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fiightglobal.com 15-21 August 2017 | Flight International | 13

Austrian completes

E-Jet switch as

Fokkers fade

Air Transport P

E

urope’s air transport safety

authority has unveiled initial

changes to simulation require-

ments designed to improve

training for stall and in-flight

upset scenarios.

The changes are part of a broad-

er rulemaking task centred on up-

dating flight-simulation device

capabilities and specifications.

This work has been split into

three packages over the course of

2017-2019, the first of which is

the subject of a notice of pro-

posed amendment from the Euro-

pean Aviation Safety Agency.

The first package, WP1, is in-

tended to reflect technological

advancements in the flight simu-

lator field, and support authori-

ties and training organisations by

providing a “competencies

framework” for inspectors.

EASA adds that the package

will support approach-to-stall

training as well as upset and re-

covery requirements, and increase

the fidelity of simulation of air-

frame and engine icing effects. But

it will also propose an option to

qualify full-flight simulators for

the post-stall regime, based on a

special evaluation.

EASA says that 19 accidents

during commercial air transport

operations from 2012-2016 were

classified as in-flight loss-of-con-

trol – of which 17 were fatal. Two

of these fatal accidents involved

companies with an EASA air op-

erator’s certificate.

“Analysis of accidents and seri-

ous incidents shows that, in many

cases, flightcrews are caught by

surprise in the event of an upset or

have difficulties to detect the

upset and the approach to stall,”

says the authority. “In certain

cases, the crew does not realise

the [aircraft] is in an actual stall.”

Simulators offer a potentially

realistic recreation of an abnormal

situation, but current devices are

not qualified to reproduce aircraft

behaviour in certain conditions –

particularly close to, or beyond,

stall boundaries – or performance

degradation from icing.

EASA says an analysis of 58

serious events over the 2012-

2016 period indicated that in 10

cases – including four fatal acci-

dents – training the crew in an

enhanced-capability simulator

would have provided additional

support to the crew in detecting

an approach to stall, as well as a

full stall. ■

P

recision Aircraft Solutions is

to offer a freight conversion

programme for Airbus A321s, be-

coming the latest firm to propose

a cargo option for the twinjet.

The Oregon-based modifica-

tion specialist is embarking on

the programme through a joint

venture with Air Transport Ser-

vices Group (ATSG) subsidiary

Cargo Aircraft Management, with

the venture branded 321 Preci-

sion Conversions.

It intends to secure approval

for a supplemental type certifi-

cate for modification of the A

in 2019, having looked into the

possibility of converting the type

over the past six years.

Precision Aircraft Solutions

says the conversion will produce

an aircraft with capacity similar

to that of the Boeing 757-

freighter, while achieving

operating costs “comparable” to

737 freighters.

Airbus has previously unveiled

conversion plans for A320-family

aircraft, including the A321, while

a similar effort has been undertak-

en by US firm PacAvi. ■

M

alaysia Airlines (MAS)

expects unit costs to fall by

around 30% on the Kuala

Lumpur-London route when it

starts to replace its Airbus A380s

with A350-900s from the end of

the year.

Izham Ismail, the Oneworld

carrier’s chief operating officer,

speaking at an event in Singa-

pore, said there will be major

benefits from the aircraft switch.

“The impact on yields will

not be as bad, and we will not be

as exposed to high operating

costs. We expect unit costs to

come down by around 30%, as

compared to operating the

A380,” he says.

Ismail says the A380 suffers

from poorer operating economics

compared with the newer A350,

mostly due to the latter’s superior

fuel efficiency. MAS has also

struggled to fill the superjumbos

at certain times, he says.

Its six A380s have a 494-seat,

three-class layout, while the

A350s will be equipped with only

286 seats across three classes.

The carrier is scheduled to take

six A350-900s from Air Lease,

with the first two arriving by

year-end. ■

FLEET AARON CHONG SINGAPORE

A350’s efficiency will beat superjumbo, says MAS

Malaysian carrier plans to phase out double-decker on London route

AirTeamImages

SAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

EASA targets stall and upset

recovery training in simulator

Agency says enhanced capability would allow crews to better identify potential dangers

Accidents referenced include the loss of a Swiftair MD-83 over Mali

Jim Preston/LNP/REX/Shutterstock

MODIFICATION

DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW

LONDON

Precision touch

a freight change

on cargo A321s