Travel Sentry

DaVinci Flies in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:24:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Leonardo DaVinci drew this design for a flying machine in the late 1400s. The bat-craft of sorts (otherwise referred to as a ornithopter) was to be piloted and powered by a man. A Renaissance batman if you will.

Consumer Traveler reports, “The Canadians with plenty of oil and gas reserves are inexplicitly dabbling in alternative energy platforms. This time, human-powered flight. Not only are they succeeding, they have succeeded without any of the lavish research funds being doled out via stimulus funds back here at home in the USA.”

From Reuters:

International aviation officials are expected to certify next month that the Snowbird has made the world’s first successful, sustained flight of a human-powered ornithopter, according to the University of Toronto.

The Snowbird sustained both altitude and airspeed for 19.3 seconds, in an August 2 test flight near Toronto that was witnessed by an official of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the university announced. A video of the flight was shown on news programmes.

Others have claimed to have built machines that flew like a bird, but the Canadian group says they have the telemetry data to prove their ornithopter powered itself through the air rather than just glided after being lifted aloft.

They're Mad As Hell Over Airline Fees

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:30:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

September 23 was declared Mad As Hell Day by a number of business and consumer travel groups. So how did it go? Well it turned up the heat in an unwinnable war over hidden fees and a la carte pricing.

I love this quote from a story by MSN: “Shopping for airfare today is like going to the grocery store and seeing a sign posted next to the food that says, ‘All prices are clearly identified on a sheet of paper at the cash register,’ ” said Charles Leocha, director of the Consumer Travel Alliance, one of the groups behind the effort.

Check out the MAH web site, MadAsHellAboutHiddenFees.com. They presented a petition with over 50,000 signatures to the DOT. I wouldn’t advise holding your breath on major changes. The airlines may be forced by government to divulge their fees in a more transparent manner, but rest assured they, the fees that is, are here to stay.

“According to the latest government figures, U.S. airlines took in $2.1 billion in ancillary fees during the second quarter of the year , up 15.8 percent over the same period last year. Baggage fees alone jumped 33 percent to $893 million.”

The DOT however is considering requiring that the airlines “enhance how, where and when fees for checked baggage, seat assignments and other ancillary services are disclosed to ticket buyers. A final ruling from the DOT is expected in spring 2011.”

“It's like being told it will cost you $100 to fix your car and when you receive your bill it costs you $175 with hidden fees,” Paul Wilder of Utica, N.Y., recently told msnbc.com.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

FAA Widens the Apeture on Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:01:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

The Federal Aviation Administration has thrown open the doors to hear from pilots, air traffic controllers and other airline employees about safety concerns. FAA apparently is widening the aperture on safety in flight.

CNN reports that under the Aviation Safety Action Program and the Air Traffic Safety Action airline employees can report problems that are not deliberate or criminal in nature without fear of retribution.

Information from the two programs will be merged to provide perspectives from both pilots and controllers in addressing safety issues. ASAP, where pilots can report concerns, has been in place for more than a decade. The air traffic controller program, ATSAP, is only about two years old, according to FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto.

"They're both part of a move toward a new safety culture for the FAA where we're getting away from assigning blame," Takemoto said.

"You're only as good as your information ... and if you have a climate where [employees] are afraid of being punished, you're going to get the minimal amount of information, you're going to get only what's required."

The FAA mandates reporting certain errors, and "appropriate action is taken on the local level" to address performance issues, Takemoto said, but employees' names are not included in upper-level reports used to get to the root of potential problems.

"Safety is our number one priority," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "Having pilots and controllers provide information about potential air safety problems will help us correct them before they become accidents."

For example, during preliminary information sharing efforts, air traffic controllers in Chicago, Illinois, reported to ATSAP that aircraft from a certain airline were landing too fast, missing a turnoff and creating traffic flow issues at the end of the runway, Takemoto said.

Troubleshooters looking into the problem learned from pilot reports to ASAP that the airline had changed flap settings on certain aircraft, causing the fast landings. That information helped the air traffic controllers adjust traffic coordination, Takemoto said.

"This agreement is formalizing both of these programs speaking to each other," he said. CNN

No Need to Tremble Over Air Turbulence

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:22:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

The following is a good discussion about turbulence in the air by U.S. Airways retired captain, John Cox (as seen in USA Today):

Question: Mr. Cox, can you please address the issue of turbulence, both in clear air and around thunderstorms? Also, related to flying near thunderstorm activity, what avionics and information do pilots use, beyond radar, to make route decisions. What is the general rule pilots use to avoid weather activity and therefore minimize turbulence for the passengers?

Answer: Turbulence is usually a change in direction or velocity in airflow (horizontally or vertically). This change causes a disruption in the smooth flow of air, similar to eddies in water. In clear air, turbulence can be caused by the jet stream, when high speed air interacts with lower speed air causing turbulent areas. Thunderstorms create turbulence by pulling large amounts of air in and sending it upwards very rapidly. Once this air cools, it has to come down, as it is heavier than the surrounding air. When it does, it can create microburst and very turbulent conditions. Pilots avoid thunderstorms by using weather radar which shows the precipitation within the storm. Newer generation radar can also show areas of turbulence. Each airline has specific guidance to pilots on minimum distances from storms.

Q: I am terrified of turbulence and of the plane going up and down and shaking. I have panic attacks every time the pilot turns on the fasten seat belt sign and once, he even told the flight attendants to sit down because we were encountering turbulence. When should I seriously start worrying about turbulence? Would the pilots ever tell us that something is wrong?

