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GAO-09-614 June 24, 2009

Summary
The air cargo industry contributed over $37 billion to the U.S. economy in 2008 and provides government, businesses, and individuals with quick delivery of goods. Although part of an aviation system with an extraordinary safety record, there have been over 400 air cargo accidents and over 900 incidents since 1997, raising concerns about cargo safety. GAO’s congressionally requested study addresses (1) recent trends in air cargo safety, (2) factors that have contributed to air cargo accidents, (3) federal government and industry efforts to improve air cargo safety and experts’ views on the effectiveness of these efforts, and (4) experts’ views on further improving air cargo safety. To perform the study, GAO analyzed agency data, surveyed a panel of experts, reviewed industry and government documents, and interviewed industry and government officials. GAO also conducted site visits to Alaska, Ohio, and Texas.

From 1997 through 2008, 443 accidents involving cargo-only carriers occurred, including 93 fatal accidents. Total accidents declined 63 percent from a high of 62 in 1997 to 23 in 2008. Small cargo carriers were involved in the vast majority of the accidents–79 percent of all accidents and 96 percent of fatal accidents. Although accident rates for large cargo carriers fluctuated during this period, they were comparable to accident rates for large passenger carriers in 2007. GAO could not calculate accident rates based on operations or miles traveled for small carriers because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not collect the necessary data. Although several factors contributed to these air cargo accidents, our review of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data found that pilot performance was identified as a probable cause for about 80 percent of fatal and about 53 percent of non-fatal cargo accidents.

Furthermore, GAO’s analysis of NTSB reports for the 93 fatal accidents, using an FAA flight-risk checklist, identified three or more risk factors in 63 of the accidents. Risk factors included low pilot experience, winter weather, and nighttime operations. Alaska’s challenging operating conditions and remotely located populations who rely on air cargo are also a contributing factor. Many federal efforts to improve air cargo safety focus on large carriers. Air cargo experts that GAO surveyed ranked FAA’s voluntary disclosure programs–in which participating carriers voluntarily disclose safety events to FAA–as the most effective effort to improve air cargo, but two of the three main voluntary disclosure programs are used typically by large carriers. Several industry initiatives, however, focus on carriers with smaller aircraft, such as the Medallion Foundation, which has improved small aircraft safety in Alaska through training and safety audits. The two actions experts cited most often to further improve air cargo safety were installing better technology on cargo aircraft to provide additional tools to pilots and collecting data to track small cargo carrier operations. Using flight risk checklists can also help pilots assess the accumulated risk factors associated with some cargo flights.

Recommendations
Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from “In process” to “Implemented” or “Not implemented” based on our follow up work.

Director:
Team:
Phone: Gerald L. Dillingham
Government Accountability Office: Physical Infrastructure
(202) 512-4803

Recommendations for Executive Action

Recommendation: To help FAA improve the data on and the safety of air cargo operations, the Secretary of Transportation should direct the FAA Administrator to gather comprehensive and accurate data on all part 135 cargo operations to gain a better understanding of air cargo accident rates and better target safety initiatives. This can be done by separating out cargo activity in FAA’s annual survey of aircraft owners or by requiring all part 135 cargo carriers to report operational data as part 121 carriers currently do.

Agency Affected: Department of Transportation

Status: In process

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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Recommendation: To help FAA improve the data on and the safety of air cargo operations, the Secretary of Transportation should direct the FAA Administrator to promote the increased use of safety programs by small (feeder and ad hoc) cargo carriers that use the principles underpinning SMS and voluntary self-disclosure programs.

Agency Affected: Department of Transportation

Status: In process

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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Recommendation: To help FAA improve the data on and the safety of air cargo operations, the Secretary of Transportation should direct the FAA Administrator to evaluate the likelihood that cargo incidents could be precursors to accidents and, if FAA determines they are, create a process for capturing incidents that would allow in-depth analysis of incidents to identify accident precursors related to specific carriers, locations, operations, and equipment.

Agency Affected: Department of Transportation

Status: In process

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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Recommendation: To help FAA improve the data on and the safety of air cargo operations, the Secretary of Transportation should direct the FAA Administrator to create incentives for cargo carriers to use flight risk assessment checklists in their daily operations, including tailoring a sample flight risk assessment checklist for part 135 cargo carriers.

Agency Affected: Department of Transportation

Status: In process

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken

Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Press Release

PARIS AIR SHOW, Le Bourget, France – June 17, 2009 – Brazil’s TAM Linhas Aereas (TAM) signed a four-year exclusive repair agreement with Pratt & Whitney for Airbus A330-200 thrust reversers. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

“We work hard to keep the operating costs for our fleet of A330-200 aircraft controlled with maintenance agreements such as this one,” said Captain David Barioni Neto, president and CEO, TAM Linhas Aereas, S.A. “Having equipment operating at optimum levels helps to keep assets in service and avoid costly break downs.”

TAM currently operates 11 A330-200s with Pratt & Whitney PW4168A model engines. Those engines are covered by an exclusive service agreement provided by Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners.

“TAM has been a very successful airline in Latin America and a market leader in Brazil and we are pleased that TAM will benefit from our composite repair capabilities on thrust reversers,” said Tom Hutton, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Global Repair Services. “Arrangements such as this help to control costs for customers by allowing us to perform more precise planning and to identify operational efficiencies. Building on the success of the concept, plans are in place to expand the arrangement to cover additional nacelle components.”

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.

# # #

© 2009, United Technologies Corp. - Pratt & Whitney

19 June 2009

Airbus announced commitments during the 2009 Paris Air Show for 127 aircraft, valued at some US$12.9 billion. These commitments include firm orders for 58 aircraft worth almost US$6.4 billion, plus ‘Memoranda of Understanding’ (MoU) agreements for a further 69 aircraft totalling US$6.5 billion.

Firm Orders: 58 aircraft worth US$6.4 billion
The firm-order highlights of the show were three large orders from carriers in the Middle East and Asia. Qatar Airways placed an order for 24 single-aisle aircraft valued at US$1.9 billion, comprising the purchase of 20 A320s and four A321 aircraft. Meanwhile, Vietnam Airlines signed a US$1.4 billion firm order for 16 A321s. In addition, Air Asia X expressed confidence in Airbus’ newest aircraft product with a firm order for 10 A350-900s valued at US$2.4 billion.

