Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:02 pm
Some of the details of Chalks' Maintenance program can be found here...
http://www.aviationtoday.com/cgi/am/sho ... irways.htm
http://www.aviationtoday.com/cgi/am/sho ... irways.htm
Fri Dec 30, 2005 11:02 am
Saw this over on www.landings.com today. Thought some of you might be interested. 
Plane's old paper trail impedes probe
BY JAMES BERNSTEIN
STAFF WRITER
December 30, 2005
When an airplane crashes, investigators have a host of duties to perform, including one that has to be done immediately: getting a hold of the plane's original design and specifications from the manufacturer.
But what if the manufacturer no longer exists?
Federal investigators found themselves confronted with just such a situation last week, when an amphibian - capable of operating from water as well as land-based airports - crashed off Miami Beach, killing the two pilots and 18 passengers aboard.
The 58-year-old plane - dubbed the Mallard - was built by the former Grumman Corp. in Bethpage. Fifty-nine were built, all in the late 1940s.
The plane that crashed was operated by Chalk's Ocean Airways, which since the accident has grounded the remaining four Mallards in its fleet.
The problem for the Federal Aviation Administration is that there is no Grumman anymore, or at least, not in any form that helps the investigation. In 1994 Long Island's largest private employer was acquired by Northrop Corp. of Los Angeles, and the combined company is now known as Northrop Grumman Corp. Since then, the Bethpage operation has all but ceased working on airframes, and its engineers, expertise and archives have all dispersed.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators learned that the Mallard's original designs and certificates had been sold by Grumman about 25 years ago to a Texas aircraft parts-manufacturer, Frakes Aviation.
Company owner Joe Frakes said he bought them when the company was young.
"There was a dream, maybe," of Frakes making Mallards, the owner said in an interview earlier this week. It never happened, Frakes said, because his company did not have the financial backing for such a project. But Frakes did modify the existing Mallards with faster turbo-prop engines in the early 1970s, replacing the original piston engines.
Frakes said he has been interviewed by NTSB and FAA officials, and even went to the crash site to see if he could help the investigators. "We have cooperated fully in the investigation," Frakes said.
When an airplane's original design plans are as old as the Mallard's, or when the plans are no longer with the original manufacturer, an investigation can be hampered, Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general of the Department of Transportation, said yesterday.
But if the investigation into the Dec. 19 crash was slowed, it will undoubtedly pick up speed, said Schiavo, one of the country's foremost experts on aircraft safety. The NTSB has already discovered a crack in the main support of the twin-engine plane's right wing, which broke away shortly after takeoff from a shipping channel near Miami Beach on a flight scheduled to end in Bimini, one of 87-year-old Chalk's regular designations.
Schiavo, an outspoken critic of the commercial aviation industry, said she questioned the safety of the Mallards because of their age.
"Mallards are museum pieces," Schiavo said. "There are planes in museums younger than these."
"The rule of thumb is that aircraft are built for a 20-year economic life," Schiavo said. "That doesn't mean they fall out of the sky after 20 years. But it does mean they need tender loving care."
Paul Schlamm, an NTSB spokesman, said the agency is reviewing maintenance records and the plane's service history "and all the work that was done on the aircraft" over the years.
"There is a lot of material to go through," Schlamm said.
Chalk's officials did not return a call seeking comment.
On Long Island, the Mallard is remembered favorably. It was a post-World War II project for Grumman, which was then looking for commercial business. At the time, the plane's interior was considered unique. There were two divans with end tables, card tables and four reclining chairs. The interior was finished with a wood veneer. There was also a dressing room, a lavatory, recessed fluorescent lights and a refreshment cabinet.
The Mallard attracted wealthy travelers and corporations. One of them was bought by the Netherlands for use by the royal family. By today's standards, the Mallard was a steal. It sold for $90,000.
Grounding the Mallards
Chalk's Ocean Airways has grounded its entire fleet of Grumman G-73 Turbo Mallards after a fatal crash in Miami earlier this month.
GRUMMAN G-73
TURBO MALLARD
Type: Twin-engine amphibious aircraft.
First manufactured: 1947; some at Grumman plant in Bethpage
Total produced: 59 (including non-turbos)
Capacity: 20, including crew
Maximum speed: 215 mph
Range: 1,400 miles
SOURCES: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION; CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS; MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER; WWW.AIRLINERS.NET
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.
