Fly Me Friendly

While reading Macarthur Job’s book “Into Oblivion: the Southern Cloud enigma” (as mentioned in my previous blog entry) I encountered over some sagely aviation advice that was written in 1930 that still rings true today.

The book has a set of appendices that contain documents & articles written around 1930 including an article on “Blind Flying” written by Travis W. Shortridge, the captain of the Southern Cloud at the time it disappeared. At the end of his article, Shortridge made the following observation:

The success or otherwise of ‘the airway’ is in the hands of the people who do the work – the pilots. In their hands rests everything. No man can be born a fully-trained pilot; no pilot can ever be fully trained. All pilots should ever be learning, ever striving to increase their own efficiency. Efficiency begets confidence, and thus safety. So aim at being safe.

He then also discussed airmanship and how there is much more to flying than just the actual stick & rudder work:

Somehow ‘airmanship’, which is not just flying, but is everything flying means, is a very neglected subject … If only young pilots would forget that a ‘joy stick’ is in many ways only a secondary consideration, that ‘circuits and landings’ do not make a pilot, that they never will learn all that the air can teach them, and that advice from old hands should never be disregarded – well, lots of young pilots would still be pilots!

No matter what you are flying, Shortridge’s words apply to anyone who leaves the surface of our planet to experience the freedom of the air and beyond. It’s amazing to consider that after over 80 years, these comments still ring true in today’s aviation environment. Despite all our technological advancements and improvements in the way we train pilots, we continue to return to problems that have their root cause in the human aspects of attitude, ego and awareness.

There are indications that insurance companies, training organisations and government aviation regulators are starting to realise that beyond practical test standards and raw figures of accumulated hours there lies the core attitudes and mental processes of the pilots themselves. We are hearing the phrase “you can’t legislate professionalism” and encountering questionnaires & surveys to assess a pilot’s personality & approach to problem solving. Certainly these may be steps towards finally addressing the common issues that no amount of technology can resolve but I still cannot help but wonder whether we’ll be making comments like Shortridge’s in another 80 years?

I recently finished reading Macarthur (“Mac”) Job’s book Into Oblivion: The Southern Cloud enigma, yet another of his amazing air crash investigation books. An avid pilot, Macarthur was also responsible for the Department of Civil Aviation’s Aviation Safety Digest for some 14 years. Like the Safety Digest, his books combine an attention to detail and presentation of the facts with a well written narrative and engaging delivery.

“Into Oblivion” details the disappearance of Australian National Airways’ Avro 10 tri-motor “Southern Cloud” in 1931 and the subsequent discovery of its wreckage in 1958. Macarthur gives great background into the airline’s history, from when it was set up by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm to when it shut down not long after the Southern Cloud disappeared. He lays out the events that lead up to the Southern Cloud’s disappearance and then describes how the wreckage was discovered, the limited investigation that was performed and the questions left unanswered. He also provides some possible scenarios that could explain how the accident occurred and whether it was survivable.

There is also coverage of various anniversary events that have occurred in more recent times while the appendices contain four documents written in the 1930s, including:

• A review of flying the Avro Ten
• An journalist’s report documenting the experience of flying from Melbourne to Sydney with ANA
• An article on “blind flying” written by the pilot shortly before his death
• A journalist’s report on his experience flying with Kingsford Smith in the search for the Southern Cloud.

The only niggling item I encountered was an occasional repetition of some facts or comments that wasn’t really necessary as they’d only recently been raised. It was clear that the sections had been written separately and then linked together without “blending” them and removing duplications. Fortunately there were only a couple of these instances and they weren’t a major annoyance.

All up, I really enjoyed this book and have no hesitation recommending it for anyone interested in learning more about Australia’s first major airline disaster. Not simply a dry repetition of the facts, “Into Oblivion” engages the reader and is a pleasure to read.

Let’s see now, British Airways have been struggling for a while with reports of poor service, losing high-end premium customers, cutting back on routes and recently announcing a second record financial loss in a row. Throw in the impact from that volcano in Iceland and they are showing every sign of a major legacy carrier that’s about to go under.

