AVIATION/ AF447 WENT "STRAIGHT DOWN"

The BEA have released their preliminary report on the crash of AIR FRANCE Flight 447 on June 1, 2009. Most shocking of all, the BEA says that Flight 447 did not break up in flight but plunged vertically, and bellyflopped into the Atlantic Ocean. The report also says that the speed sensors, or pitot tubes, were a factor, but were not the cause of the crash. AF FL447 was on Scheduled International A330 Service from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Paris, France, went in went down in the Atlantic Ocean in the early morning hours of June 1, shortly after encountering severe weather. All 228 passengers and crew onboard the A330 were killed in the crash, the worst in the history of Air France. The report states that the A330 had taken off from Sao Paulo at 10:29pm, local time, on May 31, and weighing 232.8 tons, near its maximum takeoff weight of 233 tons. Flight 447 was subsequently cleared to 35000 feet. At 1:35am, the crew contacted Brazil's Atlantic air traffic control control on the HF frequency reporting, reporting that they had just overflown waypoint INTOL, giving estimates for waypoints SALPU as 1:48am, and ORARO at 2:00am. The crew also transmitted their SELCAL code and a test was performed. The controller subsequently asked them to maintain 35000 feet and provide an estimate for TASIL, repeating the request 3 times without reply. The aircraft's ACARS was programmed to transmit its own position about every 10 minutes. The last position transmitted at 2:10am, was 02 degrees 58.8 minutes North and 30 degrees 35.4 minutes East. A total of 25 ACARS were sent from Flight 447, between 2:10am and 2:14am. The warning messages, many of them not yet understood, indicate that various monitoring processes had been triggered. At least 1 of them related to air speed measurement inconsistency.

Analysis of the weather infrared images produced by the Meteosat 9 satellite every 15 minutes, with an image taken about 7 minutes before and another 7 minutes taken after the last position report at 2:10am, does not allow conclusions that the weather was exceptional, but shows the existance of a cluster of powerful cumulo nimbi along the planned flight path starting at 12:30am. The cluster is the result of 4 smaller clusters combining, its east-west extension was 216 nautical miles. By around 2:00am, those cumulo nimbi had reached their maturity, it is therefore highly probable that they produced notable turbulence at 35000 feet. It is also possible, that there was significant electrical activity at that flight level. 3 other flights, from Air France, IBERIA, and LUFTHANSA, all tracked the same route to TASIL between 35000 ft and 37000 ft around the time of the crash. They all had to avoid storm cells and diverted from the airway between 11 and 80 nautical miles. They experienced moderate turbulence. All 3 flights had problems establishing communication with Dakar. Dakar Air Traffic Control requested information about Flight 447 from Brasil's Atlantic Control by phone at 1:48am, as he had no flight plan, and later coordinated the airplane with Cape Verde Control. He told Cape Verde at 2:48am, that he had not made contact with Flight 447. At 4:21am, Dakar asked Brasil's Atlantic control by phone to confirm, that the aircraft had passed TASIL. Brasil confirmed that the aircraft was estimated TASIL at 2:20am, at 35000 feet, but no contact was made. Dakar computed an estimate of 3:45am for entering the airspace of Cape Verde, but Cape Verde reported at 4:39am, that no contact had been made. At 4:11am, Dakar Control had asked Air France Flight 459 to contact Flight 447. By 4:18am Air France Flight 459 asked Air France Dispatch to contact Flight 447. At 4:24am, Air France sent an ACARS message to Flight 447. At 5:50am, after several unsuccessful attempts to establish contact with Flight 447, Air France contacted the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking center, but no emergency beacon had been registered. At 6:13am, Brest Center, contacted by Air France, coordinated the 1st attempts to locate the aircraft. At 6:35am, Madrid Center told Brest, that Flight 447 was in touch with Casablanca and would enter Lisbon control zone within 15 minutes. At 6:44am, Air France Dispatch established, that Casablanca was not in touch with Flight 447, but Air France Flight 459. After verifying with a number of control centers Brest raised alert at 8:15am.

Visual inspection of the recovered debris showed, that the tail fin broke during a forward motion with a slight twist to the left. (The debris field is marked in photo above. The circles show where debris was found, in relation to the last known position of Flight 447). The galley recovered and identified as G2 was basically intact, but baskets and racks were compressed in the lower part of both galley carts. A toilet door showed evidence of great compression force. The floor of the crew rest module was bent upwards under the effect of a strong upward pressure from below, the connecting brackets between floor and wall were bent backwards. The BEA concluded "Observations of the tail fin and on the parts from the passenger (galley, toilet door, crew rest module) showed that the airplane had likely struck the surface of the water in a straight line, with a high rate vertical acceleration." The bodies of about 30 of the victims recovered, were all clothed and relatively well preserved. The BEA reports that they still did not have access to the autopsy results, thus that part of the investigation remains pending. Thus the key points from the preliminary report are:
1. There were no technical problems with the aircraft before the takeoff.
2. The aircraft did NOT break up in flight.
3. The 24 ACARS messages refer to the loss of airspeed (pitot tubes)
4. The aircraf also lost information about the direction the aircraft was going to.
5. The airplane hit the ocean in a flat attitude at high vertical speed.
6. The weather in the Intertropical Convergence Zone was a classic scenario with storm cells
The investigation continues. A final report is not expected anytime soon.

