Miami Personal Injury Lawyer - Airline Disaster

Pilot Fatigue- FAA is taking notice but are they telling passengers the truth

Gabrielle D'Alemberte — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:38:01 GMT

Federal Aviation Administration head Randy Babbitt says "It's absolutely unsafe to think" that commuter cockpit crews can fly as many hours or stay on duty for as long as pilots who may fly one long-range and execute a single landing route during the same day. In other words, the rules of flying, some of which have been in place for decades, may be wrong. Passengers probably have no awareness that the pilot and crew of their plane may be on their sixth flight of the day.

Keep in mind that before the first of those six flights, the pilots and crew weren’t tucked in a comfortable bed. According the Washington Post, they were packed into a dark “crash” house with several other commuter airline crew trying to get some shut-eye.

Sleep deprivation and fatigue have long been known to be a dangerous factor in flying. In a National Transportation Safety Board safety study of US major carrier accidents involving flight crew from 1978 to 1990, one finding stated: “Half the captains for whom data were available had been awake for more than 12 hours prior to their accidents. Half the first officers had been awake for more than 11 hours. Crews comprising captains and first officers whose time since awake was above the median for their crew position made more errors overall, and significantly more procedural and tactical decision errors."

Studies show exhaustion can impair a pilot's judgment in much the same way alcohol does. Overtired pilots can focus on a conversation or a single chore and miss other things going on around them, including critical flight information.

There are solutions being worked out, but after the advisory committee on pilot fatigue delivered its recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration late Tuesday, the FAA asked for them not to be made public. The airlines want to schedule some pilots with less-taxing flights — fewer takeoffs and landings — but for longer, not shorter, hours in the cockpit. The unions say they won't agree to more hours for those pilots in exchange for fewer hours for pilots who fly as many as a half dozen short flights a day or take off at odd times.

In the end, the responsibility will fall on many shoulders. Flight crews know their work schedules and it is ultimately their responsibility, like anybody with a job, to come to work ready to go. The FAA needs to put modern, relevant rules in place that jibe with what science and research has shown are the most tiring or non-tiring flights. The airlines have to make tough choices with an eye on their bottom lines of hiring more crews or risk over-taxing existing crews. But passengers, ultimately, may face the choice of paying higher fares to fund the extra crews that may end up saving their lives.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Gabrielle D'Alemberte

Another Airbus Crash- Travelers becoming concerned about airline safety records and airline travel

Gabrielle D'Alemberte — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:01:18 GMT

Yemen flight IY 626 was en route from Yemen to Comoros when it encountered what was described as some “tough weather”. The Airbus A310, holding 153 people, was preparing to land when the plane flew into 71 mile an hour winds. The plane was only 11 miles from its destination when it crashed into the Indian Ocean, killing all those onboard.

An HIS Jane’s expert, Chris Yates, stated that “weather may indeed have been the primary cause of the crash of this Yemeni Air A310-300.” The Airbus jet that ultimately crashed into the Indian Ocean was being monitored by EU authorities, according to Dominique Bussereau, France’s transportation minister. Bussereau told French reporters that inspectors had noted several faults on the Yemenia Airways jet, and was being more closely monitored in preparation to be heard by the European Union Security Committee. Yates told CNN that “It’s more than likely to be a weather-related incident. Having said that you cannot rule out a maintenance issue”

This is the second crash involving an Airbus jet in only a month. Air France Airbus A330 crashed while on route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro on June 1^st. All of the passengers have been presumed dead and the cause of the crash is still under investigation. United States accident investigators have been researching recent airspeed and altitude indicator failures aboard the Airbus jet airplanes. Although two flights this past month have reported problems in their instrumentation, they have been able to land safely with no injuries. These issues have raised concern as to the composite materials used in the construction of the Airbus jets, with questions of its strength and ability to withstand stress.

A recent statement made by a certified aircraft maintenance professional in Florida said that “airbus products are the flimsiest and most poorly designed as far as airframe structure is concerned by an almost obsession to utilize composite materials.”

