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NTSB INVESTIGATING OPERATIONAL ERROR NEAR NEW YORK

The National Transportation Safety Board has been investigating an operational error that occurred near New York City in January.

The Safety Board was notified of a Traffic Collision and Alerting System (TCAS) resolution advisory that occurred due to a near midair collision involving American Airlines flight 951 on January 20, 2011, at about 10:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The American Airlines aircraft, a Boeing 777-200 (N7CA), had taken off from John F. Kennedy International Airport en route to Sao Paulo, Brazil and was flying southeast. A flight of two U.S. Air Force C-17s was heading northwest toward McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. There were no injuries in the incident.

The NTSB has interviewed air traffic controllers on duty at the time of the incident, and is gathering information from American Airlines and the Air Force.

The air traffic controllers talking to each of the aircraft received conflict alerts, and immediately provided traffic advisories and turned their aircraft to resolve the conflict. In addition, the American Airlines crew responded to directions provided by TCAS. Radar data indicate that the aircraft came within a mile of each other at their closest point. The incident occurred about 80 miles southeast of New York City.

Betty Koschig has been designated the NTSB’s Investigator-in-Charge for this incident. Further information will be released as it becomes available.

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    Sikorsky S-92A Main Gearbox (MGB) Malfunctions.

    Subject:
    Sikorsky S-92A Main Gearbox (MGB) Malfunctions.

    Ref. Publications:
    Sikorsky Safety Advisory SSA-S92-08-006 dated 26 September Sikorsky Safety Advisory SSA-S92-08-006 dated 26 September 2008; and Sikorsky CCS-92-AOL-09-0008 dated 14 March 2009.

    Description:

    The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation published SSA-S92-08-006 to The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation published SSA-S92-08-006 to  inform owners and operators of impending Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) changes, prompted by service difficulties with the S-92A MGB lubrication system. More recently, CCS-92-AOL-09-0008 was published to inform owners and operators about a recent accident with an S-92A helicopter. The latest advisory document contains reminders of existing Sikorsky service publications that recommend specific action(s) that may or may not be related to the root cause(s) of the latest accident. CCS-92-AOL-09-0008 also specifies that ‘compliance’ with Sikorsky Safety Advisories is ‘essential’.

    After reviewing the information and pending the investigation, EASA supports the recommendations contained in CCS-92-AOL-09-0008, with the exception of SSA-S92-08-006. This advisory document refers to RFM changes that have not yet been approved by the FAA. In fact, the SSA specifies the ‘corrective action’ as “Ensure all flight crews become familiar with the RFM changes when received”. This SIB is published to ensure that all owners and operators of affected rotorcraft, registered in European Union Member States or associated countries, are aware that the procedures specified in SSA-S92-08-006 have not been approved by FAA or EASA. The relevant emergency procedures in the approved RFM must be observed.


    Applicability:

    Sikorsky S-92A helicopters, all serial numbers.

    Contact:
    For further information contact the Airworthiness Directives, Safety For further information contact the Airworthiness Directives, Safety Management & Research Section, Certification Directorate, EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu. Copies of the referenced advisory documents and any other related Sikorsky service publications may be obtained upon request from Sikorsky Commercial Product Support, or call the Customer Service Engineering Desk, telephone: +1 203-416-4299, or E-mail: sikorskywcs@sikorsky.com.

    http://www.sikorsky.com/vgn-ext-templating-SIK/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=65f9e39d40a78110VgnVCM1000001382000aRCRD

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  • Mexico Governor Eruviel Ávila Villegas Speaks on the Chopper Crash

    What: Gobierno del Estado de Mexico Agusta A109S Grand
    Where: Peréz Valenzuela (street), Del Carmen district, in Coyacán, Mexico
    When: Oct 21, 2011
    Who: 4 aboard, 2 fatalities

    Official Statement From Mexico State Government. Eruviel Governor Avila Villegas.

    I want to report it relates to the unfortunate events that occurred today in Mexico City, at approximately 10:11 hours of the morning. Time when I was in the very north of the state of Mexico, Temascalcingo, conducting a working visit.

