Page 5 - InterPilot 2019 Issue 3

PRESIDENT’S EDITORIAL PAGE 5
Editorial

IFALPA Editorial we have been, and still partially remain. It was
Captain Jack Netskar, President therefore fruitful that the three main contributions
came from Boeing, the FAA, and CAE. “In a world

Point 1 is technically being solved by Boeing and of growing
approved by the FAA. MCAS is one component of
the Speed Trim System (STS). The technical fix is competitions, we
based on new software/Flight control law in the
737 MAX flight control computer. This will provide
similar flaps-up protection to the already existing need to improve
B737 Max Summit, Montreal, Canada flaps-down 737NG STS. IFALPA is confident that

all parts of the system are being reviewed and se- and increase the
cured. Boeing as a company cannot withstand an-
other accident. amount of training

In March 2019, regulators and airlines around the primary source, and, at the same time, keep track a professional
world grounded the B737 MAX passenger aircraft of what our Member Associations and the com- Point 2 has been a concern at IFALPA for a long
after two nearly new aircraft tragically crashed less munity at large bring forward. time. We have a long-standing cooperation with
than five months apart, killing all 346 passengers OEMs through, among others, the ADO Commit- pilot receives, not
and crew. The accidents befell Lion Air Flight 610 As part of this information gathering, IFALPA has, tee, but we have no formal lines to Certifying state
on October 29, 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight among other things, met with representatives of and therefore have less insight into the processes diminish it. The
302 on March 10, 2019. Boeing for three separate briefings. Most recently, surrounding certifying types. This process takes
we attended the IATA B737 MAX 2nd Summit in place between the individual state CAA and OEM. gradual erosion of
Ethiopian Airlines was first to ground the aircraft, Montreal, just last week. IFALPA and our MAs are related to the CAAs more
effective the day of the accident. On March 11, the on the oversight part. This means that we must rely training time will
aircraft’s airworthiness was publicly reaffirmed by The purpose of this exceptional meeting, attended on Certifying state and aircraft manufacturers to
its certifying agency, the US Federal Aviation Ad- by 18 airlines, 9 regulators, Boeing, ICAO, IFALPA, do a qualitatively good job and ensure that assess-
ministration. The same day, the CAA of China was CAE, lessors, and other relevant stakeholders, was ments are based on flight safety and not selling have a delayed
the first regulator to order the MAX grounding. to identify the challenges and gain a common un- points. Are we creating software fixes to be able
derstanding of a roadmap to bring the B737 MAX to sell an aircraft as one type to reduce required effect as the older
In the next two days, most other airlines and reg- back to operation in the safest, most efficient, and
ulators around the world grounded it as well. On timely manner possible. training? It is an important question to ask. generation of pilots
March 13, the FAA was one of the last agencies
to ground the MAX, citing similarities between the The big question amongst all stakeholders, includ- The FAA is focused on providing Safe and Compli- leave the left seat
two crashes. In total, 387 airplanes were grounded. ing IFALPA, is the “return to service” process. Views ant Aircraft Design and changes to MCAS design
on this will vary depending on who you talk to, but on one hand and the return-to-service process on and take their
From the time the B737 MAX was grounded un- for us the priorities are clear: the other. EASA, TC, and ANAC have a commit-
til today, countless news articles, television/radio ment to collaborative process with the FAA for cer-
broadcasts, PRs, aviation expert commentary and 1. The technical challenges must be remedied tification, pilot training, and ungrounding. Given experience with
so-called experts have been produced. Informa- and satisfy established safety standards; the reduced degree of trust that exists for both the
tion has been provided about the relationship be- 2. The regulatory processes must take place in a manufacturer and the regulator, it will be crucial them.”
tween regulators and the manufacturer regarding way that prevents a greater degree of self-reg- that all these regulators, as well as China, reach an

withholding important information about the air- ulation and removal of factors for different un- agreement before the aircraft is put into service. IFALPA PILOT TRAINING
craft type, about the cost pressures that challenge derstanding of the systems; STANDARDS MANUAL
flight safety as priority number 1, about problem- 3. The training must be adequate and relevant It would be very problematic politically to argue
atic issues concerning internal reporting, etc. information about the flight systems must be that the aircraft is safe when someone does not
available. approve parts of the changes and does not return
For IFALPA, it is important to maintain credibility in it to service. What is important to understand is
our statements and positions as safety profession- The absence of one or more of these points will
als. We must, therefore, seek information from the result in a lack of trust, and that is precisely where that only the FAA certifies Boeing, while all other
regulators validate this process.

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