All Safety News – Page 1347
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News
Africa faces the call to improve ATC
Measures to improve airport, air-traffic-control (ATC) and communications infrastructures in Africa have been agreed at an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) meeting in Abija, Nigeria. ATC safety standards in Africa were recently condemned by organisations such as the International Federation of Air Line Pilots and the International Air ...
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MDC advances crack checks on MD-90s
McDonnell Douglas (MDC) MD-90s will have to be checked for airframe fatigue cracking earlier than originally estimated, results from the fatigue-test airframe and other structural analysis have revealed. It will be years before the lead airframe in service reaches the newly designated 16,000-cycle point, when the first checks ...
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Boeing plans heavier 777-200IGW
Boeing plans to boost the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of the 777-200IGW (increased gross-weight) variant by 7,000kg, allowing the aircraft's maximum range with 375 passengers to be stretched to about 14,000km (7,600nm). The jump to the new 294,200kg MTOW level was approved after the completion of structural tests ...
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Air France leaps into profit
Air France has posted its first profits since 1989, although the upbeat results from the mainline airline were tainted by deepening losses at its strike-hit sister company, domestic carrier Air France Europe. The profits at Air France mark a successful end to the three-year restructuring programme which was ...
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End of an era
The demise of the BAe/AI(R) Jetstream 41 commuter airliner represents another step in the (often involuntary) rationalisation of the regional-turboprop market. It also, however, raises serious questions about the future of the lower end of regional-airline operations. There can be little surprise in British Aerospace's decision to cease ...
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Time to stop dreaming
The general-aviation industry in the USA is putting its money where its mouth has been for a long time. It is sponsoring a television-advertising campaign in an effort to revitalise the US pilot population and to reverse a decade-long decline in the number of people learning to fly for pleasure. ...
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MAKing aviation work in the CIS
The CREATION OF THE MAK (Interstate Aviation Committee) in December 1991, as the first intergovernmental body to be formed by the then-new CIS, was an acknowledgement of the need to present a common approach to major questions of aviation among the countries of the former Soviet Union. While most aviation ...
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Bearing failures blamed on poor lubrication
The spate of Trent 700 engine shutdowns has been traced to insufficient lubrication of the driving-shaft locator ball-bearing in the Hispano Suiza-manufactured step-aside gearbox. This has resulted in premature fatigue and failure of the bearing, because of overheating. According to R-R, the problem resulted from a weakness in ...
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Cathay prepares to modify gearboxes on Trent 700s
Cathay Pacific and Dragonair are hoping that fitting modified engine-gearboxes to their Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered Airbus Industrie A330-300s will clear the way for the grounded aircraft to return to service by early this week. Both carriers voluntarily grounded their 15 A330s on 24 May, following an inflight engine ...
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United introduces virtual maintenance training
UNITED AIRLINES HAS introduced a "virtual-reality" training tool designed to improve the troubleshooting skills of Boeing 737 maintenance technicians. Wicat Systems' Maintenance Virtual Workplace is in- tended to reduce the incidence of component removals when no fault is found. The Virtual Workplace is a CD-ROM-based desktop training aid ...
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Lessons from the jump seat
Sir - It may be true that there is no place for the flight engineer on the flightdeck of modern aircraft, but recent history suggests that another pair of eyes and ears in the jump seat might make a contribution to safety. It is interesting to note the ...
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Airbus intensifies research efforts into human factors
Airbus Industrie is stepping up human-factors research in preparation for the service entry of several new ultra-long-range aircraft under development. In one initiative, the consortium is studying a "Pilot Guard" system for maintaining pilot alertness on very-long-range flights. Tests of an initial version of the system are due ...
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New Labour, new taxes?
New Labour, new taxes? If the opinion polls are correct the United Kingdom could have its first Labour government in 18 years by early May. The new administration, led by Prime Minister Tony Blair with Gordon Brown as Finance Minister, would be very different from its predecessors. ...
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Lessons have yet to be absorbed
Sir - Capt Raby complains about the JAA's demand for higher academic standards to improve airmanship. You cannot produce airmanship with theoretical knowledge. It has to do with a insight gained from situations previously experienced. While theoretical knowledge is good for analysing a problem, you cannot fly an ...
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Bidders line up for Iberia
European and US airlines are lining up to take a stake in Iberia as only two carriers remain in the fray for part of the Spanish flag carrier's former holding in Aerolineas Argentinas. A senior source at Iberia has disclosed that Air France, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental ...
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Malay duo to share routes
Malaysia's second international carrier AirAsia is planning a rapid expansion programme but this is unlikely to trouble incumbent Malaysia Airlines after the two carriers agreed to avoid competition. Operating as Pacific Eagle, the carrier is set to launch services to Shanghai in China - alongside MAS - and ...
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BA fuels Air Algerie spat
Air Algérie hasn't exactly received the warmest welcome back to Paris/Charles de Gaulle since it resumed flights from the airport in April, with British Airways leading a 34-airline protest against security arrangements at the French airport. The UK carrier is concerned about sharing a baggage conveyor with Air ...
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Cathay axes offshore plan
Plans by Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific to cut labour costs by setting up a cabin crew base in Bangkok have had to be abandoned following complaints by attendants that the rostering system was unworkable. The move is a body blow to a longer term scheme to ...
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US opens up centre
Sceptics could be forgiven for questioning the true 'open' nature ofthe new US open skies agreements with six Central American countries since carriers from two of the countries are prohibited from flying to the US. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama each signed open skies ...