Sunday, March 04, 2018

Piper PA-32-260, N3756W: Accident occurred March 04, 2018 near Grove Field Airport (1W1), Clark County, Washington

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

http://registry.faa.gov/N3756W


Analysis

The pilot reported that, before departure, he estimated that the right tip fuel tank was three-quarters full (about 14 gallons), and each main fuel tank had about 20 gallons of fuel.

The pilot reported that, during cruise, he decided to use the right tip fuel tank, even though he was aware that the right tip fuel tank gauge was inoperative. He added that, after about 25-30 minutes, he performed various stall maneuvers before returning to the departure airport to land. The pilot noticed a reduction in engine power and a drop in the manifold pressure and concluded that the airplane would not be able to return to the airport, so he continued a left turn toward a farm field. The pilot began to troubleshoot for carburetor ice to no avail. The airplane landed in the farm field and impacted a ditch.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot added that, during a postaccident examination, it was revealed that the right tip fuel tank was dry and "that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation."

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's inadequate inflight fuel management and his failure to switch to a fuel tank with adequate fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation. 

Findings

Aircraft
Fuel - Fluid level (Cause)
Fuel - Fluid management (Cause) 

Personnel issues
Lack of action - Pilot (Cause)
Fuel planning - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Object/animal/substance - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Enroute
Fuel exhaustion (Defining event)

Landing

Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Location: Camas, WA
Accident Number: GAA18CA184
Date & Time: 03/04/2018, 1330 PST
Registration: N3756W
Aircraft: PIPER PA32
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

The pilot reported that, prior to departure, he estimated that the right tip fuel tank was three-quarters full, about 14 gallons, and each main fuel tank had about 20 gallons of fuel.

The pilot reported that, during cruise, he decided to use the right tip fuel tank, even though he was aware that the right tip fuel tank gauge was inoperative. He added that, after about 25-30 minutes, he performed various stall maneuvers before returning to the departure airport to land. The pilot noticed a reduction in engine power, a drop in the manifold pressure, and concluded that the airplane would not be able to return to the airport, so he continued a left-hand turn towards a farm field. The pilot began to troubleshoot for carburetor ice, but to no avail. The airplane landed in the farm field and impacted a ditch.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot added that, during a postaccident examination, it was revealed that the right tip fuel tank was dry and "that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation." 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Commercial; Military
Age: 36, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 09/09/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 04/30/2017
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 1978 hours (Total, all aircraft), 89.8 hours (Total, this make and model), 1900 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 35 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 12 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1.5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: PIPER
Registration: N3756W
Model/Series: PA32 260
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1966
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 32-671
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 11/07/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3731.4 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-540 SERIES
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 260 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPDX, 107 ft msl
Observation Time: 2053 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 4 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 125°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 3500 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 11°C / 2°C
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 25000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots, 190°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.24 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: SALEM, OR (SLE)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: CAMAS, WA (1W1)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1245 PST
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Airport Information

Airport: GROVE FIELD (1W1)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 429 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude:  45.350000, -122.240000 (est)



Pilot and passenger walked away unharmed after they were forced to land their small plane in a field north of Washougal Sunday afternoon.

Emergency crews were called to a large field in the 30900 block of Northeast 10th Street around 2 p.m., Clark County sheriff’s Deputy Chris Story said, after a plane en route to land at Grove Field made an emergency landing.

Story said the pair in the single-engine plane were practicing what to do in a stall when the plane suffered some kind of mechanical failure.

It was clear the airfield was too far away, Story said, so they landed the plane in the empty field, which is about 2 miles west of the Grove Field. No one was hurt and no property was damaged, Story said. The plane received minor damage.

Story said the plane will remain in the property owner’s field until the plane’s owners can tow it away. The Federal Aviation Administration was also investigating, he said.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://www.columbian.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A 4-seater plane carrying 2 men had to make an emergency landing on private property in Washougal on Sunday afternoon after the plane's engine lost power, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. 

No one was injured. 

The plane landed off Northeast 10th street in Washougal at approximately 1:06 p.m. There was no property damage. There was minor damage to the plane. 

The plane landed roughly 5 miles west of the Grove Field Airport in Camas.

The Federal Aviation Administration said an investigation is ongoing. 