Other firm airliner orders made during the show include: Cebu Pacific, which ordered five A320s; Aigle Azur for one A319; and Zest Air of the Philippines which became a new Airbus customer with an order for one A320. It is also worth mentioning an order for one Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) A320 Prestige from a private customer.

MoUs: 69 aircraft worth US$6.5 billion
Moreover, as a further indication of the industry’s forward planning at the show, Airbus received MoU commitments for a further 69 aircraft. These MoUs comprised: 50 A320s for Wizz Air worth US$3.8 billion; 10 A321s for Indian based Paramount Airways worth US$900 million; two A330-200s plus five A330-300s for Turkish Airlines together worth US$1.4 billion; and two A350-900s for Vietnam Airlines worth US$480 million.

John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers commented: “Airbus’ commercial performance shows that the airline industry continues to invest in the most fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly aircraft. Our customers are addressing both the long-term industry growth as well as the necessary replacement of older less efficient aircraft.”

Airbus’ success is founded on innovative design, which has given it the world’s most modern aircraft family in every category from 100 to 525 seats. Airbus is also unique in offering airlines a common cockpit in every single passenger aircraft that it produces today, which makes it easier and quicker for pilots to switch between aircraft types during their career - while saving airlines time and money.

Source: Airbus

Story Highlights
•California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plane makes “steep” emergency landing
•Jet diverted after smoke emanates from cockpit panel
•Schwarzenegger tweets about landing, calls it “a little adventure”

By Amanda O’Donnell
CNN

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) — A plane carrying California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made an emergency landing Friday evening after the cockpit filled with smoke, his office said in a statement.

Schwarzenegger confirmed the incident with a tweet on the social-networking Web site, Twitter. He also included a photo of the jet on the tarmac.

“A little adventure just now when my plane made an emergency landing. All’s OK, though,” he posted.

The governor was on his way to the Santa Monica airport after a speech in Mendota, California, about the drought affecting the state.

The jet was diverted to Van Nuys Airport after the pilot reported “smoke emanating from the instrument panel in the cockpit,” Schwarzenegger’s office said, adding that there were no visible signs of a fire.

The pilot made a “quick, steep, but safe landing,” his office said. No one was injured.

Twitter is a social networking site that allows users to update what they are doing using 140 characters or less.

15 June 2009

Doha-based national carrier, Qatar Airways, has signed a firm contract for 24 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. The agreement includes the firming up of a contract for four A321 aircraft announced at the Farnborough Air show in July 2008.

Qatar Airways currently operates 19 A320 Family aircraft, the Middle East’s largest fleet. The new aircraft configured with a two-class cabin will be deployed to enhance and expand services on regional, Eastern European and south west Asia services.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “The additional Airbus A320s and A321s give Qatar Airways a firm footing in the rapid development and expansion of our regional network. Qatar Airways is determined to grow with the world’s best aircraft at the heart of a modern and fuel efficient fleet, and this A320 Family order will ensure that our narrow-body fleet is the youngest and best equipped in the region.”

In addition to 19 A320 Family aircraft, Qatar’s current in-service fleet includes four A340-600s and the region’s largest fleet of 29 A330s.

“Qatar Airways’s partnership with Airbus dates back to the early 1990’s, and we take great pride that it is stronger today than ever before. Qatar already operates a modern fleet of eco-efficient Airbus’ and we are delighted that with the equally efficient A320, Airbus is forming the backbone of Qatar’s modern fleet,” said Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO.

Qatar Airways is one of the world’s leading airlines, with a fleet that includes A320s, A300Fs, A330s and A340 aircraft including the ACJ corporate jet. Qatar Airways is also a customer for the 21st Century flagship, the A380 and is the largest customer for the A350 XWB.

The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. Each aircraft features fly by wire controls and all share a unique cockpit and operational commonality across the range. Over 6,300 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and almost 3,900 delivered to more than 300 customers and operators worldwide, making it the worlds best selling commercial jetliner ever.

With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. Uniquely, the A320 Family offers a containerized cargo system, which is compatible with the world wide standard wide-body system.

Source: Airbus

Friday, June 12, 2009

Story Highlights
-Paris Air Show at Le Bourget this year celebrates its 100th anniversary
-Airbus likely to face questions about Air France Flight 447
-Airbus competes with Boeing for supremacy in commercial airliner market
-Both companies also compete in the lucrative military aviation market

(CNN) — The world’s premier air show takes place in Paris next week, with the recent loss of Air France flight 447 over the Atlantic Ocean likely to cast a shadow over the event.

The annual Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary, gives the air transport industry the chance to promote the latest innovations in aerospace technology and attract buyers for both commercial and military aircraft.

Manufacturing giants Boeing and Airbus are two of the most high-profile organizations at the show as a result of their stranglehold over the commercial airliner market. Paris provides them with a platform to demonstrate this might by announcing sales and showcasing new products.

But Airbus will be under closer scrutiny following last week’s disaster off the coast of Brazil, that involved one of its Airbus A330 aircraft. Investigators remain in the dark about what caused Flight 447 to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean because the jet’s data recorder has yet to be recovered. The only facts broadly agreed upon are that the airliner penetrated a region of severe weather, and the pilots were eventually confronted with a rapid series of system failures. Watch the latest on the crash »

The jet had been flying from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, when it went down with the loss of all 228 people on board.

Unless French air accident investigators announce something more conclusive before Le Bourget opens on Monday, it’s likely that Airbus will face some awkward questions.

“I don’t think people will be pushing the safety agenda necessarily,” said CNN’s Richard Quest. “There will be a lot of head-scratching about how it could have happened and perhaps discussions about the Airbus A330’s computerized fly-by-wire technology.

“But it won’t affect the show in the same way Concorde’s fiery crash in 2000 affected the Farnborough Air Show which followed.”

According to Kieran Daly, editor of Air Transport Intelligence, the marketing and public relations people at Airbus will be “in agony” working out how they will approach the event.

