Friday, September 16, 2011

High on alerts, airport conducts out-of-turn drill. (India)

With intelligence inputs citing a grave terror threat to the airport, and the same getting authenticated in past few weeks via different terror e-mails, security agencies conducted a mock drill yesterday to ensure that the airport is well-equipped to deal with any menace to security.

On Friday afternoon, security agencies Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the state police, in conjunction with the airport staff - conducted the mock anti-hijack exercise at the secondary runway of Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA).

A passenger bus posed as an aircraft, with CISF, BCAS and MIAL staff enacting as passengers, crew and hijackers.

The drills at the airport are usually conducted once every year. After the last one was conducted in December 2010, the next was scheduled for November-December this year. But the delicacy of the situation necessitated expediting the exercise.

"Over the past few weeks, we have been receiving e-mails from different terror groups which maintain that they will target different airports. The mock drill was not scheduled.

But in the midst of the threats, we decided to conduct it early this time," a top BCAS official from Delhi said.

The official also revealed that the decision was taken after Home Minister P Chidambaram met CM Prithviraj Chavan last Monday, for a security review.

"As part of a security initiative, MIAL conducted a Mock Anti-Hijack Exercise at CSIA on Friday. The operation was chaired by the state's additional chief secretary (home) Umesh Sarangi, who is the chairman for Aerodrome Committee," an MIAL spokesperson said.

CSIA was placed on the alert last Tuesday, after Intelligence Bureau sent out an all-India alert that a small aircraft may be used to carry out a terror attack.

Anniversary alert
The alert came two days after the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and on the third anniversary of the 9/13 Delhi serial blasts.

The permission related to chopper joyrides, flower drop services from Juhu airport had been cancelled on September 11, the final day of Ganpati immersion.

Storms divert planes to Abilene Regional Airport (KABI), Texas.

Several hundred travelers — including a couple bound for a Caribbean cruise — got an unexpected trip to Abilene on Friday after storms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area caused six American Airline planes to be diverted to Abilene Regional Airport.

Chris Taylor, assistant director of aviation at the airport, said he could not discuss specifics, but diverted flights were pretty normal when bad weather occurs.

"We still don't know who is staying, or who's leaving," Taylor said late Friday. "It depends on the weather."

Taylor was unable to say how many passengers were at the airport.

A notice posted by the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center said that arriving flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport were experiencing delays of an average of 36 minutes because of thunderstorms.

For Ann and Tom Lozano, the bad weather may have ruined their two-year plans to take a cruise in the eastern Caribbean.

The Lozanos, from Roswell, N.M., said their cruise was scheduled to leave at 3 p.m. today in Miami, and they were frustrated at the delay.

"They haven't even told us where our baggage is," said Tom Lozano as he stood in a line with other passengers. "They haven't even told us if we're supposed to be in this line."

Steven Hooser, who works at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., also was stranded Friday.

"It's starting to get a little funny," said Hooser, who added that he had been grounded in Abilene since 5:20 p.m.

"We're just trying to get home," he said.

http://www.reporternews.com

No passengers for Air Zimbabw, still grounded

AIR Zimbabwe yesterday failed to resume flights after failing to attract passengers amid reports it incurred a US$6,8 million loss during the just-ended strike by its workers.

Acting group chief executive officer Innocent Mavhunga said commencement of flights was as good “as re-entering the market”.

He said it would take the airline over six months to restore customer confidence.

The beleaguered airline on Thursday announced that it would resume flights yesterday after reportedly getting US$2,8 million from the Government.

Flights on the Harare-Bulawayo and Harare-Victoria Falls routes were scheduled to resume, but none of the five planes took off yesterday.

Late yesterday, the Harare-Johannesburg flight, which was scheduled for Monday was deferred to Wednesday under unclear reasons.

“We have started operations but we have not yet started the physical flying because there are no passengers. It is obviously because of the fact that we announced the resumption at short notice and we were expecting it.

“Hard work is really needed to restore customer confidence and we must take into account that it takes time to build (confidence in) the market. It’s like we are re-entering the market,” he said.

Government, Mavhunga said, had committed to give Airzim financial support weekly until it was able to generate revenue.

He, however, refused to disclose the amount Government had given them to pay salaries.

Workers are still owed their July and August salaries.

“We have agreed in principle with the workers and we will work hard to resolve what we owe them. While I cannot divulge the amount we got from Government, workers should also understand the fact that resources are scarce.

“We appreciate the workers’ concern but we expect them to appreciate the reality facing the nation,” he said.

The strike, Mavhunga said, had cost the airline US$6,8 million.

“It (the strike) was costly not only in financial terms but reputation wise. We have to come up with permanent solutions and we are taking proactive measures to ensure that problems are avoided,” he said.

Mavhunga said charter flights were helping their pilots keep their licences valid.

According to aviation laws, if a pilot spends 30 days without flying, he or she has to undergo “recency training”.

“We were fortunate that we had some charter operations during the strike and since the 9th of September after agreeing that they would come to work, they have done their recency training.”

On new planes, Mavhunga said: “This is a shareholder (Government) issue and I also just read about the new planes in the papers.”

He said international flights would resume with the Harare-Beijing flight next Friday while the Harare-London flights start on September 25.

The Harare-Lusaka-Lubumbashi flight is also scheduled to resume next Friday.

http://talkzimbabwe.com/?p=1772

Cochin International Airport Limited denies problem with the runway in Gulf Air flight deviation

Nedumbassery: The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) authorities today said that there was no problem with the runway of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on the date of the Gulf Air flight deviated from runway while landing, as the average co efficient of runway was between 0.61 to 0.86, which was very much higher the minimum international level of 0.34.

''The Friction Co efficient of the site where the Gulf Air touched the northern end of the runway was 0.7 to 0.8, which was a proof that the Friction Co Efficient of CIAL Runway was at a very good level,'' Airport Director A C K Nair told UNI.

