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NTSB to Present Findings of Safety Study


The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a Board meeting on May 22, 2012, to consider the findings of a draft safety study on experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft.

Of the approximately 224,000 general aviation (GA) aircraft in the U.S., about 33,000 of them are classified as E-AB. This includes a wide variety of aircraft, which can be built from a prefabricated kit, existing plans, or a builder’s unique design. Unfortunately, this group of aircraft has, for several years, experienced accident rates greater than those of other comparable segments of GA.

The NTSB, with the assistance and input from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and its many members, undertook the study to identify areas that could be addressed to improve the safety record of this growing and innovative segment of GA.

The meeting will be webcast live at bit.ly/fzFiOW

Event: Board Meeting

Date/Time: Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 9:30 am (EST)

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  • FAA Controllers in Houston Begin Using Safer, More Efficient Satellite Based Tracking System


    For Immediate Release
    January 12, 2010
    Contact: Tammy L. Jones
    Phone: (202) 267-3883

    ADS-B Satellite-Based Tracking Allows Controllers to Monitor Air Traffic Over Gulf of Mexico

    WASHINGTON — Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt announced today that Houston air traffic controllers are beginning to use an improved satellite-based system – Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) — to more efficiently and safely separate and manage aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico.

    “Safety is our highest priority at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and this new satellite-based technology will help the FAA improve the safety of flights over the Gulf even as air traffic increases,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

    “This is a significant, early step toward NextGen,” Administrator Babbitt said in a press conference at the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center. “We’re delivering on time, a system that’s not only more accurate than radar but comes with significant safety and efficiency benefits. This will save time and money for aircraft operators and passengers and reduce our carbon footprint.”

    ADS-B, which is one of the technologies at the heart of the transformation to NextGen, brings air traffic control to the Gulf of Mexico, an area that has not had the benefit of radar coverage. Before ADS-B, controllers had to rely on an aircraft’s estimated or reported — not actual — position. Individual helicopters flying under Instrument Flight Rule conditions at low altitudes to and from oil platforms were isolated within 20×20 mile boxes in order to remain safely separated from other helicopters. The complex, manual nature of these operations severely reduced capacity and efficiency for the 5,000 to 9,000 daily helicopter operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

    Aircraft equipped with ADS-B in the region will now know where they are in relation to bad weather and receive flight information including Notice to Airmen and Temporary Flight Restrictions.

    Prior to ADS-B, commercial aircraft flying at high altitudes were kept as much as 120 miles apart to ensure safety. Controllers are now able to safely reduce the separation between ADS-B equipped aircraft to five nautical miles, significantly improving capacity and efficiency. The new technology will also allow the FAA to provide new, more direct routes over the Gulf of Mexico, improving the efficiency of aircraft operations while using less fuel.

    The FAA was able to install ground stations on oil platforms as part of an agreement with the Helicopter Association International, oil and natural gas companies and helicopter operators. A network of ground stations was deployed on oil platforms and the surrounding shoreline, bringing satellite-based surveillance to an area with almost as much daily air traffic as the northeast corridor.

    The Gulf of Mexico is the second key site where ADS-B is being used by controllers to separate aircraft. The new technology is also being used by controllers in Louisville, KY, chosen in part because UPS voluntarily outfitted much of its fleet with ADS-B avionics. Four ground stations give controllers at the Louisville International Airport and the Louisville Terminal Radar Approach Control facility an ADS-B coverage area extending 60 nautical miles around the airport up to 10,000 feet.

    Controllers in Philadelphia will begin using ADS-B in February and the system will become operational in Juneau in April. ADS-B is expected to be available nationwide by 2013.

    The FAA first established an ADS-B prototype in Alaska, outfitting numerous general aviation aircraft with ADS-B avionics. The improved situational awareness for pilots and extended coverage for controllers resulted in a 47 percent drop in the fatal accident rate for equipped aircraft. In South Florida, the installation of eleven ground stations now gives pilots in equipped aircraft free traffic and weather information. Controllers will soon begin using ADS-B in that region to separate aircraft.