He said: “They have been postponing media events and pulling advertising temporarily in order to be sympathetic to the tragedy. However, there’s an expectation in France for Airbus to be seen to be supporting the show.

“They will most likely make a statement about the crash but will not take questions about it. There’s no indication that Airbus is scaling back its plans for Paris.”

The Paris Air Show comes at a time when the industry is extremely stressed due to the global economic downturn. In the commercial sector, airline equipment suppliers such as Boeing, Airbus, Honeywell and Goodrich are struggling as airlines are not buying. When they do look to invest they look for rock-bottom prices.

“Ryanair are rumored to be on the verge of placing an order for a huge number of narrow-body planes from Boeing and Airbus,” Daly said. “But they are fierce negotiators who look for the very best deal for them.

“On the other hand, some suppliers focus on looking after their existing clients by helping them to save money and providing additional support. They hope airlines will show their appreciation when they’re in a position to place new orders.”

Despite the gloom Paris shows no signs of being beset by the same problems that major trade shows in the automotive industry have faced as car makers cut their costs and choose not to attend.

According to Daly, part of the reason is that the industry is far more robust. It is dominated by a handful of major players and second tier operators that have consolidated their position in the aerospace industry.

“They are well ahead of the curve in terms of business plans and manufacturing techniques, he said. “So there is not much fat to cut compared with the car industry.

The other reason, added Daly, is the world is far more dangerous and military orders are up. “The slump in the commercial sector has been offset to some extent by the an increases in demand for military equipment.

“The Paris Air Show is a huge marketplace for military aviation. The helicopter and fighter markets are especially buoyant as a number of countries, especially NATO members, spend seriously.

“Boeing and Airbus have been particularly successful in embracing this lucrative area.”

Source: CNN

News Release

SAN DIEGO, June 1, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a contract for the Low-Cost Ground Surveillance (LCGS) program to heighten situational awareness of airport surface traffic. The contract is for the installation of the LCGS system at the Reno, Nev., airport and includes options for installation at additional airports.

LCGS will provide surface surveillance at U.S. airports to significantly upgrade efficiency and safety. This is especially critical at small and medium-size airports where air traffic controllers currently rely only on their “out-of-the-window” view of surface traffic as the primary means for avoiding conflicts and maintaining operational capacity and safety. That view can be severely hampered by adverse weather conditions, compromising safety for travelers.

Northrop Grumman’s solution features the NOVA 9000 developed by Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems. The NOVA 9000 processes and integrates radar and related data to give graphical views of aircraft and vehicles in the airport movement area on display screens to controllers in the tower. The system offers integrated and efficient airport ground surveillance to the world’s airports and has been installed in more than 40 airports throughout more than 20 countries. The NOVA 9000 is cost-effective and easy to install and operate, and its scalability allows suitability for installation at small airports as well as some of the world’s largest and busiest airports such as London Heathrow and Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

“We are pleased the FAA has chosen our solution that is based on the most widely installed and trusted ground surveillance system in the world,” said Roger Fujii, vice president of Network Communication Systems for Northrop Grumman’s Information Systems sector. “We look forward to working with the FAA and furthering the safety of traffic on airport runways and taxiways.”

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, based in Peterborough, UK and Oslo and Horten, Norway, supplies communication, navigation and surveillance systems for air-space operations worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

Source: Northrop Grumman

<---End of Quote--->

Related Article:
Crash prompts effort by Congress to reform airline pay and safety

By Kevin Bogardus
Posted: 06/11/09 06:06 PM [ET]

Republicans joined Democrats on Thursday in calling for legislation to address pay, training and pilot-fatigue issues at regional airlines uncovered in the wake of the crash of Continental Flight 3407 outside of Buffalo, N.Y., earlier this year.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee members agreed that Congress may need to force regulators at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to institute new safety reforms in response to the February crash, which killed all 49 people on board and one person on the ground.

“We have got to stop this race to the bottom. We have an industry in distress,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). “We have been talking about this for a long time and now is the time for action.”

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill blame the FAA for not acting on recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to improve safety at regional airlines.

As the economy has worsened, lawmakers suspect that the major air carriers — brand names like Continental Airlines — have begun to shift more of their domestic flights to regional airliners that cost less to operate. Half of the flights in the United States are now operated by regional airlines. The airplane that crashed flew under the Continental name, but was actually operated by Colgan Air, a small regional airline.

The shift to regional airlines raises safety concerns because regional airline pilots are not as well-trained as pilots who fly for major carriers, lawmakers said. These pilots also work long hours, which makes them more susceptible to fatigue and pilot error, lawmakers said.

The six scheduled passenger flights since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that have crashed have all been flown by regional airliners. Half of those crashes were the result of pilot error, according to the NTSB.

Lawmakers believe that the pilots flying Continental 3407 either had little sleep or were relatively inexperienced. The NTSB has not determined the cause of the crash yet.

Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), chairman of the Aviation subcommittee, said he planned to draft legislation after Thursday’s hearing.

“We need to put some of these things into law so they are mandatory, not discretionary,” Costello said, referring to the safety recommendations not acted upon yet by the FAA.

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), ranking member on the House Transportation Committee, promised to work with Costello and others in drafting that legislation.

“We will join you if we have to take corrective action by legislation,” Mica said.

New legislation for tougher safety standards could face opposition from the major U.S. air carriers. Major airlines opposed previous efforts to adopt tougher safety standards, arguing they were unnecessary given the industry’s safety record and could raise their costs.

“We are committed to working with all stakeholders to develop solutions to improving what already is the safest air transportation system in the world, but until we see specific legislation, it would be inappropriate to comment,” said David Castelveter, spokesman for the Air Transport Association, the trade group for the major U.S. airlines.

Lawmakers heard from several high-ranking administration officials who are investigating the airline crash. Despite the best efforts to institute “one level of safety” across all airlines, regulators said regional carriers have not always met industry standards.

“Clearly, the record tells us we are not there yet,” said Calvin Scovel, the Transportation Department’s inspector general.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, speaking before the House committee for the first time since his June 1 confirmation, said he has set up a meeting between industry leaders and government officials for next Monday to discuss new safety efforts.

