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NTSB RECOMMENDS SYSTEM FOR LARGE AIRPLANES TO PREVENT COLLISIONS WHILE TAXING


WASHINGTON – Today the NTSB recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration require that large airplanes be equipped with an anti-ground collision aid, such as an on-board external-mounted camera system, to provide pilots a clear view of the plane’s wingtips while taxing to ensure clearance from other aircraft, vehicles and obstacles.

On large airplanes (such as the Boeing 747, 757, 767, and 777; the Airbus A380; and the McDonnell Douglas MD-10 and MD-11), the pilot cannot see the airplane’s wingtips from the cockpit unless the pilot opens the cockpit window and extends his or her head out of the window, which is often impractical.

The NTSB said that the anti-collision aids should be installed on newly manufactured and certificated airplanes and that existing large airplanes should be retrofitted with the equipment.

“A system that can provide real-time information on wingtip clearance in relation to other obstacles will give pilots of large airplanes an essential tool when taxiing,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. “While collision warning systems are now common in highway vehicles, it is important for the aviation industry to consider their application in large aircraft.”

The recommendations follow three recent ground collision accidents (all currently under investigation) in which large airplanes collided with another aircraft while taxing:

• May 30, 2012: The right wingtip of an EVA Air Boeing 747-400 struck the rudder and vertical stabilizer of an American Eagle Embraer 135 while taxing at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (Preliminary Report: http://go.usa.gov/rPFh).

• July 14, 2011: A Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 was taxing for departure when its left winglet struck the horizontal stabilizer of an Atlantic Southeast Airlines Bombardier CRJ900 (Preliminary Report: http://go.usa.gov/rnzC).

• April 11, 2011: During a taxi for departure, the left wingtip of an Air France A380 struck the horizontal stabilizer and rudder of a Comair Bombardier CRJ701 (Preliminary Report: http://go.usa.gov/rnzW).

The NTSB made the same recommendation to the European Aviation Safety Agency, which sets standards for aircraft manufacturers in Europe.

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  • Press Release: Premier Turbines Named Designated Repair Center in Americas for M601 and H80 Engines

    December 8, 2009 — RENO, NEVADA — GE Aviation has selected Premier Turbines as its Designated Repair Center in North and South Americas for M601 and H80 turboprop engines.

    As part of this exclusive agreement, Premier Turbines will offer heavy repair services, exchange engines and rentals, line replacement unit rotable pools and field service support to all existing and future M601 and H80 engines in the Americas region. GE Aviation will provide the necessary OEM parts to meet Premier Turbines’ needs. Premier Turbines will be ready to accept M601 engines for repair in the first quarter of 2010.

    “GE chose Premier Turbines based on its strong commitment to customer support and quality as well as its extensive experience providing repair services for turbine engines,” said Brad Mottier, vice president and general manager of Business & General Aviation at GE Aviation. “This designation will further expand GE’s service and support offerings for M601 operators and future H80 engine operators.”

    Located in Neosho, Missouri, Premier Turbines is a leading provider of repair and overhaul services for commercial, government and military turbine engines, components and accessories with more than 40 years experience. Premier Turbines is dedicated to providing precision service, on-time performance and the expertise that comes from decades of experience on thousands of turbine engines. The company was acquired by BBA Aviation in 2003.

    Last year, GE Aviation began offering M601 operators around-the-clock customer support through its Business Jet Operations Center. The Business Jet Operations Center is staffed with customer product technicians who can provide a rapid response to needs, such as parts availability, trouble-shooting and field issues. M601 engines are overhauled at GE Aviation Czech’s facility in Prague.

    GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of commercial and military jet engines and components as well as avionics, electric power, and mechanical systems for aircraft. GE Aviation also has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at www.ge.com/aviation.

    GE AVIATION EXPANDING OPERATIONS IN BATESVILLE

    Governor Haley Barbour announced today that GE Aviation is expanding its operation in Batesville. The company’s Batesville plant produces composite components for the GEnx jet engine, which will power Boeing’s new 787 and 747-8 aircraft. The GEnx engine is the world’s only jet engine with composite fan blades, composite fan platforms and a composite fan case.

    With the expansion, GE Aviation will add an additional 350 jobs over the next few years. The facility currently employs more than 100 employees.