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.koin.com

Tornado Alley Turbo Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, N207PC: Accident occurred March 04, 2018 in Enumclaw, King County, Washington

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Renton, Washington

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Systima Technologies Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N207PC


Location: Enumclaw, WA
Accident Number: WPR18LA098
Date & Time: 03/04/2018, 1558 PST
Registration: N207PC
Aircraft: RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY A36
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On March 4, 2018, about 1558 Pacific standard time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company A36 airplane, N207PC, was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and forced landing about 3.5 nautical miles northeast of Enumclaw, Washington. The private pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed and active at the time of the accident. The flight had departed Yuma International Airport, Yuma, Arizona, about 1100 mountain standard time, with the reported destination being Snohomish County Airport, Everett, Washington.

The pilot reported that as he was descending through 10,000 ft mean sea level while in IFR conditions, he noticed that the manifold pressure (MP) had dropped to 10 inches Hg; his attempts to restore power to a normal MP level were unsuccessful. The pilot stated that about 10 to 15 seconds later he heard what he thought was a cylinder blow. He then heard the same type of noise several more times, followed by oil covering the windscreen and smoke entering the cockpit/cabin area. He then closed off the air coming in from the engine and opened the left cockpit side window, which cleared the smoke. The pilot opined that he was then vectored by air traffic control toward a grass airstrip, however, being unable to make it to the airstrip, he elected to land in a field. Unable to make the selected field, the pilot subsequently landed in a grove of trees before coming to rest on the ground. There was no postcrash fire. The pilot mentioned that the propeller continued to windmill throughout the entire event.

The airplane will be recovered to a secured storage facility for further examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer:  RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Registration: N207PC
Model/Series: A36 A36
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: SEA, 433 ft msl
Observation Time: 1553 PST
Distance from Accident Site: 24 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 6°C / 3°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Thin Overcast / 800 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots, 160°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 800 ft agl
Visibility: 5 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.21 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Yuma, AZ (NYL)
Destination: Everett, WA (PAE) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude:


ENUMCLAW, Wash. -- A pilot survived Sunday night after he crashed a small plane in the woods near Enumclaw, according to the King County Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office says the 50-year-old pilot lost control before he crashed. He then called dispatch saying he was trapped inside the plane. The first reports came in at 4 p.m, according to Puget Sound Fire.

A homeowner notified 911 after the plane crashed near his home in the woods. Firefighters went to an area approximately two miles off Veazie-Cumberland Road, east of Enumclaw. They found the plane in a wooded gully in several pieces.

The passenger compartment was intact, and firefighters freed the pilot, who was the only one in the plane. He was conscious and talking to rescuers.

He was taken to a hospital by ground after bad weather kept a helicopter from transporting him.

Several departments responded to this incident, including Enumclaw Fire, Buckley Fire, Maple Valley Fire, Black Diamond Fire, Puget Sound Fire, Medic One, and the King County Sheriff’s office.

Enumclaw, Wash – March 4, 2018 – An adult male survived after his single engine plane crashed near the 39200 block of Veazie-Cumberland Road.

The first reports of a possible plane in trouble or crash came in at 4:00 pm, but there was no exact location for emergency responders to go to. Watching for a sign of the plane or of a crash, firefighters and sheriff’s deputies staged apparatus appropriately and sent several units to scout for signs of the incident.

A home owner was the one to notify 911 after the plane crashed near his home in a wooded area. Firefighters quickly responded to the area, approximately two miles off Veazie-Cumberland Road, east of Enumclaw. There they found the plan in a wooded gully in several pieces. Fortunately, the passenger compartment was largely intact and firefighters were able to extricate the pilot, who was the only one in the plane.

The patient was assessed and then brought up the embankment to a waiting King County Medic One unit. Emergency responders were planning on using Airlift Northwest to fly the patient to the hospital due to the relatively remote location, but bad weather prevented that. The patient was ground transported by medics instead.

The pilot was fully conscious and talking to rescuers as he was removed from the plane.

The scene has been turned over to the King County Sheriff’s office until the FAA and NTSB arrive to begin their investigation.

Several departments responded to this incident, including Enumclaw Fire, Buckley Fire, Maple Valley Fire, Black Diamond Fire, Puget Sound Fire, Medic One, and the King County Sheriff’s office.


Original article can be found here ➤  http://komonews.com



A plane crashed in unincorporated Enumclaw around 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon. 

The 50-year-old pilot - the only person on board - survived.

Photos from first responders show the plane barely recognizable after it crashed into a forested area.