But Babbitt said new standards for the airlines would have to be “voluntary” for now because it could take six months to a year before regulations could be finalized under an official rulemaking proceeding. In 1995, the FAA had proposed rules to shorten pilots’ work hours, but it eventually backed off under pressure from the airlines.

“I intend to use the bully pulpit of this job to the extent that I can,” Babbitt said.

But Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation Committee, implored Babbit to take a hard line with the air carriers and force them to institute new precautions.

“You have power. The airlines go against you at their peril and we will support you in that initiative,” Oberstar said. “We expect that kind of leadership.”

Source: The Hill

EVERETT, Wash., June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Boeing (NYSE: BA) has completed the intermediate gauntlet phase of testing on the first 787 Dreamliner.

During the testing, pilots and engineers simulated multiple scenarios using all airplane systems as if the aircraft were in flight, including power, avionics and flight controls. Test scenarios ranged from standard flights to single and multiple systems failures during flights.

Intermediate gauntlet testing included about one week’s worth of operations on the airplane and hundreds of discrete test conditions.

“The team has done an incredible job supporting an exhaustive test regimen,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “I couldn’t be more proud.

“We will continue to take a hard look at the results, make adjustments and finish up our testing so we can get to first flight.”

Beginning June 9, at noon PDT (7 p.m. GMT), video highlights including the road to gauntlet, gauntlet testing highlights and a tribute to the men and women conducting the gauntlet testing can be found at www.boeing.com and www.newairplane.com.

SOURCE Boeing

By MARCO SIBAJA and ALAN CLENDENNING, Associated Press

Last update: June 7, 2009 - 2:08 PM

RECIFE, Brazil - Four more bodies were found Sunday bobbing in the ocean near the spot where an Air France jet is believed to have crashed a week ago, bringing the total number of bodies plucked from the water to six, Brazil’s military said.

A French helicopter crew retrieved one body, and Brazilian-led search team recovered three others. None was immediately identified.

Authorities said pilots searching the mid-Atlantic also spotted additional bodies from the air and are sending ships to recover them, Brazilian Navy Capt. Giucemar Tabosa Cardoso said.

The number or approximate number of additional bodies in the water was not disclosed. Brazil’s military is not releasing information about bodies or debris that have not been taken aboard ships, after sea trash was mistaken last week for a cargo pallet from the plane, prompting criticism.

Flight 447 disappeared and likely broke up in midair in turbulent weather May 31 during a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris with 228 people aboard — all now presumed dead.

The investigation is increasingly focused on whether external instruments on the Airbus A330 may have iced over, confusing speed sensors and leading computers to set the plane’s speed too fast or slow — a potentially deadly mistake.

The French agency investigating the disaster said airspeed instruments on the plane had not been replaced as the maker had recommended, but cautioned that it was too early to draw conclusions about what role that may have played in the crash.

The agency, BEA, said the plane received inconsistent airspeed readings from different instruments as it struggled in a massive thunderstorm.

In Brazil, Air Force Col. Henry Munhoz said he could not immediately provide information on how many more bodies were spotted from the air. Cardoso said late Sunday morning that ships should be able to recover some of them within hours despite rainy weather and poor visibility.

Source: Star Tribune

PARIS (AP) — An Air France memo to its pilots Friday about the crash of Flight 447 said the airline is replacing instruments that help measure airspeed on all its medium- and long-haul Airbus jets.

Investigators have focused on incorrect speed readings as one potential factor in the crash.

With Brazil and France disagreeing about whether pieces of the jet have even been found in the Atlantic, investigators are using the last messages sent by the plane to determine the cause and try to avoid future disasters.

Air France declined to comment on the memo obtained by The Associated Press, saying it was for pilots only.

Airbus said the matter was part of the investigation into the crash that killed 228 people flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris Sunday. The Bureau of Investigation and Analysis, which is leading the French probe of the crash, said it would address all questions at a Saturday news conference.

The memo sent Friday said Air France has been replacing instruments known as Pitot tubes and will finish in “coming weeks.” It does not say when the replacement process started.

The plane’s “black boxes” may be miles below the surface and investigators are looking for clues in the messages sent from the plane’s computers just before it disappeared. One theory: the outside probes that feed speed sensors may have iced over, giving incorrect information to the plane’s computers. The autopilot may have then directed the plane to fly too fast or too slow when it met turbulence from towering thunderstorms.

Airbus sent an advisory to airlines late Thursday reminding them how to handle the A330 in similar conditions.

The memo sent by Air France Friday says that a series of actions to reduce the risks of loss of airspeed information are being reinforced by “notably, the improvement of pitot models on Airbus’ fleet of medium- and long-haul flights.”

“On this topic, a program of replacing pitots with new models is underway,” the memo reads. “It should be completed in coming weeks.”

Pitot tubes are L-shaped metal tubes — about eight inches long on their longer side — that protrude from the wing or fuselage of a plane. The pressure of the air entering the tube lets sensors measure the speed and angle of the flight, along with less vital information like outside air temperature.

They are heated to prevent icing.

A blocked or malfunctioning Pitot tube could cause an airspeed sensor to work incorrectly and cause the computer controlling the plane to accelerate or decelerate in a potentially dangerous fashion.

Airbus said the French agency investigating the crash found that the doomed flight had faced turbulent weather and inconsistency in the speed readings by different instruments.

That meant “the measured air speed of the aircraft was unclear,” Justin Dubon said.

In such circumstances, flight crews should maintain thrust and pitch and — if necessary — level off the plane and start troubleshooting, Dubon said.

Meteorologists said the Air France jet entered an unusual storm with 100 mph updrafts that acted as a vacuum, sucking water up from the ocean. The moist air rushed up to the plane’s high altitude, where it quickly froze in minus-40 degree temperatures. The updrafts also would have created dangerous turbulence.

The jetliner’s computer systems ultimately failed, and the plane likely broke apart in midair.

Brazilian officials have insisted for three days that military pilots have spotted wreckage from Flight 447 scattered across the ocean’s surface. Air Force Brig. Gen. Ramon Cardoso again expressed confidence Friday that at least some of the objects — an airplane seat, a slick of kerosene and other pieces — are from the plane that vanished Sunday with 228 people on board.

