Sky Talk

Air France 447 pilots confused, report indicates

Update: Flight Global has good blow-by-blow account, so to speak, of final minutes in the cockpit of Flight 447. My question, and I'm no pilot, these guys didn't heed the stall warning and follow the training for stall recovery?

 

Just looking through articles on the factual report of information gained from the flight data and cockpit voice recroders recovered from the wreckage of Air France Flight 447. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports:

Reacting to wildly fluctuating airspeed indications and apparently confused by repeated stall warnings, pilots of an Air France jetliner in 2009 continued to pull the nose up sharply—contrary to standard procedure—even as the Airbus A330 plummeted toward the Atlantic Ocean, according to information released Friday by French accident investigators.

The long-awaited factual report, though it doesn't explicitly say the pilots acted improperly, provides new details about their actions during a dangerous loss of forward momentum that lasted more than three and a half minutes. The June 2009 crash took the lives of all 228 on board. Investigators already concluded that except for malfunctioning airspeed probes, there were no mechanical, electrical or other system errors found.

The report paints a somewhat unflattering picture of a seemingly confused cockpit, with the crew making extreme inputs to their flight controls and the engines spooling up to full power and later the thrust levers being pulled back to idle. At one point, according to the report, both pilots sitting in front of the controls tried to put in simultaneous commands. The plane only accepts one of them.

The senior captain of the flight, Marc Dubois, who was on a routine rest break in the cabin when the trouble started, returned to the cockpit and was present and observing the other pilots' actions during a large portion of the descent.

Also, a detailed report at Flight Global.

- Bob Cox

Who will win the NBA Finals? American Airlines.

UPDATE: Here's the full story  that ran in Saturday's Star-Telegram.

For the second time in five years, the Dallas Mavericks will face off against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

And for American Airlines, which has its name on the home arenas of *both* teams, it is a public relations dream.

The Fort Worth-based carrier made naming-rights deals in 1999 for the American Airlines Center in Dallas and in 1997 for American Airlines Arena in Miami. They are the only company that could possibly find themselves in this type of championship situation. FedEx and AT&T also own names at two sports facilities, but they play host to different sports.

While I haven't talked to American about their marketing fortunes this morning, an article I wrote in 2006 during the Mavs-Heat finals pointed out that Miami and Dallas is home to two of American's largest hubs.

"It just makes us think we're marketing geniuses and that we planned this all along," then-American spokesman Tim Wagner said.

So here's a look at the match-up:

AAC vs. AAA

American Airlines Center

Home to: NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and NHL’s Dallas Stars.

Opened: July 28, 2001.

Seating capacity for basketball games: 19,200.

Cost of naming rights: Signed in 1999, $150 million over 30 years plus an additional $45 million for advertising at the facility and during sports broadcasts (in 2003, the airline renegotiated the advertising portion of its contract).

Local connection: Dallas/Fort Worth Airport is American’s largest hub, and Fort Worth is its headquarters.

American Airlines Arena

Home to: NBA’s Miami Heat.

Opened: Dec. 31, 1999.

Seating capacity for basketball games: 19,600.

Cost of naming rights: Signed in 1997, $42 million over 20 years.

Local connection: Miami International Airport is part of American's "cornerstone" strategy and a key portal to Latin America and the Caribbean.

-Andrea Ahles

More delays/cancellations for American on Thursday and customer service issues too

American Airlines has cancelled about 250 flights so far on Thursday, including 146 at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport as the carrier still has planes out for repair from Tuesday's hail storm.

The Fort Worth-based carrier has 18 planes out of service, down from the 62 American aircraft and 26 American Eagle planes that needed to be inspected for hail damage yesterday.

But with weather affecting American's hub in Chicago and the carrier's system still dealing with the affects of Monday and Tuesday's storms in D/FW, American's customer service system seems to be overwhelmed.

Frustrated passengers are taking to social media sites like Twitter, complaining about long hold times and an automated customer service system that is hanging up after a customer has been on hold for over an hour.

"at the end of my rope with @AmericanAir. Flight cancelled & cust service line keeps disconnecting. ARGH." tweeted @TessaJeanMiller while @Adriannnnne posted "After a 5 hour hold, finally Marvia @AmericanAir came on the line, and w/i 3 mins had me on another flight."

Some unhappy customers offered the carrier a few tips about how to improve their customer service. "Suggestions for @AmericanAir: Hold countdown times; allow changes to reservations to be made online; customer service call backs. #hailfail," @checkereddan tweeted.