A: Turbulence is uncomfortable but very, very rarely poses a threat to the airplane. Designers and manufacturers take great care to ensure that the airplane can withstand very heavy turbulence. An example of this is the fact that injuries caused by turbulence are not uncommon, but the airplanes involved in such incidents almost never sustain damage.

Pilots avoid turbulence whenever we can. Reports from other pilots, relayed by air traffic control, allow time to climb or descend to the smoothest altitude. Occasionally, clear air turbulence is a surprise. That is when most turbulence injuries occur.

Asking the flight attendants to be seated is a precaution to keep them from getting hurt. One of the most common on the job injuries for flight attendants is from turbulence. No captain wants to take the chance of having a co-worker hurt on his or her flight.

Art Exhibit Features Airport Contraband

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:59:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Each year the boundaries of art expands to newer, and what some may consider wacky, dimensions. Case in point … "Contraband," a 1075-photographic series of the “underworld of illicit commodities" trying to get through federal inspection sites at the busiest international gateway to the U.S, New York's JFK Airport.

We're talking 1075 images of “containers filled with Botox-making ingredients, fake Louis Vuitton handbags and dead guinea pigs. There were animal parts, cigars and steroids. Viagra from China and GBL, the date-rape drug, freshly arrived from Europe.”

This singular exhibition to be shown in New York and Beverly Hills is the brainchild of internationally renowned photographer, Taryn Simon. Ms. Simon spend five “bizarre” days and nights sleeping on an air mattress, snapping photos of confiscated goods by airport officials … “an Ellis Island of sorts for illegal commodities.”

Simon says, “It was torturous.” I bet. One of her biggest challenges was explaining to airport authorities what her project was about. I understand.

“Simon says cataloguing what is banned and unseen is a way to understand American identity through what we are allowed to consume and what we are not. ‘You confront American desire.’”

“A 500-page book with the same title is coming out soon.”

Point proved: Art is in the eye of the beholder.

To see more images from the New York Times, click here.

Italian Airline Seat Designer Suggests Dieting

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 22:21:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

But dieting is not going to help those 6 feet-5 inch body frames fit into the latest airline seat design that only offers 23 inches of space! Most economy class seats offer at least 31 inches.

AvionInteriors is the Italian company that has devised the seating configuration called SkyRider. The Economist describes, “The seats are angled forward and have a saddle-like hump in the middle, which allows the rows to be pushed much closer together than is normally the case.”

USA Today quotes a company spokesman saying, “For flights anywhere from one to possibly even up to three hours ... this would be comfortable seating. The seat ... is like a saddle. Cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable in the saddle.” Interesting analogy. Road warriors, what do you think? This is probably a similar seating angle ...

I would venture that O’Leary at Ryanair would love this concept.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, AvionInteriors has not yet obtained aviation authorities’ approval for their new design.

Take a look at this video on the seat design from CNBC.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

OpenSkies' Bold Move to Guarantee Customer Satisfaction

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:32:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

It is quite a confident statement for an airline to guarantee satisfaction. A money-back guarantee in the airline age when it is nearly impossible to get your money back, even if you don’t fly the flight you booked? Amazing! And when was the last time you saw a plane full of satisfied passengers?

The airline that is making this money back offer is OpenSkies, the all-business-class subsidiary of British Airways. Granted, it is much easier to have happy campers in business class vs. economy, but still this is a brave move to snag passengers for the slow fall travel season.

Of course, there are a few caveats to the OpenSkies offer. The reimbursement applies to flights from New York’s Newark or Washington’s Dulles airport to Paris and back. The round-trip must originate in the U.S. The offer is good only on tickets purchased between September 8 and November 30 and used prior to November 30.

Rightfully so, getting your money back requires an effort on the part of the dissatisfied passenger. You can’t just walk up to an OpenSkies counter with your hand out and expect to have $5,000 dropped into your palm. You have to file a claim by writing a letter to OpenSkies with details stating the reasons you were not satisfied and how you bought the ticket.

Here is the Wall Street Journal’s take on the promotion:

It takes some guts for an airline to offer a money-back satisfaction guarantee. Plenty of things can go wrong in air travel that can leave customers disappointed. OpenSkies is betting that its service is good enough to win over new customers, outweighing the grumps who might try to take advantage of the offer without good cause for dissatisfaction. Of course, many of OpenSkies customers are business travelers and the refund, if there is one, goes back to whomever paid for the trip, not the traveler.

If you haven’t tried it – and the offer is all about getting new customers to try – you’ll likely find good value for better-than-coach flying. OpenSkies offers two cabins – one with lie-flat business-class beds and the other with business-class type seats that recline to 140 degrees. Fares are higher than coach tickets but generally less than you’ll find for business-class on larger airlines—about $2,000 and up for a business-class seat and at least twice that for a lie-flat bed. The 757s have a bit of feel of a private jet – there are a couple dozen passengers waiting with you to board or claim bags instead of hundreds. Some people love the experience; some prefer bigger airlines with multiple flights each day. You can earn British Airways miles on OpenSkies.

Delta Dons 757 With Dali's Mustache

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:07:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

You have probably never seen a mustache on an airplane. Well neither have I, although I hear that such a thing exists. In the skies over Atlanta, courtesy of Delta.

What does this mean? Delta is a sponsor for a recent exhibit at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta centered on Salvador Dali and the specially mustached jet is in honor of the quirky artist.

The adorned 757 will fly until the exhibit ends January 9th 2011. How do you shave a plane? With a big earaser!

Protect Your Stuff - Lock Your Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:20:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

LOCK YOUR BAGS!!

