic FMS
because its software was a derivative of the NZ-2000 FMS software. At this time, the airworthiness
concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title
14 of the Code of Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Recommendations
The FAA recommends that all owners and operators of Model 4000 airplanes, Model G-IV, GIV-X,
and GV-SP airplanes, Agusta AW-139 helicopters, and Model 680 airplanes with NZ-2000 Primus
Epic Flight Management System software ensure their flight crews are familiar with the procedures
outlined in Honeywell Service Information Letter, D200909000044, dated October 15, 2009.
For Further Information Contact

Daniel Bui, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130L, FAA, Los
Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California
90712-4137; telephone (562) 627-5339; fax (562) 627-5210.
For Related Service Information Contact
Technical Publications and Distribution, 21111 N. 19th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85027-2708;
telephone (800)601-3099; fax 602-365-5577; Internet http://portal.honeywell.com/wps/portal/aero.

See Also the Service Information Letter: http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/NM-10-13 pdf

The NTSB is amending its regulations concerning notification
and reporting requirements regarding aircraft accidents or
incidents. In particular, the NTSB is adding regulations to require
operators to report certain incidents to the NTSB. The NTSB is also
amending existing regulations to provide clarity and ensure that
the appropriate means for notifying the NTSB of a reportable
incident is listed correctly in the regulation.

On October 7, 2008, the NTSB published an NPRM titled
“Notification and Reporting of Aircraft Accidents or Incidents and
Overdue Aircraft, and preservation of Aircraft Wreckage, Mail,
Cargo, and Records” in the Federal Register. This NPRM proposed,
and the final rule codifies the addition of five reportable
incidents, the reporting of which the NTSB believes will improve
aviation safety.

The operator of any civil aircraft, or any public aircraft not
operated by the Armed Forces or an intelligence agency of the
United States, or any foreign aircraft shall immediately, and by
the most expeditious means available, notify the nearest National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) office when an aircraft accident
or any of the following listed serious incidents occur:

• Failure of any internal turbine engine component that results
  in the escape of debris other than out the exhaust path.
• In-flight fire.
• Aircraft collision in flight.
• Release of all or a portion of a propeller blade from an
  aircraft, excluding release caused solely by ground contact.
• A complete loss of information, excluding flickering, from more
  than 50 percent of an aircraft’s cockpit displays known as
  Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) displays, Engine
  Indication and Crew Alerting system (EICAS) displays, Electronic
  Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) displays, or other displays of
  this type, which generally include a primary flight display (PFD),
  primary navigation display (PND), and other integrated
  displays.
• Airborne Collision and Avoidance System (ACAS) resolution
  advisories issued either when an aircraft is being operated on an
  instrument flight rules flight plan and compliance with the
  advisory is necessary to avert a substantial risk of collision
  between two or more aircraft, or to an aircraft operating in class
  A airspace.
• Damage to helicopter tail or main rotor blades, including
  ground damage, that requires major repair or replacement of the
  blade(s).
• Any event in which an aircraft operated by an air carrier lands
  or departs on a taxiway, incorrect runway, or other area not
  designed as a runway, or experiences a runway incursion that
  requires the operator or the crew of another aircraft or vehicle to
  take immediate corrective
• action to avoid a collision.

The final rule was published in the Federal Register January
7th, and the revisions and additions published in this final rule
become effective March 8, 2010.

www.ntsb.gov

Virgin America Cleared for Take-Off in 2010

San Francisco – January 8, 2010 – Virgin America, a privately-held domestic airline, today applauded the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) decision confirming the carrier’s financial fitness and U.S. citizenship status. Earlier today, the DOT issued a ruling that the airline and its proposed new ownership structure will remain fully compliant with U.S. ownership laws. U.S. law requires that domestic airlines remain under the control of U.S. citizens, with no more than 25% of the voting stock being held by foreign citizens. As a matter of policy, the DOT reviews any proposed ownership changes of over 10 percent of the voting stock of any U.S.-domiciled airline.