    In fact, that I had the opportunity to meet several of you.

    As is probably known to all of you, the aircraft of the Government of the State of Mexico, registration XCEDM, suffered the accident already mentioned.

    First, I want to say that the government of the State of Mexico, particularly as governor of this state, I am extremely dismayed; regret that this accident has killed the pilot Captain Juan Esteban Rodriguez and Julio Cesar Ruiz Gomez Maturano, who served as associate secretary of logistics and deputy secretary of Metropolitan Development.

    To the families of those who unfortunately have died, we express our heartfelt condolences.

    I want to participate that we will support them with everything they need, regardless of legal benefits, we will give extra support, since this unfortunate accident happened.

    We give our gratitude to the career of public service, both Julius Caesar Maturano Gomez and Captain Juan Esteban Rodriguez Ruiz, who always showed great dedication, commitment, professionalism in the work he performed as public servants, and who were in service when the accident happened unfortunately.

    Likewise, we wish a speedy recovery to our partners: Alberto García Cuevas, Secretary of the Metropolitan Development and Juan Manuel Ramirez Rivera, also a pilot of the aircraft, who fortunately saved his life, which we are offering our full support and our solidarity.

    They are hospitalized in a private hospital in southern Mexico City. I’ve been in personal contact with the president of this group of hospitals, who are giving details of the evolution of our patients, our fellow public servants.

    It is noteworthy that since the Secretary General of Government was with them, I realized his condition, which is stable, although there are, of course, with due regard.

    Also at this time the Secretary General of Government, Mr. Ernesto Alvarez Nemer, is in the scene where the accident happened.

    I also acknowledge the assistance of the Federal District government for prompt medical attention, to transport the injured.

    I’ve been in constant communication with the Chief of Government of the Federal District, Marcelo Ebrard, who has given all the institutional support.

    They also participated in the call that I made the Citizen President of the Republic, Felipe Calderón Hinojosa teacher, who expressed full solidarity and institutional support to address the circumstances that we are living today.

    Also, I got a call from the secretary of Interior, Mr. José Francisco Blake Mora, and other federal public servants.

    I have established communication with the Secretary of Transportation, Felipe Duarte Olvera graduated from the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of the Federal Government Héctor González Ruiz, director general of Civil Aviation, as well as government officials in Mexico City.

    There has been an extraordinary communication between representatives of governments in the State of Mexico, Federal District and Federal government.

    I have asked institutional collaboration, in order to carry out investigations, and to clarify the facts and causes of this accident.

    It is necessary to refer to the Metropolitan Development Secretary, together with his colleague, had a morning meeting with businessmen in the eastern part – in fact, local media, national media, were aware of this meeting there in the Valley of Mexico – and moved to the city of Toluca to attend a cabinet meeting that specializes in public safety, and to prepare what will be the development plan of the State of Mexico on metropolitan development, in collaboration with neighboring entities, particularly public safety.

    Personally, as I concerned, I have been overseeing the development, monitoring the health of our comrades who were wounded.

    The state government of Mexico will pay for the damage that caused this accident to locals, and the Federal District authorities are making the corresponding count, but will all the support, all this support from state government .

    Once we have more information to shed the expert, will be contacting the root causes of this accident, regardless of these surveys and investigations by law be made, and also the state government has requested, I have given instructions that strengthen the review of the state that keep state government aircraft, review the operating protocols.

    It is also worth referring to the drivers who serve the entire fleet, all helicopters have the service of the State of Mexico, are professional drivers, with many years of experience and seniority in service of this state government.

    I asked the secretary of state government communications, is the formal link to be participating in the necessary information and, of course, that you are well aware of this issue.

    Master Apolinar Mena, thank you very much for your cooperation.

    I want to participate, ladies and gentlemen of different media, we’re really very upset. This is a very sad day for the State of Mexico, because they have killed two comrades in the service of this state, and are injured in the hospital, treated at the Hospital fortunately two of our comrades.

