FAA Safety Briefing January-February 2011: Vol 50 Iss 1

9.1 MB·English

FAA SAFETY
FEDERALB ARVIIAETIFOI NG.
Vo5l0 .No. 1
SO YEARS OF
“2 = 3 — xo a — =!
AVIATION '
News!
The January/February 2011 issue of FAA Safety Briefing
celebrates the 50" anniversary of the publication by looking
back at the enormous general aviation safety strides we
have madea s a community and by looking forward to hou
we can work together to reduce GAa ccidents. Also, learn
about ramp safety, risk management, and how to outfit you
aircraft to improve survivability in case of an accident
Photo by James Williams
Features
THE EVOLVING ART OF AVIATION SAFETY
ebrating S 50 years of bringing you I 1A aviation news
Federal Aviation
SAFETY FROM THE GROUND UP Administration
1 ljook at ramp risk management...
BUILDING BLOCKS AND SAFETY CIRCLES
Ge ng your head around safety rules, safety rea
nd j the> concept ¢ ¢ ajetyf, riisckk mn an, ag1e0em enTat)
Raymond H. LaHood §
J. Randolph Babbitt
Margaret Gilligan
SMALL COST, BIG BENEFITS John M. Allen
\ look at lifesaving aircraft safety enhancements MelO . Cintron
Susan Parson
Lynn McCloud
Anna Allen
4 QUICK GUIDE TO EXEMPTIONS Tom Hoffmann
( lar n requesting regulatory relief.. JamesR . Williams
John Mitrione
PEN DAYS: HOW THE FAA HANDLES LOIs
-1Ve a Letter oj investigatioi
iation News Roundup
ical Advisory ...
al Certification
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Dear Fellow Airman
In January 196] \p e first issu
fA ition Neu e DI S j < FA
ty Brie ig 1e 1 ro me
purpose was “to acquail 1 the policies ’ 3
and programs of the \ f ssue covered rf
such topics as “FAA Revi } ency |
high gap fc I I nic oO )
service belo 1,000 ( J Servic
High Marks,” abou ) » Servi
for GA pilots; and “I \ {
Medical Examiner Pro ( )
Examiners. An editoria \s yproac
o its regulatory roie s g
phuiosopny in the area ol ) can De
summed up in a phrase lial l
wo months la ( 2
certificated pilots led tos ol \
FAA's policeman image riat
RRD ichard1 J. Kent, |J i ia
Halaby’s goal: h ( ng
cooperation rate! I Sill
ldressed “Dea lalab 1 1
on all active airme! S is. He S
Willing to hear compla r dad mor
than “j 1eir grip \ yte back. Ker
writes, “Ma ere i 1 cism of FAA
others were both yuent s ictive LO J
inderscore his intentio ) ions wi r
thGAe co mmunity, Halal I i Washingtor rf
headquarters employees on M 16 to te nen ov I Ss
that the feuding between FAA and various aviati ) 5 ol
groups was ata n € Ha yromised GA and pilo
organizations “an open mind if not open arms
Days later, Halaby initiated Air Share Fly-
ins so he and other top FAA officials could mee
with the GA com
snare meetings were neid througnout the nanuon
on a single day. Kent writes that in a
President Kennedy, Halaby said, “there are many
are a range of non-regulatory approaches to safety
improvement that you will hear about in the near
thousands of pilots, vendors, and aviation
future,” Huerta said. He also commented on the
enthusiasts gathered Nov. 11-13 for the Aircraft
new aircraft re-registration process that began Oct
Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Summit,
1, 2010, and will purge as many as 100,000 bad
held this year in Long Beach, Calif. The summit’s
records. “The enhanced accuracy of this system will
predominant focus was the future of GA and finding
provide security benefits to all users of the aircraft
solutions to address a shrinking pilot population. In
registry,” Huerta said.
addition to a series of industry updates and product
demos, summit attendees also enjoyed a wide array
of educational seminars, covering everything fron
mastering takeoffs and landings to dealing with On Nov. 18, 2010, the FAA issued a noticeo f
aircraft maintenance “gotcha proposed rulemaking for a rule that would require all
Ihe FAA had a strong presence at the summit, pilot certificates to include a photo of the certificate
with FAA Safety Team representatives providing holder. This action follows a requirement of the
onsite Web site assistancew i Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act that
and the WINGS program. The manager of FAA’s pilot certificates be made of plastic and contain a
\erospace Medical Certification Division, Dr. photo, a hologram, and an ultraviolet-sensitive layer,
Warren Silberman, led an informative forum on to prevent tampering, altering, and counterfeiting
medical certification from the FAA's perspective “The Department of Transportation is
He mentioned that the agency’s Medical Support committed to keeping the traveling public safe,” said
System will be transitioning to an Internet-based fransportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This is an
platform, which will aid in reducing system down important safeguard to help make sure individuals
time and streamline the processing time for cases can’t pose as pilots, whatever their intentions.”