American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith acknowledged that the carrier was experiencing heavy call volumes to their customer service number because of the hundreds of cancelled flights and weather problems.

"Today’s call volume is about half of what we saw yesterday, but there are still longer than average hold times," Smith said. "All of our Reservations offices around the country are fully staffed and they are working with customers as quickly as possible."

He added that American is urging customers to sign up for flight status notification on AA.com so if their flight is cancelled and they are rebooked on another flight they can be notified by e-mail, text message or phone call without having to call a customer service agent.

I was one of those passengers who waited for hours. I had originally been scheduled to fly to Tucson on Wednesday for a one day event and then fly back on Thursday. My DFW-TUS flight was cancelled and with all of the flights on that route axed for Wednesday, I knew there was no point in going to Arizona in the first place.

But to get a refund since it was a nonrefundable ticket, I had to call a customer service agent since American had issued a weather alert for D/FW. So I called at 11 p.m. on Tuesday when I first learned my morning flight had been cancelled. I waited for two hours and then the phone system hung up on me. Determined, I called back and waited on hold until 3 a.m. before giving up and going to sleep. About an hour before my flight was originally scheduled to leave D/FW, I was able to get customer service rep, Lori, on the phone after a minimal wait time. She was friendly and efficient in cancelling out my ticket and getting the refund set up for me. And she told me about all of the customers (some not so friendly) she had to deal with while working a very busy overnight shift.

I guess my observation is this: Airlines can't control the weather. And while automated systems can efficiently rebook a customer on a new flight, that new flight doesn't always work for the customer. But as one customer tweeted, allowing changes to a reservation online would be helpful. And it's always easier to wait on the phone when you know where you are in the phone queue. Just a few suggestions, American Airlines.

-Andrea Ahles 

American cancelling hundreds of flights at D/FW on Wednesday in aftermath of severe storms

American Airlines has cancelled over 500 flights systemwide due to the severe storms that swept through the Midwest including at its hub airport in Dallas/Fort Worth.

As of 9 a.m., American spokesman Tim Smith said that there have been 220 cancellations at D/FW of both departures and arrivals on American Airlines and American Eagle. Systemwide there have been 546 flights cancelled, he said.

American is also inspecting 62 aircraft for hail damage and has pulled those planes out of service. American Eagle had 27 aircraft also out for hail inspections, Smith said.

"Our maintenance folks here have been joined by technicians from Tulsa who have come in to help on the inspections," Smith said. "We expect to find some damage on some aircraft that will have to be repaired."

The Fort Worth-based carrier had already cancelled 400 flights systemwide on Tuesday, most of them D/FW-related, Smith said. joined by technicians from Tulsa who have come in to help on the inspections.

-Andrea Ahles

In January, Fort Worth controller caught with "eyes closed"

At a Senate hearing Tuesday that looked at the recent incidents of air traffic controllers sleeping on the job, Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt said the agency discovered two other occurences, including one in Fort Worth.

The FAA confirmed that a controller at the Fort Worth ARTCC facility was issued a letter of reprimand after he was seen with "his eyes closed while on position" in January. The Fort Worth center, which is just south of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport handles high-altitude traffic over most of Texas.

"As part of a top-to-bottom review of the air traffic system, the FAA has found two additional cases involving air traffic controllers who were sleeping on position," the agency said in a statement. "Both incidents occurred in January 2011 and were handled at the facility level."

The other case involved a controller in Los Angeles who was found sleeping. That controller was suspended pending the outcome of the disciplinary process, the FAA said.

The agency has come under scrutiny for how it schedules air traffic controllers since a controller fell asleep at Washington Reagan National Airport in March causing two commercial jetliners to land without any tower assistance. The FAA has since then added extra controllers to the overnight shift at some facilities and increased the minimum time in-between shifts from eight hours to nine hours.

-Andrea Ahles

American receives first Boeing 737-800 with "Sky Interior"

American has been steadily replacing its aging MD-80 fleet with newer Boeing 737-800s and on Tuesday, the airline showed off its latest delivery from the aircraft manufacturer.

The Fort Worth-based airline said its first Boeing 737-800 with the new "sky interior" landed at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on Tuesday afternoon. The new interior can hold 48 more overhead bags than the MD-80 and has a "soft blue sky" overhead.

