The CAA Safety Regulation Group [SRG] supports the contention that a strong safety culture is an essential ingredient within all aviation organisations, part of which includes the employment of effective crew resource management techniques. Indeed, these matters are given a high priority within the SRG task which is specifically focused upon setting standards for the UK industry and ensuring that they are achieved.
It is important to recognise that the CAA is unable to insist on safety audits of foreign carriers and has no powers to stop foreign operators from entry or operation in the UK. We do carry out "ramp checks" on overseas aircraft as directed by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions - and there has been a notable increase in the number of such checks - but only the UK Government has the power to ban or limit the operation of foreign carriers into the UK.
Tom Hamilton
External Relations Manager
CAA Safety Regulation Group
Gatwick Airport, Sussex, UK
Unilateral action must be taken
Korean Air should not be allowed to operate into or through UK airspace until it can produce a satisfactory safety audit.
In my experience, the Aviation Policy division of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which grants Foreign Carrier Permits, has little understanding of flight safety matters beyond the common lay concept that aircraft maintenance is the only real issue. It considers itself bound by the UK's obligations under the Chicago Convention to grant Foreign Carrier Permits unless there is positive evidence of maintenance shortcomings.
According to the press reports that followed the accident at Stansted [Boeing 747-200F, on 22 December last year], the Department claimed that ramp inspections of Korean Air, carried out in preceding months, had revealed no anomalies.
Meanwhile, to the best of my knowledge, Korean Air continues to operate five weekly services through Heathrow, despite its appalling record - which can hardly have escaped the Department's notice.
Certainly ICAO [the International Civil Aviation Organisation] should act, but I think the UK need not fear a wave of international censure should we be brave enough to act unilaterally in the interests of our own citizens.
David Cox
Harlington, Bedfordshire, UK
Source: Flight International