Immediately after the Gulf Air 270 incident on August 29, we had carried out the Runway Friction Test along with the officials of Director General of Civil Aviation on the runway and it was recorded that the average Friction of Co efficient in the CIAL runway was between 0.52 to 0.84, which proved the efficiency of the runway, he added.

Stating that as per the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annexure-14, all the airports were required to maintain a minimum level of runway friction of 0.34 while testing with the Surface Friction Tester Vehicle, he said that the CIAL had also undertook such test and found in its last test that the level was between 0.61 to 0.86, which was very much higher than the prescribed minimum level by ICAO. 

Float Planes to add to Queenstown Bay attractions

 Pilot Brent Collins has lodged plans with Lakes Environmental that could result in a thoroughly refurbished 1950s era, seven-seater (plus pilot) De Havilland Beaver and a modern Cessna float plane offering flightseeing and transfers on Lakes Wakatipu, Wanaka and Hawea by summers’ end.
 
The float planes are to be moored near the Queenstown Gardens and passengers transferred by water taxi from the Convelle wharf at Earnslaw Park. From the mooring, a plane will taxi (less noise than a jetboat in the bay) to its ‘air strip’ located at least 1.2km from the mooring, which is more than 800m south of the tip of the Garden’s peninsula from where it will take off and land. There will be a similar ‘strip’ located at Glenorchy, again located suitably far off shore to prevent any noise issues. Also applied for are occasional landings and takeoffs on Lake Wanaka and Hawea and in Frankton Arm.

Mr. Collins acknowledged a group had formed to oppose the operation but asked that people consider the application carefully.

“Float planes are part of alpine and lake tourism environments the world over and add something pretty special to a waterfront and to the visitor experience,” he said. “I would ask that people read the application thoroughly because we’ve put a lot of work in to ensure our activity adds to the vibrancy of the waterfront without causing disruption or congestion.”

While there is no float plane currently operating on Lake Wakatipu, the proposed mooring near the Gardens used to be home to a tourist float plane while another has operated from the Frankton beach area.

The project has been nearly 3 years in the planning and there has been consultation with many people, including identified affected parties. Mr Collins has worked to mitigate all concerns that have arisen.

“Generally, people are supportive. The feeling is that a float plane has something to add to the Bay. Especially an historic plane with potential for future links to other historic transport such as TSS Earnslaw and Kingston Flyer. However, we do understand people’s primary concern is about potential noise levels. We believe this could only present an issue for 20 – 25 seconds during take-off which we have fully mitigated by locating our take off area more than a kilometre from town. I strongly believe these planes are well suited to this environment in terms of noise and that people will not be adversely affected,” he said.

The noise generated by the float planes is within the guidelines of the district plan and flight plans do not take planes over the town or populated areas.

“We are very happy to discuss our application with people and ask that they get in touch with their concerns. We have established a facebook page where we hope we can help answer questions for people if they’d rather not get in touch directly.”

Full details of the application, which Mr Collins requested be publicly notified, are available at Lakes Environmental offices in Queenstown’s Shotover Street http://www.qldc.govt.nz/public_notices/article/1147/ or QLDC offices in Ardmore Street Wanaka and submissions are invited until September 28, 2011.


http://experiencequeenstown.com

Proposals sought for air service

The U.S. Department of Transportation is accepting proposals from airlines willing to provide commercial air service to the Shoals and nearly two dozen other communities across the country.

The request is part of an order that prohibits Pinnacle Airlines, which does business locally as Delta Connection, from suspending service at the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals until a new carrier is selected and able to provide air service to the community.

The order covers 23 communities served by Pinnacle, Mesaba and Sky West airlines in Alabama, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

In each community, Pinnacle, Sky West and Mesaba provide commuter air service for Delta Air Lines, which announced earlier in the year its intentions to cease air service in those areas.

The airline has asked to terminate service in those communities by Oct. 13, but the order includes a “hold in” clause that requires the airlines to remain past their termination dates and continue providing the same level of service.

In the Shoals, Pinnacle must continue to provide air service for “successive 30-day periods” until the replacement process has been completed and the selected carrier can begin service.

Proposals from airlines interested in providing the service must be filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation by Oct. 12, according to the order.

Airport Director Barry Griffith said when the proposals are in, a subcommittee of the Shoals Air Services Committee will review them and make a recommendation. He said that process could take a couple of weeks.

“It’s all dependant on who submits proposals,” Griffith said. “I feel confident there will be a qualified proposal this time, and I’m hopeful it will be a strong partner for our community and be able to serve those preferential markets the community would like to fly to.”

Delta provides jet service to and from Memphis.

The subcommittee will include Griffith, Airport Board Chairman Rick Elliott and members Braxton Ashe and Joe McKinney. They will be joined by members of the Air Services Committee and Chamber of Commerce President Steve Holt.

Gulfstream International Airlines, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was selected earlier this year to serve the Shoals, but the company withdrew its proposal when it could not secure a code-sharing agreement with Delta.

Griffith said the criteria for Shoals air service has not changed in the new request for proposals.

The carrier must provide at least 12 nonstop flights per week to a medium or large hub if a 34-seat aircraft is used, 14 nonstop flights if a 30-seat aircraft is used and 18 flights per week if a 19-seat aircraft is used. The use of smaller planes would have to be approved by the community and the Department of Transportation.

http://www.timesdaily.com

12-time felon arrested while casing RVs parked for National Championship Air Races. Reno, Nevada.


A 59-year-old-man with 12 prior felony convictions is under arrest, facing one count of burglary and three counts of attempted burglary, Reno area authorities said Thursday night.

Detectives observed Donald M Buckner as he was casing RVs that were parked by spectators in the area of the Reno Air Races in Stead, law enforcement said. Buckner was arrested as he came out of a trailer that he had illegally entered, the authorities said.

Detectives with the Northern Nevada Repeat Offender Program and the Regional Street Enforcement Team made the arrest Thursday.

