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NASA AWARDS $3.3 MILLION TO TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

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    PR: FAA Proposes $13.57 Million Civil Penality Against Boeing

    SEATTLE – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a civil penalty of $13.57 million against The Boeing Company for failing to meet a deadline to submit service instructions that would enable airlines to further reduce the risk of fuel tank explosions on more than 380 Boeing jetliners.

    “We are committed to ensuring the safety of the flying public,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Manufacturers must provide the necessary instructions so the airlines can comply with this important safety regulation.”

    “We take this matter very seriously,” said Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We have issued hundreds of directives to eliminate fuel ignition sources over the past 16 years, and this step will add another layer of safety.”

    Following the TWA 800 accident in July 1996, the FAA has issued 283 directives to prevent the ignition of vapors in and around commercial aircraft fuel tanks. On July 21, 2008, the FAA published the Fuel Tank Flammability Rule, which required manufacturers to develop design changes and service instructions for installing systems to further reduce fuel tank flammability.

    The rule gave the two companies that design affected aircraft until Dec. 27, 2010, to submit service instructions for FAA approval. The FAA alleges that in January 2010, Boeing committed to provide the instructions by the deadline. The instructions were to explain how to install systems that would replace the oxygen in airplane fuel tanks with non-flammable nitrogen gas, reducing the risk of explosion.

    Boeing missed the deadline for submitting service instructions for the 747s by 301 days, delivering them to the FAA on Oct. 24, 2011. The company was 406 days late in submitting service instructions for the 757s. In total, 383 U.S.-registered Boeing aircraft are affected by these delays.

    Airbus, the other manufacturer required to develop instructions for retrofitting certain models of its airplanes, met the Dec. 27, 2010, deadline.

    The Fuel Tank Flammability Rule requires airlines to retrofit half of its fleet by 2014, and complete the retrofit by 2017. An airline trade group has proposed an extension of those two dates because of the service instruction delay for certain Boeing aircraft.

    The FAA expects that most, if not all, operators will meet both the 2014 and 2017 deadlines, even if they received service instructions later than anticipated. The FAA has advised the trade group that the agency is not considering any extensions to the 2017 deadline for completing the fleet retrofit. However, the agency will consider extending the 2014 deadline if necessary, based on the specific circumstances for a particular operator.

    The total amount of the proposed civil penalty against Boeing is $13,574,400.

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    NTSB PR: Jim Cash Awarded Sammie

    National Transportation Safety Board’s James Cash has been awarded a Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals for career achievement in public service.

    “Jim Cash is a humble and soft-spoken gentleman. But underneath that demeanor, there is a lion-hearted intellectual dedicated to investigation and committed to safety,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. “Through his decades of work, his dogged determination and expertise, Jim has made significant contributions to accident investigations that have yielded the clues that led to important safety improvements. Because of that work, he has long been recognized by his colleagues around the world as a pre-eminent technical expert in accident investigation. He truly exemplifies the best of our NTSB staff and of public service overall. I am honored to work along-side him, to learn from him, and to share his passion and commitment to transportation safety.”

    Cash is the NTSB’s Chief Technical Advisor in the Office of Research and Engineering. He has spent nearly three decades deciphering information from electronic recording devices to help determine the causes of major aviation and other transportation accidents that, in turn, led to recommendations to advance transportation safety for the traveling public. Cash is one of world’s leading experts on cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders, which help determine the system failures and human errors that cause airplane crashes.

    The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, or “Sammies,” honor outstanding federal employees. The winners were nominated by colleagues familiar with their work and selected by a committee that includes nearly 20 leaders in government, academia, the private sector, media and philanthropy. More than 400 nominations were submitted for medal consideration this year.

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    Air India Express compliance in key areas reviewed by DGCA

    Air India Express compliance in key areas viz. Operations, Maintenance, Safety, Security and Commercial were reviewed in a meeting convened by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Delhi, recently. Dr. Nasim Zaidi, DGCA, Mr. Arvind Jadhav, Chairman & Managing Director, Air India Express and officials from DGCA and Air India Express attended the meeting.

    DGCA highlighted certain issues relating to positioning of officers in Operations, Safety and Training areas, Pilots on the regular roll of Air India Express, Flight dispatch, Crew rostering and monitoring of their Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), Internal auditors, pre-flight medical, requirement of more mechanics etc. during the meeting.

    Air India Express has already acted upon these issues viz. issuance of office order for appointment of the Chief of Operations, order to have the pilots deputed to Air India Express to continue for a period of five years, deployment of the trainee pilots, under training now, on Boeing 737s, Computerization and automation of the Crew rostering system & FDTL monitoring, ensuring implementation of regulations with regard to Pre-flight medical, recruitment of additional mechanics from Defence etc.

    Memorandum of Understanding already exists between NACIL and Air India Express regarding Flight Dispatch, Ramp and Traffic Handling.

    The Chief Operating Officer, NACIL will soon issue Standard Operating Procedures including strict compliance with training schedule on monsoon and ALAR tool kit, regulations on special precautions during take-offs and landings, 100% FOQA, Crew Resource Management & optimal use of First Officers, strict implementation of regulations on simulation of unsafe situation during training, strict adherence to approach parameters and Voluntary safety reporting system.

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    Boeing, Alaska Airlines Complete Contract for 15 Next-Generation 737s

    SEATTLE, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Alaska Airlines today announced an order for 15 Next-Generation 737 airplanes, comprised of 13 737-900ERs (extended range) and two 737-800s. The 737-900ER is a new model for the Alaska Airlines fleet. The contract, which includes exercised options previously placed by Alaska, is valued at $1.3 billion at list prices.

