BOEING WINGLET DESIGN FOR 737 MAX

B737 MAX

In continuation of our coverage on WINGLETS and FUEL SAVING A320 SHARKLETS, we bring the news about Boeing announcement and breakthrough on new winglet design concept for the 737 MAX. The new Advanced Technology winglet will provide MAX customers with up to an additional 1.5 percent fuel-burn improvement, depending on range, on top of the 10-12 percent improvement already offered on the new-engine variant.

MULTI-CREW PILOT LICENCE

As a sequel to the post on FAA Proposed Rule Making for First Officers, wherein it was commented that a competency based training of first officer will be preferred over proposed FAA rule of ATP as requirement with 1500 hrs for first officers, this post touches upon the MPL or mutl-crew pilot licence .This was established in 2006 for airline co-pilots by ICAO. The MPL initiative was seized by Germany,China,Phillipines, Canada and Singapore.

FLIGHT AT EXTREMELY LOW SPEEDS

S tall speed is defined as the lowest airspeed at which 1 'G' level flight can be achieved. However it is also possible to fly the airplane at speeds below the defined stall speed. This regime is outside the certified flight envelope. There are several important factors that a pilot must know when the airplane is at extremely low speeds.

TIME OF USEFUL CONSCIOUSNESS

I n the 'World of Hypoxia' the Time of Useful Consciousness (TUC) is a very important parameter. For low ambient pressure conditions it indicates the time available to perform purposeful activities, such as oxygen mask donning or aircraft control. Beyond this time frame mental and physical capabilities are dangerously impaired and finally result in unconsciousness and potentially death.TI
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FAA PROPOSED RULE MAKING FOR FIRST OFFICERS

F AA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued on Feb. 29, 2012, which would require that first officers hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and a minimum of 1,500 hours flight time to obtain the certificate. Existing FAA regulations do not require a first officer to hold an ATP certificate; only the pilot in command must meet this certificate requirement.

Industry experts discussing the proposed rule, tend to emphasize on being cautious in creating an unnecessary pilot shortage and barriers to crew recruitment. Also the debate is on whether the new requirements would help in raising the bar as far as safety is concerned.

One notable comments to FAA proposed rulemaking comes from Airlines for America(A4A),who have urged FAA to significantly revise its proposed requirements for pilot certification and provide a system that builds on the industry’s strong safety record, is recommended by safety experts and that recognizes the quality of a pilot’s training and experience, rather than relying solely on a specific quantity of flight hours.