News
01 JUL - Sudan President orders grounding of all Russian aircraft 02 JUL - Australian study shows rise in bird strike reports
02 JUL - Australia: Federal Court lifts grounding of Aero Tropics
02 JUL - Indonesia suspends AOC of five airlines
02 JUL - Indonesia definitively grounds Adam Air
03 JUL - OIG issues review of FAA’s oversight of airlines and use of regulatory partnersh
09 JUL - NTSB investigating near midair collision In New York
15 JUL - FAA expands runway status lights at major U.S. airports
16 JUL - New FAA rule reduces risk of fuel tank flammability on passenger jets
21 JUL - Thai authorities suspends One-Two-Go's AOC
23 JUL - NTSB investigating near midair collision in Chicago
24 JUL - NTSB issues recommendations for A320 flight deck electronics
24 JUL - Maldives AICC releases preliminary report on Twin Otter collision with speed boa
25 JUL - UK AAIB issues Special Bulletin on Airbus A340 landing incident at Nairobi
26 JUL - EU updates blacklist: removes Mahan Airlines
01 JUL 2008 Sudan President orders grounding of all Russian aircraft [to table of contents]
The Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir issued a decree, sacking the head of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). He also banned all Russian made planes from operation.
Further the Sudanese president instructed the Justice ministry to draft a new law making the civil aviation authority more independent from governmental authority.
The decision comes in the aftermath of an Ilyushin cargo plane crash near Khartoum Airport shortly after takeoff killing four Russian crew members. (Sudan Tribune)
ATSB issued a report analysing birdstrikes reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau between 2002 and 2006. In Australia, over the last five years, the number of birdstrike occurrences reported annually to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has risen from approximately 750 in 2002 to 1,200 in 2006. The report includes bird and bat strikes that occurred in Australian territory involving VH- and overseas registered aircraft. It excludes strikes involving non VH-registered Australian aircraft and those involving VH-registered aircraft that occurred overseas. Birdstrikes were analysed by year, month, phase of flight, type of operation, record source, effect on flight, time, aircraft damage, injuries, the nature of occurrence reports, flight disruption, aircraft movements, aircraft size, ingestion, bird size, species, and location. Location data are presented for major aerodromes, General Aviation Airport Procedures aerodromes and regional aerodromes. The report tables birdstrikes and aircraft movements, as well as species struck and species causing damage. Birdstrike reporting was found to have almost doubled over the reporting period. There have been three injuries, but no fatalities. Around seven per cent of birdstrike events resulted in damage, and double-engine ingestion was recorded for eight of 5103 birdstrike occurrences. Birdstrike events vary by location, and rates of birdstrike events at aerodromes are only indicators of the effectiveness of control measures. (ATSB)
ATSB Document AR2008027
02 JUL 2008 Australia: Federal Court lifts grounding of Aero Tropics [to table of contents] An Australian Federal Court judge in Sydney has overturned the CASA's decision to ground Aero Tropics. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) grounded the far north Queensland airline, citing imminent safety risks to passengers. (ABC News) 02 JUL 2008 Indonesia suspends AOC of five airlines [to table of contents]
Indonesia's transport ministry suspended the Air Operator Certificates (AOC) of five airlines this week because they did not meet safety standards. The transport ministry gave Helizona, SMAC, Asco Nusa Air, Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines and Dirgantara Air Service three months to meet minimum safety standards. (Departemen Perhubungan)
press release
02 JUL 2008 Indonesia definitively grounds Adam Air [to table of contents] Indonesia's transport ministry definitively suspended the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) of Adam Sky Connection Airlines. The AOC was suspended March 18, 2008 and the airline had three months to demonstrate safety improvements. They failed to do so, consequently the AOC was revoked. (Departemen Perhubungan)
press release
03 JUL 2008 OIG issues review of FAA’s oversight of airlines and use of regulatory partnersh [to table of contents] The U.S. Department of Transport's Office of Inspector General issued a review of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) oversight of airlines and use of regulatory partnership programs. The review was initiated at the request of the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The objectives of the initial review were to determine (1) the thoroughness of FAA’s investigation of whistleblower complaints regarding FAA’s oversight of Southwest Airlines (SWA) and (2) the type and timeliness of corrective actions FAA took in response to any inappropriate inspector actions. While FAA generally agreed with most of the recommendations in the report, it disagreed with two: (1) periodically rotate supervisory inspectors to ensure reliable and objective air carrier oversight and (2) establish an independent organization to investigate safety issues identified by FAA employees. Given the seriousness of the issues these recommendations were intended to address, the OIG believes FAA needs to reconsider its position. (DoT, Office of Inspector General)
press release
