Page 11 - InterPilot Issue 1 2016

NEWS, NOTES & EVENTS 11

EVENTS

Regional Meetings at a Glance

was a very informative presentation given by
CAR/SAM Meeting
APLA covering the Definition of Fatigue; A
he CAR/SAM regional meeting was held description of Clinical issues; Scientific Fatigue
Tin Buenos Aires, Argentina 1-3 December and Sleep papers; Flights between 11:00pm and
2015 and there were representatives from 10 06:00am and long Haul - trans-meridian
out of the 15 Members Associations present routes; FRMS program, Assessment of Crew
and updates from all but one of the Member Fatigue; Current Fatigue Regulations, and
Associations. APLA were very generous hosts consequences on operations. There were other Photo Courtesy of IFALPA
and ensured all the delegates had comfortable presentations on Problematic Substance testing
surroundings to work in and also the and Performance Based Navigation as well as All the Member Associations present gave
opportunity to experience the local culture. presentation from Brazil on a very serious updates on their situation, explaining their
The meeting reviewed and updated the issue affecting Brazilian airspace concerning current issues as well as promoting some of
deficiencies reported in the IFALPA Annex 29 balloons. Launching these balloons is a their successes; it was pleasing to hear that
and considered the many technical and safety common practice in Brazil originally used for Uruguay should have their own airline
issues affecting all the Region. There are cultural and religious festivals, and they are operating again next year and that Mexico had
training issues ranging from limited access to now used in competitions with many completed a successful campaign to prevent
training facilities to facilities provided in places organised groups involved. The competitions Open Skies being introduced, and eventually
with a high elevation which is causing health have prizes which involve large amounts of shape the final form of the agreement. Despite
problems to those participating. Sufficient money. These balloons can be from 2-60 the many problems facing all of the Region, the
training on such programmes as Performance metres long, and in competitions often 100+ meeting was very successful and has
Based Navigation was also noted. In some part metres. They weigh over 2 tons in weight and encouraged all those present to continue to
of the region, Open Skies is a serious issue as is often carry upto 300 kg of fireworks and are work together and promote the profession to
Flight Time Limitations/Fatigue Risk seen in the upper airspace as well as close to ensure the aviation industry has a productive
Management System (FTL/FRMS), and there terminal areas. future.

Associations who were out of contact and forced to sign a document preventing them
AfI/MID Meeting
encouraging them to participate. Tanzania had from joining a union. A suggestion has been
he AFI/MID Regional Meeting was held in informed IFALPA that the Association was no made that a West African Pilot Group could be
TJohannesburg, South Africa, 5-7 October longer operative. It was also recognized that formed. Initially, the group would only deal
2015. It was preceded by a successful Safety there were still problems of pilots leaving the with Technical issues then as it developed there
Seminar which included presentations from Regions to fly for the airlines in the Gulf States, would be the opportunity to extend the issues
the ICAO Regional Office in Nairobi, IATA, in particular, Saudi Arabia. It was noted that to Professional matters. In calling it a Technical
IFATCA, ARMA South Africa, ALPA South the airlines are offering better deals than the Pilot Group it may be possible for all the pilots
Africa and IFALPA. In dealing with the usual three airlines in the Gulf and that there in West Africa to participate. It is hoped that a
Technical and Safety issues in the Region there are some pilots leaving those airlines for Saudi Technical Seminar will be held in 2016 in a
remains concerns with the standard of Air Arabia. For those in the AFI/North part of the convenient location where organizations such
Traffic Control in several areas, having Region, many were leaving their homes due to as ICAO and IATA as well as IFALPA could
IFATCA there helped with the discussions as security issues in their countries. It was also present the issues facing that part of the Region
to how to try and resolve some of the noted that due to the inconsistencies with the which included airspace design, new technolo-
problems. However, the fact remains than regulations in all the countries, pilots who were gies, and initiatives such as the Runway Safety
many of the controllers do not have sufficient not permitted to fly in one country could fly in Teams. It would inform the pilots of the
training and that there is not enough of them another. Informal contact has been made with developments taking place in the Region but
at the various centres and towers. The meeting several of the small airlines still operating in also include how the pilots could assist in
discussed several ways of trying to reach West Africa. Some of the pilots had been resolving some of the issues facing them.
InterPilot | The Safety and Technical Journal of IFALPA ISSue 1 | 2016