Recently in Regulatory Category

Updated to include Delta comment...see end of story

Delta Air Lines calls the Boeing 767 the workhorse of its international fleet. That workhorse was tested recently when a flight from Atlanta to Moscow apparently lost power to one of its two engines. The aircraft landed safely in Moscow.  

I haven't seen any formal safety reports about the incident yet, but The Aviation Herald says the Pratt & Whitney PW4060-powered 767-300 is registered N181DN. A pic of the aircraft is available at this Flickr account.

Mike Moeller, an executive at JetBlue Airways subsidiary LiveTV, happened to be on that flight as he and has wife were travelling to Russia to adopt their beautiful new son Liam. Mike recounts his experience on his family's blog. Key passage:

"After flying all night, we were awaken around 8:00 Moscow time (two hours before landing) to breakfast. As we opened our breakfast and were about to be served something to drink, something happened. Suddenly, the plane's engines got quieter, we slowed, all the lights and in flight entertainment went out. No more air coming from the overhead consoles.

"We had lost power. I noticed along with a couple of other people that something was up, but the rest of the passengers continued as is. About 20 seconds later, the head flight attendant came running down the aisle and whispered to the other flight attendants. They very quickly took the carts to the back and sat down. The head flight attendant continued as he ran to the front of the plane and soon returned to look out the windows.

"I then wondered: Have we lost an engine? (I read something about Delta and American losing an engine 2 weeks ago on 767 flights) Is something up with Russia and we cannot land? Is there fighter airplanes outside the widow? Where are we going to land?

"After about 20 minutes, the captain came on 'We have lost and engine (we have two by the way) and will be landing soon'."

The full text of Mike's blog post is definitely worth a read. I admire he and his wife's faith that everything would be alright. Frankly, I would have been a nervous wreck especially after flight attendants began the process of reviewing the fundamentals of crash landing with passengers.

Delta has been in the news of late for other engine issues. You'll recall that the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) last month issued an urgent recommendation to FAA to require operators to cut inspection intervals for Pratt & Whitney PW2037 engines to prevent uncontained failures. As reported by Flight's John Croft, the NTSB request is tied to an ongoing investigation of a 6 August incident at Las Vegas McCarran International airport where a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 experienced an uncontained engine failure during its takeoff run.

Investigators later learned that at least four other PW2037 second stage turbine hubs had experienced cracks in the blade retaining lugs, and that during a routine overhaul, American Airlines uncovered a PW2037 second stage turbine hub with cracks in two adjacent blade retaining lugs.

Asked to comment on the Atlanta-Moscow incidednt, a Delta spokesman says: "Pilots received indication light on the left-side engine. Moscow was the closest airport. They powered down the engine. Engine type was PW4000, Flight #46."

Is the Gov. of my dear home state of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, under consideration by the Obama crowd for an appointment to US transportation secretary? 

Well, he says he'd like the job. And recent hill chatter suggests he is a serious contender.  

The following stories suggest the same.

http://theoverheadwire.blogspot.com/2008/10/transportation-secretary-short-list.htm

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/06/rendell_volunteers_to_serve_in.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20081005/pl_cq_politics/politics2971165

But would Ed make a good DOT chief? As The Economist pointed out in its 26 June issue, "Ed Rendell, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael Bloomberg, the political juggernauts in Pennsylvania, California and New York City respectively, have launched a coalition to make infrastructure a national priority".

Respectable, respectable. I only hope this trinity's plan includes the Pennsylvania Turnpike, on which I am a regular disgruntled traveller. (Pennsylvania is frequently cited for having some of the worst roads in the nation.) 

Now where is our own little growing list of possible DOT heads? Here it is. We've got Mary Peters, Fred Smith and Bob Crandall rumoured to be on the McCain shortlist, while Ed Rendell, Jane Garvey and Linda Daschle are rumoured to be on Obama's shortlist. The Overhead Wire blog lists other folks on either side.

(Rendell photo at the following link www.flickr.com/photos/75148837@N00/486534193/) 

What do FedEx founder and chief executive Fred Smith and high-powered lobbyist Linda Daschle have in common? Both are rumoured to be potential candidates for the job of US transportation secretary in the next administration. They join a list that is also speculated to include former FAA administrator Jane Garvey, former American chief Bob Crandall and - quite obviously - current transportation secretary Mary Peters.