from the FAA regions and Oklahoma City. the proposed change includes both a phased-in
On day two of the summit, FAA Deputy and trigger-based implementation approach. Trigger
\dministrator Michael Huerta updated attendees events would leverage times when a pilot would
on some of the FAA initiatives supporting GA normally need to interact \ the FAA, like applying
safety. “What we’re looking at now as an agency for a new certificate or rating. Not all pilots will have
a triggering event during the implementation period,
which varies for different kinds of pilot certificate
holders within a 5-year time frame following the
effective date of the final rule. ‘The FAA also proposes
a phased approach for requiring photo certificates.
Airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate holders
would have three years after the effective date of the
final rule to comply, while those with commercial
ARERR ge pilot certificates would have four years. A private
recreational, or sport pilot certificate holder—those
least likely to have regular contact with the FAA—
would have five years to get a new photo certificate.
Pilots who do not obtain a photo certificate during
the appropriate period would not be able co exercise
pilot privileges after the cut-off date.
PTS
FAA Safety Briefing
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Safety
FREDERICK E. TILTON, M.D.
FEDERAL AIR SURGEON
Now Play
You may not think of yourself as “liveware,’ but is one explanation, because it can render the pilot
iat is how human beings are incorporated in Elwyn effectively deaf to the wailing sound of the gear warning
Edwards’ 1972 S.H.E.L. model that established the core horn. The second video in CAMI’s human factors
ireaso f human factors research: Software, Hardware, series covers Stress in the Aviation Environment. While
Environment, and Liveware. S.H.E.L. is important in stress can be an aggravation in a typical office job, it
aviation since it was the first model to structure and can be fatal in the aviation environment. The video
articulate the concept that pilots and mechanics interact distinguishes among levels of stress. Low levels of stress
\ aircraft systems, flight controls, and the operating can be good and can help focus the mind and improve
environment. You can learn more about S.H.E.L. in the performance on almost any task. Too much stress, on
FAA Civil Aerospace Medical! Institute’s( CAMI) History the other hand, leads the brain to shut out some of the
of Crew Resource Management (CRM) video, which information it receives and can lead to errors.
launches the new CAMI human factors video series Managing stress is key to good performance in
this 50" anniversary issue of FAA Safety Briefing today’s complex aviation environment. Here are a few 3
looks at the evolution of aviation safety. The new stress-management tips from the video:
video takes a sim anpnprr oach and. dLeasncnriiobne s 1h ow tthhee e R% evi. ew st. andard operatin. g procedures to refresh
human factors has evolved over the years knowledge and reaffirm your flight expectations
i presents key conceptual models. In addition
: : e Useachecklist for consistency in flight
o S.H.E.L., the video showcases Professor James . ,
5 ; a . procand eto ednsurue yrou deo nsot m iss
Reason stamous Swiss cheese n odel of human error, °
| , critical steps.
which posits that
lee most accidents Hold conversations with crewmembers, or with
S.H.E.L. was the first model to structure Tea yourself if you are flying alone. Verbalization
result from the '
an7d arrttiiccuullaattee ftt he cr aonncreepnt tha2t pii lotsS s and ] cumulative effect e>n ablesl es; a mo) re 2cc omplnelteet e analysis Ss of opnttiioonn s
mechanics interact with aircraft systems, of multiple smal e Use constant crosschecks to verify information
flight controls, and the operating environment errors. According and get early warningo f system malfunctions.
to Reason’s Rehearse, because practice makes perfect in any
model, an accident occurs only when holes in the endeavor.
operational safeguards line up to create the safety gap
e Engage in “what if” planning for the worst case,
iat leatod ans accident. hi Wee | ‘ . E
=e 11 = . which helps develop a fallback plan in case
Buioln tdhesie nmodgels, a 1979 NASA workshop me 2
: thidon gog wrson g.
developed the CRM concept, now practiced by virtually
| tee 4 hese videos are the firstt 1 a series that will
every flight crew in commercial operations. $.H.E.L. also these videos are the first two in as eries that wil
viributed to more recentwo rk by CAMI researchers, t over the next few years. To view them, please go
includingD r. Douglas Wiegmanannd CAMI alumnus to:
Dr. Scott Shappell, who developed the Human Factors
\nalysis and Classification System (HFACS). HFACS Good health and safe flying!
helps researchers and investigators determine how and
vhy errors happened and, more importantly, what we
can do to avoid them in the future.