So, in a move copied straight from Alitalia’s union play book, the cabin crew at British Airways are going on strike. Are these people crazy or what? Whether they have a valid set of grievances is not really the point right now because win or lose, they’re going to help kill British Airways. The last thing they should be doing is going on strike as all it’s doing is driving even more passengers away from the airline, further rupturing BA’s cash flow and increasing the odds that the airline will collapse.

I thought it was just Alitalia that did stupid stunts like this. Maybe the British have been importing more than soccer players from Italy?

I know I’ve said it before, but this latest news from Jon Ostrower (aka FlightBlogger) about the recent Boeing 787 delay being due to a design flaw in the tail really makes me wonder if the 787 isn’t doomed to become the De Haviland Comet of our time.

According to Jon’s report, the problem was discovered in December and is related to the unpressurised tail section of the aircraft. Apparently:

… the shear ties, those of which are made of aluminum, can pull away from the skin of the fuselage, potentially compromising the structural integrity of the aircraft.

The emphasis is mine to highlight that this is no small issue.

So what went wrong that could allow this problem to occur? According to Jon’s report:

… after the initial design failed to take into account thermal fatigue loading of the parts.

That’s a pretty serious design omission, don’t you think?

The 787 represents the same sort of technological leap in design & construction that the Comet represented in its day. Sadly, the design of the Comet was discovered to have catastrophic failures in whole new areas that hadn’t been encountered before (metal fatigue, the effects of repeated pressurisation cycles, etc).

The 787 project has been delayed repeatedly due to problems being encountered with its design and construction techniques. How many other problem areas will this aircraft encounter during testing? Will there be any others that escape testing but appear during operational use?

These are the risks that a company takes when it leaps so far ahead in technology. While Boeing is doing as much as they can to test & verify the aircraft, one cannot help but wonder if, like the Comet, the 787 will teach us about something entirely new that will be discovered at great cost.

As if Sydney Airport (YSSY) being voted Australia’s worst airport for the 4th time in a row wasn’t enough of a wake up call for Macquarie Airports and the airport’s management & board, the government is bringing forward their oversite review of YSSY from 2012 to now (admittedly with a pending election, but anyhow…). The ACCC is also going to investigate whether airports are abusing their monopoly positions (if you’ve parked your car at YSSY or YMML, then you probably have a good idea that the answer will be yes).

Unfortunately, Macquaire Airports don’t seem to be listening though and continue to try to milk every last drop they can from YSSY. If it’s not sky high parking or the most expensive “per passenger” fees levied on the airlines, they’re now increasing their aircraft parking rates to the point where it could cost as much to park a SAAB 340 as it costs to park an A380.

Like, hello! No wonder the airlines are joining in the push for an investigation.

I’ve been saying for ages that Macquarie Airports and the senior management of Sydney Airport are a stirling example of how bad corporate management is becoming these days. Focusing purely on the bottom line and fearing anything out of the ordinary, these people are showing that management by bean counters only serves to reinforce the old joke that there’s only one letter of difference between bankers & wankers.

Sadly, the latest news I’ve received makes me realise that they’ve sunk to even greater depths.

As of June 30th, the one unique thing that YSSY has over all other airports in the world will no longer exist. Airport management are going to shut down one of the few things YSSY has that actually helps people appreciate the wonders of a modern international airport (as opposed to considering it a noisy, stinking polluted blight on their neighbourhood as many seem to).

That’s right, they’re not going to extend the contract for Sydney Airport’s Airside Tarmac Tours. Can you believe it?

Airside Tarmac Tours have been providing a service to the public for years. For a small fee they are taken into the airport’s hallowed movement areas to experience its daily operations from a very up-close and personal vantage point. Providing a running commentary of all that is being seen, the passengers get a deeper understanding of what’s involved in keeping an airport operating as well as getting access to views most people never see.

Airside Tarmac Tours are frequently taking groups of school children around, perhaps fueling the aviation dreams of kids who may one day grow up to be pilots, ground staff or even airline executives. They also take tours of somewhat bigger, older kids around who often regress to an earlier stage when they get up close to a 747 as it taxis past.

