Pilots' Fluency

segunda-feira, 9 de novembro de 2009

Runway incursions a common hazard at U.S. airports | ajc.com

domingo, 8 de novembro de 2009

Listen up out there!

By Thomas A. Horne During AOPA Aviation Summit, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has been holding presentations and question-and-answer sessions at the exhibit hall’s “Controller’s Corner.” The Nov. 7 forum, titled “From Takeoff to Touchdown,” emphasized some new procedures, pet peeves, a few reminders, and a review of common goofs. Here are some notable samples involving IFR operations at towered airports

Controllers have no idea where you filed your flight plan, so if you call up for an IFR clearance and it’s not on their computers, be prepared to call Flight Service and refile.
Prior to taxi at busy airports, have the airport diagram out and ready for action.
Controllers are now required to give detailed taxi instructions. For example, you won’t hear a simple “taxi to Runway 30” clearance any more. Instead, you’ll receive “Cleared to Runway 30, turn left on Taxiway B, turn right on Taxiway C” sorts of specific instructions. Also, at busy airports with multiple runways—such as Long Beach, Calif.—you will no longer be told simply to taxi to a runway. Rather, you’ll be told to hold short before crossing each runway you encounter along the way. With so many arrivals and departures, a simple, traditional clearance to a runway can take so long that there’s an increased risk of a runway incursion.
At the final approach fix, if you’re still on the approach control frequency, ask to be switched over to the tower frequency.
Wait to be told to change from tower to the ground control frequency; the switch from tower to ground is not automatic, and can cause confusion in ground operations.
If you miss an approach, fly the published missed approach procedure (unless advised otherwise). That’s the only way you’ll have protected airspace.

Dale Wright, NATCA’s sirector of safety and technology, wound up the session by referring pilots to www.natca.com for answers to any questions that pilots may have about air traffic control procedures and related issues.

fonte: http://www.aopa.org/summit/news/2009/091107natca.html

sexta-feira, 6 de novembro de 2009

GOL Adota Sistema de Comunicação Global

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segunda-feira, 2 de novembro de 2009

Brazil releases final report on Congonhas A320 runway excursion accident

Brazilian investigators released the final report of their investigation into the accident of TAM Flight 3054. The Airbus A320 landed on a wet runway at Sao Paulo-Congonhas Airport in July 2007. It failed to stop and went off the wet runway, colliding with a building. All 187 occupants were killed, along with twelve people on the ground.
One of the thrust levers was in the Reverse-position, while the other lever was in the forward (thrust) position. It was deemed possible that this occurred because of a mechanical failure, but in a more like scenario the lever was inadvertently positioned forward by the crew. In any case, the crew failed to detect the problem and act accordingly. Factors identified in the report are: lack of crew coordination, co-pilot inexperience, crew pairing, the pilot's headache, pilot's perception of company pressure to avoid landing at alternate airports, crew anxiety regarding the weather and runway condition. (CENIPA)

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Aviation Safety Network News News item