AVIATION/ NAKED PAX DISRUPTS FLIGHT

A US AIRWAYS A320 had to be diverted while enroute due to a medical emergency, but also because of a naked and unruly passenger. The incident took place this past Tuesday, June 30. The aircraft was diverted to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the passenger was taken into custody. US Airways Flight 705 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Los Angeles, California, with 148 passengers and crew onboard, when the incident took place. According to media reports, the male passenger, identified as Keith Wright, 50, from the Bronx, New York, stripped naked during the flight, and resisted a Flight Attendant's efforts to cover him with a blanket. Wright was unresponsive when the Flight Attendant asked him to put his clothes back on, said Dan Jiron, a spokesman for the Albuquerque Airport. "She asked him on more than one occasion to put on his clothes. She covered him with a blanket and he took that off," Jiron said. Wright punched and kicked the Flight Attendant, who asked 2 off-duty law officers for help, according to a criminal complaint. A Los Angeles police officer and sheriff's deputy helped the Flight Attendant subdue and handcuff Wright before the flight landed.

The Flight Attendants also were dealing with an unrelated onboard medical emergency at the same time, which exacerbated the situation, the FBI said. The aircraft was diverted because of the medical emergency, and Wright's actions were a secondary reason for the unplanned landing, the complaint said. Wright told the FBI he is suffering from a bipolar disorder and had not taken his prescribed medication before leaving New York that morning, the criminal complaint said. Wright told the FBI he recalled nothing about the flight or his behavior, it said. Wright is in federal custody on a federal charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants. He is expected to appear in federal court in Albuquerque later today.

AVIATION/ YEMENIA SURVIVOR FLOWN TO PARIS

The only known survivor of YEMENIA AIRWAYS Flight 626, the A310 which crashed into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, has arrived back in Paris on a French government plane. The 12-year-old girl, Baya Bakari, was found clinging to wreckage in the sea, hours after the crash. She had been treated in hospital in the Comoros Islands for injuries thought to include a broken collar bone and burns. Ms Bakari's father, Kassim Bakari, met her on arrival in Paris, and said he was "relieved but at the same time sad". "I am happy I can see my daughter but at the same time, I lost my wife and it's not only my wife I mourn but for all the people who died in the crash," he said. Mr Bakari said his daughter had been thrown from the plane as it hit the water. He said she clearly recalled the chaos of her time in the water, including hearing voices around her in the darkness. However, it soon went quiet, and the girl clung to wreckage until her rescue, about 12 hours after the crash. The A310, going to the Comoros from Yemen's capital, Sanaa, came down in bad weather with 153 people on board. The cause of the crash has not yet been identified but officials believe it is unlikely more survivors will be found. Attempts are continuing to locate the plane and its black box flight recorders. Yesterday, authorities said a detected signal thought to be from one of the black boxes was in fact a distress beacon. A spokesman from the Comoros Rescue Centre said it was likely the victims' bodies were still inside the sunken plane. "In two days we haven't found a body, any large pieces of debris or suitcases floating on the water," he said.

AVIATION/ AVIASTAR JET CRASHES IN PAPUA

Indonesian Authorities have spotted the wreckage of a cargo jet that went missing on Monday, June 29. The AVIASTAR MANDIRI Twin Otter 300 was on Scheduled Domestic Cargo Service from Dekai to Wamena, Indonesia, with 3 crew members onboard, when it went missing. The Twin Otter departed Dekai at 3:30pm, local time, for the scheduled 30 minute flight. The crew onboard the aircraft was in contact with Wamena ATC from 3:54pm to 4:00pm, at which time contact was suddenly lost. The aircraft never arrived in Wamena. Wamena Airport is situated in the Baliem Valley with an Airport elevation of 5085 feet, and is surrounded by mountains up to 12000 feet high. Shortly after it disappeared, Indonesian Authorities launched a search for the Twin Otter. Rescue workers spotted the wreckage yesterday afternoon in a mountainous area, but poor weather conditions made it impossible to reach the site by helicopter. Searchers are attempting to reach the scene by foot. Officials report that the Twin Otter appears to have impacted trees, and is in a nose down attitude. They have been unable to confirm if any of the 3 crew members onboard survived the crash. Aviastar is a Jakarta-based Airline that has operated chartered planes since 2000. The Airline uses both a BAe 146-300 and the Twin Otter plane to carry food every month to Wamena. On April 9, 2009, an Aviastar BAe 146-300 crashed while attempting to land in Wamena, killing all 6 crew members onboard. And in January 2008, another Aviastar Twin Otter plane crashed in Paniai district, Papua, after it skidded off the runway at the district’s Sugapa Airport. 1of its 15 passengers was killed in the accident. The Airline is prohibited from flying into the EU due to safety concerns. Papua’s mountainous topography has forced locals to rely on air transportation to deliver various goods, as well as for transportation.

AVIATION/ FAA ISSUES 747-400 A.D.

The FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive for all operators of Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 747-400 freighters powered by RB211 engines. This AD comes in the wake of a potentially catastrophic incident involving a BRITISH AIRWAYS Boeing 747-400 at Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 11, 2009. On that date, BA Flight 56 was on Scheduled International Service from Johannesburg to London Heathrow. After taking off, the crew decided to dump fuel and return to Johannesburg after 2 thrust reversers were indicated unlocked. The 747 landed without incident, about 2 hours after its initial departure. In a post flight inspection, Engineers determined that the indication was false, and that the thrust reversers had been properly locked in closed position. South Africa's Civil Aviation Authority said on May 14 that the thrust reversers for engines No.2 and No.3, indicated unlocked during the takeoff roll beyond V1 leading to the automatic retraction of leading edge flaps in accordance with the system design. The stick shaker activated at 1200 feet, the crew levelled off at 3500 feet, picked up speed and then resumed the initial climb. However, the SA CAA does not yet rule out, that there have been additional problems with the engines pending analysis of the flight recorders. On May 20, the NTSB said that the No.3 thrust reverser unlocked indication illuminated during the takeoff roll at a speed of 124 KIAS, the No.2 thrust reverser unlocked indication came on at 163 KIAS. Just prior to rotation the slats retracted. The just issued FAA AD requires all operators of Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 747-400 freighters powered by RB211 engines to have their aircraft modified within 60 days in accordance with a Boeing Alert Service Bulletin issued on June 8, 2009. The modification prevents the automatic retraction of leading edge flaps during takeoff. The retraction of leading edge flaps results in reduced climb performance and could result in collision with terrain or obstacles or in a forced landing. The investigation into the BA incident in May, continues.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

