Several reports have recently been received of loose pneumatic quickdisconnect unions on Goodrich pitot probes P/N 0851HL. These may be the result of mis-torque of the affected unions at equipment manufacturing level.
Investigations are still on-going to determine the root cause(s).
See the full report here (.pdf)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today congratulated Chairman Jay Rockefeller, Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison and the Senate for passage of the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act (S.223), which will help create jobs and modernize the air traffic control system. A modernized air traffic management system will improve operational efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and lower airline operating costs.
“This bill moves the United States toward our goal of enabling a safe, sustainable and profitable airline industry that provides good value to customers and promotes global competitiveness,” said ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “We applaud the leadership and significant work to pass a bill that reflects a continued commitment to safety and modernization of the air traffic control system by requiring that FAA establish and track performance metrics.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STRONG CONSENSUS REACHED AT ICAO SAFETY CONFERENCE ON WAYS TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS
MONTREAL, 1 April 2010 – A High-Level Safety Conference which concluded today established a strong mandate for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to create a strategy to further reduce the global accident rate, through the sharing of safety-related information among Member States and the air transport industry.
More than 600 participants at the four-day event, attended by Ministers and Directors General of Civil Aviation from 150 Member countries as well as industry representatives, recommended that ICAO create a global safety information exchange to enable analysis of key safety indicators. This will guide future strategic decisions related to the evolution of today’s air transportation system. The Conference called upon ICAO to facilitate the collection, analysis and dissemination of safety information provided by States and industry partners, throughout the international aviation community.
The Conference further recommended that ICAO develop processes to give the general public access to relevant safety information, thereby allowing them to make an informed decision about the safety of air transportation and to further ensure that such information is used solely to improve aviation safety and not for retribution or the purpose of gaining economic advantage.
“We have traditionally focused our efforts on accident reports as a means to improve safety. This new approach will help us to better identify and deal with safety threats before they result in accidents”, said Roberto Kobeh González, President of the Council of ICAO.
“Regulators and industry must come to manage safety-critical information in the same way that they view accidents. Both must become triggers for action in preventing accidents,” he added.
On Tuesday, ICAO, the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA), the Commission of the European Union (EC) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) signed a Declaration of Intent on the development of a global safety information exchange agreement.
In the months to come, the parties will establish an operational framework for the information exchange. It will address technical, confidentiality, legal and policy implications, as well as the relevance and timing of information collected.
“ICAO has long promoted the concept of information sharing on a global scale so as to connect the various databases of regulators and industry. The recommendation from the Conference and the Declaration of Intent represent a breakthrough in achieving our objective of better utilizing data to reduce the accident rate globally and in specific regions and States around the world,” Mr. Kobeh emphasized.
On the question of black boxes, the Conference recommended that ICAO look into technical enhancements that would improve the ability to locate and recover the units, such as longer time periods for signals, better resistance to crashes and floatability.
“While the electronic transmission of information during flights is progressively improving, black boxes will remain absolutely indispensable for years to come as the primary source of technical data in cases of accidents or incidents,” Mr. Kobeh said.
The Conference also called on States and industry to ensure improved communication and surveillance of flights over oceanic and remote areas through the use of all available technologies.
Reaffirming the fundamental mission of ICAO to ensure the safety of international civil aviation, the Conference endorsed the creation of a new Annex to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, one dedicated exclusively to safety management principles.
Recommendations from the Conference will be submitted to the Council of ICAO for consideration in the coming weeks.
– END –
PIO.04.10.ENGLISH PIO.04.10.FRENCH PIO.04.10.SPANISH PIO.04.10.RUSSIAN PIO.04.10.ARABIC PIO.04.10.CHINESE
Posted in Uncategorized. Comments Off
Sharing of Information highlight of second day of Safety Conference
March 30, 2010 — oacicomm
On the second day of the High-level safety Conference, the more than 600 participants from some 150 ICAO Member States and industry unequivocally endorsed the twin concepts of transparency and sharing of safety-related information among States and with major stakeholders within the global aviation community, as well as with the general public.
There was agreement that ICAO should be the body charged with coordinating the integration of the safety information provided by the international community as well as for the dissemination of safety intelligence. To that end, ICAO would convene a group of experts to define and harmonize safety metrics, associated data requirements and analysis processes.
ICAO would also develop a code of conduct on the sharing of safety information, so as to ensure that such information is used solely to improve aviation safety and not for retribution or the purpose of gaining economic advantage.
