Page 8 - 2017-Issue2
P. 8

8  PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE





                                       Going the Distance




                                       IFALPA’s membership spans six continents. It’s true our Federation’s glob-
                                       al presence can sometimes pose challenges in how our members connect
                                       to share information and ideas, but our global reach and scope is IFAL-
                                       PA’s greatest resource and strength. Our nearly 100 national association
                                       members allow us to merge the strongest competencies available world-
                                       wide with intense local operational knowledge to advocate for aviation
                                       safety like no other organization.
                    Captain Ron Abel
              Acting President, IFALPA  At a time when many in international business caution against relying too
                                       heavily on communication technology, IFALPA’s expansive reach means
                                       that while our volunteers depend on e-mail and video conferencing in our
                                       daily work, we truly capitalize on the enormous opportunity presented
                                       when we do come together. IFALPA’s work to create opportunities for our
                                       members to meet face-to-face fosters essential conversations about the
                                       existing and emerging challenges that confront our industry—challenges
                                       that are often extremely complex.


                                       One recent example is the Loss of Control In-Flight (LOC-I) Symposium,
                                       which was held March 16–17 in Shanghai and sponsored in part by our
                                       Member Association the China Airline Pilots’ Association (ChALPA).
                                       LOC-I is a serious aviation safety concern that can involve many safety
                                       issues, including mechanical failure, turbulence, icing, and stalls. As is
                                       true for almost all aviation accidents, LOC-I events usually result from a
                                       combination of factors rather than a single cause. A “systems” approach is
                                       necessary in both investigating the accident and identifying solutions to
                                       prevent future accidents.


                                       The LOC-I Symposium gathered the globe’s premier aviation experts in
                                       key disciplines including pilot training, manual flight skills, stall recovery,
                                       and human factors. The event was led off by a summary of the Indonesia
                                       AirAsia Flight 8501 accident investigation findings, and pilots from across
                                       the globe explored existing LOC-I mitigation measures as well as oppor-
                                       tunities for innovation in preventing LOC-I events.

                                       The two-day LOC-I symposium was another extraordinary showcase
                                       of IFALPA pilots’ expertise and dedication to enhancing flight safety. I
                                       would like to extend my appreciation to Capt. Zejiang Shen, president of
                                       ChALPA, for his association’s warm hospitality and for organizing this
                                       important aviation safety symposium. Please look for coverage in this
                                       edition.







         ISSUE 2 | 2017                                                         InterPilot | The Safety and Technical Journal of IFALPA
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