Karachi, Pakistan: Plan to buy aircraft for CM, governor

KARACHI, Feb 26: While there is no airworthy aircraft or helicopter available to the governor and the chief minister of Sindh since the expiry of a five-year warranty of the government aircraft a few months ago, the Sindh government is mulling different options to purchase a new one, it emerged on Sunday.

The decision to purchase an executive aircraft for the government was taken in the light of a report from Chief Pilot Officer Brig Salman who according to a reliable source informed the government that the warranty of airworthiness of ‘Learjet, which was purchased in November/December 2006, had already exhausted’.

The source on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that if kept in further use, the aircraft’s service charges, which used to be around Rs25 million a year, could increase six times. He explained that the replacement of defective parts was earlier the responsibility of its manufacturer, but after the expiry of warranty period it would have to be borne by the government.

The grounded aircraft with 4.5-foot height of stand-up cabin, which remained in use of the governor and the chief minister for a few years, could hardly fly up to Multan and the top executives could become stuck in case of bad weather, a team of ministers and senior officials were informed at a meeting held on Feb 15.

The source said that the chief minister had earlier constituted a body comprising Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Food Minister Nadir Khan Magsi, Civil Aviation Authority Director (Airworthiness), secretary to the chief minister, finance secretary and general administration secretary to invite bids from aircraft manufacturers and its authorized dealers, evaluate their offer, and prepare a summary with its recommendations.

At the recent meeting of the body, mainly three points were highlighted regarding the costs of aircraft.

The participants in the meeting were informed that if a new aircraft of the same size was purchased, the government would be required to pay at least four million dollars besides selling its old aircraft to its manufacturer for six million dollars. The new aircraft would cost around 12 million dollars, they were told.

But if offers were invited for its disposal from open market, the ‘Learjet’ could fetch between seven and eight million dollars.

However, in case the cabinet decides to go for a large aircraft, it would cost the government as much as 22 million dollars, the meeting was told.

In the light of these options, the committee invited offers from international bidders for a new executive jet with the minimum capacity of eight to 12 by April 5. The same day the offers would be opened in the presence of authorized representatives and agents, the source said.

However, he said, a final decision whether to purchase a new aircraft of the same size or a larger one would be made by the cabinet, because the committee would prepare a summary and submit it to the chief minister for his consideration and cabinet decision.

Asked about the fate of a Cessna aircraft, which also had been in the use of the governor and the chief minister in the past, the source said it had been grounded two and a half years back. Finally, the aircraft was sold to a Saudi company for 0.766 million dollars some 20 months back, he added.

He said the government of Punjab also had purchased a Cessna aircraft at the same time, but the Sindh government got a better offer. The Sindh government disposed of its aircraft for 0.766 million dollars though it had remained grounded for over two years, while the Punjab government could only fetch 0.6 million dollars from the sale of its Cessna aircraft when it was still airworthy.

Helicopters

About two helicopters, the source said both belonged to the Sindh Police but were not airworthy any longer. They were bought in 1992 from Dell company for Rs24 million. These helicopters remained in use for over 17 years for aerial surveillance of the law and order situation and for VIP movements. However, they have been grounded at the airport terminal for the past two and a half years.

Asked which helicopters and aircraft were used by the chief executive and other dignitaries for aerial view of the flood-hit areas of Sindh, the source said they were acquired from the army and the civil aviation against payment of the charges as per their rules.

In reply to another question, he said even if the government got a good offer, and acceptable to the cabinet, the process from signing the agreement and delivery of the aircraft would take eight to nine months and as such only the next elected government would be able to use the new facility.

He also recalled that the decision to purchase new aircraft for the government was taken over two years back, but it could not materialise due to changed priorities because of a state of emergency declared following the recent years floods and unprecedented rains in Sindh.

http://www.dawn.com

There are many airports, but airports lack many things

VietNamNet Bridge – “Cranky” and “lacking everything” are the words used to describe the current situation of Phu Cat airport in Binh Dinh, Cam Ranh airport in Khanh Hoa and Chu Lai airport in Quang Nam province. This explains why the airports keep quiet all year round.

There are too many airports in Vietnam

Despite loss, Vietnam continues building more airports

It was very gloomy at the Phu Cat airport in the afternoon. There was only one flight from HCM City to Phu Cat – an ATR72 with just 48 passengers. It got noisy when the passengers got out of the aircraft and followed necessary procedures at the airport. However, it got quiet again very quickly after the passengers left.

Tran Van Trien, Director of the Phu Cat airport, said that this was one of the most bustling days. In 2011, the number of passengers going through the airport increased to 220,000, while the figure was 80.000 only four years ago.

The airport that cannot serve night flights

Currently, the Phu Cat airport has five flights a day, including four on Phu Cat – HCM City – Phu Cat route, and one on Phu Cat – Hanoi – Phu Cat with ATR72, A320,and A321.

Established in 1976 under the name of Quy Nhon airport, in 2004, the airport, which then changed the name into Phu Cat built a terminal with the capacity of 300 passengers per hour. With the capacity, the terminal can only serve two flights at the same time.

“In the conditions of bad weather, like on the days just before Tet, when four flights tried to land at the same time, the terminal could not serve,” Trien said.

Also according to Trien, the airport now has 10 square kilometers contiguous to a residential quarter. Since there is no fence, animals sometimes enter the airport to “walk” on the runway. Some days ago, an officer even discovered a herd of dogs on the runway when an airplane was going to take off.

While the airport is still poorly equipped, the Binh Dinh provincial authorities still keep a long term vision about the importance of the airport.

“We have proposed the Ministry of Transport to instruct to develop the airport into an international airport,” said Le Huu Loc, Chair of Binh Dinh province.

Lacking everything

Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang has pointed out that the Cam Ranh airport in Khanh Hoa, which is now one of the five international airports in Vietnam, is still lacking many things in accordance with ICAO standards. It lacks fire trucks, has no water pumping vehicles, has no fresh water, the runway has been degrading, has no foreign exchange counter, and has no fixed international routes.

There are only two fire trucks at the airport which are just enough to extinguish fire for small aircraft, while there is no truck for bigger aircraft.

A representative of Anh Duong Company, which specializes in bringing Russian travelers to Vietnam, said that the company once intended to carry travelers with big aircrafts such as Boeing 777. However, as the Cam Ranh airport does not have conditions to receive the aircraft, it had to carry passengers with smaller aircraft.