Save yourself the heartache. Just one little lock can save your stuff. Although 99 percent of the airport personnel handling your baggage are honest, all it takes is one bad apple to ruin your travel experience (like you need any help).

Read on to see how one little Travel Sentry lock could have saved these passengers the angst of a theft. You don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun the guy behind you. In other words, a lock might not stop a determined thief, but it probably would have made this guy forgo a locked bag and move on to the next unlocked bag.

The thief in question was a man who worked at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He was arrested last week "on suspicion that he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of items from the luggage of passengers in a case that could include hundreds of victims from around the world," according to the A ssociated Press.

Officers saw Michael Hegstad, 23, take two boxes from a luggage conveyor belt and take out their contents on Aug. 26. He was taken into custody and admitted to repeatedly removing personal belongings from baggage, police Sgt. Steve Martos said Thursday. Officers have retrieved a large amount of stolen personal items with an estimated value in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and say it will take some time to find all the victims involved and the time frame in which the items were taken. "There could very well be hundreds of victims from across the country and across the globe," Martos said. Police said Hegsted was not employed with Sky Harbor, but was working as a contract employee with Carrollton, Texas-based Elite Line Services and passed a background check before being hired. AP

So save yourself the possibility of a theft and LOCK YOUR BAGS - protect your stuff! And look for the red diamond, recognized and accepted by TSA.

DOT ‘s Handbook for Consumer Air Travelers

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:43:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Last week, the Department of Transportation released a revised version of Fly Rights: A Consumer Guide to Air Travel. Included in the updated handbook is information on the new consumer protections including the tarmac delay rule, reporting requirements for on-time performance and the airlines' obligation to respond to complaints. There is even advice on choosing loyalty programs and how to find the best air fares.

The guide was first published in 1973 covering the gamut of airline passenger “need to know” information such as accommodating air travelers with disabilities and rules for bumping and baggage compensation. Fly Rights also contains information on airline safety and air traveler health.How to avoid travel scams? What to expect when a flight is delayed or canceled? Yes, it’s there too.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a prepared statement, "Ensuring that the flying public has access to the best possible resources and consumer information is an important part of our mission, and this new version of Fly Rights will help air travelers better understand their rights as consumers."

Fly Rights is available online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/publications/flyrights.htm.

How Not to Lose Your Child … The DOT also recently released a pamphlet for parents of minors flying alone, entitled When Kids Fly Alone. It is available online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/publications/KidsAlone.pdf.

Print copies of both Fly Rights and When Kids Fly Alone may be obtained free of charge from the DOT warehouse by e-mail at dotwarehouse@dot.gov or by writing to DOT Warehouse, 3341-Q 75th Ave., Lanham, MD 20785. Copies also are available in limited bulk quantities to airlines and airports. Please specify item number X0111A for Fly Rights and X0176 for When Kids Fly Alone.

Airlines Giving Back to Passengers?

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:39:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Forget about the airlines bringing back free food service in coach. Neither are we likely to see checked bag fees recede. But some airlines are making amends by investing newly earned profits in remodeling, sometimes completely rebuilding their cabins.

American Airlines has launched just such a revamp program for all 76 of their Boeing 737 jets. One thing that will relieve a great deal of passenger stress is the doubling of overhead bin capacity. Once complete, the new cabins will be able to hold five or six bags per bin.

AA is also wiring for WIFi and installing individual power outlets and new entertainment systems.

Working 24-hours a day, five days a week, 351 maintenance techs recraft the planes in Tulsa, Okla. It takes 21 days to complete one jet with four aircraft in process at a time.

Shareholders have reason to cheer as well. AA’s new 737 cabin configuration adds 12 additional seats to each plane. Since food service is not what it used to be, AA is removing the rear galleys and moving bathrooms (hmmm…..) to make room for the extra seats. A new seat design will help mitigate the lost space by improving reclining angles.

It’s been years since airlines have had the luxury of profits to reinvest in their jets. Now that red ink has turned black, passengers are starting to see some new benefits and improvements.

The following video from ABC news chronicles the progress of refitting the cabins.

Singapore Slide

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:54:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

I think this is a first ... The Changi Airport in Singapore recently installed a four-story slide. Now that's a reason to take the family to the airport for an afternoon. The airport vendors have got to love it as well as the kids during that multiple hour lay-over.

Take a look at this video. Click here if it does not appear below.

TSA: Traveling With Service Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:28:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

If you think airport security is an aggravation only surpassed by a visit from the in-laws, just imagine what it’s like for those with disabilities. Add a service animal and you can see the instant need for a “how to” for the disabled and the need for understanding from fellow passengers.

TSA blogger Bob Burns was recently asked to write a guest post for Disability.gov on how to best navigate an airport security checkpoint with service animals. Straight away, Bob points out that anyone with a disability can contact a CSM, TSA Customer Support Manager, in anticipation of upcoming air travel to coordinate security screening. Prior to travel, go to the Talk to TSA page and choose the airport you’re traveling through and contact the CSM at that airport.

The most common service animals are dogs. The tips provided below from Bob pertain to the disabled traveling with their service dogs.

Carry Proper Identification: It is recommended that you carry appropriate identification for your service animal. Identification may include: cards or documentation, presence of a harness or markings on the harness or other credible assurance that your dog is a service animal.

Moving to the Front of the Line: Passengers with service animals can move to the front of the security screening line. Upon arriving at the airport, you’ll come into contact with an airline representative before you see any of our officers. Also, in some cases, the lines are controlled by airport representatives until you get to our travel document checker. Make them aware you’re traveling with a service animal, so they can send you to the front of the line or put you in contact with a TSA representative. If you’re not brought to the front of the line, you’re encouraged to inform an airport representative that the animal accompanying you is a service animal and you should be able to go to the front of the line.