“Today is a great day for airline competition, for our traveling guests and for our teammates,” said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush. “We’re extremely pleased with the Department of Transportation’s announcement. With this behind us, we intend to focus on what we do best: injecting new competition into markets as we grow, creating new jobs and delivering an unrivalled guest experience.”

The proposed new ownership structure will reflect a change among Virgin America’s U.S. investors and also allow the Company’s teammates to participate in the airline’s future via an Employee LLC. Under the new structure, the airline’s voting stock will remain in its previous configuration with 75 percent held by the U.S.-based VAI Partners, LLC and 25 percent held by Virgin Group. However, the U.S. investors comprising VAI Partners will change with the following entities now comprising the VAI stake:

Cyrus Aviation Investor, LLC – 55.5 percent
VAI MBO Investors, LLC—27.8 percent
VX Employee Holdings, LLC—16.7 percent
VAI Management, LLC—less than 1 percent
Cyrus Aviation Investor, LLC is an entity related to long-time Virgin America investor, Cyrus Capital. Under the new structure it will substantially increase its investment to become the airline’s principal U.S. investor.

VAI MBO Investors, LLC is comprised of five individual investors. Four of the investors, Don Carty, Sam Skinner, Cyrus Freidheim, and David Cush, are current Virgin America Board members, and a fifth, Robert Nickell, will assume a Board seat at the closing of this transaction.

VX Employee Holdings, LLC is an entity established to hold the economic value of 16.7 percent of VAI for distribution to the employees of Virgin America at the time of a qualified liquidity event, such as an initial public offering.

“Given that our success to date is due to the efforts of this entrepreneurial start-up team, we are pleased that our teammates will now have a stake in the financial success of our airline,” added Cush.

As part of the proposed transaction, Virgin America will obtain an additional $68.4 million in unsecured debt from its shareholders. This facility will further improve the liquidity of the company, positioning it for additional growth in 2010 and beyond.

The company will continue to have a U.S. controlled Board of Directors (with seven of nine seats held by U.S. citizens). Although a privately-held company, the airline is announcing these details given DOT’s public ruling earlier today.

Since its August 2007 launch, the San Francisco-based Virgin America has created more than 1500 new jobs, swept all the major reader-based travel awards, and lowered fares and improved service in the new markets it has entered. The start-up airline’s most recently reported financial results included the announcement of its first quarterly operating profit, a year-over-year revenue increase of 38 percent, record load factors and improved unit costs for the third quarter of 2009.

Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Orange County and Fort Lauderdale. Virgin America has flown over 6.2 million guests since its inaugural flights and now counts over 1.2 million Elevate loyalty program members. In just over two years flying, Virgin America has captured a list of travel industry best-in-class awards, including “Best Domestic Airline” in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards and in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.

# # #

Virgin America is a U.S.-controlled, owned and operated airline. It is an entirely separate company from Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group is a minority share investor in Virgin America.

The National Transportation Safety Board will open its public docket Thursday on a January 2009 helicopter accident that killed 8 persons.

On January 4, 2009, a Sikorsky S-76C++ helicopter (N748P), operated by PHI, Inc., crashed into swampy terrain just north of the Gulf of Mexico coastline near Morgan City, Louisiana. The aircraft was on a Part 135 revenue flight to an oil platform when it crashed about 7 minutes after takeoff. Eight of the nine persons aboard lost their lives.

The docket will contain factual reports prepared by the investigative team, including reports on aircraft structures, aircraft systems, the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder, and toxicology reports. A comprehensive materials laboratory report on the windscreen structure and a report on the flight data recorder information will be added to the docket in the next several weeks.

The docket will be published on the Board’s website at www.ntsb.gov, under “Accident Dockets” on the home page, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Thursday, January 7. No determination of cause will be rendered at this time. This is a factual release only; no interviews will be conducted by NTSB personnel.

Release Date: December 31, 2009
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Secretary Napolitano to travel in the coming weeks to build on these efforts

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that she is dispatching Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute, Assistant Secretary for Policy David Heyman and other senior Department officials on a broad international outreach effort to meet with leaders from major international airports in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America to review security procedures and technology being used to screen passengers on flights bound for the United States.