“That where all the noise came from. It’s wrapped up like a pretzel,” said John Konop, who heard the plane crash on his neighbor’s property. 

“I was out working on my truck and I heard a loud explosion,” Konop said. “It sounded almost like scaffolding falling off a building.” 

Konop said the crash was near a clearing and it’s likely the pilot aimed for that area. 

“That’s probably how he was able to survive, because if he landed in the trees he probably wouldn't have made it,” Konop said. “Thankfully he’s OK.” 

The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot started in The Dalles, Oregon and was flying to Paine Field in Everett.

Federal Aviation Administration records show the Beech A36 Bonanza belongs to Systima Technologies, a manufacturing company in Kirkland. Its website says it does work for defense, space, and commercial markets. 

The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot reported engine trouble. 

The King County Sheriff’s Office said the pilot called 911 and reported he was trapped and smelled fuel. 

The plane crashed near the end of 392nd Road in unincorporated Enumclaw on private property. 

First responders traced the pilot's phone signal.

The fire department said the plane crashed in a ravine and crews had to set up ropes to get the victim out. 

“It was probably about 30 feet from the lowest point to the highest point and it was a fairly steep incline up. 

There were a lot of downed trees and mulch,” said Kyle Ohashi, a spokesperson for the Puget Sound Fire Authority. 

The pilot had a few broken bones and head injuries but was alert and could talk with first responders.

Crews wanted to transfer the pilot to an area to be airlifted, but due to weather conditions the pilot was transported to a trauma center in a medic unit. 

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are scheduled to come to the scene as part of their investigation.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://www.kiro7.com





The pilot of a small plane survived a crash near Enumclaw Sunday afternoon, but suffered two broken legs.

There are no reports of injuries on the ground.

The male pilot was alert and talking to first responders, according to the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority. 

Photos show the mangled plane in a wooded area.

The call first came in as engine trouble on-board and then the aircraft disappeared from radar. 

The wreckage was recovered in the 31000 block of SE 392nd St.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://www.king5.com

Nigeria: Six air incidents in one month trigger safety fears

Nigeria’s aviation sector witnessed more than six incidents in the last one month, causing panic among operators and passengers.

Operators in the country’s aviation sector and air travellers are frightened by the recent spate of incidents in the sector, with one of them described as a “very serious incident” by experts and operators.

Air travellers are also worried by the reported cases of unhealthy incursions into the tarmac of some airports by unauthorized persons and animals, as these may lead to a dire situation if not addressed in earnest.

They urged the government to intensify safety oversight on airlines and airports across the country.

Industry operators and travellers told our correspondent that it was frightening to count over six air incidents within a space of one month.

“Of course, the situation will trigger fear in the minds of travellers. I am a regular traveller and that recent incident where an aircraft overshot the runway in Port Harcourt, which, of course, is a very serious incident, will frighten even the most frequent air traveller,” a former Secretary of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Mohammed Tukur, said.

On January 26, The PUNCH exclusively reported that an air incident was averted after an aircraft operated by Nestoil lost its landing gear and two tires, while landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The aircraft, which had nine persons on board at the time of the incident, skidded off the runway as two of its back tires pulled off when it touched down at the NAIA, a development that led to the closure of the runway for over an hour.

On January 27, less than 24 hours after the chartered aircraft lost its tires and landing gear at the NAIA, another plane, a commercial aircraft belonging to Dana Air, hit a fence at the airport with its left wing.

It was gathered that the Dana flight, with registration number 5N-DEV from Port Harcourt, brushed the fence while trying to park after it landed at the NAIA.

Sources at the airport and passengers on board the flight told our correspondent that no injury was recorded, but blamed the aircraft’s pilot for the incident.

On February 8, it was reported that there was panic at the NAIA the preceding day after the emergency door of an aircraft operated by Dana Air fell off on landing at the Abuja airport.

Dana Air, however, argued that the door could not have fallen off without a conscious effort by a passenger to open it and stated that the airline was investigating the incident.

Media reports on February 9 had it that a security scare occurred at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos as burglars attacked an Air Peace aircraft while it was taxiing to take off to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

It was reported that the Boeing 737 aircraft was attacked at 7:35pm by unknown bandits on the domestic runway of the airport.

On February 16, an Air Peace plane from Lagos was prevented from landing at the Akure airport, as cows took over the runway.

Eyewitnesses said it took the efforts of airport security and other aviation staff to clear the runway, while the pilot was said to have contemplated returning to Lagos before he was eventually cleared to land.

