[Peetwo]

AIPA to go NX legal on CASA FRMS (non-)consultation?? 

(ps And Nick's back -   )

Via the Oz:

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Pilots bring in lawyers to examine CASA role in ULR flights



Qantas pilots are considering legal action against the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for shutting them out of discussions about a new fatigue risk management system (FRMS).

CASA will play a critical role in whether new ultra-long range flights go ahead or not, based on plans for managing fatigue submitted by Qantas.

But Australian and International Pilots Association president Mark Sedgwick said excluding them from FRMS discussions was a serious policy error.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation recommended that airlines, pilot associations and regulators engage closely to address fatigue risk management but this had not happened, he said.

“AIPA has been advocating for better pilot representation in influencing aviation regulation in Australia, which should be at the aviation safety advisory panel level at CASA,” said Mr Sedgwick. “Our pilots have told us they are very concerned about the impact longer flight and duty times will have on their long-term health and wellbeing.”

AIPA had retained the law firm of former senator Nick Xenophon to explore the framework being applied by CASA for the review of proposed ultra-long range flying.

Mr Xenophon said the current approach was “out of kilter” with international best practice.

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Look's like Dr ("I've lost my marbles") Aleck may have yet another legal challenge to protect his 30+year, $500+million, ICAO/FAA IASA obfuscated, Big R-regulator reform program legacy...

Hmmm...and NX knows exactly where all the JA promulgated legal turd bombs lie - could be an interesting one to watch...

(Hint NX: See FRMS & the timeline of regulatory embuggerance & FAA IASA audit, FRMS & an 'inconvenient ditching'? )

MTF...P2 

Ps

Pilots will fly Sunrise despite risk: Woodward

ROBYN IRONSIDE
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Retired Qantas pilot Richard Woodward.

• 12:00AM NOVEMBER 29, 2019
  
  
• 88 COMMENTS
  

A former Qantas pilot has warned his colleagues of the potential health effects of ultra-long range flying but predicted they will still agree to do the airline’s Project Sunrise flights.

After almost 33 years with Qantas including 11 years as an A380 captain, Richard Woodward officially retired this month, closing the curtains on a stellar career.

But his departure came with a warning to colleagues currently in negotiations with Qantas to operate ultra-long range services from Australia’s east coast to cities like New York and London.

He said detailed research undertaken by the airline in co-operation with the pilots’ association, universities and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority some years ago identified the disturbing effects of fatigue on a pilot’s performance.

“We found if the captain got less than five hours of sleep over an extended period of time, the crew’s ability to make, manage and maintain a plan of action was severely degraded,” said Mr Woodward.

“Similarly if the first officer got less than five hours of sleep then the crew’s ability to reflect on that plan and maybe alter outcomes was severely degraded because it’s the first officer’s job to monitor what the captain wants to do.”

He said if the crew was fatigued to that level, the consequential error rate doubled.

“A consequential error is an error that if left unchecked will have safety outcomes for the aeroplane,” Mr Woodward said.

“For example, if you had clearance to climb to an altitude, say 37,000 feet, and you misread it, or were tired enough that you dialled the wrong number into the aeroplane, you’d be in conflict with traffic coming the other way.”

Further tests were undertaken in simulators using pilots fatigued after long flights, and those who were well rested.

Mr Woodward said the fatigued pilots made more errors than those who were fresh but their “error correction rate was very good”.

What was lacking in the research, which took into account more than 13,000 sleep nights of data, was a long-term view of the health effects of long haul flying.

Mr Woodward said pilots were generally in excellent health when recruited and were monitored throughout their career, so they tended to be healthier than the rest of the population.

“In my experience, pilots are a lot more health-conscious now than they used to be, but is that enough to mitigate the risk of working 22-hour days every second week or every week for the next 20 years?” he asked.

“I don’t have the answer but I think we should study it.”

Despite his misgivings about the health effects of such operations, Mr Woodward believed it was unlikely to deter pilots from taking on Project Sunrise-style flights.

“I think the pilots will do it and they’ll do it to the best of their ability,” he said.

“Pilots are our own worst enemy. Professionally we will do whatever the task is and we will manage it.”