ANA INCREASES 787 ORDER: Japan's ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS said yesterday that it had increased its order for Boeing's troubled 787 Dreamliner to 55 aircraft, up from 50 previously. ANA was the launch customer for Boeing's next-generation 787 Dreamliner, which has been beset by a series of delays. Boeing last month delayed the 1st flight and delivery of its 787 Dreamliner for the 5th time, to reinforce the aircraft's structure, in the latest setback in a program seen as a key to the aerospace giant's future. ANA said the new 787 order would replace a previous one for Boeing 767-300ER planes.

INDIA REPORTS ON INDIAN FL866: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), Airport Authority of India (AAI) and India's Air Force (IAF) have released their final report into an incident involving an INDIAN AIRLINES A321 at Mumbai, India, on February 9, 2009. On that date, Indian Flight 866 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Mumbai to Delhi, with 173 passengers and crew onboard. The A321 was cleared for takeoff from runway 27, but rejected takeoff at high speed, when the crew noticed a landing army helicopter near the runway in a movement to cross the runway. The helicopter was part of a 3 helicopter convoy escorting a presidential flight. The crew were able to stop the aircraft on the runway, however 1 tire burst during the aborted takeoff. No one onboard was injured. In their report, the Agencies concluded that all 3 helicopters of the VIP formation landed without landing clearance. The late transfer from approach to tower frequency may have contributed to the serious incident. The investigators also stated that there was no coordination between various agencies. Several safety recommendations were made to establish standard operating procedures. A full copy of the report can be found on any of the Agencies websites.

FREEDOM ERJ RETURNS OVER LANDING GEAR: FREEDOM AIRLINES Flight 274 was on Scheduled Domestic ERJ145 Service from Norfolk, Virginia, to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, on behalf of DELTA AIRLINES, when it had to make an emergency return to Norfolk, on Tuesday, June 30. Flight 274, with 50 passengers and 3 crew members onboard, declared an emergency shortly after departure, due to unspecified problems with its landing gear. The crew performed a fly-over the Tower for inspection. The Chief Pilot for the Airline instructed the crew to land on their next approach. The ERJ touched down at Norfolk, and was able to taxi to Emergency Services for inspection. The FAA, in a statement, reported that the aircraft blew a tire on landing and suffered minor damage in the incident. The aircraft was removed from service for further inspection and repair.

WINDSHIELD CRACKS ON ASIANA A321: ASIANA AIRLINES Flight 8910 was on Scheduled Domestic A321 Service from Jeju to Seoul, South Korea, when it had to divert while enroute, on Tuesday, June 30. Flight 8910 declared an emergency after a 20cm long crack developed in one of the cockpit windows. The A321 was diverted to Gwangju, South Korea, where it landed without incident. In a statement, Asiana said the crack was most likely causing by the window heating, but the exact cause is under investigation. The aircraft was removed from service for further inspection and repair.

SNAPSHOTS

LIN HUI, A 7 YEAR OLD GIANT PANDA, IS CAPTURED EARLIER THIS WEEK PLAYING WITH HER NEW CUB, AT CHIANG MAI ZOO IN THAILAND.

LUXE MEN

LUXE MEN

MUSIC/ TOP 20 SINGLES 7-01-09

1. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME (remix)--PINK
2. WHEN LOVE TAKES OVER (remix)--DAVID GUETTA w/ KELLY ROWLAND
3. RELEASE ME--AGNES
4. PARLA CON ME--EROS RAMAZZOTTI
5. STRONGER(DON'T LOOK NOW) (remix)--SYBIL
6. KNOCK YOU DOWN--KERI HILSON w/ KANYE WEST & NE-YO
7. MAGNIFICENT (remix)--U2
8. THE WORLD WE LIVE IN--THE KILLERS
9. FIRE--KASABIAN
10. NOTION--KINGS OF LEON
11. KNOW YOUR ENEMY--GREEN DAY
12. CAUSA Y EFFECTO--PAULINA RUBIO
13. INFIDELITY (remix)--EVELYN THOMAS
14. WHERE DID I LOSE YOUR LOVE--JOURNEY
15. I GOTTA FEELING--THE BLACK EYED PEAS
16. TAKIN BACK MY LOVE--ENRIQUE IGLESIAS w/ CIARA
17. DID YOU SEE ME COMING--PET SHOP BOYS
18. HEAVY CROSS--THE GOSSIP
19. EGO--BEYONCE
20. INDIETRO--TIZIANO FERRO

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

CHARTBOUND
* 21 GUNS--GREEN DAY
* ANIMAL--MIIKE SNOW
* BATTLEFIELD--JORDIN SPARKS
* BREAKEVEN--THE SCRIPT
* BULLETPROOF--LA ROUX
* CAN'T STOP FEELING--FRANZ FERDINAND
* FAIRYTALE--ALEXANDER RYBAK
* F**K YOU--LILY ALLEN
* I GET OFF--HALESTORM
* I HEARD A RUMOUR (remix)--D LANNIE
* LIKE A SURGEON--CIARA
* NEVER FORGET YOU--THE NOISETTES
* NEVER LEAVE YOU--TINCHY STRYDER w/ AMELLE
* NEVER SAY NEVER--THE FRAY
* NO SURPRISE--DAUGHTRY
* NOTHING EVER HURT LIKE YOU--JAMES MORRISON
* ON THE RADIO--NATALIA DRUYTS
* RAINDROPS--BASEMENT JAXX
* STRANGE--REBA MCENTIRE
* TAKE ME ON THE FLOOR--THE VERONICAS

