tirsdag 5. november 2024
mandag 4. november 2024
Noen britiske flygere ønsker å fly ut over 65 - The telegraph
The Telegraph burde ha spurt BALPA om hva de mener om dette. (Red.)
The British pilots pushing for the right to fly after turning 65
British pilots are forced to retire on their 65th birthday, but a growing number are lobbying for this to change
In February 2026, Brian Smith will celebrate his 65th birthday. But the celebrations will be bittersweet, for as he reaches this milestone he will be forced to retire from his job.
Once upon a time, British pilots were forced to hang up their hats at the age of 60, but in 1994 the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) raised the retirement age to 65. Thirty years on, Smith says this should be reviewed once again.
“I think you could push the retirement age up to 68 right now, which would release a huge amount of the talent pool to do another few years and to pass on their experience,” says Smith, who currently flies for a British cargo airline and has previously flown with Ryanair, Emirates and Air2000 (later, First Choice).
Smith points out that there is a major incentive for raising the retirement age: a UK-wide pilot shortage.
“Since Brexit it’s no longer easy to employ pilots who are non-nationals on British-registered aircraft. It does happen, but there are a lot of hoops you have to jump through, which didn’t used to be the case,” says Smith, who adds that the pilot shortage has also been exacerbated by the Boeing strike and delays in delivering its new aircraft.
“There’s a case to alleviate the pilot shortage and to make use of skills that are otherwise cast adrift, and to retain experience which is good for younger pilots,” he says.
Former Ryanair pilot Brian Smith believes the retirement age should be raised to 68
Smith isn’t alone in making this call. He showed The Telegraph a Facebook post from a friend, also a pilot, with the caption: “Bye bye, my queen. Yesterday I could, today I’m too old to fly commercially. When will we start reviewing ridiculous regulations?” The post received 291 likes and 50 comments from people sympathising with his situation.
One of the biggest concerns about allowing pilots to fly into their late sixties is that people, and particularly men, are more likely to suffer sudden incapacitation such as a stroke or heart attack at this age.
One study, using data supplied by the FAA, shows that the risk of a sudden heart attack leading to in-flight incapacitation events rises significantly after the age of 60. However, of the 43 pilots in the sample, only 9 (21 per cent) held an FAA Class I or Class II medical certificate. Meaning many were hobbyists, rather than commercial pilots who are subject to frequent medicals.
A study of commercial pilots, published by the EU’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), points out that in-flight incapacitation is very rare (around 0.45 times per 1,000,000 flight hours) but they did find “moderate evidence” that the risk of incapacitation increases with age.
“Although cardiovascular conditions are considered as the principal risk factor for total incapacitation, syncope, late-onset seizures, and acute psychosis are also possible age-dependent causes of sudden incapacitation,” the report found.
With this in mind, will passengers be nervous knowing that their pilot might be pushing 70? Smith accepts that this is a consideration. “I can see where they’re coming from. But there are men younger than 60 who suddenly collapse as well. I’m not sure in terms of statistical probability there should be too big a worry about that,” he argues, adding that the medical checks are rigorous, particularly for older pilots.
“When you get to 60 you have to have a medical twice a year, not just once a year. But you’d be surprised how many things you could have and still fly. You have people flying with hearing aids, people flying who have had heart attacks and bypass surgery. So long as you can pass a medical after corrective surgery, you can still fly.”
Smith says his eyesight started deteriorating 12 years ago meaning he now wears reading glasses, and his hearing isn’t what it used to be. But he says these factors don’t affect his performance as a pilot or his ability to pass the required medical tests.
“The young guys are definitely sharper. They are on the ball, but they do lack the experience, so quite often their decision making can be a bit funny. They are prone to being guided entirely by process, and that’s what the airlines want.
“What they make up for in being quick-witted and having good eyesight, [younger pilots] just don’t have the depth of experience. It’s nice to have a balance in the cockpit, and it just seems a shame to waste somebody just because they get to 65,” says Smith.
The Civil Aviation Authority said: “This is an important issue for the pilot community. That is why we are working to test the challenges and opportunities of changing age restrictions.
“We are signed up to internationally agreed standards on age limits and are working with other international regulators to make sure the current rules are fit for purpose and recognise recent advances in science and medicine.”
The age limits on pilots are ultimately set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is currently reviewing its age limits using evidence published in the aforementioned EASA study into the performance of older pilots.
For now, Smith’s hands are tied, and his days as a pilot are numbered. After his 65th birthday, he and his wife plan to spend a portion of their time in the south of Spain. He also has a training qualification, meaning he can work as a contractor to train up pilots on Boeing planes. But the work pays considerably less than his pilot’s salary: around £400 for four hours’ work, whereas captains at major airlines can expect to earn in excess of £100,000 per year.
Above all else, it is the principle that rankles Smith: “On the discrimination side of things, it’s just not fair. There aren’t many other jobs that will make you retire at 65.”
Tilt rotor i nyhetene igjen - Associated Press
Japan has grounded its V-22 Osprey fleet again after flight incident
TARA
COPP and MARI YAMAGUCHI
Updated
2 min read
FILE - U.S. MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft are parked at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, south of Okinawa, southern Japan, Sept. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
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Key Takeaways
WASHINGTON
(AP) — Japan has grounded its fleet of V-22 Osprey aircraft again after an
incident last Sunday where one of the hybrid helicopter-aircraft tilted
unexpectedly and hit the ground while trying to take off.
