SafeSkies Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 1
SAFESKIES NEWSLETTER
Volume 2, No. 1
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February 1, 2010
In this Issue
Latest News from SafeSkies
Industry News
Aviation Leadership Foundation: Safety Award Nomination
LATEST NEWS FROM SAFESKIES
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Welcome to the first issue of the SafeSkies Newsletter for 2010.
As most of you are no doubt aware, Parliament has been prorogued until March 3rd. Although proroguing results in the requirement for all Committee work to begin again, we have been advised that the NDP Transport Critic, Dennis Bevington, does intend to reintroduce the Motion for a review of Transport Canada oversight and implementation of SMS in aviation to the Standing Committee.
With respect to the Petition, we are advised that the tabling of the document is not similarly "lost" with proroguing, and that a government response will be required shortly after the return of Parliament.
At the end of this issue you will find information about the Aviation Safety Leadership Forum to be hosted in Richmond BC on April 13th. Last year, Kirsten Stevens was one of the presenters for this Forum (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZAI4nfKy9o), and this year she is on the Selection Committee for the new Award which will be presented. She and the Committee look forward to reviewing your nominations and, hopefully, seeing you at the event. Note that the nomination deadline is March 5th.
For information on SafeSkies' projects, and ways you can help, please see http://safeskies.ca/content/how_you_can_help .
Please continue visiting the website frequently and sending your comments, questions and story ideas to Kirsten.Stevens@safeskies.ca .
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INDUSTRY NEWS
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FROM CANADA
Sadly, there have been three aviation related fatalities since the last newsletter was created. Our deepest sympathies are extended to those affected by these tragedies.
On December 21st, a man fell to his death while de-icing an aircraft at Calgary International Airport. The death will be investigated by Human Resources Skills Development Canada, the government department responsible for the safety of workplaces under federal jurisdiction. See http://www.canada.com/dies+while+icing+plane+Calgary+airport/2366851/story.html for more information.
On January 18, a private pilot crashed his Cessna 172 near Nelson, BC. While he initially survived the crash and contacted rescue workers using his cell phone, he was deceased by the time he was located. The accident has been designated a Class 5 Occurrence by the TSB. Please see http://safeskies.ca/content/2010P0058 for more information.
On January 23, an amateur build VANS RV7A crashed near Madoc, Ontario, killing its owner and pilot, Andrew Phillips. This accident has been designated a Class 3 Occurrence by the TSB. Please see http://safeskies.ca/content/2010O0147 for more information.
While a number of other accidents were reported into the CADORS, it is somewhat disturbing to note three apparently inadvertent gear-up landings took place. Unfortunately, all three accidents have been given a Class 5 designation by the TSB. Please see CADORS 2009C3607, 2010C0214 and 2010P0102.
On January 28, the TSB issued an update into the November 29th fatal Beaver crash at Saturna Island. While the TSB plan to do flight tests to acquire and compare performance numbers in different configurations, as well as determine if wind conditions at the time of the accident may have been a factor, they have also expressed criticism of Transport Canada for a failure to act on past recommendations with respect to the survivability of seaplane accidents. See http://safeskies.ca/news/Saturna_Update for more information.
In other news, CBC reported that Winnipeg police, accompanied by Transport Canada investigators, executed a second search warrant at the head office of Fast Air on Monday, January 11th. The article can be found at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/01/13/man-fast-air-investigation.html.
Also, following swiftly on the heels of the Christmas Day "underwear bomber" attempt, CBC's Fifth Estate aired an updated version of the 2005 episode, "Fasten Your Seatbelts", an in depth look at the security of Canadian airports and airspace. Please visit http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2009-2010/fasten_your_seatbelts/ to view.
Finally, please note the latest release of Transport Canada's Aviation Safety Letter at http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/publications/tp185/1-10/menu.htm. The issue includes an SMS implementation update, and a Guest Editorial by the Director General of Civil Aviation, Martin Eley. Among many interesting articles, you will also find "Flying for Money" under the subheading Regulations and You, an important reminder of Transport Canada decisions with respect to the definition of for "hire or reward".
FROM THE UNITED STATES
==>Fatal Flying on Airlines No Accident in Pilot Complaints to FAA<==
And the airline had installed automotive parts not certified by the FAA for use in airplanes. Edwards, 44, has sued Gulfstream (which isn’t related to business jet manufacturer Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.) under a Florida whistle-blower law, alleging the company retaliated against him by firing him.