MUSIC/ TOP 20 ALBUMS 7-01-09

1. NUMBER ONES--MICHAEL JACKSON
2. ALI E RADACI--EROS RAMAZZOTTI
3. GRAN CITY POP--PAULINA RUBIO
4. CRADLESONG--ROB THOMAS
5. 21ST CENTURY BREAKDOWN--GREEN DAY
6. GLASVEGAS--GLASVEGAS
7. THE E.N.D.--THE BLACK EYED PEAS
8. JOURNAL FOR PLAGUE LOVERS--MANIC STREET PREACHERS
9. SONGS FOR YOU, TRUTHS FOR ME--JAMES MORRISON
10. ITS NOT ME, ITS YOU--LILY ALLEN
11. WEST RYDER PAUPER LUANTIC ASYLUM--KASABIAN
12. IN A PERFECT WORLD--KERI HILSON
13. KLEERUP--KLEERUP
14. ONLY BY THE NIGHT--KINGS OF LEON
15. FANTASY RIDE--CIARA
16. A HUNDRED MILLION SUNS--SNOW PATROL
17. DE NOCHE--ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ
18. THE STEADY RHYTHM--IVRI LIDER
19. LA EVOLUCION ROMANTIC STYLE--FLEX
20. VECKATIMEST--GRIZZLY BEAR

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

BOOKS/ TOP 20 BOOKS 7-01-09

1. GO DOWN TOGETHER--JEFF GUINN
NonFiction/The untold story of Bonnie & Clyde.
2. FAR CRY--JOHN HARVEY
Fiction/Grayson & Walker investigate a double tragedy for a family.
3. THE STRAIN--DEL TORO & HOGAN
Fiction/Book I of III in a new vampire series.
4. RELENTLESS--DEAN KOONTZ
Fiction/An author & family man faces a sociopath.
5. ARDENT SPIRITS--REYNOLDS PRICE
NonFiction/The authors 3rd volume of memoirs takes place in the late 50s.
6. THE KILL CALL--STEPHEN BOOTH
Fiction/Fry & Cooper investigate murder in Derbyshire.
7. WICKED PREY--JOHN SANDFORD
Fiction/Davenport tackles crime during the Republican Convention in St Paul.
8. FIRST YOU FALL--SCOTT SHERMAN
Fiction/Male Escort Keven Connor investigates his friends murder.
9. THE BEST OF TIMES--PENNY VINCENZI
Fiction/An interstate crash changes the lives of all involved.
10. 35 MILES FROM SHORE--EMILIO CORSETTI III
NonFiction/The story of the 1970 ditching of ALM Flight 980 in the Atlantic.
11. COLUMBINE--DAVE CULLEN
NonFiction/A definitive account of the 1999 school shooting in Columbine.
12. DOWN AROUND MIDNIGHT--ROBERT SABBAG
NonFiction/A survivor of the 1979 crash of Air New England Flight 248 and its aftermath.
13. DEWEY--VICKY MYRON
NonFiction/The small town library cat that touched the world.
14. THE BOURNE DECEPTION--ERIC VAN LUSTBADER
Fiction/The continuing adventures of Jason Bourne.
15. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE--STIEG LARSSON
Fiction/Salander & Blomkvist reunite in Book 2 of the mystery trilogy.
16. JADE:FOREVER IN MY HEART--JADE GOODY
NonFiction/The late UK television star and her struggle with cancer.
17. FRAGMENT--WARREN FAHY
Fiction/A new discovery on a remote island leads to terror and chaos.
18. ENDAL--ALLEN & SANDRA PARTON
NonFiction/A family saved from the brink by an extraordinary dog.
19. TORNADO HUNTER--BECHTEL & SAMARAS
NonFiction/Storm chasers attempt to learn more about tornadoes
20. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO--STIEG LARSSON
Fiction/The International Bestseller about murder, love, & family.

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

TV/ TOP 10 PROGRAMS 7-01-09

1. THE CLOSER (TNT)
2. NURSE JACKIE (Showtime)
3. THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY REUNION II (Bravo) *
4. KATHY GRIFFIN:MY LIFE ON THE D LIST (Bravo)
5. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
6. THE FASHION SHOW (Bravo)
7. SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX)
8. THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS (CBS & Soapnet)
9. NYC PREP (Bravo)
10. THE APPRENTICE UK (BBC America)

*--One Off Special

MEDIA/ GO TRAVELING WITH DNA #114

Travel is the theme for DNA Issue #114, out today in Australia. From Buenos Aires, to Las Vegas and Darwin, DNA has just about something for everyone. Also in this issue, profiles on La Roux, The Gossip, James Franco, and John Barrowman. As always, the best in music, film, books, nightlife, and more. Issue #114 will arrive stateside in about 3 weeks.