    Thank you for your solidarity, and also appreciate your understanding, so that the information given to the public, the public, is really, timely, and will have the full cooperation of the state government to respond to requests for information and be adequately informing the public of the State of Mexico and Mexico.

    Thank you very much for your understanding. Thank you for your solidarity, and reiterate our condolences to the families of the deceased partner.

    Good afternoon.

    At this time I go to the hospital where peers are in hospital being treated clinically.

    Having all and all, good afternoon.

    —
    Comunicado oficial del Gobierno del Estado De México.

    Gobernador Eruviel Ávila Villegas.

    Quiero informarles lo relacionado a los lamentables sucesos acontecidos el día de hoy en la Ciudad de México, aproximadamente a las 10:11 horas de la mañana. Hora en que precisamente me encontraba en el Norte del Estado de México, en Temascalcingo, llevando a cabo una gira de trabajo.

    De hecho, ahí tuve la oportunidad de saludar a varios de ustedes.

    Como es seguramente del conocimiento de todos ustedes, la aeronave del Gobierno del Estado de México, con matrícula XCEDM, sufrió el accidente ya referido.

    En primer lugar, quiero expresar que el gobierno del Estado de México, en particular como gobernador de este estado, estoy sumamente consternado; lamentamos que en este accidente haya perdido la vida el piloto capitán Juan Esteban Rodríguez Ruiz y Julio César Maturano Gómez, quien se desempeñaba como colaborador de logística y secretario particular adjunto del secretario de Desarrollo Metropolitano.

    A las familias, de quienes lamentablemente han fallecido, les expresamos nuestras más sentidas condolencias.

    Yo quiero participarles que habremos de apoyarles con todo lo necesario, independientemente de las prestaciones de ley, habremos de dar un apoyo extraordinario, desde que este accidente lamentablemente aconteció.

    Les damos nuestro reconocimiento, a la trayectoria del servicio público, tanto de Julio César Maturano Gómez y del capitán Juan Esteban Rodríguez Ruiz, quienes siempre mostraron una gran dedicación, entrega, profesionalismo en la actividad que realizaran como servidores públicos, y quienes se encontraban en servicio cuando aconteció lamentablemente este accidente.

    De la misma forma, deseamos una pronta recuperación a nuestros compañeros: Alberto García Cuevas, secretario de Desarrollo Metropolitano y a Juan Manuel Ramírez Rivera, también otro de los pilotos de la aeronave, quienes afortunadamente salvaron su vida, y a los cuales estamos ofreciendo todo nuestro apoyo y toda nuestra solidaridad.

    Ellos se encuentran hospitalizados en un hospital privado del sur de la Ciudad de México. He estado en contacto personal con el presidente de este grupo de hospitales, quien está dando detalles de la evolución de nuestros pacientes, de nuestros compañeros servidores públicos.

    Es de señalar que ya el secretario General de Gobierno estuvo con ellos, me dio cuenta de su estado de salud, que es estable, aunque se están, desde luego, atendiendo debidamente.

    También en estos momentos el secretario General de Gobierno, el licenciado Ernesto Nemer Álvarez, se encuentra en el lugar de los hechos, donde aconteció este accidente.

    Quiero también agradecer la colaboración del gobierno del Distrito Federal, por la atención médica oportuna, para el traslado de los lesionados.

    He estado en comunicación permanente con el señor Jefe de Gobierno del Distrito Federal, el licenciado Marcelo Ebrard, quien ha dado todo el respaldo institucional.

    También les participo de la llamada que me hizo el ciudadano presidente de la república, maestro Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, quien expresó toda su solidaridad y apoyo institucional, para atender las circunstancias que hoy estamos viviendo.

    De igual forma, recibí el llamado del secretario de Gobernación, el licenciado José Francisco Blake Mora, y de otros servidores públicos federales.

    He establecido comunicación con el subsecretario de Transportes, licenciado Felipe Duarte Olvera, de la Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes del Gobierno Federal; licenciado Héctor González Ruiz, director general de Aeronáutica Civil, así como por autoridades del gobierno del Distrito Federal.