Cam Ranh now consumes 100 cubic meters of fresh water every day, but there is no clean water supply system there. The water has been pumped from the three wells and no one can be sure about the quality of the water.

Drive buffalo's away before aircraft land

There are special officers working for the Chu Lai airport in Quang Nam province. As there is no fence that separates the airport and the residential quarters, buffalo's usually “visit” the airport without any obstacles. Therefore, the airport has to ask its officers to be present at the runway. The officers’ duty is to drive buffalos away to prepare for aircraft to land or take off.

Source: NLD

 http://english.vietnamnet.vn

Nigeria: Bill Of Rights To Tackle Mounting Flight Delays

Perturbed by the frequency of delayed flights and sometimes outright cancellations by local airlines in Nigeria, often without explanations to passengers, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that a new regulation that will guide issues pertaining to consumer protection and rights will soon be gazetted.

The air transport regulation termed “Bill of Rights” is in the final stages and only requires the regulatory authority to convey a stakeholders’ forum where the general public would have the opportunity to debate its provisions as well as make inputs.

LEADERSHIP findings showed that, globally, flights could be delayed due to technical reason, that is, if the aircraft has a minor fault that has to be fixed. Other reasons are bad weather, crowded skies, delay in issuing the pilot clearance to take off and, sometimes, when a passenger is not available at take-off time. However, in any of these cases, the airlines normally explain the cause(s) of the delay to passengers.

But this is not the case at the nation’s airports as passengers are kept for hours without any explanations from the airlines.

An air traveller who identified himself simply as Peter said he was so disgusted with the treatment he got from an airline that he has decided not to travel with that airline in future.

According to him, he bought a ticket online and, on getting to the airport for the scheduled flight, the airline kept shelving his travel time until he was finally able to travel with the last flight instead of the morning flight.

Also, Mrs. Fumi Alana, another air traveller, said because of the unreliability of airlines’ flight schedule she has learnt to plan her trips in such a way that she travels with the first flight in order to ensure the success of any event she is working on.

Air travellers have also complained that airlines are not acting responsibly towards them in terms of adequate compensations and refunds. Mr. Sam Adurogboye, spokesman for NCAA, exclusively told LEADERSHIP that NCAA was concerned about issues relating to customer service of airlines and has set up a consumer protection unit (CPU) which currently oversees complaints by travellers, pending the signing of the Bill of Rights into law. He said the CPU acts based on reports from travellers and has so far been effective in settling issues of lost baggage, refunds for cancelled flights, among others. He said the CPU acts based on complaints brought by consumers.

However, Captain Dele Ore, an aviation lawyer and consultant, said the existing regulations were adequate to ensure the protection of customer rights.

But the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said the over-ambition of airline operators, like wanting to have a big network of routes, was a major cause of flight delays in Nigeria.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP at the weekend in Abuja, the regional general manager, North-Central, Mr. Chris Bature, said that the incessant delay in flights and outright cancellations, at times by airline operators, can be attributed to over-ambition by operators without the necessary wherewithal to sustain their operations.

Bature said, “Some airlines want to cover a large area when they do not have the capacity to sustain it; they do not have enough aircraft and skilled staff to carter for the routes, because route planning is a very cumbersome and difficult thing to do because once a flight is delayed in one destination, it will affect the arrival and estimated take-off time in other destinations.”

The RGM further said that the delay in flights stretches the facilities provided for a specified number of people by the airport authority.

“Aircraft delay is worrisome in the sense that it impacts not only on customers/travelers but also impacts on economic, social and cultural activities. It also impacts and stretches the facilities provided by the airport authority. The airports are designated for a particular number of people.

“For example, the international wing of the NnamdiAzikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was designed to accommodate 500 people per hour, but due to delays in flight the hall has over 1,500 to 2,000 per hour. This stretches the cooling system, the sitting space and the conveniences in the airport,” he added.

Bature revealed that a committee has been set up to specifically look at reasons for the incessant delays of flights and proffer solutions for better service delivery.

Another source at the airlines regulatory body, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who begged for anonymity, said that the organisation had stepped in from time to time to get justice for disgruntled customers.

She said, “There are instances where we have forced airline operators to lodge customers in hotels when they cancel flights at night and at times customers have been refunded their monies or given a bonus in some cases where their flights were delayed.”

She said that it was not always easy to sanction operators because most of the reasons for the flight delays are often technical reasons or weather-related, which are inevitable.

http://leadership.ng

PHOTO: Frontier Airlines Airbus A320-200, N216FR: Bird Strike - St. Louis International Airport

Photo courtesy of Kate Martin. Twitter @KateReports

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/FFT297/history/20120226/1205Z/KSTL/KDEN

DENVER — A Frontier Airlines flight from St. Louis, Missouri to Denver had to turn around and make an emergency landing after an apparent bird strike early Sunday morning.

According to St. Louis International Airport spokesman Jeff Lee, just after 6 a.m. Flight 297 struck a flock of birds on takeoff out of St. Louis.

The plane quickly turned around and the 58 passengers on board were placed on the next available flight.

A Frontier spokesperson says the aircraft is currently out of service for repairs.

http://kdvr.com

RAW VIDEO: WestJet flight makes emergency landing in Abbotsford

Emergency crews were called to Abbotsford International Airport on Friday night after a WestJet flight with 93 passengers on board had a problem with its flaps.

The Boeing 737, en route from Toronto to Kelowna, landed in Abbotsford at about 10:15 p.m. without incident.

WestJet spokesperson Robert Palmer said the flaps were stuck in a partially deployed position. The pilot decided to divert to Abbotsford because it has a longer runway.

The plane was taken out of service, and passengers were placed on another plane, which departed for Kelowna at about 12:15 a.m.

The cause is under investigation.

Watch Video

Aviation regulator flies off the handle

The Government agency responsible for air traffic control around Australia has responded vigorously to a media report claiming that a delay in upgrading equipment at Gold Coast Airport was endangering lives.

Chief Executive of Airservices Australia, Greg Russell labelled the Gold Coast Bulletin’s report “sensationalist, inaccurate and unhelpful”.

Mr Russell said the Gold Coast airport was operating safely.

“Irresponsible speculation on this point risks damaging confidence in the airport and the local economy which relies on the business and tourism benefits it delivers,” Mr Russell said.

