AeroSafety World June 2010

The June 2010 issue of AeroSafety World. Download individual articles and departments now available in text only and Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) format or the entire magazine (PDF only). If you do not have a copy of Adobe Reader, you can download and install a free copy from Adobe.

Entire Issue
 

AeroSafety World June 2010
68 pages. [PDF 5.4M]

It is estimated that an aircraft is struck by lightning on average every 1,000 flight hours — for commercial airlines, the equivalent of one strike per aircraft per year. About 90 percent of lightning strikes are “self-triggered” — the aircraft attracts the lightning. How dangerous are lightning strikes to aircraft? Clarence Rash’s cover story explores the nature of lightning, the reasons why it rarely is a primary cause of accidents and what design engineers have come up with to further reduce the risk.

Features
 

Trust but Verify (Text only)

As automation has gained in sophistication and systems integration, the role of the pilot has shifted toward becoming a monitor or supervisor of the automation. Instead of actively controlling many of the processes, pilots are increasingly tasked with evaluating the computed solution and either stopping automated control or allowing it to continue. [Download PDF 5 pages. 302K]

When Lightning Strikes (Text only)

When the extraordinary frequency of lightning is considered in concert with the frequency of flight — estimated at 77 million aircraft movements worldwide in 2008 — it can be no surprise that aircraft lightning strikes occur relatively often. [Download PDF 6 pages. 234K]

Out of Bounds (Text only)

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board delves into theories of why airline pilots and air traffic controllers strayed from professional behavior. Soft skills of discipline, responsibility, judgment, emotional stability, effectiveness under pressure and leadership are what assures us that once that cabin door is closed, that cockpit crew is acting professionally and doing what we want them to do in a safe manner. [Download PDF 4 pages. 332K]

**Web Exclusive** Out of Bounds (Expanded version of original article) Text only

Obscured by Fog (Text only)

Aviation accidents in which fog plays a major role often prove fatal. Fog can form quickly when the air temperature reaches the dew point. At other times, the wind may blow a fog bank over an airport, quickly reducing visibility. [Download PDF 4 pages. 281K]

Automation at Odds (Text only)

A 737 stalled when a radio altimeter malfunction caused the autothrottle and autopilot to diverge during an approach to Schiphol. Their reactions to the stall warning were uncoordinated and incorrect, and maximum thrust was applied too late to prevent the aircraft from stalling at an altitude from which recovery was not possible. [Download PDF 5 pages. 387K]

Back to Basics (Text only)

Speakers at the recent 55th annual Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar suggested that many current safety challenges demand a renewed emphasis on airmanship, SOPs and lessons learned. [Download PDF 3 pages. 194K]

The Best Rest (Text only)

In commercial aviation, crew schedules are regulated by duty time limits, flight time limits, minimum rest rules and other constraints. These rules and limits, collectively referred to as flight time limitations, originally were conceived as a simple scheme for limiting fatigue among flight crewmembers. [Download PDF 6 pages. 421K]

Safety Renewal (Text only)

In November 2008, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) established the Regional Aviation Safety Group–Pan America, taking its next big step toward coordination of safety initiatives in Central America, the Caribbean, North America and South America. [Download PDF 5 pages. 596K]

Departments
 

President’s Message | Gentlemen’s Agreement (Text only)

But the poorly concealed truth is that vital regulatory initiatives are hitting an economic wall. Regulations have costs that, in many countries, must be offset by verifiable benefits. [Download PDF 1 page. 88K]

Editorial Page | Worse-Case Scenarios (Text only)

Walk through a number of emergency scenarios in your mind, with a variety of situations and alternatives, and get your head to accept the fact that, sometimes, bending the airplane is the better choice if everyone walks away. [Download PDF 1 page. 69K]

Safety Calendar | Industry Events (Text only)

A listing of aviation safety-related conferences, seminars and meetings. [Download PDF 1 page. 71K]

In Brief | Safety News (Text only)

Citing four recent uncontained engine failures, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is calling for immediate blade borescope inspections of low-pressure turbine stage 3 disks on General Electric (GE) CF6-45/50 turbofan engines. [Download PDF 3 pages. 198K]

Data Link | Changing Course (Text only)

The safety record of Australian-registered charter aircraft improved in 2009 after two years in which the numbers of aircraft involved and accidents had risen, according to a report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau comparing accident data in the 1999–2009 period. [Download PDF 3 pages. 281K]

Info Scan | A Clean Sweep (Text only)

To protect public health, the application of high standards of hygiene should form an integral part of airport and aircraft operations. Occasional reports of incidents involving food-borne illness associated with international travel are reminders of the importance of ensuring the quality of food and drinking water aboard aircraft. [Download PDF 3 pages. 137K]

On Record | Tail Strike Follows Bounced Landing (Text only)

The following information provides an awareness of problems in the hope that they can be avoided in the future. The information is based on final reports by official investigative authorities on aircraft accidents and incidents. [Download PDF 8 pages. 286K]

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