Southwest Airlines to acquire AirTran Airways, will hire hundreds of new pilots and flight attendants

by B. N. Sullivan

In a move that surprised just about everyone, Southwest Airlines announced today that it will acquire AirTran Airways. Once the two carriers' operations are combined (pending regulatory approval), the merged airline will operate under the Southwest name.

According to the initial press release about the transaction, the combined company will have its headquarters at Dallas.  The acquisition will include AirTran's entire fleet of aircraft, including its Boeing 717s:

Based on current operations, the combined organization would have nearly 43,000 Employees and serve more than 100 million Customers annually from more than 100 different airports in the U.S. and near-international destinations.  In addition, the combined carriers’ all-Boeing fleet consisting of 685 active aircraft would include 401 Boeing 737-700s, 173 Boeing 737-300s, 25 Boeing 737-500s, and 86 Boeing 717s, with an average age of approximately 10 years, one of the youngest fleets in the industry.   Southwest Airlines also announced, previously, that it is evaluating the opportunity to introduce the Boeing 737-800 into its domestic network to complement its current fleet, providing opportunities for longer-haul flying and service to high-demand, slot-controlled, or gate-restricted markets.  This acquisition supports Southwest Airlines’ evaluation of the Boeing 737-800.

No word yet on seniority integration plans for crews, although I'm sure the respective unions are brainstorming already.

The very good news is that no crew furloughs are expected in the foreseeable future. On the contrary, word is out that Southwest is planning to hire 150-200 new pilots, and 250-300 flight attendants very soon.  Michael Van de Ven, Southwest's Chief Operating Officer, said today that training classes for both pilots and flight attendants were anticipated to begin in early 2011.

Here is the link to the Southwest-AirTran merger website: http://www.lowfaresfarther.com/

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 fuselage skin rupture: NTSB final report

by B. N. Sullivan

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report regarding the Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 that developed a hole in its fuselage during flight on July 13, 2009.  According to the NTSB report, the probable cause of this accident was, "Fuselage skin failure due to pre-existing fatigue at a chemically milled step."

At the time of the accident, the aircraft (registration N387SW) was en route from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), operating as Southwest Flt WN2294.  A hole in the crown of the aircraft's fuselage developed when the skin ruptured just forward of the vertical stabilizer.  When the  hole opened, the cabin depressurized.  The crew diverted to Charleston, WV where they made a safe emergency landing at Yeager Airport (CRW).  No one was injured.

Quoting from the summary of the NTSB report:

Flight data recorder data revealed that the airplane took off and climbed for about 25 minutes to an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet, at which point the cabin altitude warning activated, and the captain disengaged the autopilot. Postincident examination of the airplane revealed fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin near the leading edge of the vertical stabilizer adjacent to the rupture. The fatigue cracking penetrated the fuselage skin and created an approximate 18-inch by 12-inch flap in the skin that depressurized the airplane.

The fuselage skin assembly near the leading edge of the vertical stabilizer was manufactured by bonding two full aluminum sheets together, then selectively chemically milling away pockets (bays) of the inner sheet. Continuous fatigue cracks initiated from multiple origins on the inner surface of the skin adjacent to the step formed at the edge of the chemically milled area and propagated outward.

Following the Southwest Airlines (SWA) flight 2294 event, on September 3, 2009, Boeing issued Service Bulletin (SB) 737-53A1301, calling for repetitive external inspections to detect cracks in the fuselage skin along the chemically milled step at stringers S-1 and S-2 right and between BS 827 and BS 847. (The hole from the SWA event was within those boundaries.) If cracks are detected, operators are to contact Boeing for repair instructions. On January 12, 2010, the Federal Aviation Administration issued Airworthiness Directive 2010-01-09, which mandated the inspection requirements in SB 737-53A1301.

Note:  The photos on this page were released by the NTSB In July of 2009.  The first photo (top of this page) shows the section of fuselage skin facing inside the aircraft.  The second photo shows the section of fuselage skin on exterior of aircraft.  Clicking on either photo will take you to a larger version on the NTSB website.