“As part of the ongoing review to determine exactly what went wrong leading up to Friday’s attempted terrorist attack, we are looking not only at our own processes, but also beyond our borders to ensure effective aviation security measures are in place for U.S-bound flights that originate at international airports,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Because I am fully committed to making whatever changes are necessary to protect the safety of the traveling public, I am sending Deputy Secretary Lute and Assistant Secretary Heyman to work with our international partners on ways to collectively bolster our tactics for defeating terrorists wherever they may seek to launch an attack, and I will follow up on these efforts with ministerial-level meetings within the next few weeks.”

Deputy Secretary Lute and Assistant Secretary Heyman will first travel to Europe , departing on Monday. While there, they will brief European authorities on the findings of President Obama’s aviation security review and then report back to Secretary Napolitano on their discussions on enhancing international security measures.

Following the attempted attack on Christmas Day, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued a directive for additional security measures to be implemented for last point of departure international flights to the United States , such as increased gate pat-downs and bag searches. At the direction of the flight crew, passengers may also be asked to follow additional instructions, such as stowing personal items, turning off electronic equipment and remaining seated during certain portions of the flight.

Other security measures implemented have included the deployment of additional law enforcement at airports, air marshals, and explosives detection canine teams. TSA will continue to work with airline and law enforcement authorities, as well as federal, state, local and international partners to put additional security measures in place to ensure that aviation security remains strong. For more information on current security measures, visit www.tsa.gov.

Release #09.CAL3
December 28, 2009

HOUSTON, TEXAS—On Dec. 31, 2009, Continental pilots will see another year pass without a new contract in place. The current concessionary agreement that helped keep Continental out of bankruptcy was signed in April 2005 and became amendable on Dec. 31, 2008. However, the Continental pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), have been negotiating a successor agreement since July 2007, when the union and Continental management agreed to open discussions early. Since that time, the parties have reached tentative agreements on only nine of 32 sections of the contract. Most recently, the union presented a comprehensive proposal to management on Dec. 9, 2009, bringing all remaining sections of the contract to the table, most notably those dealing with economic issues such as pay, work rules and benefits.

Says Captain Jay Pierce, union leader of the Continental pilots, “When we gave our proposal to management on Dec. 9, it was an important step forward. Everything is now on the table. We are looking forward to seeing how our new CEO, Mr. Jeff Smisek, will assess the value of Continental pilots and the significant contributions we’ve made to help our airline.

“Our pilots have given over $200M to Continental each year through cuts in pay, benefits and work rules under our current agreement. Our proposal reflects the significant level of sacrifice made by our pilots and their families and the need to rebalance the equation. As we renew our negotiating efforts in 2010, we expect management to recognize the fact that improvements in our contract are long overdue.”

December 30, 2009

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reiterated that the security of passengers and employees is a top priority for the aviation industry. IATA urged the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to partner with industry to identify the most effective and efficient ways to address the evolving security challenge in light of the foiled terrorist plot to down a Detroit-bound aircraft.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, IATA’s Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani appreciated the swift reaction of DHS to maintain the confidence of the flying public and airline employees.

Bisignani noted the need for short-term temporary and extra-ordinary security measures until the immediate threat has abated. But he cautioned Secretary Napolitano that long-term solutions must include improved technology and effective risk assessment techniques. “The air transport system cannot support 100% pat-down searches over the long term.” IATA is recommending a smaller percentage of intensive pat downs accompanied by technologies or proportionate screening procedures as a means to achieve near-term security requirements with reduced delays.

While security is a government responsibility, it is a shared priority with industry. Bisignani urged DHS to allow the current short-term measures to be urgently followed-up by a comprehensive DHS/industry review of security systems to address existing and evolving security threats.

The failed Detroit terror plot emphasized two key realities: the global nature of the threat and the need for effective cooperation and information sharing among and within intelligence organizations. “Effective security needs a system that is built on global harmonization, effective information exchange, industry/government cooperation, risk assessment and efficient technology. This is how we made flying the safest way to travel. We must take the same approach with security,” said Bisignani.

