Increasing SOP Compliance

In the era where increased incidents and accidents are attributed to flight crew non-adherence to procedures, what can be done to ensure increased SOP compliance?

Standard Operating Procedures(SOP) are a critical component in flight operations and in improving the flight safety. They are intended as a guard against operational errors and help elevate crew performance leading to safe operation of a flight.

AIRCRAFT GO-AROUND MANEUVER

One question that is frequently asked in aviation circles about piloting issue is as to why a go-around was not carried out when the approach was unstable.

 Looking at the data that is out there, the stats point out that only 2-3% of the unstabilised approaches end in a go-around.Well then, the questions that are being asked about go-arounds seem justified and needs an in-depth look at various facets as to why it is so.

What is it that makes a well trained and proficient crew shy away from conducting a go-around on the approach when it is required so??

A380 PUSHING TECHNICAL BOUNDARIES

Airbus has always been at the forefront of pushing technical boundaries in aviation and excelling in aircraft design and technology. Airbus says efforts to lower the weight of the world's largest airliner lay behind recent A380 wing cracks and pledged to learn from mistakes that lay dormant for a decade, as repair costs looked set to climb towards 500 million euros ($A642 million).

A330 PASSENGER TO FREIGHTER PROGRAM

According to Airbus press release today,Airbus, ST Aerospace and EADS EFW have finalised the agreement to establish the collaboration for the launch of the A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) conversion programme. This follows the MoU announced at the Singapore Airshow in February this year setting out the project’s foundation and granting ‘Authorisation To Offer’ for the A330P2F.

DOWNWARD FACING WINGLETS

Aircraft designers have traditionally used winglets as a means to reduce induced drag and save on consequent fuel burn aka operating costs. Over the years several designs have emerged and the classic end plates and winglets are common in Boeing and airbus models. General aviation aircraft on the other hand have more innovative designs of winglets to enhance operational cost benefits.

While an equivalent increase in wingspan would be more effective than a winglet of the same length, the bending force becomes a greater factor.  Typically, a three-foot winglet has the same bending force as a one-foot increase in span, yet gives the same performance gain as a two-foot wing span increase.  For this reason, most designers have concentrated their efforts in winglets designs to reduce drag.

COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN AIRCRAFT

B787 Fuselage section

Composite materials have been used in aviation and aircraft manufacturing for decades. There were used in civil and military aircraft primarily on secondary surfaces. What exactly are composite materials??