Processes would be developed to provide the general public with access to relevant safety information which would allow them to make an informed decision about the safety of air transportation.
Recommendations on these and other items will be reviewed and approved on the final day of the Conference, Thursday, 1 April. Recommendations will subsequently be submitted to the ICAO Council for consideration in the coming weeks.
Earlier in the Conference, in line with the discussions on the sharing of information as a means to improve aviation safety levels around the world, ICAO and three other State and industry parties signed a Declaration of Intent on the Development of a Global Safety Information Exchange Agreement: the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA); the Commission of the European Union (EC); and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In the weeks to come, representatives of the signatories will produce a work plan incorporating the following activities and concepts: identification of the safety information gathered by the Participants that would be most relevant to the enhancement of risk reduction activities; identification of the legal or policy constraints, if any, on the ability of Participants to share this information among the parties and development of mechanisms to overcome these constraints; identification of the appropriate timing of that information sharing; development of an efficient mechanism to ensure that this information is used to generate safety intelligence and identify critical safety trends in a timely fashion; development of policies and procedures to safeguard proprietary, confidentially submitted, and/or personal information in line with relevant applicable privacy laws, data sharing policies and regulations standardization of aspects of the audit metrics, data taxonomies etc, to maximize effective utilization of the safety information gathered in this process; and determination of how to disseminate this information globally as appropriate.
Tomorrow the conference will discuss the creation of a new Annex to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, one dedicated to safety processes.
Smart general aviation pilots won’t fly if they are taking a prescription that says Do not drive or operate machinery while taking this medication. But sometimes it’s not that clear cut. Other prescription drugs and even some over-the-counter medicines can affect a pilot’s performance.
That’s why Administrator Huerta and the heads of 11 aviation associations today sent a letter to all U.S.-registered pilots urging them to be more aware of the effect both prescribed medicines and non-prescription drugs containing antihistamines can have on their skills and judgment.
The letter tells pilots to read prescription labels carefully, talk with their doctors, and then decide if the drugs they’re taking could impair their performance in the cockpit. It also advises pilots to use a personal “IM SAFE” checklist to ensure they are not impaired by Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue or Emotion – any of which could affect their flying abilities. The letter counsels pilots who have recovered from an illness and have taken a medication with impairing side effects not to fly until at least five maximum dosage intervals have passed.
While the FAA works closely with many aviation advocacy groups, the letter represents an unprecedented joint effort. “In all of my years of practicing aerospace medicine, I am not aware of any time in which so many aviation organizations have collaborated to get out the same message at the same time,” said Dr. James Fraser, the FAA’s Deputy Federal Air Surgeon. “We hope this collaborative educational effort will put a dent in pilots’ usage of impairing medications and help lower the general aviation fatal accident rate.
Besides Administrator Huerta, signatories to the letter include executives from the Aircraft Electronics Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, American Bonanza Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Helicopter Association International, National Association of Flight Instructors, National Air Transport Association, National Business Aviation Association, Society of Aviation Flight Educators and the U.S. Parachute Association.
November 15, 2010 — oacicomm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PIO 15/10
MONTREAL, 15 November 2010 ? Roberto Kobeh González was re-elected today by acclamation, for a second three-year term, as President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“Our priority for the coming triennium is the implementation of the comprehensive and groundbreaking initiatives adopted recently by the 37th Session of the ICAO Assembly, all designed to further improve the safety, the security and the environmental sustainability of international civil aviation,” said Mr. Kobeh González in his acceptance remarks.
“We will do so as the central institution for global governance in civil aviation, by continuing to exercise our leadership in a spirit of cooperation with all stakeholders, so that safe and secure air transport can continue to play a determining role in the sustainable development of our global society. This is what is expected of us and this is what we will deliver.” he added.
Mr. Kobeh González first assumed office as President of the Council on 1 August 2006, after having been elected to complete the mandate of Dr. Assad Kotaite, who retired on 31 July of that year. He was elected for a full term following the 36th Session of the ICAO Assembly held in late September 2007.
Mr. Kobeh González served as Representative of Mexico on the Council of ICAO from January 1998 until his election as President in 2006.
ROBERTO KOBEH GONZÁLEZ
Born Huixtla, Chiapas, Mexico, on 18 October 1943
Nationality: Mexican Marital Status: Single
Education:Graduate from the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico (1965), Mr. Kobeh González holds an Engineering degree in Communications and Electronics. He was a professor of aeronautical electronics at the Institute from 1972 until 1975. He also studied at the Federal Aviation Administration Academy in Oklahoma and at the National Productivity Centre of Mexico and has taken several management, planning, quality assurance and leadership courses.