    Ha habido una comunicación extraordinaria entre representantes de los gobiernos del Estado de México, del Distrito Federal y del gobierno Federal.

    Les he pedido su colaboración institucional, a fin de que se lleven a cabo las investigaciones correspondientes, y se puedan esclarecer los hechos y las causas de este accidente.

    Es necesario referir que el secretario de Desarrollo Metropolitano, junto con su compañero de trabajo, tuvo una reunión por la mañana con empresarios de la zona oriente –de hecho, medios de comunicación locales, medios nacionales, dieron cuenta de este encuentro allá en el Valle de México–, y se trasladaba a la ciudad de Toluca para atender la reunión de un gabinete especializado en materia de seguridad pública, y poder preparar lo que será el plan de desarrollo del Estado de México en materia de desarrollo metropolitano, en colaboración con las entidades vecinas, especialmente en materia de seguridad pública.

    Personalmente, como les refería, he estado supervisando la evolución, el seguimiento del estado de salud de nuestros compañeros que resultaron heridos.

    El gobierno del Estado de México se hará cargo de los daños materiales que haya causado este accidente a vecinos del lugar, ya las autoridades del Distrito Federal están haciendo el recuento correspondiente, pero habrá todo el respaldo, todo el apoyo por parte de este gobierno estatal.

    Una vez que tengamos más información que arrojen los peritajes, se estará comunicando de las causas que originaron este accidente, independientemente de estos peritajes y las investigaciones que por Ley deben hacerse, y que además el gobierno del estado ha solicitado, he dado instrucciones para que se fortalezca la revisión del estado que guardan las aeronaves del gobierno estatal, revisar los protocolos de operación.

    Vale la pena también referir que los pilotos que sirven a toda la flota, todos los helicópteros que tenemos al servicio del Estado de México, son pilotos profesionales, ya con muchos años de experiencia y con antigüedad al servicio de este gobierno estatal.

    He solicitado al secretario de Comunicaciones del gobierno estatal, sea el enlace formal para estar participándoles de la información que sea necesaria, y, desde luego, que estén ustedes bien informados de este tema.

    Maestro Apolinar Mena, muchas gracias por su colaboración.

    Quiero participarles, señoras, señores de los diferentes medios de comunicación, que estamos verdaderamente muy consternados. Este es un día muy triste para el Estado de México, porque han perdido la vida dos compañeros al servicio de este estado, y están heridos en el hospital, atendidos afortunadamente en el Hospital otros dos compañeros nuestros.

    Agradecemos su solidaridad, y agradeceremos también su comprensión, para que la información que se dé a la opinión pública, a la ciudadanía, sea veras, sea oportuna, y tendrán toda la colaboración de este gobierno estatal para poder atender las peticiones de información y estar debidamente informando a la opinión pública del Estado de México y de México.

    Muchas gracias por su comprensión. Gracias por su solidaridad, y reitero las condolencias a las familias de los compañeros fallecidos.

    Buenas tardes.

    En este momento acudo al Hospital en donde se encuentran hospitalizados los compañeros que están siendo atendidos clínicamente.

    Que tengan todas y todos, buena tarde.

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  • | | |

    FAA: Operating Status for Washington DC

    FAA headquarters, along with other Federal offices in the DC Metro-area, will be closed on Monday, December 21, 2009 due to the record-breaking storm that affected the region over the weekend.

    Designated emergency personnel should report to work as scheduled. Employees scheduled to telework may be required to work that day, depending on their telework agreements and arrangements made with their supervisors.

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    SkyWest Airlines Introduces Jeppesen Airside Service to Jet Fleet

    ST. GEORGE, Utah, Nov. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — SkyWest Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. , is pleased to announce the launch of Jeppesen Airside Service for flight crews onboard each of its 246 jet aircraft.