Buckner was previously arrested in 1996 for committing several burglaries of RV’s that were parked by football fans who were watching football games at the UNR campus, law enforcement said. Buckner served a 10 year sentence and was released in 2006.

Shortly after his release from prison, he was caught again in California as he was observed breaking into parked vehicles at area ski resorts, the authorities said.

Anyone with information on Buckner is urged to contact Reno police at 775-334-2175

Reno police say they've arrested a man with a lengthy criminal rap sheet, for allegedly casing RVs out at the Air Races in Stead.

Police say 59 year old Donald M. Buckner was arrested Thursday, after they saw him scoping out people's RVs, and leaving someone's trailer that he had let himself into.

They also say Buckner was arrested back in 1996 for breaking into RVs parked at U.N.R. football games.

Buckner spent ten years behind bars and was released in 2006.

But police say not long after that, he was again caught breaking into parked cars at local ski resorts.

If you know anything about Buckner that can help police with their investigation, please call Reno Police or Secret Witness at 322-4900.

http://www.kolotv.com

Maine man is going to prison for lying about the sale of three airplanes in an attempt to hide nearly half a million dollars from his estate during bankruptcy proceedings.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A 66-year-old Maine man is going to prison for lying about the sale of three airplanes in an attempt to hide nearly half a million dollars from his estate during bankruptcy proceedings.

Maurice Roundy of Auburn was sentenced in federal court Friday to two years in prison after being convicted of bankruptcy fraud in May.

According to court documents, Roundy claimed in bankruptcy filings in 2005 that he had sold three Lockheed Super Constellation Starliners for $20,000. At the time, only four of the piston-engined airliners were left in the world.

In fact, Roundy had sold the planes to a buyer for $500,000 and concealed the sale from his bankruptcy trustee and creditors. When the deception was revealed, the trustee recovered the planes and sold them at auction for $748,000.

RAW VIDEO: Stearman biplane blows engine on taxiway.

Video by ohriver2iais on Sep 6, 2011
"We watched this plane take off, then made a hard left u turn and came back for a landing. As the plane landed and was taxiing back to the parking spot something in the engine blows. Galesburg, IL on 9/5/11."

From the child, "is that suppose to happen?"  LOL! Classic!

Mideast airlines ‘to triple passenger capacity in next 20 years’

The Middle Eastern airlines are expected to triple their passenger capacity over the next 20 years, even as the megacarriers face challenges to maintain their profit margins, partially on competition from Turkey, India and China, according to Boston Consulting.

Moreover, Qatar Airways is expected to be among the top 20 flyers in the world the next five years, the Boston Consulting said in its latest special report, ‘Middle Eastern Megacarriers: Gaining Altitude’.

Finding that the Middle East has become entrenched as a hub for long-haul travel, it said passenger flows to and from the region has increased by 45mn passengers over the five-year period from 2005 through 2010.

They are expected to increase by another 45mn passengers over the next five-year period from 2010 through 2015. Such increases reflect a compound annual growth rate of 11% over the total 10-year period, it said, adding passengers flow to and from the region is slated to reach about 140mn by 2015.

“Led by the Middle Eastern megacarriers, airlines in the region are expected to triple their passenger capacity over the next 20 years,” the report said.

Although the Middle Eastern megacarriers share many of the same low cost advantages such as no corporate and individual income taxes, as well as low infrastructure access and personnel costs, yet they share a common challenge: the need to manage the pressure that their aggressive expansion plans exert on their margins, Boston Consulting said.
Finding that Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are looking to expand their capacity beyond the expected growth in demand, it said ultimately Middle Eastern airlines must fill their added seats, either by expanding their networks or by capturing a greater of their existing markets.

However, they are confronted with threats from five fronts, which include competition from full-service legacy airlines, aiming to leverage their networks and schedule advantages to attract more-profitable business travellers who prefer non-stop flights at business-friendly departure times. Boston also forecast greater regional competition from Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways for connecting traffic to non-hub destinations in the Middle East and for intercontinental travel.

Factoring in the competition from low-cost carriers within the Middle East such as flydubai and Air Arabia, the report said “the emergence of airlines in Turkey, India and potentially China embrace the same type of advantaged hub business models being used by the Middle East megacarriers.”

Moreover, Boston, also view the possibility that foreign governments will restrict market access or alter pricing regimes.

On the industry implications, Boston said it will be a challenge to match the sheer size and reach of the networks run by Middle Eastern megacarriers, which will increasingly “own” certain intercontinental traffic flows. “The next five years will see even greater levels of competition in the airline industry, as Middle Eastern megacarriers add capacity well ahead of underlying demand,” it said.

They will continue to expand their networks aggressively, add more frequent flights to existing destinations, and upgrade their fleets to larger, more fuel-efficient aircraft so that they can extend their cost leadership, according to the Boston Consulting Group. 

http://www.gulf-times.com

Emirates Airlines to be world's top wide-body carrier by 2015

Emirates Airlines is on track to become the world's largest operator of wide-body aircraft by 2015, according to a report on Thursday.

The Dubai-based carrier will grow its capacity by 9 to 12 percent annually through 2015, The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said in its report titled ‘Middle Eastern Megacarriers: Gaining Altitude’.

Emirates has “nearly tripled capacity and passenger revenues over the past five years, adding 32 new destinations while improving aircraft utilisation, load factors, and yields,” BCG said.

“The specific growth rates will depend on how quickly the airline retires some of its older aircraft — to become the world's largest operator of wide-body aircraft.”

With a fleet of 157 aircraft and the largest A380 operator in the world, Emirates currently flies to 114 destinations in 67 countries.

Despite Emirates’ cash margins decreasing from 28 percent to 23 percent during the past five years, BCG believes that the performance compares better than other international airlines.

But Emirates is not the only carrier in the Middle East that is expected to see strong growth over the next five years. Airlines in the region are expected to triple their passenger capacity over the next 20 years, according to BCG.