As if the incidents were not enough, a dangerous one, although without casualties, happened on the night of February 20, as an aircraft belonging to Dana Air overshot the runway of the Port Harcourt airport in Rivers State, after it touched down.

The aircraft, with number 9J0363, flew into Port Harcourt after taking passengers from Abuja.

An aircraft is said to have overshot the runway when it moves past a specified point unintentionally, and this can be as a result of too much speed or the inability of the plane to stop.

The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Henrietta Yakubu, confirmed most of the incidents and made it clear that although FAAN was not culpable in most of them, the agency was doing all it could to make Nigerian airports safe.

But operators, passengers and experts believe that a lot more work should be done, as the recent incidents in the aviation sector were causing fear among air travellers.

Tukur said, “It is not only the government that needs to address this matter. Operators need to sit up and avert such situations from reoccurring. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority needs to increase its oversight function at the airports and on airlines. Before the recent incident where an aircraft overshot the runway, I’ve had many other experiences.

“I said it repeatedly but nothing happened. I know they (NCAA) are trying their best, but operators, particularly those with these young pilots that we see in the cockpits, have to train and retrain their pilots. I fly more than twice every week and I know what I’m saying.”

The former AON scribe added, “Old pilots should teach young ones, instead of allowing them to put passengers in fear. Some of them are not good at landing an aircraft without the full aid of an automated Instrument Landing System, which is why you hear of an aircraft overshooting the runway.

“Therefore, pilots need to be trained and retrained so that in cases of limited functionality of the ILS or when the runway is soaked or wet, the pilots will safely drop the planes without frightening their passengers.”

On the part of the government and its agencies, Tukur urged the regulator to take the monitoring of airlines seriously, even if it means observing pilots in the cockpits of their respective aircraft.

A former President of the Aviation Round Table, a body of industry experts, Capt. Dele Ore, also called for improved safety oversight of airlines and the industry by the government and its agencies.

“However, this should not put airlines under undue pressure and passengers should please not be scared of flying, because the industry is doing all it can to be safe,” he said.

A passenger, Adah, tweeted recently that he would reconsider flying some airlines in Nigeria, going by the incidents recorded in the sector in the past one month.

Another air traveller, Chibuike Daniel, told our correspondent at the Abuja airport that he was in the flight that overshot the runway in Port Harcourt.

“The good news is that we made it out alive, but the truth is that it was a horrible experience that evening in Port Harcourt. That incident and many others that we hear about in our airports and the sector in the past few days put fear in my mind whenever I think of flying,” he stated.

On what the Federal Government was doing to tackle the problem, the Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs, Federal Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu reiterated the position of the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, that safety oversight had been heightened on airlines operating in Nigeria, with emphasis on Dana Air.

Also, FAAN, in one of its recent statements, stated that it would include the construction of perimeter fence in all airports across the country in its 2019 budget.

According to Yakubu, the spate of runway incursions and security breaches across the airports in the country remains a great concern to the agency.

She said the agency had stopped the renewal of On-Duty Cards for former workers of airlines and FAAN to ensure strict personnel monitoring.

Yakubu said the card renewal would be thoroughly monitored by the agency, adding that all security measures had been reviewed, while 10 vehicles had been added to the agency’s fleet to enhance runway patrol and minimise aircraft runway attacks.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://punchng.com

Cayman Islands: Bullet in backpack costs New Jersey tourist $750

A tourist from New Jersey had his stay in Cayman extended by a day and his holiday budget expanded by $750 after airport security personnel found a bullet in his backpack.

The man, 36, appeared before Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn on Thursday, March 1, when he pleaded guilty to importing a single round of .55 ammunition on February 20.

Deputy director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said the defendant was about to depart on a flight from Owen Roberts International Airport on  February 28, when an inspection of his backpack revealed the single bullet.

Questioned by Customs officers, he presented his firearms license in his home state and told them he owned two guns. He said he had no knowledge of that single round being in his backpack.

The defendant, who identified himself as a restaurant owner, said he believed the bullet had fallen into his bag while he was packing.

He said he hoped this incident would not prevent him from visiting his family in Cayman in the future.

Given his good character, his guilty plea and his explanation, the magistrate did not record a conviction, but ordered him to pay $750 in costs.

She pointed out that in the Cayman Islands possession of a firearm without a license is a serious offense and some firearms offenses attract a mandatory minimum seven years imprisonment.