“They were trying to force pilots to fly airplanes that weren’t in any condition to fly,’” Edwards says. “They did everything to cut costs, and they seemed to be crossing a line to where it was not safe.”
See http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aaNPBjZ2kB54&pos=10 for the full article.
==>Airplane Maintenance Outsourcing Tests the Bounds of Safety<==
In other words, according to some, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
Others disagree and argue, yes, we should most definitely be worried. The Inspector General of the Department of Transportation in particular has warned for the past six years that the monitoring of these foreign stations is far below standard, declaring that the “FAA still does not have comprehensive data on how much and where outsourced maintenance is performed.” The Inspector General added that "problems existed, such as untrained mechanics, lack of required tools and unsafe storage of aircraft parts."
And what about the stellar safety record? One official said “The absence of an accident doesn’t mean you’re safe. We should be monitoring and doing our job before there’s an accident, not after.”
Legislators are also worried. Senator Clair McCaskill (D-MO) has been pushing legislation in Congress that would require tougher standards on foreign repair shops and their oversight. “When you have a situation like this, where you’re going to El Salvador because it’s going to be a lot cheaper, and the company in El Salvador is going to make a lot more money if they can promise the planes out more quickly, then that is a dangerous stew that we are stirring,” McCaskill said.
See http://knowledgebase.findlaw.com/kb/2009/Dec/59093.html for the full article.
==>More Aviation Incidents to Require NTSB Reporting<==
The rule will require reports when an aircraft lands or departs on a taxiway or incorrect runway, when an aircraft experiences a runway incursion that requires the operator or the crew of another aircraft or vehicle to take immediate corrective action to avoid a collision, when damage to a helicopter's tail or main rotor blade necessitates major repair or replacement of that blade, and when all or part of a propeller blade separates from an aircraft, except when ground contact is the sole cause.
The rule also requires reporting any "complete loss of information, excluding flickering, from more than 50 percent of an aircraft's cockpit displays ...
Please visit http://ohsonline.com/articles/2010/01/08/more-aviation-incidents-to-require-ntsb-reporting.aspx?admgarea=news to read the rest of the article.
==>Are pilots flying beyond their limits?<==
John A. Caldwell, a Hawaii-based fatigue consultant who has worked for airlines, the armed forces and NASA, said pilots with long hours on duty can develop sleep deficits. The lack of rest can make it hard to perform even routine tasks and trigger a phenomenon known as micro-sleeps, nodding off from a fraction of second to several seconds.
Fatigue "is an epidemic type of problem," Caldwell said. "These guys really have a tough time. Most of the studies have involved pilots on long-range flights. But the regional guys make more landings and takeoffs a day. Their schedules are a lot more unpredictable. I'm sure it is a problem for [the pilot who spoke to The Times]."
The Pinnacle pilot said his pace was so demanding that he once took a day off because he felt too tired to fly. Two weeks later, management threatened a reprimand, he said, though company policy provides for fatigue days.
Pinnacle officials deny threatening any pilot and say that when someone reports being tired the company is non-punitive and gives them advice on how to reduce fatigue. However, in recent congressional testimony, John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Assn., said that about a third of Pinnacle's pilots report being reprimanded for illness and fatigue-related absences each year. Prater, an airline captain, said the figure was based on grievances and complaints from captains and first officers.
Please see http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover17-2010jan17,0,6867522,full.story for the full story.
==>FAA Seeks Checks of Pilot Oxygen Systems on Boeing Jets<==
Starting more than a decade ago, Boeing received reports of problems caused by current flowing through part of the stowage box for pilot oxygen masks, which eventually can result in a hose melting or burning. The initial incident was reported on a Boeing 757 in 1997. In response, the company in 1999 issued its first round safety bulletins covering 757s and three other aircraft models, according to a Boeing spokeswoman.
On Friday, the FAA issued separate but identical proposed safety directives for 737s, 747s and 767s. It had previously issued essentially the same proposals covering more than 480 Boeing 757s in September 2009.
It's unusual for the FAA to wait so long to mandate safety actions in the wake of a manufacturer's recommendation. A spokesman for the FAA and a spokeswoman for Boeing didn't have any comment on the timing of the latest proposal.
See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703906204575028171518328544.html for the full text.
