News
02 SEP - Safety worries as civil aviation industry in China `developing too fast` 06 SEP - NTSB urges FAA action on Boeing windshield heat terminal fire AD
06 SEP - Nepal Airlines sacrifices goats to help fix aircraft
08 SEP - Indonesia: IATA safety audit may become mandatory for local airlines
10 SEP - Italy investigates runway incursion at Bologna
11 SEP - Campaign to relocate bird-attracting squirrels in Bratislava
11 SEP - Indian Aircraft Act amended, aiming at aviation safety
12 SEP - EU bans Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines and Mahan Air
12 SEP - Bombardier recommends immediate inspection of 60 Dash 8 Q400 planes
13 SEP - NTSB issues recommendations after Cessna 525 loss of elevator trim control
13 SEP - NTSB calls for automatic activation of air data sensor heating system
19 SEP - AAIU: pilot misidentifies building lights for approach lights; descends below M
26 SEP - Air New Zealand grounded Beech 1900 for safety inspections
27 SEP - ICAO to manage Africa safety improvement programs
27 SEP - Delta MD-88 suffered engine fire at Indianapolis
29 SEP - Thailand to form committee on aviation safety standards
02 SEP 2007 Safety worries as civil aviation industry in China `developing too fast` [to table of contents]
The China civil aviation authority (CAAC) warned the air transport industry is developing too fast, and is confronted with huge pressure to ensure safety. Passenger and cargo throughput has increased by nearly 20 percent year on year. The race to open more airlines is also on. Ten new airlines are in the pipeline waiting approval, in addition to six private carriers and four that started operations in June 2005, the CAAC said.
With insufficient qualified personnel, airports and airspace, the growth `is too much for the industry to handle and may produce high risks in flight safety`, the CAAC said.
Although China has experienced no major accidents in the past 33 months, the administration is worried it might repeat the mistakes it made between 1990 and 1993.
`A major reason for having nine accidents between 1992 and 1994 was growth had been too rapid for the industry to cope with flight safety,` the CAAC said.
To further ensure safety, the administration has cut daily flights in and out of the Beijing Capital International Airport by 48 since August 15, and said it will not accept applications for most new airlines before 2010. (China Daily)
The NTSB issued two safety recommendations regarding the prevention of windshield heat terminal fires on Boeing 747, 757, 767 and 777 airplanes. It recommends the FAA to complete the process begun in 2004 to approve the service bulletin for the installation of the redesigned windshield heat terminal block on Boeing 767 airplanes. (A-07-49); and To issue airworthiness directives to replace the windshield heat terminal block on all Boeing 747, 757, 767, and 777 airplanes in accordance with the Boeing service bulletins. (A-07-50). (NTSB)
NTSB Safety Recommendations A07-49/50
06 SEP 2007 Nepal Airlines sacrifices goats to help fix aircraft [to table of contents] Officials at Nepal Airlines have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft. Nepal Airlines has had to suspend some services in recent weeks due the problem. (Reuters) 08 SEP 2007 Indonesia: IATA safety audit may become mandatory for local airlines [to table of contents]
The Indonesian government is considering making the operational safety audit of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) mandatory for Indonesian airlines, according to a senior official at the Transportation Ministry. (The Jakarta Post) 10 SEP 2007 Italy investigates runway incursion at Bologna [to table of contents]
The Italian ANSV is investigation a serious incident at Bologna Airport (BLQ). On September 2 an MD-82 (9A-CDE of Dubrovnik Airline) taxied onto the active runway without authorization. At the same time an Avro RJ.100 (OO-DWI of Brussels Airlines) was on finals and had to carry out a go around. (ANSV) 11 SEP 2007 Campaign to relocate bird-attracting squirrels in Bratislava [to table of contents]
Bratislava-Ivanka Airport (BTS) began relocating ground squirrels near the complex as they were endangering flights by attracting large birds. Around half of the estimated 1,000-strong ground squirrels would be relocated from fields bordering the airport. The squirrels attracted large birds of prey. This often led to bird hits. The ground squirrels will are being relocated to an area about 40 kilometres away where holes have already been dug to house them. (AFP) 11 SEP 2007 Indian Aircraft Act amended, aiming at aviation safety [to table of contents]
In India a Bill was passed which contains amendments aimed at ensuring that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) performs the safety oversight functions effectively. Also the amendments are directed at raising the compliance level by enhancing the quantum of penalties. It also enables the Government to make rules on certification, inspection and regulation of the Communication, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) facilities and safeguarding civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference. Further, the amendment proposed to include the term `incident` along with the term `accident`, in order to cover both the concepts in the Act in accordance with international practice. (The Indian Express) 12 SEP 2007 EU bans Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines and Mahan Air [to table of contents]
The European Commission today adopted the fifth update of the Community`s list of airlines banned in the European Union. With this update the Commission is banning in the European Union two new airlines that have been found to be unsafe: Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines from Ukraine and the Iranian company, Mahan Air. (EU)
List of airlines banned within the EU