Links to the NTSB report [NTSB ID DCA09FA065]:  Summary /  Full Narrative

RELATED:

• Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 with hole in fuselage lands safely at Charleston, WV - Jul 13, 2009
• NTSB Photos: Damaged section of Southwest Airlines B737-300 - Jul 16, 2009

Taxiway collision at Salt Lake City: Southwest Airlines B737 and FedEx DC-10

by B. N. Sullivan

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 (registration N925WN) and a FedEx DC-10 (registration N318FE) were involved in a taxiway collision at Salt Lake City International Airport yesterday afternoon, November 29, 2009. The Southwest plane was pushing back from a gate in preparation for departure to Albuquerque when its wingtip was struck by that of the FedEx aircraft, which was taxiing. Passengers were evacuated from the Southwest aircraft. There were no injuries.

According to preliminary reports posted to the FAA Web site this morning, both aircraft sustained what the agency described as "minor" damage. Photos taken at the scene show the Southwest aircraft's right wing missing its winglet. (See this article and video clip from KOB.com in Albuquerque, and the one below, from KSL.com in Salt Lake City.)

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on KSL.com.

Hat tip to the reader who alerted me to this accident.

Republic Airways Holdings to be the new owner of Frontier Airlines

by B .N. Sullivan

The news broke just a little while ago: Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. has won in its bid to acquire Frontier Airlines, beating out competitor Southwest Airlines.

"I look forward to welcoming Frontier to our Republic family,” said Bryan Bedford, Chairman, President and CEO of Republic.

"Frontier has made impressive strides in returning to sustained profitability in a challenging and uncertain economic environment. We congratulate the employees of Frontier. Their commitment and perseverance during the bankruptcy process has allowed the Frontier brand to survive and thrive. Now, we have to turn our attention to the important work of integrating two great brands: Frontier and Midwest Airlines, which enjoy strong loyalty in Denver and Milwaukee.”

"We are pleased to have Republic as a plan sponsor,” said Sean Menke, Frontier President and Chief Executive Officer. "Today’s announcement is the beginning of a wonderful new chapter for this proud organization.”

According to a press statement issued by Southwest Airlines, a major stumbling block to their acquiring Frontier was the failure of the pilots' unions of the two carriers to resolve issues related to merging their seniority lists. The Southwest press release said, in part:

One of the contingencies in Southwest's proposal was that labor groups from the two airlines would need to reach an agreement on how the two Pilot Unions (SWAPA and FAPA) would work together. Despite a good faith and diligent effort by all involved, including the top leadership of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) and the Frontier Airlines Pilots Association (FAPA), who labored long into the night, the two unions were not able to come to an agreement before the auction deadline. As a result, Southwest’s bid was deemed unacceptable.

Southwest actually bid substantially more money for Frontier than Republic had offered, however the Southwest bid was contingent on settlement of the labor issues. In the end, Republic prevailed.

A Reuters article about the deal quoted John Stemmler, president of the Frontier Airlines Pilots' Association, who said, "It was a long process that's not quite over but I'm happy with the outcome. It happens to be aligned with keeping more jobs and we're very pleased with that."

Upon Frontier's emergence from bankruptcy, 100% of the stock will be purchased by Republic for $108.75 million.

NTSB Photos: Damaged section of Southwest Airlines B737-300

by B. N. Sullivan

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has just released two photos from their investigation of the Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 cabin depressurization incident on July 13, 2009. The aircraft (registration N387SW), which had been en route from Nashville to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, diverted to Charleston, WV where it made a safe emergency landing. A hole in the crown of the fuselage apparently led to the depressurization.

The two photos released by the NTSB today show "the compromised section of the area of the fuselage that failed in flight."

The first photo (top of this page) shows the section of fuselage skin facing inside the aircraft. The second photo shows the section of fuselage skin on exterior of aircraft.

The press release accompanying the release of the photos said, in part:

The damaged aircraft skin section was visually examined in the NTSB's Materials Laboratory. The damage left a hole measuring approximately 17 inches by 8 inches. The skin in this area of the fuselage is 0.032 inches thick with an additional 0.032 inch thick layer bonded to the interior surface in selected areas.

[ NTSB Acting Chairman] Rosenker said that the initial visual examination found the fractures in good condition and suitable for further analysis. No significant corrosion or obvious pre-existing mechanical damage was noted. A detailed metallurgical examination of the skin section and the fracture surfaces will be accomplished by the Safety Board in the coming days.

Southwest Airlines is now in the process of repairing the aircraft at Yeager Airport, Charleston, West Virginia.

