Friday 17 January 2014

Latest Battery Problems Ground Japan B787s

Lithium Ion Batteries or LIBs continue to be major safety hazards  to aeroplanes fitted with them further more aircrew and passengers carry hundreds of them onboard airliners around the world every day. It's time that ICAO issued a ban on all LIBs until such time as science is able to make them safe.
 Click here Battery Problems on JAL B787




This LIB caught fire in a B787 whilst the aircraft was on the ground in Boston more pictures from the NTSB site click here B787 LIB Fire Boston

Electronic Flight Bags EASA Latest With AMC 20-25

On behalf of the PACTS (http://www.pacts.org.uk/ ) and the Air Safety Group ( www.airsafetygroup.org)I made a presentation in Westminster Hall to politicians and regulators from the CAA on the dangers to air safety that the use of an EFB on the flight deck can present. There is a CRD (Comment Response Document) to NPA 2012-02 which can be found here on page 6 EASA NPA 2012-02
By way of the EASA CRT (Comment Response Tool) I have made comments and suggestions, let's see what happens?

Flight Deck Automation - Augmentation or Replacement of Human Flying Skills?

Is there a point where automation on the flight deck achieves the opposite of what was intended ?

Automatics fitted by one manufacturer has led to a perceived arrogance by them with regards to risk and training. This translates as an attitude crafted by 'supremacy automatics' for example stall recovery training is not necessary because our aeroplanes cannot stall. When one did the inability of the aircrew to recover this situation proved fatal.

Information systems like the Electronic Flight Bag can also hoodwink its users into believing misinformation, again with fatal consequences. As a member of the Air Safety Group in London I wrote a report on this very subject and then made a presentation to politicians and aviation experts and regulators, copies of which
can be read here: EFB Friend or Foe
and my presentations here: EFB Friend or Foe PACTS Presentation

Recommendations made in the report and at the presentation are now being considered by EASA and the CAA for inclusion in EASA AMC 20-25