SafeSkies Newsletter Vol.2, No. 2
SAFESKIES NEWSLETTER
Volume 2, No. 2
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March 19, 2010
In this Issue
Latest News from SafeSkies
Industry News
LATEST NEWS FROM SAFESKIES
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Welcome to the second issue of the SafeSkies Newsletter for 2010.
As mentioned in the last issue, there was a requirement for response to the Petition shortly after the return of Parliament on March 3rd. Although no response has yet been received from Transport Canada or its Minister, a response has been received from the Transportation Safety Board. Please visit http://safeskies.ca/news/TSB_Petition_Response for more information.
On March 16th, the Transportation Safety Board launched its new Watchlist, identifying Safety Management Systems as a multimodal "Problem". On the same day, Minister of Transport John Baird announced that Transport Canada would be taking back oversight of the business aviation sector. Please see http://safeskies.ca/news/Watchlist and http://safeskies.ca/news/TC_Reclaims_Authority respectively.
For our French speaking readers, please note that Radio Canada is advertising a television program on pilot fatigue to air next Thursday, March 25th. Please visit http://www.radio-canada.ca/emissions/enquete/2009-2010/Reportage.asp?idDoc=106569 to watch the video promo and mark your calendars!
Please also be sure to read the Flight Safety Foundation's AeroSafetyWorld article, "Reg Flags on SMS", from the Dec/Jan edition and found here for your convenience: http://safeskies.ca/files/safeskies/docs/Red_Flags_SMS.pdf
In the last issue we encouraged our readers in the area to consider attending this year's Aviation Safety Leadership Forum in Richmond BC, to be held on April 13. Please be advised that SafeSkies has been offered a 25% discount on future ticket purchases until April 6th. Please see http://safeskies.ca/news/Leadership_Forum for more information and contact Kirsten Stevens by replying to this email, or through the "contact us" page, if you would like to take advantage of the savings.
Note that when you next visit our website, you may notice two new features have been made available. An RSS feed button has been added to both Latest News and Topics, as well as a share/save button for blogs, social networks, etc. We encourage you to share our content!
At this time, we also wish to inform you that Kirsten Stevens has been invited to meet with Director General Civil Aviation, Martin Eley, during his upcoming visit to Vancouver for the CHC Safety Summit. Mr. Eley has indicated that the discussion will focus around both SMS and floatplane safety. We hope to provide a summary after the meeting has taken place.
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.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
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FROM CANADA
Since the last newsletter, there is only one fatal accident to report. Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Bert Smit, whose home-built F11 Jodel crashed west of Courtenay, BC on March 3, 2010. The accident has been given a Class 5 Occurrence designation by the TSB. Please see http://safeskies.ca/content/2010P0261 for more information.
Also on March 3rd, the TSB released its report on the first of two fatal Pacific Coastal Grumman Goose crashes which occurred in 2008. The father of the pilot cites his disappointment in the investigation in the Globe & Mail article "Father not satisfied with report on BC plane crash", found at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/father-not-satisfied-with-report-on-bc-plane-crash/article1489075/. Our thoughts are with the survivors, friends and families. The TSB report can be read here: http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2008/a08p0241/a08p0241.asp
March 12th marked the first anniversary of the tragic helicopter crash off the coast of Newfoundland. The same day, the CBC's Fifth Estate aired the episode "Cougar 491", revealing what insiders already knew - that the problems that led to the crash were previously known to Canadian and US authorities. Watch the documentary at http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2009-2010/cougar_491/. Note that the Public Inquiry is ongoing.
On March 18th, various news sources reported a Federal Court ruling that Flight Attendant's can refuse to fly with a pilot they believe to be suicidally depressed. One such article can be found at http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/pilots-alleged-suicide-threat-not-properly-probed-judge-88350502.html.
As some readers will already be aware, the College of Professional Pilots of Canada now has its website up and running. Although they are not yet accepting membership, if you are a working pilot in Canada, it will be worth keeping yourself informed - whether you agree or disagree with their plans. Please visit http://www.collegeofpilots.ca.