You can click on either of the photos to obtain a larger copy from the NTSB web site.


[Photo Source]

Southwest Airlines B737 with hole in fuselage lands safely at Charleston, WV

by B. N. Sullivan

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 aircraft made an emergency landing at Yeager Airport, Charleston, WV today after a hole in the fuselage caused a loss of cabin pressure. The aircraft, operating as Southwest Flight SWA 2294, was en route from Nashville International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport at the time of the incident. The crew diverted to to Charleston, where the plane landed at about 6PM local time. There were no reports of injuries among the five crew members and 126 passengers on board.

Reporting on the incident, the Charleston Gazette quoted a passenger from the flight:

"We heard a loud pop, and one of the panels [on the ceiling] was sucked up tight against the ceiling. You could definitely tell there was a hole there."

Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling, and passengers put them on. "The flight attendants did a wonderful job, walking back and forth and keeping everyone calm," he said.

The plane remained in the air for 20 to 30 minutes, [passenger] Hall estimated, before landing at Yeager. "It felt like a long time," he said.

The passenger described the hole as "about the size of a football," and said that a "piece of the roof was kind of peeled back."

A brief article about the incident on the WSMV.com web site included a photo of the hole, taken from inside the aircraft by a passenger. It definitely looks as though the hull was breached -- you can see daylight through the hole in the photo!

At this point, no one seems to know what caused the damage. Should more information become available, I will post an update here on Aircrew Buzz.

UPDATE: Another photo has emerged, via Twitter user @cjmcguinness. He says this photo was taken by his sister-in-law, who was a passenger on the flight.

A representative of Southwest Airlines has posted the following statement on FlyerTalk.com:

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING FLIGHT 2294

Scheduled Nashville-Baltimore Flight Diverts to West Virginia

DALLAS, TX—July 13, 2009--Southwest Airlines confirms its flight 2294, the 4:05 pm Eastern scheduled departure from Nashville to Baltimore/Washington diverted into Yeager Airport in Charleston, W. Va at approximately 6:10 pm Eastern today after a cabin depressurization. All 126 passengers and crew of five onboard landed safely and are awaiting a replacement aircraft in Charleston that will take them to Baltimore Washington International Airport later this evening.

The aircraft cabin depressurized approximately 30 minutes into the flight, activating the passengers’ onboard oxygen masks throughout the cabin. Medical personnel in Charleston assessed passengers and no injuries are reported. Southwest is sending its maintenance personnel to Charleston to assess the aircraft, and the airline will work with the NTSB to determine the cause of the depressurization. According to initial crew reports, the depressurization appears to be related to a small hole located approximately mid-cabin, near the top of the aircraft.

Thanks to Twitter user @danwebbage for providing the link to this statement.

UPDATE July 14, 2009: This morning the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued an advisory announcing the dispatch of a team to investigate the Southwest Flight 2294 decompression incident. In that advisory, the NTSB identified the aircraft as N387SW. The FAA Registry data for that registration number lists the aircraft model as a Boeing 737-3H4, serial no. 26602, manufactured in 1994.

A new photo published by The Charleston Gazette shows an individual described as an FAA Inspector peering at the damage to the fuselage from outside the aircraft. In that photo, the damaged area appears to be at the crown of the hull, just forward of the empennage.

The track log for the accident flight on FlightAware.com, which is based on an FAA data feed, suggests that the aircraft was above FL340 ad climbing at about the time of the decompression, traveling at a ground speed of about 450 kts.

UPDATE July 16, 2009: The NTSB has released two photos of the damaged section of the fuselage of the Boeing 737-300.

Final report: 2007 Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 uncontained engine failure

On November 17, 2007, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 aircraft (registration N676SW) suffered an uncontained engine failure in flight, during which pieces of the fan blades and the spinner separated from the number two (right) engine. No one was injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the engine and its housing components, as well as some damage to the fuselage and wing. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a final report on the accident, concluding that the engine failure occurred "as a result of an unidentified object striking the spinner, separating it from the fan disk and causing the spinner to be ingested into the fan blades." [Click on the photo for a larger view.]