[he Role of Stress
Have you ever wondered how perfectly capable
pilots could land with the gear still retracted? Stress
Safety
DR. WARREN S. SILBERMA
ae
Ask Medical Certification
Dr. Warren S. Silberman and his staff administer the ore informa
aeromedical certification program for about 600,000 Aviation Medic
holders of U.S. pilot certificate sand prot ess 450,000 for Medical Ce
medical certification applications each year. Item 49
My current medical certificate has expired.
I submitted an application for a new third-class
medical certificate, but \viation Medical
Examiner (AME) is asking for more documentation
on a medical condition I developed recently. May |
continue to exercise sport-pilot privileges while this
application is being processed?
[hisi s an interesting question. If you had NOT
applied for a current examination through the FAA 1
vould say that you could. But since you riow have a
current examination that is “not issued,” you cannot
exercise sport-pilot privileges. , pee! Send your question to SafetyBriefing@
Vin 0: 68-year-old Arniy veteran who Inet quite ieee nae faa.gov. We'll forward it to Dr. Silberman
a bit of my hearing ability on the job over the years ide without your name and publish the
I getb y with a hearianidg, but am afraid Im ight not tahilive nae answeri n an upcoming issue.
pass the hearing test on the FAA medical exam. What
should I do? pilot meets th
An airman must only pass one of three possible these determ1
hearing tests and you are free to perform these
tests wearing hearing aids. We also have airmen piloting. Howevel!
who are deaf, but they cannot fly into controlled treating neaith care
airspace that would require radio communication. her determinations in
In our guide for AMEs we say, “The applicant \ copy of that record is immediately forwarded
must demonstrana atbileit y to hear an average FAA's Aerospace Medical Certificat Division, ai
conversational voice in a quiet room, using both the puot retais a persona
ears, at a distance of 6 feet from the examiner, with For more information, see the FAA's Gu
the back turned to the examiner.’ A first step would \viation Medical Examiners, Application
be to try thisa t home with another person and see if for Medical Certification, Exam Technique
you have anv trouble Criteria for Qualification, Item
Most AMEs do not have the capability to Refractive Procedures
perform all the allowed hearing tests. If you were to
fail the conversational voice hearing test, the AMI
should have you seen by an audiologist. He/she
will likely perform the other two FAA acceptable
tests (audiogram and speech discrimination test). If
you pass one of these you can get certified without
any restrictions. Some AMEs will allow you to visit
them and request an evaluation prior to actually
performing an examination to see if you would pass.
Safety
GA SAFETY MILESTONES — 1961 TO 2011
THE EVOLVING ART
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF
s you probably noticed with this issue's
throwback cover, FAA Safety Briefing is A lot can happen in 50 years, especially in a
celebrating something very special: our 50th dynamic industry like aviation. Since 1961, aviation
anniversary! That's right. Predating the Department has grown significantly and taken its place as
of Transportation (established in 1967) and only one of the nation’s major transportation players.
three years after the Federal Aviation Agency was GA has been a big part of that growth, with U.S.
created in 1958, for a half century this magazine has manufacturers reaching a peak of producing around
kept readers like you informed about aviation safety. 17,000 GA aircraft per year between 1977 and 1979,
Glancing at the headlines of some the according to the General Aviation Manufacturers
publication’s earliest issues, it is interesting to see Association. Pilot growth has been steady as well,
what made news back then. Like opening an aviation increasing more than 40 percent over the last 50
time capsule, the sepia-toned photos of pilots with years to nearly 595,000 pilots in 2009.
slicked-back hair and horn-rimmed glasses and Even with this dramatic growth in pilots and
diagrams of now-obsolete airspace configurations planes, safety has always been paramount as GA
evoke a sense of nostalgia. As I read these early safety statistics indicate (see Fig. 1). Despite a
issues, I began to realize something. The pictures temporary uptick in the 1960s, GA accident numbers
may be weathered and the technology out of date, have decreased steadily all the way to today. NTSB
but the core message of safety awareness was as data shows that the fatal accident rate per 100,000
strong as it is today. flight hours was 3.13 in 1961, 135 percent greater
than the 2009 fatal accident rate of 1.33 per 100,000
flight hours. The total number ofG A accidents has
also declined—from 4,625 accidents in 1961 to 1,474
in 2009, a 68 percent reduction.