“This is the material that we’ve seen that really was part of the plane,” Cardoso said.

But ships guided by planes in the search area have been hampered by extremely poor visibility, and have recovered no wreckage. “We don’t have any information yet that any of the ships are near any of the objects,” Cardoso said.

The only piece retrieved so far, a cargo pallet, turned out to be sea garbage. Like other suspicious objects, it had to be hauled up and checked out, said Brazilian Navy Adm. Edson Lawrence.

French officials stopped short of criticizing their Brazilian counterparts, but France’s Transportation Minister Dominique Bussereau said his own country’s searchers have found no signs of the Airbus A330.

“French authorities have been saying for several days that we have to be extremely prudent,” Bussereau told France’s RTL radio. “Our planes and naval ships have seen nothing.”

A French Defense Ministry official, speaking only on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, also questioned the Brazilian claims, saying French teams “cannot precisely confirm the zone where the plane went down.”

Cardoso also said a large oil slick spotted by search plane pilots was not from the Airbus, but that authorities believe another slick of kerosene was probably from the downed passenger jet.

France is sending a submarine to the zone where the plane is thought to have gone down to detect signals from the two black boxes, said military spokesman Christophe Prazuck. The Emeraude, already in the Atlantic, will arrive next week, he said. The vessel, which can dive up to 980 feet is to be used to help try to detect the signals noises from the boxes — believed to be up to 13,100 feet underwater. It will try to capture the acoustic signals, which can last 30 days, Prazuck said.

The Pentagon has said there are no signs terrorism was involved. Brazil’s defense minister said the possibility was never considered. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner agreed that there is no evidence supporting a “terrorism theory,” but said “we cannot discard that for now.”

Brazil’s Air Force was flying relatives of victims to the search command post in the northeastern city of Recife Friday to tour the operation and ask questions. Recife has a large air force base where debris and any human remains would be brought.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: USA Today

5 Jun 2009, 2115 hrs IST, AFP

PARIS: France will send a nuclear submarine to help find the Air France jet that disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean with 228 people on board, Defence Minister Herve Morin said on Friday.

“Thanks to its surveillance equipment it could help us find the black boxes (flight data recorders),” he told reporters, adding that the vessel would be a nuclear powered hunter-killer submarine.

A French marine research ship equipped with two non-nuclear mini-submarines is already on its way to the stretch of the Atlantic where the Airbus A330 is thought to have crashed Monday as it flew from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

The “Pourquoi Pas” (”Why Not”) was due to arrive late next week to join the hunt by French and Brazilian air force jets and navy boats which have so far recovered no debris or bodies from the plane.

Both the mini-subs — one has a crew of three, the other is unmanned — can work at depths of up to 6,000 metres (20,000 feet).

The search zone’s average depth is estimated between 4,000 and 5,000 meters (13,100 and 16,400 feet) but has crevasses up to 8,000 meters (26,200 feet) deep, according to Brazilian and French oceanographers.

Source: The Times of India

By vivek raghuvanshi
Published: 3 Jun 2009 12:08

Source: Defense News

NEW DELHI - The monopoly held by India’s state–owned aeronautic manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), has been broken by the private firm Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. [TASL], which struck a joint venture with U.S.-based Sikorsky Aircraft to manufacture helicopters here.

An executive of TASL said the helicopters will be built for both defense and civil purposes, and include utility and strike versions for the armed forces.

Sikorsky is already in the race for India’s program to procure 197 utility helos, along with AgustaWestland of the United Kingdom, Eurocopter of France , Kamov of Russia and Bell Helicopter of the United States.

The joint venture between TASL and Sikorsky is being set up near the central Indian city of Hyderabad in an Aerospace Special Economic Zone. The joint venture will be built at a cost of $200 million and the plant will be commissioned in one year, added the TASL executive.

Tata Group, which is the parent of TASL, already has an agreement with U.S. aerospace major Boeing to handle an initial $500 million of defense-related aerospace component work in India for export to Boeing.

Last year, TASL announced that it is joining hands with EADS to bid for the Indian Army’s $1 billion advanced tactical communications system project. TASL also signed a memorandum of understanding last year with Israel Aerospace Industries to set up a defense technology company in India to jointly produce a wide range of defense and aerospace products.

All content © 2009, Army Times Publishing Company

Associared Press
updated 5:14 p.m. PT, Thurs., June 4, 2009

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Two officials say investigators in an Air France jet crash are looking at whether speed data instruments malfunctioned.

The officials, who have knowledge of the investigation, say an iced-over external probe or a bad speed sensor may have fed inaccurate data to onboard computers controlling the jet.

The officials spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the case.

Aviation analyst Bill Voss said if the plane was traveling too fast in heavy turbulence, it could break apart. If traveling too slow, it could stall.

The Airbus A330 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris Sunday night with 228 people on board. Airline officials say there were no survivors.

First wreckage
Meantime a Brazilian helicopter crew recovered the first wreckage from Air France Flight 447 on Thursday, pulling a cargo pallet from the sea.

Two buoys — standard emergency equipment on planes — also were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean about 340 miles northeast of Brazil’s northern Fernando de Noronha islands by the helicopter crew, which was working off a Brazilian navy ship.

Air France’s CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told family members at a private meeting that the Airbus A330 disintegrated, either in the air or when it slammed into the ocean and there were no survivors, according to Guillaume Denoix de Saint-Marc, a grief counselor who was asked by Paris prosecutors to help counsel relatives.

Soldiers at Fernando de Noronha’s airport, where any recovered human remains would be taken, unloaded body bags and a refrigerator truck on Thursday from a military plane.

Flight 447 disappeared en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on Sunday night, the deadliest crash in Air France history and the world’s worst commercial air accident since 2001.

With the crucial “black box” voice and data recorders still missing, investigators were relying heavily on the plane’s automated messages to help reconstruct what happened as the jet flew through towering thunderstorms.

The messages detail a series of failures that end with its systems shutting down, suggesting the plane broke apart in the sky, according to an aviation industry official with knowledge of the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the crash.