09 JUL 2008 NTSB investigating near midair collision In New York [to table of contents] The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a near midair collision near New York-JFK in which two airliners came in close proximity to one another. On July 5, 2008, 20:36, Cayman Airways flight 792, a Boeing 737-300, and LAN Chile flight 533, Boeing 767-300, almost collided according to initial reports. The Cayman Airways flight, on approach to runway 22L, was executing a missed approach and conflicted with the LAN Chile flight that was departing runway 13R. Tower controllers intervened to attempt to resolve the conflict, assigning both aircraft diverging headings. The closest proximity of the two aircraft has not yet been determined. At the time of the incident, the weather was VFR with 6 miles visibility and haze. Initial draft transcription of JFK Tower recordings: T 00:00 = LAN Chile takeoff clearance. 00:00 - ATC: ..runway one three right cleared for takeoff 00:03 - LAN: cleared for takeoff LAN Air five thirty three 00:50 - Unk: Cayman uhh seven .... 00:55 - ATC: Uhh Cayman seven ninety two 01:03 - ATC: Cayman seven ninety two I need you to make a right turn, make a right turn heading one ... one ...aahh 01:12 - ATC: Cayman seven ninety two just maintain one thousand please... I need a left turn a quick left turn a left turn heading zero niner zero now [unreadable] 01:21 - CAY: ... zero niner zero 01:27 - ATC: LAN Chile five thirty three traffic on missed approach of 22 left he is turning southbound [...] turn right turn to one seven zero now 01:36 - LAN: turning one seven zero now (NTSB; JFK Tower recording) 15 JUL 2008 FAA expands runway status lights at major U.S. airports [to table of contents]
The FAAannounced new initiatives designed to improve runway safety at busy U.S. airports, including the installation of Runway Status Lights at major airports. The agency expects to award a contract this fall to install the system at 20 additional airports over the next three years. The lights warn pilots when it is unsafe to cross or enter a runway, and are currently being tested at Dallas Ft. Worth and San Diego International Airports. Runway status lights will be deployed at: Atlanta, Baltimore Washington International, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Dulles, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston Intercontinental, John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark, O’Hare, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, and Seattle airports. The FAA will also provide up to $5 million to test in-cockpit displays that increase runway safety. The funding will cover technology that includes either an aural runway alerting system that lets pilots know where they are on the runways they are entering, crossing, or departing; or an electronic flight bag, which is an electronic display system that gives pilots information about a variety of aviation data. Most electronic flight bags incorporate a feature called airport moving map that shows aircraft positions on the airfield. In return for the funding, aircraft owners are expected to equip their aircraft to participate in a test bed program that will evaluate operational and safety data. The in-cockpit displays have the potential to help reduce pilot errors, which are now the cause of most runway incursions. The FAA is also soliciting industry proposals to acquire and install low-cost ground surveillance systems at airports that are not scheduled to receive Airport Surface Detection Equipment (either ASDE-3 or ASDE-X) under current FAA programs. The goal is to increase surface situational awareness and safety margins at selected airports by making basic ground surveillance technology available. The FAA has evaluated two such systems at an airport in Spokane, Washington. This new procurement will support a pilot project deployment to six additional airports during 2009. More airports will be added after a final investment decision is approved. The FAA expects to make initial awards for the pilot project by the end of August 2008. (FAA)
press release
16 JUL 2008 New FAA rule reduces risk of fuel tank flammability on passenger jets [to table of contents] The U.S. FAA issued a final rule, requiring operators and manufacturers of transport category airplanes to take steps that, in combination with other required actions, should greatly reduce the chances of a catastrophic fuel tank explosion. The final rule does not direct the adoption of specific inerting technology either by manufacturers or operators, but establishes a performance-based set of requirements that set acceptable flammability exposure values in tanks most prone to explosion or require the installation of an ignition mitigation means in an affected fuel tank. Technology now provides a variety of commercially feasible methods to accomplish these vital safety objectives. The U.S. aircraft that will be retrofitted include approximately 2,730 aircraft belonging to the A320 family of 900 airplanes, 50 A330s, 965 Boeing 737s, 60 Boeing 747s, 475 Boeing 757s, 150 Boeing 767s and 130 Boeing 777s. (FAA, DoT)
FAA rule
21 JUL 2008 Thai authorities suspends One-Two-Go's AOC [to table of contents] The Thai Civil Aviation Department has suspended One-Two-Go Airlines Air Operator Cerificate for 30 days. The department found shortcomings in the airline's operations, flight schedules and maintenance, along with a lack of quality assurance. The airline had violated aviation safety regulations and lacked proper airline management. The flying licences of seven of the airline's foreign pilots were revoked, six Indonesians and a Venezuelan, and the licences of two Thai pilots suspended. The department found the pilots on the airline's MD80 series aircraft had submitted documents misstating their level of expertise. (Bangkok Post) 23 JUL 2008 NTSB investigating near midair collision in Chicago [to table of contents]
The NTSB is investigating a near midair collision in Chicago in which two airplanes came in close proximity to one another. On July 21, 2008, at 12:47, an Embraer ERJ-145, operating as American Eagle flight 298, and a Learjet LR60 (N252RP) were involved in a near midair collision at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), according to initial reports. The ERJ-145 airplane was departing runway 32L and the Learjet was landing on runway 9R. The local assistant/monitor for the local air traffic controller observed the converging paths of the two airplanes and advised the local controller to instruct the Learjet to go around. The ERJ-145 airplane was instructed to stay low on departure. Analysis of radar replays revealed that the Learjet passed 325 feet above and slightly behind the departing ERJ-145. As a result of this incident, new procedures have been implemented for arrivals to runway 9R requiring specific coordination between approach control and the tower regarding whether 9R is in use. (NTSB) 24 JUL 2008 NTSB issues recommendations for A320 flight deck electronics [to table of contents]