The fact that his bullet was found at the Cayman airport showed how thorough local personnel were, the magistrate said. How officials of the Transportation Security Administration did not identify the bullet on the defendant’s way out of the United States baffled her, she added.

Original article ➤  https://www.caymancompass.com

Ogden-Hinckley Airport (KOGD) users, pilots organize amid simmering relations with city

Lew Wheelwright is shown here Friday, March 2, 2018, at Ogden-Hinckley Airport. Wheelwright helped form Ogden Regional Airport Progressive Development Group, meant to give pilots, hangar owners and others at the airport a means to convey their concerns and input to city leaders.



OGDEN — With relations apparently simmering, a contingent of hangar owners, pilots and others who use the Ogden-Hinckley Airport have formed a group to give them a vehicle to convey input to city leaders.

“We want to put some pressure on the city to pay attention,” said Lew Wheelwright, a pilot and hangar owner at the city-owned airport.

Wheelwright said the aim of the informal group — the Ogden Regional Airport Progressive Development Group — is to maintain positive interaction with airport officials. He unsuccessfully ran for Ogden City Council last year, spurred in large part by dissatisfaction with airport management.

Even so, Wheelwright has had tough words for airport management, as has Ed McKenney, a former member of the city’s Ogden-Hinckley Airport Advisory Committee who spearheaded the new group’s formation. And the organization’s formation underscores the criticism some direct at airport management, due in part to the city’s controversial push to boost commercial flights to and from Ogden through Allegiant Air, so far with mixed success.

“When we’re ready, that will happen,” said Wheelwright, alluding to commercial airline development. “To try to pay our way into that arena, it doesn’t make sense.”

Increasing commercial flights, Ogden officials argue, will help reduce the municipal funding now required to keep the airport afloat — some $600,000 a year — though it can also require some city subsidies, at least initially, to airline operators. 

Airport Manager Jon Greiner said he attended the Jan. 27 meeting that served to formally announce creation of the Ogden Regional Airport Progressive Development Group.

“I’m open to anything that improves the airport as I’m sure the city is,” Greiner said.

At the same time, he wryly alluded to McKenney’s former tenure serving on the airport advisory committee, the body made of airport users meant to advise the Ogden mayor and city council. McKenney — who didn’t respond to queries seeking comment — abruptly resigned from the group in late 2016 due in part to frustration with how the airport was being managed.

McKenney left one airport group, Greiner said, “so I guess he’s going to start his own.”

Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell said it’s largely Federal Aviation Administration guidelines — not the whims of city officials — that dictate management of the airport. Sometimes when operators are instructed to heed the feds’ rules, they’re not happy, and he singled out FAA guidelines governing hangars that have prompted grumbling by some.

“We feel like we’ve always been able to listen,” Caldwell said. “There are always going to be a mix of different uses and interests and sometimes they’re not always on the same page.”

NOT MEETING POTENTIAL

Some of the critics’ other concerns center around leadership of Greiner, a former Ogden police chief and state senator. “We need an airport manager with an airport manager’s degree,” Wheelwright said.

More generally, those involved in the new group think the airport here isn’t meeting its potential.

Airport operations have been marked by “the departure of critical airport businesses, the decline in transient traffic, a decline in airport hangar occupancy and property values, and an unfortunate decline in airport reputation,” McKenney said in a statement. 

David Shumway, a hangar owner also involved in the new group, said the list of issues is “endless and it depends on who you’re talking to.”

Even so, Greiner said general aviation — private pilots and hangar operations, for instance — account for the bulk of activity at the airport, not commercial flights, and airport officials are mindful of the fact. “General aviation is the heart and soul of the airport,” Greiner said.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.standard.net

JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines Look Very Smart Right Now

Last month, Airbus and United Technologies confirmed that they had discovered a flaw Opens a New Window. in recently manufactured Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines. Many of Airbus' next-generation A320neo and A321neo aircraft utilize these Pratt & Whitney engines.

This development has caused significant disruption for airlines that are stuck with the affected engines -- or were scheduled to receive new Pratt & Whitney-powered A320neos or A321neos in 2018. That's making two U.S. airlines look very smart: JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines. In the past year and a half, JetBlue and Spirit have both postponed all of their A320neo and A321neo deliveries until 2019 and beyond, in response to the new geared turbofan engines' early reliability issues.

