Aviation safety

Terry has been commentating on this issue since he began writing his forthcoming book in 2006. 

Cheap Flights – The True Cost: Are We Taking Safety for Granted? will be going to press early in 2008.

It is a unique insight into a pilot’s priorities and raises concerns about an industry that has rightly claimed to be the safest form of travel available. There is more about the book here.

Interviews include several for the BBC on the issue of pilot fatigue, the so called “level busts” when aircraft climb or descend beyond the level assigned to them by Air Traffic Control and more recently in the aftermath of the crash of the British Airways Boeing 777 at London Heathrow. He is able to bring the pilot’s eye view to such issues and translate them into language non pilots understand.

Terry is often the first call for media producers seeking an opinion on aviation matters, especially safety issues. He has commented, been interviewed and joined debates on several BBC stations over the last few years, including BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC World Service, BBC Radio Belfast and BBC Radio Wales. 

Here are selection of his newspaper articles on aviation:

   Ryanair incident at Rome Ciampino

   Spanair Crash - The Tragedy of Madrid    

    BA O38: More Questions Than Answers

    The Air that you Breathe

Terry's recent media interviews and discussions:

Radio Ulster 2nd December - Discussion about risk levels following incidents in
which vandals, using laser devices, attempt to blind pilots on approach to Belfast City Airport.

BBC Radio 5 live Interviewed on the 10th Nov following the bird strike and heavy landing of a Ryanair Jet at Rome's Ciampino airport that morning.

BBC TV News. Interview regarding possible causes of the Spanair MD80 crash at Mardid on 20th August 2008.

BBC Radio Five Live Interview about the circumstances surrounding the Spanair MD80 crash at Madrid on 20th August 2008.

BBC Radio London Breakfast show 20th March. Interviewed by Joanne Good & Paul Ross, about the whistle blower in London Air Traffic Control alleging unsafe practices are creeping in, in order to keep the traffic flow up.

Radio 5 Live's Drive programme at 1612 on Monday 25th February following the Greenpeace security breach at London Heathrow.

BBC Radio Scotland's NewsWeek programme on Saturday 23rd February. The programme, presented by Derek Bateman, was about the investigations into the crash landing at Heathrow in early 2008.

BBC World Service 17th January, interview about the crash of BA 038 at Heathrow..