MEDIA/ "BRUNO" UN-COVERED IN ATTITUDE

Sacha Baron Cohen takes the cover of the July 2009 issue of Attitude, out now in the UK. According to some media sites, the star of the upcoming film "Bruno," appears on the cover following accusations from some sections of the gay community that his character promotes rather than satirises homophobia. In the interview, which Cohen conducted as his outrageous alter ego, he cites his favourite gay icons as Simon Cowell and singers Kylie and Dannii Minogue. The July issue will arrive stateside in about 2 weeks.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

TV/DE MATTEO JOINS "HOUSEWIVES": Drea De Matteo, former star of "The Sopranos," is to join the cast of "Desperate Housewives" for its upcoming 6th season. No information has been released about her character, but there are reports she will play an Italian matriarch whose husband is a landscape designer. De Matteo recently got engaged to country music singer Shooter Jennings. The couple have a young daughter. Her breakout role was as Adriana La Cerva in "The Sopranos". She was a girlfriend and fiancee of Tony Soprano's protege, Christopher Moltisanti before becoming an FBI informant. The 37 year old actress also played Matt LeBlanc's sister in the "Friends" spin-off "Joey".

MEDIA/VIBE MAGAZINE FOLDS: It was announced late yesterday, that Vibe music magazine, is folding. "It is with great sadness, and with heads held high, that we leave the building today," wrote the editor, Danyel Smith. "We were assigning and editing a Michael Jackson tribute issue when we got the news. It's a tragic week overall, but as the doors of the Vibe Media Group close, on the eve of the magazine's 16th anniversary, it's a sad day for music, for hip hop in particular, and for the millions of readers and users who have loved and continue to love the Vibe brand." Quincy Jones founded the magazine with Time Warner in 1992. Like other music publications that have closed shop recently, Vibe suffered from a steep drop in print advertising, having announced in February that it would cut its rate base from 800,000 to 600,000.

THEATRE/"MERMAID" TO CLOSE IN AUGUST: Disney's lavish Broadway musical, "The Little Mermaid," will end August 30 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, but the producer is sending her to wider waters. A national tour will launch in fall 2010. The stage version of the hit animated film borrowed Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's movie songs and added new songs by Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. Opera director Francesca Zambello directed. Tony Award winner Faith Prince has recently stepped into the show as sea witch Ursula, one of the few character who didn't "swim" across the stage on roller-skate-like sneakers. There is talk in the theatre community that the Lunt-Fontanne will be the home of the new musical "The Addams Family" starting in early 2010, but that has not been confirmed. "The Little Mermaid" will have played 50 previews and 685 performances by the time it closes.

THEATRE/LINNEY COMING TO BROADWAY: Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Laura Linney will play the lead role in Manhattan Theatre Club's upcoming New York premiere of "Time Stands Still" by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Donald Margulies. Broadway performances will begin January 5, 2010. The production, originally planned for off-Broadway, now will open on Broadway. The limited engagement will open at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre January 28, 2010. A press release describes "Time Stands Still" as: "Are we supposed to deny ourselves ordinary happiness because there’s misery in the world? This is one of many questions Donald Margulies poses in his intelligent and timely new play. James and Sarah (Linney), a journalist and a photographer, have been together for nine years and share a passion for documenting the realities of war. But when injuries force them to return home to New York, the adventurous couple confronts the prospect of a more conventional life." Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

THEATRE/"OLEANNA" MOVING TO BROADWAY: The expected Broadway transfer of David Mamet play "Oleanna," starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles, has booked the Golden Theater, currently home to musical "Avenue Q," which just announced its closing. "Oleanna" has confirmed an October opening in New York. The well-reviewed play is now playing in Los Angeles through July 12. Mamet's 1992 play centers on 2 charged exchanges between a university professor (Pullman) and his female student (Stiles). Doug Hughes ("Doubt") directs. "Oleanna" begins previews September 29 before it opens October 11. "Avenue Q" shutters September 13.

MUSIC/ JACKSON MAKES CHART HISTORY

According to Billboard Magazine, Michael Jackson is once again the King of the Pop charts. Based on sales numbers from Nielsen SoundScan, the entire top 9 positions on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums chart house Jackson-related titles, in the chart published today, which is a record of any artist. Jackson himself has a record 8 out of the top 10, while a Jackson 5 compilation also finds its way into the upper tier. Jackson's "Number Ones" leads the pack at #1 with 108,000 copies sold, while "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" are in the #2 and #3 slots with 102,000 and 101,000, respectively. The classic 1979 studio set "Off the Wall" is at #4 with 33,000, while his 1987 album "Bad" is at #6 with 17,000. At #5, the Jackson 5's "The Ultimate Collection" debuts with 18,000. Jackson's 4th studio album for Epic Records, 1991's "Dangerous," is at #7 with 14,000 while his 2001 compilation "Greatest Hits: HIStory-Volume 1" is at #8 with 12,000. Finally, Jackson's 2004 box set "The Ultimate Collection" is at #9 with 11,000. Collectively, Jackson's solo albums sold 415,000 this past week. That's extraordinary, since his titles sold a combined 10,000 in the week that ended June 21. Additionally, the 415,000 albums sold just last week is nearly 40% more than what Jackson's catalog had sold the the entire year up through June 21 (297,000). Meanwhile, Michael Jackson's will, written 7 years ago, was filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court this morning. Jackson placed his entire estate in the Michael Jackson Family Trust, which was described in another document. The mother of his 2 oldest children was left out of his will. Also today, more than 2 dozen TV satellite trucks lined a narrow, 2-lane road leading to Neverland Ranch, to reserve space for a public viewing of the pop icon's body later this week. Jackson's body will be taken to the ranch, N of Santa Barbara, California, tomorrow, in preparation for viewing Friday, a law enforcement official said. The family plans a private service Sunday.

TV/ FARRAH FAWCETT LAID TO REST

Ryan and Redmond O'Neal joined Farrah Fawcett's closest friends and family for the actress's private funeral yesterday afternoon at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles. Fawcett's "Charlie's Angels" costar Kate Jackson, Marla Maples, Joan Collins and Tatum O'Neal were among the 200 guests attending the hour-long Catholic service, where longtime pal Alana Stewart and Fawcett's doctor Lawrence Piro delivered the eulogies. "Goodbye sweet girl," said Stewart. "Farrah never felt sorry for herself during her illness, she fought cancer furiously. She's the most beautiful angel in heaven," Stewart added. "She always seemed so indestructible." Ryan and son Redmond served as pallbearers carrying Fawcett's casket, adorned with yellow and orange flowers. A man in a kilt played "Amazing Grace" on a bagpipe at the beginning of the service, which also included Bible readings and prayer.