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    Essential Air Services Shutdown Pending

    The 20th temporary extension of the Federal Aviation Administration expires in days.

    The House passed a bill threatened by a presidential veto, and the FAA may be shut down midnight Friday, and end “Essential Air Service” to 13 cities.

    Thirteen airports are targeted to lose their EAS subsidies.

    Press Release – Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Urges Swift Action by Congress on FAA Bill

    July 20, 2011

    WASHINGTON – Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt called on Congress today to pass a clean extension of the FAA’s authorization in order to avoid airport project construction delays and employee furloughs. The current FAA reauthorization expires at midnight this Friday, July 22, 2011. LaHood and Babbitt said they oppose the House bill because it includes controversial provisions that needlessly threaten critical FAA programs and jeopardize thousands of public and private sector jobs.

    “Congress needs to stop playing games, work out its differences, and pass a clean FAA bill immediately. There is no excuse for not getting this done,” said Secretary LaHood. “Important programs and construction projects are at stake. This stalemate must be resolved.”

    Secretary LaHood also said, “I want to reassure the flying public that, during this period, safety will not be compromised.”

    “We are going to be forced to furlough valuable FAA employees unless this situation is resolved quickly,” said FAA Administrator Babbitt. “These employees do everything from getting money out the door for airport construction projects, to airport safety planning and NextGen research. We need them at work.”

    If Congress does not extend the FAA’s authorities approximately 4,000 employees will be furloughed beginning Saturday July 23, 2011. Without the appropriate authority, taxes will not be deposited into the Trust Fund to pay some FAA employees. Employees who are paid out of the Trust Fund handle a variety of functions including: airport safety and engineering standards; airport safety planning; the Airport Improvement Program, which administers construction project grants to airports; and Research, Engineering, and Development, which includes NextGen research and testing.

    Congress has extended the FAA’s authorization 20 separate times.

    Without a full year extension, FAA will be unable to move forward on more than $600 million in airport construction projects that include good paying jobs for local communities across the country. Some of these projects include:

    GulfportBiloxi International Airport: proceed with construction of a terminal building expansion, rehabilitation runway lighting, rehabilitation of a taxiway, and rehabilitation of an access road.
    RichmondInternational Airport: proceed with construction of a new apron for terminal concourse A.
    Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: proceed with construction of taxiway Y and Z rehabilitation.
    LaredoInternational Airport: proceed with the rehabilitation of the Engineered Material Arresting System which will help protect passengers if an aircraft leaves the runway.

    Additionally, during each of the previous 20 short term extensions, the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program has only received small portions of its $3.5 billion in grant money.

    As a result, states and airports have been left waiting to plan projects or begin construction since the total amount available is unknown. Some projects that are already underway are being constructed in stages and the total cost of the project will likely be higher as a result of that approach.

    For example, in Wisconsin, the state has delayed accepting construction bids until officials know how much federal funding is available. Unless the FAA receives a longer extension, projects in Wisconsin could be delayed into next year since the construction season will start to wind down at the end of the summer.

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    NTSB TEAM Investigating New Orleans Emergency Landing

    On April 4, 2011, a United Airlines Airbus 320-232 with 109 passengers and crew aboard returned to the airport about 20 minutes after take-off due to electrical difficulties and smoke in the cockpit. On landing, the crew described a loss of anti-skid braking and nose-wheel steering and passengers had to exit via slide. (The right front slide failed.) Dan Bower is investigator-in-charge of the NTSB team including reps of Federal Aviation Administration,United Airlines, the Air Line Pilots Association, theAssociation of Flight Attendants, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and an Airbus rep appointed by the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) of the Government of France.


    What: United Airlines Airbus A320-200 en route from New Orleans,LA to San Francisco,CA
    Where: Louis Armstrong Airport
    When: April 4 2011 7:20 a.m. after a 13 minute flight
    Who: 100 passengers 5 crew
    Why: After takeoff, the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit, and returned to the airport. The pilot reported losing all instruments, and landed on backup power, blowing out a tire and running off the runway. Passengers evacuated via slides.

