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Transport Canada stalls aviation safety and consumers

Our thoughts are with those who lost loved ones in Resolute Bay, Nunavut on Aug. 20. This issue of Aviation Safety News also covers aerodynamic stalls - Continental Connection Flight 3407 and Air France Flight 447 - do pilots need more training?
The issue includes selections from stories filed by top journalists about:
Transport Canada deep sixes floatplane safety
FAA nixes Sikorsky S-92A dry-running requirement
$2 billion awarded by CATSA in airport passenger screening contracts
Webster Memorial Trophy, Kevin Aalders is Canada's top amateur pilot
Pilot fatigue regulations stalled in the US (where are Canada's?)

Consumer protection lags in Canada
Only 78% of Canadian summer flights on time
Air Canada fined for misleading advertising in the US
Canadian misleading advertising law waits for cabinet approval

The lead investigator into the Cougar Helicopters crash makes a call for a strong regulator.
"I envisage a safety regulator for the offshore as having a mandate to learn about the background of any equipment being used or to be used in the offshore, including helicopters. It should have the knowledge and authority to say when additional measures are needed and the duty to pursue improvements.”
Justice Robert Wells, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Aviation Safety News is a project of Transport Action Canada and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. Public Interest Advocacy Centre monitors aviation legislation. PIAC has standing before the Canadian Transportation Agency and the courts. Transport Action Canada is represented on the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council. The Aviation Safety News readers’ group includes top aviation safety authorities, industry and civil service professionals.

Aviation Safety News now posts at:
http://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/transport-canada-stalls-aviation-s...

The Canadian Press, Four killed in Quebec helicopter crash near Quebec City

Chris Krepski, a spokesman for the safety board, said they were still trying to determine the cause of the accident. Investigators will also examine the aircraft maintenance records, the weather at the time of the crash, and whether there was any communication between the pilot and air traffic control, Krepski said. He said the helicopter, a Robinson R44 that seats four people, was not required to have a black box. The aircraft was destroyed but there was no post-crash fire, he said.
The Canadian Press, Aug. 28, 2011

Macleans, Cockpit crisis, loss-of-control accidents

Statistically speaking, modern avionics have made flying safer than ever. But the crash of Flight 1951 is just one of several recent, high-profile reminders that minor problems can quickly snowball into horrific disasters when pilots don’t understand the increasingly complex systems in the cockpit, or don’t use them properly. The point was hammered home later that year when Air France Flight 447 stalled at nearly 38,000 feet and ended up crashing into the Atlantic, killing all 228 on board. … That’s what happened on Feb. 12, 2009, aboard Colgan Air Flight 3407.
Chris Sorensen, Macleans, August 24, 2011

Nunatsiaq Online, First Air Flight 6560 Resolute Bay

Authorities investigating the crash of First Air flight 6560 say it’s too soon to determine what exactly caused the Boeing 737-200C to crash into a hill near the Resolute Bay airport Aug. 20. … Mark Clitsome, director of air investigations for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said investigators will comb through the records of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders and interview the flight’s three survivors. He said it could take up to 60 days to produce a preliminary report and a year or more to issue a final version.

The plane’s manufacturer, Boeing, is helping in the investigation along with the engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, Clitsome said. The 737-200C, which is built to carry both passengers and cargo, was more than 35 years old, according to Planeregister.com, an online database of commercial aircraft. It made its first flight in May of 1975 for Wien Air of Alaska.
Nunatsiaq Online, Chris Windeyer, Aug. 22, 2011

Read more:
http://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/transport-canada-stalls-aviation-s...

The July 11, 2011 edition of Aviation Safety News is at:

http://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/aviation-safety-transport-canada-s...

This issue covers reports by journalists on Cougar Helicopters Flight 491 Sikorsky S-92A helicopters, Continental Connection Flight 3407, Swissair Flight 111 aircraft wiring and Air France Flight 447 pilots made a series of mistakes. The issue includes calls on Transport Canada by the Transportation Safety Board for action on long-standing safety initiatives and a report on the Transport Canada's legal strategy of last minute out-of-court settlements in liability cases.

The Canadian Press, Anniversary of Nationair plane crash: Worst Canadian-registered plane crash

"The lives of all 261 on board the ill-fated Nationair plane, including 14 Canadian crew members, were lost on July 11, 1991 when the plane crashed down in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia," The Canadian Press reported on Jul. 10, 2011.

"Two tires of Flight 2120, chartered by Nigeria Airways to transport Muslims to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, ignited upon takeoff. Shreds of burning rubber were kicked up into the wheel well, quickly spreading flames throughout the fuselage. A third tire exploded just after the DC-8-61's landing gear retracted, knocking out the craft's electrical and hydraulic systems. Subsequent media reports revealed that the carrier regularly flew aircraft that were not airworthy -- and that Transport Canada was aware of the practice," The Canadian Press reported.

Postmedia News: Air-safety progress 'troubling'

The head of Canada's Transportation Safety Board chastised the federal government Thursday for the "troubling" lack of progress in improving aviation safety. … "We've seen some moderate progress on marine and rail safety issues. However, the lack of progress in aviation is what I would call troubling," board chairwoman Wendy Tadros said. They include unfulfilled recommendations to reduce the risk of landing accidents and aircraft overruns at Canada's major airports, to improve data and voice recorders on aircraft, and to require smaller aircraft to install special equipment to help prevent collisions with land or water while under crew control.
Sarah Schmidt, Postmedia News, July, 8, 2011

Buffalo News: Study finds 20 percent of airline pilots commute long distances

Read more

http://jgossblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/aviation-safety-transport-canada-s...

