Design & Certification

Design Organisations / DOAs, Part 21, EMAR-21, DAOS, Aircraft Design, Aeronautical Engineering

Pitot Punctures Floats in Icelandic SAR Ditching

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Helicopters, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Offshore, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft, Survivability / Ditching

Pitot Punctures Floats in Icelandic SAR Ditching The ditching of Icelandic Coast Guard Aérospatiale SA365N Dauphin TF-SIF in the Atlantic off Reykjavik on 16 July 2007 highlights the importance of avoiding protuberances that can puncture emergency flotation systems, careful configuration management and establishing emergency drills. The Icelandic Transportation Safety Board (ITSB), the RNF, issued their report in […]

Pitot Punctures Floats in Icelandic SAR Ditching Read Post »

Falcon 7X LOC-I Due To Solder Defect

Accidents & Incidents, Business Aviation, Design & Certification, Safety Management

Falcon 7X LOC-I Due To Solder Defect On 25 May 2011, Dassault Falcon 7X business jet, HB-JFN, operated by Jet-Link, suffered a pitch trim runaway that caused a 40° pitch up, rapid climb and temporary Loss of Control Inflight (LOC-I) over Malaysia. First flown in 2005 and certified in April 2007, after a 590 flight, 1600 flying hour test programme,

Falcon 7X LOC-I Due To Solder Defect Read Post »

UK CAA CAP1145 North Sea Helicopter Safety Two Years On

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, HUMS / VHM / UMS / IVHM, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Regulation, Safety Culture, Safety Management, Survivability / Ditching

UK CAA CAP1145 North Sea Helicopter Safety Two Years On Not long after the fatal loss of Eurocopter AS332L2 G-WNSB of Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands on 23 August 2013 with 4 fatalities (AAIB Special Bulletin), the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched an rapid review on offshore helicopter safety. That CAA Review resulted in the CAP1145 report (‘Safety review of

UK CAA CAP1145 North Sea Helicopter Safety Two Years On Read Post »

First Eleven: Guidance for Designers on Maintenance Human Performance

Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Management

First Eleven: RAeS Guidance for Design Organisations on Maintenance Human Performance The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Human Factors Group: Engineering (HFG:E) has published a short guidance document on 11 steps an aviation Design Organisation (DO) can take to “deliver safer, more effective and reliable aircraft through improved design for maintenance”. The RAeS say: Aircraft safety

First Eleven: Guidance for Designers on Maintenance Human Performance Read Post »

EASA and Ejection Seat Certification

Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Military / Defence, Regulation, Special Mission Aircraft, Survivability / Ditching

EASA and Ejection Seat Certification The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have issued a series of Certification Review Items (CRIs) for proposed Special Conditions and Equivalent Levels of Safety for a Part 23 ejection seat equipped tandem two-seat trainer aircraft to be certified in the Normal and Acrobatic categories.  The CRIs consist of: CRI 102 Special

EASA and Ejection Seat Certification Read Post »

UKMFTS Fixed Wing Aircraft Service Provision Contract Awarded

Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Military / Defence

UK Military Flying Training System  Fixed Wing (UKMFTS) Aircraft Service Provision Contract Awarded The contract to provide Elementary, Basic and Multi-Engined training aircraft to the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) through to 2033 has been awarded. The contract was placed by Babcock / Lockheed Martin joint venture Ascent Flight Training. Ascent, selected as the UK MOD’s

UKMFTS Fixed Wing Aircraft Service Provision Contract Awarded Read Post »

Leonardo Strives For Greater Gearbox Loss of Lube Capability

Design & Certification, Helicopters, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Safety Management

Finmeccanica Strives For Greater Gearbox Loss of Lube Capability Finmeccanica Helicopters (the recently rebranded AgustaWestland (UPDATE: and now Leonardo) is working to enhance the durability of helicopter Main Gear Boxes (MGBs) after a loss of lubrication. The company’s Marco Tamborini presented their approach at the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 9th Rotorcraft Symposium held in Cologne in December

Leonardo Strives For Greater Gearbox Loss of Lube Capability Read Post »

Aerossurance Marks RAeS 150th Anniversary by Sponsoring Rotorcraft Automation Conference

Design & Certification, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Regulation, Resilience, Safety Management

Aerossurance Marks RAeS 150th Anniversary by Sponsoring Rotorcraft Automation Conference The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) was founded on 12 January 1866, so is today celebrating its 150th anniversary (or sesquicentennial). To mark this significant milestone Aerossurance is pleased to be sponsoring the Society’s 2016 Rotorcraft Conference. This conference, to be held 6-7 July 2016 at the

Aerossurance Marks RAeS 150th Anniversary by Sponsoring Rotorcraft Automation Conference Read Post »

Our Top 20 Articles of 2015

Accidents & Incidents, Business Aviation, Crises / Emergency Response / SAR, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Military / Defence, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Regulation, Safety Culture, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft, Survivability / Ditching

Aerossurance: Our Top 20 Articles of 2015 As we start the new year we look back on the 20 articles that proved most popular with our readers in 2015.  In reverse order: Number 20: Building St Helena Airport – An Industrial Scale ‘Grand Design’ This started with the building of the first airport on the volcanic

Our Top 20 Articles of 2015 Read Post »

Back to the Future: Error Management

Accidents & Incidents, Air Traffic Management / Airspace, Airfields / Heliports / Helidecks, Business Aviation, Crises / Emergency Response / SAR, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, HUMS / VHM / UMS / IVHM, Logistics, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Military / Defence, Mining / Resource Sector, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Resilience, Safety Culture, Safety Management

We look at some of the problems of error management and ask if we are still making the error management mistakes James Reason warned of in 1997 (spoiler: some organisations are). We also look at drift and how some have failed to grasp its more than poor compliance.

