Possible jobs bill; possible faa bill raising the cap on PFCs; airport infrastructure investment and stimulas packages; collective bargaining rights; the runway summit; plant based biofuels.
(Not in video) In Britain, British climate change committee suggest airport expansions be put on hold until airline technology is more efficient. Curbs are recommended on aviation of emissions, which counters the possibilities of aviation as a growth industry.
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Contact photographer Mark H
What: Air Austral Boeing 777-200 en route from Sydney, Australia to Noumea
Where: Sydney
When: Dec 4th 2009
Who: not available
Why: Over the Tasman sea, the flight developed a hydraulics problem and entered a holding pattern. The plane landed safely back at Sydney, and was towed off the runway.
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Contact photographer Jon Braz
What: Air Canada Embraer ERJ-170 en route from Newark,NJ to Toronto, Canada
Where: Toronto
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: 63 passengers and 4 crew
Why: On approach to Toronto, the crew reported a flaps problem. Thirty minutes after declaring emergency, the flight landed safely.
Pictured: A Delta Connection (ASA – Atlantic Southeast Airlines) Canadair CL-600-2C10 Regional Jet CRJ-701ER
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Contact photographer Daniel J. Evans
What: Delta/Atlantic Southeast Airlines Canadair CRJ-700 en route from Flint, MI to Atlanta, GA
Where: NE of Louisville KY
When: Dec 7th 2009
Who: 61 passengers and 4 crew
Why: While en route from Flint, the crew found and reported a cracked windshield. The crew made an emergency landing in Louisville. Passengers debarked safely, and alternative transportation was provided.
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Contact photographer Cary Liao
The incident 35,000 feet above Norfolk where an AirTran Airways Boeing 717 maneuvered to avoid another aircraft on Oct. 26, and a passenger and flight attendant were both injured by turbulence is currently being investigated by the NTSB.
The FAA does not know if the sharp loss of altitude is related to the collision avoidance maneuver or turbulence. The incident is not being called a close call.
HOUSTON, Dec. 7, 2009 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that its Houston site recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, the latest official recognition of the site’s efforts to improve its environmental performance. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. The certification process reviews energy, lighting, water and material use, and a variety of other sustainable strategies.
The LEED Gold certification was awarded to the Houston facility’s Bay Area Boulevard building in September in the category of “existing buildings.” The site also earned International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 certification in September and an ENERGY STAR rating for the Bay Area Boulevard building in December 2008. The Bay Area Boulevard building is a 399,000-square-foot facility surrounded by wildlife at the border of metropolitan Houston and the wetlands of the Texas Gulf Coast. Houston is the first Boeing site to carry all three environmental certifications and one of only seven Houston-area companies to have a LEED Gold-certified existing building.
“These certifications lay the foundation for continually improving our site’s environmental performance for reducing pollution and waste, increasing recycling rates and improving energy efficiency,” said Brewster Shaw, vice president and general manager for Boeing Space Exploration. “Most importantly, they ensure our communities and our customers know that we’re doing our part to protect the environment.”
By retrofitting the Houston site’s heating and cooling system and installing more efficient lighting and automated controls, Boeing has reduced energy consumption by more than 2 million kilowatt hours annually, or enough electricity to power about 170 average homes. The new heating and cooling system has saved the site $250,000 per year in energy costs since it was installed in 2007. The energy-efficient lighting system controls the building’s lighting automatically, based on peak employee occupancy hours. During off-peak hours, employees can call an automated number to have the lights turned on in their designated work area.
The 21-acre site has more than 2,500 employees and serves as the headquarters for Boeing’s Space Exploration division, which includes the Constellation, International Space Station and Space Shuttle programs.
The ISO 14001 environmental management system is a global standard — a common approach — to continually improve an organization’s environmental goals for reducing pollution and waste, increasing recycling rates and improving energy efficiency.
ENERGY STAR — jointly sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy — is dedicated to helping businesses and homeowners save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. ENERGY STAR offers a proven energy-management strategy for companies by helping them measure current energy performance, set goals, track savings and reward improvements.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world’s largest space and defense 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 Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.
# # #
Contact:
Adam Morgan
Boeing Space Exploration
281-386-4396
adam.k.morgan@boeing.com
Ed Memi
Boeing Space Exploration
713-204-5464
edmund.g.memi@boeing.com
The FAA is soliciting bids from companies interested in competing for NextGen support contracts with an approximate combined value of $7 billion, the largest award in the agency’s history. Under the umbrella awards, called System Engineering 2020 (SE2020), the FAA will award as many as five separate contracts for research and development and systems engineering work that will help the agency deliver NextGen.
The SE2020 contracts will be awarded to teams of companies, up to three of which will perform research and development work and two of which will perform systems engineering work. This work will complement and enhance major NextGen initiatives already under way, such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast, System Wide Information Management and Data Communications. Contract teams will focus on a series of operational capabilities, including Trajectory Based Operations, Collaborative Air Traffic Management and Reduced Weather Impact. The goal is to achieve early NextGen successes to improve safety and bring greater efficiencies to the nation’s airspace system.