“In the early years, this positive result for
improving GA safety had a lot to do with
FAA Safety Briefing
ses eae® bd i 2 | B htt ee | x it ee ee
LOOKING AHEAD e 2010: FAA publishes rule requiring aircraft
operating in controlled airspace be equipped
TO THE NExT S50 with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-
Broadcast (ADS-B), one of the key Next
YEARS OF GENERAL Generation Air Transportation System
technologies, by 2020. The rule also includes
AVIATION SAFETY
\DS-B performance requirements.
As a constant player in the 50-year positive trend
issue we celebrate the 50th anniversary of FAA
jefing by looking at what we all—FAA and the gen- for GA safety, FAA Safety Briefing has played an
active role in improving safety. Today, the magazine
yn community—have accomplished over the last
remains an effective communications tool whose
half century. During this time, the GA safety record improved
objective aligns directly with the FAA’s performance
significantly
goal to reduce GA fatal accidents.
“We have come a long way from the 4,625 GA accidents
the agency’s commitment to providing safety
in 1961,” says John Hickey, FAA deputy associ-
outreach was clear from the start. In a 1961 letter
ate administrator for Aviation Safety, “but we are far from the Bureau of the Budget, then-Administrator
satisfied Najeeb Halaby stressed the importance of having
“As an agency and as a community we can and must do a communication tool like FAA Safety Briefing to
better,” Hickey adds. “New technologies in aircraft, avionics, encourage and foster the development of civil
and the Next Generation Air Transportation System will play aviation. “Understanding is crucial to our mission,’
a role in improving safety,” Hickey explains. “But, the most Halaby writes. “We plan to publish a magazine
mportant role will remain based on the human element—FAA which will not only tell what we are doing, but
safety p rofes sionals, including field inspectors, engineers, why—it will set our actions and policies in the
ind FAA Safety Team members, working across the GA com proper perspective.’
munity with pilots, flight instructors, aviation maintenance Over the years, several well-known aviation
technicians, and others.” figures have contributed to FAA Safety Briefing,
Hickey is championing an ambitious, yet practical, strat including aerobatic champions Sean Tucker and
jyt o rea ce GA accidents and improve safety. It includes a Patty Wagstaff, aviation author and humorist Rod
number of elements,b ut its linchpin, and essential first step, Machado, and I sR eg Aircraft Association
Ss S.arting with a clea dentification of the problem: the top founder Paul Poberezny. In addition, the magazine
10 causes of GA accidents and the key contributing factors to has had the privilege of sain such aviation
those causes legends and pioneers as test-pilot General Chuck
“The next step, which is currently underway, is develop- Yeager, aircraft designer Clyde Cessna, and the father
ng intervention strategies to address the areas of highest of vertical flight, Igor Sikorsky.
" Hickey adds
The FAA is not looking to implement regulatory changes.
ead, the agency anticipates that many significant safety While remaining true to its original safety
provements can beg ained through outreach efforts, such mission, FAA Safety Briefing continues to evolve.
norking more c sens CFls, type clubs, and avia- Originally known as Aviation News, the magazine
ssociations, such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots grew from a simple 4-page black-and-white newsletter
n and the Experimental Aircraft Association. to its current format, a 32-page (or more) full-color
General aviation includes hundreds of thousands of magazine, also available online. As illustrated by
aircraft operating from thousands of public-use and com- its new name, introduced in 2010, the FAA has also
mercial carrier airports,” Hickey says. “GA pilots, aviation fine-tuned the presentation and content to keep
maintenance technicians, and others are the foundation of our airmen abreast of safety-critical topics and to be more
nation’s aviation system. responsive to reader feedback and questions. Also,
‘It is incumbent on the FAA, as the steward of the public FAA Safety Briefing recently adopted focused themes
trust, to make GA as safe as we can,” Hickey adds. “| am com- for each issue to concentrate on individual topics and
mitted to improving GA safety and look forward to working with serve as reusable resource guides.
our employees and the GA community to meett With the majority of her 38-year FAA career
serving on the magazine’s staff, recently retired
Safety