Media reports criticized

He said Airservices Australia was working closely with the airport and the aviation industry to progress the installation of an instrument landing system (ILS) at the airport.

He said sufficient funds had been allocated for the project to proceed as soon as possible.

“As each ILS installation is site-specific, detailed engineering, technical and airspace design work is required to ensure the installed equipment delivers the best possible outcome for the airport, aircraft operators and the community,” Mr Russell said.

“Community consultation will also be required beforehand if the installation of an ILS results in flight path changes.”

Mr Russell said Airservices was already investing heavily at Gold Coast and other regional airports around the country.

“We are close to completing a $2.3 million refurbishment of the Gold Coast air traffic control tower and our aviation fire station at the airport has also undergone an upgrade,” Mr Russell said.

“It is equipped with brand new Mk8s ultra-large fire vehicles and a new digital Fire Control Centre.

“Readers can be assured that Airservices is fully committed to continual upgrading of its facilities at the airport in line with the growth in passenger traffic being experienced,” Mr Russell said.

http://qld.psnews.com.au

NEW YORK: Oswego County to pay $10,000 for service from Onondaga County sheriff's rescue helicopter

Syracuse, N.Y. -- State law requires Onondaga County to send its helicopter to neighboring counties when there’s an emergency. But those counties are not obligated to pay for the service, which costs the county an estimated $30,000 a year.

Now Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh and the county legislators are asking the other counties to pay up.

The sheriff has been looking for other ways to pay for the helicopter, which costs $595,000 a year, since last year. That’s when legislators and County Executive Joanie Mahoney decided not to give him money for the helicopter, called Air 1. If the sheriff wants to keep such an expensive operation running, he’d have to find the money, himself, they said.

“We’re hoping other counties will see the value in making sure that we are able to continue to come,” Walsh said.

His department also has set up a nonprofit foundation and raised $50,000 through that. And it plans to raise about a third of the budget this year by charging for medical transportation. The department received a special FAA license last month so it can charge patients for medical transportation. But it still needs another piece of paperwork from the state Department of Health before it can begin billing, Walsh said.

He’s also looking into the idea of selling the helicopter’s naming rights.

Right now, Air 1 is out of service for about six weeks while its engine is being overhauled. That will cost between $300,000 and $400,000. The county is using seized drug money to pay that bill, Walsh said.

Oswego County Sheriff Reuel A. Todd said his county doesn’t want to see the helicopter disappear, so he asked legislators to commit $10,000 a year. The estimated cost of rescue calls to Oswego County was $8,966 a year for about 13 trips.

“I really feel that we need it,” Todd said. He said Thursday’s rescue of a man and dog who fell through the ice on Oneida Lake could easily have turned into a situation where they needed the Air 1 to pull the man out.

Oswego County will be the first county to have a contract with Onondaga County for Air 1. Cayuga County has been giving the county $5,000 a year for the past 10 years without an agreement, Walsh said. The money had been for the different kinds of mutual aid Onondaga County gives to Cayuga County. Now, Walsh said, that money will go specifically to fund Air 1.

Walsh said he’s spoken with the sheriffs and emergency managers for the 13 counties that call Air-1 into use, asking them for help. He’s uncertain how many will be able to give money to Onondaga County. They have to ask their legislatures and county executives for the cash.

The Onondaga County Legislature will discuss the Oswego County contract Monday during its Ways and Means committee meeting. Legislator Kevin Holmquist, head of the county legislature’s public safety committee, said the county is working on minor details of the Oswego contract so it likely won’t be finished this month.

He said the money Oswego and other counties pay will probably be held in escrow accounts. That way, the payments could be rolled over to use the following year if the neighboring counties don’t use Air 1’s services as much as expected.

“We’re not looking to make money off this,” Holmquist said.

http://www.syracuse.com

Rolls-Royce Looks Poised For Continued Success

The group’s civil aerospace division supplies engines for 30 types of commercial aircraft and contributes about a third of its operating profits.

Its marine division provides power and propulsion systems for offshore oil and gas, merchant and naval vessels and contributes a similar proportion of profits, while defence, the world’s second largest provider of defence aero-engine products, generates just under a third of the firm’s earnings.

Although relatively small in terms of group profits, Rolls-Royce’s energy division is a world leader in onshore and offshore oil and gas, while building its civil nuclear capabilities.

The group’s civil aerospace division supplies engines for 30 types of commercial aircraft and contributes about a third of its operating profits

The company’s recent full-year results showed record revenues, profits and orders and illustrated the solid pillars on which Rolls-Royce’s success is built.

First, it has established excellent diversification in the markets in which it operates. Second, Rolls-Royce has worked hard to develop its after-sales business. Its civil division sells 90 per cent of new engines under long-term contracts. Third, its civil aerospace exposure is skewed towards wide-body planes rather than the narrow-body planes which competitors serve. These larger jets have wider profit margins and more stable order backlogs.

While there are several factors that could damage the company’s prospects, such as greater than expected defence cuts, Rolls-Royce has a great fundamental story. The combination of a good balance sheet, a growing dividend, solid management and a reasonable valuation has led to the excellent recent share price performance.

http://www.express.co.uk

Mooney M20E, N9224M: Accident occurred February 26, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas

NTSB Identification: CEN12FA170
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, February 26, 2012 in San Antonio, TX
Aircraft: MOONEY M20E, registration: N9224M
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On February 26, 2012, about 1709 central standard time, a Mooney M20E airplane, N9224M, impacted terrain during departure from Stinson Municipal Airport (SSF), San Antonio, Texas. The airline transport pilot and the private pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. There was a postimpact fire and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Niclan Corporation, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed SSF at 1707, and was destined for Gillespie County Airport (T82), Fredericksburg, Texas.

A preliminary review of the air traffic control communications from the SSF air traffic control tower revealed the pilot made an incomplete radio call about 1708 that he was going to turn back. The air traffic controller saw the airplane flying southwest bound at a low altitude and shortly thereafter saw a cloud of black smoke about one mile south of SSF.

The air traffic controller activated the crash phone. A police department helicopter responded quickly and took airborne video of the aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) units as they arrived and extinguished the fire.

SAN ANTONIO -  The Federal Aviation Administration is still looking into what caused a single-plane engine to crash near Stinson Airfield Sunday afternoon.

