Flight Safety Detectives

Living the Safety Culture at Embry-Riddle

Episode 68

Live from the campus of Embry-Riddle in Daytona, Florida! John, Greg and guest Bob Joyce talk about the focus on safety, quality and professionalism in all aspects of the university.

The curriculum at Embry-Riddle covers the operation, engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing, and management of modern aircraft and the systems that support them. Bob Joyce is the university’s director of aviation safety.

Greg reflects on his time as a student and how the safety-first approach has influenced his career. Embry-Riddle has strong safety management systems (SMS) and leads in bringing a safety culture to all aspects of aviation.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Pratt & Whitney Engine Failure Investigation Heats Up

Episode 67

The United Airlines engine failure is back in the news. Service bulletins and/or airworthiness directives may be issued soon. Investigation of fire suppression issues continue. Three months after the accident, issues related to crew performance are just surfacing.

John and Greg catch listeners up on the investigation, how it is illustrating NTSB shortcomings, and the need for the FAA to revisit increasingly outdated flight regulations.

FAA Drone Rules Change in April

Loretta Alkalay, retired FAA regional counsel and avid drone user, returns to update listeners about new drone rules. The FAA rules have been clarified, but many drone users are still not aware of regulations that apply to them.

Hot Mic Rant Raises Safety Concerns

A Southwest Airlines pilot was caught on a hot mic making an expletive-filled rant against the San Francisco Bay Area. The unidentified pilot was heard on a radio frequency as the flight taxied for departure.

John and Greg wonder if a pilot who is so angry can be focused on flying safely. Probably not.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Fatal Helicopter Accident in Alaska and More on NTSB Challenges

Episode 66

The NTSB preliminary report of a March 27 helicopter crash in Alaska that killed five people sheds little light on the cause. John, Greg, and guest Jason Lukasik explore the many factors that could have contributed to the fatal accident.

The onsite inspection is the most important part of the investigation. In this case, the investigation is stalled by poor weather conditions.

Speaking of Alaska, Where’s the Report from the 2019 Roundtable?

Greg and John are still looking for some kind of report from the NTSB “Most Wanted List Roundtable: Alaska Part 135 Flight Operations Charting a Safer Course” event hosted by the NTSB. Jason attended and found that there were many valuable discussions during the day.

Piper Woes Continue

The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin to address the wing spar bolt hole washer issue raised in Episode 65. Hear about the complications a manufacturer error adds to this already frustrating topic for Piper owners.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Photo: Alaska Mountain Rescue Group

Piper Bolt Holes AD Findings and Best Practices

Episode 65

 

Mandated inspections are being performed on Piper PA28 aircraft based on airworthiness directive AD 2020-26-16. The Flight Safety Detectives offer an update on progress. Listen for what to do and what not to do for affected aircraft.

Jason Lukasik, president of JL2 Aviation Consultants and former FAA inspector, returns to share preliminary data collected. The cracking issue that prompted in the AD is present in about 5% of airplanes inspected so far.

Good news for aircraft owners is that the inspection cost is down to about $700. Bad news is that several mechanics seem to be ignoring the proper procedures for inspections and fixes.

They cover a range of questions and reports from the field including:

• An alternate means of compliance (AMOC) that seems ill-advised
• Importance of using the proper hardware as outlined in the AD
• Simple process for conducting proper inspection

They discuss the possibility that the FAA may include more planes in the AD once data is collected.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Rebuilding the FAA Around the World

Episode 64

The Federal Aviation Administration took a hit as Congress investigated issues with the 737 Max. What needs to be done to rebuild the FAA’s worldwide stature? How will they regain trust in their certification process?

Guest is Sandy Murdock who served as FAA Chief Counsel and Chief Legal Officer for all rulemaking, environmental, acquisition, personnel, and ethical and litigation matters. Sandy led the FAA legal effort on PATCO strike and was the principal FAA spokesperson with the media for all strike related matters. He also served as Acting FAA Deputy Administrator.