    “This is just one of the ways SkyWest Airlines continues to invest in our professional pilots,” said Chip Childs, SkyWest President and COO. “The new Airside Service will provide more efficiency, consistency and convenience for every SkyWest pilot – and underscores SkyWest’s role as an industry leader in safety, efficiency and progress.”
    Utilizing Jeppesen Airside Service for more than 1,300 daily CRJ departures eliminates the need for pilots to carry up to 35 pounds of operational manuals, standard operating procedures and navigational charts. With Airside, the most current information is preassembled by Jeppesen and placed onboard each aircraft.
    SkyWest has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to implement the new program, which is expected to bring immediate benefits to the SkyWest operation, its crewmembers and passengers. The new service is proven to increase operational standardization and consistency, improve crew response time to irregular operations, increase environmental responsibility with fewer paper products, and even reduce injury. SkyWest continues to refine resources and processes for its pilot group, ensuring more time is focused solely on safely transporting passengers.
    The program will initially be used on SkyWest’s fleet of 246 Bombardier-manufactured Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) aircraft and will expand to include its nearly 50 Embraer aircraft in the coming months.
    “We are pleased to continue to enhance our partnership in offering this product to SkyWest Airlines and its pilots,” said Capt. Brad Thomann, Jeppesen Chief Operating Officer. “Using Airside Service is a simple way to quickly improve efficiency.”

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    Record Number of Passengers Expected at DFW Airport on Post-Game Monday

    FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Monday, Feb. 7, may be the busiest day in the history of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. At American Airlines and American Eagle as many as 25 percent more passengers than normal will board our aircraft. DFW International Airport is expecting three times its normal bus traffic, so airport entry plazas and roadways could be as crowded as terminals.

    Given the expected crowds, American’s DFW customer service staff recommends arriving at the airport at least three hours, or more, before your scheduled departure. Checking in on AA.com and printing boarding passes prior to arrival will help ease the journey through crowded terminals.

    Travelers Monday at DFW should expect longer lines at:

    Airport Entry Plazas
    Rental Car Returns
    Ticket Counters/Check-in Kiosks
    Baggage drop-offs (Curbside and Ticket Counters)
    TSA Security Checkpoints

    To help ease the backlog:

    Terminal D and part of American Eagle’s Terminal B will be open all night Sunday evening into Monday morning, including:

    Ticket Counters
    Security Checkpoints
    Concessions

    American’s Terminals A and C will open at 3 a.m. Monday.

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    Boeing Comments on WTO’s Landmark Decision on Airbus Subsidies

    CHICAGO, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Boeing issued the following statement following news reports quoting officials who indicated that the United States has prevailed on all of the major issues in the WTO’s final decision, which reaffirms its earlier interim decision, in the U.S. case against European subsidies to Airbus.

    “This is a powerful, landmark judgment and good news for aerospace workers across America who for decades have had to compete against a heavily subsidized Airbus. U.S. officials have estimated the commercial value to Airbus of all the government launch aid subsidies it has received at more than $178 billion (in 2006 dollars). Government subsidies have been used to support the creation of every Airbus product, including the A330/A340, which received more than $5 billion in development aid, and the A380, which received $4 billion in subsidies. Those and other European government subsidies to Airbus have significantly distorted the global market for large commercial airplanes, causing adverse effect to Boeing and costing America tens of thousands of high-tech jobs.

    “We appreciate the strong bipartisan efforts by both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government to right this wrong and ensure that America’s aerospace workers get a fair shake. Because of the U.S. government’s undiminished resolve to end illegal subsidies, this decision should level the competitive playing field once and for all with Airbus, as well as set an important precedent for other nations with aspirations to enter the commercial airplane business.

    “Airbus and its sponsor governments continue to re-affirm their commitment to using subsidized launch aid to fund the next Airbus airplane, the A350. We urge them to change course and fully comply with the WTO’s clear ruling. The WTO panel has painstakingly and professionally reviewed all of the evidence that’s been presented the past four years. It is extremely important to international trade and global economic growth that governments and businesses abide by the WTO’s rules. Markets, not parliaments, should pick the winners in the global aerospace industry.”

    Contact:
    Charlie Miller, +44-7802-399-622
    John Dern, 312-285-3754
    SOURCE Boeing

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