The unexpected establishment of LIGHTSQUARED ground transmitters in the USA has caused concern within international circles. Essentially LightSquared uses frequencies adjacent to GPS frequencies with a serious risk of interference. This paper explains IAIN’s concerns. It is not a scientific paper but is based on scientific facts currently available from the US experiences.

Europe’s next fleet of meteorological satellites is set to make its debut in 2017, following the signing on 24th February of the development contract. While Meteosat Third Generation will ensure full continuity with the current Meteosat satellite family, it will also introduce significant improvements.

A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft returned to Darwin on the evening of 4th February following its mission in support of Papua New Guinean search and rescue efforts after the sinking of the ferry MV Rabaul Queen.

MV Rabaul Queen Ferry was reported to have sunk approximately nine nautical miles off Finschhafen, while on a voyage from Kimbe to Lae, in Papua New Guinea. There are believed to have been 350 people on board, approximately 50 have been rescued.

On 2nd February ESA signed a contract to build a further eight Galileo satellites, alongside other agreements to modify Europe’s Ariane 5 launcher to carry four navigation satellites at a time.

The contract to construct and test the Galileo satellites was awarded to a consortium headed by prime contractor OHB System AG in Bremen, and partner Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford, UK.

Throughout the 2011 calendar year, the (US) National Transportation Safety Board conducted a study of Experimental-Amateur Built (E-AB) aircraft to evaluate the safety of this growing and innovative segment of general aviation.

“The co-operation we have received from EAA and the E-AB community has been tremendous,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P Hersman. She added, “Through this study, we hope that we will be able to give the innovators and aviators in the community information about accidents that will result in a real and immediate safety payoff for them when they are flying these aircraft.”

Attached here as a PDF are the minutes of the Officers’ Meeting held on 28th November 2011 held at the Harpley Room, Grange Tower Bridge Hotel, London.

Also attached are the Treasurer’s Report, Reports from ICAO, IGC, IHO and IMO as well as the 2018 Congress update.

It was announced on 20th January that the Australian Army had temporarily suspended flying operations for the Black Hawk helicopters upon identifying a number of fractured bolts during a routine maintenance check.

Fourteen Asia/Pacific States meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 11th and 12th January adopted a comprehensive strategy to systematically improve passenger and cargo security throughout the region, part of a global initiative aimed at countering new and emerging threats to air transport worldwide, it was reported by ICAO from Montreal.

On 6th January EASA issued preliminary aviation safety data for 2011 which shows a modest improvement in worldwide safety levels. In commercial air transport operations, the number of fatal accidents decreased from 46 in 2010 to 45 in 2011.

PDF version

On 20th January the EASA published an Airworthiness Directive to mandate a prompt detailed visual inspection of the wings of twenty Airbus A380 machines.

EASA on 18th January published its Comment Response Document and it is available on the 7MB pdf. This concerns the implementation of rules on Flight and Duty Time Limitations and rest requirements for commercial air transport, commonly known as FTL regulations.

Also available is a 14MB pdf containing the 2382 pages of responses.

ITU reported from Geneva on 19th January that its Radiocommunication Assembly had reached an important decision to defer the development of a continuous time standard in order to address the concerns of countries that use the current system of the leap second in Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Following the Costa Concordia accident Vice-President Siim Kallas, European Commissioner for Transport, has asked that the currently ongoing review of EU passenger ship safety legislation take fully into account any lessons to be learnt from the tragedy. The review will prioritise, in particular, the issues of: design and stability of passenger ships, technological developments in the sector, crew training and safe operation, including emergency evacuation procedures.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reacted cautiously to the publication on 1st December of the European Commission’s Airport Package of legislation which is aimed at addressing the critical issues of European airport capacity and competitiveness.

IATA highlighted two of the package’s positive features:

• IATA welcomes the further liberalization of the ground handling market which should allow airlines to provide a better and more efficient service at European airports.
• IATA acknowledged that by legalizing secondary trading of airport slots, the package provides a regulatory foundation for a practice that has become widespread. Transparent rules will ensure that this is done in fairness to all parties concerned.