The Event

On November 17, 2007 the Boeing B737-300 aircraft, operating as Southwest Flight 438, departed Dallas Love Field en route to Little Rock with five crew members and 133 passengers on board. The number two engine, a CFM International CFM56-3B1, failed while the aircraft was climbing through FL250 to FL330. According to the NTSB report:

The flight crew reported feeling severe vibration, pulled both throttles back to idle, declared an emergency, and started an air turn back to Love Field (DAL), Dallas, TX.

While heading back to DAL, the pilot reported seeing the following cockpit warnings: a No. 2 constant speed drive (CSD) low oil pressure, No. 2 engine low oil pressure, No. 2 generator bus OFF, No. 2 pack trip OFF lights, and No. 2 engine vibration meter at 5 units.

The pilot also reported that while heading back to DAL, the start lever on the No. 2 engine was CLOSED. An uneventful single engine landing was performed and no injuries were reported to any of the occupants.

Airframe Damage

Once the aircraft was back on the ground it was discovered that there were "impact marks along the fuselage from about 10 feet aft of the right-hand forward entry door to about 6 feet forward of the right-hand aft entry door and along almost the entire length of right wing leading edge. The right horizontal stabilizer also exhibited impact marks along almost the entire leading edge." The aircraft's pressure vessel was not punctured.

Engine Damage

The NTSB reports that all of the fan blades in the number two exhibited heavy airfoil damage.

...all the fan blade roots remained installed in the disk, and several fan blades fractured near the platform.

The forward and rear spinner cones were no longer attached to the fan disk and a large penetration hole was noted on the right-hand side of the fan cowl just forward of the engine fan case.

No breaches of any of the engine cases or signs of fire damage were noted.

The pieces of the forward and rear spinners cones that exited the engine were never recovered, despite an extensive search on the ground. The missing engine components presumably fell to the ground in a sparsely populated rural area of Texas.

NTSB Findings

According to the NTSB report:

• Metallurgical examination of the fracture surfaces of the fan blades and the fragments of the rear spinner aft flange revealed no preexisting fatigue-type mechanism and all the fractures were consistent with overstress.
• Four sequential fan blade spacers were distorted consistent with a severe axial load rearward applied to the spacers by the rear spinner cone prior to the spinner cone release; however, no determination could be made as to the initial failure or what may have impacted the spinner cone.

Probable cause: "A total loss of engine power due to the No. 2 engine experiencing a release of its fan spinner through the fan cowl as a result of an unidentified object striking the spinner, separating it from the fan disk and causing the spinner to be ingested into the fan blades."

Here is the link to the NTSB final report: NTSB ID ENG08IA002 - June 22, 2009

Back to the bargaining table: Southwest Airlines pilots contract ratification vote fails

The membership of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) "officially declined to ratify a new five-year contract with Southwest Airlines." So said a press release issued by the union. According to SWAPA, the vote was very close: with over 95% of eligible pilots voting, just under 51% voted against the new contract. Nevertheless, a failure to ratify means it's back to the bargaining table.

Contract negotiations between Southwest Airlines and its pilots had begun as soon as the current contract became amendable back in September of 2006. A tentative contract agreement was reached in January of this year this year, and was endorsed by SWAPA's Board of Directors in March.

At that point, SWAPA President Capt. Carl Kuwitzky had said, "While this contract isn’t perfect, it does include improvements in many areas and shores up very old language that will protect our pilots'”

"Many in our pilot group are extremely sensitive to codesharing flights that Southwest Airlines could possibly fly. While some degree of codeshare is allowed in this contract, limitations on the Company help keep our jobs secure," Kuwitzky added.

Today SWAPA announced that they will reopen negotiations with Southwest Airlines after polling of the pilot group "to fully pinpoint the aspects that the pilots want to see readdressed in talks with the Company."

"Our pilots have spoken, and the group has stated there is more work to be done," Capt. Kuwitzky said after the vote results were announced. "This contract, despite some financial gains, contained too many other negative aspects to ratify it."

Speaking on behalf of Southwest Airlines management, Chuck Magill, Vice President of Flight Operations said, "We are naturally disappointed and acknowledge it was a very close vote."

"We reached a tentative agreement in good faith, and both sides put a lot of effort into getting to this point. We have an outstanding and highly productive group of Pilots, and we appreciate their active involvement in the voting process," said Magill. "We welcome the opportunity for our negotiating teams to re-engage and work toward an agreement that best meets the needs of our Company and our outstanding Pilots during these challenging economic times."