==>FAA and TSA whistleblower suppression and stonewalling breaches human rights and national security
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FAA and TSA continue suppressing and stonewalling federal aircrew and other airline employee whistleblowers. Federal law protections, politicians and law enforcement turn a blind eye. The multi-agency "national security" system systematically fails to protect the public by failing to protect whistleblowers. Instead, it protects terrorists and high-level corruption.
Please visit http://www.examiner.com/x-10438-Human-Rights-Examiner~y2010m1d28-FAA-and-TSA-whistleblower-suppression-and-stonewalling?cid=examiner-email for more information and related links.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
==>Accident Investigator Group Sign Criminalization Resolution
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“The safety of the traveling public is endangered by overzealous prosecutors attempting to criminalize aviation accidents, which can have a chilling effect on cooperation with accident investigators,” said FSF President and CEO William R. Voss. “We welcome these latest safety professionals joining in our statement of principles and urge judges, jurors, and prosecutors, like those involved in the unfortunate Concorde criminal case soon going to trial in France, to pay close attention. We cannot afford to let the desire by some for vengeance or publicity to come at the expense of safety for all. We need to learn from accidents to prevent them, not criminally punish well-meaning professionals and thereby risk a repeat of tragedy.”
Please visit http://flightsafety.org/media-center/press-releases/accident-investigator-group-sign-criminalization-resolution for more information and links.
==>Plane crash search team to get help from submarines
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The search operation attempting to salvage the black box and wreckage of the Ethiopian Airlines plane which crashed into the sea off the coast of Lebanon is enlisting the help of submarines, the Army said on Monday. The team of salvage experts, bolstered by international and UN support, is awaiting the arrival of the US ship Odyssey Explorer and its submarine Zeus I which will scan the seabed close to Beirut.
Full article at http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=111362.
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Aviation Leadership Safety Award 2010
Nomination Guide
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Objective
This award is presented to those people and companies who demonstrate leadership in safety and deserve to be recognized.
Raising awareness of these achievements also provides an opportunity to share best practices inspiring further improvement and positive change in the aviation industry.
Nomination
The nomination stage provides the opportunity to demonstrate the impact of persons and teams/organizations to improve aviation safety. The closing date for nominations is extended to Friday March 5, 2010. Nominations will be assessed and shortlisted by the Aviation Leadership Award Selection Committee. If an individual or team/organization is shortlisted they will be contacted by March 9, 2010, and at that time, have an opportunity to submit additional information.
Eligibility
Any person can nominate a member of the aviation community to receive the safety award,including self-nominations.
Each nominee must have made an outstanding contribution to Canadian aviation safety. Such a contribution can be for a single act of safety, continuous commitment to improve aviation safety or a leadership initiative that enhances aviation safety.
The Awards will be presented to the recipients at the Aviation Leadership Forum. The nominee must be able to attend the Aviation Leadership Forum on April 13, 2010.
Nomination deadline is extended to Friday, March 5, 2010.
Nominations will be accepted anytime until the deadline.
The decision of the Aviation Leadership Award Selection Committee is final.
Nomination Categories
Team/ Organization - The Committee will be looking for a team/organization that has demonstrated commitment and an exceptional dedication to Canadian aviation safety; an outstanding contribution to aviation safety, demonstrating leadership and sharing best practices with industry.
Individual - The Award Selection Committee will be looking for an individual who has demonstrated commitment and an exceptional dedication to Canadian aviation safety, an outstanding act, effort, contribution or service to aviation safety, who is a safety leader and activist within their
organization, whose activities or ideas have: solved problems, established precedents, and improved safety conditions in their workplace.
2010 Selection Committee
• Barbara Dunn – President, Canadian Society of Air Safety Investigators
• Catherine Roome – Chief Operating Officer, BC Safety Authority
• Teara Fraser – President and Founder, Aviation Leadership Foundation
• Kirsten Stevens – Safety Advocate for Workers Transported by Air
• Patricia Kennedy – CEO of the Pacific Flying Club and Former Chairman of Air Transport Association of Canada
• Bryan Webster – Aviation Egress Systems Founder and 2007 Transport Canada Aviation Safety Award Winner
• Megan Goddard – Goddard Aviation Consulting, Vice-President Women in Aviation Sea to Sky Chapter
See http://safeskies.ca/news/Leadership_Forum for more information.
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CONTACT US
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