US NEWS/ GUARD VOTES TO OUST CHOI

A panel of New York National Guard officers recommended yesterday, that an Iraq war veteran who acknowledged his homosexuality must leave the service. First Lt. Dan Choi disclosed in March that he is gay, challenging the 1994 "don't ask, don't tell" law that requires the military to discharge troops who disclose their sexual orientation. Yesterday's ruling, made after a daylong hearing, is a step toward stripping Choi of his officer's commission and ending his career. The Guard's Federal Recognition Board heard from members of Choi's unit, his commanding officer and fellow soldiers who served in Iraq, and reviewed more than 150 letters of support for Choi, a 2003 West Point graduate and an Arab linguist. "At the end of the day, they did not consider any of that material to whether he was a good soldier," a spokeswoman for Choi said. "It was solely about whether he said he was gay." The closed-door hearing began Tuesday morning before the board, which certifies that Guard officers meet the standards of the regular Army. Its decision came after several hours of deliberation yesterday afternoon. The hearing is considered a confidential personnel matter, and the service won't comment on the results. The board's recommendation must be approved by the commander of the US 1st Army, which oversees the National Guard and Army Reserve. But Choi's public declaration is "a finding of fact that the board has to deal with," a National Guard spokesman said. "The Army has no choice but to follow through with that," he said. More than 12,500 gays have been forced to leave the military since "don't ask, don't tell" went into effect, including dozens of Arabic speakers, people highly valued by the military since the invasion of Iraq. Choi transferred from the active-duty Army to the National Guard in June 2008. He served as an infantry platoon leader in Iraq in 2006 and 2007 and, like many soldiers, had his yearlong tour of duty extended by 3 months.

AVIATION/ YEMENIA JET RECOVERY CONTINUES

Contrary to reports earlier today, 1 of the black box flight recorders from the YEMENIA AIRWAYS Flight 626, the A310 that crashed in the Indian Ocean yesterday, has not been located. According to a statement from a French Government Inspector, the signals received by search & rescue was from a distress beacon, and not a black box as originally reported. Meanwhile, the sole survivor of the crash, a 14 year old girl, is expected to recover fully. The plane, flying from the Yemeni capital Sanaa to the Comoros, came down in bad weather early yesterday morning with 153 on board. It is presumed that the remaining 152 passengers and crew were killed in the crash, however searchers are continuing to look for signs of any survivors. There were 66 French nationals among the passengers. Most of the rest were Comorans. The 14 year girl, identified as Bahia Bakiri, was on the flight with her Mother, who is believed to have perished in the crash. The girl's father has described how his daughter was ejected from the plane when it crashed into the Indian Ocean. "She didn't feel a thing. She found herself in water," Kassim Bakari said. "She could hear people talking, but in the middle of the night she couldn't see a thing. She managed to hold on to a piece of something. She said she was ejected from the plane," Bakari said. Bahia, who lives in Marseille, France, escaped with just cuts to her face and a fractured collar-bone as the A310 tried to land at Moroni Airport at the end of a 4-stage flight from France. A local surgeon said Bahia was doing well in hospital. "Her health is not in danger. She is very calm given the shock she suffered," he said.

For the 80,000 Comorans living in the southern French city of Marseille, the loss of Yemenia Flight 626 has been met not only with sadness, it has been met with fury. They have been warning the French authorities for months that the Yemenia flights from Sanaa to Moroni were not safe. An official at Yemenia said that the plane that crashed had no technical problems when it left Sanaa. Yemen's transport minister is also reported to have said the aircraft met international standards. Many of the victims are believed to be Comoran families from Marseille who were returning to the Comoros Islands for a summer break. With cheap air fares and a 40kg baggage allowance, double the European standard, the flights were very attractive to those on a budget. AIR FRANCE and EMIRATES no longer fly to the Comoros Islands, making choice limited. Last August, the protest group SOS Voyage aux Comores held a 300-strong demonstration outside Marseille Airport to denounce conditions on the flights between Yemen and the Comoros, complaining that they failed to meet safety standards. Group spokesman Farid Soilihi claimed the flights often had technical problems and failed to respect timetables. In a letter to the French authorities, he said the Airline operated a service which was "a disaster waiting to happen". The group had also planned a boycott of the airline for 2009. In an interview, Mr Soilihi described conditions on board the flights. "The toilets were blocked, bags fell on top of passengers. There was absolutely no safety on board," he said. Yemenia's deputy managing director for operations, told French TV that the plane had been "technically sound" when it left the Yemeni capital Sanaa, "and it departed without any technical problems at all". However, French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said that the Airbus A310 which crashed had been inspected in 2007 by French transport authorities which had noticed a number of faults. The plane had not flown in French airspace since, he said. He added that Yemenia had been closely monitored by the French authorities and that Airline officials were due to be interviewed by the European Union's safety committee. Since news of the crash broke, an EU Transport Commissioner has called for a worldwide blacklist of unsafe Airlines. The EU has a blacklist, but Yemenia Air is not on it.

