Press Release-March 4, 2010 The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public Board meeting to consider a study on what effect the introduction of glass cockpits into small light general aviation airplanes is having on the safety record of those
aircraft.

In 2000, almost all new single engine light airplanes were manufactured with conventional analog flight instruments. Today almost all new light planes come equipped with digital flight display avionic systems, also known as “glass cockpits.” The enhanced function and information capabilities of these systems represent a significant change and potential improvement in the way general aviation pilots monitor information needed to control their aircraft.

The NTSB initiated this study to determine if the transition to glass cockpits in light aircraft would improve the safety record of those planes.

For more information…

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is holding its 35th Annual Aviation Forecast Conference, “Looking Ahead in Aviation: Rational Rebound or Irrational Instability.” The FAA will release its Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2010-2030, which provides the latest data about activity and growth in aviation products and services, as well as future estimates.

The first day of the conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will feature remarks by Secretary LaHood and FAA Administrator Babbitt starting at 12:00 Noon. American Airlines Chairman, President and CEO Gerard J Arpey will keynote the luncheon at 1:00 p.m. The latest agenda including a list of panels cane be found at:http://www.faa.gov/news/conferences_events/aviation_forecast_2010/agenda/

Media wishing to attend the conference should RSVP to Hank Price, hank.price@faa,gov.

Montreal – Press Release:The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the aviation safety performance for 2009 showing that the year’s accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft as the second lowest in aviation history. 

The 2009 global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jet aircraft) was 0.71. That is equal to one accident for every 1.4 million flights. This is a significant improvement of the 0.81 rate recorded in 2008 (one accident for 1.2 million flights).  The 2009 rate was the second lowest in aviation history, just above the 2006 rate of 0.65. Compared to 10 years ago, the accident rate has been cut 36% from the rate recorded in 2000.

In absolute numbers, 2009 saw the following results

• 2.3 billion people flew safely on 35 million flights (27 million jet, 8 million turboprop)
  
• 19 accidents involving western built jet aircraft compared to 22 in 2008
  
• 90 accidents (all aircraft types, Eastern and Western built) compared to 109 in 2008
  
• 18 fatal accidents (all aircraft types) compared to 23 in 2008
  
• 685 fatalities compared to 502 in 2008

“Safety is the industry’s number one priority. Even in a decade during which airlines lost an average of US$5 billion per year, we still managed to improve our safety record. Last year, 2.3 billion people flew safely. But every fatality is a human tragedy that reminds us of the ultimate goal of zero accidents and zero fatalities,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

IATA member airlines outperformed the industry average with a Western-built jet hull accident rate of 0.62. That rate is equal to one accident for every 1.6 million flights. “In 2009 IATA marked an important milestone in aviation safety. From April 1, all IATA members were on the registry of the IATA Operational Safety Audit – a testimony to our commitment to the highest global standards for operational safety. IOSA is the global standard. Today 332 carriers are on the registry, including IATA’s 231 members,” said Bisignani.

There are significant regional differences in the accident rate.

• North Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean as well as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) had zero western-built jet hull losses in 2009
  
• North America (0.41) and Europe (0.45) performed better than the global average of 0.71
  
• Asia-Pacific’s accident rate worsened to 0.86 in 2009 (compared to 0.58 in 2008) with three accidents involving carriers from the region.
  
• The Middle East and North Africa region saw its accident rate rise to 3.32 (compared to 1.89 in 2008) with four accidents involving carriers from the region.
  
• Africa had an accident rate of 9.94, significantly higher than their 2008 rate of 2.12. Africa has once again the worst rate of the world.  There were five Western-built jet hull losses with African carriers in 2009. African carriers are 2% of global traffic, but 26% of global western-built jet hull losses.

An analysis of the causes of the 2009 accidents focuses on three main areas:

• Runway excursions continue to be a challenge and accounted for 26% of all accidents in 2009.  However, the total number of runway excursions dropped by 18% (23 vs 28 in 2008). IATA released its Runway Excursion Risk Reduction Toolkit in 2009, with an updated version to be produced later this year. The toolkit is incorporated with IATA’s broad ranging safety data tools in the IATA Global Safety Information Center (GSIC), a customizable website which will enable users to extract relevant safety information through a single application and enable them to perform performance benchmark and conduct trend analysis and risk management.
  