The team concept is designed to create competitive synergy within each group, driving innovation so that each team comes up with the best possible product. The FAA also structured the contracts, using market survey data, to encourage bids from teams that will include small companies as prime contractors as well as subcontractors. The agency is looking for the best and the brightest, regardless of size.
Five-year contracts will be awarded next summer, with subsequent three- and two-year options
NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
December 7, 2009
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a go-team to investigate Saturday’s marine accident in Charleston Harbor, Charleston, South Carolina. NTSB senior marine investigator Thomas Roth-Roffy is the Investigator-in-Charge and is leading the Safety Board’s investigation. He is accompanied by two NTSB investigators.
On Saturday, December 5, at approximately 8:30 pm, a commercial passenger vessel and a 25 foot Coast Guard patrol boat collided. There were no fatalities.
NTSB Media Contact:
Terry N. Williams
(202) 314-6100
williat@ntsb.gov
Appealing the Federal Aviation Administration’s revocation of their pilots’ licenses, Northwest Airlines pilots Capt. Timothy Cheney, 54, of Gig Harbor, Wash., and First Officer Richard Cole, 54, of Salem, Ore., say air traffic controllers didn’t follow FAA rules and practices and didn’t coordinate effectively with Northwest dispatchers.
On Oct. 21, their out-of-contact plane carried 144 passengers more than 100 miles past their Minneapolis destination. Over Wisconsin, contact was reestablished between the pilots and ATC. Both pilots have extensive flying experience and told investigators they had had no previous incidents or violations. Cheney was hired by Northwest in 1985 and had about 20,000 hours of flying time, about half of it in the A320. Cole had about 11,000 hours of flight time, including 5,000 hours in the A320.
In the interim, several shift changes occurred with off duty controllers failing to inform incoming controller that the plane was out of radio contact.
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Contact photographer Joachim Lippl
What: Beechcraft C90 King Air en route from Bremen to Egelsbach
Where: East of Egelsbach Germany
When: Dec 7, 2009
Who: 3 fatalities
Why: The plane took off from Bremin at 15.15 Bremin time. There were no indications of problems to ATC there although the pilot logged off at 16.13 to make contact with the ATC in Egelsbach. On approach to Egelsbach air field at 16.15, the flight crashed and burned in a wooded area about five kilometers east of the airfield.
The three passengers were businessmen.
Egelsbach is the largest private German airport used by business travelers and sports pilots.
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Contact photographer Martin Djupenstrom
What: Lufthansa Airbus A319-100 en route from Sofia Bulgaria to Munich Germany
Where: Budapest
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: 44 passengers
Why: While en route, the crew discovered a cracked windshield, and diverted to Budapest where they made a safe landing. Passengers were rerouted.
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Contact photographer Szabo Gabor
What: Egypt Air Express Embraer ERJ-170 en route from Cairo to Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
Where: Cairo
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: 71 passengers
Why: While en route, the plane acknowledged an unspecified technical malfunction, and returned to the Cairo airport for a safe landing.
What a week for Embraers.
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Contact photographer Kim Philipp Piskol
What: American Eagle Embraer ERJ-135 en route from San Diego, CA to Los Angeles,CA
Where: San Diego
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: not available
Why: While en route, the smoke detector triggered. The flight rerouted back to San Diego and landed safely.
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Contact photographer Jason Whitebird
What: Continental/Expressjet Embraer ERJ-145 on behalf of Continental Airlines en route from Cleveland to Philadelphia
Where: Philadelphia
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: 51 passengers and 3 crew
Why: On approach to Cleveland, the right engine failed. The landing was diverted from runway 27R to 27L. The flight made a safe landing.
Engine failure was due to a bird strike.
Pictured: A Continental Airlines Boeing 737-824
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Contact photographer Zach Chelsky
What: Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 en route from Newark to Portland
Where: Helena
When: Sunday Dec 6 10 p.m.-6:15 a.m.
Who: 150 passengers
Why: While en route to Portland, the plane developed engine trouble, and landed safely in Helena. Passengers were accommodated in the terminal, and a replacement flight arrived to take them to their destination, embarking for Portland at 6:15 a.m.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, built from lightweight composite materials and powered by a hybrid rocket motor, is going to be displayed in America’s Mojave Desert. 300 clients have paid the 200,000 dollar ticket to ride in the first commercial passenger spaceship. Slated for rollout Monday, a “theatrical unveiling” is in the works. Virgin Galactic anticipates spending over $400 million for a fleet of five commercial spaceships and launch vehicles.
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Contact photographer Mark Kopczak
What: Delta/Freedom Air Embraer ERJ-145 en route from Cincinnati, KY to Saint Louis, MO
Where: Louisville
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: 53 on board
Why: After takeoff, the crew reported elevator problems. The flight diverted to Louisville and landed safely.