Video: Southwest Airlines' rapping flight attendant

Just in case there's still someone out there who has not heard about Southwest Airlines flight attendant David Holmes, who became famous recently for 'rapping' a safety briefing, here is the video - "uncut and unedited," says LiveLeak.com:



If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on LiveLeak.com.

Southwest Airlines Pilots: Tentative Agreement on New 5-year Contract

The Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association (SWAPA) notified its membership yesterday that a tentative agreement (TA) for a new five year contract had been reached. Southwest pilots have been working under a contract that became amendable on August 31, 2006, and negotiations had been underway since September of 2006. The new contract, if approved by the membership, will run through August 31, 2011.

According to a message sent to the membership by the SWAPA leadership, the TA includes a retroactive pay raise, an increase in 401(k) matching, better scheduling and work rules language, and an improved disability program.

Also mentioned is a provision that prohibits code-shares on domestic routes, although restrictions regarding international code-shares were not disclosed.

A Southwest Airlines press release about the TA said:

The Company is pleased with this tentative agreement that delivers raises and increased retirement benefits for Southwest Pilots. This agreement once again demonstrates SWAPA's commitment to maintain Southwest's competitive position and financial strength during these challenging economic times.

The tentative agreement is still subject to finalizing language and approval by the SWAPA Board of Directors. If the SWAPA Board of Directors approves the tentative agreement, it will be presented to all members of SWAPA for review and a ratification vote.

Also this week, Southwest's mechanics, represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), voted to ratify their tentative agreement for a new four year contract. That TA was reached in December of 2008. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement between AMFA and Southwest is scheduled to be signed next week.

UPDATE June 3, 2009: Back to the bargaining table: Southwest Airlines pilots contract ratification vote fails

Southwest Airlines Pilots Association Re-elects President to Second Term

Pilots at Southwest Airlines have re-elected their current union president, Capt. Carl Kuwitzky, to a second term. According to the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), which represents some 6,000 Southwest pilots, Capt. Kuwitzky received 82% of the votes.

"I am excited and honored the pilots of Southwest Airlines have chosen to re-elect me as president for the next two years," said Capt. Kuwitzky. "Many of the initiatives that began during my first term, especially as we continue to negotiate a new contract with Southwest Airlines and work to address national safety and security issues, are not complete and I am looking forward to seeing these projects to their conclusion. Serving the most experienced pilot group at the nation’s number one carrier of domestic passengers is an honor and a privilege that I do not take lightly."

Capt. Kuwitzky, a native of Oklahoma, has been a pilot at Southwest Airlines since July 1983 and is currently based at Dallas Love Field. Prior to his election as president of SWAPA, he served as vice-president in 2006, as a member of the Board of Directors representing Phoenix and Houston Hobby and also as chairman of both the Scheduling and Air Safety committees. He also served as a member of the Negotiating Committee and merger committee during the Southwest Airlines acquisition of Muse Air in 1986.

Capt. Kuwitzky and SWAPA leaders are continuing work on national issues such as cabotage/foreign ownership by participating in an advisory role in U.S./EU “Open Skies” treaty negotiations. Capt. Kuwitzky’s leadership was instrumental in helping to obtain the nation’s first biometric crew identification demonstration project now underway at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI).

It's fine season at the FAA

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in a 'fine' mood. That is, they've got fines on their collective mind. Yesterday the FAA announced fines against American Airlines totaling $7.1 million. Then today, as reported by Reuters and others, the FAA said that a record $10.2 million fine against Southwest Airlines, which the airline had appealed, "is appropriate" and would remain at the proposed amount.

American Airlines

The FAA is proposing a $4.1 million civil penalty against American Airlines for violations involving MD-83 aircraft.

The FAA asserts that in December 2007, American used the wrong provisions of its Minimum Equipment List (MEL) to return two MD-83 aircraft to service after pilots had reported problems, and flew the planes 58 times in violation of FAA regulations. The MEL contains components and systems without which the aircraft may operate safely under specific limitations, as proven by the operator or manufacturer.

On December 11 and 12, American operated the first MD-83 on eight flights in airspace it should have been restricted from after maintenance on part of the autopilot system was improperly deferred. An FAA inspector discovered the improper deferral and informed the airline, however American flew the plane on 10 more revenue flights until the problem was fixed on December 17.