Numbers illustrate the scale of the challenge. In the 12 months to September 2009, air transport connected 2.2 billion passengers safely and securely. This includes 820 million international travelers of which 140 million were international travelers on US routes. Another component is the US domestic market which accounts for 620 million travelers. “We live on an interconnected planet. Effective security cannot be achieved with a silo-approach,” said Bisignani.

As governments, with industry, review security in the days and weeks ahead, Bisignani urged a long-term re-think of the security model. “Instead of looking for bad things—nail clippers and rogue bottles of shampoo—security systems need to focus on finding bad people. Adding new hardware to an old system will not deliver the results we need. It is time for governments to invest in a process built around a check point of the future that combines the best of screening technology with the best of intelligence gathering. Such a system would give screeners access to important passenger data to make effective risk assessments. The data is being collected. The technology exists. Industry is supportive. Now ICAO and governments must work together to make such a process a reality with global harmonization and data-sharing,” said Bisignani.

Each year airlines and their passengers invest US$5.9 billion in security measures.

IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic.

NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
December 23, 2009

The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched a team of investigators to assist the government of Jamaica in its investigation of an accident involving an American Airlines B737-800 (N977AN) yesterday evening. At approximately 10:00 pm local time, the aircraft, operating as flight 331 from Miami, Florida, overshot the end of the runway while landing at Kingston, Jamaica in heavy rain, crossed a road and stopped on a beach. There were 148 passengers on board, and 6 crew. Multiple injuries have been reported.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman has designated senior air safety investigator John Lovell as the U.S. Accredited Representative. The U.S. team will also include five NTSB aviation specialists as well as technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration, American Airlines, Boeing Aircraft Company, and GE Aircraft Engines.

The investigation is being conducted by the government of Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority, which will release all information on the progress of the investigation. The agency’s phone number is (876) 960-3965; the agency’s email address is jcivav@toj.com.

###

NTSB Media Contact: Keith Holloway
(202) 314-6100
hollowk@ntsb.gov

Copenhagen – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the Copenhagen Accord as an important step in the right direction for climate change. Aviation emissions were not addressed specifically in the Accord, a reflection of the pro-active measures the industry has taken to set challenging targets for itself, together with an aggressive strategy to achieve them. The industry will continue to work towards achieving these global targets, which were recognized by the member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) at its High Level Meeting on Environment in October 2009 and which were commended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at a meeting with Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO, in New York later that month. IATA will continue to work with ICAO to develop a global framework for managing aviations emissions.

“We came to Copenhagen to be part of the deal and we were encouraged by the level of support for the industry’s global sectoral approach and targets. We will continue to press states to include these global targets in any future deal,” said Bisignani. “Airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers are reinforced in their commitment (1) to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% per year to 2020, (2) to stabilize carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth, and (3) to a net reduction in carbon emissions of 50% by 2050 compared to 2005,” he added.

Bisignani said, “We also found consensus among the delegations that a global sectoral approach should be established for aviation emissions by ICAO, the UN’s specialized agency for aviation. We will work closely with ICAO to prepare a global framework for managing aviation’s emissions for the ICAO Assembly to consider in September 2010. And we will urge governments to ensure this framework is presented to COP16 in December 2010. In the meantime we continue to urge governments to avoid creating a patchwork of national and regional solutions and to ensure aviation’s emissions are dealt with as a sector and across the world. A global sectoral approach supported by tough targets is the only sensible way forward for a global industry.”

A Global Sectoral Approach, under ICAO, to manage aviation’s emissions will ensure a level playing field. The approach consists of three main elements:

Full accounting for aviation’s emissions as a global industrial sector, not by state.
Global coordination of economic measures to ensure that aviation will not pay more than once for its emissions
Full access to global carbon markets
The aviation industry is already working towards its climate change goals through its four pillar strategy. The strategy focuses on investing in new technology, flying smarter, building efficient infrastructure, and taking advantage of positive economic measures.