At a meeting in Moscow on 21st and 22nd November, European Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) committed to a wide-ranging strategy aimed at significantly improving aviation security at the national and regional levels. This Regional Conference on Aviation Security was the third in a series of similar meetings around the world aimed at implementing an ICAO Assembly Declaration on Aviation Security adopted as a global framework to deal with new and emerging threats through greater international co-operation on passenger and cargo security.

The sale of 72 Harrier aircraft to the United States was confirmed on 24th november by the UK Ministry of Defence, saving around £1 billion overall. The airframes and associated parts will be used as a major source of spares to support the US Marine Corps Harrier AV-8B Fleet.

It was annaounced from Washington on 2nd December that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is to hold a hearing on air race and air show
safety. During the one-day meeting, the Board will gather information on the safety regulations and oversight in the planning and execution of these events.
Regulators, aviation organizations, industry groups, and airport authorities will be questioned by the Board about safety practices, procedures, and protocols.

It was reported on 28th November that CANSO, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation, has called on European Member States to provide political leadership and address the key issues delaying progress towards achieving a Single European Sky (SES).

CANSO’s member European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) have reaffirmed their commitment to the SES, and their support for the performance scheme as a mechanism for driving progress.

At about 2010 Western Standard Time on 29th January 2010, a single engine Pilatus PC-12 aircraft, registered VH-NWO, was being operated on a night medical evacuation flight from Derby to Kununurra, Western Australia with four persons on board. The pilot reported that about 56 km after takeoff, as the aircraft was passing through flight level 180, the engine exhibited a number of problems before the pilot turned the aircraft back to the departure airport. The engine failed and the pilot glided the aircraft to land at Derby. There were no injuries. Subsequent inspection confirmed that the engine propeller reduction gearbox had seized.

Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) was due to be introduced to the airspace of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on 17th November 2011. It is notable, according to IFALPA, that while the majority of these States will be using Flight Level (feet) based altimetry, Mongolia has opted for a metric application.

Accordingly, IFALPA has published two Briefing Leaflets using data obtained
from the affected States:

nws0299-ifalpa-russian-rvsm-introduction.pdf and

nws0299-ifalpa-mongolian-rvsm.pdf.

News was received from Defence Public Affairs that Australia’s next generation of
fighter pilots were set to graduate as F/A-18 Hornet pilots as they prepare to return to RAAF Townsville in North Queensland to participate in Exercise HIGH
SIERRA.

The pilots from No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown in
New South Wales are expected to be put through their paces during the final phase
of the six-month long operational conversion course.

A world class innovation to shield Australian Department of Defence ships and aircraft from radar surveillance has earned an Australian scientist the 2011 Minister’s Award for Achievement in Defence Science. The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, on 21st November presented the award to Dr Cheng Anderson from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) for her pioneering role in reducing the vulnerability of Australia’s Defence platforms over three decades.

It was announced from Jeddah on 1st November that IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is helping Saudi Arabia expand Medina’s international airport under a public-private partnership project that is the first of its kind in the region and is expected to spur economic development and help accommodate a growing number of religious pilgrims.

It was announced from Singapore at the beginning of November that ClassNK had issued its first Type Specific Training Course approval for an ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) Training Course offered by the FURUNO INS Training Centre in the City. This approval, which coincides with the grand opening of the new training centre, certifies that the course offered complies with the leading classification society’s new Standard for Maritime Education & Training.

It was announced from London on 2nd November that Lloyd’s Register EMEA had been appointed by Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway, as the independent safety assessor (ISA) for the extensive 1,200-kilometre rail line to be constructed across the region, stretching from the Arabian Gulf to the Indian Ocean.

As the ISA, Lloyd’s Register will help to ensure the safety of passengers, operating staff and members of the public at every stage of the railway’s development, from design through to the commencement of stage-one freight services in 2014 and the addition of passenger services during stages two and three.