In another incident, the autopilot disconnected during a landing by the same aircraft on December 21. American technicians did not check for the actual problem, and instead deferred maintenance using an inappropriate MEL item. The plane flew another 36 passenger-carrying flights during December 21-31. Airline maintenance later discovered the fault was in a radio altimeter – not the autopilot.

The FAA is proposing a $325,000 civil penalty for a different instance in which an MD-83 experienced an autopilot disconnect. Although American mechanics correctly diagnosed the problem, they again deferred maintenance under the wrong item of the MEL. As a result, the aircraft operated on four revenue flights without a fully functioning autopilot.

Finally, in May of this year the FAA proposed $2.7 million in civil penalties against American for "alleged past deficiencies in its drug and alcohol testing programs and for allegedly operating aircraft in past years without timely inspections of emergency escape path lighting systems." The amount included $1.7 million civil penalty for the testing program violations and $1 million for the lighting inspection violations.

A statement issued by American Airlines says the carrier does not agree with the FAA's findings, and that the proposed penalties are excessive.


Southwest Airlines

In March of 2008, the FAA proposed a $10.2 million civil penalty from Southwest Airlines "for operating 46 airplanes without performing mandatory inspections for fuselage fatigue cracking." Subsequently, six of the 46 airplanes were found to have fatigue cracks.

From June 18, 2006 to March 14, 2007, the FAA alleges that Southwest Airlines operated 46 Boeing 737 airplanes on 59,791 flights while failing to comply with a September 8, 2004 FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) that required repetitive inspections of certain fuselage areas to detect fatigue cracking.

The FAA alleges that after Southwest Airlines discovered that it had failed to accomplish the required repetitive inspections, between March 15, 2007 and March 23, 2007, it continued to operate those same 46 airplanes on an additional 1,451 flights. The amount of the civil penalty reflects the serious nature of those deliberate violations.

An AD is a legally enforceable rule issued by the FAA to correct an unsafe condition in an aviation product. In this case, the FAA’s AD mandated repetitive external detailed and eddy-current inspections at intervals of no more than 4,500 flight cycles to detect fatigue cracking in areas of the fuselage skin on some Boeing 737 models.

Southwest Airlines appealed the fine, but it has been upheld. The FAA now says it will turn the matter over to the Justice Department if payment is not received by August 29.

Video: Dallas Love Field Time Lapse

This Southwest Airlines video was posted to YouTube earlier this month. The introduction says:

This time-lapse sequence was shot at 1 frame per second.

It was shot from the roof (deck) of Southwest Airlines Headquarters and begins with a segment at 6:00 a.m. as the airport and our Headquarters are waking up. Then, it switches to mid afternoon.

The 2 minute, 44 second run time represents about an hour and a half of actual time, and our famous 25-minute turn becomes a less-than-one-minute turn.

The first half minute of the film is a bit dark (presumably because it was shot so early in the morning) but once the sun gets a bit higher in the sky and the airport comes fully to life, it's pretty snappy. The focus is on Southwest operations, of course, but take note of the number of biz jets that zoom into and out of the frame, too.



(If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.)

Pick-up lines flight attendants hear

How about something a little more light-hearted than our usual fare of cabin safety news and flight attendant labor issues: I noticed an entertaining article posted to Nuts About Southwest, the official blog of Southwest Airlines. It was written by a Carole Adams, a Dallas-based flight attendant.

Ms. Adams wrote Drop Me a Line, a collection of pick-up lines heard by flight attendants. Here's a sample of the pick-up lines on her list:

“You have to know CPR because you take my breath away.”

“I’m not drunk. I’m just intoxicated by you!”

“If I borrowed your glasses, could I see you tomorrow night?”

“Congratulations, you’ve just been voted the most beautiful Flight Attendant. I’m your prize!”

Okay, stop rolling your eyes. I know they're groaners, but I think that's the point.!

There are others on that post, and still more contributed by readers in the Comments section at the end of the post. Go and have a look at Drop Me a Line. Go ahead and add your favorite (or least favorite!) pick-up line to the list -- there, or here.

Passengers injured after seatbelts fail on Southwest plane

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently issued a preliminary report about an instance of severe turbulence during which one flight attendant and five passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight were injured. The report states that "two of the five injured passengers were occupying seats where the seatbelt fittings failed and separated."

