Aviation safety

Article Added Feb 2010:

British Airways 777 crash at Heathrow in January 2008 - Accident Investigators publish their report

Note Added Oct 5 2009

Pilots March over Fatigue Hazard

Today we saw airline pilots demonstrating outside the EU parliament building in protest at the EU flight time limitation rules due to be forced onto Britain within 3 years. As with many of the aviation regulations that have been created by horse-trading and political deals, these rules are an exercise in compromise rather than science based good sense; in spite of the safety-critical nature of the issue. 

So, in order to create any rules at all, we are dumbed down the to median. Italian pilots, hitherto able to work a duty day of 24 hours, will now be more restricted while British and German pilots will be able to work longer duties, even though it is already possible to be dangerously fatigued within existing rules.

The interviewer on BBC radio's Today program demanded that the General Secretary of BALPA name the accident that had occurred under British rules due to fatigue, thus reinforcing the common view that we must begin having accidents in order to provide evidence, in spite of well-respected scientific studies having provided evidence a-plenty.

It seems that it is easier to prevent consenting police women from minding each other's children than it is to get some common sense into this vital issue. Evidence, it seems, is entirely relative.

Note Added Sept 24 2009

Finally serious attention is being paid the condition known as Aerotoxic Syndrome after those affected have battled against large corporate interests, who suppressed the truth for years. It is worth remembering that in spite of the excellent reporting of new evidence on the BBC's Today Program this morning, that contrary to that report; 100% of the air that you breathe (not 50% as reported) on an aircraft comes through its engines, Therefore any leak or vaporisation of the highly toxic engine oil leaves occupants exposed to the possibility of poisoning. See my article on "The Air You Breathe" below, for more information. TT

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Terry has been commentating on aviation safety since he began writing his forthcoming book in 2006. 

Anatomy of an Air Crash - How Culture Decides Your Fate will be going to press early in 2009.

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 TV News 24, BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC World Service, various BBC regional stations and Sky TV news. See below for a more comprehensive list:

Here are selection of his newspaper articles on aviation:

    Turkish Airlines & the Amsterdam Crash

    Continental Crash at Buffalo Niagra

    The "Hero" of Hudson River

   Ryanair incident at Rome Ciampino

   Spanair Crash - The Tragedy of Madrid    

    BA O38: More Questions Than Answers

    The Air that you Breathe

Terry's radio interviews and discussions, 2009: 

Sunday 1st March: LBC  "Simon Calder's Travel Clinic"  

Feb 26th: BBC World Service, Europe Today, on the Turkish crash and Terry's suggestion of how culture could be a factor.

February 6th 2009: Interviews to BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC World Service and other regional stations on the release of the recordings of the conversation between the captain of the US Airways Airbus that landed in the Hudson River and the air traffic controllers handling the flight.

Friday 16th January: Following the dramatic ditching of a US Airways Airbus A320 in the Hudson River in Manhattan, Terry gave 6 media interviews, which were broadcast on:  BBC Radio 5 live, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 2 and Southern counties, BBC Wales, BBC Manchester, BBC Newcastle, plus other regional transmissions and Sky TV news.

2008

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..