Be Safe
Robbie
Plane's old paper trail impedes probe
BY JAMES BERNSTEIN
STAFF WRITER
December 30, 2005
When an airplane crashes, investigators have a host of duties to perform, including one that has to be done immediately: getting a hold of the plane's original design and specifications from the manufacturer.
But what if the manufacturer no longer exists?
Federal investigators found themselves confronted with just such a situation last week, when an amphibian - capable of operating from water as well as land-based airports - crashed off Miami Beach, killing the two pilots and 18 passengers aboard.
The 58-year-old plane - dubbed the Mallard - was built by the former Grumman Corp. in Bethpage. Fifty-nine were built, all in the late 1940s.
The plane that crashed was operated by Chalk's Ocean Airways, which since the accident has grounded the remaining four Mallards in its fleet.
The problem for the Federal Aviation Administration is that there is no Grumman anymore, or at least, not in any form that helps the investigation. In 1994 Long Island's largest private employer was acquired by Northrop Corp. of Los Angeles, and the combined company is now known as Northrop Grumman Corp. Since then, the Bethpage operation has all but ceased working on airframes, and its engineers, expertise and archives have all dispersed.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators learned that the Mallard's original designs and certificates had been sold by Grumman about 25 years ago to a Texas aircraft parts-manufacturer, Frakes Aviation.
Company owner Joe Frakes said he bought them when the company was young.
"There was a dream, maybe," of Frakes making Mallards, the owner said in an interview earlier this week. It never happened, Frakes said, because his company did not have the financial backing for such a project. But Frakes did modify the existing Mallards with faster turbo-prop engines in the early 1970s, replacing the original piston engines.
Frakes said he has been interviewed by NTSB and FAA officials, and even went to the crash site to see if he could help the investigators. "We have cooperated fully in the investigation," Frakes said.
When an airplane's original design plans are as old as the Mallard's, or when the plans are no longer with the original manufacturer, an investigation can be hampered, Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general of the Department of Transportation, said yesterday.
But if the investigation into the Dec. 19 crash was slowed, it will undoubtedly pick up speed, said Schiavo, one of the country's foremost experts on aircraft safety. The NTSB has already discovered a crack in the main support of the twin-engine plane's right wing, which broke away shortly after takeoff from a shipping channel near Miami Beach on a flight scheduled to end in Bimini, one of 87-year-old Chalk's regular designations.
Schiavo, an outspoken critic of the commercial aviation industry, said she questioned the safety of the Mallards because of their age.
"Mallards are museum pieces," Schiavo said. "There are planes in museums younger than these."
"The rule of thumb is that aircraft are built for a 20-year economic life," Schiavo said. "That doesn't mean they fall out of the sky after 20 years. But it does mean they need tender loving care."
Paul Schlamm, an NTSB spokesman, said the agency is reviewing maintenance records and the plane's service history "and all the work that was done on the aircraft" over the years.
"There is a lot of material to go through," Schlamm said.
Chalk's officials did not return a call seeking comment.
On Long Island, the Mallard is remembered favorably. It was a post-World War II project for Grumman, which was then looking for commercial business. At the time, the plane's interior was considered unique. There were two divans with end tables, card tables and four reclining chairs. The interior was finished with a wood veneer. There was also a dressing room, a lavatory, recessed fluorescent lights and a refreshment cabinet.
The Mallard attracted wealthy travelers and corporations. One of them was bought by the Netherlands for use by the royal family. By today's standards, the Mallard was a steal. It sold for $90,000.
Grounding the Mallards
Chalk's Ocean Airways has grounded its entire fleet of Grumman G-73 Turbo Mallards after a fatal crash in Miami earlier this month.
GRUMMAN G-73
TURBO MALLARD
Type: Twin-engine amphibious aircraft.
First manufactured: 1947; some at Grumman plant in Bethpage
Total produced: 59 (including non-turbos)
Capacity: 20, including crew
Maximum speed: 215 mph
Range: 1,400 miles
SOURCES: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION; CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS; MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER; WWW.AIRLINERS.NET
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.
Be Safe
Robbie
Oh, Mary...
Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:16 pm
...20 year economic life? Where does that come from? Certainly not from any engineering data.... So does she advocate a mandatory disclosure at the gate, "The aircraft you are about to base your survival on is over 20 years of age."