Yikes!

The incident happened on the afternoon of February 24, 2008, when the Boeing 737-300 aircraft, operating as Southwest Airlines Flight SWA 2809, encountered severe turbulence during descent for landing at McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, NV. The scheduled flight, which had five crew members and 137 passengers on board, had originated at Ontario, CA.

More details, quoted from the NTSB report:

According to information provided by Southwest Airlines, the flight was descending into Las Vegas at an altitude of 11,400 feet above mean sea level (msl) when it encountered severe turbulence. The captain communicated with Southwest Operations to arrange for paramedics to meet the airplane at the gate in Las Vegas. The flight continued and landed without further incident. Medical personnel met the airplane as requested, and the treated the injured passengers and flight attendant, classifying their injuries as minor.

A preliminary review of the flight recorder data provided by Southwest Airlines disclosed that the airplane experienced a vertical acceleration minimum of approximately -0.761 G, followed 2 seconds later by a positive peak of approximately +1.762 G. [NTSB ID: LAX08IA065]

That must have been quite a ride, and it's good to know that the injuries were considered to be minor. In all the years I have been following accident and incident reports from the NTSB, I believe this is the first time I have seen a mention of seatbelt failure contributing to passenger injury during turbulence. Anyone recall any other instances in recent memory?

Pilot error: Southwest runway overrun at Midway in 2005

The National Transportation Board (NTSB) recently concluded its investigation of the Southwest Airlines runway overrun at Chicago Midway Airport in 2005. One person on the ground was killed, and 22 people were injured. The NTSB report cites pilot error as the primary cause of the accident.

The NTSB report specifies "the pilot's failure to use available reverse thrust in a timely manner to safely slow or stop the airplane after landing" as the probable cause. The NTSB goes on to say, "This failure occurred because the pilots' first experience and lack of familiarity with the airplane's autobrake system distracted them from thrust reverser usage during the challenging landing."

Here is a summary of the NTSB findings, quoted from a press release about the agency's report:

On December 8, 2005, Southwest Airlines (SWA) flight 1248, a Boeing 737-7H4, (N471WN), ran off the departure end of runway 31 center (31C) after landing in a snow storm at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Chicago, Illinois. The airplane rolled through a blast fence, an airport perimeter fence, and onto an adjacent roadway, where it struck an automobile before coming to a stop. One occupant in the automobile was killed, one received serious injuries, and three others received minor injuries. Eighteen of the 103 persons on board the airplane received minor injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged.

As outlined in the Board's report, the investigation revealed that as the crew neared their destination the pilots received mixed braking action reports for the landing runway. The flight crew used an on-board laptop performance computer (OPC) provided in the cockpit of SWA's airplanes to calculate expected landing distance. They entered multiple scenarios including wind speed and direction, airplane gross weight at touchdown and reported runway braking action. Observing OPC indications that they would stop before the end of the runway with either fair or poor braking action, they decided that they could safely land at MDW.

However, as stated in the report, the accident pilots were not aware that stopping margins displayed by the OPC for poor runway conditions were in some cases based on a lower tailwind component than that which was presented. Also, the accident pilots were not aware that the stopping margins computed by the SWA OPC incorporated the use of thrust reversers for their model aircraft, the 737-700, which resulted in more favorable stopping margins. Therefore, the Safety Board concluded in the report that had the pilots known this information, the pilots might have elected to divert to another airport.

Contributing to the accident were Southwest Airlines' failure to provide its pilots with clear and consistent guidance and training regarding company policies and procedures related to arrival landing distance calculations; programming and design of its on board performance computer, which did not present critical assumption information despite inconsistent tailwind and reverse thrust assessment methods; plan to implement new autobrake procedures without a familiarization period; and failure to include a margin of safety in the arrival assessment to account for operational uncertainties.

Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to divert to another airport given the reports that included poor braking action and a tailwind component greater than 5 knots.

Also, contributing to the severity of the accident was the absence of an engineering materials arresting system (EMAS), which was needed because of the limited runway safety area beyond the departure end of runway 31C.

Click here to view the NTSB animation of the landing runway overrun accident at Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois on December 8, 2005.