Distractions: I think it’s safe to say that when most of us see a dog, we want to pet it. TSA understands your animals are working, and we’ve trained our officers not to pet, feed or distract your animals. At the same time, I’d like to ask that you do not pet our officers while they’re working.

Walking Through the Metal Detector: Once you enter the screening area, maintain control of your service animal, preferably by holding the leash or harness, but refrain from touching the animal until we are done, as we need to make sure you are both screened and cleared before allowing you into the sterile area. Be sure to advise the officer on how you and your dog can best achieve screening when going through the metal detector (walking together or with the service animal walking in front of or behind you). If the alarms sounds when you walk through the metal detector with your service dog, both you and the dog must undergo additional screening. If the alarm sounds when you walk through the metal detector separately from your dog, additional screening must be conducted on whoever triggered the alarm (you or the service dog).

Searching Your Service Animal: We will not remove the harness or collar from your service dog, but you must assist with the inspection process by controlling the service animal while the officer conducts the inspection. You are required to maintain control of the animal in a manner that ensures the animal cannot harm the officer. If the alarm goes off when your service dog walks through the metal detector, the Security Officer will ask your permission and assistance before they touch your service animal and its belongings. The Security Officer will then perform a physical inspection of your dog and its belongings (collar, harness, leash, backpack, vest, etc.). The harness, leash or collar will not be removed from your dog at any time. Officers have been trained to ask before touching your service animal or its belongings. If they don’t ask, please advise them. If there is still a problem, you should ask for a Supervisor.

Don’t Get Separated: Our officers have been trained not to separate you from your service animal. If they try to separate you, please let them know that you can’t be separated. If there is still a problem, you should ask for a Supervisor or manager.

Relieving Your Service Animal: In most, if not all cases, you’ll have to exit the sterile/secure area to go outside and let your service animal do its business. Leaving the sterile area means you’ll have to go through screening again. If you need to be re-screened due to leaving the secure area, please let one of our officers know you are traveling with a service animal, so you can again move to the front of the security screening line.

Advance Imaging Technology and Service Animals: You will not be eligible for screening using Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT). You can choose to undergo Walk Through Metal Detector (WTMD) screening or request a pat-down. A pat-down may be conducted in a private screening area by an officer of the same gender.

Reporting Problems: If you encounter any problems during the screening process and you feel like you need to take your problem beyond the checkpoint supervisor, you can contact the Customer Support Manager for that airport by using Talk to TSA, or you can reach out to our contact center at tsa-contactcenter@dhs.gov. Should you wish to file a complaint, you can also contact Rhonda Bash at TSA’s Office of Disability Policy and Outreach at rhonda.basha@dhs.gov.

Other Types of Service Animals: The question about what types of animals are OK to travel with comes up often. Aside from dogs, some people also use service monkeys (although we see them relatively infrequently). One of the monkey handler associations will contact our Office of Disability Policy and Outreach a few times per year to inform us that someone will be traveling with a service monkey so that we can help facilitate the clearance. You can find more information on traveling with service monkeys by visiting http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1056.shtm#2.

We are aware there are other types of service animals, but it’s up to the individual airlines on what animals are permitted in the cabin of the plane. We’ve heard of someone wanting to travel with their service miniature pony, a service pig, a ferret and a snake.

For more resources for people traveling with disabilities go to TSA.gov or
and scroll down to follow individual links.

Delta's App for That

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:17:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Delta has added a booking app to their Facebook page. It doesn’t accommodate multiple leg bookings but if you want to share your simple travel plans with your friends, you’ll love it.

Dubbed, the Delta Ticket Window, the world’s largest airline is moving with the digital revolution into the application savvy world of the plugged-in set. If you happen to be the last man standing without a Facebook presence, the Ticket Window will also appear in some Delta banner ads on other sites as well. Click on the ad – book a ticket.

Delta is also preparing to roll out a new iPhone app that allows users to check in for flights using eBoarding passes, among other features. “Some of those functions are already available to smartphones through Delta’s mobile site. ‘We are really actively looking at the technology that our customers are using,’ Delta spokesman Paul Skrbec said, and ‘developing applications for what they are already using in their daily lives.’ ”

Marketing 101: Spirit CEO Makes His Point Stuffed Into An Overhead Bin

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:21:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Spirit Airlines' latest move to charge passengers for the privilege of toting carry-on bags has met with emotion on both sides of the isle. Tireless promoter and out-front Spirit President and CEO Ben Baldanza takes to the air in a unique manner to discuss the carry-on crisis. His take is that the new policy is a win-win for everyone.

The New York Times writes, "Certainly some industry competitors might welcome the idea of stuffing the ever-insistent Mr. Baldanza into an overhead bin. But the video does highlight one of the most serious complaints that passengers and flight attendants share: as people lug more stuff aboard to avoid the ever-increasing checked-bag fees, there is a chronic shortage of bin space."

Click here if the video does not appear below.

Travel Sentry Goes Hollywood

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:22:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Travel Sentry's movie debut was last year in "Up in the Air" with George Clooney.

This year Travel Sentry hit the big screen in the company of the Chipmunks in "Alvin and the Chipmunks - the Squeakquel"! Or perhaps I should give credit to the Chipmunettes, whose foray into the science of probability offers hope for the mathematically challenged.

We can only hope that our next film will be with Angelina Jolie.

The Future of Flying With Lithium-ion Batteries

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:31:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

“Houston, we have a problem.” And it is in the form of lithium-ion batteries for airlines in passenger cabins and cargo holds.