Awards:Mr. Kobeh González received the Award for Extraordinary Service from the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States in 1988. In 1997, he was awarded the Emilio Carranza Medal from the Government of Mexico for his contribution to the development of civil aviation in Mexico for thirty consecutive years. In 2004, he received the award for Contribution to the Development of Aviation in the Central American Region from the Central American Corporation of Air Navigation Services. Most recently, in 2009 he received the degree of Doctor of Engineering honoris causa from the Korea Aerospace University.
Ethiopian Refutes Unfounded Reports In Relation to ET-409
Ethiopian Airlines continues to refute any suggestions or conclusions made in reference to the recent accident of ET409 until the official results of the investigations are publicly released.
However, quoting an unknown source, AFP reported on May 5, 2010 that the accident of Flight ET 409 was caused by pilot error based on preliminary report. AFP acknowledged that the report was “preliminary” and that it “has not been made public.” AFP also quoted the Lebanese Information Minister as saying that he “could not comment on the preliminary findings before the release of the final report…” Furthermore, AFP admitted that “none of the investigators would comment on the preliminary findings,” including the American and Ethiopian investigators. Therefore, Ethiopian fails to comprehend the coverage of the account by AFP in light of all the above information.
Ethiopian Airlines has consistently maintained that it will not entertain any speculations or premature conclusions until the official findings are released and made public by the professionals designated to carry out the investigation in accordance with established international norms and principles. Ethiopian strongly believes that any release of information contrary to this process is not only unproductive but also misleading to the general public.
During the past sixty plus years, Ethiopian has become one of the continents leading carriers, unrivalled in Africa for its efficiency, safety and operational success. It prides itself from the high standards of its workforce including pilots, technicians and many other highly qualified personnel. Professionals in any position at Ethiopian must undertake extensive training and pass stringent evaluation and scrutiny prior to their assignments. These requirements are consistent with international aviation standards of which Ethiopian is a dedicated subscriber and certified member.
Any characterization of our pilots contrary to the foregoing is pure fabrication and cannot stand the test. Therefore, the assertions that the cockpit crew had limited experience on B737-800 and that the pilot had 200 hours of flight time in one month is far from the truth.
Individual(s) spreading unfounded information are heartless in that they do not care about the feelings of the families and relatives of the victims in addition to misleading the public at large. We urge the media to refrain from publishing such information and patiently wait the release of the preliminary findings of the investigation.
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2010
SB-10-14
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said today that the use of data to manage and improve safety in the aviation industry has had a positive effect on the world’s improving aviation safety record but she cautioned against over-reliance on these systems to the neglect of forensic investigation.
Addressing a conference of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators in Chantilly, Virginia, Hersman noted that “we have reached an era when aviation accidents are extremely rare…” One reason is the use of data – particularly, but not exclusively, Safety Management Systems (SMS) – in accident prevention and investigation.
The Board has been advocating the use of SMS for a decade, having issued 17 recommendations in favor of implementing SMS in the aviation industry. When implemented correctly, Hersman said, “SMS holds real promise in a variety of scenarios.” She noted several instances where SMS helped
eliminate potential unsafe conditions, notably a corporate flight operation that used flight data to determine that high bank angles occurred on repositioning flights, and a review of commercial aircraft approach data that indicated a high rate of TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance
System) warnings at a particular airport. In these instances, she said, “data management adeptly identified a clearly measurable set of information and allowed for a relatively simple and effective solution.”
However, Hersman noted, SMS works well for companies that are already “getting it right,” but may provide little more than false confidence for companies with less than robust safety cultures.
Also, there are accidents caused by a combination of factors that SMS cannot possibly detect. As an example, Hersman mentioned the British Airways Boeing 777 crash at Heathrow Airport two years ago involving a dual engine failure on approach. It was not data analysis that solved the mystery, but detailed forensic analysis; the circumstances were so unusual that a data analysis system would not pick them up.
Hersman said she hoped that with all the focus SMS will place on data collection and analysis, “let’s not lose focus on outcomes. The success of SMS won’t be measured by how much data we collect, but by how many lives we save.”
“I will enthusiastically support any approach that will make our nation safer,” she said. “But I think we need a measured approach – one that acknowledges the potential benefits and limitations of SMS, and further, doesn’t discount tried and true methods for identifying vulnerabilities, such as accident investigations.”
