SafeSkies Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 5
October 1, 2009
In this Issue
- Latest News from SafeSkies
- Industry News
- The Petition
LATEST NEWS FROM SAFESKIES
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Welcome to the fifth issue of the SafeSkies Newsletter.
The big news in this issue is, of course, the recent airing of CBC's Fifth Estate expose on air safety, titled "Riding on Risk". Among several damning examples of Transport Canada's lax oversight of aviation safety and security, both Kirsten Stevens and Hugh Danford were featured in the program. Several clips from our April Round Table were also featured, thanks to David Hutton of the Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform (FAIR - http://fairwhistleblower.ca) who recorded the event, helped create the website and continues to lend his invaluable assistance and encouragement.
If you have not had a chance to view the program, please visit http://safeskies.ca/news/upcoming_fifth_estate for times the program will repeat, for a link to view it online, and for further information. The comments section linked to the page is worth the read in itself.
Following the weekend airing, NDP Transport Critic Dennis Bevington once again raised the issue during Question Period on September 28th. Mr. Bevington reminded Minister Baird of the recent call for a report by the Auditor General following the release of information of fund misappropriation from the MacKenzie Valley Pipeline to aviation oversight (http://safeskies.ca/news/question_period). Mr. Bevington also reminded the Minister of his request for an inquiry after the April Round Table, and the Minister of State for Transport, Rob Merrifield's deplorable call for an apology (http://safeskies.ca/events/2009_04_23_question_period.html). Visit http://safeskies.ca/news/QP_after_the_fifth for text and video of this most recent Question.
It should be noted that a great deal of feedback has been generated to SafeSkies as a result of the Fifth Estate, and the hits on the website have grown exponentially.
We trust that there will be follow up to the piece, and in keeping with that you will now find a Petition on the website calling for an inquiry into aviation transportation oversight. The text of the petition is reprinted at the end of this newsletter.
>>> THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE
>>> Please download the petition from http://safeskies.ca/content/sign_the_petition and follow the instructions. Please do everything you can to help spread the word and gather as many signatures as possible.
>> MORE HELP WANTED
> As recognition for our organization has grown, there have been more requests for our presence at various functions across the country. We need help to enable us to respond to these requests. If anyone can assist, for example by donating air miles or helping us cover the travel costs, please contact Kirsten directly.
> In our last newsletter, you will have noticed we carried a "Special Issue" related to the destaffing of manned lighthouses on our coasts. Comments have been positive and the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Gail Shea, has now ordered a review of the Coast Guards plans. As a result of this partial success and to encourage the industry to speak out on such matters, we plan to begin a "Special Issues" section on the website. We request, and welcome, contributions from our readers, anonymously if preferred.
As a final piece of SafeSkies News, both Kirsten Stevens and David Hutton participated in the September 18th Whistleblowing Airline Employees Blog Talk Radio Program hosted from Atlanta, Georgia. This event helped to solidify our relationships with the hosting organization, as well as the FAA Whistleblowers Alliance and the US based Government Accountability Project. Please see http://safeskies.ca/news/blog_talk for more information and to listen to the audio.
Please send your comments, questions and story ideas to Kirsten.stevens@safeskies.ca.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
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FROM CANADA
On September 21st a US registered Robinson R22 Alpha helicopter crashed in Brampton, ON, fatally injuring the pilot and sole occupant. The helicopter was apparently used to commute to work between Halton Hills and Toronto. The CADORS 2009O2102 indicates the TSB investigation A09O0207 has been given a Class 3 designation (see TSB Occurrence Classification Policy at http://tsb.gc.ca/eng/normes-standards/evenements-occurrences.asp). For more information please read the article from The Spec at http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/640100.
Reports out of Quebec indicate a privately owned and operatated Zenair Zodiac ultralight crashed near Lachute on September 29th, fatally injuring the 50 year old pilot. The CADORS 2009Q2058 does not yet indicate the TSB classification for investigation A09Q0177.
This accident marks the 20th fatal occurrence of a Canadian registered aircraft since the Round Table. Please see http://safeskies.ca/content/fatal for more information.
Please note that the CADORS has moved to http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/cadors-screaq/m.aspx?lang=eng.
Many people will recall the tragic crash of a Piper Seneca into a highrise building in downtown Richmond, BC, in October 2007. Although the TSB report does not yet appear on their website, an article titled "Report Raises Concerns About Aging Pilots" was released by the Canadian Press on September 29th. The article can be read here: http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090929/bc_aging_pilots_090929/20090929/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
On September 23rd, an article appeared in the Globe and Mail titled "Plane-crash probe to urge new tracking system: Report on Pacific Coastal crash will call for GPS technology that can find downed aircraft within minutes airline officials say". On a personal note, Kirsten Stevens expresses her distress that this is a recommendation that could and should have come out of the investigation into her husband's death. The article can be found at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/air-safety-probe-sought/article1287987/.