Police on Sunday said the pilot was trying to turn back toward the airport just after take-off, when the plane crashed around 5:30 p.m.

Both people inside died.

That type of turn is what pilots call the "impossible turn."

"This seems to fit in the category of something pilots are taught not to do," Charles Tetlow, a commercial pilot who is training to instruct pilots, said on Monday.

Tetlow said he doesn’t know exactly what the pilot was doing at the time of the crash on Sunday, but he said pilots are typically taught to look for an open area ahead of them.

"It's a very dangerous situation when you're down close to the ground and if you have an engine problems and you're not getting power. Most of the time, the aircraft can't turn around and make it back to the airport," he said.

Tetlow also said the Mooney, the type of plane that crashed Sunday, can be difficult to fly.

“The Mooney is a high-performance aircraft and it typically takes a little more skill and it typically has to be flown at higher speeds, so that does get some pilots in trouble,” he said.

The identities of the two people on board have not been released.

The plane was registered to Niclan Corp. in Seguin.

SAN ANTONIO -  An airplane that took off from Stinson Airfield late Sunday afternoon crashed, killing two people on board, officials said.

The pilot for some reason decided to turn around shortly after take-off around 5:30 p.m.

"From what I understand, the airplane took off from Stinson, was headed toward Fredericksburg, and for some reason or another, made a U-turn, was attempting to come back to Stinson and it crash landed in the field behind us," said Lt. Chris Benavides with the San Antonio Police Department.

Lorenzo Viera says he saw the plane, a Mooney M20, on fire in the air, and smoke billowed from the single-engine aircraft just before it crash-landed in an isolated field about a half mile from the runway.

"I just saw the airplane going out of control, a lot of smoke coming out in the back."

Officials said the plane came to rest about a quarter mile from an apartment complex, but no one else was hurt.

Still, the crash largely remains a mystery as the FAA and NTSB are on the scene to investigate.

"What happened up there, that's going to be a question for everybody," said Christopher Hernandez, who lives nearby. "Everybody wants to know what happened."

Two people were killed Sunday afternoon when a single-engine aircraft crashed near Stinson Municipal Airport, officials said.  FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro said late Sunday the plane was a Mooney M20 that was on its way to Fredricksburg, Texas. The aircraft was registered to Niclan Corp.

Firefighters responded to the scene about 5:15 p.m., near 9500 Espada Road, where witnesses said smoke rose from the crash site.

Identities of the victims were not released.

The plane, which had departed Stinson, was en route to Fredericksburg when it U-turned and then crashed, said San Antonio Police Sgt. Chris Benavides.

Fire Chief Charles Hood said the plane crashed in a brushy area and was burning when firefighters arrived.

City Aviation Department spokesman Rich Johnson, describing the aircraft as a four-passenger plane, would not speculate on a cause of the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating the crash to determine the timeline of the accident, analyze communications with the airport tower, and find out whether there was anything mechanically wrong with the aircraft.

“It could have been a whole range of things,” Johnson said of potential crash causes.

Edward Gutierrez, a witness who resides nearby and often hears planes flying overhead, said he knew something was wrong with the aircraft from the way it sounded.

“I heard it sputter and knew it wasn't running right,” Gutierrez said.

“I was tying my boots in my mother's driveway when it came right over my head. I thought it could have hit my mother's house,” Gutierrez said.

After it passed overhead, Gutierrez heard a crash and then an explosion, he said.
 

SAN ANTONIO -  Two people are dead and federal investigators on the scene after a small plane crash just south of Stinson Airport.

The plane went down in a heavily wooded area about a quarter mile south of the runway.

The plane was on fire when emergency crews arrived around 5:15 Sunday afternoon.

Fire crews had to cut through locks to get to the area where the plane went down.

They used foam to get the fire out.

When the flames were out fire crews found the bodies of two people in the wrecked plane.

Airport personnel say the plane had taken off from Stinson earlier, and was returning when it crashed.

No word yet on who the dead are.

The FAA investigators are now on scene assessing the wreckage and trying to figure out what caused the plane to go down.

Video

Watch Video

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo

http://registry.faa.gov/N9224M

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N9224M

Aventura II, N1193S: Accident occurred February 26, 2012 in Laceys Spring, Alabama

NTSB Identification: ERA12FA194 

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, February 26, 2012 in Laceys Spring, AL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/29/2012
Aircraft: STROUT FRANK AVENTURA II, registration: N1193S
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot and passenger departed for a local flight with the intent of landing the amphibious airplane in a nearby farm field that had been flooded with water. A friend of the pilot noted that the water level in the field was not sufficient for a landing and waved off the pilot as he overflew the field. The airplane then entered a steep bank and nose-down attitude from an estimated altitude of 100 feet. Ground scars and observed impact-related damage to the airframe suggested that the airplane impacted the ground in a left-wing-low attitude. The symmetric damage signatures observed on the airplane's propeller and observations of a witness to the accident confirmed that the engine operated until impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. The pilot did not possess the required rating on his pilot certificate to operate the accident airplane, and examination of available pilot records showed that he had not logged any flight training in the accident airplane make and model or any other seaplane. While the pilot possessed a reported 700 total hours of flight experience and was said to have logged about 10 previous flights in the accident airplane, the pilot's most recent flight review was completed nearly 6 years prior to the accident flight. Federal Aviation Administration published guidance on flying seaplanes equipped with engines mounted above the center of gravity "strongly urged" pilots to obtain training specific to the make and model of seaplane to be flown, as their unique handling characteristics were "not intuitive and must be learned."

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a low-altitude maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of the required rating to operate the airplane.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On February 26, 2012, about 1330 central standard time, a experimental amateur-built Aventura II, N1193S, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain and was subsequently consumed by a postimpact fire near Laceys Spring, Alabama. The certificated private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The local personal flight, which originated from a nearby private airstrip about 1328, was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to a friend of the pilot, who also witnessed the accident, the pilot had purchased the airplane about 2 months prior to the accident, and since that time had completed about 10 total flights in the airplane. Several days before the accident, the friend and the pilot flew the airplane from the pilot's private airstrip to a flooded farm field located about one mile northeast, so that the pilot could practice landing the amphibious airplane on water. During that flight, the friend reported that the airplane performed normally.

