FAAST Blast — July 01, 2010 FAA Safety Briefing News Update

FAA Issues Piper AD
Last week, FAA issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for certain Piper Aircraft (models PA-32-301T and PA-46-350P). The AD, which becomes effective July 28, 2010, requires the replacement of any V-band exhaust couplings that have been spot-welded, with ones that are riveted. The AD results from reports that indicate the spot-welded couplings are failing and could cause the exhaust pipe to detach from the turbocharger. FAA says the AD affects 596 aircraft in the U.S. registry provided they have the affected exhaust coupling installed. For more information, reference AD 2010-13-07 at http://www.faa.gov/.

Looking for a Few Good Numbers
If you own an aircraft and received a form in the mail in early June for FAA’s 32nd annual GA and Part 135 Activity Survey, please consider taking the time to complete it. The information collected in this survey helps the FAA understand more about GA activities, assess GA’s impact on the National Airspace System (NAS), and determine the need for increased traffic facilities and services. The survey also helps the FAA prepare accurate estimates of aviation safety and uses the data collected to calculate GA fatal accident rates.
In addition to mailing in the survey, selected aircraft owners can also complete it online at http://www.aviationsurvey.org/. Use your aircraft N-number to login. Names and information submitted with the survey are kept strictly confidential and will not be published or released in any format that would reveal specific information of the participant. For more information call 1-800-826-1797 or email infoaviationsurvey@paconsulting.com.

Announcing New FAA Safety Briefing Weather Issue
There is little that is more important to a pilot than being up to speed on weather. This year, FAA Safety Briefing dedicated its July/August issue to this topic that impacts safety for all pilots. Articles address obtaining and interpreting weather data, developing strategies for avoiding marginal or hazardous weather, and what services ATC can and cannot provide in adverse conditions.
In her article, “The Whither and Whether of Flying in Weather,” FAA Safety Briefing editor Susan Parson discusses how to fine tune your weather knowledge and build a framework for sound go, no-go decisions in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
“Part of being proficient and safe in IMC is knowing and adhering to your individual personal minimums,” says Parson. “One way to approach this is to consider how comfortable you are in each of the different basic weather categories in aviation—VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, and low IFR.”
Check out the July/August issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/.

Happy Fourth of July from the FAA Safety Briefing team!
Produced by the editors, FAA Safety Briefing, http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/
Address questions or comments to: SafetyBriefing@faa.gov.
You can also follow us on Twitter @FAASafetyBrief or www.twitter.com/FAASafetyBrief.

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    Symposium Announced: Airline Code-Sharing Arrangements and Their Role in Aviation Safety


    Date and Location:
    October 26 – 27, 2010
    NTSB Conference Center

    Short Description:
    The goals of the symposium are to (1) elicit information on the structures, practices, and oversight of domestic and international code-sharing arrangements; (2) gain insight into best practices regarding the sharing of safety information between airlines and their code-sharing partners; and (3) to explore the role that a major airline would have in the family disaster assistance response for an accident involving a code-sharing partner. These areas will be explored through presentations from major and regional airlines, industry organizations, and representatives of the traveling public.

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    Press Release – FAA Proposes $140,000 Civil Penalty Against K-Mart, Inc.

    For Immediate Release
    November 19, 2010

    WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a $140,000 civil penalty against K-Mart, Inc., of Royal Oak, Mich., for allegedly violating Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.

    The FAA alleges K-Mart offered two packages to UPS for transportation by air from Caguas, Puerto Rico to its returned goods center in McDonough, Ga. The first shipment, Sept. 21, 2009, contained 15 three-ounce containers of nail color, which is classified as paint, a flammable liquid. The second shipment, Oct. 26, 2009, contained 18 five-ounce containers of aerosol sun block, a flammable gas. Neither shipment was declared to contain hazardous materials.

    K-Mart allegedly offered the shipments for transportation by air when they were not packaged, marked, classed, described, labeled or in condition for shipment as required by regulations. UPS employees at the Louisville sort center discovered both packages leaking.

    K-Mart, Inc., has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

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  • Flight 447: Press release N° 7

    Paris, 02 June 2009 – 05:38 local time
    Press release N° 7
    Versão brasileira abaixo

    Flight deck crew

    Flight Captain:
    · French
    · 58 years old
    · Entered Air France in 1988
    · Qualified on Airbus A330/A340 in February 2007
    · 11,000 flight hours, including 1,700 on Airbus A330/A340
    2 co-pilots:
    · French
    · 37 and 32 years old
    · Entered Air France in 1999 and 2004
    · Qualified on Airbus A330/A340 in April 2002 and June 2008
    · 6,600 flight hours, including 2,600 on Airbus A330/A340
    · 3,000 flight hours, including 800 on Airbus A330/A340
    Cabin crew

    Chief purser:
    · French
    · 49 years old
    · Entered Air France in 1985
    2 pursers:
    · French
    · 54 and 46 years old
    · Entered Air France in 1981 and 1989
    6 stewards and stewardesses:
    · 5 French and 1 Brazilian
    · Between 24 and 44 years old
    · Entered Air France in 1996 and 2007
    Phone numbers reserved for families and friends
    0800 800 812 in France,
    0800 881 20 20 in Brazil,
    and + 33 1 57 02 10 55 for calls from all other countries.