    “I am delighted that GE Aviation is expanding its operations in Mississippi and is adding 350 jobs at its Batesville facility,” Governor Barbour said. “This premier aviation company has become a valued corporate citizen in Mississippi, and I commend it for its continued commitment to the state and for creating additional high-wage, high-skill jobs for Mississippians.”

    The opportunity to expand these operations stems from the growth of advanced composites in jet engines, which can provide greater durability and weight savings over more traditional metal materials. GE Aviation is pursuing advanced technologies, materials and processes that will result in more efficient jet engines.

    “Our Batesville operation is involved in some of the most advanced manufacturing processes in the aviation industry,” said Jeanne Edwards, GE’s plant leader in Batesville. “Also, GE is very fortunate to have a strong order book for its new GEnx engine. Many of the technology advantages inherent in the GEnx engine are linked directly to the components produced in Batesville.”

    The expansion will represent a company investment of approximately $85 million. The Mississippi Development Authority provided $8.6 million in Momentum Mississippi incentives to assist with this project. In addition, Panola County provided $4 million to assist with the expansion.

    GE Aviation partnered with Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory to demonstrate the capabilities necessary for producing composite fan platforms in 2006. In 2007, the company announced it would locate a new manufacturing facility in the state. After its Batesville facility was completed in 2008, the company began production of these components there.

    In June of this year, GE Aviation announced a new research partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi in which researchers from both the company and the university are working together on technologies related to composite panels, which will also be produced in Batesville.

    “Mississippi is rapidly becoming known as a center for composite materials and technologies,” said Gray Swoope, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. “I am proud that GE Aviation is utilizing our available resources and developing these materials and processes here in Mississippi, and I am pleased the company is working with Mississippi universities to further refine these technologies. GE Aviation’s decision to further invest in its Mississippi operations demonstrates its continued confidence in the state and in our workforce.”

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    Boeing 787 First Flight Event Wins PRSA Silver Anvil

    SEATTLE, June 4, 2010 – The Boeing Commercial Airplanes Communications & Marketing team received a 2010 Silver Anvil award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Thursday for its work in planning and executing communications events surrounding the 787 Dreamliner first flight on Dec. 15, 2009.

    PRSA – the largest professional association serving the public relations industry – awards Silver Anvils each year to organizations that successfully address a contemporary issue with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. According to the PRSA website, this national award represents the “best of the best” in public relations practices.

    The Boeing Communications & Marketing team began planning a year in advance of the event, which drew more than 12,000 employees and guests. The team also facilitated the company’s first live webcast, allowing more than 1 million people around the globe to share in the historic first flight and landing of the Dreamliner.
    “This was a team of literally hundreds of volunteers who created a memorable event worthy of the 787 Dreamliner,” said Yvonne Leach, 787 Communications director, at the acceptance ceremony. “It was an honor to have led the team that planned and delivered this event.”

    The Silver Anvil award recognized the team for deploying new technologies to open the first-flight experience to employees, media, customers, government officials and other stakeholders. These innovations included hosting micro events around the world; providing audio feed between air traffic control and 787 first-flight pilots Mike Carriker and Randy Neville during the flight; and allowing Web visitors to track the flight live on Boeing.com.

    “Those who attended first flight in person or watched it on the Web will never forget the rush of emotion when that airplane left the ground and became airborne,” said Leach. “It was a great moment for Boeing, for our customer, our partners and employees – for our entire industry.”

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    Boeing Marks a Milestone With Rollout of 1,000th 767


    EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) marked a proud moment in the company’s history today at a ceremonial rollout of the 1,000th 767 airplane. Hundreds of current employees, joined by Boeing retirees who worked on the first 767, gathered to celebrate the occasion at the Everett, Wash., factory.

    “It was great to see so many people here today – the engineers, the technicians, the machinists – who have made the 767 the wonderful airplane it is,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “As we salute the 1,000th 767, the next 767 is already being built in a new bay where we can produce airplanes much more efficiently for years to come. We hope many of the new 767s will become U.S. Air Force tankers built right here.”

    The 1,000th airplane is a 767-300ER (extended range) passenger model for ANA (All Nippon Airways) and was the final 767 to complete assembly on the current production line. Final production work already is underway on the 1,001 unit in a new, smaller bay that repositions the production line toward a leaner, more efficient operation.

