|

FAA Penalty against Chem-Tronics


WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a civil penalty of $359,350 against GKN Aerospace Chem-Tronics, Inc., an El Cajon, Calif.-based aircraft repair station,for allegedly violating FAA drug and alcohol testing regulations.
The FAA alleges GKN failed to conduct required pre-employment drug tests and receive verified negative drug test results before hiring 17 people to perform safety-sensitive functions. The alleged violations took place between May and December, 2011.
The FAA also alleges the company failed to test four randomly-selected individuals for alcohol use in January, April and July, 2011; failed to carry out all the required drug and alcohol testing for two employees as part of the return-to-duty process; and conducted inappropriate post-accident drug testing for two employees.
The FAA discovered the alleged violations during an inspection of GKN’s testing program, Jan. 23-27, 2012.

To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    Boeing Hosts Global Educators at Weeklong Space Camp

    CHICAGO, July 12, 2010 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] this week is sponsoring more than 100 teachers from around the world at the 19th Annual Boeing Educators to Space Camp program at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.
    The five-day Boeing Educators to Space Camp program uses space exploration initiatives to enhance teachers’ skills in presenting math, science and technology lessons in a way that will inspire students and help build a skilled work force for a globally competitive technology market.
    “Sponsoring educators to attend Space Camp each year is just one of the many ways Boeing is investing in the future,” said Rick Stephens, Boeing senior vice president of Human Resources and Administration. “The number of students pursuing math-, science-, and technology-related degrees is declining, particularly in the United States. It is important to work with educators, who have a direct influence on the students starting at a young age, to bring the excitement of these subjects into the classroom.”
    The teachers will be involved in hands-on workshops that include simulated space missions, astronaut training, and presentations by rocketry and space-exploration experts. The workshops help bring the excitement of real-world engineering challenges to levels suitable for students to achieve a better understanding of scientific and mathematic principles.
    “Space Camp provides a hands-on learning environment where the excitement of science, math and technology are explored and practiced through the mysteries and wonders of space,” said Ruth Oliver, director of Education at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
    Boeing worked with U.S. and international education institutions to select more than 100 applicants from 13 countries for the weeklong course, making this the largest, most diverse Boeing-sponsored group ever. Since 1992, more than 700 teachers have participated in Boeing’s annual program, reaching an estimated 30,000-plus students around the world.
    Boeing’s support of Space Camp aligns with the company’s community investment focus area in primary-secondary education, which promotes the professional development of teachers and provides them with the tools and resources they need to help improve student performance.
    “The teachers’ experiences at Space Camp will give them a unique perspective to share with their students,” added Stephens. “By sponsoring Educators to Space Camp, Boeing is helping the students of today become the citizens of the future and the next generation of scientists, engineers and space explorers.”
    After graduating from Space Camp on July 17, each teacher will return home with educational resources that can be easily implemented in the classroom to help their students meet national standards for science, math and technology. Boeing will follow their progress to accurately measure the program’s effectiveness.
    Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. Additionally, Boeing designs and manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems. As a major service provider to NASA, Boeing operates the space shuttle and International Space Station. The company also provides numerous military and commercial airline support services. Boeing has customers in more than 90 countries around the world and is one of the largest U.S. exporters in terms of sales.
    # # #
    *Note to editors:
    Teachers from the following locations will attend this year’s camp: Alabama (5), Arizona (1), California (10), Florida (4), Hawaii (1), Illinois (12), Maryland (3), Missouri (10), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (10), Texas (19), Utah (6), Virginia (4), Washington (5), Australia (1), Canada (1), Greece (1), India (1), Italy (1), Japan (1), Korea (1), Poland (1), Singapore (1), Saudi Arabia (1), United Arab Emirates (1), United Kingdom (1).

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • |

    NTSB TO HOLD BOARD MEETING ON MID-AIR COLLISION OVER HUDSON RIVER NEAR HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY

    The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public
    Board meeting on Tuesday, September 14, at 9:30 a.m., in its
    Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W.,
    Washington, DC.

    On August 8, 2009, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N71MC, and a
    Eurocopter AS350BA helicopter, N401LH, operated by Liberty
    Helicopters, collided over the Hudson River near Hoboken,
    New Jersey. All 9 people aboard the two aircraft died in the
    accident. The airplane flight was operating under the
    provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91,
    and the helicopter flight was operating under the provisions
    of 14 CFR Parts 135 and 136. No flight plans were filed or
    were required for either flight, and visual meteorological
    conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

    A live and archived webcast of the proceedings will be
    available on the Board’s website at
    www.ntsb.gov/Events/Boardmeeting.htm. Technical support
    details are available under “Board Meetings.” To report any
    problems, please call 703-993-3100 and ask for Webcast
    Technical Support.