What: Pipistrel Spider en route from Yarrawonga Airport
Where: Burramine nr Yarrawonga, Vic, Australia
When: Dec 6, 2009
Who: Two brothers
What: Ted and Alan Berryman were to fly Ted’s ultralight on a local scenic circuit, but did not return to the airport at 9 as was their plan. A search found their badly damaged ultralight Pipistrel Spider (“trike type”, tandem 2 seater”) near Bruces Road, Burramine on the morning of the 7th. Both occupants have been confirmed dead.
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Contact photographer Jason Whitebird
What: SA South African Airlink Embraer ERJ-135 en route from Cape Town to George SA
Where: George, S. Africa
When: Dec 7th 2009
Who: 30 passengers and 3 crew
Why: While landing during a light rain, the flight overran the wet runway, smashed through the fence and rolled to a stop on a road. There is one report that no one was injured but the plane; and another unconfirmed report that there were four injuries.
Pictured: A JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232
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Contact photographer John R. Beckman
What: Jetblue Airbus A320-200 en route from Rochester, NY to New York,NY
Where: Rochester
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: 147 passengers and 5 crew
Why: After takeoff, the flight suffered severe vibration during flap retraction. The Airbus returned to Rochester and made a safe landing, and an alternative flight was provided in less than 5 hours.
Pictured: A McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82)
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Contact photographer Royal S King
What: American Airlines McDonnell Douglas-80 en route from Chicago to Fort Myers FL
Where: Southwest Florida International Airport
When: December 6, 2009
Who: 95 on board
Why: When a fire was observed on the right about 3 feet (1 meter) from the fuselage, ATC moved the flight ahead of several other planes to land safely at Southwest Florida International Airport’s runway 6. Emergency crews were on standby; firemen and ATC saw neither flames nor smoke.
What: AvioCharter red and white Colombian-registered Cessna 402C Utililiner
Where: Punta de Ocote, Morazán, Yoro, Honduras
When: Dec 5, 2009
Who: 1 pilot
Why: A small red and white Colombian-registered Cessna 402C Utililiner landed in the highway crossing Ocote, Morazán, Yoro. The plane was carrying a shipment of cocaine and when it fell, it killed eighteen year old motorcyclist Israel Martinez Euceda.
Apparently seven or eight people were waiting for the plane to land. By the time police arrived, they found the plane in two pieces. Area residents barricaded themselves inside their homes to avoid the gunfire. Apparently narcotics traffickers set the plane afire.
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Contact photographer Javier Bravo Muñoz
What: Iberia Airbus A340-600 en route from Madrid Spain to Santiago Chile
Where: Madrid
When: Dec 6th 2009
Who: not available
Why: The flight had taken off when it began experiencing problems related to one fuel tank. The plane landed safely back at Madrid. A replacement plane was provided to passengers 13 hours later.
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Contact photographer Flyoverfred
What: Jet Airways Boeing 777 en route to London to Mumbai
Where: Iran’s Mehrabad airport
When: Dec 6 2009
Who: 370 passengers
Why: Jet Airways Boeing was en route when a pilot diverted to Mehrabad because of a technical fault in its fuelling system. Five hours after landing for repairs, the flight resumed.
Private aviation service operator Spitfire Aviation may be find by the FAA for flights made by a pilot who lacked the proper authorization when a crash occurred. A whistleblower informed the FAA of the violations. Also, at the time, Spitfire had no pilot training and testing, maintenance or drug testing and alcohol misuse prevention programs, which are all FAA mandated.
The FAA Press Release is below:
For Immediate Release
December 4, 2009
Contact: Lynn Lunsford
Phone: 817-222-4455
FAA Proposes $4 Million Civil Penalty for Spitfire Aviation Services
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $4 million civil penalty for Spitfire Aviation Services, LLC, of Fayetteville, Ark., for numerous violations of the Federal Aviation Regulations.
The alleged violations include conducting at least 798 passenger-carrying revenue flights between November 2005 and October 2007, even though Spitfire held no air carrier certificate or the appropriate operations specifications required under federal regulations for charter operators. Inspectors also found that 262 of those flights were conducted by a pilot who did not hold an Air Transport Pilot Certificate with the appropriate type rating for the aircraft being flown.
Spitfire had no FAA-approved pilot training and testing program in place, nor the approved maintenance program or drug testing and alcohol misuse prevention programs required by the government.
During its investigation, the FAA determined that Spitfire operated three aircraft, including a Cessna CE-550 Citation, a Beechcraft BE-20 and a Beechcraft BE-36, on charter flights primarily in the central and southern United States. The FAA became aware of the violations through a complaint from a competitor.
During the time it was operating in violation of regulations, Spitfire experienced a crash that destroyed the BE-36 and resulted in the death of the pilot. The three passengers on that flight survived the accident.
Spitfire Aviation Services has 30 days from the receipt of the civil penalty letter to respond to the FAA.