Fred's name came up last week at the Boyd conference in Aspen. Answering a question from the crowd about whether Fred would be a likely pick, Air Transport Association (ATA) of America chief James May said: "You'd have to ask Fred Smith that question. I would love it. I would love it if Fred would take the reigns in a John McCain administration" should McCain be voted in as President.

As reported here last month, Crandall is also rumoured to be under consideration should McCain get elected.

With respect to the Obama team, "I don't think they have identified anyone particularly," said May.

John Podesta, former chief of staff in the Clinton admin, is running the transition for Obama. It is understood that one of Podesta's closest advisors is Democratic Senator Tom Daschle, whose wife Linda Daschle boasts a history in senior FAA leadership.

Now a senior public policy advisor for law firm Baker Donelson, Linda Daschle's bio reads like a transportation secretary's resume. In her 30-year career, Daschle "rose to become the second woman ever to be deputy administrator of the FAA and the first woman to serve as FAA acting administrator".

But she has also come under some harsh scrutiny in the past.

American Airlines wants the selection of the next transportation secretary to be a priority for the next administration, be it led by Obama or McCain.
 
AMR VP, state and community affairs Kevin Cox noted during the Boyd conference that the selection "tends to be the last pick as when you're picking a baseball team".

He added: "If you look at the economy and how transportation has become tantamount to how we drive the economy forward, you cannot make it a last thought decision. We're less concerned about the names as we are about the prominence and importance placed upon it."

(Initial photo - Mary Peters)

Labouring for breath in Aspen made me realize a few things - A) It was a good idea to quit smoking (okay, I sneak the very odd one); B) I am incredibly out of shape (though grateful for my dad's metabolism) and C) I should have booked the Boyd conference earlier and snagged a room on premises at the St Regis (although the Hotel Jerome was lovely).

But while oxygen was in short supply, the same cannot be said about news from the conference. That flowed like the Colorado River, my friend. In short, the Boyd summit was a bloody treasure trove of information.

One of the chattier executives was Northwest Airlines VP international marketing and sales Fred Deschamps, who insisted - just before Boeing's Monday afternoon presentation - that the airframer needs to deliver the 787 within spec, noting that All Nippon Airways has more leeway in taking initial 787 deliveries outside of spec (read all about it, and Boeing's response, here).

Deschamps also revealed details about the post-merger plans of a combined Northwest/Delta, saying that some Northwest aircraft could move to Atlanta; that Northwest's 757s are staying put in Tokyo; and that the two carriers are looking at west coast hub opportunities but might have to make the best of Salt Lake City in the near-term.

Additionally, the Northwest/KLM relationship could be rejigged post-merger (either side could renegotiate the terms) and it is possible that there is "at least short-term pressure" to modify the alliance. The carrier also has its eyes focused on new Middle East and South American opportunities.

Frontier Airlines CEO Sean Menke also made some revelations, saying that the Denver-based carrier is interested in acquiring more Bombardier Q400 turboprops (yep, options are being firmed); a full-fledged codeshare with AirTran Airways is being pursued; and - okay not a huge shocker - he is not the biggest fan of regional jets (that would help explain why the Airbus A320 family and Bombardier Q400 operator removed Republic's E-Jets from its operation....that and the fact that the low-cost carrier found the per block hour cost a bit much).

The airframers were also forthcoming. Airbus director market forecasting Simon Pickup assured that final definition freeze of the A350 would occur at the end of this year. And Boeing director business strategy - marketing Richard Wynne told conference attendees that the maritime Poseidon (which is based on the 737NG) has just started to go down the production line. But Wynne's worthy contribution to the conference might best be summed up in quotes.

Here are some of his finest:

"We have every intention of surviving and not just surviving [but] thriving at Boeing."

"Did you hear that we're having a strike at Boeing? ...Clearly there is a communication issue between ourselves and the union."

"It [a successor to the 737] will be in the latter part of the next decade, not the middle."

Air Transport Association president and CEO James May, meanwhile, insisted that cabotage rights "will not change" now or in the foreseeable future. "There will be no laws on cabotage in the next or any ensuing Congresses," he predicted. Such rights, among the issues being discussed during second-stage European Union-USA open skies negotiations, would enable foreign carriers to operate domestic connections in the USA.