One outcome of the investigation of this accident is that the NTSB has issued "a new urgent safety recommendation that calls on the FAA to immediately require operators to conduct arrival landing distance assessments before every landing based on existing performance data, actual conditions, and incorporating a minimum safety margin of 15 percent." Additional recommendations to the FAA in the NTSB report include the following:

• Require all Part 121 and 135 operators to ensure that all on board electronic devices they use automatically and clearly display critical performance calculation assumptions.
• Require all Part 121 and 135 operators to provide clear guidance and training to pilots and dispatchers regarding company policy on surface condition and braking action reports and the assumptions affecting landing distance/stopping margin calculations, to include use of airplane ground deceleration devices, wind conditions and limits, air distance, and safety margins.
• Establish a minimum standard for operators to use in correlating an airplane's braking ability to braking action reports and runway contaminant type and depth reports for runway surface conditions worse than bare and dry.
• Develop and issue formal guidance regarding standards and guidelines for the development, delivery, and interpretations of runway surface condition reports.

The Synopsis Report on the Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 accident is available on the NTSB website now. The final report will be posted there in several weeks.

Southwest Boeing 737 emergency landing at Oakland

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published a preliminary report regarding an emergency landing at Oakland by a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 on June 3, 2007. The aircraft, which had departed Sacramento en route to San Diego, diverted to Oakland International Airport after reporting a landing gear problem. According to the FAA report, the aircraft's nose gear retracted during the landing roll. None of the 119 persons on board Southwest Flight 3050 were injured, and the FAA report listed damage to the aircraft as "minor."

Various news reports about the incident mentioned that the plane was removed from the runway about nine hours after it landed.

[Photo Source]

Jury convicts man who threatened Southwest flight attendant

Another day, another court ruling in the case of an unruly passenger. And another day of news media making light of the situation...

Carl William Persing, 41, was convicted by a jury of interfering with flight attendants and crew members. The felony conviction came after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Wilmington, NC.

Persing's trouble began on a Southwest Airlines flight this past September. According to a criminal complaint signed by an FBI agent, Persing and his girlfriend were "embracing, kissing and acting in a manner that made other passengers uncomfortable." A flight attendant asked them to stop. In response to that request, Persing threatened the flight attendant.

The flight attendant reported the threats made against him to the captain, and the couple were arrested when the aircraft landed at its destination, Raleigh-Durham. The judge later dismissed the charge against Persing's girlfriend.

WWAY TV3 reported that Persing was offered a plea deal before the trial started. He could have plead to a misdemeanor simple assault, but turned it down. A trial ensued and the jury found him guilty.

Persing will be sentenced on August 6. Assistant US Attorney John Bowler said that Persing will likely serve jail time for the federal felony conviction. After the verdict was handed down, the judge told Persing that he could fly on commercial and private aircraft only if traveling to and from court appearances.

That's the gist of the story. The man had his day in court, and after hearing the facts of the case the jury saw fit to convict him. What bothers me is that some of the news media are reporting on this case in a way that trivializes this kind of offense.

Many reports -- and especially the headlines -- focused on the couple's inappropriate behavior that prompted the flight attendant to intervene in the first place, not on the subsequent threats to the flight attendant. Moreover, this was done in a snickering 'nudge, nudge, wink, wink' kind of way.

Here are just a few examples of what I'm referring to:

Headline, from WECT in Wilmington: Mid-Air Make Out Lands Couple in Court

Headline from the Wilmington Star: Man in airline love case guilty of interfering with flight crew

Headline from the News & Observer: Frisky flier is guilty of bullying -- And the story begins with the sentence, "A California man is now a convicted felon for threatening a flight attendant who asked him and his girlfriend to stop their lusty cuddling on a Raleigh-bound flight."

The headline of an Associated Press story published on MSNBC: Man convicted for mile-high makeout - and the sub-heading reads, "Jury punishes affectionate passenger for interfering with flight"

There are more, but you get the idea. Headlines like these make it sound as though this guy was raked over the coals for being 'frisky' and 'amorous.' Persing was not tried and convicted for making out with his girlfriend on that flight. He was convicted -- by a jury -- of intimidating a flight attendant, making it difficult for him to do his job. Persing also threatened to 'have it out on the ground' with the flight attendant.  That's not cute or funny, as Persing now knows.

Okay, rant mode off. For now.