“What is clear is that there was no landing. There’s no chance the escape slides came out,” said Denoix de Saint-Marc, who heads a victims’ association for UTA Flight 772, which Libyan terrorists downed with a suitcase bomb in 1989.

Conflicting signals
France’s accident investigation agency said only two findings have been established so far: One is that the series of automatic messages sent from Flight 447 gave conflicting signals about the plane’s speed; the other is that the flight path went through dangerously stormy weather.

The agency warned against any “hasty interpretation or speculation” after the French newspaper Le Monde reported, without naming sources, that the Air France plane was flying at the wrong speed.

France has invited the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board to help in the accident investigation. The U.S. team also includes General Electric Aviation of Cincinnati, Ohio, which made the plane’s engines, and Honeywell International Inc. of Morristown, N.J., which made the black boxes and parts of the communication and navigation systems.

Seas were calm Thursday with periodic rain as ships converged on three debris sites to recover wreckage, but French military spokesman Christophe Prazuck said extreme cloudiness prevented U.S. satellites from helping.

“The clock is ticking on finding debris before they spread out and before they sink or disappear,” Prazuck said. “That’s the priority now, the next step will be to look for the black boxes.”

French planes and a U.S. Navy P-3C Orion surveillance plane joined Brazil’s Air Force, whose pilots guided Navy ships to debris areas across a search zone of 2,300 square miles, said Brazil Air Force Gen. Ramon Borges Cardoso.

Other debris spotted so far includes a 23-foot) chunk of plane, an airline seat, an oil slick and several large brown and yellow pieces that Cardoso said probably came from inside the plane.

Brazil’s Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said debris had spread more than 140 milesapart in currents roughly 400 miles northeast of the Fernando de Noronha islands off Brazil’s northern coast, where the ocean floor drops as low as 22,950 feet below sea level.

The Pourquoi Pas, a French sea research vessel carrying manned and unmanned submarines, is heading from the Azores and will be in the search zone by June 12, Prazuck said. The equipment includes the Nautile, a mini-sub used to explore the undersea wreckage of the Titanic, according to French marine institute Ifremer.

But the lead French investigator has questioned whether the recorders will ever be found in such deep and rugged underwater terrain.

Mourning in Rio
The mourning continues — more than 500 people packed the historic Candelaria church in the center of Rio de Janeiro Thursday for a Mass for the victims of crash. Some relatives quietly sobbed and others wore sunglasses to hide reddened eyes.

Carlos Eduardo Esteves, a 22-year-old law school student, came to remember Air France crew member Lucas Gagliano, a Brazilian who was on his way back home to France after attending his father’s funeral.

His eyes tearing up, Esteves said they had been friends for years.

“This is a form of saying goodbye to him. I feel so much loss, the nation has lost so much.”

The last message from the pilot was a manual signal at 11 p.m. local time Sunday saying he was flying through an area of black, electrically charged cumulonimbus clouds that come with violent winds and lightning. The automated messages that followed suggest the plane broke apart in the sky, according to the aviation industry official.

But the lead French investigator has questioned whether the recorders will ever be found in such deep and rugged underwater terrain.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

By SHANNON BUGGS
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
May 22, 2009, 11:17PM

Continental Airlines is suing nine pilots and their spouses the carrier says faked divorces to circumvent federal laws and collect the pilots’ pension benefits before retirement.

The Houston-based carrier has fired or accepted the resignations of eight of the nine senior pilots, who flew its biggest aircraft.

“The one exception … recanted his fraud and signed an agreement to make restitution to the plan and consequently was reinstated to active employment,” Continental said in its lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal district court in Houston.

But Continental says the pilot had not repaid the money by the time the carrier asked a judge to force him and the others to return everything they got from the pension plan and any interest earned on those amounts.

“The law requires that Continental and other fiduciaries of the pension plan take appropriate steps to protect pension assets,” said Continental spokeswoman Julie King.

None of the defendants or their representatives could be reached for comment.

Continental alleges the pilots and their spouses got paper-only divorces while continuing to live together and concealing the change in their marital status from their children and friends.

Once a state court approved the divorces, the pilots signed court-issued documents giving their new ex-spouses all rights to a pilots-only pension plan, worth up to $900,000 per individual participant.

Then, the spouses presented the paperwork to the Continental pension plan administrator with a request for a lump-sum distribution.

Such pre-retirement payments to former spouses are allowed under the federal law that governs employer-sponsored retirement saving and investing plans that grow tax-free.

But Continental alleges that after getting the money, the couples remarried. It calls the divorces “subterfuges or sham transactions.”

Continental suggested in the lawsuit that the pilots — seven men and two women — were afraid of losing major chunks of their pensions because of the financial difficulties the airline industry experienced in 2005.

Around that time, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and US Airways filed for bankruptcy protection, reneged on their pension promises and handed over the plans to a federal administrator to make good on a portion of the pension obligations.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.’s maximum guarantee is paid in periodic annuity payments instead of lump sums and is far less than a typical airline pilot pension. This year, for a 65-year-old person, the maximum is $54,000.

“If you look at it from the pilots’ perspective, it’s understandable why they might have pursued this plan to keep that original benefit, but it absolutely is not permitted,” Jesse Gelsomini, a partner and labor lawyer at Haynes and Boone in Houston.

The Continental pilots are not the first group of airline workers suspected of disavowing marriage to tap a retirement plan early.

Attorneys for UAL Corp., the parent of United Airlines, sought advice in 1999 from the U.S. Department of Labor about whether the company had to accept divorce documents it believed to be “questionable or sham in nature.”

In that instance, 21 United maintenance workers in Indianapolis were accused of defrauding the retirement plan by following steps laid out in a pamphlet called the Retirement Liberation Handbook, which gave instructions on how to use divorce to acquire benefits prior to retirement.

The Labor Department told UAL that it was “not free to ignore” information that calls into question the validity of court documents that divide up marital property and should alert state authorities about its concerns.

Continental sent copies of the lawsuit to the U.S. secretaries of Labor and Treasury.