All passengers must go through multiple security checks and photo ID is required for adults. No cameras can be taken nor any other bulky items. Strict but fair given proximity to aircraft in action.

Unfortunately, Sydney Airport management have decided that in these post 9-11 times, it is no longer safe to allow this operation to continue. Hiding behind the facade of “Safety & Security,” they are going to shut it down. This is despite the fact that the tours have continued to run smoothly after September 2001, bringing countless benefits to the airport in the public relations department.

Sadly, it would appear that not even the federal government are willing or able to help save the tours. People have called & written to the airport CEO but to no avail. It would appear that the Macquarie name carries too much weight within Australia for anyone to be willing to make them see the error of their ways.

This is truly sad news for Sydney Airport as they are losing a very unique source of much needed PR in these difficult times. They are accused of cutting services while charging higher prices for everything associated with the airport. They sit on prime inner city real estate and are a continued source of noise complaints as aircraft come & go (often from people who have only recently moved into areas near the airport or under flight paths). Already dealing with capacity issues, Sydney is in danger of losing its “Gateway to Australia” status as more & more international flights are going instead to other airports around Australia. The last thing Macquarie Airports should be doing is closing an operation that tries to make them look good.

According to Alan Joyce from QANTAS, the “Jetstarisation of QANTAS” is supposed to be over. Well, I have a problem with that as I continue to see evidence that, if anything, the “Jetstarisation” is increasing. I would not be surprised to find JQ branded high density A380s flying to the USA and/or Europe while QF dwindles to only a very few select routes.

Thanks to an opportunity presented by Shashank Nigam, I’ve been able to voice my concerns on his very well read Simpliflying site. This is not only getting my thoughts before a large audience, it’s also helping to promote the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, which can only be a good thing.

The article provides a background on the birth of Jetstar, its growth to date and how it is destined to consume more of QANTAS’ mainline routes & aircraft. Head on over to Simpliflying and check out the article.

Thanks to Shashank for giving me the opportunity to gain further exposure to the global aviation world and helping to promote PCDU, it’s very much appreciated :)

The latest trailer for A Pilot’s Story is up on their site. All three trailers are there, so you should go over and check them out. The third trailer was first shown as part of the nightly entertainment at Oshkosh 2009 and it’s wonderful.

I’ve been following the development of A Pilot’s Story through a discussions, interviews and plugs on a number of aviation podcasts. Will Hawkins of the Pilot’s Flight Podlog podcast and Rico Sharqawi have teamed up to form Wilco Films, an independent film company that, amongst other projects, is producing A Pilot’s Story.

From all that I’m hearing, A Pilot’s Story will be up there with One Six Right as it goes to the heart of why we fly and the joy of first solo, all accompanied with beautiful high definition imagery.

The guys are seeking funding to help complete the movie and distribute it. There’s a donation button on the web site. Help out if you can ‘cos this is a movie that deserves to be delivered.

At the least, go and watch the trailers. The latest one is great, and not just ‘cos it’s got balloons in it :)

With the recent announcement from Boeing that the first flight of their 787 was to be delayed due to structural issues in the wing box area, many of us knew right away it was a major show-stopper issue. Boeing made the announcement only a few days before people were expecting the first flight, catching many by surprise. With so much riding on this project and so many delays already experienced, Boeing were pushing hard to get the 787 in the air as soon as possible. That Boeing couldn’t start the test flights while addressing this problem in parallel showed us it was a big issue, something that would either lead to a structural failure in flight or would require so many changes that testing would have to start again after the modifications were made.

Subsequent to their announcement of a delay, it was confirmed that the issue involves wing flexing travelling into the fuselage leading to delamination of wing panels. This report and others do not paint a very pretty picture with many predicting that the 787 won’t fly until next year (2010).

All of this puts a major strain on the credibility of the programme, Boeing’s bottom line and their share price. They are eager to reach the first flight milestone and progress quickly towards delivery payments from customers. Anything that is feasible and safe will be done to get the 787 airborne ASAP, thus the longer the delays we’re seeing, the bigger the problem becomes.

The 787 is breaking new ground in many areas, from structures to systems to construction & assembly processes. In many ways this is similar to the de Havilland Comet that ushered in jet travel to an eagerly awaiting world.

