Flight Air France 447 Rio de Janeiro - Paris-Charles de Gaulle

â–º Paris, 02 July 2009 - 16:57 local time
AF 447: Progress Report from the French Air Accident Investigation Bureau

Air France has taken careful note of the progress report published by the French Air Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA) concerning the AF 447 accident. In presenting the initial facts, this report constitutes an important stage in the inquiry.

It is also a very important step for the relatives of the victims, who, like Air France, are impatient to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.

It is, of course, of capital importance for Air France to find the flight and voice recorders – "black boxes" – which would enable the investigators to analyse the causes of the accident, whatever these may be. No effort must be spared in achieving this end, and Air France thanks the French Authorities for continuing their sea search with unprecedented resources. Air France would also like to thank the Brazilian authorities for the sea searches they have carried out at the scene of the accident.

All the elements of the investigation produced by the French Air Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA) will be fully and immediately taken into account by the airline. Flight safety is of prime concern to Air France, as can be seen from the ongoing efforts of every sector of the airline using all its resources to improve it even further.

Following the publication of the progress report, Air France wishes to point out that:

• In Airbus' recommendation of November 2008, superseding that of September 2007, the replacement of the Thalès AA Pitot probes by Thalès BA Pitot probes was no longer put forward as a solution to the icing problems.
• On 15 April 2009, Airbus recommended evaluating in real operating conditions the results of a series of laboratory tests on the Thalès BA Pitot probes.
• On 27 April 2009, rather than waiting for the results of this evaluation, Air France decided to equip its entire fleet of Airbus A330s and A340s with the Thalès BA Pitot probes.

Air France Chief Executive Officer Pierre-Henri Gourgeon today met with members from the AJPAE (French Professional Aviation and Space Journalists Association).

This meeting, planned some time ago, was devoted to the current situation and outlook for air transport.

In his opening speech, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon reiterated to the thirty French and foreign media present that all Air France staff have remained totally mobilized since the tragic accident of Air France flight 447. Every member of the staff shares the deep distress of the families and friends of the victims, crew and colleagues who were lost on this flight, and there has been a feeling of great solidarity throughout the Company.

The CEO reminded journalists that the investigation will be long and difficult, given the location of the accident. Analysis of the initial results of the searches being carried out may give us an indication of the circumstances of the catastrophe. Various scenarios could then be built by the experts. In addition to which, we hope to recover the flight recorders. As for the assumptions made by some of the media, they are pure speculation.

Air France launched its programme for replacing the anemometric sensors on Friday, 29 May, as soon as it received the stock of parts. Due to the problem concerning speed measurement, which had been observed in the last automatic messages from the aircraft, the replacement programme was stepped up.

We cannot, however, assume any link between the sensors and the causes of the accident. Airbus and the European Aviation Safety Agency maintain that the A330/A340s are safe with any one of the three types of existing sensors.

Air France will be totally transparent in dealing with the investigators and, in agreement with them, in communicating with the general public and its passengers, concluded the Chief Executive Officer.


â–º Paris, 06 June 2009 - 23:09 local time
Press release # 12
Update on anemometric sensors

Following the many questions which have appeared in the media on the issue of the Pitot probes in its fleet (the Pitot probe is one of the instruments which calculates the air speed of the aircraft), Air France wishes to make the following clarifications:

1) Malfunctions in the Pitot probes on the A 320 led the manufacturer to issue a recommendation in September 2007 to change the probes. This recommendation also applies to long-haul aircraft using the same probes and on which a very few incidents of a similar nature had occurred.

It should be noted that a recommendation from the manufacturer gives the operator total freedom to apply the corresponding guidelines fully, partially or not at all. Should flight safety be concerned, the manufacturer, together with the authorities, issues a mandatory service bulletin followed by an airworthiness directive (AD).

The recommendation to change the probes was implemented by Air France on its A320 fleet where this type of incident involving water ingress at low altitude had been observed. It was not implemented on the A340/330s as no such incidents had been noted.

2) Starting in May 2008 Air France experienced incidents involving a loss of airspeed data in flight, in cruise phase on A340s and A330s. These incidents were analysed with Airbus as resulting from pitot probe icing for a few minutes, after which the phenomenon disappeared. Discussions subsequently took place with the manufacturer. Air France asked for a solution which would reduce or eliminate the occurrence of these incidents. In response to these requests, the manufacturer indicated that the probe model recommended for the A320 was not designed to prevent such incidents which took place at high-altitude cruise levels, and reiterated the operational procedures well-known to the crews.

In the first quarter of 2009 laboratory tests suggested, however, that the new probe could represent a valuable improvement to reduce the incidence of high altitude airspeed discrepancy resulting from pitot probe icing, and an in service evaluation in real flight conditions was proposed by Airbus. Without waiting for the in service evaluation, Air France decided to replace all its probes and the programme was launched on 27 April 2009.

Without making any assumptions as to a possible link with the causes of the accident, Air France speeded up this programme and reminded its pilots of the current instructions issued by the manufacturer to cope with the potential loss of airspeed data.


â–º Paris, 06 June 2009 - 22:17 local time
Press release # 11
Flight AF 447

Following the announcement by the Brazilian authorities that bodies have been found, Air France wishes to express its deep sadness and compassion to the families and friends of the passengers and crew lost on flight AF 447. This news is of capital importance to everyone.

Air France wishes to thank the Brazilian and French authorities for all the search operations they are carrying out in the Atlantic ocean, in spite of the difficult conditions.