    Today’s milestone is a chance for the 767 family to celebrate its past, present and future showcased in this video: http://bit.ly/eMZIVv.
    Boeing has offered the 767 as the platform for its NewGen Tanker if it wins the U.S. Air Force KC-X Tanker competition. A decision on the contract award is expected early this year.

    The 767 family is a family of clean, quiet, fuel-efficient airplanes that provide maximum market versatility in the 200- to 300-seat market. The 767 family includes three passenger models – the 767-200ER, 767-300ER and 767-400ER – and a medium-widebody freighter, which is based on the 767-300ER fuselage.

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  • NTSB PRESS RELEASE

    NTSB CHAIRMAN TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS ON THE CRASH OF
    COLGAN AIR FLIGHT 3407

    Washington, DC – National Transportation Safety Board
    Chairman Deborah A. P. Hersman testified in the U.S. Senate
    today about the status of aviation safety a year after the
    crash of Continental Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York on
    February 12, 2009. The flight was operated by Colgan Air.
    The crash resulted in 50 fatalities, including all of the
    passengers, the flight crew, and one person on the ground.

    The NTSB issued its final report on the investigation of the
    accident following a public board meeting on February 2.
    Chairman Hersman provided a summary of the investigation
    that led to the Board’s final report and a determination
    that the probable cause of the accident was the captain’s
    inappropriate response to an aerodynamic stall from which
    the airplane did not recover.

    At the hearing before the Subcommittee on Aviation of the
    Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation,
    Hersman noted that the Safety Board’s final report makes 25
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    issued recommendations. The recommendations cover a wide
    range of safety issues that were factors in this accident,
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    NTSB updated its 2010 Most Wanted List of Transportation
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    “If we are serious about aviation safety, we must establish
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    Chairman Hersman. “We must also have a system in which we
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    Airbus Press Release: Sichuan Airlines signs first Airbus Flight Hour Services in China

    21 December 2009

    Airbus to provide extended services to airlines in China

    Sichuan Airlines, the first Chinese operator to fly Airbus A320 Family aircraft, has signed a contract with Airbus for customized Flight Hour Services (FHS) for its future fleet of three brand new leased A330s, which are scheduled to be in service from early next year.

    In order to operate the newly built A330 fleet in a more efficient and cost-effective way, Sichuan Airlines has decided to use the Airbus FHS and will become the first customer for Airbus FHS in China.

    The FHS is part of Airbus’ comprehensive portfolio of support, services and solutions that help Airbus customers meet and exceed their business objectives. Airbus will deliver to Sichuan Airlines a tailor-made solution with strong support from Airbus worldwide customer services system. Under the agreement, Airbus guarantees availability of key Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) as well as related logistics and maintenance services for Sichuan Airlines for an initial 13.5-year period.

    Airbus FHS helps minimize aircraft on-the-ground time by providing airlines with even faster and simpler access to spare parts and services at predictable rates, based on stock and flight hour parameters. Airbus already has FHS services in operation with other customers in the Asian region.

    “The introduction of Airbus A330s and the Airbus FHS for the new A330 fleet is a natural choice for Sichuan Airlines as we have been in successful partnership with Airbus for 14 years. Thanks to the tailor-made Airbus Flight Hour Services, we will optimise our investment and deliver better services to our customers,” said Mr. Lan Xinguo, Chairman of Sichuan Airlines.

    “Facing evolving market and customer requirements, Airbus continues to develop innovative and customized services, enabling Airbus customers such as our long lasting customer Sichuan Airlines to focus on their core business,” said Laurence Barron, President of Airbus China.

    “There are now more than 530 Airbus aircraft in operation with Chinese airlines and the Airbus fleet in China are expanding fast. More than ever, our Chinese customers are expecting from us innovative and flexible solutions to enable safe, efficient and profitable operations and this agreement strengthens further our partnership with our long time customer Sichuan Airlines,” said Charles Champion, Executive Vice President Customer Services of Airbus.

    Sichuan Airlines was also the operator of the very first Airbus A320 assembled by Family Final Assembly Line China (FALC) in Tianjin.

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