The pain is real

Following discovery of the recent manufacturing flaw -- which caused several in-flight engine shutdowns -- Airbus had to temporarily halt deliveries of new aircraft with the affected engines. Airbus plans to resume deliveries in April. Nevertheless, it could take quite a while to catch up, given that Pratt & Whitney has to replace the faulty engines it already produced in addition to building engines for new aircraft.

The resulting delays recently forced Hawaiian Holdings subsidiary Hawaiian Airlines to scrap two planned seasonal summer routes Opens a New Window. and delay the start date for a third route. All of these routes were supposed to use brand-new A321neos.

Larger airlines may have more flexibility to adjust their fleet plans on the fly without canceling routes outright. Even so, the last-minute delivery delays will be costly for airlines that had to ground aircraft due to faulty engines or that won't receive their A320neo-family planes on time this year. (The affected airlines may receive compensation from Airbus and United Technologies to offset at least some of their losses.)

JetBlue dodged a bullet

As of mid-2016, JetBlue Airways was scheduled to add six A321neos to its fleet in 2018. Yet the company's management was wary of initial quality problems with the Pratt & Whitney engines that will power its A321neos. As a result, in the third quarter of 2016, it accelerated three current-generation A321 deliveries from 2019 to 2018, while deferring three A321neo deliveries from 2018 to 2019.

JetBlue executed an identical swap last April, as part of a broader fleet plan change Opens a New Window. designed to reduce its growth rate. As a result, it is now scheduled to receive its first A321neos in 2019.

Obviously, there's no guarantee that Pratt & Whitney will have resolved all of its production issues by year's end. Still, by deferring all of its A321neos to 2019 and beyond, JetBlue greatly reduced the risk of facing a major disruption to its fleet plan.

Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines learned its lesson

Spirit Airlines wasn't quite as smart -- or lucky -- as JetBlue. In late 2016, it became the first A320neo operator Opens a New Window. in the United States, taking delivery of five Pratt & Whitney-powered A320neos. Doing so proved to be a big mistake. Spirit had to ground multiple A320neos for most of last year because of engine problems.

By early 2018, Spirit Airlines' A320neo fleet was fully operational again. However, management had already learned its lesson about relying on not-quite-mature aircraft types.

In the first quarter of 2017, Spirit Airlines converted two of the four A320neos it had scheduled for delivery in 2018 to the current-generation A320 model. It deferred the other two A320neo deliveries to 2019. Earlier this year, it went even further, converting five of its 14 scheduled A320neo deliveries for 2019 to the current-generation version. That means it won't receive any additional A320neos (or A321neos) until the second half of 2019.

The A320neo and A321neo are great airplanes. In the long run, they will provide significant savings for airlines by reducing fuel and maintenance costs. But for now, most airlines are better off waiting on the sidelines while Pratt & Whitney works to ensure the reliability of its state-of-the-art geared turbofan engines.

Original article can be found here ➤  http://www.foxbusiness.com

Fuel from Jeddah jet leaks at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Hyderabad: Vigilant staff at Shamshabad airport saved several lives when they noticed fuel leaking from an aircraft that was about to take off and stopped it.

The plane belonging to Citilink Airways was on a flight from Jeddah to Indonesia and was carrying about 170 passengers. It had stopped at the RGI Airport for refuelling on Saturday night. 

“Due to the misplacement of the nozzle, the fuel poured over the plane’s fuselage and went on to spread over the runway too,” said airport officials.

According to sources, the staff workers noticed the leak and informed the authorities, who aborted the take off. The staff later cleaned up the leaked fuel with water and hosed down the runway.

‘Faulty valves caused Air India flight incident’

Directorate General of Civil Aviation investigation into mid-air cabin pressure failure says crew not to blame

An investigation report by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on the mid-air cabin pressure failure in an Air India flight from Mumbai to Kochi last year, has blamed faulty flow control valves which led to alarm bells going off at 39,000 feet and oxygen masks being deployed.

Emergency landing

The incident on February 27, 2017, saw the aircraft with 58 passengers and crew undertake an emergency landing in Mangaluru. This was followed by an investigation by the DGCA’s Air Safety Directorate for lessons that may help prevent such future incidents.

The report said the pilot declared an emergency during cruise when there was a rapid increase in cabin altitude due to cabin pressurization failure.