    After landing, passengers were taken to the Hilton.

    TRANSCRIPT OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, PILOT CONVERSATION
    UA 497: Clear for takeoff runway 19, thank for you very much.
    UA 497: We need to vector back to the airport, we got a smoke issue with the airplane.
    N.O. Approach: Turn right 030 (degrees) and maintain 4,000 (feet.)
    UA 497: 030 4,000. And we’d like the longest runway please.
    N.O. Approach: There are men and equipment on the runway – they’re going to try to get them off now. Descend at pilot’s discretion. Maintain 2,000.
    UA 497: We are declaring an emergency and please roll equipment for our landing please.
    N.O. Approach: We are unable for (runway) 10, can you take (runway) 19?
    UA 497: ..no..
    N.O. Approach: Roger, we are clearing the runway now.
    Airport operations: How much time do we have?
    New Orleans Tower: I’d say they are about 11 miles to the west.
    Airport operations: Tower, we can start trying to pull them off, but I don’t think we will get them all off in time.
    N.O. Approach: United 497, Say souls on board and fuel remaining.
    UA 497: 106 souls on board, fuel remaining 32,400 pounds.
    N.O. Approach: They are still trying to get all the vehicles off the runway and 19 is still available if you like….
    New Orleans Tower: … working as fast as they can (unintelligible) There is a bunch of equipment on there they’re tying to get off now.
    UA 497: You need to clear it for us.
    New Orleans Tower: I understand, sir. We’re getting them off as fast as we can.
    N.O. Approach: Turn right heading 140, main 2,000 ….cleared ILS runway 10 approach.
    New Orleans Tower: Can you verify the vehicles are exiting?
    Airport operations: We are attempting to get the vehicles off right now, I’m removing the cones also.
    New Orleans Tower: OK, cause I haven’t seen any of the vehicles move and the aircraft is ten to the northwest and they have to have runway 100.
    N.O. Approach: United 497, Turn right heading 180.
    UA 497: um…. We only have one… um … (Alarms sounding in background.)
    N.O. Approach: United 497 say again sir?
    New Orleans Tower: We need three minutes to get the runway clear.
    UA 497: (alarms blaring) We’ve lost all our instruments right now and we’re going to need (directions)
    N.O. Approach: United turn left heading, 20 degrees left
    N.O. Approach: Just continue left turn, I’ll tell you when to stop.
    UA 497: (unintelligible) What vector are we from the airport?
    N.O. Approach: Right now sir you are on the 330 degree heading from the airport. Northwest of the airport for runway 19er. If you continue on this present heading you’ll set up on the shoreline for 19.
    UA 497: Shoreline for 19.
    N.O. Approach: I can set u up there or I can vector you, what’d you need?
    UA 497: That’s fine.
    N.O. Approach: (unintelligible…)You got the water, right?
    UA 497: Yeah, we got the water and we’re going to stop here about 600 feet.
    N.O. Approach: Roger that. The airport’s currently at your 1 o’clock and five miles.
    UA 497: 1 o’clock and five miles roger.
    New Orleans Tower to fire crews: Fox-6, next arrival runway 19er is our aircraft. And the aircraft is approximately 3 miles northwest runway 19er.
    N.O. Approach: If you start your right turn now I can set you up on final.
    UA 497: Start turn on final.
    New Orleans Tower to fire crews: The aircraft is over the shoreline around two miles out. You do have permission to proceed on to the runway after he lands.
    N.O. Approach: Make a right turn. The airport is off to yoru right side,
    N.O. Approach: 497, clear to land 19er. You’ll be able to make it sir? Winds 180 at 16, gusts to 20, Clear to land. Runway 19er.
    New Orleans Tower to fire trucks: Fox-5, this is our aircraft touvh ing down bow.
    New Orleans Tower: Follow the aircraft down the runway.
    New Orleans Tower: We’re going to need runway 10 operational. Runway 19er is fouled at this time.