As discussed in the "Latest News from SafeSkies" above, NDP Transport Critic Dennis Bevington recently questioned the fictitious accounting practices at Transport Canada. Joining him in his call for Auditor-General Sheila Fraser to investigate was Liberal MP Joe Volpe. Please read this article from the Globe and Mail, "Air Safety Probe Sought" at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/air-safety-probe-sought/article1287987/.
FROM THE UNITED STATES
==>Charter Crashes Expose Oversight Failures<==
Aviation regulators have missed blatant pilot training violations, failed to identify illegal charter flights and allowed planes to fly that should have been grounded, according to government accident records reviewed by USA TODAY.
At least six recent fatal crashes of charter jets and small airliners have exposed failures in the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of for-hire air carriers, according to accident files and investigators. In nearly every case, the failures were discovered by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and not the FAA.
Read the whole article here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-09-15-air-safety_N.htm
One of the crashes cited in this article includes the following recommendations:
Explore and implement strategies to improve on-site inspector surveillance activities at airports and of flight operations to detect and deter improper charter operations. (A-09-80)
Assess why your existing policies, procedures, and practices resulted in a failure to detect the noncompliant actions of Interstate Helicopters and develop additional methods, measures, or procedures for performing inspections of and following up on complaints about 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand operators that can successfully detect noncompliant charter operations. (A-09-81)
See here for the full NTSB report: http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2009/A09_72_81.pdf
==>US FAA Will No Longer Call Airlines "Customers"<==
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, trying to shake criticism it has been too close to the industry it regulates, will drop its practice of calling airlines its customers and will beef up safety practices.
"When we say customer, we mean the flying public," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in announcing policy changes aimed at strengthening safety oversight and streamlining avenues for whistleblowers and others to report problems without fear of reprisal or other pressure to remain quiet.
Read the whole article here: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE58G5K820090917
==>FAA Launches New Accident Prevention Office<==
As part of a strategy to reduce emerging aviation risks using national safety data, the agency’s Office of Aviation Safety today launched a new Accident Investigation and Prevention Service that integrates the work of the Offices of Accident Investigation and Safety Analytical Services.
“This program give us better tools to spot potential safety problems and head off aviation accidents before they happen,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
“If we are going to continue to improve aviation safety, we have to be able to gather safety information from our industry and use data-driven safety programs to identify and address risks before they lead to accidents,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
Read the release here: http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=10804
FROM OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA
==>Regulatory Abuse by Airlines Threatens Aviation Safety<==
The largest single cause accelerating the downward trend of aviation safety is the increase in the number of regulatory breaches by airlines remaining uncorrected. This startling fact is difficult to comprehend, particularly as recent aircraft accident reports have cited weak regulatory oversight being a major contributory factor.
Aircraft Engineers International (AEI) further believes that national aviation regulators must start to act instead of maintaining their current stand-off attitude. This would require an immediate halt to the current regulatory trend of appeasing operator's demands for lighter regulation. National airworthiness authorities if genuine about safety being paramount must move away from paper auditing and become more hands on.
Read the whole article here: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS109068+17-Sep-2009+PRN20090917
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PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
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WE the undersigned, Residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
Whereas:
- Transport Canada is reducing traditional oversight methods and delegating its responsibilities in all sectors to industry via Safety Management Systems (SMS), which relies on self-reporting
- Enabling amendments to the Aeronautics Act, which are needed to make enforcement more current and effective, have been repeatedly rejected because they also contain detrimental secrecy provisions and do not enact whistleblower protection for industry workers reporting unsafe practices, whether in the public or private sectors
- Notwithstanding the above, Notices of Proposed Amendments to the Civil Aviation Regulations and Standards are soon due which will implement SMS into the riskiest sectors of aviation (702/703/704)
- Financial considerations, for both public and private operations, often outweigh safety, especially in times of world-wide financial crisis such as now being experienced
- For organizations under financial constraints, either in public or private sector, there is no motivation to self-report safety infractions and wrong-doings
- The Transportation Safety Board no longer investigates all serious accidents for cause and contributing factors, nor does it make public the results of all investigations, resulting in a loss of valuable safety information
- This reduction of oversight and investigation is in response to a lack of appropriate funding and fear of Crown liability
- Consequently, Canada may no longer be compliant with our obligations to the International Civil Aviation Organization under the Chicago Convention
- Reduction of government oversight and reliance on Safety Management Systems has resulted in serious safety breaches in Rail, Marine, Food and Nuclear sectors
- Aviation workers and the travelling public are in danger as a result
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada:
TO INITIATE A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, headed by a Superior Court judge, to conduct a judicial review into Canada’s state of national aviation safety and related regulatory infrastructure to be followed by further reviews at defined intervals.
==>This is your chance to help make a difference.<==
Please download the petition from http://safeskies.ca/content/sign_the_petition and follow the instructions. Please do everything you can to help spread the word and gather as many signatures as possible.
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CONTACT US
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Send comments, questions and story ideas to kirsten.stevens@safeskies.ca .
Report problems to webmaster@safeskies.ca .