TSB to release its report into the 2009 crash of a Cougar Helicopters Sikorsky S-92A on Feb. 9

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) will hold a news conference on February 9, 2011, to make public the final TSB investigation report (A09A0016) into the crash of a Cougar Helicopters Sikorsky S-92A off the coast of Newfoundland on March 12, 2009. Members of the panel will be available for one-on-one interviews after the news conference.
When:  February 9, 2011 at 2 p.m. Newfoundland Time
Who:   Mrs. Wendy Tadros, TSB Chair
Mr. Mark Clitsome, Director of Air Investigations
Mr. Mike Cunningham, Investigator-in-Charge  
Delta St. John's Hotel and Conference Centre
Transportation Safety Board of Canada, CNW Group
Feb. 7, 2011
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2011/07/c8427.html

United Steelworkers challenge security changes

The United Steelworkers union (USW) is calling on the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) to uphold the rights of thousands of pre-board screeners at Canada's airports. ... The USW Screeners Council will explore legal avenues to protect existing collective bargaining rights. Neumann has written to CATSA CEO Kevin McGarr, asking for an urgent meeting to discuss union members' concerns, including planned private meetings between CATSA and union members on airport property. "CATSA's plans could have devastating impacts on our members," (Ken Neumann, USW National Director) said. "We need answers in an open and transparent meeting with Mr. McGarr. Our members deserve nothing less."
United Steelworkers, CNW Group
Feb. 7, 2011
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2011/07/c8502.html

The Canadian Press: Problems seen before fatal N.L. chopper crash: investigator

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is scheduled to release its final report on the March 12, 2009, crash of a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter that resulted in the deaths of 17 crew and passengers. The board has already said that before the chopper carrying offshore oil workers plunged into the ocean, two titanium studs holding the main gearbox's oil filter broke in mid-flight. ... Bill Yearwood, a veteran investigator with the TSB in British Columbia, says he'll be among the observers reading the final report on the disaster to see what the findings are on the gearbox.He oversaw a brief TSB report completed on Aug. 29, 2008, almost six months before the Newfoundland crash, that concluded there were problems with the oil lubrication system on the gearbox and the titanium studs.
Feb. 6, 2011
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110206/nl-fatal-sikorsky-crash-report...

The Canadian Press: Feds must be involved in helicopter lawsuit, B.C. court says

Two widows whose husbands were killed in a British Columbia helicopter crash have won a court fight to add Transport Canada to the list of people and groups they claim are liable. Transport Canada, which has been working for years to shift the safety onus onto the aviation industry, argued unsuccessfully that it didn't have a "duty of care" in connection to the crash.
Terri Theodore, The Canadian Press
Feb. 6, 2011
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110206/bc_helicopter_...

Washington Post: Close calls in the skies: FAA reporting methods questioned

An American Airlines jumbo jet carrying 259 people narrowly missed colliding with a pair of 200-ton military cargo jets over the skies of New York last month, after a distracted air traffic controller failed to heed a colleague's warning, official records show. Cockpit alarms went off aboard the Boeing 777 airliner, instructing it to descend, and the controller directing the two C-17s ordered them to make an "immediate" right turn. Under Federal Aviation Administration regulations, use of the word immediate is allowed only when a collision is imminent.
Ashley Halsey III, Washington Post
Feb. 5, 2011
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/04/AR201102...

Tort law keeps Transport Canada in the safety biz: Duty of care

"The government has given up its fight to be shielded from a lawsuit filed by widows of a deadly helicopter crash -- a move some say is a blow to Ottawa's efforts to minimize its liability in cases involving possible negligence of government inspectors," Sarah Schmidt reported for Postmedia News on Feb. 1. "Although the specifics of this case involve Transport Canada, the principle of regulatory negligence and the government's duty of care can be applied to other departments charged with keeping the public safe by enforcing safety regulations," Schmidt wrote. "The negligence alleged against Transport Canada is with respect to something over which it had direct control: the designation of maintenance personnel and organizations who are authorized to perform work on and certify aircraft," concluded B.C. Supreme Court Judge E.M. Myers."
Transport Action Canada Hotline
Feb. 3, 2011
http://www.transport-action.ca/Hotlines/hl110204.htm

Government of Canada enhances passenger convenience and aviation safety

The initiatives announced today are the result of the recently completed review of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), announced in spring 2010. They also reflect investments in aviation security arising from The Government of Canada Response to the Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182 (the Air India Inquiry Action Plan). "CATSA's screening will be smarter, and more efficient and effective by modernizing passenger and baggage screening," Minister Merrifield said. "Harmonizing our prohibited item list closely with international standards will improve the passenger screening experience." As a result of the CATSA review, air travellers can now bring in their carry-on baggage small scissors and tools that are no longer than six centimetres (excluding the handle). Knives of any size or length remain prohibited.
Government of Canada, CNW Group
Feb. 3, 2011
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2011/03/c7698.html

Government of Canada review of Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

In June 2010, the Government of Canada launched a full review of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), the agency responsible for screening people and baggage at Canadian airports. This review, which followed the increase in the Air Travellers' Security Charge, was undertaken to ensure that travellers are getting value for their money. ... CATSA was created through the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Act of 2002, following the events of September 11, 2001.

Specific elements of the current CATSA review included:
- identifying opportunities to improve the flow of passengers and bags at Canada's designated airports while recognizing security objectives;
- inviting input on the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders under the current national screening delivery model;
- encouraging suggestions or comments on areas of possible improvements relating to not only CATSA's operations, but also Canada's aviation security system; and
-providing suggestions or comments on future directions for aviation security.
Government of Canada, CNW Group
Feb. 3, 2011
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2011/03/c7698.html

Pilot-Fatigue Amendment May Complicate FAA Bill

A bid to exempt some flights from proposed pilot-fatigue regulations threatens to complicate long-delayed congressional action on tougher Federal Aviation Administration rules. With the FAA poised to impose more-stringent rules later this year limiting flight time and workday lengths for all airline pilots, the Senate is about to consider an amendment exempting certain cargo and passenger operations from those tougher limits. It is one of the most contentious issues roiling the aviation industry, pitting different airlines and pilot groups against each other. ... The exemption would cover charter flights carrying commercial cargo, as well as flights contracted by the Pentagon to transport troops or materials.
Andy Pasztor, The Wall Street Journal
Feb. 2, 2011
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870396080457612036391277833...