AVIATION/ NTSB INVESTIGATING CLE INCIDENTS

The NTSB has launched an investigation into 2 recent incidents that put airliners at risk of possible collision, at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Investigators say the exact causes of the mishaps are still unknown. Both incidents involved the same "developmental" controller," a controller who is not certified in every position in the control tower. The FAA said the developmental controller was under the supervision of different trainers during the 2 incidents, and that it is the controller/trainers, not students, who are held accountable for mistakes. According to the NTSB, the potential accidents were averted only after Pilots recognized that mistakes had been made. They also said, that in 1 instance, 1 commercial jetliners came within 500 feet of each other. The 1st incident took place on June 3, 2009. On that date, EXPRESSJET Flight 2480, an ERJ145, was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Cleveland to Burlington, Vermont. At the same time, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES Flight 1080 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Cleveland to Chicago Midway. Flight 2480 was cleared by the trainee controller under supervision, for a full length takeoff from runway 06L. A few seconds later, the trainee controller cleared Flight 1080 to taxi onto runway 06L and hold. However, the Southwest737 was waiting to enter the runway at taxiway T and entered the runway about 500 feet down from the position of the Expressjet ERJ. The NTSB did not say how the resulting conflict was resolved. According to radar data, the Southwest 737 was airborne 3 minutes before the Expressjet ERJ, as a result. The 2nd incident took place on June 26, 2009. On that date, Expressjet 2426 was on Scheduled Domestic ERJ145 Service from Cleveland to Kansas City, Missouri. At the same time, COMMUTAIR Flight 8717 was on Scheduled Domestic Dash 8-200 Service from Cleveland to Columbus, Ohio. Flight 2426 had been cleared by the trainee controller to cross runway 24L at taxiway S in order to depart from runway 24R. About 19 seconds later, the trainee controller cleared Flight 8717 to takeoff from runway 24L. The Expressjet crew saw the departing Commuitair jet, and advised they would not cross the runway. The Commutair rotated about 1500 feet from the position, where the Expressjet would have been. No one was injured in either instance, and all aircraft arrived at their destinations without incident. The NTSB investigation is expected to take anywhere from 3 to 9 months.

AVIATION/ NTSB UPDATES ON ABX FL1611

The NTSB has issued an update into an incident involving an ABX AIR CARGO Boeing 767 at San Francisco, California, on June 28, 2008. On that date, the ABX 767, in DHL CARGO colors, was being prepared from Scheduled Cargo Service as Flight 1611 from San Francisco, California, to Wilmington, Ohio. The aircraft was parked at the gate, with engines shut down, waiting to be fueled for the trip. A fire broke out immediately behind the cockpit. The 2 Pilots were on board, and 1 of the Pilots was transferred to a local hospital with minor injuries received while evacuating the aircraft. The Air Mail facilities, including DHL and USPS, with more than 100 employees, had to be evacuated as well. The aircraft suffered substantial damage in the fire. Although there has been no official word, the 767 will most likely be broken down for scrap.

The NTSB said yesterday, that the cause of the fire was a short circuit to the supplemental oxygen system, that reached the oxygen hose. The design of the hose included an internal spring, which could be heated by the inadvertent application of electrical current, causing the plastic hose to ignite. The coil acted as ignition source, the hose material acted as fuel and the oxygen promoted the fire. Boeing had already identified the safety issues involving conductive hoses and had issued a service bulletin advising operators to replace conductive with non-conductive hoses. The FAA approved the bulletin, but did not issue an airworthiness directive. The NTSB found in other ABX Boeing 767 aircraft, insufficient separation existed between wiring and oxygen system tubing. The NTSB has issued a safety recommendation to require operators to replace electrically conductive with electrically non-conductive oxygen hoses. During the investigation the NTSB found, that the reading lights located in the passenger service units could become a potential source of ignition to nearby combustible materials. The NTSB therefore recommended that all reading lights are to be mounted with rubber boots or other means to provide a greater level of electrical protection. The final report is to be expected in late July.

AVIATION/ ATSB REPORTS ON THAI FL999

The Australian Transportation Safety Board (ATSB), have released their final report into an incident involving a THAI AIRWAYS Boeing 777 at Melbourne, Australia, on November 4, 2007. On that date, Thai Flight 999 was on Scheduled International Service from Bangkok, Thailand, to Melbourne, with 277 passengers and 18 crew members onboard. The 777 went below the minimum sector altitude about 6.8 nautical miles, before the runway, while on a NDB approach to Melbourne's runway 16. After 2 EGPWS and an ATC alerts, the First Officer who was Pilot flying, stopped the descent and performed a visual approach to the runway. The aircraft landed without incident. In their final report, the ATSB concluded that the incident was the result of Pilot Error. According to the report, the Co-Pilot was unsure of the descent clearance, which delayed further descent. This placed the aircraft above the flight management computer computed flightpath. Also, the crew did not maintain awareness of the aircraft’s profile during the approach; the crew did not fly a 3° constant angle descent; the operator’s Continuous Descent Final Approach training had not been provided to the crew; and finally, the crew did not conduct a go-around as was required by the operator’s procedures when the aircraft was 1000ft above terrain with a high rate of descent. A full copy of the report can be viewed on the ATSB website.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

BA FACES STRIKE THREAT: BRITISH AIRWAYS has asked the conciliation service Acas to intervene to help reach a deal with unions on jobs and pay. With a series of crippling summer strikes looming, the company had given unions until yesterday, to agree a deal over plans to cut jobs and freeze wages. BA representatives failed to turn up to talks today, when no deal was reached. BA wants to cut 5000 jobs and introduce a 2 year pay freeze for ground staff, cabin crew and baggage handlers. Last week the company announced that almost 7000 staff had applied for voluntary pay cuts, including 800 who will work unpaid for up to a month, after a plea from chief executive Willie Walsh for employees to help cut costs. It is believed the 2 sides are unable to reach agreement because of a number of sticking points including concerns over compulsory redundancies, as well as arrangements for consulting over job losses. Unions are understood to have offered to agree changes on a temporary basis until the economy and the Airline's prospects improve, but BA is believed to want permanent changes.

BFU REPORTS ON TUIFLY FL2637: The Swiss Bureau for Aviation Accident Investigation (BFU) has issued a brief update on its investigation into an incident involving a TUIFLY Boeing 737 at Geneva, Switzerland, on June 7, 2009. On that date, Tuifly Flight 2637 was on Scheduled International Service from Menorca, Spain, to Frankfurt, Germany, with 189 passengers and crew onboard. While enroute, the crew declared an emergency after smoke began to fill the passenger cabin. The 737 was diverted to Geneva, where it landed without incident. The BFU reported yesterday that a short-circuit of the passenger audio system underneath a passenger seat produced the white smoke. The incident aircraft has already been repaired and returned to service.

AAIU REPORTS ON SKYSERVICE FL205: The Irish Air Accident Investigation United (AAIU) has issued a brief update on an incident involving a SKYSERVICE AIRLINES Boeing 757 at Dubin, Ireland, on May 29, 2009. On that date, Skyservice Flight 205 was on Scheduled International Service from Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, to Dublin, with 198 passengers and 8 crew members onboard. The update states that the 757 had just touched down on Dublin's runway 10 in visibility of 800 meters due to fog, when the crew reported they had seen a lone tractor lawn mower right of the runway lights, at the runway edge. The aircraft rolled out safely, the driver of the lawn mower remained unharmed. The AAIU update states that the ride-on lawn mower was part of a supervised multi-vehicle grass cutting operations in the vicinity of runway 10/28. The vehicle was not equipped with a flashing beacon, rear lights or airband radio equipment. The driver had been unaware, that the tower had suspended the grass cutting operation 6 minutes earlier due to deteriorating visibility. The AAIU stated that it was probable, that the right hand wing passed over the lawn mower during the rollout, however without making contact. The AAIU has made recommendations to the Dublin Airport on the operation of all vehicles on site, including radio equipment and flashing beacons. A full copy of the update can be viewed on the AAIU website.

DELTA 767 IN EMERGENCY LANDING: DELTA AIRLINES Flight 786 was on Scheduled International Boeing 767 Service from Tokyo, Japan, to Portland, Oregon, when it had to make an emergency landing in Portland, yesterday, June 30. The crew of Flight 786 were notified shortly after departure from Tokyo, that tire debris was found on the runway at Narita Airport, after the liftoff of their 767. The crew elected to continue the flight to Portland. The crew declared an emergency for landing in Portland. The 767 landed without incident, with Emergency Services on standby. The aircraft was towed off the runway after light smoke was seen coming from the left main gear. Tire debris was also found on the runway at Portland. The 767 was removed from service for inspection and repairs.

SMOKE FORCES SPIRIT A319 TO DIVERT: SPIRIT AIRLINES Flight 433 was on Scheduled Domestic A319 Service from Chicago OHare to Ft Lauderdale, Florida, when it had to divert enroute, yesterday, June 30. Flight 433, with 143 passengers and crew onboard, was inflight at 38000 feet, when a Flight Attendant reported to the crew that there was an acrid burning smell in the passenger cabin. Passengers then began to cough. The crew declared an emergency and the passenger O2 masks were deployed. The A319 was diverted to Daytona Beach, Florida, where it landed without incident. Emergency Services met the aircraft. 3 passengers were taken to local hospitals with symptoms of smoke inhalation. Media reports from the scene said that once the engines were shut down after landing, the smoke dissipated. The aircraft has been removed from service for a full inspection. It is expected that the NTSB will launch an investigation into the incident.

AA 737 SUFFERS BIRD STRIKE: AMERICAN AIRLINES Flight 1256 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Miami, Florida, to New York La Guardia, when it had to make an emergency landing at La Guardia, yesterday, June 30. Flight 1256, with 135 passengers and 5 crew members onboard, was on final approach at 900 feet, when the crew reported a bird strike. The 737 landed moments later without incident. While on taxi, the crew reported problems with the nose gear. The aircraft was then shut down and towed to the gate. The 737 has been removed from service for a damage inspection and repair.

ENGINE FORCES OLYMPIC DASH RETURN: OLYMPIC AIRLINES Flight 645 was on Scheduled Domestic Dash 8-100 Service from Zakynthos to Athens Greece, when it had to make an emergency return to Zakynthos, yesterday, June 30. Flight 645 declared an emergency shortly after takeoff, reporting an overheating engine. The crew shut the engine down, and landed back at Zakynthos without incident. According to local media reports, passengers onboard Flight 645 reported a strong smell of burning rubber in the passenger cabin. The Dash was removed from service for inspection and repair.

SMOKE FORCES AEROLINAS 737 TO DIVERT: AEROLINAS ARGENTINAS Flight 1362 was on Scheduled International Boeing 737 Service from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, when it had to divert enroute, on Monday, June 29. Flight 1362, with 108 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency after smoke began to fill the passenger cabin. The 737 was diverted to Rosario, Argentina, where it landed without incident. In a statement, the Airline said the smoke was caused by an unspecified technical fault. The 737 was removed from service for further inspection and repair.

KARTHAGO 737 DIVERTS OVER TECH FAULT: KARTHAGO AIRLINES Flight 1244 was on Scheduled International Boeing 737 Service from Djerba, Tunisia, to Turin, Italy, when it had to divert enroute, on Monday, June 29. Flight 1244, with 138 passengers and crew onboard, declared an emergency and requested diversion, due to an unspecified technical fault. The 737 was diverted to Rome, Italy, where it landed without incident. The aircraft was removed from service for inspection and repair.