On January 25, 2008, an Airbus A320, N462UA, returned to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) shortly after departure because three of the six electronic displays providing information to the flight crew went blank and several aircraft systems became inoperative. In the light of this occurrence, the U.S. NTSB recommends both the FAA and EASA: Require all operators of Airbus A320 family aircraft to modify these aircraft in accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin A320-24-1120 to provide the automatic reconfiguration of the AC essential bus power supply in the event that the AC 1 electrical bus fails. Require Airbus to develop a modification for in-service A320 family aircraft such that, in the event of an AC 1 electrical bus failure, the standby attitude indicator is powered by an additional power source that will last for a minimum of 30 minutes, and require operators to incorporate this modification as soon as possible after it is available. Require all operators of A320 aircraft to develop new procedures, if necessary, and to provide flight crews with guidance and simulator training regarding the symptoms and resolution procedures for the loss of flight displays and systems in conjunction with an AC 1 electrical bus failure. (NTSB)
Safety recommendations
24 JUL 2008 Maldives AICC releases preliminary report on Twin Otter collision with speed boa [to table of contents] The Maldives Accident Investigation Coordinating Committee (AICC) has released a preliminary report of the accident involving a MAT Twin Otter at the North Ari Atoll, Maldives. The float-equipped plane swung during landing at sea and struck a speed boat while the crew attempted to execute a go around. The airplane landed safely and partly sunk. (AICC Maldives)
AICC preliminary report
25 JUL 2008 UK AAIB issues Special Bulletin on Airbus A340 landing incident at Nairobi [to table of contents] The flight crew of an A340 landing at Nairobi (NBO) stated that they became visual with the runway at a height of 300-200 ft. At the decision height of 200 ft, both pilots could see all the approach lights and a good section of runway lights. The autopilot was disconnected at 100 ft radio altitude and the PF began to flare the aircraft. The aircraft floated at around 20 ft for a few seconds before it entered an area of fog and the PF lost sight of the right side of the runway and the runway lights. The commander also lost sight of the right side of the runway. The aircraft touched down normally on the main gear only. The commander was only aware of their position by the glow of the lights illuminating the fog. The commander called "GO AROUND" and the PF immediately advanced the thrust levers from idle to full thrust within one second. G-VAIR became airborne after a period of just under five seconds on the ground. An inspection by airport staff confirmed the presence of a single set of landing gear marks off to the left of the paved surface. (AAIB)
AAIB Bulletin S4/2008AAIB Bulletin S4/2008
26 JUL 2008 EU updates blacklist: removes Mahan Airlines [to table of contents] The European Commission adopted the eighth update of the so-called blacklist of airlines that are banned from flying into the countries of the European Union due to safety concerns. With this update, the Commission removed the operating ban from an Iranian air carrier Mahan Airlines, in view of the significant efforts and progress accomplished by this carrier, which were verified during an on site inspection in Iran. In view of the worrying results of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit reports on Gabon, the Commission decided that operators from this country should not operate into the EC. Nevertheless, the Commission acknowledges that the Government of Gabon has made prompt and drastic efforts to effectively change the safety situation of their civil aviation with the direct help from ICAO, including the adoption through an emergency procedure of a new Aviation Code. Two air carriers – Gabon Airlines and Afrijet – which are already flying into the Community are allowed to continue their services into the EC, without however a possibility to expand them under a strict regime of systematic and rigorous pre-flight inspections. The Commission decided to maintain the ban on all operations of Ukraine Cargo Airways as the airline has not yet been able to successfully implement its corrective actions plan. Also, the Commission has reminded the authorities of Ukraine regarding the need to strengthen enforcement of the safety standards. In the case of Indonesia, the Commission and the Air Safety Committee which is composed of all EU Member States heard three airlines at their request – Garuda, Mandala and Air Fast, along with the authorities for civil aviation of Indonesia. Following the unanimous opinion of the Air Safety Committee, the Commission decided that the Indonesian authorities have still not developed and implemented an efficient oversight programme on any of the carriers under their regulatory control. Besides, the corrective actions designed to address safety deficiencies detected by the ICAO and by the Commission, have not yet been assessed by ICAO. The Commission also examined Cambodia and Philippines: in the case of Cambodia, the civil aviation authority of this country is expected to agree by September with ICAO a set of appropriate corrective actions to redress its situation. The Commission urges Cambodia to take all necessary measures to effectively address safety issues before the next update of the list. In the case of Philippines, the Commission acknowledges that the Government has taken already a series of measures and invites them to complete rapidly the resolution of the deficiencies of their safety oversight system to avoid being subject to restrictions by the EU. Finally, the Commission examined the safety performance of the carrier Yemenia Airways, and decided that the carrier should complete its corrective actions plan by the next meeting of the Air Safety Committee. (EU)
EU press release