The V-22 was taking part in the joint U.S. military exercise Keen Sword
and carrying 16 passengers, including three U.S. service members. During
takeoff it “became unstable as it swayed from side to side, and the left wing,
the lower part of the aircraft came into contact with the ground and part of
the aircraft was damaged, so the flight was aborted," Japan's Ground Self
Defense Forces said in a statement.
It was the first major incident involving Japan's V-22 fleet since a
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Osprey crash last November off the
coast of Japan killed eight service members and led to a
monthslong grounding of the entire fleet for both Japan and the U.S.
The aircraft resumed flight operations earlier this year, but the
Osprey’s use remains controversial particularly in Okinawa, where
residents have questioned its safety record.
The Osprey in last Sunday's incident was able to land and no one was
injured, however Japan will keep its fleet of more than a dozen V-22s grounded
while it investigates the incident, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told
reporters last week.
“We believe there is no safety problem with Ospreys, although ensuring
flight safety is a prerequisite for aircraft operations,” Nakatani said.
The Pentagon's V-22 joint program office is supporting Japan's
investigation into the incident, spokesman Neil Lobeda said Saturday.
The V-22 was operating on the Japanese island of Yonaguni during the
joint exercise Keen Sword. Yonaguni is only 100
kilometers (62 miles) east of Taiwan
USA sender B-52 og F-15E til Midt-Østen for å avskrekke Iran - A&SF
Jeg kan føye til at USAF KC-46 ankom Midt-Østen tidlig i forrige måned. (Red.)
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Nov. 4, 2024 |
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B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base’s 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Nov. 2, 2024. U.S. Air Force photo B-52 Bombers Deploy to Middle East to Deter Iran, By Chris
Gordon U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers have arrived in the Middle East to deter Iran and its proxies, the U.S. military announced Nov. 3. It is the first time that B-52s have deployed to a base in the region since 2019. |
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Helikopter - Canada tegner stor kontrakt med Aibus Helicopters - Airbus
Airbus signs historic contract to provide 19 H135 military training helicopters to the Royal Canadian Air Force
Fort Erie, Canada, 4 November 2024 – Airbus Helicopters has signed a landmark contract with SkyAlyne, a joint venture between Canadian defence leaders CAE and KF Aerospace, to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with 19 Airbus H135 helicopters to train the next generation of RCAF Pilots. The contract is part of Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Program and marks the first time that Airbus helicopters will fly as part of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The twin-engine helicopters will be completed and delivered from Airbus Helicopters’ industrial facility located in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. They will be customised with a number of Canadian developed Supplemental Type Certificates, including modifications to the avionics suite and communications systems, as well as custom development in the cockpit. Deliveries are expected to begin in the first half of 2026.
“SkyAlyne is excited at the successful conclusion of negotiations between our partners at KF Aerospace and Airbus Helicopters in Canada, and we extend our gratitude to everyone involved. Securing the Airbus H135 fleet for the RCAF is an important milestone for SkyAlyne and the FAcT program as it solidifies a core element of the program schedule,” commented Kevin Lemke, SkyAlyne’s senior executive. “The selection of the state-of-the-art H135 from Airbus Helicopters contributes meaningfully to the Canadian economy and SkyAlyne is proud to be building a world-leading Pilot and Aircrew training program for the RCAF while supporting Canadian jobs.”
“Entering into this partnership with SkyAlyne and the Department of National Defence is a historic moment for Airbus Helicopters in Canada. We thank the Royal Canadian Air Force for placing their trust in Airbus and the H135, joining 12 other militaries around the world that employ the twin-engine H135 to train future aviators,” said Dwayne Charette, President of Airbus Helicopters in Canada. “This contract marks Airbus Helicopters’ successful entry into the Canadian military market. As we celebrate 40 years of serving Canadian customers locally, we are honoured to contribute to the safety of Canadians for many years to come.”
The agreement consists of H135 aircraft acquisition and a support and services package, support for the development of a Ground-Based Training Solution, and advanced engineering support for the release to service.
With more than 400,000 flight hours in a dedicated military training role, the H135 is utilised for basic ab-initio, advanced IFR and tactical training, with operators including several of Canada’s close military allies such as Australia and the UK. A full spectrum training aircraft, the H135 facilitates the development of core skills while providing twin-engines and advanced avionics, allowing easy and safe pilot transition to more complex helicopters in the RCAF’s fleet. It joins other Airbus aircraft currently operating for Canadian defence, such as the Airbus 310 (CC150 Polaris), the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (CC330 Husky), and the Airbus C295 (CC295 Kingfisher).
Since 1984, Airbus Helicopters has delivered nearly 600 helicopters in Canada. In 2023, the Canadian fleet of 760 in-service helicopters accumulated over 275,000 flight hours. The Fort Erie facility is also the centre of excellence for light single gearboxes, and the single source for critical composite components supporting platforms worldwide. Each year, Airbus Helicopters ships 34,000 parts from Fort Erie to customers around the globe.
In Canada, more than 4,500 people work at ten Airbus locations, covering the commercial airliner, helicopter, defence and space sectors. Airbus' presence in Canada contributes to approximately 23,000 indirect jobs and generates more than C$ 2 billion in revenues annually for more than 850 Canadian companies.
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