Back to the Future: Error Management Read Post »

When Down Is Up: 747 Actuator Installation Incident

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Management

When Down Is Up: 747 Actuator Installation Incident The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has published their report into a serious incident involving Boeing 747-443 G-VROM on 29 December 2014. History of the Flight The AAIB report that: The aircraft departed from London Gatwick Airport for a scheduled flight to Las Vegas. Following retraction of the

When Down Is Up: 747 Actuator Installation Incident Read Post »

Regulation (EU) 376/2014: Reporting, Analysis and Follow-up of Occurrences in Civil Aviation

Accidents & Incidents, Air Traffic Management / Airspace, Airfields / Heliports / Helidecks, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, News, Safety Management

Regulation (EU) 376/2014: Reporting, Analysis and Follow-up of Occurrences in Civil Aviation On 15 November 2015, a new European Union wide aviation reporting regulation came into force.  The European Commission has created a safety reporting portal. Previously Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) was effectively regulated by a Directive 2003/42/EC to each nation to create compatible national regulation. That directive is

Regulation (EU) 376/2014: Reporting, Analysis and Follow-up of Occurrences in Civil Aviation Read Post »

Loss of MV Derbyshire 9th September 1980

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Safety Management

Loss of MV Derbyshire 9th September 1980 On 9th September 1980 the Bibby Line OBO (oil/bulk/ore) carrier MV Derbyshire sank during Typhoon Orchid in the South China Sea.  All 44 people on board died.  The Derbyshire, at 90,000 gross registered tons, remains the largest UK registered ship ever to be lost at sea. Until 1994 the location of

Loss of MV Derbyshire 9th September 1980 Read Post »

HTAWS Technology: Friend or Foe?

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Regulation, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft

HTAWS Technology: Friend or Foe? Technology has great potential to reduce aviation risk.  The European Helicopter Safety Team (EHEST) issued a study in October 2014 on the safety value of technology. Terrain Avoidance and Warning Systems (TAWS) have proved highly effective at fixed wing Approach and Landing Accident Reduction (ALAR). On 20 February 2014, the Federal Aviation

HTAWS Technology: Friend or Foe? Read Post »

Crashworthiness and a Fiery Frisco US HEMS Accident

Accidents & Incidents, Airfields / Heliports / Helidecks, Crises / Emergency Response / SAR, Design & Certification, Helicopters, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Management, Special Mission Aircraft, Survivability / Ditching

Crashworthiness and a Fiery Frisco US HEMS Accident (Airbus Helicopters AS350B3e, N390LG of Air Methods) Shortly after take-off from a hospital in Frisco, Colorado, on 2 July 2015, Airbus Helicopters AS350B3e helicopter, N390LG, operated by Air Methods as ‘Flight for Life’, crashed in a parking lot 120m away.  This was a daytime, Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC), Part 135

Crashworthiness and a Fiery Frisco US HEMS Accident Read Post »

A319 Double Cowling Loss and Fire – AAIB Report

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Culture, Safety Management

A319 Double Cowling Loss and Fire – AAIB Report The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has published their report into an Airbus A319 that lost both engine fan cowlings and suffered an associated fire on take-off from London Heathrow in 2013. We look at the circumstances of the previous evening’s maintenance on this aircraft,

A319 Double Cowling Loss and Fire – AAIB Report Read Post »

Maintenance Human Factors: The Next Generation

Design & Certification, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Management

Maintenance Human Factors: The Next Generation On 12 May 2015 at Cranfield University, the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) discussed Human Factors in Engineering – the Next Generation. Aerossurance is pleased to have sponsored this thought provoking RAeS Human Factors Group: Engineering event. While the seminar was intended to connect the new generation of aerospace professionals and experienced HF practitioners, it posed

Maintenance Human Factors: The Next Generation Read Post »

De-Iced Drama: 737 in Scandinavia

Accidents & Incidents, Airfields / Heliports / Helidecks, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Safety Management

De-Iced Drama : 737 in Scandinavia During the approach to the Finnish airport of Kittilä on 26 December 2012, Norwegian Air Shuttle‘s Boeing 737-800 LN-DYM came close to stalling as a result of a blocked elevator.  The elevator system worked at only 1/250th of the expected effectiveness according to investigators. The Investigation The Accident Investigation Board

De-Iced Drama: 737 in Scandinavia Read Post »

Scroll to Top