Travel Safety Update - North America.

Mar 17, 2008

Airlines rely on medical pros' judgment in in-flight emergencies. Beyond what the FAA requires of all passenger airlines, individual carriers train flight attendants in basic first aid and CPR, and many carriers carry more equipment on board than what the government requires. Flight attendants are trained to use defibrillators and can administer oxygen but are taught to call on passengers who are trained medical professionals during emergencies, experts say. Meanwhile, any decision to divert or proceed to a planned destination during a medical emergency is left up to the pilot. Mar 16, 2008

US FAA mandated "significant upgrades" to aircraft cockpit voice and flight data recorders. All voice recorders in aircraft carrying more than 10 people must capture the last 2 hr. of cockpit audio instead of the current 15-30 min. New rule also requires an independent backup power source for voice recorders to allow continued recording for 9-11 min. if all power sources are lost or interrupted. "Voice recorders also must use solid state technology instead of magnetic tape, which is vulnerable to damage and loss of reliability," FAA said. New rule further mandates that FDRs measure more frequently, including primary flight control movements and pilots' movement of controls. The recorders also must retain the last 25 hr. of recorded information. It formalizes current FAA policy that voice and data recorders must be housed in separate units and cannot be disabled by a single electrical failure. Rule applies to all aircraft manufactured after March 7, 2010, and calls for retrofitting of some equipment on prior-built aircraft by March 7, 2012. Mar 14, 2008

Disabled travelers raise concerns about wheelchair assistance. Some disabled travelers say that wheelchair assistance while traveling on commercial airlines could be better. Airports say they are trying to boost standards for training wheelchair attendants, and carriers also note that most requests for wheelchair assistance go smoothly. Mar 13, 2008

The U.S. airline industry has a strong safety record, but the FAA should improve the oversight process so inspectors remain impartial to carriers they oversee, the USA TODAY editorial board writes. An opposing view was provided by acting FAA Administrator Robert Sturgell, who acknowledges that at least one inspector "looked the other way" when inspecting Southwest Airlines aircraft. "That's wrong and completely inexcusable," he writes. Sturgell says, however, that the inspection system works well. Mar 12, 2008

Oberstar criticizes FAA for complacency, relationship with carriers. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., on Friday criticized the FAA for having a close relationship with the airline industry and for lax oversight of the carriers. An FAA spokesman said the agency's system works well and cited the airlines' low accident rate. Oberstar also said Congress should consider legislation that would bar FAA inspectors from working for an airline immediately after leaving their FAA positions. Mar 10, 2008

Cessna Citation

Cessna Citation Mustang S/N 049, the first very light jet to suffer major damage, returned to service on February 29 after enduring the collapse of its left fuel tank and two broken wing spars on a December 19 ferry flight. According to the FAA, the twinjet received [sup.3]substantial damage[sup.2] during the flight from Cessna[sup.1]s Independence, Kan. factory-where owner Spectator Grupa of Croatia took delivery of the aircraft earlier that day-to Allegheny County Airport (AGC) near Pittsburgh for a planned fuel stop. The crew, a Spectator Grupa pilot and a contract ferry pilot, heard a bang at 18,000 feet during the descent into AGC, which was followed by a left-engine low fuel pressure warning. They then noticed distortion on top of the left wing and heard a second bang. The crew continued the descent and landed safely at AGC. FAA inspectors found that Cessna workers inadvertently blocked the left fuel tank vent with adhesive vinyl, which covered the Croatian registration numbers while the aircraft carried a temporary N-number. This blockage prevented the inflow of air to replace fuel drawn from the tank by the engines, and the tank deformed. Cessna technicians disassembled the twinjet before trucking it to the Independence plant, where new wings were installed at Cessna[sup.1]s expense. Mar 11, 2008