12 SEP 2007 Bombardier recommends immediate inspection of 60 Dash 8 Q400 planes [to table of contents] Following two mishaps involving SAS DHC-8-400 planes, Bombardier and Goodrich, the landing gear manufacturer, recommend in an All Operator Message (AOM) that operators of Dash 8 Q400 aircraft having accumulated more than 10,000 landing gear cycles, be grounded until an inspection of the landing gear is carried out. Bombardier has delivered more than 160 Q400 aircraft to airlines around the world, of these there are currently about 60 Q400 aircraft with more than 10,000 landing gear cycles. (Bombardier Press release) 13 SEP 2007 NTSB issues recommendations after Cessna 525 loss of elevator trim control [to table of contents]
In the wake of an accident involving a Cessna Citation 525 in July 2003, the NTSB issued two safety recommendations. The aircraft in question ditched following a loss of elevator trim control that resulted in an uncommanded nose-down pitch attitude. The NTSB recommends the FAA to: Require Cessna to modify the Citation 525 to incorporate an aural trim-in-motion warning and the addition of contrasting color bands on the pitch trim wheel to provide the pilot with more timely recognition of a trim runaway condition before control forces become unmanageable. (A-07-52) Require Cessna to perform analysis and conduct a test to demonstrate that the maximum control forces in a Cessna Citation 525 meet the certification requirements of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 23 during a pitch trim runaway condition. The analysis and test should comply with the pilot-recognition time requirements provided in Advisory Circular 23-8, "Flight Test Guide for Certification of Part 23 Airplanes." If, after accomplishing the analysis and test, Cessna is unable to demonstrate that the Citation 525 meets the certification requirements, require Cessna to take corrective action so that the airplane does meet certification requirements. (A-07-53) Require Cessna to replace the pitch trim circuit breaker on the Citation 525 with a collared circuit breaker to aid the pilot in quickly identifying it if necessary. (A-07-54) (NTSB)
NTSB Safety Recommendations A-07-52 through -54
13 SEP 2007 NTSB calls for automatic activation of air data sensor heating system [to table of contents] Following a May 12, 2005 incident in which a Boeing 717 experienced unreliable airspeed indications during climbout in heavy rain and icing conditions, the NTSB is revisiting an issue regarding automatic activation of the air data sensor heating system. The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration: Require, on all new airplanes certificated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 25, that the air data sensor heating system automatically activate after engine start.(A-07-55) Require modification of existing airplanes certificated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 25 that currently require manual activation of the air data sensor heating system to incorporate, to the extent technically practical, the automatic activation of this system; for airplanes that cannot be modified, require that cockpit warnings provide an upgraded warning associated with the failure to activate the heating system. (A-07-56) (NTSB)
NTSB Safety Recommendations A-07-55 and -56
19 SEP 2007 AAIU: pilot misidentifies building lights for approach lights; descends below M [to table of contents] On 16 August 2007, 23:34 a serious incident occurred to McDonnell Douglas MD-83, G-FLTM, while on approach to Dublin Airport (DUB). The aircraft had earlier departed Lisbon as flight FLT344E with the co-pilot acting as Pilot Flying (PF). As a result of maintenance on the main runway (RWY 10/28) at Dublin Airport, RWY 34 was the active runway. Weather conditions were good at the time of the incident. At approximately 5NM from touchdown on RWY 34 the aircraft began to deviate left of the approach course. The aircraft continued to descend below the MDA without proper visual identification of the runway in use. On the instruction of ATC the aircraft turned right and climbed to a safe altitude. The aircraft was given radar vectors by ATC to an approach on RWY 16 and landed without further incident. It was found that lighting from a 16-storey building situated at Santry Cross appeared, at night, to resemble the red and white lights of a runway approach light system. The building is equipped with four fixed red obstacle lights situated on the roof. (AAIU)
AAIU Report No 2007-019
26 SEP 2007 Air New Zealand grounded Beech 1900 for safety inspections [to table of contents] Air New Zealand has temporarily grounded its fleet of 17 Beech 1900D aircraft for safety inspections, canceling some 60 flights and affecting about 1,000 passengers. The action comes after a maintenance inspection discovered an issue with an undercarriage component on one of the Eagle Air aircraft. (AP) 27 SEP 2007 ICAO to manage Africa safety improvement programs [to table of contents]
African nations are allowing ICAO the unprecedented authority to manage and coordinate government and industry programs aimed at reducing the continent's increasingly poor safety record. Delegates from 40 African nations have endorsed the implementation of the AFI plan, named after the Africa-Indian Ocean region of ICAO. A four-year budget is being set up to fund ICAO's new role. (Aviation Daily) 27 SEP 2007 Delta MD-88 suffered engine fire at Indianapolis [to table of contents]
Delta Air Lines Flight 1253 to Atlanta (N983DL) rejected the takeoff Indianapolis International Airport. The MD-88 reportedly suffered an uncontained engine failure. The fire was quickly put out and none of the 130 passengers were injured. (Indystar) 29 SEP 2007 Thailand to form committee on aviation safety standards [to table of contents]
A Ministry of Transport-convened meeting on aviation standards reached an agreement Thursday to set up a committee to develop an aviation safety standards system. The newly-established committee will meet with representatives from eight domestic airlines every month to exchange ideas about amending regulations and increasing efficiency of aviation system. (TNA, Xinuhua)