The aviation community, and the world as a whole, waits to see what the investigation will bring as to the fate of the Airbus jets. As those around the world pay their respects to those lost in such tragedies beyond their control, we look forward to a safer plane flight tomorrow.

Meanwhile, as a first in several decades, travelers are investigating airline safety records and considering that airline travel is not the only means to get around. To get a pulse of how the world is reacting, not just those involved "in the industry", take a glimpse on Twitter and Facebook. You will find the messages about Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett have been replaced with "I hope my flight isn't an Airbus" and "I think we will drive instead of fly". Between the flurry of high profile deaths, and the reporting of back to back major commercial airline crashes, questions of one's own mortality seem inevitable. Still, as a sign of hope and life, a five year old was found today among the wreckage. He is alive and doing fine. A miracle of enormous significance in these troubling times.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Gabrielle D'Alemberte

Computers Don’t Make Better Decisions Than Humans: New Discoveries From Air France Wreckage As Body Parts Are Found

Gabrielle D'Alemberte — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:58:04 GMT

It has been approximately two weeks since Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, and there are still more questions then answers as the search continues for the one device that could illuminate the truth of what happened that fateful night: the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder.

According to The Christian Science Monitor, which gives a detailed update of Flight 447 and Airbus, the examination of the 49 bodies found indicate that the plane broke into pieces, probably splitting in the middle, while airborne.

Body parts are now being found and examined. They tell their own story. According to the an Associate Press Report posted two hours ago, "autopsies revealed fractures in the legs, hips and arms of Air France disaster victims. Experts said those injuries — and the large pieces of wreckage pulled from the Atlantic — strongly suggest the plane broke up in the air."

Many are still critical of the aircraft itself. It has been reported that Air France has replaced the airspeed censors – known as Pilot tubes – on its entire fleet of Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft; the A330 is considered the most automated plane in the air today. Because the airspeed censors may have been iced over due to the weather, causing erratic airspeed readings to the plane’s computers, this has drawn quite a bit of attention. Whether or not this caused the crash is still unconfirmed. Probably the greatest controversy among experts is the idea that this plane, a relatively “newer” model among carriers, is more electronically dependent than a plane ought to be. This particular model actually blocks the pilots out if electrical switch is down or hit, essentially taking over. There is no recourse for pilots onboard – in essence no manual override. The scare is computers don’t have the judgment of humans, obviously, but in a situation such as this, having the cognizant ability to make decisions based on instinct, rather than a model that is comprised of statistical data is beneficial.

According to Airbus’ CEO Tom Enders, who was defending the aircraft earlier this week: "The AIRBUS record is very, very impressive," he said. "(They have) more than 16 million flight hours, more than 3 million flights and this is so far one of the safest commercial aircraft built. We are supporting the investigation as much as we can and we very much hope that the recorders will be found soon, so that we find out what really happened," Enders said.

Despite the theories and new evidence of body parts found, until the Brazilian military ships, the French submarine, and the two Dutch ships locate that desolate ping beacon miles under the ocean, the fate of Airbus Flight 447 may remain a mystery.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Gabrielle D'Alemberte

Air France Jet Missing over the Atlantic- 220 expected to be found dead

Gabrielle D'Alemberte — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:48:28 GMT

As of 10 A.M. this morning, the Air France jet carrying 228 people, had gone missing over the Atlantic. Reports of electric failure were the biggest concern, and some opined that the jet was struck by lightning. If this plane went down, it will be one if the worst airline disasters in history. Sadly, the Air France plane is thought to have crashed already.

Yahoo News reports: French Ecology Minister Jean-Louis Borloo confirmed the plane had probably had some kind of accident as a hijacking had been ruled out.

"There's nothing on Spanish radar, nothing on Moroccan radar, nothing on French radar. We can seriously envisage the worst," Borloo said.

The minister told AFP there were "powerful" tropical storms in the zone. "It is the kind of jet made to handle this kind of circumstance but there must have been a build up of circumstances."

The flight had left Rio de Janeiro at 7 P.M. and was headed to Paris, the report of an error message coming in approximately four hours into the flight. Nothing has been heard since. The threat of lightning and weather is not one that air travelers are used to worrying about. Very few plane crashes are related to such conditions. This would certainly be the first of this magnitude.