While bringing in new technologies such as advanced alloys and new bonding methods, the Comet was also extensively tested prior to its entry into service. The Comet also utilised existing concepts such as large, square windows & hatches in the fuselage. As was tragically discovered, stress concentration occurred around the corners of the windows & hatches, leading to higher pressures in those areas and, eventually, metal fatigue that ruptured the fuselage with catastrophic results. By the time the problems were resolved, the Boeing 707 had eclipsed the Comet and, together with the Douglas DC-8, taken over the jet transport market. Boeing and Douglas both certainly benefited from the painful lessons learned from the Comet.

Returning to the present, Boeing discovered the 787′s structural problem during fatigue testing of a designated airframe. Despite countless computer simulations the issue was apparently never predicted and, like the Comet, took them by surprise.

Fortunately in this case the problem was discovered on the ground and without loss of life. Also fortunate for Boeing is that the Airbus A350 is still lagging the 787′s schedule, although the distance between them is rapidly decreasing. If the 787 doesn’t fly until 2010 and Airbus can hit the A350′s scheduled first flight in 2011, things could get very bad for Boeing.

While I doubt many 787 customers will be seriously considering converting their orders over to the A350 at this point, if the A350 continues on track and meets its target figures, further delays of the 787 will make the Airbus product start to look more interesting to 787 customers. If that happens, Boeing will be in big trouble indeed!

Europa Film Treasures have made available some footage from the Austrian Film Archive showing Wilbur Wright demonstrating their aircraft in France. In addition to some low approaches and a landing, the 1909 silent movie film also includes a section where the camera was mounted in the aircraft with Wilbur. Hailed as the first ever air to ground filming from an aircraft, it is well worth watching and I’m ecstatic to see it being released for us all to enjoy.

I was also excited to recently stumble upon the National Film Board of Canada and the titles they have available to view and/or purchase (where possible). From an aviation perspective, these include Airplane Casualties (a collection of archive footage), Rosies of the North, Churchill’s Island and many others.

Enjoy :)

Many of you may have grown up with “Irish Jokes” (like the one about the Irish schoolboy who ate his lunch money). Here in Australia, they’re about New Zealanders (called “Kiwi Jokes”) and in the USA they were “Polish Jokes”. Then there are the “Blond Jokes” and I’ve even heard people use “Martian Jokes” in case they’re standing next to a blond Irish Kiwi who’s of Polish descent.

Well, move over the lot of them ‘cos the new name for anything related to stupidity has to be “Alitalia Employee Jokes.”

I’m sure you’ve all heard of Alitalia, the Italian flag carrier airline that, despite the best efforts of its staff and the Italian government, has managed to survive until recently. For years Alitalia was on the edge of going under and various corporations & other airlines would come in and offer to buy it out, but every time some group would block the deal (typically the unions, but sometimes a government group would object, occasionally they all would). As it finally lay dying in mid-2008, hemorrhaging cash and cancelling flights, it still managed to fight off those who came to try to rescue it. Multiple groups came to offer assistance but left, unwilling to deal with the unions & government terms. Even after the government stopped being dorks and got out of the way, the unions kept souring the deal, until finally in August 2008, Alitalia went bankrupt.

After a few months a new, privatised Alitalia emerged in January 2009 and you’d think that everyone involved in the old Alitalia would have woken up, realised the world doesn’t revolve around them and that their old ways of working don’t mesh well with reality. Usually people “wake up and smell the roses” after more than half their co-workers have wound up unemployed. Sadly, this is not the case.

I have just read that one week after the new Alitalia started flights, the first strike has hit. Admittedly it only cancelled four flights but still, it’s a strike.

Are these people insane? Their airline has just started flying again after going right to the edge of destruction. They have a job but many of their previous coworkers do not. Their airline’s image is shot to hell and many are cautious about flying on it (not for security or safety, but because it may not be around to fly them back home). How can they possibly think that repeating the steps that took them to disaster will work this time around???

I’m a Kiwi of Irish descent who likes to drink good Polish vodka (there may even be Italian in my heritage somewhere) but even I don’t get this attitude & behaviour.