Source: The Houston Chronicle

BERLIN, May 7, 2009 – Boeing [NYSE: BA], Rolls-Royce, RUAG Aerospace and Deharde Maschinenbau have entered into a collaborative research agreement to explore the potential of fuel-efficient open-fan (open rotor) propulsion technology for future commercial airplanes.

Using technologies and techniques contributed by each of the parties, tests of a model concept airplane with open-fan engines are planned for early in 2010 at the RUAG Low Speed Wind Tunnel in Emmen, Switzerland. A unique propulsion and measurement system is to be integrated into the model.

“Open-fan propulsion technology has potential for reducing specific fuel consumption significantly below current turbofans,” said Michael Friend, Boeing director of Technology in Germany. “While Boeing has made no decisions as to the type of propulsion system or propulsion supplier for any potential future commercial airplane, this investigation will help us to better understand the interaction of open-fan propulsion with a candidate airframe concept, and how much fuel savings might be possible.”

As a global leader in technology, Rolls-Royce is providing propulsion design expertise from facilities in the UK and Germany, while Boeing is designing the integrated wind tunnel model airframe. The wind tunnel model will be manufactured by Deharde Maschinenbau of Varel, Germany. The model will utilize RUAG expertise in Counter-Rotating Open Rotor engine simulation.

“This research is an example of how we partner with technology leaders in Germany, Europe and around the world to investigate ways of reducing the environmental footprint of our next generation products,” said Lianne Stein, president of Boeing Germany.

“Rolls-Royce is delighted to be working with Boeing to investigate possible power solutions for future generations of aircraft,” said Ric Parker, director, Research and Technology at Rolls-Royce. “Open Rotor engines provide an opportunity to make a step change in efficiency for narrow body aircraft and this research will help underpin future full scale demonstration and point the way for future developments.”

“Deharde has extensive expertise in windtunnel model design, manufacturing, system integration and onsite support in the windtunnels of Europe,” said Holger Hoffmann, managing partner of Deharde Maschinenbau. “As a dedicated small/medium enterprise we are excited to be a partner in this challenging global technology project with our expertise and know-how.”

Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. Through its Boeing Research & Technology organization, the company conducts its own R&D and also works with top government, private and university research centers, and companies throughout the world to quickly find the most innovative and affordable technology solutions for aerospace applications. For more information, please visit www.boeing.com / www.boeing.de.

Rolls-Royce, a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy. The Group has a broad customer base comprising more than 600 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries. It employs around 39,000 people worldwide people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in 50 countries and has businesses headquartered in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Scandinavia and China. This global presence allows the Group to access long-term international growth opportunities with its technology, presence, partnerships and people. In 2008, in collaboration with its partners, Rolls-Royce invested over £800 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental aspects of its products. For more information, please visit www.rolls-royce.com.

RUAG Aerospace is an international aerospace and defence specialist with strong technological expertise. The headquarters are in Emmen (Switzerland). RUAG Aerospace has production sites in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Sweden. RUAG Aerospace’s engineering skills provide the foundations of its dynamic role in development and production. The company is excited to contribute its experience in powered wind tunnel testing to this collaborative endeavour for improved sustainability in air transportation. For more information, please visit www.ruag.com.

Deharde Maschinenbau is based in Varel in northern Germany and employs approximately 120 people. Deharde Maschinenbau, a family-owned enterprise, has operated successfully for more than 40 years. Both domestic and international customers representing diverse industry branches benefit from the broad spectrum of precision solutions. The portfolio comprises engineering, jigs & tools and plant and equipment manufacturing, as well as the production of wind tunnel models and aircraft parts. All systems and processes are geared towards high flexibility and adherence to schedule. For more information, please visit www.deharde.de.

Source: Boeing

18 May 2009

The first A320 aircraft assembled outside Europe in the Airbus Final Assembly Line China (FALC) successfully completed its first flight today. The aircraft took off from Tianjin International Airport at 10:42 am and landed at 14:56. The four hour and fourteen minute test flight was jointly captained by Harry Nelson, Vice President Production Flight Tests and by Experimental Test Pilot Philippe Pellerin. The other crew members were Senior Vice President Flight & Integration Tests Fernando Alonso and Zidan Ren, the first Chinese Flight Test Engineer trained by Airbus as well as Cabin Engineer Eric Garcia

“The flight was a complete success thanks to excellent teamwork,” said Fernando Alonso, Senior Vice President Flight & Integration Tests, Airbus. “I was delighted to participate in this historic flight. This A320 assembled in China unquestionably demonstrated the same quality and performance as those assembled and delivered in Hamburg or Toulouse.”

“I would like to congratulate and sincerely thank all those in China and in Europe who, through their dedication and hard work, have made the first Airbus Final Assembly Line outside of Europe a reality,” says Laurence Barron, President of Airbus China. “Our commitment is to provide the very best aircraft and services to our customers and operators in China, while applying the same rules, procedures and quality standards as for any other Airbus aircraft produced in Europe. It highlights our commitment to the development of a long-term strategic partnership with the Chinese aviation industry.”

This first aircraft will be delivered to Dragon Aviation Leasing in June from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Tianjin and will be operated by Sichuan Airlines. Chinese customers have ordered more than 700 aircraft from Airbus, the majority of which are from the A320 Family. Eleven A319/A320 aircraft are scheduled for delivery in Tianjin in 2009 and the FALC production rate will be ramped up to four aircraft per month by the end of 2011.

The A320 FALC is a joint-venture between Airbus and a Chinese consortium comprising Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) and China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC). Airbus China holds 51 per cent of the shares, while the Chinese Consortium holds 49 per cent. The FALC in Tianjin is based on the latest state-of-the-art Airbus single-aisle Final Assembly Line in Hamburg, Germany. FALC started work in August 2008.

The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. Each aircraft features fly-by-wire controls and all share a unique cockpit and operational commonality across the range. More than 6,300 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and more than 3,800 delivered to some 300 customers and operators worldwide, making it the worlds best-selling commercial jetliner ever. With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. Uniquely, the A320 Family offers a containerized cargo system, which is compatible with the world wide standard wide-body system.