Passenger flows to and from the Middle East are expected to increase by another 45 million passengers over the next five-year period, from 2010 through 2015.

"Because the Middle Eastern megacarriers have been early developers of the region as an important hub for long-haul routes—and because they enjoy significant cost advantages—they are well positioned to compete aggressively with more financially constrained carriers," said Rend Stephan, Partner & Managing Director in BCG, Middle East.

Middle East airlines saw a 9.7 percent increase in demand in July, outstripping the 8.9 percent capacity increase, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said earlier this month.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com

Tucson's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on lockdown, source says armed man barricaded inside building


TUCSON -- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson is on lockdown, but a spokesman said no shots have been fired and no one has been hurt.

The Arizona Republic reports a source told them an armed civilian got onto the base and barricaded himself inside a room on the second floor of a building known as the "Old Dorm."

Details remain scarce, however, other than the lockdown is still in effect, meaning no one is allowed on or off the base. In a brief press release issued around 12:30 p.m., base officials said reports of "suspicious activity" caused officials to declare a higher state of security.

Arizona TV station KVOA reports that at around 2 p.m. local time, a bomb squad and other law enforcement units responded to the base.

The base is best known as the boneyard for old military and government airplanes.

Ron Barber, who was on the base Friday morning for a commemoration ceremony for POWs and MIAs, left the base as the lockdown started at 10 a.m. Security directed traffic off the grounds of the base.

He said officials did not say why they were locking down the base.

Barber is U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' district director. He was shot in the face and leg during the January mass shooting at a Tucson Safeway.

The Pima Air & Space Museum south of the base remains open, but public tours that it does on the base have been canceled, officials said.

At least two schools, Borman Elementary of Tucson Unified School District and Sonoran Science Academy, are on lockdown.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Caitlin Jones said she couldn't confirm details, but said the base has been "reduced to a single point entry because of a potential security situation," and officials were investigating.

At an impromptu press conference at 12:40 p.m., Sgt. Russ Martin said there was an unconfirmed spotting of someone carrying "something that looked like it might have been a weapon" near an old dormitory now being used by a civil engineering squadron.

Martin said rescue vehicles seen entering the base were part of the crisis response put into action when the base was put on lockdown. In what he called "bad timing," he said an ambulance that left the base during the lockdown was carrying a pregnant woman.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is hosted by the 355 Fighter Wing and home to six squadrons, with more than 6,000 Airmen and 1,700 civilian personnel. It is located within the city limits of Tucson, about 5 miles east of the downtown area. It was established in 1925.

http://www.wtsp.com

Three men arrested for having guns at Hartsfield - Jackson Atlanta International Airport (KATL), Atlanta, Georgia.

(Thanks for heads up, Jim!)

Three men were arrested in three separate incidents on Thursday for bringing weapons through security at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The men were scheduled for first appearances in a Clayton County courtroom Friday morning.

Richard Ronald Fusakio, 65, of Tennessee, was being held pending his first appearance Friday, according to Clayton County Jail records. Fusakio is a retired, decorated war hero, once held by Soviet Union forces as a mercenary, according to the Clayton News Daily.

Also arrested on the same charge was Atlanta attorney, Oscar Eugene Prioleau, Jr., 47, of Fairburn. Prioleau specializes in labor and employment law in downtown Atlanta.

On Thursday night, Damian Shaw, 39, of Atlanta, was arrested on the same charge.

Specific details surrounding the men's arrests were not immediately known.

These are the latest in a recent string of weapons charges at Hartsfield-Jackson.

In June, former Clayton County John Turner prosecutor was arrested after he said he forgot to remove a small handgun from a "fanny pack" he was wearing when he went to check in for a flight.

In July, two Georgians were arrested within a 20-minute period at the airport for allegedly carrying guns.

In August, Mickey "Memphitz" Wright, who costars with wife Toya Carter in BET's "Toya: A Family Affair," was charged with carrying a gun in his carry-on bag into Hartsfield-Jackson.

Wright told a judge, "I just wanted to say to you that I would never intentionally take a firearm to the airport. I just forgot that it was in my backpack."

Transportation Security Administration spokesman Jon Allen said the TSA averages two gun confiscations a day across the country.

Local airport officials told Channel 2 Action News they've found 50 guns since January.

Civil penalties for carrying a firearm at an airport can range from $3,000 to $7,500 for a loaded weapon and $1,500 to $3,000 for an unloaded weapon.

http://www.ajc.com

Camera lens lands on and damages roof of home - Petaluma, California.



PETALUMA (CBS SF) – Petaluma police were working to track down the owner of a camera lens that apparently fell from the sky earlier this month, damaging a local family’s home.

Debbie Payne, 55, said she found the approximately two-pound, 9-inch Canon camera lens outside of her home on Friday, Sept. 2, after hearing a loud crash that shook the two-story house, left a hole in her roof and sliced through two window screens.

She said the noise was loud enough to startle her next-door neighbor, who quickly spotted a piece of the camera lens next to a truck parked in his driveway.

After reviewing Payne’s mailed-in police report on Wednesday, officers are now tracking the lens’ serial number and working with the Petaluma Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration to determine whether the part may have fallen from a plane.

Payne said she didn’t see any aircraft near her home at the time of the incident.

The longtime Petaluma resident said she hopes to recoup the $1,000 insurance deductible she paid to fix the damage to her roof and screens, which contractors estimated would cost about $4,500 to repair.

But mostly, Payne said, she’s grateful the lens didn’t cause further harm—especially since she lives about 200 feet from an elementary school.

“It would have killed someone, had there been someone underneath the lens,” she said.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said that while he’s never heard of a camera lens falling from an aircraft, objects such as plane parts and ice chunks do sometimes fall during flights, though rarely.