On the day of the accident flight, the pilot again intended to fly to the flooded farm field to practice water landings. The friend thought that the water level in the field might have receded since their last flight, as he believed that the field was being drained, so he drove out to the field to assess the situation. Upon reaching the flood gate, the friend noted that the water level was too low to attempt a landing, and as the accident airplane approached him head-on, he "waved-off" the pilot. The airplane then passed over his left shoulder at an altitude about 100 feet above the ground. Moments later, the airplane impacted the ground about 100 feet behind and to the right of him and immediately caught fire. The friend then ran toward the airplane in an attempt to extract the occupants, but when the whole airframe ballistic recovery parachute rocket ignited, he had to vacate the area of the wreckage. The fire worsened, and the entire airframe was consumed in about 10 minutes.

The friend reported that the airplane's engine operated throughout the accident sequence, and that its sound was smooth and continuous. He estimated that the engine might have been operating with a 3/4 throttle setting.

Another witness reported observing the airplane during the final moments of the flight as he drove along a road parallel to the airplane's flight path. When he initially observed the airplane, it was flying westbound at an estimated altitude of 400 feet. He then returned his attention to driving, but looked at the airplane several seconds later when his son called his attention back to it. The second time he observed the airplane, it was at a significantly lower altitude, and was in a steep left bank and in a nose down attitude. He lost sight of the airplane behind obstructions thereafter, but knew that based on the airplane's last observed attitude and proximity to the ground, that it would crash. He subsequently contacted local emergency services and proceeded toward the accident site in order to render assistance.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records, the pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. He did not hold a rating for airplane single engine sea. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued on August 31, 2009 with the limitation, "holder shall wear correcting lenses."

A personal flight logbook was recovered from the pilot's hangar. Examination of the logbook revealed a period of flight activity between April 2002 and February 2008. During that time, the pilot accumulated a reported total of 729 hours of flight experience. The logbook did not contain any entries showing transition training to, or previous flight experience in the accident airplane make and model or in any seaplanes. The log also noted the pilot's most recent flight review was completed on June 14, 2006.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

According to FAA airworthiness information, the experimental amateur-built amphibious airplane was certificated on August 19, 2006. Review of FAA registration information showed that the airplane's builder was also listed as the registered owner of the airplane. According to the builder, the accident pilot purchased the airplane from him about 2 months prior to the accident. At that time, the airplane had not undergone the required annual condition inspection for two years. No record of sale, application for registration, or maintenance records for the airplane were recovered following the accident.

On February 20, 2012, an advertisement for the sale of the accident airplane was placed on an internet classified forum, which listed the accident pilot as the point of contact. The advertisement claimed that the airframe had accumulated 350 total hours of operating time, and that the engine had accumulated 125 total hours of operating time.

The fuselage of the airplane consisted of a fiberglass hull with seating provisions for two occupants. Pontoons were located at the outboard portion of each wing, retractable main landing gear were attached to the fuselage, and a steerable tail wheel was attached to the empennage. A Rotax 912ULS engine equipped with a three blade composite propeller was installed above the wing, aft of the fuselage.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The weather conditions reported at Huntsville International Airport, Huntsville, Alabama, located about 10 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, at 1353, included winds from 170 degrees at 7 knots, clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius (C), a dewpoint of -4 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.29 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest in an open field adjacent to a gravel road and barbed wire fence. The initial impact point was identified by an area of flattened grass and a depression in the mud oriented along the wreckage path. Portions of the airplane’s fabric covering and several pieces of fiberglass were found along the wreckage path, which was 73 feet long and oriented 155 degrees magnetic. The main wreckage was located at the opposite end of the wreckage path and was oriented 025 degrees magnetic. The left wing pontoon and pontoon support structure was separated from the main wreckage and located 36 feet to the left of it.

The main wreckage was almost entirely consumed by a post-impact fire, and most of the airplane’s aluminum, plastic, and fiberglass components were damaged beyond recognition. Several steel components comprising the fuselage, wing, and empennage structure remained relatively intact, though the fabric covering had been completely consumed by fire. Control continuity was traced from the left cockpit control stick to the elevator and flaperon control surfaces, and the elevator trim cable continuity was traced to the cockpit area. Rudder control continuity was also confirmed from the rudder pedal bar attachment points to the rudder control horn/tail wheel attachment point. Each of the control surfaces was free to move about its respective hinge mount. The throttle control cable remained attached to both of the engine’s carburetors.

The engine was separated from the airplane and examination revealed that it was also extensively fire-damaged. Each of the three composite propeller blades exhibited fibrous separations between 5 and 6 inches from the respective blade roots. Continuity of the drivetrain was confirmed through rotation of the propeller from the output drive gearbox to the accessory section of the engine. The top 4 spark plugs were removed and displayed electrodes that were light gray in color.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Huntsville, Alabama.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing on the pilot. The testing was negative for the presence of ethanol, carbon monoxide, cyanide, and drugs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the Federal Aviation Administration Seaplane, Skiplane, and Float/Ski Equipped Helicopter Operations Handbook, "Many of the most common flying boat designs have the engine and propeller mounted well above the airframe’s CG [center of gravity]. This results in some unique handling characteristics. The piloting techniques necessary to fly these airplanes safely are not intuitive and must be learned. Any pilot transitioning to such an airplane is strongly urged to obtain additional training specific to that model of seaplane." The handbook further stated, "Depending on how far the engine is from the airplane’s CG, the mass of the engine can have detrimental effects on roll stability. Some seaplanes have the engine mounted within the upper fuselage, while others have engines mounted on a pylon well above the main fuselage. If it is far from the CG, the engine can act like a weight at the end of a lever, and once started in motion it tends to continue in motion."

LACEYS SPRING, AL (WAFF) -  A man and a woman died in a small plane crash in Lacey's Spring Sunday afternoon.

The Morgan County Coroner identified them as Larry Hicks and Gayle Owen.

Investigators said the plane crashed in a field off Wilson Road and Fields Road near Highway 231 just after 1:30 p.m.

One witness said she lives just a few feet away from where the plane went down.

"I just pulled out of my driveway to go to work and I saw it go up in flames and I turned around and came back to see if I could do something but it was too late," Pat Stevenson said.

Other witnesses said they saw the plane fly slowly then made a sudden left turn seconds before it crashed.

The Morgan County Fire Department and Morgan County Sheriff's Department were at the scene immediately.