    NB: We ask journalists not to call this number, which is reserved for relatives and close friends.

    Português
    Tripulação técnica

    Comandante :
    Nacionalidade francesa
    58 anos
    Entrou na companhia em 1988
    Qualificação Airbus A330/A340 em fevereiro 2007
    11 000 horas de voo das quais 1 700 em Airbus A330/A340
    2 oficiais pilotos (co-pilotos) :
    Nacionalidade francesa
    37 anos e 32 anos
    Entraram na companhia em 1999 e em 2004
    Qualificação em Airbus A330/A340 em abril 2002 e em junho 2008
    6 600 horas de voo das quais 2 600 em Airbus A330/A340
    3 000 heures de voo das quais 800 em Airbus A330/A340
    Tripulação comercial (comissários de bordo)

    Chefe de cabine principal :
    Nacionalidade francesa
    49 anos
    Entrou na companhia em 1985
    2 chefes de cabine :
    Nacionalidade francesa
    54 e 46 anos
    Entraram na companhia em 1981 e em 1989
    6 comissárias e comissários
    5 de nacionalidade francesa e 1 de nacionalidade brasileira
    Entre 24 e 44 anos
    Entraram na companhia entre 1996 e 2007
    Números toll free disponíveis para atendimento às famílias:

    Para todo o Brasil: 0800 881 2020;
    Para a França: 0800 800 812;
    Para outros países: + 33 1 57 02 10 55
    NB : Solicitamos aos jornalistas que NÃO liguem para estes números, reservados às famílias.

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    Press Release – FAA Proposes $585,725 Civil Penalty Against Corporate Air

    For Immediate Release
    SEATTLE – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $585,725 civil penalty against Corporate Air of Billings, Mont., for allegedly operating a Shorts SD-3-30 twin-turboprop cargo aircraft when it was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

    The FAA alleges Corporate Air failed to maintain the aircraft under the company’s general maintenance manual, which requires daily post-flight inspections that include examining the exterior skin for corrosion. In addition, the maintenance manual requires structural inspections on the basis of flight hours or flights.
    The FAA alleges that Corporate Air operated the aircraft in violation of regulations on at least 81 revenue flights between Dec. 21, 2009 and Feb. 4, 2010 with corrosion that had not been detected during the post-flight inspections. The FAA also alleges that structural inspections were not conducted at the required intervals, between Mar. 16, 2006 and Feb. 3, 2010, in violation of federal regulations.

    Corporate Air operates charter and air taxi service under Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations and makes daily feeder cargo flights under contract to a major next-day air package airline.

    “Keeping aircraft well-maintained and in good condition must be a top priority for any operator,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “All operators must comply with maintenance requirements.”

    Corporate Air has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
    ###

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    The Federal Aviation Administration is pleased to participate in Public Service Recognition Week.

    This year’s theme, “Innovation and Opportunity,” gives you the chance to see the groundbreaking work being done within the FAA and explore the many ways to make a difference by choosing a career in public service. src: FAA


    2009 Video

    Honoring Our Public Servants. Connecting Citizens with Their Government.

    Celebrated since 1985, Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) is a nationwide public education campaign honoring the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees and ensure that our government is the best in the world. Each year, the President and Congress designate the first full week of May as PSRW and activities are held nationwide and around the world in celebration of public employees who put service above self.

    From the steps of the Capitol to the smallest towns, public servants use the week to educate citizens about the work that they do and why they have chosen public service careers. Throughout the week, communities take this occasion to host events from open houses to parades recognizing and thanking their local unsung heroes.

    Innovation and Opportunity
    This year’s theme, “Innovation and Opportunity,” gives citizens the chance to see the breadth of groundbreaking work being done in government, from renewable energy to tsunami warning systems, and to explore the many ways to make a difference by choosing careers in public service.
    src: Public Service Recognition Week Org

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    Airbus Press Release: Airblue flight ED 202 accident in Islamabad

    First Release
    28 July 2010

    Airbus regrets to confirm that an Airbus A321 operated by airblue was involved in an accident shortly after 9.45 am local time. The aircraft was operating a scheduled service, Flight ED 202, from Karachi to Islamabad, Pakistan.

    The aircraft involved in the accident, registered under AP-BJB, was MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number) 1218, initially delivered from the production line in 2000. The aircraft is leased to airblue in January 2006. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 34,000 flight hours in some 13,500 flights. It was powered by IAE V2533 engines. At this time no further factual information is available.

    In line with international convention, Airbus will provide full technical assistance to the Authorities of Pakistan, who will be responsible for the investigation into the accident.

    The A321 is a twin-engine single-aisle seating 185 passengers in a standard two-class configuration. The first A321 entered service in January 1994. To date, some 610 A321’s are in service with nearly 70 operators. The entire fleet has accumulated some 10.6 million flight hours in some 5.8 million flights. The A321 is part of the A320 Family which has achieved over 50 million take offs and landings since the first model, the A320, entered commercial service in 1988. Today, more than 4,300 aircraft are in operations to some 310 customers and operators worldwide.

    Airbus will make further factual information available as soon as the details have been confirmed.

    The concerns and sympathy of the Airbus employees go to the families, friends and loved ones affected by the accident of Flight ED 202.

    * * *

    For further information, please contact:
    AIRBUS – MEDIA RELATIONS
    Tel.: (33) 05.61.93.10.00

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