AIR SAFETY WEEK :: JULY 28, 2008

FAA Inspection Bill Passes House
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors would have to wait two years before joining air carriers that they once inspected under legislation passed, 392-0, by the U.S. House of Representatives. The measure now moves to the U.S. Senate, where the measure is expected to easily pass muster. The bill is...

Another U.S. Near Midair Collision
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a near midair collision in Chicago in which two aircraft came in close proximity to one another. On July 21, at 12:47 p.m. Central Daylight Time, an Embraer ERJ-145, operating as American Eagle Flight 4298, and a Learjet LR60 (N252RP) were...

Safety Board Issues Advisory on Bombardier Challenger
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) encourage operators of Bombardier Challenger corporate jets to provide training to their pilots that emphasizes the importance of the proper takeoff stabilizer trim setting and that informs pilots...

Indonesian Carriers Stay on EU Blacklist
The European Union (EU) will maintain a ban on all Indonesian airlines flying into its airspace because of continued safety concerns, according to the European Commission (EC). The EC and EU's Air Safety Committee unanimously turned down a request by four Indonesian airlines to be removed from the so-called...

Boeing's Tailored Arrivals ATM Concept Cuts Fuel Burn and Emissions
Boeing and partners in industry and government have achieved significant reductions in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions during a recent deployment of an innovative Air Traffic Management (ATM) concept called Tailored Arrivals. From Dec. 4, 2007 to March 23, United Airlines, Air New Zealand and...

Unification Church Founder Hurt in Chopper Crash
A Sikorsky S-92 helicopter carrying the Rev. Sun Myung Moon crashed July 19 in South Korea as it attempted an emergency landing, injuring the founder of the Unification Church and 15 others. Moon, 88, was slightly injured in the crash. Members of Moon's family, including his wife, were also hurt, but one...

Dodging Thunderstorms
Weather accounts for about 70 percent of flight delays, with thunderstorms a prime cause. To help tackle this problem, an upgraded Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS), used by controllers to move aircraft around bad weather in the heavily congested Northeast corridor since 2001, has now expanded its...

System Helps Determine 'Health' of USAF Aircraft
Military aircraft must be safe and unexpected maintenance, and even scheduled maintenance checks, can keep an aircraft out of service when needed most. That's where Integrated Systems Health Management, or ISHM, comes in. ISHM is a system that collects data from various areas of an aircraft and transmits...

USAF Loses a 'Buff'
A USAF B-52 Stratofortress crashed July 21 off the northwest coast of Guam. Rescuers quickly converged on the crash site to locate the six crewmembers on board, but all six were killed. The B-52 bomber was deployed to Andersen AFB from Barksdale AFB, LA, as part of the Pentagon's policy to maintain a...

Safety & Technology Trends
Partnership to Boost ATC Capacity A new non-profit group seeks to deliver the economic and environmental benefits of a new, improved air transportation system. The Alliance for Sustainable Air Transportation (ASAT) aims to help accelerate implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System...

Security Shortlines
Advanced Carry-on Baggage Screening at Washington Airports Smiths Detection has installed its new Advanced Threat Identification X-ray (aTiX) passenger screening systems at Washington Dulles International (IAD), Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) and Reagan National Airport (DCA). The systems provide...

Safety Rules & Regs
Airworthiness Directive; Agusta S.p.A. Model A109E and A119 Helicopters. Final Rule. SUMMARY: This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The European Aviation...

Accidents & Incidents
Date Aircraft Type Narrative Death/Injury Remarks July 02, 2008 Piru, CA Cessna 152 N25490 A/c destroyed by collision with terrain. Pilot, sole occupant, was killed. One fatality Witnesses reported that a/c was flying low along ravine toward expansive riverbed. July 02, 2008 Seattle, WA Boeing 737 Runway...