This is troublesome because our entire world seems to be energized by lithium-ion batteries. They drive the lives of our cellphones, laptops, cameras, ipods and MP3 players, flashlights and a number of other portable electronic devices.

What’s the big deal we ask. We’re talking spontaneous combustion. “When a lithium battery short-circuits or overheats, it can catch fire or explode. The fire it causes may not be as easy to extinguish as a normal combustion fire.”

FAA data show that from March 20, 1991, through Aug. 3, 2010, batteries and battery-powered devices were involved in 113 incidents with "smoke, fire, extreme heat or explosion" on passenger and cargo planes. The data are for lithium and non-lithium batteries and are not a complete list of such incidents, the agency says.

In January, the Transportation Department proposed stricter rules for companies that ship lithium batteries in cargo holds. "The frequency of incidents, combined with the difficulty in extinguishing lithium-battery fires, warrants taking strong action," Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., chairman of the House aviation subcommittee, said of the Transportation Department's proposal.

Lithium-battery experts, security analysts and flight attendants wonder, though, if stricter rules are also needed in airline passenger cabins to prevent fires or worse: a possible attempt by a terrorist to bring down a plane by rigging a large number of batteries together to start a fire. USA Today

Since April 1999 the FAA has received reports of 40 fires involving lithium batteries and devices. Here are a few of the most recent incidents:

•On Sept. 9, 2009, a battery owned by American Airlines for use by passengers dropped during a flight and caught fire.

•On Aug. 8, 2008, a passenger on an American flight from Washington to Dallas noticed his laptop was smoking. The passenger removed the battery pack and gave it to a flight attendant. The flight attendant placed the battery in a coffee pot in the aft gallery and poured water and Sprite on it.

•On March 4, 2008, a passenger's video display device for viewing entertainment systems emitted a "10-inch plume of sparks and debris" on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Tokyo. The captain doused the device with water. A small area of the carpet in the passenger cabin was damaged.

Passengers are not allowed to put spare lithium-ion batteries in checked bags. “They can, however, put them in checked bags if they are attached to an electronic device.”

The Funny Guys at Kulula Air

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:03:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Move over Ryanair. Here comes Kulula Air. It’s the Comedy Hour showdown and the finalists are Irish and South African.

Kulula Air, with a fleet of nine Boeing 737s, is an low-fare airline based in South Africa and well knows that humor sells. Established in July 2001, it flies as a wholly owned subsidiary of Comair Limited which is a franchisee of the oh-so-proper, and not so funny, British Airways.

According to Wikipedia, the name kulula is Zulu for easily.

One of Kulula's 737s is known as "Flying 101". It's the one with the sense of humor with a blow-by-blow instruction manual as it's livery. Click the photos to see a larger image. See what I mean?

Here are some of the plane part descriptions:

• galley (cuppa anyone?)
• avionics (fancy navigation stuff)
• windows (best view in the world)
• wing #1 and #2
• engine #1 and #2 (26 000 pounds of thrust)
• emergency exit = throne zone (more leg room baby!)
• seats (better than taxi seats)
• some windows = kulula fans (the coolest peeps in the world)
• black box (which is actually orange)
• landing gear (comes standard with supa-fly mags)
• back door (no bribery/corruption here)
• tail (featuring an awesome logo)
• loo (or mile-high club initiation chamber)
• rudder (the steering thingy)
• stabiliser (the other steering thingy)
• a.p.u. (extra power when you need it most)
• galley (food, food, food, food…)
• boot space
• ZS-ZWP (OK-PIK) = secret agent code (aka plane’s registration)
• overhead cabins (VIP seating for your hand luggage)
• fuel tanks (the go-go juice)
• aircon ducts (not that kulula needs it… they’re already cool)
• front door (our door is always open … unless we’re at 41 000 feet)
• cockpit window = sun roof
• nose cone (radar, antenna, and a really big dish inside)

The captain’s window is marked with the big cheese (”captain, my captain!”), the co-pilot’s window with co-captain (the other pilot on the PA system) and the jump seat is for wannabe pilots.

Making the rounds in Kulula related emails are some pretty entertaining sound bits heard on board. Although I have seen many of these attributed in various versions to other airlines, they nevertheless, remain funny. So, I include as an added bonus:

--------------------------------------------------------------------

On a Kulula flight, (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"

---o0o---

On another flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

----o0o---

On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings.. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."

----o0o---

"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane."

---o0o---

"Thank you for flying Kulula. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

---o0o---

As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Durban Airport , a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"

---o0o---

After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo , a flight attendant on a flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."

---o0o---

From a Kulula employee: " Welcome aboard Kulula 271 to Port Elizabeth. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."

---o0o---

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one
small child, pick your favorite."

--o0o---

Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines."

----o0o---

"Your seats cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."

---o0o---

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."

---o0o---

And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Kulula Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

---o0o---

Heard on Kulula 255 just after a very hard landing in Cape Town : The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."

---o0o---

Overheard on a Kulula flight into Cape Town , on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain really had to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to The Mother City. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"

---o0o---

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

---o0o---

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline. He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"

---o0o---

After a real crusher of a landing in Johannesburg , the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.."

---o0o---

Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today.. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of Kulula Airways."

---o0o---

Heard on a Kulula flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing.. If you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."

---o0o---

A plane was taking off from Durban Airport . After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, non-stop from Durban to Cape Town , The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight.. Now sit back and relax... OH, MY GOODNESS!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger then yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"

It’s Time to Move On FAA Modernization

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:33:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Washington D.C. is quiet. U.S. senators and representatives have gone home for the congressional recess until mid-September. When they return, they will have a scant few weeks before the current (latest of many) FAA status-quo extension expires.