Source: Airbus

The company is one of the two best operators in the world of the A320 family of aircraft

SAO PAULO, May 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — TAM (NYSE: TAM; Bovespa: TAMM4) received the Airbus Operational Excellence Award for the A320 family in recognition of its service history with single-aisle aircraft. The awards ceremony took place this week in Paris during a symposium Airbus hosts every two years for all A320 family operators worldwide. This is the fourth consecutive time TAM has won this biennial award. The previous times were in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

“It is with great satisfaction that we have once more received recognition from Airbus for our work with the A320 aircraft. This is the direct result of our day-to-day efforts striving for Technical-Operational Excellence, one of the pillars of our business,” stated Commander David Barioni Neto, President of TAM.

In total, nine awards were given to operators of the various types of aircraft in the A320 family. TAM was one of two operators being recognized for its exceptional technical reliability with the entire A320 family.

The awards selection criteria are based on two years of operational data and take into consideration the number of aircraft in the company’s fleet, the daily usage rate, technical reliability and the number of flight delays due to operational circumstances.

“TAM has established a highly efficient Airbus aircraft operation, with very high daily usage rates and incredible operational reliability,” said Charles Champion, Executive Vice President of Client Services, Airbus.

TAM is the largest Airbus A320 family client in Latin America. Currently, our operational fleet is composed of 132 aircraft altogether, with 125 Airbus models (20 A319’s, 82 A320’s, 5 A321’s, 16 A330’s and two A340’s), and four Boeing 777-300ER’s, as well as three B767-600’s.

The A320 family is widely recognized as a benchmark among single-aisle aircraft. More than 6,300 of these aircraft have already been sold, and more than 3,700 have already been delivered to nearly 280 clients and operators around the world.

SOURCE TAM

Airline begins seasonal service to Anchorage

DENVER, May 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Frontier Airlines is heading north to Alaska again, beginning seasonal service from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Anchorage International Airport (ANC) on Friday, May 8, 2009, with one daily nonstop flight.

To kick off the new service, Frontier is offering double miles to its EarlyReturns(R) members who fly to Anchorage prior to June 30, 2009. As a result, members can earn approximately 5,000 miles each way between Denver and Anchorage, meaning passengers could be awarded a free round-trip ticket (given at 20,000 miles) in just two trips. To enroll in Frontier’s EarlyReturns frequent flyer program, go to FrontierAirlines.com/earlyreturns.

“Anchorage has always been special for us because it offers our customers such a unique destination experience,” said Frontier President and CEO Sean Menke. “And we provide a unique flying experience for our customer with our AirFairs product and commitment to customer service. Plus, it’s only fitting to have an airline named Frontier providing air service to one of our country’s last frontiers.”

Frontier originally began service to Anchorage in May 2004.

Following are the Anchorage flight schedules:

Denver-Anchorage

Flight Number Departs Arrives Frequency
*888 6:10 p.m. 9:47 p.m. Daily

*Schedule valid from May 8, 2009 - Sept. 21, 2009

Anchorage-Denver

Flight Number Departs Arrives Frequency
*889 10:55 p.m. 6:03 a.m. Daily

* Schedule valid from May 8, 2009 - Sept. 21, 2009

All times given in local arrival or departure city times.

About Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of Denver-based Frontier Airlines. Currently in its 15th year of operations, Frontier Airlines is the second-largest jet service carrier at Denver International Airport, employing approximately 5,000 aviation professionals. Frontier Airlines’ mainline operation has 51 aircraft with one of the youngest Airbus fleets in North America. Frontier Airlines’ mainline operations offer 24 channels of DIRECTV(R) service in every seatback along with a comfortable all-coach configuration. In conjunction with a fleet of ten Bombardier Q400 aircraft operated by Lynx Aviation (a subsidiary of Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.), Frontier offers routes to more than 50 destinations in the U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica. In addition, Frontier and AirTran Airways operate a first-of-its-kind integrated marketing partnership that offers travelers the ability to reach more than 80 destinations across four countries with low fares, aboard two of the youngest fleets in the industry. For more in-depth information on Frontier Airlines, please visit its Web site at FrontierAirlines.com.

SOURCE Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc.

Pratt & Whitney

MRO Americas, Dallas, Texas, April 23, 2009 – Southwest Airlines has performed nearly 1,500 Pratt & Whitney EcoPower engine washes since July 2006, saving more than 9 million gallons of fuel worth $12.5 million and reducing its CO2 emissions by nearly 90,000 metric tons. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation’s largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers, currently serves 65 cities in 33 states.

Now under a long-term agreement, Southwest Airlines uses the patented, environmentally friendly Pratt & Whitney EcoPower engine wash system at airports in Orlando, Fla., and Oakland, Calif., through established Pratt & Whitney service centers. Southwest Airlines is the world’s largest operator of CFM56-7B engines.

“Southwest is committed to being an environmental leader,” said Johnny Holley, manager of Powerplant Engineering for Southwest Airlines. “Pratt & Whitney’s EcoPower engine wash system helps us reduce CO2 emissions while also reducing our costs. This helps us continue to offer our customers the value they expect.”

“The benefits of the Pratt & Whitney EcoPower engine wash system speak for themselves,” said Anupam Bhargava, general manager, Pratt & Whitney Line Maintenance Services. “Southwest Airlines demonstrates that investing in operations that are good for the environment can also improve the bottom line.”

Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 employees system wide. Environmental stewardship is a responsibility Southwest takes seriously, and efficient operations are the hallmark of Southwest. Over the decades, Southwest has been at the forefront of such efficiencies as paperless tickets, quick turnarounds, installation of winglets, and more recently, the installation of fleet-wide advanced avionics.

Pratt & Whitney’s patented EcoPower engine wash system reduces fuel burn by as much as 1.2 percent, eliminating three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for every pound of fuel saved, while also decreasing engine gas temperature thus increasing the amount of time an engine can stay on wing. The EcoPower system, offered through the Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners network, uses a closed-loop system with pure, atomized water to wash aircraft engines, avoiding potential contaminant runoff. The system is more effective and much faster than traditional engine washing processes.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

CFM and CFM56 are trademarks of CFM International

Fuel cost saving estimates are based on the April 2009 average fuel price of $1.38/gal

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© 2009, United Technologies Corp. - Pratt & Whitney