Safety Features And Pilot Training Credited In Safe Landing Of Damaged Medical Helicopter

January 7, 2011

A helicopter instructor who witnessed the safe landing of a damaged medical helicopter cited the safety features on that aircraft and the pilot’s training for his “amazing job” of landing and bringing the aircraft and the three crew members down safely. The Eurocopter EC135 AirCare 5 medical transport helicopter’s landing followed a midair collision with […]

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Technology When is More Less? The Modern Cockpit

January 3, 2011

The aircraft cockpit has progressed from round-dial steam gauges that supplied basic information to iterative multi-color, multi-function displays capable of giving the aircrew more information than they can absorb.  What are the implications of this technology when considering causation factors? Round dials had two restrictions:  they could display only  limited information and, whether the information […]

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NTSB Makes Helicopter Safety Recommendations A-10-148 Through 158 To The FAA

December 31, 2010

On December 29, 2010 the NTSB released its much anticipated safety recommendations to the FAA. Three of the recommendations are that hover performance charts published by helicopter manufacturers reflect true performance of helicopters in all conditions for which charts are applicable.  The FAA should develop and implement surveillance program for 14 CFR Part 135 (Title […]

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Concerns With Commercial Jet Engine Problems

December 27, 2010

Another problem with commercial transport jet engines:  this time the problem is with Boeing’s General Electric engines on its 777-200 jets.  After two engine incidents within a couple of weeks, the Angolan airline Linhas Aereas de Angola has decided to suspend all flights using its Boeing 777-200 engines.                                                         On December 6, the first incident occurred […]

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Do It Right The First Time!

December 21, 2010

I have heard people in many aviation environments talk about “the mission.” Maybe it is my perspective from an oversea post where I am in harm’s way, but lately I have had the following thoughts which, I believe, can apply to any aviation endeavor or simply driving the family car—or taking other unnecessary risks. You […]

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FAA’s Missing Data On One-Third Of Private And Commercial Aircraft Could Be A Security Threat To U.S. Safety

December 19, 2010

According to a recent article by the Associated Press, the FAA has lost track of one-third of the private and commercial planes in the United States.  These lost documents pose a serious threat to America from terrorists and drug traffickers. At a time when passengers of all ages are being humiliated and embarrassed at our […]

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Protecting Our Youngest Travelers

December 13, 2010

The Department of Transportation sent out an FAA reminder shortly before the holiday season began concerning the safety of children on commercial airlines: The safest place for child on board a plane is in a child safety seat or a device based on your child’s weight – NOT in your lap.

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Criminalization of Aviation Accidents

December 10, 2010

The announcement by the court in France of criminal convictions for the United States’ Continental Air Lines and one of its mechanics in the aftermath of the Concorde crash on July 25, 2000 sent shivers down the spines of all who care about aviation safety.  As we discuss in this post, criminalizing non-intentional careless conduct—ordinary […]

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Why Helicopter Ambulances?

December 9, 2010

Responding to Christine Negroni’s December 1 Huffington Post article on helicopter medical evacuation, I submit the following: For a short but interesting period, I was a helicopter pilot for an EMS operation in California. Much of our business was related to off-road recreational vehicle accidents, often in rugged terrain. We would be called and responded […]

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How Much Flight Time Is Enough?

December 6, 2010

I sold my trusty Bonanza.  Guess that’s it.  First, I couldn’t justify the expense.  But more importantly, I would get in the air and say, “Geez, I forgot to …. (fill in the blank).” Seems that I’m investigating an increasing number of aviation crashes where the pilot at the controls had minimum (a) experience, (b) […]

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