Citing MSNBC, Bill Voss, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation in Alexandria, Va. said "lightning issues have been considered since the beginning of aviation. They were far more prevalent when aircraft operated at low altitudes. They are less common now since it's easier to avoid thunderstorms."

More often, plane crashes are due to pilot error or negligent maintenance of equipment. In this case, neither have been suggested to have occurred. Still, as always, an extensive investigation will be conducted once the plane is found and the black box recovered.

In the meantime, all assurances have been that this is not a hostage situation. As I watch the news this morning, that was my first fear and I imagine I am not alone in that reaction after September 11.

The world is watching now, and hopefully news of the plane’s whereabouts will be reported soon.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Gabrielle D'Alemberte

Are Airlines Safe? Or Are There A Whole Lot of Plane Crashes Going On?

Gabrielle D'Alemberte — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:58:03 GMT

Within just a few short months we all experienced the Military fighter plane that crashed into a home, the Hudson crash, and more recently, the tragic Colgan Air/Continental Airline's Flight 3407. The back to back media coverage has raised some serious concerns about the safety of commercial air travel. It’s a series of questions that need answers, and sadly, are linked to the down turn in the economy.

It used to be that commercial travel was not only an elegant way to travel, but it was safe. Statistically, airplanes have always been considered safer. The National Travel Safety Board (“NTSB”) keeps records on all commercial plane accidents, regardless of fatalities.

With cut backs in funding and decreased revenues, airlines have cut their staff, their maintenance programs and their inspections. Some airlines have lowered inspections to only those required by the FAA. The cutbacks are showing in the reported crash numbers. While airlines are bound to exercise due care and protect their passengers from injury, the reports of frequent plane crashes is not a coincidence.

The crash of Buffalo’s Flight 3407, which killed 50 people, was originally blamed on ice on the wings. More recently the NTSB Report became available, and its bad news. Pilot fatigue and pilot error (mostly because of lack of training) were the central causes of the crash. Rebecca Shaw, the co-pilot, was paid under $16,000, which has startled Congressional members after hearing testimony of the quality of airline training in commuter type airlines.

USA TODAY reports:

The role of regional airlines has grown. Once considered industry runts, they are now joined at the hip with the big airlines. People who buy a ticket on a major airline often find themselves on a regional carrier for some part of a domestic trip. Passengers often don't even realize they're traveling on two airlines.

Regional airlines account for half of all domestic departures and about one-quarter of the passengers. They are the only scheduled service to about 440 communities.

Witnesses at National Transportation Safety Board hearings this past week said it's possible that many passengers on Flight 3407 the night of Feb. 12 didn't know the plane and its flight crew belonged not to Continental, but Colgan Air of Manassas, Va.

The twin-engine turboprop experienced an aerodynamic stall as it neared Buffalo Niagara International Airport before plunging into a house. All 49 people aboard and a man in the house were killed. Testimony and documents indicate the captain, Marvin Renslow, and co-pilot Rebecca Shaw made a series of critical errors.

NTSB investigators calculated Shaw was paid just over $16,000. Colgan officials testified that captains such as Renslow earn about $55,000 a year. The company later said Shaw's salary was $23,900 and that captains earn about $67,000.

Pilot pay is usually based on the size of the aircraft and a pilot's experience. But the workload and flight schedules at regional airlines are often more demanding than at a major airline, where the planes are larger and make longer but less frequent trips, said Scott Johns, a former Northwest Airlines pilot and air crash investigator.

The President of the Regional Airline association was interviewed, Roger Cohen, and he denied any suggestion that pilots’ inadequate training and experience could be linked to safety. That gives us aviation attorneys some pause.

Whether it’s coincidence, media sensationalism, or simply the “new era” in Washington politics, Congress is finally going to take a look at standards of regional airlines. Congress was already reviewing commercial aircraft standards. Let’s hope Congress takes this seriously. But just in case, like so many other avoidable situations and dangers before, the trial lawyers will be waiting in the wings to hold the industry responsible should they act with disregard to human life.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Gabrielle D'Alemberte