“This is an unusual occurrence—even proving this came from an aircraft could be difficult,” he said.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com

Booted frequent flier takes on airline

(Thank you, Jim,  appreciate the updates)

Griping about airline service is commonplace. But one frequent flier says his frequent complaints cost him his mileage and perks.

Minneapolis rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg flew so often that he reached platinum frequent flier status, but one day in 2008 he got a call from Northwest Airlines that his status would be revoked. He said he lost mileage too. The reason, he says: He complained too much.

His lawsuit against Northwest -- now part of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines -- could help determine what rights airline passengers have.

“All this individual did was complain about lousy service,” Ginsberg’s attorney, Thatcher Stone, said. “He did exactly what Delta and Northwest told him to do -- call them up and complain when service was lousy.”

Ginsberg said he believes that “if you have a problem with somebody’s service, you should be able to complain politely and in a respectful manner . . . So many consumers have had issues with airlines and [airlines] have always taken the attitude that ‘We’re untouchable.’”

A district court decided in favor of the airline, but that was reversed last month on appeal. Delta has asked for a re-hearing and the nation’s largest airline industry association has weighed in.

At the heart of the case are two questions: Does an airline have a right to take away frequent fliers’ status, membership and miles? And, since airlines are regulated by the federal government, when are airline passengers entitled to consumer protections under state law?

Delta is not commenting on the case.

Northwest in a 2008 letter told Ginsberg he had contacted the airline’s office 24 times in roughly seven months regarding travel problems, adding that he “continually asked for compensation” and had already been awarded nearly $2,000 in travel vouchers, 78,500 bonus miles and $491 in cash reimbursements. The letter also apologized for service issues.

In defending against the suit, the airline had argued that Ginsberg did not show any breach of contract and that the federal Airline Deregulation Act preempts state contract and consumer protection laws. The airline also claimed it had the right to terminate a frequent flier membership if it decided a member abused the program, and wasn’t required to explain the decision.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the suit, saying the deregulation act “was never intended to preempt these types of disputes.” Stone said the appellate court decision reinstating Ginsberg’s suit “clarifies years of confusion in the federal courts.”

The Air Transport Association filed a brief taking Delta’s position, contending the appeals court ruling “could result in the very danger of inconsistent local regulation that Congress sought to prevent when it deregulated the industry.”

Ginsberg said his suit is about principle. He said his complaints, about everything from luggage arriving late on the baggage carousel to getting last-minute notifications of flight cancellations, were always made “quietly, politely, always over the phone.”

“That’s a right that I can’t believe was punished in America,” he said.

These days, Ginsberg said he mostly flies other airlines.

“I don’t have my loyalty to the frequent flier program so I’ll take whatever’s the best availability to me at that time,” Ginsberg said. In Minneapolis, “Delta is the hub, but it’s not the (only airline), thank God.”

http://www.ajc.com

Boeing delays delivery of first 747-8 cargo jet.

Boeing abruptly suspends plans to deliver its first 747-8 freighter to launch customer Cargolux on Monday, saying only that "unresolved issues" are preventing an event for which it had planned considerable hoopla.

We're continuing to work with Cargolux and look forward to delivering these airplanes," said spokesman Jim Proulx. He declined to detail the reasons behind the last-minute hang-up: "We can't discuss the contents of our discussions with our customers."

The plane, Boeing's largest ever, is more than two years late.

Boeing planned to deliver one on Monday, then hold a ceremony with employees Tuesday. A second jumbo freighter delivery to Cargolux was planned for Wednesday.

The plane will enter service two years later than originally planned when the program was launched in fall 2005, mostly because of a late design decision and a cascade of resultant aerodynamic issues.

Boeing has orders for 78 of these jumbo freighter jets.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com

Cessna 206, N1779R:, Accident occurred September 15, 2011 in Beluga, Alaska

NTSB Identification: ANC11LA103
 Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Thursday, September 15, 2011 in Beluga, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/21/2012
Aircraft: CESSNA U206G, registration: N1779R
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot of the on-demand passenger flight was taking off from a lake in a float-equipped, single-engine airplane. During takeoff/initial climb, the engine lost all power. There was no suitable place to land, and the pilot concentrated on landing the airplane straight ahead, as slow as possible. During the subsequent emergency landing, the airplane collided with terrain in a boggy area, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The pilot said that, prior to takeoff, the airplane had been in a left step turn and that the left fuel tank had been selected for the takeoff. After the airplane was recovered, with the engine still attached to the fuselage, a new propeller installed, and a clean fuel supply provided, the engine was test run. The engine was run at varying rpms, and a magneto check was completed. No engine anomalies were found.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The total loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.

On September 15, 2011, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna U206G airplane, N1779R, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain, following a loss of engine power during takeoff initial climb, about 33 miles northwest of Beluga, Alaska. The airplane was operated by Regal Air, Anchorage, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) passenger flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal regulations Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight was bound for Anchorage.

In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) dated September 16, the pilot reported that after crossing the departure end of the lake, about 200 feet above ground level, the airplane's engine sputtered and died. He said he concentrated on landing the airplane straight ahead, as slow as possible. The airplane collided with terrain in a boggy area, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.

During a telephone conversation with the IIC on September 17, the pilot said prior to takeoff the airplane had been in a left step turn, and that the left fuel tank had been selected for takeoff.

The airplane was recovered to an aviation repair facility near Wasilla, Alaska, and on October 7, with the engine still attached to the fuselage, a new propeller installed, and a clean fuel supply provided, the engine was test run. The engine was run at varying rpm, and a magneto check was completed. No engine anomalies were found.


ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A pilot managed to put a small plane into some alder bushes after it lost power soon after takeoff from a remote Alaska lake in a maneuver that one investigator said takes "nerves of steel."

The Cessna 206 float plane took off shortly after noon Thursday from Judd Lake about 50 miles northwest of Anchorage. A National Transportation Safety Board investigator says the plane lost power about a minute after takeoff and the pilot had no other option but to put it down in some trees.