The Canadian Press: Poor communication caused aviation close call near Yellowknife Airport

The Transportation Safety Board says poor communication was to blame for a close call between two aircraft near Yellowknife Airport nearly a year ago. The board says an Air Canada Jazz regional jet that was arriving from Vancouver last March came close to a small plane operated by Northwestern Air. The jet was cleared to land at the same time the small plane was taking off.
The Canadian Press
Feb. 1, 2011
http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1356017

Calgary Herald: History of crashes in Canada

2009 - March 12: Cougar Helicopters Flight 91, a Sikorsky S-92, ditches in the Atlantic 355 kilometres east-southeast of Newfoundland due to a main gearbox failure, killing 17 of 18 on board.
2005- August 2: Air France Flight 358, an Airbus A340-300, skids off a runway in Toronto on landing and catches fire; all 309 on board escape without fatalities or serious injuries, but the aircraft is destroyed by the fire.
2001 - August 24: Air Transat Flight 236 runs out of fuel over the Atlantic Ocean and makes an emergency landing in the Azores. Upon landing, some of the tires blow out, causing afire that is extinguished by airport personnel on the ground. None of the 304 people on board the Airbus A330-200 were seriously injured.
1997 - Dec. 16: Air Canada Flight 646, a Canadair CRJ-100, crashes after a failed go-round attempt in Fredericton, N.B. All passengers and crew survive.
1989 - March 10: Air Ontario Flight 1363, a Fokker F28, crashes immediately after takeoff from Dryden, Ont., because of ice on the wings, killing 24 of 69 people on board.
1985 -Dec. 12: Arrow Air Flight 1285, a Douglas DC-8, crashes after takeoff in Gander, N.L., killing all 256 aboard, making it the worst air disaster to occur in Canada; the cause is determined to be a stall most likely caused by wing icing.
Calgary Herald
Jan. 30, 2011
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/History+crashes+Canada/4192296/story.h...

Ottawa Citizen: Ottawa airport on hook for security, CEO Paul Benoit says

“At the end of the day, terrorism is directed at the state. Aviation becomes a tool by which terrorists attack the state. There is no other mode of transportation in the country that is expected to pay its own way for security,” Paul Benoit, president and CEO of the Ottawa International Airport Authority, said. “We’re not magicians, I can’t make money appear out of thin air. I’d like to see the federal government treat us in a more fair way, we’re not a cash cow. We have very strong security costs, very high police costs,” that other transport sectors do not face. His frustrations surfaced after last week’s suicide bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. The attack in the international arrivals area killed 35 people and wounded 180, the deadliest assault on an airport since the far-left militia group Japanese Red Army massacred 26 arriving passengers at Israel’s Lod Airport (now Ben Gurion) in 1972.
Ian MacLeod, Ottawa Citizen
Jan. 29, 2011
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Ottawa+airporton+hook+security+says/41...

Bloomberg: EU Flight-Time Rules Endanger Passenger Lives, U.K. Pilots Say

European Union rules will put lives at risk by increasing the number of hours that airline pilots are allowed to fly in one stretch, Britain’s cockpit union said. Proposals from the EU’s European Aviation Safety Agency will limit flying to 13 hours and 55 minutes -- more than one- third longer than the 10 hour, 15 minute limit under current U.K. regulations, the British Airline Pilots Association said.
Steve Rothwell, Bloomberg
Jan. 27, 2011
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-28/eu-flight-time-rules-endanger-p...

Vancouver Sun: Fewer airplanes are crashing in B.C.

Canadian-registered aircraft had 38 accidents in the province in 2010, down from 44 in 2009 and a five-year average of 45 from 2005 to 2009, the federal transportation safety board reports. A total of 13 people died in five fatal accidents in B.C. in 2010, down from 14 deaths in eight accidents in 2009. Another two people died last year in the province in seven crashes of ultralight aircraft, a separate category from larger aircraft. There were 10 crashes and no deaths in 2009. Nationwide, Canadian-registered aircraft crashed 244 times in 2010, down from 249 in 2009 and a five-year average of 261. Private aircraft accounted for the majority of crashes at 148, followed by helicopters at 29 and air taxis (commercial aircraft with up to nine seats) at 28. Canadian fatalities remained constant at 64 over each of the past two years.
Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun
Jan. 26, 2011
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Fewer+plane+crashes+fewer+deaths+transp...

FAA Tightens Rules for Charter Pilots

U.S. aviation regulators, seeking to enhance the safety of some 1,600 charter airlines and air-taxi companies, issued a final rule Thursday requiring pilots of such planes to receive specialized training to work more effectively as cockpit teams. In announcing the regulation—long sought by independent safety experts and government crash investigators—the Federal Aviation Administration said the goal "is to reduce the frequency and severity of errors" by pilots of both helicopters and airplanes conducting charter, sightseeing and other nonscheduled flights.
The Wall Street Journal
Jan. 21, 2011
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870488130457609410094517759...

USA Today: No U.S. airline fatalities in 2010

U.S. airlines did not have a single fatality last year. It was the third time in the past four years there were no deaths, continuing a dramatic trend toward safer skies.
Years without deaths have occurred sporadically since the dawn of the jet age, but never have so many occurred in so short a period, according to an analysis of data from the National Transportation Safety Board. The average number of deaths fell from about 86 a year in the 1990s to 46 a year since 2000, a 46% drop. Last year also marked the first time that there were no passenger fatalities on any airline based in developed nations, says Arnold Barnett, a professor who specializes in accident statistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management. "In the entire First World, fatal crashes are at the brink of extinction," Barnett says.
Alan Levin, USA Today
Jan. 21, 2011
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2011-01-21-RWaircrashes20_ST_N.ht...

QMI Agency: Laser attacks a growing problem for pilots

Transport Canada statistics show the criminal act of shining a laser into the cockpit of an airplane is a growing problem for pilots in Canadian airspace. Meanwhile, only two people have been convicted. According to the statistics obtained by QMI Agency, there were 182 confirmed cases of a laser being shone into the cockpit of an aircraft in 2010. That's up from only 20 in 2007 and 3 in 2005.
William Wolfe-Wylie, QMI Agency
Jan. 21, 2011
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/01/21/16982391.html

Montreal Gazette: It's time to help air passengers

Readers may be aware that more and more Canadians are choosing to travel through U.S. airports to reach national/international destinations as opposed to using Canadian airports. This is but one outcome of the high cost burden being placed on air passengers by governments and the air industry. This year, the federal government will collect from the air sector an estimated $1 billion in special charges over and above normal taxes, including airport rent ($300 million), air-security charges ($450 million plus) and the fuel-excise tax ($125 million). That does not include the costs airlines and passengers, through higher fares, pay for air navigation services ($1.1 billion).
Nick Mulder is a former federal deputy minister of several departments, including Transport Canada, and is now senior associate with Global Public Affairs' Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities practice group.
Nick Mulder, Montreal Gazette
Jan. 18, 2011
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/time+help+passengers/4124244/sto...

Aviation Herald: Air Canada B767 over Atlantic on Jan 14th 2011, turbulence causes 14 injuries

An Air Canada Boeing 767-300, registration C-GHLQ performing flight AC-878 from Toronto,ON (Canada) to Zurich (Switzerland), was enroute at FL350 overhead the Atlantic when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing minor injuries to 12 passengers and 2 cabin crew. The aircraft continued to Zurich for a safe landing. One of the injured was taken off the aircraft on a stretcher, the other injured walked off the aircraft and were treated at the airport. 7 people were taken to local hospitals for further examination.
Simon Hradecky, Aviation Herald
Jan. 14, 2011
http://avherald.com/h?article=4362ebf0

Postmedia News: RCMP expects criticism for air marshal cuts

The RCMP is expecting international criticism in the wake of its decision to dramatically slash its air marshals program providing security on airplanes and it has already been warned by pilots that the move will jeopardize the safety of passengers from radical terrorists, Postmedia News has learned. The program, established in 2002 after the 9/11 attacks, involves specially trained covert Mounties who blend in with regular passengers on selected domestic and international flights. ... The plainclothes air marshals are part of the Canadian Air Carrier Protective Program, and news leaked out through the RCMP's union last October that the program was about to be hit with a 25% budget cut in the wake of a "strategic review" by the government's Treasury Board.
Mark Kennedy, Postmedia News
Jan. 11, 2011
http://www.canada.com/RCMP+expects+criticism+marshal+cuts/4090514/story....

Financial Post: Nav Canada as beacon

Enter Nav Canada. A once troubled government asset, the country's civil air traffic controller was privatized 14 years ago and is now a shining example of how to create a global technology leader out of a hulking government bureaucracy. Nav Canada's efforts have flights moving more efficiently than ever through the skies above the country. Many of the changes implemented by Nav Canada in recent years have gone unnoticed by the flying public. Certain flights are now shorter than they once were; aircraft no longer circle airports awaiting a runway; descents start further out and planes reach cruising altitudes more quickly; and flights to Asia now spend less time by jaunting over the Arctic than endlessly cruising the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans.
Scott Deveau, Financial Post ·
Dec. 24, 2010
http://www.financialpost.com/news/Canada+beacon/4022200/story.html#ixzz1...

Associated Press: FAA airline maintenance inspections often far behind schedule

Government inspections to uncover serious maintenance problems that could cause airline crashes are often delayed for years or focus on less critical problems, a government watchdog says. In a report circulated in Congress, the Department of Transportation's inspector general identifies several weaknesses in a key Federal Aviation Administration airline maintenance oversight program. Unless the FAA fixes those problems, the report says, its ability to "effectively oversee" the country's aviation system is lessened.
Joan Lowy, Associated Press
Dec. 18, 2010
http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=45&articleid=2...

The Telegram: 27 of 29 Cougar Helicopters recommendations

The board that regulates the province’s oil industry fully accepted all but two of the 29 recommendations by the Wells report aimed at improving offshore helicopter safety.
The two rejected recommendations are an independent safety agency and a continued ban on routine night flights offshore. The Canada-Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB) said Monday it cannot implement a standalone offshore safety agency. That’s something the provincial and federal governments will have to legislate. Premier Kathy Dunderdale said Monday the province accepts all 29 recommendations by inquiry commissioner Robert Wells.

(Max Ruelokke, chairman and CEO of CNLOPB) said the board created the inquiry to improve helicopter safety in areas where the CNLOPB has jurisdiction. “Our focus is, therefore, on those areas where we can effect change.”Among them are: greater worker involvement; increased transparency by the CNLOPB, operators and helicopter contractor; improved CNLOPB access to aviation expertise; and greater separation between board’s responsibilities for resource management and safety.
Moira Baird and Dave Bartlett, The Telegram
Dec. 14, 2010
http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2010-12-14/article-2041468/CNLOPB-ac...

USA Today: How much training should an airline pilot get?

If a lesson emerged from the smoldering wreckage of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo last year, it was the need to raise minimum requirements for airline pilots. . ... Family members of victims in the Buffalo crash and some pilot unions charge that the airline industry is trying to water down a key proposal to increase safety — a requirement that pilots have at least 1,500 hours of flight experience — for economic reasons. Airlines, universities that teach aviation and other pilot unions insist there is minimal economic impact. They say the strict hourly requirement is arbitrary and has no bearing on safety.
Alan Levin, USA Today
Dec. 9, 2010
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-12-09-pilottraining09_CV_N.h...

Chicago Tribune: 787 Dreamliner proving bedeviling for Boeing

Fire and rain are among the latest problems to bedevil Boeing Co.'s oft-delayed 787 Dreamliner, whose production woes have earned the jet unflattering nicknames like 7-late-7 and 787-ML, a reference to Murphy's Law.Boeing's suppliers and airline customers are bracing for another lengthy delay in the delivery of the first Dreamliner as the Chicago-based plane-maker responds to a puzzling, widespread electrical failure triggered by a fire onboard Boeing's second test plane last month. Even without the fire, Boeing almost certainly would have postponed the initial delivery to Japan's All Nippon Airways, slated for February, as it scrambled to prepare the 787 for commercial flight, sources close to the program said. Among its concerns: meeting Federal Aviation Administration certification requirements and resolving a series of nagging problems like "rain in the plane," condensation that dripped and pooled on some flights.
Julie Johnsson, Chicago Tribune
Dec. 4, 2010
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-12-04/business/ct-biz-1205-787-d...

Financial Times: Continental guilty in Concorde crash

Continental Airlines could face millions in damages after a French court found the US airline guilty of manslaughter over the crash of a Concorde aircraft 10 years ago which left 113 people dead.
Peggy Hollinger, Financial Times
Dec. 6, 2010
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5bb18376-012a-11e0-8894-00144feab49a.html#axzz...

The Telegram: Arrow Air Gander crash — 25 years later

The conclusion that Arrow Air Flight 1285 crashed because of ice on the wings caused a major rift within the Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB). News stories from the time indicate just how divided the board was. “Two factions of the Canadian Aviation Safety Board feuded openly at a news conference called to release the board’s findings, each accusing the other of distorting or ignoring key evidence in the Gander crash,” The New York Times reported on Dec. 8, 1988. Five of the board’s members supported ice as the probable cause. The other four believed an in-flight fire, which may have resulted from detonations, brought the plane down. The group did a report of its own, titled “Dissenting Opinion.”
Steve Bartlett, The Telegram
Dec. 6, 2010
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2010-12-06/article-2020020/A-tangl...

Wall Street Journal: Qantas Engine Drama Fuels Cockpit Lessons

An old-fashioned manufacturing defect appears to have caused the explosive engine failure on a Qantas Airways Ltd. airliner last month, but the damage to vital onboard systems is prompting new concerns about increasing reliance on cockpit automation. Veteran pilots at the controls of the twin-deck Airbus A380 with 469 people aboard grappled with a rapid cascade of electrical and computer-system failures they were never specifically trained to handle. The unusually large crew of five aviators—including some of the airline's most senior captains—relied on discipline, calm teamwork and in the end, manual flying skills to turn a harrowing situation into a safe emergency landing.
Andy Pasztor and Daniel Michaels, Wall Street Journal
Dec. 4, 2010
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870337750457565135341706329...

CBC News: Some air taxis keeping maintenance snags off books

Some pilots in the air-taxi industry say they are being pressured to record maintenance problems on unofficial "snag sheets" instead of in journey logbooks as required by law to avoid having to ground planes, a joint CBC-Radio Canada investigation suggests. Air taxis are small charter passenger and cargo planes. Airplane snags — or maintenance issues — have to be flagged in a plane's journey logbook, which is used to identify problems that need to be repaired. But numerous pilots interviewed by CBC and Radio-Canada said they often feel pressured to keep maintenance issues employers fear would ground their planes unnecessarily out of the official books.
CBC News
Nov. 30, 2010
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/11/30/snag-sheets-threaten-...

C-NLOPB Releases Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry Report, Phase I

The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) received the Report of the Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry today and is releasing it to the public immediately.
C-NLOPB
Nov. 17, 2010
http://www.cnlopb.nl.ca/ohsi_information.shtml

Postmedia News: N.L. inquiry releases report on fatal offshore Cougar Helicopters Flight 491 crash

A report from an inquiry into an offshore helicopter crash that claimed 17 lives off Newfoundland and Labrador last year recommends that an independent regulator be created to improve safety in the province's offshore oil industry. Robert Wells, a retired Newfoundland Supreme Court justice who led the Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry, said the taxpayer-funded body should have safety as its sole mandate. "I believe that the safety regulator should be separate and independent from all other components of offshore regulation and should stand alone, with safety being its only regulatory task," he wrote in the report. Wells called the creation of an independent regulator the most important of a series of a recommendations he was making in an attempt to improve the safety for oil workers being ferried to and from offshore oil rigs.He also recommended that a rescue helicopter be ready to deploy within 15 minutes of an accident and that the number of nighttime flights continue to be limited.
Postmedia News
Nov. 17, 2010
http://www.canada.com/technology/inquiry+releases+report+fatal+offshore+...

Reuters: Pilots and passengers rail at new airport patdowns

Stepped-up security screening at airports in the wake of foiled terrorism plots has provoked an outcry from airline pilots and travelers, including parents of children who say they are too intrusive. With the busiest holiday travel season nearing, fliers face long security lines and new rigorous patdown checks begun in recent weeks aimed at discovering hidden explosives. As a result, some travelers are questioning whether to fly at all.
Jeremy Pelofsky, Reuters
Nov. 11, 2010
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AA55S20101111?pageNumber=2

Toronto Star: Two AC pilots forced to retire ordered back to work

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has ruled that two pilots forced into retirement by Air Canada and its pilot’s union must be reinstated with the proper seniority. But the decision doesn’t apply to another 123 pilots waiting for similar action. The collective bargaining agreement between Air Canada and its union states that pilots must retire at the age of 60 and begin receiving their pension. However, George Vilven, now 67, and Neil Kelly, now 65, took up their fight against the company and the union after declaring they did not want to be forced into retirement and wished to continue flying.
San Grewal, Toronto Star
Nov. 8, 2010
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/887455--two-ac-pilots-forced-to-reti...

New York Times: After Engine Failure, Qantas Grounds A380 Fleet

Qantas Airways suspended flights of its six Airbus A380 jetliners on Thursday after an engine of one of its super-jumbo planes exploded shortly after take-off from Singapore, scattering pieces of debris over an Indonesian island and forcing the plane to return to Singapore for an emergency landing.
Kevin Drew and Nicola Clark, New York Times
Nov. 4, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/world/asia/05qantas.html?src=mv

Toronto Star: Senator Colin Kenny warns of terror risk at Pearson

It’s not a question of whether a terrorist could get a bomb in the cargo hold of a plane at Pearson — but when, says the senator who chaired a national security and defence committee. Liberal Senator Colin Kenny says the handling of outgoing cargo at Pearson is a “huge” problem, despite a $26 million training program paid for by Transport Canada. Couriers at major Canadian airports were trained to inspect their own companies’ packages, which Kenny likens to “passengers screening their own luggage. “The assumption is that they will do it right, that they are honest, and that they aren’t working for terrorists or are terrorists themselves,” he said. “I would feel a lot more comfortable if someone who didn’t have a direct interest with moving the cargo through swiftly was doing the inspecting.”
Patty Winsa, Toronto Star
Nov. 3, 2010
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/885142--senator-warns-of-terror-risk...

New York Times: In Air Cargo Business, It’s Speed vs. Screening, Creating a Weak Link in Security

It is an essential lubricant of the global economy — the multibillion-dollar air cargo industry, which every day carries millions of express packages of every shape and size around the world, parcels that can include things as diverse as an electronic component and a human body part. But the discovery last week that terrorists had used United Parcel Service and FedEx to ship two explosive devices has set off a debate over what can be done to improve cargo security without damaging a business built on getting packages anywhere, quickly and cheaply.
Barry Meier and Eric Lipton, New York Times
Nov. 1, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/business/02cargo.html?_r=1&partner=rss...

The Guardian: BAA backs call to end 'redundant' airport security checks

The UK's largest airport owner has backed calls for an overhaul of Britain's aviation security regime after the chairman of British Airways attacked "redundant" anti-terror measures.BAA, owner of Heathrow airport, said the screening of travellers' shoes was one example of a safety regime that had become uncomfortable for passengers. Colin Matthews, BAA's chief executive, said: "I do think that if we could start from a clean sheet of paper and design a coherent overall process then we would be in a better place. What we have today is the result of incremental additions being laid on top of each other."
Dan Milmo, The Guardian
Oct. 27, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/27/baa-airport-security-us-uk

Last issue: Oct. 21, 2010: Wells Cougar Helicopters report / No photos on Pilot's licenses / Flight 3407 cockpit recording / B.C. float-plane operators / ICAO / Visual flight rules / Bicoastal pilots / Entire face

Last Issue: Sept. 13, 2010 : FAA pilot fatigue rules / Cougar Flight 491 draft TSB report / Wells Inquiry into Cougar Flight 491 / 43 laser incidents this year / Webster Trophy winner James Pouget

September 2, 2010 edition: SMS regulations / Cougar Helicopter Flight 491/ CATSA turnover / Continental Flight 3407 / Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act / float-plane safety / Air India Flight 182 / Air Canada Flight 190 / Air France Flight 358

The Telegram: Cougar Helicopters: Wells report due end of this month
Globe and Mail: Airlines ordered to inspect Bombardier jets
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/airlines-ordered-to-in...
The Telegram: Cougar Helicopters lawsuit gets technical
http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2010-10-19/article-1859780/Chopper-l...
Associated Press: Pilot's licenses still short on security measures
Associated Press: NY judge orders release of Flight 3407 cockpit recording
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/headline_news/article.jsp?conten...
Buffalo News: Enforce the rule
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial-page/buffalo-news-editorials/articl...
Associated Press: Aviation industry tries to undercut safety change approved by Congress after crash kills 50
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=...
Associated Press: FAA says dangerous runway incidents declined 50 percent over the past 12 months
http://www.latimes.com/sns-ap-us-runway-incidents,0,1445356.story
Washington Post: U.S. air traffic controllers record 51% rise in operational errors
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/09/AR201010...
Reuters: FAA urges caution in shipping lithium batteries
http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1286589391.html
Vancouver Sun: B.C. float-plane operators to form safety association
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/float+plane+operators+turn+page+history...
The Australian: Xenophon wins inquiry on safety and training
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/xenophon-wins-inquiry-...
USA Today: U.S. has an obligation to act quicker on aviation
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/letters/2010-10-04-letters04_ST1_N....

Buffalo News: FAA proposes tighter rules to prevent pilot fatigue
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article187006.ece
CTV News: Cockpit fatigue: Canadian regulations are outdated
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20100910/cockpit-fatigue-proposals-...
The Canadian Press: Duelling views on safety oversight as Cougar Flight 491 inquiry winds down
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/duelling-views-on-s...
The Canadian Press: Cougar Helicopters Flight 491 TSB probe shuts out sole survivor
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/1206726
The Telegram: The Wells Inquiry into offshore helicopter safety resumes
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2010-09-04/article-1725907/Wells-i...
The Gazette: Air Transat pilots deal joint fatigue management system
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Transat+pilots+reach+deal/3481177/story.h...
QMI Agency: Lasers put Montreal airport pilots at risk
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/09/09/15290026.html
2010 Webster Trophy goes to James Pouget
http://webstertrophy.ca/

Buffalo News: FAA proposes tighter rules to prevent pilot fatigue

In particular, the proposed rules would:
* Ensure that pilots have nine hours of rest prior to duty, up from the current eight hours.
* Establish a new way of measuring the rest period that would make sure pilots have the opportunity to sleep for eight hours before a flight.
* Guarantee pilots 30 consecutive hours off every week -- a 25 percent increase from the current standard.
* Set new weekly and monthly limits on flight duty time.
* Establish different rest requirements based on the time of flights, the number of flights a pilot is making in a given day, and other factors.
Jerry Zremski, Buffalo News
Sept. 11, 2010
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article187006.ece

CTV News: Cockpit fatigue: Canadian regulations are outdated

Wall Street Journal: The Difficulty in Improving Airline Safety Now
OH&S Canada: 95 per cent of revenue passenger miles subject to SMS regulations
OH&S Canada: Fatigue risk management systems : FRMS
CBC News: Cougar Helicopter Flight 491 crash draft TSB report
The Canadian Press: Sikorsky sued over chopper crash that killed 17
The Globe and Mail: Flight attendants: There for your protection or your pleasure?
The Canadian Press: High screener turnover leaves flight security up in the air
Buffalo Evening News: Motivated by grief, Flight 3407 families scored a victory for aviation safety
H.R. 5900: Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010
Buffalo News: Law will increase pilot training, manage fatigue
The Canadian Press: Top court to review retirement age decision for pilots
Winnipeg Free Press: Keystone Air pilot wants high court to quash convictions
Vancouver Sun: Ottawa boosts surveillance, creates website on float-plane safety
QMI Agency: Number of troubles at CASTA amid Duchesneau's exit
Canwest News Service: Canada to tighten runway rules
Toronto Star: Air India Flight 182 inquiry report
Canwest News Service: Pilots cite 'substantial risk' of terror attacks
Calgary Herald: Rare wake turbulence forced 2008 Air Canada Flight 190 landing: TSB
Vancouver Sun: When it comes to float plane tragedies, federal Transport Minister John Baird has seen enough
Toronto Star: Court to decide if cockpit conversations on ill-fated Air France flight 358 are private
Vancouver Sun: BROKEN WINGS: Danger in our skies
La Presse: Volcan islandais: cinq leçons de la crise aérienne
Vancouver Sun: Transport Canada turns inspection of air freight over to shippers
CBC News: Transport Canada proposes aviation security revamp
New York Times: Ditching of US Airways 1549 Leads to 33 Safety Proposals
Canwest News Service: MPs told safety regime not ready for all airlines

Wall Street Journal: Airports Reopen, Safety Debate Lingers
Canwest News Service: Need for new security equipment raises spectre of airport fee hike
Daily Gleaner: UNB expert says volcanoes can spew ash for 'weeks, sometimes months'
Washington Post: Researchers have no clear guidelines on air travel through ash-filled skies
Wall Street Journal: Pilot Unions Urge Caution in Reopening Airspace
New York Times: When It Comes to Volcanic Ash, Airline Procedure Is Clear: Avoid
ALPA Canada FTDT Committee Prepares for CARAC
Associated Press: Volcanic ash affects airplanes, weather, sunsets
Calgary Herald: Airport plans $2.4B growth spurt, Higher fees
Winnipeg Free Press: Security means costlier skies
Canwest News Service: Transport Canada flies unsafe course, pilot rep says
Wall Street Journal: The Parking Lot Where Pilots Sleep
Canwest News Service Ottawa moves too slow on aviation safety, says watchdog
Associated Press: Polish air disaster raises questions about pilots being pressured to land in bad weather
Orlando Sun Sentinel: Airline safety errors, close calls plague stressed-out industry
Aircraft Maintenance Technology: NTSB reports civil aviation accidents decreased in 2009

Wall Street Journal: Airports Reopen, Safety Debate Lingers

Even as airports reopened, a debate swirled about the safety of flying without more extensive analysis of the risks, as it appeared that governments were operating without consistent international guidelines based on solid data. "What's missing is some sort of standard, based on science, that gives an indication of a safe level of volcanic ash," said Bill Voss, president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a global nonprofit organization. "Lacking that, we're going to be trapped in a difficult debate.” .... Some safety experts said pressure from hard-hit airlines and stranded passengers had prompted regulators to venture into uncharted territory with respect to the ash.

National Post: 200 laser strikes against commercial aircraft in Canada in the last two years
USA Today: FAA error-reporting program reveals hazards, yields fixes
Toronto Star: Air marshals: Canada's secret weapons in war on terror
Canwest News Service: Beefed-up air safety checks conditional
CBC News: Man acquitted of harassing police chopper
Wall Street Journal: Aviation regulators to share safety data
Canwest News Service: More oversight of big airlines promised
Montreal Gazette: Black box on agenda at ICAO meeting
CBC The National: U.S. Takes action on pilot fatigue, Canada to study the issue
CBC The National: Pilots gather fatigue data
CBC News: Pilot fatigue raised in Canadian crashes
Times & Transcript: CargoJet plane slides off Moncton runway
Cape Breton Post: Lasers beamed at planes
Associated Press: FAA reauthorization safety measures
Wall Street Journal: Watchdog Faults FAA for Lax Oversight of Southwest
Ottawa Citizen: Court weighs whether crew can refuse to fly with a pilot feared suicidal
Globe and Mail; Many Canadian runways still too short
Globe and Mail: Ottawa tightens grip on private-plane oversight
Canwest News Service: Ottawa to tighten rules governing corporate jets
Transportation Safety Board of Canada safety watchlist
Webster Memorial Trophy Competition: Another new sponsor
CBC Fifth Estate: Sikorsky S92 helicopter flaw known in 2008
Avstop.com: FAA Implements Safety Management System

National Post: 200 laser strikes against commercial aircraft in Canada in the last two years

