Travel Safety Update - North America.

Jul 12, 2009

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines began testing continuous descent approaches into Seattle/Tacoma with a 737-700 using RNP technology on June 16 during a noncommercial flight. The carrier pioneered RNP in the 1990s for challenging approaches in Alaska. The current effort, dubbed Greener Skies, is being done in cooperation with the Port of Seattle, Boeing and FAA and also will involve regional affiliate Horizon Air. Horizon's Q400 fleet is being equipped for RNP as well. Alaska Air estimates the procedures will cut fuel consumption by 2.1 million gal. annually and reduce carbon emissions by 22,000 tonnes, "the equivalent of taking 4,100 cars off the road every year." It also will "reduce overflight noise exposure" for an estimated 750,000 people. "With FAA approval, we hope the procedures will be available to all carriers and gradually integrated into the Seattle air traffic system," said VP Flight Operations Gary Beck. Jul 9, 2009

Colgan Air, Bombardier

Safety Federal Aviation Administration administrator Randy Babbitt has asked airlines to adopt voluntary safety measures and outline their commitment to them by 31 July, following the Colgan Air Bombardier Q400 crash in February. US airlines have been asked to implement a policy of asking pilot job applicants for voluntary disclosure of FAA records. Jul 7, 2009

Florida

Lightning struck and killed an Oklahoma man vacationing Wednesday on the Space Coast as a cluster of thunderstorms moved through the area, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds and lightning strikes at a rate of five per minute at its peak. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office identified the man as 54-year-old Frank Paxton of Ripley, Okla. Jul 9, 2009

GE Aviation, SAS

GE Aviation believes tests it has already conducted with SAS in Stockholm in optimal trajectory descent management are easily adaptable to carriers that now use its flight management system. Jul 7, 2009

Orlando Airport

Energy Smart Industry (ESI), a company based in Florida and New York, is in talks to redesign an undisclosed portion of Orlando International Airport with an innovative energy-saving LED lighting system. It would increase safety in parking garages because the light is brighter. Also, the inside of the airport and garages would change given the quality, and tone of the lights would create a more illuminated perspective. The pilot was installed in May to give a more accurate view of what this project could do for the airport. Jul 7, 2009

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