Superman, where are you? Oh, that's right, you're hanging off of an H53...
Superman, where are you? Oh, that's right, you're hanging off of an H53...
Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:44 pm
I can see it now, the new reg will read; It Shall Be Placarded In Plain Sight At All Points Of Entry In At Least Three Inch Letters "THIS AIRCRAFT IS 20 YEARS OLD OR OLDER". 
Robbie
Robbie
Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:51 pm
Robbie Stuart wrote:
Schiavo, an outspoken critic of the commercial aviation industry, said she questioned the safety of the Mallards because of their age.
"Mallards are museum pieces," Schiavo said. "There are planes in museums younger than these."
WHUH? How old is she?
Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:06 pm
From the website that books her speeches:
Mary Schiavo
As soon as Mary Schiavo learned of the events of September 11, she knew she had to unearth the truth about what had happened----something she knows plenty about. Her dogged pursuit of lapses in aviation safety earned her the nickname, "Scary Mary" during her controversial tenure as inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation from 1990 to 1996. Determined to keep the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accountable to the public, Schiavo, 46, led an investigation into security at the nation's airports in 1992 and 1993. Her employees, armed with guns, knives, grenades and fake bombs, got through 75 percent of the time. At a congressional hearing to address what she'd uncovered, the FAA promised to fix the breaches. But when Schiavo repeated her investigation in 1995 and 1996 there were still significant security lapses. The FAA "went into overdrive to try to get the report classified," Schiavo alleges. "They were clearly waiting for people to die. I prepared for my letter of resignation." Schiavo went on to become a professor of aviation at Ohio State University. She recently left academia to become an attorney at a Los Angeles firm that represents victims of airline disasters----including families of several dozen victims of the terrorist attacks. These relatives, says Schiavo, are not interested in money. "They want to know the truth." And the legal process, she believes, may be the only way to get at the truth of what went wrong on September 11. "If you don't find out how it happened," she says, "then the problem won't be fixed. That's why I speak out."
The Wind Cries, Mary...
Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:48 pm
...I'm glad she has taken it upon herself to lead the life she leads. I wonder if the rail industry was as safe before her tenure as after her tenure? How about DOT standards for OTR trucks? And how about all those nice SUV's that came in during her tenure in Federal Service? Hey Mary, how about a head count of victims from SUV's compared to a head count of victims from commercial aviation accidents, plus a per hour accident rate just for laughs?
???
Fri Dec 30, 2005 2:22 pm
Darn it all, she should have come flown with us in VP-69. We had the VERY old early 1950s A models. Some of the crud we flew in ie Aleutins ect was downright nasty and never did ask how many hours those birds had. Probably didn't want to and those birds were rode hard!
Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:55 pm
Like I said it is all over but the auction! Look at this it is a real shame!
The sharks are out of the tank!
http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.c ... &Dynamic=1
The sharks are out of the tank!
http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.c ... &Dynamic=1
Food For Thought
Thu Jan 05, 2006 10:48 pm
(1) According to AvWEB, "Chalk's Ocean Airways hopes to resume flights Jan. 10."
(2) Ms. Schiavo'a comments are especially dangerous in light of our "sound-bite" culture. Her conclusory statement that "[t]he rule of thumb is that aircraft are built for a 20-year economic life . . ." is definitely one of those partial quotes that critics of historical aviation, and the media, will brandish like a talisman.
And unfortunately, most people will accept it as truth without asking for (and questioning) the rationale behind that conclusion.
It's too bad that WIX, as an organization, doesn't have media contacts; we could circulate some counterarguments; e.g. maybe get some of you guys quoted as experts / "talking heads," and at least point out that Ms. Schiavo finished her statement by saying that her "rule of thumb" "doesn't mean they fall out of the sky after 20 years. But it does mean they need tender loving care."
Mike
(2) Ms. Schiavo'a comments are especially dangerous in light of our "sound-bite" culture. Her conclusory statement that "[t]he rule of thumb is that aircraft are built for a 20-year economic life . . ." is definitely one of those partial quotes that critics of historical aviation, and the media, will brandish like a talisman.
And unfortunately, most people will accept it as truth without asking for (and questioning) the rationale behind that conclusion.