“The decision to divert and land the aircraft at Mangaluru was appropriate. The pilot made a safe emergency landing. There was no injury to any of the aircraft occupants and also there was no damage to the aircraft. Thus flight crew qualification and operations of the aircraft is not considered a contributory factor to the incident,” the DGCA report said.

The report added that weather did not contribute to the incident either.

No pre-departure snag

The report said there was no pre-departure snag and the cabin pressurization failed during cruise, which led to declaration of emergency and deployment of oxygen masks. It explained that upon inspection, flow control valve no.2 was found to be sluggish and was confirmed to be faulty.

“The aircraft was being served by only one pack for air conditioning. There was also a fault message for flow control valve no.1. The snag on this flow control valve could however not be confirmed on inspection. This anomaly in serviceability of flow control valve is possible as environmental conditions are not the same at higher altitude (39,000 feet) and on ground. Flow control valve no. 2 malfunctioned and [bled] through flow control valve no.1, which was not sufficient to maintain pressurisation in the cabin at higher altitude. Insufficient bleed led to depressurisation of the cabin,” the report concluded.

Following the incident, Air India carried out detailed checks and snag rectification procedures, replacing control units and flow valves that were tested again and found to be satisfactory.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.thehindu.com

Air India, Airbus A320-231A-320, VT-ESE

SYNOPSIS:

Airbus   A320   aircraft   VT-ESE was operating   flight  AI-681 (Mumbai -Cochin) on 27.02.2017. Departure from Mumbai was uneventful. During cruise, there was cabin pressurization failure. The aircraft descended with ATC permission.  Oxygen  masks were deployed.  The aircraft diverted to Mangalore and made emergency landing. The landing was safe. There was no injury to any  of the passengers or crew members on board the aircraft.

After  landing  at  Mangalore,  the  aircraft  was  inspected  for  rectification by AME. During rectification, cabin pressure controller no.1, pack no.1 and flow control valve of Pack no. 2 were  replaced. Engines were given ground run to check the serviceability of the cabin pressurization system; which was found satisfactory.    The deployed oxygen masks were stowed. The aircraft was operated under MEL for a positioning flight to Delhi. At Delhi, flow control valve no. 1 and pressure regulating  valve (PRV) no.2  were replaced. Thereafter the aircraft declared serviceable.

This incident has been investigated by inquiry officer under rule 13(1) of Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rule 2012.

The cabin pressurization failure occurred due to malfunction of flow control valve no.  2 at higher altitude.

Investigation Report:  http://dgca.nic.in

Whatcom County, Washington: Lost or injured in the wilderness? Here’s who’s coming to save you



If you’re lost or injured in a remote area of Whatcom County, how long it takes for help to arrive – and who comes to your rescue – depends on the weather, where you are, and how badly you’re hurt.

With the region’s varied landscape, stretching from the shores of Bellingham Bay to the glacier-cloaked slopes of Mount Baker, search-and-rescue teams need a variety of skills to help people in distress. It can take several hours or more to assemble the personnel and equipment required to find and rescue people in trouble, said Whatcom County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Huso.

“There are times when we’re not able to get there for days,” Huso said, cautioning wilderness sports enthusiasts to “be prepared, and be prepared to wait.”

Huso said that means keeping abreast of current weather conditions, carrying a cellphone or avalanche beacon, extra clothing, the so-called “10 essentials” and adequate food and water.

Always travel with a partner, he said, and let someone know your plans.

Often, an overdue person such as a hiker, climber or snow-shoer, is reported at nightfall – which means search teams might not be able to start before daybreak.




Wilderness can be deadly

In the past year in Whatcom County, three snowboarders have vanished on snowy mountain slopes and are presumed dead; inner-tubers have struggled in the raging Nooksack River; and mountain climbers have fallen into glacial crevasses – including one who suffered a fatal injury. Kayakers got into trouble on Lake Whatcom and Bellingham Bay; motorists have driven off cliffs; hikers have fallen into canyons or gone missing on trails; and planes have crashed in the Chuckanut Mountains and in Bellingham Bay.

Most recently, a sales representative for the outdoor retailer Patagonia – an experienced backcountry skier who admits he should’ve known better than to head off alone – was missing for nearly a day before he stumbled onto a mountain rescue party.

“You name it, we do it,” Huso said.

“Hopefully this is it” for the season, he added. “Usually we don’t have a year quite like that, especially near the ski area.”

Huso and two SAR deputies under his command coordinate response to backcountry searches and other emergencies that require special rescue skills.