    A summary of the Board’s final report, which will include
    findings, probable cause and safety recommendations, will
    appear on the website shortly after the conclusion of the
    meeting. The entire report will appear on the website
    several weeks later.

    Directions to Board Room: Front door located on Lower 10th
    Street, directly below L’Enfant Plaza. From Metro, exit
    L’Enfant Plaza station at 9th and D Streets escalator, walk
    through shopping mall, at CVS store take escalator down one
    level. Board room will be to your left.

    ###

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | |

    Respond now to NTSB ISSUING FINAL RULE IN RESPONSE TO PILOT’S BILL OF RIGHTS

    The National Transportation Safety Board announced today that it has issued a Final Rule to implement several changes to its Rules of Practice applicable to aviation certificate enforcement appeals. This final rule responds to public comments received by the NTSB as a result of an interim final rule (IFR) it issued last October. The NTSB issued the IFR after the enactment of the Pilot’s Bill of Rights legislation and it became effective upon its publication in the Federal Register on October 16, 2012.

    Under the Pilot’s Bill of Rights: (1) the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must disclose its enforcement investigative report (EIR) to the FAA certificate holder in an aviation certificate enforcement case; (2) NTSB administrative law judges must apply the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence in enforcement cases; and (3) litigants now have the option of appealing the NTSB’s final orders to either a Federal district court or a Federal court of appeals. The IFR implemented these Pilot’s Bill of Rights requirements. Under the IFR, an FAA certificate holder is permitted to submit a motion to dismiss an FAA complaint if the FAA fails to disclose releasable portions of its EIR. The NTSB received 10 comments in response to the IFR. The Final Rule describes these comments in detail, as most of the comments provided substantive feedback and suggestions.

    In considering the IFR comments, the NTSB determined it should include a proposal to extend the EIR availability requirement in the Pilot’s Bill of Rights to emergency enforcement cases. As a result, the NTSB is also publishing a new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in conjunction with publication of the Final Rule in the Federal Register.


    Both the Final Rule and NPRM are available at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-19/pdf/2013-22634.pdf (Final Rule) and http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-19/pdf/2013-22633.pdf (NPRM). The public may submit comments to the NPRM, concerning the proposal to require the FAA to make available the EIR in emergency enforcement cases, via www.regulations.gov, Docket No. NTSB-GC-2011-0001, or via postal mail or facsimile, addressed to the NTSB Office of General Counsel. Comments should be submitted no later than October 21, 2013. The Final Rule is immediately effective.

    See the bill below

    In George’s Point of View

    Time to take note of the final rule. The public can submit their opinion at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. NTSB-GC-2011-0001, or via postal mail or facsimile, addressed to the NTSB Office of General Counsel.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

  • NTSB Safety Recommendation

    The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the
    Federal Aviation Administration:

    Provide pilots and maintenance personnel with information
    that (1) transport-category aircraft tires can lose up to 5
    percent pressure per day, (2) it may take only a few days
    for such tires to reach an underinflation level below what
    the aircraft maintenance manual specifies for tire
    replacement, and (3) the underinflation level that would
    require tire replacement is not visually detectable. (A-10-
    46)

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.
  • | | | | |

    Small Plane Crashes near Adirondack Regional Airport; 4 Killed

    brazilcrashA Piper PA-46 aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Adirondack Regional Airport in Saranac Lake, New York, on August 7th.

    Authorities said the single-engine plane had arrived from Rochester worldwide Airport and was flying back there when it went down.

    Four people were killed in the crash. They were identified as Raymond Shortino, 67, his wife Sharon Shortino, 66, and their friends Harvey Stoler, 68, and Sharon Stoler, 68.

    The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.

  • IATA PR: Asia Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities – Intra-Asia Market Eclipses North America as World’s Largest

    Date: 01 February 2010 – Singapore – he International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that in 2009 intra-Asia-Pacific travel had eclipsed the number of travelers in North America as the world’s largest aviation market. Asia-Pacific’s travelers numbered 647 million compared the 638 million who travelled within North America (including domestic markets). By 2013 an additional 217 million travelers are expected to take to the skies within Asia–Pacific.

    “Achieving Asia-Pacific’s tremendous potential is contingent upon short-term efforts to battle the impacts of the economic downturn with cost reductions and efficiency gains. Longer-term Asia-Pacific must also face global challenges including environment, security and liberalization,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO at the start of the Singapore Air Show Aviation Leadership Summit.