It's too bad that WIX, as an organization, doesn't have media contacts; we could circulate some counterarguments; e.g. maybe get some of you guys quoted as experts / "talking heads," and at least point out that Ms. Schiavo finished her statement by saying that her "rule of thumb" "doesn't mean they fall out of the sky after 20 years. But it does mean they need tender loving care."
Mike
Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:20 pm
Looks like this airplane had some unknown problems for awhile. 
We still don't know everything we need to know about "ageing aircraft". Its sad that these things happen, but when they do we need to learn as much as we can so as to try & prevent it on other aircraft. 
Found this over at www.landings.com today.
NTSB: Chalk's seaplane had cracks in both wingsBY MATTHEW I. PINZURmpinzur@MiamiHerald.comThe Chalk's Ocean Airways seaplane that crashed last month had fatigue cracks on both wings, according to a preliminary report released today by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Investigators almost immediately identified the cracks on the plane's right wing, which broke away when Flight 101 crashed into the ocean near South Beach on Dec. 19. The new report was the first indication of similar damage on the left wing.
''Fatigue, unfortunately, is a pretty insidious thing,'' said Grant Brophy, a private air-safety inspector and director of flight safety and security at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. ``This is an issue which any operator of this aircraft would need to look into, not just commercial operators.''
All 20 people were killed when the 58-year-old Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard crashed shortly after taking off from Watson Island on its way to Bimini. Investigators quickly focused on the metal fatigue, but insisted it was premature to assign blame.
A final report from the NTSB is not expected until late this year.
The 37 Mallards still in operation were all grounded by a Dec. 30 order from the Federal Aviation Administration. Only Chalk's still flies with World War II-era planes commercially, but all owners need to provide test results showing the airframe's safety before the FAA will clear them to fly.
Chalk's owner, Jim Confalone, did not immediately return a call this afternoon.
Regards
Robbie
We still don't know everything we need to know about "ageing aircraft". Its sad that these things happen, but when they do we need to learn as much as we can so as to try & prevent it on other aircraft.
Found this over at www.landings.com today.
NTSB: Chalk's seaplane had cracks in both wingsBY MATTHEW I. PINZURmpinzur@MiamiHerald.comThe Chalk's Ocean Airways seaplane that crashed last month had fatigue cracks on both wings, according to a preliminary report released today by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Investigators almost immediately identified the cracks on the plane's right wing, which broke away when Flight 101 crashed into the ocean near South Beach on Dec. 19. The new report was the first indication of similar damage on the left wing.
''Fatigue, unfortunately, is a pretty insidious thing,'' said Grant Brophy, a private air-safety inspector and director of flight safety and security at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. ``This is an issue which any operator of this aircraft would need to look into, not just commercial operators.''
All 20 people were killed when the 58-year-old Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard crashed shortly after taking off from Watson Island on its way to Bimini. Investigators quickly focused on the metal fatigue, but insisted it was premature to assign blame.
A final report from the NTSB is not expected until late this year.
The 37 Mallards still in operation were all grounded by a Dec. 30 order from the Federal Aviation Administration. Only Chalk's still flies with World War II-era planes commercially, but all owners need to provide test results showing the airframe's safety before the FAA will clear them to fly.
Chalk's owner, Jim Confalone, did not immediately return a call this afternoon.
Regards
Robbie
Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:03 pm
smells of a witch hunt!!
Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:40 pm
I am a little confused by her statement. I would be willing to bet she would be surpised at the amount of 20 year aircraft flying everyday with the major airlines, not counting the warbirds.
Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:41 am
It's worse than I thought! Look at this Sheet! Beware A/C mechaincs! Looks like they are starting a new trend! Also chalks is still not flying and the bills keep coming!
http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.c ... &Dynamic=1
http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.c ... &Dynamic=1
Chalks
Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:11 pm
Broken-Wrench wrote:It's worse than I thought! Look at this Sheet! Beware A/C mechaincs! Looks like they are starting a new trend! Also chalks is still not flying and the bills keep coming!
http://www.aero-news.net/news/commair.c ... &Dynamic=1
Nothing new as to the "scattergun" lawsuit... it's a technique which is
largely responsible in driving-up the costs of aviation and other FUN
activities. Lawyers of companies respond and warn their bosses of it's
effect...so we can't get blueprints of certain aircraft...when Curtiss-Wright
closed their doors, the scrapping of all the engine-spares stores..ARGGHH
Not looking good for the "home team"...Just bloody wonderfulllll