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  • |

    NTSB Press Release

    NTSB TO HOLD A PUBLIC FORUM ON PROFESSIONALISM IN AVIATION

    ( Washington , DC ) The National Transportation Safety Board
    will hold a safety forum on professionalism in aviation
    beginning Tuesday, May 18, 2010. The three-day, en-banc forum
    will be chaired by NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman.

    “NTSB’s investigations into the midair collision over the
    Hudson River last August, the crash of Colgan Air flight 3407
    in February 2009, and the October 2009 Northwest pilots’
    overflight of their intended airport provided the impetus for
    this forum because all of them clearly demonstrated the
    hazards to aviation safety when pilots and air traffic
    controllers depart from standard operating procedures and
    established best practices,” Hersman said. “During the forum,
    we will gather information on the screening, selection and
    training of pilots and controllers and methods to reinforce
    professionalism and excellence.”

    Panelists participating in the forum will represent industry,
    government agencies, labor, academia, and professional
    associations. A technical panel composed of NTSB staff from
    the Offices of Aviation Safety and Research and Engineering,
    and the NTSB Board Members, who will make up the Board of
    Inquiry, will question the panelists.

    Dr. Tony Kern, an internationally recognized human factors and
    pilot performance expert, is the forum’s keynote speaker. The
    names of the participating panelists and the agenda will be
    provided in early May.

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  • IATA Press Release: Fragile but Improving

    Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported international scheduled traffic results for September 2009. Passenger demand was essentially unchanged, increasing 0.3% compared to September 2008. Demand for international cargo was 5.4% below September 2008 levels. Load factors for passenger and cargo have returned to pre-crisis levels of 77.1% and 50.8%, respectively.

    The apparent year-over-year improvement in demand is misleading. It is largely due to comparisons with an exceptionally weak September 2008 when traffic fell sharply (-2.9% for passenger and -7.7% for cargo). Seasonally adjusted statistics show a 0.3% drop in passenger volumes and a 1.4% fall in cargo volumes for September 2009 compared with August 2009. This reflects the pause seen in the economic recovery in the US and elsewhere in the past few months.

    “It is far too early to call this a recovery. The worst may be over in terms of the fall in demand, but yields continue to be a disaster and costs are rising. The airline industry remains firmly in the red with a fragile business environment,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    Airlines continue to carefully manage capacity. Seasonally adjusted passenger capacity has remained unchanged throughout the year while cargo capacity has edged up only slightly in the last two months. Load factors have risen to pre-crisis levels which should help to correct the precipitous fall in yields (-14% for economy, -18% for premium and –20% in cargo).

    Rising costs are a concern. As airlines adjust capacity to match demand, aircraft are flying fewer hours (-3% for some aircraft types). This is raising non-fuel unit costs. At the same time, oil prices have risen to above US$75 per barrel (Brent) considerably higher than the US$43 per barrel level at the start of the year.

    International Scheduled Passenger Demand

    Passenger demand is now 5% better than the low point reached in March 2009, but 6% below the peak recorded in early 2008.
    Asia-Pacific carriers recorded the most significant improvement, from -1.6% in August to +2.1% in September. Bucking the global trend, seasonally adjusted passenger volumes grew almost 1% from August to September. Three factors are influencing this relative strength. Government stimulus packages in the major economies are driving production increases, the region’s banking system is relatively strong and the region’s consumers are not as burdened by debt as those in Europe and the US.
    By contrast, European carriers saw a deterioration in demand from -2.8% in August to -4.2% in September. This partly reflects a loss of market share by network carriers on short-haul routes to low-cost carriers. More significantly, there has been a deterioration in demand on long-haul routes. For routes to Asia, this appears to be the influence of “home-carrier-bias” which has seen Asia-Pacific carriers reap the benefit of stronger regional economies. On routes to North America, lower demand in general is related to the dip in consumer and business confidence in economies on both sides of the North Atlantic.
    North American carriers saw demand largely unchanged (-2.4% in September compared to -2.5% in August). This flattening-out is related to a dip in consumer and business confidence.
    Middle Eastern carriers experienced an 18.2% year-on-year increase in September. This was distorted by the shifting of the Ramadan period, which started in August 2009, compared with September last year. Growth is driven primarily by market share gains on long-haul routes via Middle Eastern hubs. Weaker oil revenues continue to depress economic growth and travel within the region.
    Latin American carriers experienced a jump in demand from -2.3% in August to +3.4% in September based on relatively robust regional economies.
    African carriers also saw a marginal improvement from -4.9% in August to -4.2% in September. While African economies have been relatively resilient in the recession, the region’s carriers continue to struggle to maintain market share.
    International Scheduled Cargo Demand