• Ground damage accounted for 10% of all accidents in 2009. To improve safety and reduce this US$4 billion annual industry cost, IATA introduced the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO). Built on similar principles to IOSA, ISAGO is the industry’s first global standard for the oversight and auditing of ground handling companies. The first audits took place in 2008. To date a total of 149 audits have been conducted.
  
•  While runway excursions and ground damage were the main categories of accidents, pilot handling was noted as a contributing factor in 30% of all accidents. IATA’s Training & Qualification Initiative (ITQI) is pushing for harmonizing a competency-based approach focused on training real skills while addressing threats presented by accident/incident reports and flight data collection and reporting. IATA will also work through ICAO to develop a Fatigue Risk Management System as part of the Safety Management System. This will be a new process to systematically manage crew fatigue taking into account changes in aircraft capabilities and airline operations.

These initiatives are consistent with IATA’s comprehensive Six-point Safety Program which focuses on infrastructure safety, safety data management and analysis, operations, Safety Management Systems, maintenance and auditing.

“Safety is a constant challenge. Having made aviation the safest way to travel, further improvements will come only with careful data analysis. We must understand the underlying safety risk trends, not just from the handful of accidents each year, but by bringing together and analyzing data from millions of safe flights. The IATA Global Safety Information Center was launched in December 2009 for just that purpose. Going forward our goal is to work with other organizations and governments involved in aviation safety to add to the database and drive even more improvements,” Said Bisignani.

OAKEY, Queensland, Feb. 26, 2010 Boeing has signed an AU$44 million change proposal with the Commonwealth of Australia to increase the scope of the Army Aviation Training and Training Support (AATTS) contract.

Awarded the contract in 2007, Boeing subsidiary Boeing Defence Australia has been supporting the Australian Army’s Black Hawk and Kiowa helicopters with pilot, aircrew and technician training, operational fleet maintenance, and support services at the Army Aviation Training Centre in Oakey.

Following detailed operational reviews, the Commonwealth and Boeing Defence Australia changed the scope of the AATTS contract to reflect the Army’s current and future aircrew training requirements. Under the updated contract, Boeing Defence Australia is additionally responsible for delivering:

• The Initial Army Pilot Helicopter Qualification Course, using the B-206 Kiowa
• 85 percent of S-70A-9 Black Hawk pilot training
• CH-47 Chinook helicopter instructor and technician training.

The $44 million agreement also includes the Commonwealth’s first one-year extension of AATTS, continuing the contract until September 2013. The original AATTS contract includes five one-year extension options.
“The Commonwealth’s decision to both increase the scope of AATTS and extend the contract until 2013 reinforces Boeing Defence Australia’s position as the preeminent ab-initio [‘from the beginning’] training provider to the Australian Defence Force,” said Mark Brownsey, Boeing Defence Australia senior manager for Global Services & Support — Training Operations.
“To date, Boeing Defence Australia has exceeded all Australian Army training and maintenance requirements, including standing up the entire program on time, completing 100 percent of training courses on schedule, supporting close to 7,000 training sorties annually, and providing maintenance support to the Australian Defence Force Kiowa fleet, which recently achieved more than 50,000 flight hours,” said Matthew Sibree, Boeing Defence Australia AATTS project manager. “To ensure AATTS continues on time and on budget, 20 additional employees will be hired on to the 160-strong team to ensure we meet our customer’s expectations.”

The updated AATTS contract will further strengthen Boeing Defence Australia’s training capability while ensuring the Australian Army maintains a constant supply of qualified helicopter pilots, aircrew and technicians to conduct complex helicopter missions in support of domestic and global operations.

Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of nearly 2,000 employees at 13 locations throughout Australia and two international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

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 new recommendations to the FAA and reiterates 3 previously issued recommendations. The recommendations cover a wide range of safety issues that were factors in this accident, including pilot training and fatigue. Just last week, the NTSB updated its 2010 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Issues to better emphasize these 2 safety concerns, Hersman noted.

“If we are serious about aviation safety, we must establish a system that minimizes pilot fatigue and ensures that flight crews report to work rested and fit for duty,” said Chairman Hersman. “We must also have a system in which we are steadfastly confident that all of our commercial pilots are proficient and well-trained.”