John shares his experience as part of FAA alignment efforts with the European air safety agency, EASA. John recalls promises that were never completed, contributing to friction between the agencies.

Sandy offers perspectives of the many demands on the FAA. He looks at what the agency is equipped to accomplish and offers thoughts in potential paths forward.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Crew Resource Management in the Air and Everywhere

Episode 63

Crew resource management (CRM) and safety management systems (SMS) get the spotlight in this discussion. These systems help build safety into every flight.

Special guest is listener Amy Wright, a self-professed “safety nerd” who says she gets “out of breath with excitement” talking about quality processes and safety procedures. Hear about the benefits of well-crafted processes in aviation and beyond.

Systems that encourage everyone to work together have changed the nature of cockpit operations. The pilot is not the only decision maker – he or she is part of a team communicating, sharing information and making decisions.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

How Not to Deice a Plane & UA 777 Updates

Episode 62

Catastrophe averted? A Frontier A320 Airbus was set to take off from Nashville when a passenger noticed the deicing looked strange. He alerted the flight crew to the green liquid sitting on top of ice and snow on the wings.

John and Greg share the details of what may have happened, going beyond news coverage of the incident. They offer their insider knowledge of deicing procedures.

Among the insights:

• Deicing is extremely expensive for airlines
• Why some flight crews like to avoid “shooting” their planes
• Value of listening to observations from people onboard

Greg shares a story from a recent flight with expert mechanic Jason Lukasik. When Jason noticed a crack in the wing skin of a relatively new Embraer in flight, even he had trouble convincing the flight crew to take note.

The episode includes a review of the latest NTSB update on the United Airlines 777 engine explosion. The Flight Safety Detectives discuss the details shared and items not yet mentioned. John has some predictions for what’s next.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Contained or Uncontained?

Episode 61

Discussion of the United Airlines 777 engine explosion continues with guest Mike Borfitz. The focus is the three systems that make up the engine cowling.

At the initial NTSB hearing, the chairman was pointed in saying that the recent event was technically a contained engine failure. Yet, most industry experts say the evidence points to an uncontained failure.

Borfitz is an FAA designated engineering representative. He shares his knowledge of current regulations and expectations. Among his key points is that airframe manufacturers and engine manufacturers must work together to prevent future disasters.

John, Greg and Mike walk through the evidence so far. They discuss the three separate systems that make up an airframe’s engine cowling and how they interface with the engine.

Is it time for regulations to be updated to reflect the current aircraft and engine design and technology? Are new approaches needed to cowling design?

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Expert Look at the United Airlines Engine Failure

Episode 60

John and Greg are giving meticulous attention to information available on the recent United Airlines engine explosion. In this episode they share their initial expert observations and predict what’s next.

Learn what the evidence so far really shows from two of the world’s most experienced accident investigators.

They explain why the crew and air traffic control personnel who handled the flight were “the ideal scenario for handling the situation.” The outcome could have been far worse.

John shares his extensive knowledge of Pratt & Whitney 4000 series engines. He walks listeners through the critical components. He discusses the forces the fan blades need to endure. He walks through the components and maintenance procedures.

What’s next? John and Greg talk about the implications of mandated inspections. They also have some predictions for potential actions such as declaring blades in service for a certain period of time at end of life.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Rental Aircraft Safety

Episode 59

John and Greg talk about special considerations for pilots who rent airplanes. They share anecdotes of incidents where pilots in rented aircraft ran into safety issues.

Part of the in-depth discussion is advice for pilots: Don’t assume anything when renting a plane. Check maintenance records and do a thorough preflight every time.

They encourage pilots who encounter issues with rentals to report concerns to benefit the safety of the next person in the cockpit.

The conversation takes them to a renewed call for the NTSB to invest more effort in investigating general aviation accidents. They contend that the current criteria for determining when the NTSB will send investigators is flawed.

Critical data is not being collected. Safety insights are being missed. Probable cause findings are based on superficial information.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!