Flight Safety Foundation

Flight Safety Foundation announced a partnership with Aviation Safety Foundation-Australasia designed to "better spread the FSF safety message through Australia and Southeast Asia" and offer the Melbourne-based organization access to FSF resources and assistance. ASF will host the FSF Approach and Landing Accident Reduction Took Kit workshop in several Australian locations in May. Mar 10, 2008

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly on Thursday pledged to overhaul the airline's maintenance procedures, and he apologized to travelers for maintenance lapses. Southwest hopes to settle a $10.2 million government fine related to the maintenance problems. "There are some that have lost trust in Southwest Airlines," said. "We will have to regain that trust." The airline on Thursday returned 34 grounded planes to service and resumed a normal schedule. Mar 14, 2008

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines canceled about 4% of its scheduled flights and temporarily grounded 43 planes yesterday for inspection of areas around the windows on some Boeing 737-300 and 737-500 jets. The airline said it expects normal operations Thursday. CEO Gary Kelly met with lawmakers Wednesday to assure them that the carrier is safe. "We have been a safe company. I believe we are a safe company. I am committed to making sure we become safer still," Kelly said. Mar 12, 2008

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines on Tuesday promised to address any problems with administrative controls related to missed airline inspections and has hired an outside maintenance expert. Meanwhile, the FAA is investigating whether personal ties between a Southwest employee and a Dallas FAA supervisor played a role in the missed structural inspections. The airline has placed three employees on administrative leave. Mar 12, 2008

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly called a $10.2 million civil penalty assessed against the carrier by the FAA "unfair." He said both the FAA and Boeing approved its continued operation of 46 jetliners that had not received required inspections. "We've got a 37-year history of very safe operations, one of the safest operations in the world," Kelly said. Mar 10, 2008

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines claimed that both Boeing and US FAA approved its continued operation of 46 737 Classics for nine days in March 2007 even though the aircraft had not undergone required inspections, expressing dismay at the size of the agency's proposed fine for alleged safety lapses. FAA last week proposed a record $10.2 million civil penalty against the LCC for "deliberate violations" of an agency airworthiness directive, alleging that it repeatedly operated 46 737 Classics that did not undergo inspections to detect fuselage skin fatigue cracking as mandated in 2004. Mar 10, 2008

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines contacted FAA on March 15, 2007, to disclose that it had been operating the aircraft without conducting the required inspections. Kelly blamed the oversight on "a gap in our documentation. We voluntarily reported that." FAA is proposing to fine SWA just $200,000 for that lapse, crediting it for self-disclosure. But it is proposing an additional $10 million penalty for continuing to fly the 46 aircraft through March 23 without conducting the inspections, saying that the carrier knew it was noncompliant yet operated an additional 1,451 flights over nine days. Mar 10, 2008

Southwest Airlines, Boeing

Southwest Airlines suspended three employees in response to government allegations it knowingly flew planes that had not been properly inspected for potential structural flaws, the carrier said on Tuesday Mar. 11. The airline also said it would review its maintenance oversight practices with the help of an outside expert and make any changes to ensure that it is in full compliance with US safety regulations. Last week, the FAA proposed a record USD$10.2 million fine against Southwest for allegedly failing, over a period of several months in 2006 and 2007, to complete required aircraft safety inspections on 46 older Boeing 737s. Safety and congressional investigators said the planes should have been grounded although the airline said at no time was the safety of any aircraft compromised. Southwest said it was given clearance by the FAA and Boeing to fly the planes while it completed the routine checks for small fuselage cracks. Cracks were found on six planes and fixed. Two senior FAA officials in Dallas, where Southwest is based, have been reassigned over the matter, the FAA said last week. Mar 11, 2008

Southwest Airlines, Boeing

U.S. DoT will take action if an investigation shows that FAA inspectors did not properly oversee Southwest Airlines, DoT Secretary Mary Peters said. Lawmakers are questioning the integrity of the inspection system. FAA officials are now meeting with senior safety managers to learn how Southwest was allowed to operate 46 planes that were improperly inspected. Mar 11, 2008

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