Perhaps the best moment of the conference, however, came when Marian Boyd - wife to Mike - managed to trump her always-quote-alicous husband when she interrupted him while he was speaking on stage. "Excuse me. I have some announcements to make," she said from the floor, adding to thunderous laughter: "He just thinks he runs the company."

(Pic above right from Bombardier's new CSeries promotional video...more on that later) 

Michael Boyd is well known for making colourful - sometimes hilarious - comments about the aviation industry. I'm here in Aspen covering Boyd's annual aviation forecast conference and let me tell you, Boyd has not disappointed.

Here are some of Boyd's best observations, quips and jabs from today's show (in a handy Q&A format).

Would Congressman James Oberstar make a good Transportation Secretary?

"If Jim Oberstar knew half as much about the industry as he thinks he does, he'd be a great ramp agent."

How important is NextGen to current presidential hopefuls?

"Barack Obama wouldn't know ATC from an ATM machine."

How can you get the FAA's attention on NextGen?

"Why doesn't someone grab the FAA by the trachea and say 'fix this'."

How do you classify all the delays in deploying NextGen?

"NextGen is a no gen."

Will the Delta/Northwest merger have a big impact on the US aviation industry?

Delta and Northwest "are like two people who have shacked up for four years and have decided to get married".

What do you think of ATA CEO James May's statement that he would "take Norm Mineta over Mary Peters any day" in the role of Transportation Secretary?

"Maybe as a date."

What are your thoughts on China's ARJ regional jet?

"The Chinese are very creative. They've recreated the DC-9."

Other quotable quotes emerged from the conference. Here are some of the finest:

"When we launched the [A350] programme we thought it would be behind the 787 [delivery timeline], but we're catching up in our own little way" -  Airbus director market forecasting Simon Pickup.

"We are vested emotionally and financially in that hub [Memphis]. We won't give it up easy."  - Northwest Airlines VP of international marketing and sales Fred Deschamps.

"... sitting in front of 100 mayors on Friday, all of them [were] yelling and screaming about how we're cutting down capacity. But the short-term and long term solution is finding some sort of level playing field when it comes to the jet fuel price." - AMR VP, state and community affairs Kevin Cox.

(Photo above of James Oberstar)

Regional airline lobbying group the Regional Airline Association has been deliciously quotable of late. Today, for example, the group appeared to channel country singer Lori Morgan when making known its incredulity that the US DOT remains steadfast in its pursuit to auction New York slots despite this week's legal opinion from the Government Accountability Office to the contrary. To wit, the RAA asks:

"What Part of 'No' Don't They Understand?"

In Morgan's version, below, the follow-up lyric is: "To put it plain and simple, I'm not into one night stands." Something tells me that the RAA has no plans to make this argument a quickie. If necessary, these short-hoppers are ready to be in it for the long-haul.

If you're an airline employee under mandate to take a drug test, you best leave your Whizzinator at home. Effective 1 November, the US DOT will require airlines to "directly observe" employee urination in certain instances, such as when an employee returns to duty or requires a follow-up test.

Let's just call these observers the prosthetic penis police (PPP). Because that's what they're on the look-out for - folks who are trying to cheat the system by using an arsenal of devices (such as the Whizzinator) to hold someone else's urine and outsmart the system. Yes, there are devices for the ladies too (phew, for a moment there RWG was sounding slightly sexist).

The PPP's job description requires good eyesight and a deep awareness of the difference between real and plastic. The observer "must request the employee to raise his or her shirt, blouse, or dress/skirt, as appropriate, above the waist; and lower clothing and underpants to show you, by turning around, that they do not have a prosthetic device. After you have determined that the employee does not have such a device, you may permit the employee to return clothing to its proper position for observed urination..."

Airlines big and small are outraged over this new regulation. In a joint filing with the US DOT, the Air Transport Association of America and the Regional Airline Association point out that there are no data to confirm that prosthetic devices are widely used within the transportation industry; the only data provided indicated that such devices are widely available (that's for certain).

"Several airlines indicate that they could lose highly qualified and completely innocent employees due to the intrusive nature of the new mandate - they will simply quit rather than be subjected to a procedure that borders on harassment", says Regional Airline Association VP Scott Foose.

Bare with me, or rather, bear with me as I state the obvious here. Couldn't this all get rather litigious? Who observes the observer whilst he or she is observing? Cue the debate for video cameras in the observation booth, aka the toilet.

(Photo above of Emirates A380 toilet...you didn't think it was a domestic carrier, did you?)