Many aviation industry groups like the Air Line Pilots Association and the Air Traffic Controllers Association are urging U.S. citizens to encourage their congressmen to pass a comprehensive FAA authorization bill upon their return.

“In addition to providing for stable operations of the FAA and the national airspace system, the bill is a critical step toward modernization and the transition to NextGen,” says the ALPA. “The bill also includes many long-standing ALPA priorities, such as improvements in runway safety prevention, the development of wake vortex mitigation and in-flight weather detection systems including volcanic ash and icing, requirements for air carrier citizenship, and a study of hardened cockpit doors for all-cargo aircraft.”

As I’ve written many times before, new FAA legislation has been kicked down the road to nowhere for well over two years. The FAA has been waiting for a new reauthorization bill since 2007. The problem is that members of Congress continue to get feathers in their cap for insignificant local projects (insignificant in the larger safety and efficiency scheme) by way of pork, while the large modernization projects like NextGen get relegated to the back burner of spending priorities.

The seat at the head of the FAA remained vacant two years so that when stimulus dollars were flowing from the horn of plenty, there was no one from FAA with their hand out. The aviation industry ended up at the bottom of the food chain empty handed.

The FAA has been pushing for a long-term modernization that would include replacing the current method of tracking planes, which uses World War II-era radar technology, by switching to a satellite-guided system that equips planes with GPS. "This is one of the largest project management challenges the U.S. government has had since we put somebody on the moon," Hank Krakowski, chief operations officer for the U.S. air traffic system, told the Associated Press.

International Travelers to US Fund Travel Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 21:25:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

Travelers from the 39 countries that qualified for the U.S. visa waiver program will now be funding a U.S. tourism promotion program by paying a $14 additional fee when applying for their Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The aim is to encourage international visitors to vacation in America to spur economic growth and create jobs.

The program is a new public – private partnership between the U.S. government and the nation’s travel and tourism industry.

Foreign visitors spend an average of $4,000 per person per trip in the United States and tourism revenues total $120 billion and support more than one million American jobs. Oxford Economics estimates the travel promotion program under the Travel Promotion Act will generate $4 billion in new visitor spending and 40,000 new jobs.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the program will reduce the federal budget deficit by $425 million in the next 10 years.

Three-Hour Tarmac Delays Down 99% for June

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:31:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

When the tentacles of the U.S. government reached out to the commercial airlines in the form of spectacular fines for tarmac delays exceeding three hours, many anticipated unintended consequences. The most anticipated consequence was a spike in canceled flights.

But the news released this week was extremely good on all accounts. Not only did extended tarmac delays decrease by 99 percent in June (year-over-year) but the number of canceled flights remained steady. Obviously the threat of a $27,500 per passenger fine for 3+ hour delays forced operations to tighten up to the delight of air travelers.

In June 2010, there were three such strandings, compared with 268 tarmac delays of more than three hours last June. In April and May, there were four and five lengthy delays, respectively, compared with 74 in April 2009 and 34 in May 2009.

The rate of canceled flights, which some critics of the rule predicted would spike as airlines tried to avoid pushing up against the time limit, remained steady in June at 1.5 percent. In May, however, 1.2 percent of flights were canceled this year, compared with 0.9 percent in May 2009. CNN

Of course the new ruling has not yet been tested by a nationwide meltdown. It will be interesting to see how the system copes when faced with an air traffic control glitch or massive weather systems effecting multiple major hubs.

Slater Sings Swan Song to Passengers - Adios ...

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:36:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

People do some pretty strange things when they’ve had it all the way up to here … But the story of the Jet Blue day in the annuls of “you’ve got to be kidding me” tops all heretofore winners. Steve Slater, you have just had your five minutes of fame stretched into at least 24 hours, unless of course jail time is in the cards. YouTube and SNL are working on this material as we speak.

As the story goes, Steve Slater, beleaguered flight attendant for Jet Blue, allegedly cursed out an entire flight of passengers before making a dramatic exit through the plane’s emergency exit with beer under arm, eventually making his way home to Queens. Steve Slater, you are now famous not only in the U.S. but all the way over the pond as well.

No matter how you color Steve Slater, I think it is safe to say you can color him GONE. At least from Jet Blue.

Here is a compilation of media coverage offered up by USA Today.

ABC News is among the numerous outlets covering the story, writing that the incident came as the aircraft used on a Pittsburgh-to-New York JFK flight was taxiing to the gate on Monday around noon ET.

Then, ABC says "one of the passengers apparently got out of his seat to grab a bag from an overhead compartment. The flight attendant walked over to tell him he had to sit down. The two reportedly got into an argument and somehow the flight attendant got hit in the head with either the bag or the compartment door."

That's when things got interesting, according to the various media reports.

The Wall Street Journal writes the attendant -- Steve Slater -- "demanded an apology from the passenger, but the passenger refused to give one. The two argued back and forth before the passenger directed an expletive at Mr. Slater, [an airport] official said. Mr. Slater then got on the plane's PA system and directed the same obscenity at all the passengers, and added that he especially meant it for the man who refused to apologize, the official said."

"Then," The New York Times writes in its City Room blog, Slater "activated the inflatable evacuation slide at service exit R1; launched himself off the plane, an Embraer 190; ran to the employee parking lot; and left the airport in a car he had parked there." Additionally, the newspaper notes that "on his way out the door, he paused to grab a beer from the beverage cart."

