Page 14 - 2016-Issue4

14 VOICE OF THE REGIONS

Captain Martinez - Changes in our industry standards adopted through the ICAO Annexes. “ It is an
have been increasingly more rapid and The advent and use of the Global Positioning
significant than before, especially in terms of System has taken technology to new heights
the technological development in the aircraft including the transition to airborne-based exciting
we fly nowadays. The demands, challenges, navigation systems. New technologies such as
and responsibilities for flight crews, and for the GBAS has been trialed in Sydney, Australia
and elsewhere for the past few years and solid
industry in general, are increasing every day. valuable data has eventuated in GBAS being region full of
This goes together with the expansion of
passenger traffic. used as a primary means of approach
guidance, not to mention the widespread use
Investment in infrastructure has been of satellite based area navigation. These are challenges. It
remarkable but there is always more to be done
to ensure that the conditions of air safety and but some of many benefits of how the
advancement of science and technology in the
security improve and keep up with the aviation sector has provided for greater levels still has room
accelerated pace of the industry. Having access
to state of the art aircrafts, better training of efficiency and safety.
processes and a safety focused human factors for growth in
culture has been an improvement. hat are some of the
The responsibility of our Member Waviation-based
Associations involved in international aviation challenges unique to your the aviation
forums remains high. Our contribution to the region and how have they
development of new strategies for the been addressed or overcome?
mitigation of risks and threats and the Captain Martinez - The operational policies industry...
improvement of safety and security can result within globalization, market growth, and trade ”
in the decline of the rate of incidents and are our main challenges. We must achieve
accidents.
sustainability and competitiveness for our However, as technology appears to be on
Captain Silveira - Technically speaking, civil companies, without the slightest deviation “autopilot”, or at least appears to follow its own
air transport in Europe is pretty well advanced, from the highest safety standards in our flight track, the biggest challenge for Europe, as well
so pilots’ associations mainly have to be aware operations. It is always important to maintain as for other parts of the world, is not so much
of developments, participate in proposed a good balance between safety and profitability. related to technological issues, but to
changes, and make sure that all is being done Another challenge we face today is competition with airlines from other parts of
for the common goal, which is part of APPLA’s maintaining optimum labour conditions and the world.
mission: the safe and efficient air transporta- an adequate work schedule for our pilots. In Europe now faces another huge challenge
tion of people and goods. this sense, the role of the State in guaranteeing to which air transport is not immune. From
the safety and security of its citizens and all my experience of nearly 30 years in the field,
Captain Davidson - Since joining my airline, users, as well as the sustainability of the there appears to be an increasingly political
QANTAS in 1989, I have seen many new aviation sector, is an immense responsibility. interference of the European Commission in
technologies emerge in our region; none more the sector, where EASA seems to be overly
so than the introduction of the FANS Captain Silveira - Some challenges remain on concerned with satisfying the political views
technology onto the Pacific between Australia the horizon. As far as safety is concerned, some and wishes for the air transport sector, and this
New Zealand, and the US. This has been a airports in Portugal, namely at Madeira and may pose a threat to the necessary objectivity
major boon to the availability of efficient the Azores, pose a huge challenge to operate of the matters being taken, some of which are
systems that have enabled safer and more on. Expanding the view to Europe, technical directly related to safety and technology.
dynamic application of flight planning and challenges arise from various sources, but the
airways route navigation across the remote most challenging are probably the full Captain Davidson - One of the biggest
oceanic regions, allowing for more traffic on implementation of FANS 1/A+, CPDLC and challenges in the South-pacific Region is a
routes at safer reduced levels of separation not ADS-B Out, which will have to be product of its immense area of coverage.
previously available. Additionally, the accomplished until 2020. This poses a great Member states such as New Zealand, Fiji, and
introduction of TCAS II into RPT aircraft has technical challenge for pilots, who will have to Papua New Guinea are but a few of the
been one of the most significant technological keep up and use this technology, but it also numerous countries located in the Pacific
developments since the invention of radar. places a huge financial strain on Air Traffic Ocean area. Airways routes over these
Local runway safety teams have been Control and Operators. All these challenges are countries require detailed coordination of air
established to help local authorities gain a linked to the European project known as traffic services for international flights and
better understanding of what pilots expect SESAR – Single European Sky ATM Research, because of their remoteness, advanced
from airport environments and how airports which is the technological pillar of the Single communications facilities are required to
can improve safety though application of European Sky. ensure the safe conduct of these flights.