    Cargo traffic is 12% above the December 2008 low point, but remains 17% below the early 2008 peak.
    Middle Eastern carriers showed the strongest performance of any region with a 3.6% year-on-year improvement.
    Latin American carriers also reported growth of 1.8%, but this was a decline from the previous month’s growth of 3.9%.
    Carriers in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America recorded improvements over August performance, but remained in negative territory at -3.1%, -13% and -5.0% respectively. Improvements were broadly in line with improved economic activity in each region.
    African carriers’ cargo operations declined further into negative territory from -5.1% in August to -6.9% in September.
    The UK Air Passenger Duty hike is the wrong response to the industry trauma. “The policies of some governments in light of the industry’s trauma are disappointing. The UK is a case in point of a government detached from reality. The global economic crisis makes cost reduction a matter of survival. And the upcoming Copenhagen meeting on climate change demands attention on measures to reduce emissions. What is the UK government doing? From 1 November it is increasing its Air Passenger Duty (APD) to collect GBP 2.5 billion annually from air travelers in the name of the environment. They have it all wrong. Taxes won’t reduce emissions. And making travel more expensive will not stimulate the economy,” said Bisignani.

    The GBP 2.5 billion APD is completely disproportionate to the GBP572 million that it would cost to offset the entire carbon footprint of UK aviation. “Charging travelers over four times for their emissions makes absolutely no sense. Instead of raising taxes, the UK government should get behind the aviation industry’s ambitious targets to fight climate change, namely (1) improving fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% annually to 2020, (2) stabilizing emissions from 2020 with carbon neutral growth and (3) cutting net emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005 levels,” said Bisignani.

    View full September traffic results

    For more information, please contact:

    Anthony Concil
    Director Corporate Communications
    Tel: +41 22 770 2967
    Email: corpcomms@iata.org

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    New FAA System Improves Air Safety at Juneau

    For Immediate Release
    May 4, 2010

    New FAA System Improves Air Safety at Juneau

    ANCHORAGE – A new surveillance technology called the Wide-Area Multilateration System (WAM) is now allowing air traffic controllers to track aircraft along the difficult approach to Juneau – a mountainous area where radar coverage isn’t possible.

    “This technology will allow more aircraft to fly into Juneau and it will give air traffic controllers the tools they need to safely and efficiently handle these flights,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

    Air traffic controllers can now see aircraft approaching Juneau, something that wasn’t possible before WAM because of the rugged terrain surrounding the city. The mountains make radar coverage impossible since radar signals cannot pass through solid objects. Without radar coverage, controllers had to separate aircraft approaching Juneau by large distances in order to provide the appropriate safety margins. Air traffic controllers are now able to safely decrease the separation between them to five nautical miles.

    WAM is comprised of a network of small sensors deployed around Juneau. The sensors send out signals that are received and sent back by aircraft transponders. No other aircraft equipment is required. The system triangulates the returning signals to determine the precise location of each aircraft. Controllers are able to see those aircraft on their screens as if they were radar targets.

    WAM is being used in the near term while the agency rolls out Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B), the satellite-based surveillance system that will be deployed nationwide in 2013. WAM will then serve as a backup to ADS-B in the event of a GPS outage and provide an additional source of traffic broadcast to properly equipped aircraft. A WAM system is also operating in Colorado.

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