"When it hit the ground, it burst into flames and it's completely destroyed," Sheriff Ana Franklin said.

Sheriff Franklin said the plane was a two-passenger aircraft that may have been an ultralight.

"We're still trying to get information from the paperwork from where the plane was purchased to make sure we have the right plane identified," Sheriff Franklin said.

Witnesses said Hicks was a Lacey's Spring resident and flew planes for leisure.

A sheriff's deputy said the female passenger was a Huntsville resident.

Investigators and the Federal Aviation Administration are now looking into what caused the plane to crash.

The aircraft remains at the crash site.The bodies were taken to Huntsville for an autopsy.

LACEY'S SPRING, AL—  A plane crash in rural Morgan County killed two people Sunday, with stunned neighbors watching the carnage unfold in front of them.

Authorities told WHNT News 19 that the small ultralight aircraft went down in a field near Lacey's Spring just after 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Investigators said several residents witnessed the plane explode into flames shortly after the crash, leaving a male pilot and his female passenger dead.


The Morgan County Coroner's Office identified the victims as Lawrence Hicks, 62, a resident of Morgan County and Huntsville, and Gayle Owen, 60, of Huntsville. Authorities said Hicks and Owen were not related.

Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin said investigators had yet to determine the make and model of the aircraft, but did reveal that the plane was an amphibious type that was likely attempting to land in a nearby pond. Other first responders on scene said the plane's tail number had been incinerated in the wreckage.

"It was made to take off and land on water, and that's what it [the plane] was attempting to do today," said Franklin. "At some point he made a decision not to attempt that landing, and that is when the crash occurred."


Sheriff Franklin also said Hicks had just acquired the plane a few weeks ago.

Stunned neighbors described the crash site as horrific.

"For this to happen right before my very eyes is very disturbing," said Lacey's Spring resident Pat Stevenson. "I saw the black smoke as it hit the ground...The plane was totally engulfed, and the bodies, I saw the bodies."

An investigator from the Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the crash site Sunday evening, but declined to talk about the case.

Negligence killed Sultan, others in plane crashes – Report

Pilots errors resulting from flight rustiness, negligence on the part of regulatory agency were some of the major reasons for the series of air clashes witnessed in Nigeria between 2005 and 2006.  This is contained in the Report made available by the United States Federal Aviation Administration.

The report disclosed that human errors and a lack of proper safety regulation were responsible for the three deadly plane crashes Nigeria recorded between 2005 and 2006 which claimed 380 aboard the aircraft including the late Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Abubakar Maciddo on October 29 2006.

The document obtained by the Associated Press through a Freedom of Information Act in the US said the Aviation Development Company (ADC) plane which left Abuja for Sokoto with the Sultan and 95 others on board crash landed 76 seconds after going airborne was caused by the ‘pilot’s incorrect action’.

It said “Just before the crash, alarms began sounding in the cockpit and the pilots’ incorrect actions stalled the plane. Although bad weather may have created the situation, which the pilots reacted to, they reacted inappropriately.”

Furthermore the AP report disclosed that “Even more disturbing for investigators were the airline’s operation manual for pilots and cockpit staff, which “did not contain any information on adverse weather condition as that section was blank. The manual was duly approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority despite containing the blank section.

The deficiency in the operation manual would probably make it difficult for pilots to take appropriate decision on when to go or not to go in an adverse weather condition,” the report said.

The FAA document, which the Nigeria federal government has refuse to release its own version since the 2005 incident also indicates that the records show that the captain of the Bellview airlines that crashed on the Oct. 22, 2005 killing 177 people, including a U.S. citizen has been out of operations for 14 years and has sustain a gunshot to his head without any medical record of his treatment.

“The plane’s captain, a 49-year-old former pilot, had been hired by Bellview after he had been working at a dairy for about 14 years, the summary read. The pilot also had been “shot in the head during a robbery attempt” during that break from flying, the report said.”Interestingly, the Nigerian … medical records do not contain any medical or hospitalization history of this event,”

Again it reported that the Dec. 10, 2005 crash of a Sosoliso Airlines flight full of schoolchildren from Abuja to Port Harcourt, which killed 107 people, appears to have involved both pilot error and weather.

“The pilot was reportedly racing a thunderstorm nearing the airport, the FAA memo reads. The inclement weather also forced the pilot to make an instrument landing — meaning that visibility had been reduced to the point the pilot needed to rely on instruments to make his landing, the report read.”

However, Harold Demuren, Director General of Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Authority, was quoted as saying that officials of the agency have worked to ensure safety regulations were followed.”Nigeria had a really woeful accident record and those were the results,” Demuren said. “However, you must add to it that things have improved tremendously since then.”

He said. Nigeria has not witness major mishap since the new NCAA was put in place under Demuren by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

http://www.vanguardngr.com

Former Cessna mechanic faces sentencing for thefts

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- A former aircraft mechanic who fled to Equador after he was charged with selling stolen aircraft parts on eBay is asking a federal judge for leniency.

Diego Alejandro Paz-Teran is due in court for sentencing Monday before U.S. District Judge Monti Belot. The former Cessna Aircraft mechanic wants the judge to take into account his acceptance of responsibility because he voluntarily returned to the U.S. to face the 2009 charges.

He pleaded guilty to interstate transfer of stolen property, and prosecutors dismissed a separate indictment for failing to appear.

His attorney told the court in a filing Friday his client contacted him last year so he could surrender.

Paz-Teran is asking for a prison term of 12 months and a day rather than the 30 months sought by prosecutors.

http://www.ksn.com

Ohio museum restoring famed plane 'Memphis Belle'

DAYTON, Ohio (WTW) — Crews in Ohio are working to restore a famed B-17 bomber from World War II, scraping paint and bending metal to bring back the beauty of the Memphis Belle.

The storied aircraft flew 25 crucial missions over Europe during the war, a rare accomplishment at the time. Now the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton is preparing the plane for display in its World War II Gallery, tentatively scheduled for 2014.

The restoration workers include 20 staff members and 64 volunteers, many of whom make new parts by hand and take pride in working on such a famous aircraft, the Dayton Daily News (http://bit.ly/yqGN77 ) reported.

"You grow up making models of the Memphis Belle, and then here's the real thing itself," said Casey Simmons, a 31-year-old aircraft and power plant mechanic from Sugarcreek Township.

