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Press Release – FAA Proposes $4.855 Million Civil Penalty Against Evergreen Airlines

For Immediate Release
September 24, 2010

EATTLE — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $4,855,000 civil penalty against Evergreen International Airlines of McMinnville, Ore., for allegedly using pilots on 232 revenue flights who had not been trained in accordance with an FAA-approved training program.

The flights were made between Feb. 19 and July 9, 2009, on aircraft equipped with a new flight management system (FMS) that was different enough from the prior system that it required a specific training program for pilots who were flying the aircraft. The FAA alleges Evergreen did not complete its FAA-approved training for pilots before assigning them to fly revenue trips using the new FMS.

“We put rules and regulations in place to keep air transportation safe and we expect airlines to comply,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The FAA alleges Evergreen line pilots received ground training and a check ride on the new FMS, but that the company did not provide required familiarization flights supervised by the company’s check pilots despite being told to do so by the FAA.

The familiarization flights are part of the FAA-approved training program for Evergreen aircraft equipped with the FMS. Evergreen also failed to distribute copies of the required system manual to crews who would be using the FMS.

Subsequent to these improperly conducted flights, Evergreen has ensured that its pilots are trained in accordance with its FAA-approved training program and continues to operate under an FAA-approved training program.

“Even though Evergreen now complies with its training program, this penalty is appropriate because requiring operators to complete required, approved training is the only way to make sure crews are fully qualified to operate the equipment and systems to manage flights safely,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.

Evergreen has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

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    Blue Grass Airport Executive Director Eric Frankl Receives Federal Aviation Administration Award

    LEXINGTON, Ky., Jan. 28, 2011 — Eric J. Frankl, A.A.E., Executive Director of Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport, has been selected as the 2010 Air Carrier Airport Manager of the Year by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Southern Region. The award was presented at the annual FAA Southern Region Airports Communications Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on January 27, 2011.

    “Eric Frankl has been very instrumental in the remarkable accomplishments at Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport,” said Winsome A. Lenfert, Manager, Airports Division, FAA Southern Region. “Frankl’s tireless leadership has transformed Blue Grass Airport into a model facility. He is an inspiration to airport managers throughout the Southern Region.”

    In his position at Blue Grass Airport, Frankl and his team have overseen more than $66 million worth of airport improvement projects to ensure a safe and efficient airport for the traveling public. Projects included renovation of the airport terminal interior and exterior, building a new crosswind general aviation runway, unveiling a new airport entrance reflective of the Bluegrass region, and taxiway, ramp and electrical vault improvements.

    Under Frankl’s leadership, Blue Grass Airport has seen a 19.3 percent passenger growth rate in 2010. This double-digit increase is attributed to the welcoming of AirTran Airways in February 2010 as well as new Allegiant Air service to Punta Gorda/Southwest Florida, American Eagle service to Chicago, Delta Air Lines service to Minneapolis and US Airways service to New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

    In October 2010, as the airport hosted the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Frankl led the airport through one of the busiest months in its history when it experienced a 39 percent growth in passenger enplanements over the previous year. Held every four years, attendance for the Games exceeded 500,000 spectators and included representation from 58 countries.

    “We are proud of the accomplishments Eric Frankl and his staff have undertaken since his tenure at Blue Grass Airport,” said Richard Hopgood, Chairman of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board. “He has made tremendous efforts in building relationships within the aviation industry and local community, and he has led us through one of the busiest construction seasons in the airport’s history. We are pleased he is receiving this distinguished recognition and appreciate the excellent relationship he has built with the FAA.”

    Since 2008, the FAA has provided Blue Grass Airport with 15 grants totaling $26 million in Airport Improvement Program funds for various airport projects including the new general aviation runway. The Southern Region is the FAA’s largest, encompassing eight southeastern states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    In addition to this award, Blue Grass Airport was recognized with the FAA Airport Safety Mark of Distinction Award earlier in the week at the FAA Southern Region 2011 Airport Safety and Certification Conference. Blue Grass Airport received this honor for construction of its new general aviation runway and for the development of an airport operations department.
    Eric Frankl was confirmed as Executive Director of Blue Grass Airport in October 2009. In addition to his work for Blue Grass Airport, Frankl previously served as Director of Airports for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority (Ohio), Executive Director for the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois and Director of Operations at Fort Wayne International Airport in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Frankl received his professional accreditation from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) in 1996, and he served as President of the AAAE Great Lakes Chapter in 2004/2005.

    Blue Grass Airport, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is served by seven major airlines providing convenient non-stop service to 15 major hub cities and connecting service to hundreds of destinations worldwide.

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    NTSB to Hold Investigative Hearing Into August 2013 UPS A300 crash in Birmingham, Ala.


    NTSB to Hold Investigative Hearing Into August 2013 UPS A300 crash in Birmingham, Ala.

    Jan. 30, 2014
    WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board has scheduled an investigative hearing on February 20 into the crash of a UPS Airbus A300-600 on approach to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Ala., on Aug. 14, 2013.
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    • Human factors issues associated with effective crew coordination and resource management applicable to this accident, including decision-making, communication, fatigue and fitness for duty, as well as monitoring and cross-checking, policies, standard operating procedures, guidance, and training provided to UPS crewmembers.
    • Dispatch procedures, including the training, evaluation, roles and responsibilities of UPS dispatchers and the limitations of dispatch-related software.
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    Parties to the hearing will include the Federal Aviation Administration, UPS, Airbus, the Independent Pilots Association and the Transport Workers Union. The accredited representative from the French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile (BEA) will participate on the technical panels.
    The determination of the probable cause of the crash will be released when the investigation is complete. Just prior to the start of the hearing, the public docket will be opened. Included in the docket are photographs, interview transcripts and other documents.

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  • Aeroflot may lift in-flight call ban

    The issue of lifting the call ban will be a topic at a Feb 19 governmental commission meeting.

    They plan on allowing the use of an onboard antenna which creates a local GSM network rather than the standard phone which can disrupt pilot equipment.

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    The State-owned Russian Rossiya Airline is going to be merging with Aeroflot. Aeroflot is already more than 50% government owned.

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    LAO Airlines Crash Update

    At last the flight data recorder from the crash of a Lao Airlines turboprop ATR-72 has been recovered from the Mekong river. The cockpit voice recorder has been located also but has not yet been retrieved due to the strong currents and muddy water of the Mekong.

    The flight data recorder tracks technical data: altitude, speed and route.

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    NTSB COMPLETES DATA COLLECTION FOR EXPERIMENTAL- AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT Study

    National Transportation Safety Board
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    Throughout the 2011 calendar year, the NationalTransportation Safety Board has been conducting a study ofExperimental Amateur-Built (E-AB) aircraft to evaluate thesafety of this growing and innovative segment of general aviation. In addition to using the information gathered during its accident investigations, the NTSB has been working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and individual owners and builders to evaluate a range of issues unique to this popular segment of general aviation.

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    As part of the study, NTSB investigators have conducted in-depth investigations of 222 E-AB aircraft accidents that occurred during 2011. Fifty-four of these accidents resulted in 67 fatalities. Most of these accidents (93%) involved
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    The safety study is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012.

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    Press: FAA Issues Cape Wind Determination

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    Form 7460-1 for ASN: 2012-WTE-322-OE

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