Helicopter and Plane Crash Lawyer
International Aviation Law
Causes of the Comair Crash in Kentucky, Further Thoughts
Category: Airline Travel
As we suspected from the beginning, the air traffic contoller, or the lack of an air traffic controller--the FAA now admits [three days after the crash] that it violated its own policy by not assigning a second controller in the tower--was a causal factor in the crash. We also now learn--again, three days after the crash--that the one air traffic controller that was on duty turned his back to engage in undefined "administrative duities" after he cleared the aircraft for takeoff. Of course, the FAA says his responsibility ended once he gave the clearance. Wonder if that's what the contoller is thinking today?
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Controller Missing from Tower in Comair Kentucky Crash
Just as we suspected from the beginning, the FAA and its controller have some fault in causing the crash of the Comair Regional Jet last Sunday. After being mum and avoiding the issue for three days, now the FAA admits that it violated its own policy when it assigned only one controller to the Lexington, Kentucky airport at the time of the crash. Moreover, that controller, after clearing the Comair jet for takeoff, turned his back to do some "administrative duties." As one would expect, the FAA would not clarify exactly what those administrative duties were.
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Unclear Information Contribute to Cause of Comair RJ Crash?
We are told the pilots of Comair Flight 5191 were advised of runway light outages at the Lexington, Kentucky airport. But there is a question as to exactly what they were told. If the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), Delta/Comair or airport information was not clear and complete, it could have caused confusion that led the crew down the wrong runway.
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FAA At Fault in Comair Plane Crash?
Category: Airline Travel
We know that the pilots of Comair flight 5191 took off on the wrong (not assigned and too short) runway. We also know that there had been traffic pattern changes to the taxi instructions at the Lexington airport, that there had been maintenance to the runway systems, and that the lights on the primary runway were not working. But why did the tower not notice that the aircraft had taken the wrong runway--and if it did notice, why not a call to the aircraft to stop?
Comair Flight 5191--Possible Causes of the Crash
The questions are already being asked--by the media, the investigators and most importantly, the families of the victims--What caused the crash of the Comair Regional Jet yesterday? Airplane crashes such as this evoke questions, and sooner or later blame and finger-pointing. Meanwhile, the families of the victims of airplane crashes suffer--and wonder why. I cannot answer the greater question--why these people, why now, etc., but I can offer an objective look at how this might have happened.
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NBAA Fires at Larry King
Category: Airline Travel
In the category of "If you criticize my outfit you must be biased," NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) President Ed Bolen Reporter called Christiane Amanpour's report on general avaition security on CNN's Larry King Live show "irresponsible in its lack of balance." He then asked for an opportunity to present "a full picture of GA security." Let's see, think that will be a fair and unslanted look at the security issues surrounding general avaition--especially the business aspect of it?
Eurocopter Loses Choice of Law Fight in Arizona Case
Eurocopter SAS, a French company, lost in its attempt to have french law apply an insurance subrogation case brought against it in Arizona by United States Aviation Underwriters. USAU had paid Wyoming-based Roberts Aircraft Co. more than $1.5 for the loss of the helicopter.
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Irish Priests Create Air Safety Hazard
Category: Airline Travel
Illegal broadcasts of Mass to members who are unable to leave their homes is believed to be creating problems for airliners flying over Ireland, according to an article on Rueters.com.
DVT and Air Quality--A Link?
Category: Aviation Safety
Passengers in "coach" seating were long the prey of the lengthy flight, including the deep vein thrombosis, but in additon to the cramped seating with no exercise, it also brought on by the thin air provided passengers, scientists have discovered. The leaner oxygen content in the 8,000-foot cabin pressure maintained in most airliners caused an increase in the level of thrombin, the marker that signifies clotting activity. Clotting, particularly in the large veins in passengers legs', can lead to tissue damage and even death if the clots break free and enter the lungs.
This study was published in the British medical journal The Lancet, and was commissioned by the World Health Organization. Two Dutch scientists performed a trial in which 71 people were first asked to sit, airline style, on the ground, watching movies and generally behaving as if they were on an eight-hour flight. These same 71 people were then put on airplanes for eight hours and the levels of thrombin compared. With the only differing factor being the lower pressure and oxygen level during the flight, the scientists deduced that the air quality was a factor in clot production.
British Airways said in a statement that it appreciates the efforts of the scientists but it didn't say it would increase the oxygen level on its airplanes, but encouraged travellers to "remain active during a flight," whatever that means.
Ten U.S. Military Personnel Killed In Helicopter Crash
Category: Helicopter Crashes
Ten U.S. service members died when two Marine Corps helicopters from a North Carolina unit crashed off the coast of Africa. Military officials confirmed the losses on Sunday.
Two CH-53E helicopters were carrying twelve troops from a U.S. counterterrorism force, went down during a training flight Friday in the Gulf of Aden, near the northern coastal town of Ras Siyyan in Djibouti. Two crew members were resuced and were in stable condition at the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
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AIAA Announces Unique Gathering of Prominet Aerospace leaders
Category: Aviation News
The American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics, and the Space Foundation, have announced the program for their two-day program, "Inside Aerospace--An International Perspective," to be held April 24-25, 2006 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.
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FAA Issues New Proposed Rules for Commercial Space Flight
Category: Aviation Safety
The FAA has issued thirty pages worth of proposed new rules to govern commercial space fligh. This rulemaking would establish requirements for crew qualifications, training, and notification. It would also establish training and
informed consent requirements for space flight participants. According to the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, this rulemaking would also modify existing financial responsibility requirements to account for the FAA's new authority for space flight participants and crew, and to issue experimental permits.