The Associated Press says "Port Authority police were notified about 25 minutes later," which apparently allowed Slater enough time to board the JFK AirTrain, get to his car and drive to his home in nearby Queens. The Times notes he was "charged with felony counts of criminal mischief and reckless endangerment."

Speaking to the charges, an unnamed law enforcement official tells the Times: "When they hit that emergency chute, it drops down quickly within seconds. If someone was on the ground and it came down without warning, someone could be injured or killed."

ABC adds background on Slater, saying that according to his profile at the professional LinkedIn website, he was part of JetBlue's "inflight values committee" and was chairman of the "uniform redesign committee."

Regardless, Slater's dramatic exit left many at a loss for words -- including New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. "It's a strange way to quit, let's put it that way," he says to CNN. "I don't think he'll be able to come back."

Twenty-four hours later, Steve Slater is taking on the characteristics of a folk hero. Advocates are coming out cheering his stand on bad behavior - not his - of the flying public. Read this excerpt apology from an honest everyday generic passenger to Steve from the Washington Post...

... All I can say is, Steven Slater, I deserved it.

Why send this man to jail? He’s been punished enough by years of dealing with me. When he directed a choice stream of invective at that one passenger, no one was hurt, he bailed before the plane took off -- and in the moment that will enshrine him forever in the hearts and minds of his countrymen, he even grabbed a beer. People talk about flight attendants’ coolness in moments of crisis. This was one of those moments. Forget the landing on the Hudson! Sure, Sully nailed a water landing and safely evacuated a plane full of passengers -- but did he grab a beer before bailing out himself? This was a stroke of genius.

I say we take any hard time he gets and give it to Lindsay Lohan. As anyone else who was forced to watch "Herbie: Fully Loaded" on that flight to Denver can attest, she's made more passengers suffer than Steve ever did.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that something of this sort hasn't happened long before now.

That Fed Agency, Not This Fed Agency Says TSA

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:59:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

All federal agencies are not created equal when it comes to storing scanned body images. With controversy mounting on privacy issues surrounding the full body scanners in use in U.S. airports (and some other federal venues), the latest reports that federal agencies are storing these revealing images is adding fuel to the fire.

TSA says, they do, we don't. Record and store electronic body scan images, that is.

CNET News reported this week that "some federal police agencies are in fact savings tens of thousands of images."

The body scanners, increasingly found in airports, courthouses and other places where security is high, use an assortment of technologies. These include millimeter wave scanners (shown below) — in which the subject is harmlessly pelted with extremely high frequency radio waves which reflect a picture back to the device — and backscatter X-ray (shown above) — which measures low-powered reflective X-rays to produce clearer body shots, shots that can reveal alarmingly precise anatomical detail.

According to CNET, the U.S. Marshals Service admitted this week that it had saved thousands of images that had been recorded from a security checkpoint in a Florida courthouse.

The revelation comes at a tense time. Two weeks ago, when Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said such scanners would appear in every major airport, privacy advocates such as the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington D.C. filed a lawsuit to stop the device rollout. MSNBC

To apply a wider aperture on the subject, the TSA bloggers published a clarification on who's on first as to the controversial stored body images:

An article from cnet has been making the rounds today about the US Marshal Service (NOT Federal Air Marshal Service) storing Advanced Imaging Technology images at a Florida courthouse checkpoint (Not a TSA checkpoint). This has led many to ask if TSA is doing the same.

As we’ve stated from the beginning, TSA has not, will not and the machines cannot store images of passengers at airports. (TSA emphasis) The equipment sent by the manufacturer to airports cannot store, transmit or print images and operators at airports do not have the capability to activate any such function.

Feel free to read a post from earlier this year: Advanced Imaging Technology: Storing, Exporting and Printing of Images. You can also read all of our other AIT related posts dating back to 2008 here. Our imaging technology page at www.TSA.gov has been updated as well.

Also, please note that the US Marshal Service falls under the Department of Justice, not under the Department of Homeland Security.

OK, now we understand the technical differences of exactly who in the federal government is harboring body images, and it's not TSA. But still, they are being saved in some federal agencies. "Them, not us" may not be good enough.

TSA Meets Deadline for Cargo Screening

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 22:11:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

In a news release today, the TSA announced that the August 1 deadline was met to fulfill a key requirement of the 9/11 Act by screening 100 percent of air cargo on U.S. passenger aircraft.

This is being accomplished by using a multi-layered approach to cargo security including “procedures for known and established shippers to ship cargo on domestic passenger aircraft, deploying explosive detection canine teams, and conducting covert tests and no-notice inspections of cargo operations.”

As we’ve noted before, there is still a security gap from passenger flights originating in other countries where cargo is not consistently screened. TSA is working on it.

From the TSA press release, the following is some details on how the cargo screening was made possible by “outsourcing.”

To meet the mandate, TSA created the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP), which allows certified facilities across the country to screen cargo before it reaches the airport. CCSP facilities must be approved by TSA and adhere to strict security standards, including physical access controls, personnel security, and screening of prospective employees and contractors. A secure chain of custody must also be established from the screening facility to the aircraft.

Prior to the Aug. 1 deadline, over 900 facilities became CCSP certified. This innovative program spreads the cargo screening responsibility, on a voluntary basis, throughout the supply chain to manufacturing facilities and distribution centers. This distributed screening effort has enabled over half of the more than 9 million pounds of cargo loaded onboard passenger-carrying planes each day to be prescreened, avoiding potential bottlenecks at airports.