Only about 50 of the nearly 13,000 B-17s that were built still exist, according to the museum. It has one on display area, two being restored and 13 on loan elsewhere.

The pilot of the Boeing-built Memphis Belle, then-Lt. Robert Morgan, named the aircraft after longtime Memphis, Tenn., resident Margaret Polk, who was his sweetheart before he deployed for war.

"It's a national treasure, just as an artifact of our country," museum curator Jeff Duford said. "It represents thousands and thousands of airmen who flew and fought in the heavy bombing campaigns."

That garners it respect from restorers like 58-year-old Robert Anderson of Dayton who have gone over it piece by piece or helped catalog the crew signatures etched into the silver-sided plane.

"You see little, small patches and you think they're shrapnel," said Anderson, who fabricates sheet metal for the project. "You try to leave them on there. It's history."

The volunteers include Leroy Lynn and Peter Esselburne, both retirees and pilots, who craft fabric coverings for the rudder and other control surfaces on the aircraft.

"We do it more carefully than an ordinary everyday project, and we have a lot of everyday ordinary projects," said Lynn, a retired Wright-Patterson civilian flight simulator employee from New Carlisle. "We're constantly reminded of the young kids that flew these things. They were 18 to 22 years old and a lot of them didn't come home."

Visitors who want a peek at the restoration work can see the Memphis Belle as part of a behind-the-scenes museum tour on many Fridays. Sometimes veterans come from hundreds of miles away to view it.

"It's a very rewarding job," Simmons said. "You get to see the way they look at this airplane and you feel what they feel."

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com

P-51D Mustang "The Brat III" Lands Safely at Brookley Field Airport in downtown Mobile, Alabama

This World War II vintage P-51 Mustang landed safely this afternoon after developing landing gear trouble. The pilot and his passenger both walked away unhurt. (Press-Register/Mark R. Kent)

MOBILE, Alabama -- For Bill Barton and pilot Chuck Gardner, the landing they made this afternoon in a World War II vintage fighter plane was the best kind possible.

It was one they both could walk away from.

The pilot and passenger touched down safely about 2:15 p.m. at Mobile Downtown Airport in a P-51 Mustang that minutes earlier had a stuck landing gear, authorities said.

Neither Gardner nor Barton was injured, and the plane suffered no structural damage.

After the landing gear problem arose, the owner of the plane Gardner was flying, Cavanaugh Flight Museum of Dallas, got the pilot in contact by radio with Bob Hoover, a 90-year-old P-51 veteran from World War II and the Korean War, according to passenger Barton.

Hoover suggested a number of maneuvers Gardner could use to dislodge the stuck left landing gear on the single-engine plane. One of the moves worked, dropping the landing gear into place, Barton said.

The flight Barton had taken was part of an air nostalgia weekend at Alabama Aviation Center, and it also featured flights in the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29 "Fifi," the last operating B-29 in existence.

For Barton, who is retired from the U.S. Air Force and is an enthusiast of history and vintage aircraft, the flight was a much anticipated experience. He said it was originally meant to last about 30 minutes.

The noon takeoff was routine, as was most of the flight, Barton said. "When we flew over the Battleship USS Alabama, from that height it looked like a toy in a tub," he said.

After flying over Fairhope, Gardner turned the plane back toward Mobile and set up for a landing. That’s when only the right wing landing gear and the small gear beneath the tail deployed.

As the situation unfolded, Barton said both he and Gardner were more concerned about the plane than their own well being. "I didn’t think either of us were in extreme danger. But I was concerned that a beautiful piece of American history could have been badly damaged," Barton said.

As Gardner and Hoover exchanged ideas on how to free the stuck landing gear, the Mustang circled the airport and vicinity. Its distinctive piston engine was clearly audible in the low clouds over Midtown in 10-minute intervals for nearly an hour.

Finally, Barton said, Gardner took the P-51 over Mobile Bay, then up over the Mobile River Delta, where Gardner began the recommended maneuvers.

"We did about 30 to 40 minutes of these, both positive-G and negative-G moves. It was to me like riding a really neat roller coaster," Barton said. Finally, he felt what he described as a "jarring sound, like you hear on an airliner when the landing gears come out."

It was then, Barton said, that Gardner told him, "Bill, we’ve got 3 green Christmas lights," aviation jargon for the landing gear indicators on the instrument panel.

After two passes over the airport, they attempted the landing, which Barton said would tell them once and for all if the landing gear was locked.

All the while, Mobile Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Steve Huffman said that 3 engines, a ladder truck, a paramedic unit, crash trucks and a district chief were deployed along Runway 14, where the Mustang was assigned to land.

The P-51 approached over Interstate 10, Neshota Drive, the northeast corner of Pinecrest Cemetery and Perimeter Road before touching down — with landing gears fully locked — on the runway about 2:15 p.m.

Cavanaugh officials on site at the airport towed the P-51 to a hangar and did not make Gardner available to the media after the plane landed.

Meanwhile, flights on the B-29 continued for the afternoon, the last of 3 days the planes were to be in Mobile.

The P-51 Mustang was the U.S. Army Air Force’s top long-range fighter during the latter stages of World War II. It was also used in the early months of the Korean War before being replaced by jet fighters.

The P-51’s most notable use during World War II was to escort Allied bombers over Germany. U.S. bomber losses were high earlier in the war because fighters available before the P-51 could not accompany bombers for the entirety of missions.

The P-51 was the fighter most often flown in combat by the Tuskegee Airmen and is prominently featured in the recent movie "Red Tails." The film gets its name from the red markings the Tuskegee Airmen put on the tails for identification.

The P-51 that was in Mobile today was modified to include a passenger seat. According to information on the Cavanaugh website, a trip like the one Barton took costs close to $2,000. Attempts to reach Cavanaugh officials in Dallas Sunday night were unsuccessful.

Barton is no stranger to flight. A retired senior master sergeant, he served 22 years in the USAF in the field of network security.

He currently works for the U.S. Navy at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., on the Navy’s Aegis destroyer program and the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Security Cutter program.

Barton said that, despite the unexpected adventure of Sunday’s ride, he would gladly fly the Mustang again.

"Absolutely," he said. 

http://blog.al.com

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A military plane safely landed at Brookley Airport Complex after landing gear trouble forced it to stay in the air for around an hour. The trouble started around 1 p.m.