No one was hurt but the plane was heavily damaged.

Regal Air owner Mike Laughlin says the pilot and passengers walked about 200 feet to the water where another plane picked them up. He says everyone was OK.  The pilot wasn't identified.

Boeing 737-8HG (WL), Air India Express, VT-AXV: Fatal accident occurred May 22, 2010 at Mangalore-Bajpe Airport (IXE), India

NTSB Identification: DCA10RA063
Accident occurred Saturday, May 22, 2010 in Manglaore, India
Aircraft: BOEING 737, registration:
Injuries: 158 Fatal, 7 Serious, 1 Uninjured.

The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On May 22, 2010 at about 6:10 am local time (0040 UTC), Air India Express flight 812 (VT-AXV), a Boeing 737-800 equipped with CFM56 engines, overran the runway into a valley during landing at the Mangalore International Airport, Mangalore, India. Of the 166 passengers and crew on board, there were 158 fatalities and 8 survivors. The airplane was substantially consumed by post-crash fire. The flight originated in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The investigation will be conducted by the Indian Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the NTSB has designated a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the DGCA as the State of design and manufacture.

All inquiries should be directed to:
Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation
DGCA Complex, Opposite Safdarjung Airport
New Delhi 110003  India
E-mail: das@dgca.nic.in







More people could have lost their lives in June 2010, in a replay of the events that led to India’s worst air crash in a decade in Mangalore last year that killed 158 people.

On June 25, an Air India Express flight (IX-208) from Mumbai landed deep into the table-top runway located on a mountain in Mangalore.

The captain decided to take off and land again after circling the airport, but the co-pilot overruled him in the nick of time and applied the brakes, bringing the aircraft to a stop at the edge of the runway. A 300-ft gorge stared below.

“It was actually a miracle that they survived,” said Mohan Ranganathan, an air safety expert and a member of the government-appointed Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council. “If the runway was even slightly wet there was no way they could have stopped before the runway ended. But if they had tried to take off they would have certainly ended up like the last Mangalore crash.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the incident, said two government officials familiar with the matter, declining to be identified.

Air India Express, the low-fare arm of Air India Ltd, continues to run without a qualified chief of flight safety even a year and four months after the ill-fated crash in Mangalore.

Incidents such as the ones described earlier are increasing.

One of the government officials mentioned above said the landing of the IX-208 flight was of a magnitude of 2.9 G (acceleration due to gravity).

The maximum allowed for a Boeing 737​ aircraft, like the one Air India Express was flying, is 2.1 G.

A 2.9 G magnitude means landing an aircraft weighing 70 tonnes would be like landing an aircraft of 200 tonnes. The impact could have broken the belly of the aircraft.

An Iberia A 340-600 made a similarly hard landing of 3 G magnitude in 2007 in Quito, Ecuador. Its landing gear sensors got damaged, and that prevented normal deceleration of the aircraft due to the failure of thrust reversers and spoilers. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The Air India Express IX-208 was operated by commander Saravjit Singh Hothi, 62, and co-pilot Manish Chimurkar, 34.

Air India Express chief operating officer S. Chandrakumar confirmed the incident.

“After the Mangalore crash, the standard of co-pilot training has been improved; so the co-pilot (Chimurkar) was more aggressive in taking over control of the situation,” he said. “Hothi has been grounded.”

In the Air India Express flight that crashed in May 2010, the co-pilot could not overrule the commander’s decision to land. The co-pilot had wanted to go around and land again, according to investigation reports. The flight overshot the runway and crashed.

Ranganathan said Air India Express has not learnt lessons from the Mangalore crash and the latest incident shows poor training standards.

The incident was not the only one in recent months. On 28 August, another Air India Express flight that took off from Kochi suffered a tail strike because its commander R. Sobti chose a speed suitable for an aircraft 20,000 kg lighter than the one he was flying.

In a tail strike, the rear end of the aircraft hits the ground druing take-off.

“Instead of take-off weight he used zero-fuel weight to calculate take-off speed,” said the first government official mentioned earlier. “Worryingly, the investigation shows that the ex-Indian Air Force pilot had a tendency to have a tail strike. Why did Air India Express ignore this?”

Sobti, too, has been grounded, Chandrakumar said.

Till an audit is done, DGCA should ground Air India Express and let Air India run those flights, said Ranganathan and the second government official.

Air India is certified by International Air Transport Association’s IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the global benchmark for airline safety; but Air India Express, despite committing to go through an IOSA audit last year after the Mangalore crash, hasn’t done so.

The aviation regulator has, meanwhile, started a base inspection of the airline.

“The situation is so bad at the airline that you can’t imagine,” said the second government official.

Air India Express Boeing 737 aircraft met with an accident 22nd May 2010 at Mangalore. The accident was investigated by the Court of Inquiry appointed by the Government and the report made available in April 2011.The accident shook the aviation industry and led everyone to undertake a look at safety oversight system of DGCA, aerodrome, air navigation, airlines, flight operations, training of pilots and all other related areas. While efforts to build and strengthen a robust civil aviation safety oversight system in DGCA were already underway, which Federal Aviation Administration of USA had confirmed during their audit of DGCA in 2009, immediate steps were taken after the accident to instil and restore confidence of the traveling public. Some of the immediate actions included a reassurance drive in the areas of aerodromes, airworthiness and operations which included inspections of all critical airports, confirmation on adherence to approved maintenance programs by airlines, availability of approved documentation and assurance on following of regulations by the airlines. Intensive spot checks on the tarmac, checks on maintenance hangars/ stores and night inspections were undertaken during the period. Special Operations surveillance drive was undertaken wherein emphasis on adherence to SOPs, ALAR/ Monsoon Circulars, Stabilized approach for safe landing, review of missed approach – ‘Go around’ policy, presence of Cabin crew in cockpit in case of one pilot leaving the cockpit, FOQA and CRM was ensured.

A Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC) was formed on May 28, 2010 with the mandate to strengthen aviation safety environment through synergization of available expertise in areas of airlines, airworthiness, operations, air navigation, aerodromes, aircraft engineering, human performance. Special invitees to the Council include FAA, ICAO Experts, IATA, Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier etc. This is an ongoing initiative under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Civil Aviation). The Council gets its technical inputs from working groups covering Operations (Fixed wing and helicopter sub-Groups), Aerodromes, Air Navigation Services, Airworthiness General Aviation and Helicopters. Based on the reassurance drive several issues in the three areas of aerodromes, operations and airworthiness came up. Immediate actions to address the deficiencies have been taken up during the past one year. Several safety related circulars have been issued and implementation ensured. These include presence of Cabin crew in cockpit in case of one pilot leaving the cockpit, Cabin Crew to interact with pilots on intercom during period of lean cockpit activity, in the event of incapacitation of PIC, copilot to take over control and in the event of PIC not responding to calls of copilot regarding ‘go around’, assertiveness by copilot to be encouraged. Regulatory provision for penal action for reporting for duty with alcohol consumption has been made. Pilots are being subjected to Breath Analyzer test prior to flights. License are being suspended for three months in case of first BA positive and on second BA positive instance, the license is cancelled.

In a move to step up the quality of training Captains, the period of Instructorship/ Examiner-ship has been restricted to 5 years with proficiency check every 2 years. Increased oversight for selection of trainers, quality of training imparted by trainers, integrity of simulator training have been introduced. Breath Analyzer Test has been mandated for approval of Training Captains and Pilots with BA ‘positive’ report have been debarred from becoming Training Captains. Existing Training Captains if found BA ‘positive’ are debarred from training Captain list for three years.The process for approval of foreign pilots has been made stringent wherein background checks are being done to ensure that these pilots have accident free record. The experience requirements for the foreign pilots have been enhanced and the pilots are subjected to Proficiency Checks before approval is granted by DGCA. These pilots are being subjected to same medical standards as the Indian pilots.



Many of the issues relating to condition and facilities at aerodromes which came up during the reassurance drive of critical aerodromes have been taken up with Airports Authority of India as well as Defense authorities for immediate corrective action. These relate to Friction test for condition of the runway, markings, location of Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) for realignment with aiming point marking, adequacy of runway end safety area (RESA), Installation of localizer antenna frangible structures at identified airports of AAI, calibration of equipment such as ILS and VOR/DME In order to smoothen the licensing process, an Aerodromes Directorate has been set up in AAI with support staff. DGCA has undertaken a special drive for licensing of AAI airports. As on date, 42 airports for public use have been licensed by DGCA as against 29 in January 2011 of which 32 are AAI airports. There were 6 AAI licensed airports in November 2010. The Committee set up by the Government to examine the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) of crew members has submitted its report to the Government in September 2010. The report has been accepted and based on the recommendations of the Committee, a draft regulation has been prepared and comments invited. These comments are being reviewed for finalization of the regulation.

Review of the recommendations made by the Court of Inquiry of the Mangalore crash has revealed that action has already been initiated by DGCA on the issues raised in the report by DGCA during the last one year and the organization and the Government is sensitive to safety of aircraft operations. Government and DGCA are committed to sustain and enhance safety oversight system through proactive regulation making and its compliance by approved organizations. The real challenge today is to manage phenomenal growth of air traffic with safety.


Mangalore crash report, Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), Captain Zlatko Glusica, EGPWS

New Delhi:

Co-pilot (6:03:35):

It’s too high!

(6:03:42): Runway straight down.

Captain (6:03:43):

Oh my God

Okay

Co-pilot (06:03:54):

Go around?

Captain (06:03:56):

wrong loc.. localizer

Co-pilot (06:04:06):

Go around

(06:04:07): Captain

(06:04:12): Un-stabilised

(06:04:38): Go around Captain

(06:04:44): We don’t have runway left

Captain (06:04:54): Oh my God

(06:04:59): awwww. Big One!

(06:05:00): Ohhhh

At this point, 6:05:00 am on May 22, 2010, the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) went blank. The Captain, soon after touchdown, attempted to take off again against air safety norms and failed. Few minutes later, Air India Express IX 812 overshot the tabletop runway at Mangalore’s Bajpe airport, its right wing hit a concrete structure supporting the antennae, crashed into the boundary fence and fell into the gorge below.

Within seconds, the flight from Dubai was a ball of fire, claiming 158 lives on board. Eight passengers survived.

The final investigation report has held the Captain’s failure to execute a safe landing as ‘the direct cause of accident’. The report, which has been accepted by the government, said Captain Zlatko Glusica, who was in command during take-off from Dubai and landing at Mangalore, carried on with the “unstabilised approach” during landing and ignored both the first officer’s (HS Ahluwalia) three calls to ‘go around’ and several warnings to ‘PULL UP’ and ‘SINK RATE’ from the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS).

Being at an altitude much higher than mandatory, the aircraft lost considerable runway length during descent, left with little to brake. EGPWS alerts the pilots in case the aircraft is in danger of flying into the ground or an obstacle. Unstabilised approach means the aircraft did not follow the prescribed speed, descent rate or vertical/lateral flight path parameters at the time of landing.

Despite adequate rest period prior to the flight for him and the co-pilot, the Captain was found sleeping for the first one hour and forty minutes out of the total two-hour and five minutes recorded on the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), the report said. “As a result of relatively short period of time between his awakening and the approach, it possibly led to impaired judgement,” the report said.

The “sleep inertia” coincided with another phenomenon, often said to be a nightmare for pilots, Window of Circadian Low (WOCL) which refers to the period between 2 am and 5.59 am, when body temperature, alertness and ability to be awake is lowest. The report observed that a mandatory pre-flight medical check was not conducted for the flight crew before they departed from Mangalore. However, the report ruled out intoxication or self-administered drugs by the flight crew.