Airline Safety Bill Sails Through Congress

noreply@blogger.com (Gerry Davidson) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:22:00 +0000

Posted by Travel Sentry

In response to the deadly commuter airline crash in New York last year, new legislation was approved Friday to increase U.S. aviation safety measures. The new bill, The Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010, sailed through Congress with little debate last week. Obama signed the bill into law yesterday.

The safety measures apply to all U.S. airlines and revises and toughens rules governing pilots. The new regulations require airlines to hire more experienced pilots and places responsibility on the airline to continue pilot training. There is also an overhaul of rules governing schedules to avoid pilot fatigue.

The bill also extends through September 30, 2010, authorities of the FAA (AGAIN – this is the proverbial can that continually gets kicked down the road!) as well as extending the ability of the FAA to collect fuel and ticket taxes.

Below is an Executive Summary of The Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 from the GOP:

Airport and Airway Extension:
The bill extends through September 30, 2010, the authorities granted to the FAA, including the collection of fuel and ticket taxes that fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. In addition, the bill extends the FAA’s authority to make project grants for an additional two months, through September 30:

• $9,350,028,000 for FAA operations;
• $2,936,203,000 for air navigation facilities and equipment;
• $190,500,000 for research, engineering and development.

Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement:

Pilot Record Database:
The bill requires the FAA to initiate the creation of a pilot records database within 90 days of the measures enactment. The database would enable airlines seeking to hire a prospective pilot immediate, electronic access to a pilots flying record.

The bill requires the FAA to maintain a records database only for hiring purposes. Information in the database should include the pilot’s license, medical certificates, aircraft ratings, check rides, notices of disapproval, other flight proficiency tests, and state motor vehicle driving records. The FAA would issue regulations to protect and secure the personal privacy of any individual, and would require airlines to seek written consent from such individual before accessing the records.

The bill authorized $6 million for FY2010 through FY2013 to establish, and carry out the databases.

FAA Task Force on Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training:
The bill requires the Administrator of the FAA to establish a special task force to be known as the FAA Task Force on Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training. The task force shall consist of members appointed by the Administrator and shall include air carrier representatives, labor union representatives, and aviation safety experts with knowledge of foreign and domestic regulatory requirements for flight crew member education and training.

Aviation Safety Inspectors and Operational Research Analysis:
No later than 9 months after the date of enactment of this act, the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation shall conduct a review of the aviation safety inspectors and operational research analysts of the FAA, and submit to the Administrator of the FAA a report on the results of the review.

Flight Crewmember Mentoring, Professional Development, and Leadership:
The Administrator of the FAA shall convene an aviation rulemaking committee to develop procedures for establishing flight crewmember mentoring programs for newly employed flight crewmembers, establish flight crewmember professional development committees, establish training programs to accommodate different levels of flight experience, and leadership and command training.

Implementation of NTSB Flight Crewmember Training Recommendation:
The bill directs the Department of Transportation to provide Congress with an annual report on each NTSB recommendation pertaining to commercial airlines. The report would detail the action contemplated in response to each recommendation.

FAA Rulemaking on Training Programs:
No later than 14 months after the date of this enactment of this act, the Administrator of the FAA shall issue a final rule with respect to the notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2009. In addition, no later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene a multidisciplinary expert panel comprised of, at a minimum, air carrier representatives, training facility representatives, instructional design experts, aircraft manufacturers, safety organization representatives, and labor union representatives.

Disclosure of Air Carriers Operating Flights for Tickets Sold for Air Transportation:
It shall be deemed as unfair or deceptive practice for any ticket agent, air carrier, foreign air carrier, or other person offering to sell tickets for air transportation on a flight of an air carrier to fail to disclose, whether verbally in oral communication or in writing, prior to the purchase of a ticket.

Safety Inspections of Regional Air Carriers:
The Administrator of the FAA shall perform, not less frequently than once each year, random, onsite inspections of air carriers that provide air transportation pursuant to a contract to ensure that air carriers are complying with applicable safety standards of the Administration.

Pilot Fatigue:
The Administrator of the FAA shall issue regulations, based on the best available scientific information, to specify limitations on the hours of flight and duty time allowed for pilots to address problems relating to pilot fatigue.

Voluntary Safety Programs:
The bill requires the FAA to issue a report, no later than 180 days after the enactment of this act, on voluntary safety programs, including the aviation safety action program, the flight operational quality assurance, the line operations safety audit, and the advanced qualification program. The report would include a list of the air carriers using the program, the benefits and challenges of implementing the program, how the FAA is utilizing the data, and any FAA plans to strengthen the program.

ASAP and FOQA Implementation Plan:
The bill requires the FAA to submit a plan within 180 days of enactment of this act, to facilitate the establishment and implementation of aviation safety action programs and flight operation quality assurance programs by all commercial air carriers and their unions.

Safety Management Systems:
The Administrator of the FAA shall conduct a rulemaking to require a safety management system. In conducting the rulemaking, the administrator shall consider an aviation safety action program, a flight operational quality assurance program, a line operations safety audit, and an advanced qualification program.

Flight Crewmember Screening and Qualifications:
The FAA shall develop and implement means and methods for ensuring that flight crewmembers have proper qualifications and experience. The measure requires that prospective flight crewmembers undergo comprehensive pre-employment screening, including the assessment of skills, aptitudes, airmanship, and suitability of each applicant for a position as a flight crewmember in terms of functioning effectively in the air carrier’s operational environment.

Airline Transport Pilot Certification:
The FAA shall modify the requirements for the issuance of an airline transport pilot certificate to include, sufficient hours (at least 1,500), received flight training, academic training, or operational experience that will prepare a pilot function effectively in multiple flying environments.