â–º Paris, 05 June 2009 - 12:27 local time
Religious ceremonies for the victims of flight AF 447

Over the next few days, several religious ceremonies will be held in France for the victims of flight AF 447:

♦ Saturday 6 June at 11:30 am, at Roissy-en-France church. The service will be conducted by the Bishop of the Diocese of Pontoise, Bishop Riocreux. Four people from this diocese were on board flight AF 447.
♦ Sunday 7 June at 11:30 am, at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. This is an international service for the victims of flight AF 447.
♦ Monday 8 June at 2:30 pm, at Senlis Catherdral. The service will be conducted by the Bishop of the Diocese of Beauvais, Noyon and Senlis, Bishop James. Three town councilors from Ermenonville (diocese of Senlis) were among the passengers on flight AF 447.
♦ Sunday 21 June at 10:30 am, at the Le Bourget Air Show. The service will be conducted by the Bishop of the Diocese of Pontoise, Bishop Riocreux. The service has already been prepared together with the association Notre-Dame des Ailes and will be shown on French television. This year, the service will be dedicated to those lost on flight AF447.


â–º Paris, 03 June 2009 - 13:21 local time
Archbishop Of Paris Press Release
Inter-religious prayer ceremony for the 228 victims of flight AF 447 of 1st June 2009, and for their families and friends - Notre-Dame de Paris – Wednesday, 3 June 2009 at 4pm

The ceremony will be attended by Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris and President of the Bishops Conference of France, Grand Rabbi Haïm Korsia, the Jewish Chaplain for Air Personnel, Mr. Mohammed Moussaoui, President of the French Council of Muslim Faith, Metropolite Emmanuel, President of the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of France and Pastor Claude Baty, President of the Protestant Federation of France.

In addition to the Grand Rabbi Haïm Korsia, the Catholic, Protestant and Muslim Chaplains of Paris-Charles de Gaulle will attend: Father Francis Truptil, Father Gérard Sqarcioni, Father Baudouin Tournemire, Pastor Jean Pierre Dassonville and Imam Hazem El-Shaffei.

This ceremony has been prepared together with Air France. It will be a moment of contemplation and prayer for the families and friends of the victims, in a spirit of unity among people from every country and religious belief. Readings will therefore be made in French, English and Brazilian. Prayers will be accompanied by hymns in French, Latin and German by the Choirs of Notre-Dame de Paris and Air France.

At the start of the ceremony, His Eminence Cardinal Vingt-Trois will propose that the families and friends of the victims carry 228 lighted candles to the altar, each one symbolizing a victim.

The families may then take the candle away with them after the ceremony.

Music and Readings:

â–  Introit from Requiem op. 9, by Maurice Duruflé (Choir of Notre Dame)
â–  Psalm 42 Wie der Hirsch, by Felix Mendelssohn (Air France Choir)
â–  Reading: Lamentations 3, 17-26
â–  Psalm 129 (Choir of Notre Dame and congregation)
â–  I have waited for thee O Lord. My soul hath relied on his word
â–  Reading from the Gospel according to Saint Luke (Luke 23, 33-53)
â–  Johann Sebastian Bach, Chorale Ich harre des Herrn (from Cantata BWV 131) (Choir of Notre-Dame)
â–  Felix Mendelssohn, Da nobis Pacem (Air France Choir)
â–  Kyrie, from Requiem op. 9, by Maurice Duruflé (Choir of Notre-Dame)
â–  Giuseppe Verdi, Requiem, Libera me Domine - (Air France Choir)

The poem Footsteps in the Sand by Brazilian poet Ademar de Barros will be read at the end of the ceremony.
(Extracts)

One night, I dreamed a dream, I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord. When the last scene of my life shot before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma. "Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don’t understand why, when I need You most, You leave me”.

He whispered “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”


â–º Paris, 02 June 2009 - 21:26 local time
Memo to the press
Inter-religious ceremony Wednesday, 3 June

In respect for the mourning of the relatives and friends of the victims, we inform the press that they will not be able to attend the inter-religious ceremony to be held inside Notre Dame Cathedral tomorrow at 4pm. There will be a sound broadcast of the ceremony on the square outside the cathedral.


â–º Paris, 02 June 2009 - 14:20 local time
Press release # 10
Homage to victims in Paris

An inter-religious ceremony for the relatives and friends of the victims will be held on Wednesday, 3 June at 4pm at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Note for media: practical information will be sent later.


â–º Paris, 02 June 2009 - 11:53 local time
Press release # 9
Assistance to relatives of victims: Air France staff arrive in Rio de Janeiro

A team of approximately 20 Air France staff members, including two doctors and a nurse, arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday morning on flight AF 442.

This team has travelled to Brazil as back-up to Air France staff in Rio, to help and assist the families of victims.

Phone numbers reserved for relatives and friends:

0800 800 812 in France,
0800 881 20 20 in Brazil,
+ 33 1 57 02 10 55 for calls from all other countries.

Air France will release further information as soon as it is available.

NB: We ask journalists not to call this number, which is reserved for relatives and close friends.


â–º Paris, 02 June 2009 - 08:12 local time
Press release # 8
How are Air France’s volunteers trained to assist relatives and friends of victims?

Overall, 4,000 Air France staff members are part of the voluntary programme to help in case of a crisis.

These volunteers have four main tasks: contact with relatives and friends, logistical assistance, back-up at airports and telephone assistance.

This programme was launched in November 1998 by the Chairman of Air France.

Air France offers these volunteers three one-day training modules:
 

• Theory (explaining what it means to be a volunteer and the commitments involved etc.) and practical training with a psychiatrist,
• Theoretical and practical courses to train leaders whose role is to lead a group of volunteers and liaise with the Air France crisis centre, 
• Training on how to handle telephone calls when the Air France toll-free number is available.