Ten TransAsia Airways ATR pilots are to undergo intensive retraining on emergency procedures following an evaluation of proficiency in the wake of the fatal crash in Taipei.
The airline says it will “comply” with orders from the Taiwanese Civil Aeronautics Administration to enhance training for the crews.
It adds that it is planning a “comprehensive” programme, lasting from six months to a year, to improve flight safety at the carrier – measures which will be assisted by US and European specialists from early March.
The 4 February crash – apparently the result of a power loss and stall, following an initial engine failure – was the second fatal accident involving a TransAsia ATR within seven months.
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Forty-nine pilots in the ATR fleet underwent a procedural examination on emergency actions during 7-10 February. The Taiwanese CAA states that the capability of 10 of these pilots needs to be “strengthened”.
Another 19 pilots have yet to undergo the evaluation, it says, and the regulator is also pressing for a broader improvement programme.
Crew evaluations have forced TransAsia to reduce capacity on routes served by the ATRs – at a time of high demand due to the Chinese new year holiday – and the airline is deploying Airbus A320-family aircraft to cope with the shortfall.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