    The global aviation industry is expected to reduce losses from US$11.0 billion in 2009 to US$5.6 billion in 2010. The loss reduction is being led by Asia-Pacific’s carriers who are expected to see their losses shrink from US$3.4 billion in 2009 to US$700 million in 2010. “Asia-Pacific’s prospects are improving faster than other regions,” said Bisignani.

    Bisignani noted that the Asia-Pacific region is diverse, dynamic and with great potential:

    Diverse: Asia-Pacific is home to two of the world’s top five airlines in terms of profitability. At the same time, the region’s governments provided over US$10 billion in government bailouts to airlines in the first quarter of the year. The region’s two biggest growth markets—India and China—face completely different circumstances. India’s challenge is to reduce costs and improve infrastructure, while China is adjusting to new global trade patterns.

    Dynamic: Over the last decade China replaced Japan as Asia-Pacific’s largest player. Today China’s fleet is 1,400 aircraft compared to Japan’s 540. Its domestic market of 5.7 million weekly seats is more than double Japan’s 2.6 million and China’s 1.4 million weekly international seat market is now slightly larger than Japan’s 1.3 million.

    Potential: In the US, there are three aircraft seats per year for each of the 300 million people who live there. China’s population of 1.3 billion is served by only 0.3 seats per person and India’s 1.1 billion population has only 0.1 seats available per person. “The global air transport industry will triple in size when Asians travel as much as those in the US,” said Bisignani.

    “Asia-Pacific’s diversity, dynamism and potential are a great opportunity. Rapidly developing markets are defining aviation’s future. Is Asia-Pacific prepared for the challenges that this will bring?” said Bisignani. In his opening address, Bisignani highlighted three global issues for Asia-Pacific leadership:

    Environment: The global aviation industry presented the UNFCCC Climate Change talks in Copenhagen with three targets shared by airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers. These are: improving fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% per year to 2020, stabilizing emissions with carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and cutting our emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005. These targets are backed by a clear strategy based on technology investment, effective operations, efficient infrastructure and economic measures.

    “Even without a binding agreement in Copenhagen aviation is united and committed to its targets. The ICAO Assembly in September-October is an opportunity to build government consensus leading to COP-16 in Mexico,” said Bisignani.

    The challenges for Asia include: working through ICAO to accommodate the diverse needs of the region, taking advantage of the tremendous business opportunities in developing sustainable second generation biofuels Biofuels have the potential to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint by up to 80%. “Five airlines have successfully tested biofuels and we expect certification within 2011 at the latest. Aviation biofuel is a US$100 billion plus business opportunity. And I hope that this region will play a key role in its early development,” said Bisignani.

    Security: “We live in a global world—global connectivity and global threats. Governments and industry must protect the connectivity and eliminate the threats. That challenge requires industry and governments to work together for effective and efficient security measures,” said Bisignani.

    “Ten days ago, I saw some hope for a new collaborative approach when the Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security consulted the airline industry in our Geneva offices,” said Bisignani. IATA presented recommendations to (1) work together, (2) align requirements with the industry’s capability to implement, (3) make passenger collection more efficient, (4) ensure that governments coordinate their requirements across borders and (5) look to develop a new approach to checkpoint screening that combines technology and intelligence so that we look for bad people, not just bad objects.

    Asia-Pacific must define government/industry cooperation on security and find a better way to deal with the cost burden. Currently airlines pay US$5.9 billion a year for security. “These are national security measures. That is a government responsibility, including the bill,” said Bisignani.

    Liberalization: “Asian aviation will not reach its potential if the airlines are constrained to old ways of doing business. Industry is preparing for regional liberalization of market access with the ASEAN target date of 2015. It is important that the target date is met. This is already well-behind the industry leading developments in the US-EU Open Skies agreement. Second stage talks will conclude this year with ownership being the most important issue,” said Bisignani.

    “To move liberalization forward, IATA took the extra-ordinary step of calling governments together with IATA’s Agenda for Freedom. After a year of talks, in November 2009, seven governments, including the US, the European Commission, Singapore and Malaysia signed a multilateral statement of policy principles. These principles preserve a level playing field while addressing liberalization of market access, pricing and ownership. The challenge for Asia is to implement these principles in the region’s bilateral arrangement,” said Bisignani. Click to view Bisignani’s speech

    To include the featured image in your Twitter Card, please tap or click their icon a second time.