According to scanner traffic, only one wheel of the landing gear would come down. FOX10 News Reporter Joe Salvatore said he did see the plane fly over at one point with only one wheel down.

Joe also heard the plane may be the P-51D Mustang "The Brat III" which is in town with the B-29 for tours this weekend.

Officials told visitors to leave the airport complex until the plane landed safely. Perimeter Road was also closed to traffic.

2:20pm

UPDATE: The World War II era fighter plane landed safely at the Brookley Air Field landing strip around 2:15pm Sunday. Both wheels were eventually able to come down.

1:00pm

BREAKING NEWS: The pilot of a World War II era fighter plane is preparing for an emergency landing at Mobile Downtown Airport.

The P-51 Mustang, nicknamed "The Brat 3" is at Brookley Field as part of the commemorative Air Force Tour with a B-29 bomber. We're told "The Brat" is having landing gear problems and may have to land "belly up" - with it's landing gear up.

Mobile Fire Rescue is standing by and police are blocking off Perimeter Road to traffic.

According to News 5 photographer Mic Ward, who saw the plane flying over I-10 and I-65 around 1:30pm Sunday, the right side of the landing gear is down, while the left side of the landing gear is up.

The plane is flying around to burn off as much fuel as possible, so there's less chance of a fire when it lands.

The Brat III is the aircraft flown by Lt. Hjalmar Johnsen in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1945 while part of the 9th Air Force, 370th Fighter Group, 401st Fighter Squadron based in England. Brat III is equipped with a second seat allowing passengers to purchase a thirty minute experience aboard one of America's best know World War II fighters.

Fourth Bird Strike At Lambert Airport in 2012

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (AP) – A Denver-bound Frontier Airlines flight has to make an emergency landing in St. Louis after colliding with at least one bird.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/xgGwWg) reports Frontier flight 297 left Lambert-St. Louis International Airport a little after 6 a.m. Sunday. The scheduled two-hour flight was cut short just minutes later when the plane hit the bird.

The aircraft landed safely at Lambert, but passengers had to be transferred to another Frontier plane because the first one sustained damage.

A federal “wildlife strike” database shows Sunday’s incident was the fourth one at the St. Louis airport this year.

The Federal Aviation Administration says 23 people have been killed and 209 injured nationwide since 1990 due to wildlife strikes on aircraft.

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Opinion: ‘If I am not fit to fly, he is not fit to be a pilot'

There is an urgent need to educate people about the rights of the disabled. 

Photo: Nissar Ahmed

Grounding the disabled Jet Airways to probe charge of harassment I was literally thrown down the steps of the aircraft, says disabled woman

Traveling by air is often not a very pleasant experience for a person with disability. Incidents of harassment are quite common when a passenger with disability travels by air on her own or his own. I narrate one such harrowing incident.

Deplaned

I was scheduled to travel to Goa to attend a conference organized by ADPAT of Mumbai, a non-governmental organization. I was traveling by SpiceJet flight SG 308 from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport, Kolkata. I reached the airport at 7.05 a.m. on February 19, 2012. I checked in as usual and was escorted to the flight by an assistant and was comfortably seated. After a while I sensed a commotion around me and had the intuition that something was not quite right. One of the flight assistants asked for my boarding pass. Then I was asked to leave my seat and go with them. I was made to de-board, put in a car and bought back to the airport terminal.

By this time, I was hysterical. I was not given any specific reason why I was made to de-board. I was then taken to the airline's office, and through the course of my argument with them I got to know that it was the captain of the aircraft, Utprabh Tiwari, who had a problem because I was a person with disability. The assistant manager and the other personnel appeared empathetic, but they said they were helpless as their attempt to convince the captain had failed. I demanded that they allow me to either board another flight or return the money. Assistant Manager Vishnu Ramesan said I could take the flight the next day — February 20. I asked him how he could give me an assurance that the incident would not be repeated. He said he had spoken to the higher authorities and action would be taken. I asked him for a written statement giving the reason for de-boarding me — which they refused to give, for obvious reasons. However, they accepted a written complaint from me. They dropped me home and gave me an assurance to pick me up the next morning to go to the airport.

But I was unable to fly the next day because I was absolutely shattered and traumatised by the previous day's incidents and had to consult a physician.

DGCA rules

The point that clearly comes out here is the total lack of awareness on the part of the airline staff of the relevant rules. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued detailed Civil Aviation Requirements. Under Section 4.1 of the document on Carriage by Air of Persons with Disability and/ or Persons with Reduced Mobility (issued in May 2008), no airline has the authority to refuse a passenger with disability or reduced mobility from travelling by air along with the aid and appliances they require.

Under Section 5.1, no medical clearance or special forms shall be insisted upon from persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility who only require special assistance at the airport for assistance in embarking/ disembarking and a reasonable accommodation in flight, who otherwise do not require any additional assistance.

No medical clearance or special forms shall be insisted upon from persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility who only require special assistance at the airport for assistance in embarking/ disembarking and a reasonable accommodation in flight, who otherwise do not require any additional assistance.

Under 5.2, medical clearance may be required only when the airline has received information that the passenger:

a) suffers from any disease, which is believed to be actively contagious and communicable; b) who, because of certain diseases, or incapacitation may have or develop an adverse physical condition which could have an adverse effect during flight and on safety and emergency evacuation procedures; c) would require medical attention and/ or special equipment to maintain their health during the flights; d) there exists a possibility of medical condition aggravated during or because of the flight;

I am a person with cerebral palsy — which is not a disease but a condition caused by damage to the brain.

This is yet another incident that shows lack of awareness and a humane touch even among the so-called elite and educated people of society. A pilot or the captain of the flight holds a responsible position. This kind of behaviour from him is shameful.

I urge the government, including the Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment and Civil Aviation, to take up this issue as a serious matter. There is an urgent need to provide training to airline personnel at all levels. Such training should be conducted by people with disabilities.

I request the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take serious action against SpiceJet, especially Captain Utprabh Tiwari. Any person with his mentality and attitude has no right to hold such a responsible position. If I am not fit to fly, he is not fit to be a pilot.

(This is an adapted version of a letter sent by Jeeja Ghosh to the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, on February 21, 2012. She is Head of Advocacy and Disability Studies at the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy in Kolkata.) 

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion