JetBlog! Interactive

NTSB Releases Factual Report on El Paso Mechanic Fatality

Earlier this week, the National Transportation Safety Board released the factual report on the fatal accident during which a contract mechanic was ingested into the right engine of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737-524 while perofrming maintenance on January 16, 2006. The probable cause of the accident is under internal NTSB review and will likely be released later this month. The NTSB's report is here.

USAF Official Says Structural Woes Will Permanently Ground Oldest F-15s

Dozens Of Eagles' Wings To Be Clipped Forever

A possible structural defect in the F-15C Eagle, which led to a November accident -- and, subsequently, the grounding of much of the F-15 fleet -- will likely mean the end of the line for close to 200 of those fighters, anonymous USAF sources told The Los Angeles Times this week.

As ANN reported, the Air Force grounded 452 of its oldest F-15s on November 28, one week after it returned the planes to service following a fleetwide grounding -- including the newest -E model Strike Eagle aircraft -- stemming from the November 2 inflight breakup of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C.

FAA: Wing flap found in yard near Pittsburgh airport

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. — The Federal Aviation Administration says an airplane wing flap that fell into a yard near Pittsburgh International Airport last month came from a Miami-based cargo plane. Residents in Robinson Township found the flap on Dec. 14. It was about 15 feet long and 17 inches wide.

The FAA says the flap fell from a Boeing 727-200 that belongs to ASTAR Air Cargo out of Florida. FAA spokesman Jim Peters says the flap is being sent to a laboratory so scientists can figure out why it fell off the plane. Nobody was hurt by the falling flap.
http://www.centredaily.com/news/breaking_news/story/320935.html

FAA, Boeing studying safety of airplane computer systems

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It's a scenario befitting a Hollywood thriller.

A sophisticated hacker in Seat 11A uses an on-board Internet system to infiltrate a plane's computer, seizing control of its navigation systems, communications and flight controls.

Not terribly likely, the Federal Aviation Administration says. In fact, it may be impossible.

But just to make certain, the FAA and airplane manufacturers are studying onboard systems planned for the next generation of jetliners to make certain that in-flight Internet access won't have any unintentional or unwanted impact on a plane's vital systems.

In a little publicized Federal Register notice published in April and updated this month, the FAA imposed "special conditions" on Boeing, manufacturer of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which will be the first plane to offer Internet hookups. The notice states that the 787 allows "new kinds of passenger connectivity to previously isolated data networks" on the plane. It requires Boeing to demonstrate the safety and security of its systems.

Don't Miss - Anti-missile system to be tested on passenger planes

The FAA says that any vulnerability is purely hypothetical, and characterizes the "special condition" -- one of 10 imposed on the plane -- as routine. Special conditions are included as part of a plane's routine certification when the FAA encounters new or novel technologies that are not already addressed by existing regulations.

FAA bears down on auxiliary fuel tank suppliers - Corporate operators affected

Operators of as many as 75 US-registered corporate airliners may be forced to deactivate their auxiliary fuel systems by mid-December under new fuel tank safety rules proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
While time is available to make appropriate fixes before the deadline, key manufacturers of the systems have either left the business or have not had modification packages approved by the FAA.

The action is part of a broader industry-wide fuel tank safety assessment that commenced after the in-flight centre fuel tank explosion that destroyed a TWA Boeing 747-100 in 1996 after departure from New York Kennedy Airport, killing all 230 on board. The US National Transportation Safety Board in 2000 concluded that while the exact origin of the spark that ignited the flammable mixture in the tank could not be identified, the source was most likely a short-circuit outside the tank that allowed high voltages to travel into the tank through the wiring for the fuel quantity indication system (FQIS).

FAA mandates continued Robinson rotor blade inspections

Owners and operators of more than 2,300 US-registered Robinson R22- and R44-model helicopters must continue inspecting the outboard sections of the helicopter's metal main rotor skins for signs of debonding before each flight, a requirement that also applies to new factory models with modified blades.

The checks are part of an airworthiness directive (AD) issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration on 3 January, prompted by 11 reports of blade debonding, some of which occurred in flight and caused the pilot "to feel excessive vibrations", according to the FAA.

NASA to fly over Arctic in Google founders' jet

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)—A jet owned by the founders of Google is taking flight today on a scientific mission to view a meteor shower.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is expected to produce more than 100 visible meteors per hour during its peak.

The Gulfstream V jet is scheduled to take off from Mineta San Jose International Airport around 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The aircraft full of NASA scientists and their instruments is scheduled to fly for 10 hours over the Arctic and back to San Jose.

In September, NASA revealed a 2.6 million dollar agreement with Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the co-founders of Google, to let the billionaires house their aircraft at Moffett Field. In exchange, NASA gets to do some occasional science work using the craft.

Information from: San Jose Mercury News, www.sjmercury.com

Aircraft Safety Group Says 2007 One Of Safest Years To Fly

The Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Record Office says 2007 was one of the safest years in the past half century in which to fly. The group says 965 people died in 136 airplane crashes last year. The private group documents air disasters worldwide in accidents involving planes carrying more than six people. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

The Aircraft Crashes Record Office says zero risk does not exist in the aviation industry, but 2007 came pretty close to that mark. It says the number of air traffic accidents last year was 28 less than in 2006 and the smallest number since 1963.

SRCA Awarded FAA Contract to develop/rewrite FAA handbooks

Safety Research Corporation of America (SRCA) has just been awarded a 5-year contract with the FAA to develop, rewrite, and update various Federal Aviation Handbooks. Thus far SRCA has delivered the new Instrument Flying Handbook (IFH) which (for first time) addresses both analog and digital displays. Other handbooks in the queue for publication within the next 2-months include the Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHOAK), the Balloon Flying Handbook, a newly developed Weight Shift-Control Handbook, and the Aviation Instructors Handbook.

Future Handbooks include Risk Management, Two volumes of the Mechanics Handbook, various Rotorcraft Handbooks, and other updates to Handbooks. SRCA has received praise for its workmanship and the level of graphics is has integrated into its work efforts. SRCA, a company that supports assessment consulting to DoD intelligence gathering aerial platform organizations throughout the world additionally supports several Fortune 500 corporations for on-call investigative services and assists in developing standards and training programs that meet various regulatory processes.

The president, Mr. Robert Rendzio, a long standing member of ISASI additionally teaches at USC and is currently revitalizing the Southeast Chapter of ISASI in concert with Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
www.srca.net