"At American, we are focused on providing a differentiated customer experience, with a distinct focus on best delivering what premium customers value most - world-class products and services," said American's chief commercial officer Virasb Vahidi. "The delivery of the first 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior is our most recent step to deliver on this commitment."

Between 2007 and 2011, American said it anticipates it will spend more than $5.5 billion on new aircraft and "facility enhancement projects." The carrier said it plans to retire at least 25 MD-80 aircraft this year.

American is not the only carrier with the Boeing Sky Interior. Continental Airlines, which is now owned by United Continental Holdings, received its first Boeing 737-800 with the sky interior in December.

-Andrea Ahles

United Continental and Houston partner up for $1 billion airport renovation

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport is not the only one getting a makeover.

On Monday, Houston officials announced that it will begin the first phase of a $1 billion redevelopment project at Bush Intercontinetnal Airport in partnership with its main tenant United Continental holdings.

The project will begin by the end of the year and the initial phase will create a new Terminal B south concourse for regional jet operations. The $161 million first phase should be completed by 2013.

Future phases of the project include renovations of the Terminal B lobby and baggage claim area and a new north concourse that is capable of handling international flights

United Continental also announced that it will extend its lease on Terminal C at the airport until 2027.

-Andrea Ahles

Delta, US Airways to try New York-Washington D.C. slot swap again

Delta Air Lines and US Airways said they are once again going to try to swap slots at New York's LaGuardia and Washington D.C.'s Reagan National airport.

This time, Delta would get 132 slot pairs at LaGuardia from US Airways while US Airways would get 42 slot pairs at Reagan National and the right to operate an additional daily service to Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2015. Delta said it would also pay US Airways $66.5 million in cash. To alleviate regulatory concerns, the airlines said they would be willing to divest up to 16 slot pairs at La Guardia and eight slot pairs at Reagan National to airlines with "limited or no service" at those airports.

The two carriers had initially attempted to swap 125 slot pairs at LaGuardia for 42 slots at Reagan. The Department of Transportation approved the 2009 deal but required the carriers to give up 34 slot pairs that could be put up for auction. Delta and US Airways appealed that decision.

This new deal replaces the 2009 transaction, the carriers.

So what makes Delta and US Airways think the government will allow the deal without the carriers having to give up more than the proposed 24 slot pairs?

The carriers point to the fact that AirTran Airways, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways have all been able to gain access to these slot-constricted airports since the 2009 transaction was first proposed.

Keep reading for the full text of the press release from Delta.

-Andrea Ahles

Turkey finishes first of new F-16s

Officials of Lockheed Martin, Turkish Aerospace Industries and the U.S. and Turkish governments marked the roll-out Monday of the first of 30 new F-16 fighter jets being built in that country.

It's the first completed F-16 assembled in that country since 1999, although 278 others were previously built there. Portions of the Turkish planes are built in Fort Worth. 

The plane is the first of a batch ordered in May 2007, which Lockheed said would be worth $1.1 billion to the company and its suppliers. Including the Turkish aircraft, Lockheed has orders for just 65 F-16s.

The Turkish Air Force has more than 200 F-16 aircraft in its inventory  and will take delivery of the 30 new, advanced Block 50 models between May 2011 and December 2012. 

- Bob Cox

 

A-12 court battles to go on ... and on

It's only been 20 years since then Defense Secretary Dick Cheney killed the A-12 program, angry over increasing delays and costs and, just as importantly according to what I've seen written on the subject, the Navy's less than forthrightness about the problems with his office.

The government and A-12 contractors Boeing (which took over McDonnell Douglas a few years later) and General Dynamics have been duking it out in court ever since over who was responsible and should bear the financial burdens.

Well the U.S. Supreme Court threw out at least two prior court decisions on Monday, sending the case back to lower courts.

The case remains of interest here in Fort Worth, where thousands of GD workers lost their jobs immediately after Cheney's decision.

The high court unanimously threw out court decisions that would have helped both the federal government and Boeing Co. and General Dynamics, the companies that were supposed to build 850 A-12 Avenger attack planes for the military.

"Neither side will be entirely happy with the resolution," said Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote the opinion for the unanimous court.

The A-12 Avenger attack plane was canceled by (Cheney) based on claims that the companies failed to meet the terms of the contract. General Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas had signed a contract to build eight of the planes for the Navy in 1988 at a target price of $4.4 billion.But by 1991, the A-12, designed with stealth technology to help it evade radar, was more than 18 months behind schedule and at least $1 billion over budget when it was canceled.

- Bob Cox