Another contributory factor, as per the report, was the incorrect landing instructions received by the flight as the Mangalore Area Control Radar (MSSR) was out of order and a notice to this effect was given in advance to all flights operating into or out of the airport. There was lack of communication between the flight crew, and the CVR recordings show that first officer was not assertive when he made a call for ‘go around’, even though he had read incorrect parameters during landing. He said to the Captain, “Radar not available, but I do not know what to do.”


Giving its recommendations, the court of inquiry — headed by Air Marshal (rtd) BN Gokhale—has said that Air India Express should be allowed to function as in independent organisation, and its training and flight safety should be accorded due priority. It also noted the airline’s simulator, on which training is conducted, suffers from maintenance problems and frequently breakdowns. It has asked the AAI to avoid downward slopes near the runway, as was the case in Mangalore, and instead bring them to the same level as the runway surface, especially in tabletop runways. The regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), should formulate guidelines on controlled rest in the cockpit, the report said.

Hunters undeterred by float plane mishap.

Not even the near-sinking of their float plane could deter a crew of caribou hunters from the Northwest Territories hamlet of Behchoko.

The group of eight were in a plane taxiing out into the middle of a channel at the north end of Great Slave Lake on Wednesday when they noticed something was amiss.

"We noticed that we were on top of rocks. We heard some squeaking, scratching," said Russell Drybones, 34, who was making his first trip in a float plane.

A startled Drybones asked other passengers if the sound was normal. "So he said, ‘We're sinking.’ I said, ‘What? Come on!’ I got, I got scared."

The aircraft’s right pontoon was punctured and it was taking on water quickly. The two pilots got the plane back to the dock, but by then the float was under water by a few feet. Everyone evacuated the plane.

Drybones said the pilots had never flown into the channel before, but general manager Trevor Wever of Air Tindi, the company operating the flight, maintained they had. Wever said the water was murky and the water level in the channel fluctuates.

Air Tindi said it will conduct an internal investigation, but it anticipated the plane would be repaired and back in service by Friday.

The scare wasn't enough to keep Drybones from his mission. He was back on another float plane Thursday with his group to pursue his goal of bringing home a caribou from eastern N.W.T.’s Barren Lands.

http://www.cbc.ca

How Asheville Regional Airport (KAVL) and North Carolina Department of Transportation worked together to repave 8,001 feet of runway.


It cost $250,000, but that was cheap considering. Here's N.C. Department of Transportation's account of how Asheville Regional Airport's aging runway was repaved, faster and cheaper with DOT's help, with assists from biodegradable enzymes to remove rubber build-up from countless tires touching down, and Biocide-containing runway paint to stop algae growth:

Asheville Regional Airport was in a quandary. Its lone runway was worn and in need of repairs. However, there was no way the airport could shut down, rip up its runway and lay down a new one without an adverse effect on all businesses and airport users.

The airport came to the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation looking for assistance. Through the division’s Airport Pavement Management Program, the 8,001-foot runway was repaired, granting the airport time needed to plan for a total runway overhaul.

“The airport is working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration to program a new runway, but that can take years,” said DOA Director Richard Walls. “Our program has helped extend the life of the pavement for a few years, giving them time to program, design and build a new runway while the current one is still in good condition.”

David Nantz, the airport’s director of operations and maintenance, worked with NCDOT Airport Engineer Phil Lanier, who oversaw the $250,000 project. The airport saved money working with the DOA contractors already in place through a statewide contract. Lanier brought in Chemtek of Yanceyville, a company that uses a biodegradable enzyme solution that eats away at the rubber buildup from plane tires. HASCO Inc. of Greensboro put down the coating that seeped into the runway surface to make it more elastic and sturdy. HASCO also remarked the runway using a waterborne paint with Biocide, which prevents algae and mold from sticking to the surface.

In a blog post on the airport’s website, the process was compared to a cleansing and exfoliation, body masque and deep tissue massage at a spa (http://flyavl.com/blog/why-yes-we-did-exfoliate-our-runway).

“We asked the DOT for help painting the runway about 10 years ago,” said Nantz. “In this case, we were in a waiting game (with the FAA). Our asphalt was getting older and was at the point where if we didn’t fix it, it would get brittle. This process will buy us time before we need to do something significant.”

In order to prevent any daily flight delays, the work was done overnight for nearly two months and was completed on Aug. 24. The surface had time to cure before any flights took off or landed. The same timeframe was used for the prior runway marking project as well.

“The project turned out perfectly,” Lanier said. “The airport had a limited budget and we have the expertise to do the work. We provided jobs for local companies to preserve the existing infrastructure while using strategic materials and techniques to get longer lasting results. Everyone's very happy.”

Walls said with finances at a premium, NCDOT has to work harder and smarter with the limited resources to maintain the state’s aviation infrastructure. This program allows the division to stretch its maintenance dollars.

“We don’t have enough money to replace runways,” Walls said. “We have to work smarter in order to buy time using a robust pavement management system. This allows the runways to last longer, with the end result being a significant cost savings for everyone.”

Nantz said taking advantage of NCDOT’s statewide contracts with local companies allowed the airport to get a better price on the project, which in turn gives Western North Carolina a better facility for both commercial and general aviation flights in the facility. He was also impressed with the level of service and care the DOA provided.

“Phil had the experience of doing it right,” Nantz said. “He was very particular on how he wanted it done, and was out here every step of the way. It was done to a high standard, and DOA was incredible to work with.”

The maintenance program helps airports maintain their runways, taxiways and aprons. The NCDOT Aviation Statewide Plans and Programs Group identify airports that would benefit and then uses local construction and testing companies. On average, about 20 projects a year are completed, with the vast majority coming from the state’s 63 general aviation airports. Unlike Asheville Regional, GA airports can shut down while the project is being completed.

For more information on the Airport Pavement Management Program and the Division of Aviation, please call (919) 840-0112 or go to www.ncdot.gov/aviation