    The largest and newest model in the 737 family, the 737-900ER can carry up to 26 more passengers or fly about 500 nautical miles (926 km) farther than the 737-900. The longer range of the 737-900ER will connect distant city pairs across continents, such as Seattle to Orlando, Fla., in a generous two-class configuration. It has substantial economic advantages over competing models, including six percent lower operating costs per trip and four percent lower operating costs per seat mile. Alaska Airlines plans to operate the 737-900ER in a two-class configuration with 178 to 184 seats.

    “The reliability and efficiency of our 737 fleet has been a direct contributor to our strong financial performance,” said Brad Tilden, president of Alaska Airlines. “The 737-900ER will be a perfect fit for our transcontinental, high traffic west coast and mid-continental markets and will be the most fuel efficient airplane in our fleet. We look forward to adding the same ‘Proudly All Boeing’ logo to these airplanes that already adorns the rest of our 737 fleet.”

    The Next-Generation 737s will add capability to Alaska Airlines’ fleet of 114 737s currently serving 61 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

    “Alaska Airlines has established a strong record of operational and financial performance by operating a highly efficient and flexible all-Boeing 737 fleet,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The addition of these Next-Generation 737s demonstrates our hometown partner’s strong investment in its future growth. It also speaks to the continuous improvements we are making to the Next-Generation 737 in terms of efficiency, economics, reliability and passenger comfort.”

    The Next-Generation 737 family is the world’s best-selling commercial jetliner. Demand for the Next-Generation 737 has led Boeing to announce two production rate increases, leading to the highest-ever production rates for the airplane in 2013.

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    FAA Asks for Public Input on UAS Test Site

    WASHINGTON– The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today asked for public input on the agency’s selection process for six unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test sites. Once the pilot program is established, the agency expects it will provide valuable data to help the FAA safely and efficiently integrate UAS into the same airspace with manned airplanes.

    “Unmanned aircraft can help us meet a number of challenges, from spotting wildfires to assessing natural disasters,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “But these test sites will help us ensure that our high safety standards are maintained as the use of these aircraft becomes more widespread.”

    Through the National Defense Authorization Act and the 2012 FAA Reauthorization bill, Congress mandated that the FAA establish UAS test sites. In order to ensure that all factors are taken into consideration when choosing the six sites, the FAA has asked for comments from the UAS user community and the public at large. Specifically, the request for comment asks for input on several important questions, such as public versus private management of the sites, research activities and capabilities of the test areas, the requirements for test site operators, and the geographic and climate factors that should influence site selection.

    The feedback obtained through this transparent process will help the FAA develop UAS test site requirements, designation standards and oversight activity. This will help the FAA design the process and criteria prior to issuing a request for proposals to select UAS test areas that will allow integration of these innovative aircraft into the National Airspace System by 2015. The FAA will accept comments for the next 60 days.

    “The FAA has a proven track record of safely introducing new technology and aircraft into the NAS, and I am confident we will successfully meet the challenges posed by UAS technology,” said FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta.
    The UAS pilot program mandates the FAA select six test sites to do the following:
    Safely designate airspace for integrated manned and unmanned flight operations in the national airspace system

    • Develop certification standards and air traffic requirements for unmanned flight operations at test ranges
    • Coordinate with and leverage the resources of the NASA and the Department of Defense
    • Address both civil and public unmanned aircraft systems
    • Ensure that the program is coordinated with the Next Generation Air Transportation System
    • Ensure the safety of unmanned aircraft systems and related navigation procedures before they are integrated into the national airspace system.

    As part of the process, the FAA will consult with the Defense Department and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which already operate their own test ranges. The Defense and FAA reauthorizations do not provide any funding for these test sites.

    Since 2005, the FAA has completed more than 50 research studies on UAS. The agency has access to hands-on experience with the various types of UAS and has partnerships with other government agencies, industry, and academia.

    The FAA is working toward publication of a proposed rule on small UAS this year. The agency also has convened an Aviation Rulemaking Committee that includes a number of aviation and industry experts studying a wide range of UAS integration issues.

    The request for comments, including instructions for filing comments, will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, March 9.

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    DR. EARL F. WEENER SWORN IN AS NTSB MEMBER

    National Transportation Safety Board
    Washington, DC 20594

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 30, 2010
    SB-10-25

    Earl F. Weener, Ph.D., took the oath of office today as a
    Member of the National Transportation Safety Board.

    Dr. Weener is a licensed pilot who has dedicated his entire
    career to the field of aviation safety. He most recently has
    been a consultant and fellow for the Flight Safety
    Foundation, where he worked to reduce accidents through
    coordinated industry programs.

    From 1984 to 1999, Dr. Weener held a series of positions
    with The Boeing Company, including three Chief Engineer
    positions, in Airworthiness, Reliability and
    Maintainability, and Safety; in System Engineering; and in
    Safety Technology Development. He also served four years as
    Boeing’s Manager of Government Affairs.

    He has served as a general aviation flight instructor and
    Part 135 pilot.

    Dr. Weener earned all three of his academic degrees in
    Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan – his
    bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate.

    Among his awards are a 1994 Laurel Award from Aviation Week
    and Space Technology magazine and, in 2005, the Honeywell
    Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety.

    Dr. Weener’s term as a Member of the NTSB expires December
    31, 2015.

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