Finally, a somewhat disturbing story has been brought to our attention through the COPA Flight 8 Ottawa blogspace. After the recent TSB Safety Advisory A09Q0071-D1-A1 was reprinted in trust by the Transport Canada Aviation Safety Letter Issue 1-2010, it was discovered that a number of errors were contained which led to unwarranted concern over the amateur built CLASS Bush Caddy. Transport Canada was forced to retract the article. It is unknown what action has been taken by the TSB, or if a similar apology to the one found on the TC website has been relayed by the TSB. Please visit http://safeskies.ca/news/Retraction for more information.
FROM THE UNITED STATES
==>FAA fines airline $2.9 million for safety violations<==
American Airlines regional carrier American Eagle has been fined $2.9 million by the Federal Aviation Administration for operating at least 1,178 flights on four aircraft that had their landing gear doors improperly repaired. While American Eagle doesn't fly to the Twin Cities at the present time, American Airlines passengers who originate here often fly American Eagle via connections at Chicago O'Hare and Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport.
The regional airline, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, is disputing the fine, saying that safety was not compromised during the flights in question which operated between February and May 2008. According to an FAA safety order, the landing gear doors on Bombardier regional jets flown by the carrier were supposed to be completely removed for a required repair to be made. American Eagle apparently made the repairs without removing the doors, which is a violation of regulations. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said the following FAA safety orders "is not optional" and that "The FAA does not hesitate to levy fines if maintenance standards are violated."
See http://www.examiner.com/x-12585-Minneapolis-AirlinesAirport-Examiner~y2010m2d18-FAA-fines-airline-29-million-for-safety-violations for the full article.
==>Current simulators can mislead pilots<==
"It's negative training," says Jack Ralston of Bihrle Applied Research, a Hampton, Va., firm that specializes in creating realistic simulators. The way airline training simulators portray stalls now is "so benign it gives the pilot a false impression of what the aircraft actually behaves like."
Bihrle's firm, along with NASA researchers and others, are trying to change that. They have developed simulators that realistically portray all the violent rocking and pitching that occurs when a plane stalls. The NTSB last month said that new simulator software has proven accurate and unanimously voted to recommend that it be incorporated into all airline pilot training.
See http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2010-03-08-simulators-inside_N.htm for the full article.
==>NTSB: Glass Cockpits Vs Conventional No Better Safety Record<==
The National Transportation Safety Board adopted a study concluding that single engine airplanes equipped with glass cockpits had no better overall safety record than airplanes with conventional instrumentation.
The safety study, which was adopted unanimously by the Safety Board, was initiated more than a year ago to determine if light airplanes equipped with digital primary flight displays, often referred to as "glass cockpits," were inherently safer than those equipped with conventional instruments.
Please visit http://avstop.com/news_march_2010/ntsb_glass_cockpits_vs_conventional_no_better_safety_record.htm to read the rest of the article.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
==>European Helo Industry Strives to Improve Safety<==
Initiatives from various parts of the world were discussed at the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)’s third rotorcraft symposium in Cologne, Germany in December. Offshore operations are still a major focus, but some speakers warned that real problems may be somewhat below the radar—at small operators and/or in remote areas.
Please visit http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/publicservice/govt/European-Helo-Industry-Strives-to-Improve-Safety_66759.html for a very thorough description of the ongoing work.
==>Safer Flights for the Mining and Resources Sector<==
Flight Safety Foundation has launched the first global aviation standard for the mining and resources sector.
The Basic Aviation Risk (BAR) Standard Program provides a common safety approach to aircraft operations, which will help prevent the accidents that have affected the industry and its associated communities.
The BAR Standard Program was developed in consultation with some of the world’s leading resource companies, including BHP Billiton, Lihir Gold, Minerals and Metals Group (MMG), Xstrata and Rio Tinto.
The resources sector relies increasingly on aircraft for employee movement and a variety of other activities such as geological surveys, helicopter external load missions and offshore operations. Currently, multiple aviation safety standards exist, based on the expectations of individual companies. This has the potential to introduce inefficiencies, varying degrees of acceptability and overall lower levels of flight safety assurance, impacting resource sector firms.
Full article at http://flightsafety.org/media-center/press-releases/safer-flights-for-the-mining-and-resources-sector.
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CONTACT US
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Visit http://safeskies.ca/contact.html or reply to this email.