They reach out to a variety of local volunteers and local, state and federal agencies for help, including those with technical rope skills, special communications equipment, search dogs, horseback teams, four-wheel-drive trucks and ATVs, snowmobiles, boats and aircraft.

“Overall, we have about seven groups with over 200 volunteers,” Huso said.

Read more here ➤ http://www.bellinghamherald.com

United Airlines' President Just Showed How Not to Talk to Employees (and Now They're Mad as Hell)

How should a leader persuade his staff that he has their interests at heart? Not like this.



He thinks he's fooled them.



By Chris Matyszczyk
Owner, Howard Raucous LLC


Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. 

Words matter. 

Even if they're in a memo. Especially if they're in a memo sent by a senior executive to all of his 86,000 employees.

I felt a peculiar twitch just above my eyebrow, therefore, when I read some words sent by United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to all those who work at United.

The words concerned the removal of their quarterly performance bonuses, to be replaced by a lottery, in which someone could win $100,000 and others could get a few other prizes. Such as $20,000. Or, um, $2,000.

It could be you.

Then again, it most likely won't be you, as there aren't that many prizes. 

Which means if you work for United and are eligible for a bonus, you'll be out around $1,200 a year -- the amount normally received by many employees. 

Now I can imagine Elon Musk or some other leader blessed with vast charisma either looking at United's scheme and instantly balking or finding a completely different way to approach it.

Here's how Kirby began his sell: "As we look to continue improving, we took a step back and decided to replace the quarterly operational bonus and perfect attendance programs with an exciting new rewards program called 'core4 Score Rewards."

Just like that. We decided to replace.

So looking to continue improving meant taking a step back and summarily removing a bonus that many of the staff relied on?

It's a curious logic, one that says: "How do we get them to improve? How about taking away their bonus?" To be followed by "heh. heh. heh."

Then there's that phrase "rewards program."

What does that remind you of? Why, frequent flyer miles. And what has happened to those miles over recent years? Why, they've become significantly devalued.

Might this give you a clue to what's on United's mind here?

Still, Live and Let's Fly offers the most pulsating -- to me, at least -- words of the memo.

"The reason for this change goes to the heart of our strategy: offering meaningful rewards will build excitement and a sense of accomplishment with more bang for the buck," says Kirby.

So the previous performance bonus was meaningless, it seems.

And more bang for the buck, some might grunt, is what the management will be getting, not the employees. 

May I repeat: It seems that most of them won't get a bonus at all.

The employees are unlikely to be taken in by this flimsy-flamsy attempt at verbal prestidigitation. 

They know a lot about how the airline is run.

And, going by the emails I've already had from Flight Attendants, they're appalled that their bonus scheme is being turned into what one described to me as "like one of those email contests where it says, 'click here for a chance to win," and another described as "a game show."

Many of these suitcases contain nothing at all! But one has a Mercedes C-Class worth $40,000!"

Kirby, indeed, like a game show host, wants his audience to be fixated on that Mercedes, just as a lottery player is fixated on those $15 million they're never going to see. 

"We want every United team member to picture themselves walking home with a grand prize, or driving home in a beautiful car that announces for all to see that you are committed to your success and ours," Kirby said.

Is that what the Mercedes would announce for all to see? Or would it rather announce: "I won a raffle! I can't even afford the insurance because of how little United pays me!"?

Ultimately, such communication from management is about psychology. 

It's about first deciding on the positives of the new scheme and how to bring it in. It's not about simply presenting a fait-accompli with a glaring downside.

Then, it's about choosing words that will bring the employees onto your side 

It seems that United's management really did think that its employees would give up a guaranteed bonus in favor of a raffle ticket. 

Did no one at United imagine that the employees might see through all this?

Did they not conceive that one or two employees would see it as maybe, just maybe, a crude cost-saving attempt inspired by cynical parsimony and an underhanded way of telling them they're not working hard enough, so need to be inspired by an "Enter for a chance to win!" mentality? 

But more aggravating than that, surely, is the painfully transparent hucksterism of the tone. 

I contacted United to ask whether it had endured any adverse reaction from employees.

All an airline spokeswoman would tell me was: "We believe that this new program will build excitement and a sense of accomplishment as we continue to set all-time operational records that result in an experience that our customers value."

Will build excitement.

"Come on down!" says the United Airlines president. "See if you can win on the the Big, But Not So Big, United Giveaway!"

I worry that the ratings for this show won't be very high.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.inc.com