The Canadian Press: Senator Kenny replaced as chair of public security committee
Calgary Sun: Police helicopter reviewed after close calls
Vancouver Sun: Risky incidents reported at YVR
Buffalo News: Piedmont denies 'deal' to uncover whistle-blowers
Canwest News Service: Transport Canada investigating reports of ‘blue ice’ fell from sky
Victoria Times Colonist: Air Canada Flight 190 like American Airlines 587 crash in 2001
The Associated Press: Watchdog calls FAA oversight weak
IATA: Aircraft Accident Rate Drops In 2009
PBS Frontline: “Flying Cheap”
Hill Times: Transport Canada outsources safety
Hill Times: A comprehensive national aviation security plan
Hamilton Spectator: Tim Horton's boss second jet scare
The Wall Street Journal: NTSB Proposes Changes to Air Safety in Wake of Fatal Crash
The Canadian Press: Cougar executive says offshore chopper crash changed him forever

The Canadian Press: Senator Kenny replaced as chair of public security committee

Buffalo News: TSB to report on Continental Connection Flight 3407 today
Dallas News: American Eagle may face $2.5 million for inaccurate weights
Montreal Gazette: Even a failed terror attack has wide-ranging and costly consequences
CBC: The fifth estate: Security theatre
Buffalo News: Unfamiliarity with stick pusher shocks Flight 3407 victims' families, aviation experts
The Canadian Press: Newfoundland helicopter grounded because of cracks in gearbox housing
Cleveland Plain Dealer: FAA says it has made progress on safety changes since crash near Buffalo
Vancouver Sun: Probe of fatal Saturna Island float-plane crash reveals passengers faced jammed doors
CBC News: Transport Canada worried by lasers striking N.S. flights
Aviation Week: Laser Attacks On U.K. Cockpits Now Criminal
Vancouver Sun: Sea to Sky corridor under surveillance
Air Canada Unions Designate Roy Romanow as Board Representative

Buffalo News: TSB to report on Continental Connection Flight 3407 today

Los Angeles Times: Long shifts and multiple flights can take their toll, a pilot for a regional airline says
Winnipeg Sun: Officials raid ’Peg-based airline Fast Air
CBC News: Top-secret measures taken over possible explosives at Pearson
Reuters: FAA calls for inspections of older Boeing 737s: report
Associated Press: Bird-plane strikes may exceed 10,000 for first time in 2009
Wall Street Journal: FAA Slams Jet Makers on Recorders
Government of Canada Invests in Full Body and Behaviour Screening to Further Enhance Security at Canadian Airports
Wall Street Journal: Safety Issues Persist as Air Deaths Drop
Buffalo News: Colgan is again tightening fatigue rules
Wall Street Journal: American Air Mishaps Spur Federal Review
Buffalo News: Training on the job, and not training in some areas at all, has become the norm for some
Buffalo News: New pilots are learning to rely more on automation as basic airmanship suffers
Buffalo News: Top Guns give way to insta-pilots
Globe and Mail: Pearson cited as most congested after new security measures put in place
Transport Canada: Update to Security Measures

Edmonton Journal: Pilot-fatigue rules deserve review
The Canadian Press: Sikorsky S-92A failed first test by 20 minutes: FAA
Vancouver Sun: Shorebirds strike planes at YVR by the dozens
Canwest News Service: Pilots question Transport Canada's stance on new fatigue guidelines
Wall Street Journal: Bill Seeks to Allow Airlines Access to Cockpit Conversations
Globe and Mail: Pilots push for new rules to guard against flight fatigue
Wall Street Journal: Airbus Takes On Test-Flight Hazards
Canwest News Service: Federal government spent $15,000 promoting Flight Rights Canada
Nanaimo Daily News: Passenger bill of rights is in public interest
Europolitics: Swedes leading efforts to integrate unnmanned aerial vehicles
Brisbane Times: Neutron may have caused Qantas fall
New York Times: An Air-Traffic Upgrade to Improve Travel by Plane
St. John’s Telegram: Offshore safety devices a long time coming, crash inquiry hears
The Canadian Press: Canada passes on airline liberalization policy statement
Canwest News Service: Maloway ready to deal on airline bill
The Times: Air France flight 447: A disaster waiting in the wings

Globe and Mail: Crack found in Sikorsky S-92 helicopter
CBC News: Winnipeg bird strike safety plan never implemented
Canwest News Service: Airlines challenge passenger rights bill as matter of safety, pricing
Associated Press: Lawmakers seek to ban laptops, other devices in cockpits after airliner incident
AOPA: Proposed safety management systems spark questions

USA Today: Incident highlights air-traffic flaws
Ottawa Citizen: CATSA plea, Air Travellers' Security Charge implications
Toronto Star: Spike in laser attacks rattles pilots
St. John's Telegram: Aircraft certification discussed at Well's inquiry
Dallas News: Text of NTSB update on Northwest Airlines incident
The Telegram: Excerpts from the Wells’ Inquiry: Cougar Helicopters Flight
C-NLOPB: Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry
New York Times: Experts Puzzle Over How Flight Overshot Airport
Globe and Mail: Emergency inspections of Sikorsky S-92s ordered

Associated Press: NTSB urges gov't screening for sleep apnea
The Gazette: Whistleblower fired, Firm says he didn't follow procedure
The Canadian Press: Air wave caused plunge of AC Flight 190
Globe and Mail: Cougar Helicopters crash: Commissioner Robert Wells
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Pressure mounting over tarmac delays
Ottawa Citizen: Ottawa airport safety incidents on the rise
CBC News: Transwest Air says it's safer now
Bloomberg: FAA Proposes $9.2 Million in Fines on US Air, United
Buffalo News: House OKs airline safety bill
The Canadian Press: Pilot not rated to fly with just instruments
Saskatoon Star-Phoenix: TSB says Transwest Air crash caused by pilot dispute
The Canadian Press: Sikorsky chopper model inspected after gearbox cracks
Wall Street Journal: Europe Seeks Better Anti-Ice Systems on Some Bombardier Jets
USA Today: Airports see far fewer near-crashes on runways

Associated Press: NTSB urges gov't screening for sleep apnea