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Aviation History
1980
1980 - 1695.PDF
FLIGHT International, 12 Inly 1980 t Spot-height danger to unwary crews IF the airport approach charts only are consulted (and not the relevant topographical charts as well), it would appear that the Tenerife Boeing 727 crash could not have happened. The aircraft hit high ground at an altitude now confirmed as 5,400ft, almost i exactly on a line between 4,950ft and 3,982ft spot-heights on the Dan-Air captain's British Airways Aerad chart (see simplified version, Flight, June 21, page 1321). The spot-heights are correct, and so is the crash position marked in the Flight diagram. The limitations of spot-height charts, though well known, are made frighteningly clear by this accident, even though this chart almost cer tainly played no part in the events leading to the crash. Spot-heights can only be marked for peaks, but there - is a high descending ridge near the 4,950ft spot, which is where the impact occurred. Aerad has been introducing mini mum safe altitude (MSA) contours on its new specification charts for some years now, but it is a major job and the process is gradual. North Ameri can, Caribbean and most European charts are already available in the new specification, and the new Tenerife, Lanzarote and Las Palmas charts will be available, ironically, this week. The new Tenerife South (Reine Sofia) Airport chart already has MSA contours. The contoured areas on the new charts are shaded and marked with MSAs which will keep aircraft 1,000ft clear of high ground and obstacles. Other changes include a generally tidier layout, and more rate of descent information. British Airways destination charts in other regions are also available in new specification. Eventually the en tire Aerad range will incorporate MSA contours. BA is pressing the International Civil Aviation Organisa tion (Icao) to ratify this format as standard and Icao has the subject on its agenda. Information on British Airways Aerad charts is available from: Superintendent Documentation Services, PO Box 7, Bealine House, Ruislip HA4 6QL, UK. Civil Aviation Bill amendment will allow multiple designation of routes UK Trade Secretary John Nott has tabled an amendment to the Civil Aviation Bill giving new guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on its "general objectives" when allocating route licences. It has become apparent that Nott's recent decision to overturn a CAA decision and licence four instead of two airlines on the London-Hong Kong cabotage route Flight, June 28, page 1441) could have been successfully challenged in the courts. The unamended Bill places no particular obligation on the CAA to consider "any benefits which may arise from enabling two or more air lines to provide the services in ques tion." The latter is the crucial sentence in the amendment. If the amendment is ratified, it will be the CAA's duty to consider such benefits in coming to any licensing decision. Other factors the CAA must take into account are given in the "general objectives and guidance" section of the Bill. The new services must: "satisfy all substantial sectors of pub lic demand at the lowest charges con sistent with a high standard of safety in operating the services and an econ omic return to efficient operators . . . and with securing the sound develop ment of the civil air-transport industry in the United Kingdom." A Depart ment of Trade spokesman emphasises that there is no order of priorities in these factors. The fact that the "low fares" item appears first in the direc tive probably reflects the concern that it could be overlooked, because fare comparisons were not a part of the old Civil Aviation Bill licensing para meters. The Bill had its third reading in Parliament last Monday, when the amendment was debated for the first time. It should become law by October. Short hauls ... • Japanese carriers have all suffered poor 1979 results. Japan Air Lines and All Nippon reported small pro fits—$1-7 million and $1-9 million respectively, both figures representing about 95 per cent drop in profits from the previous year's figures. Without the sale of aircraft and "other emer gency measures," both airlines would have made a loss. Toa Domestic Air lines' loss was similar to last year's at $23 million. All three carriers had in creased total sales value and passen gers carried. Short hauls ... • Aerolineas Argentinas on June 7 inaugurated its Buenos Aires- Auckland-Hong Kong polar route. The airline claims that overflying the South Pole on this Boeing 747-200 ser vice cuts almost eight hours off the time to final destination. This flight, the first non-charter service over the South Pole, took 24hr lOmin. • British Caledonian Airways has cut its London-Hong Kong standby fare by a pound to match the British Air ways' cheapest ticket at £99. 83 GAB plans to dictate airline insurance cover FOREIGN airlines are preparing to fight US Civil Aeronautics Board plans to dictate the level of insurance cover which they must hold. The International Union of Aviation In surers also attacks the proposals on the grounds of lack of precision in their wording and the loss of insurer/ insured confidentiality implicit in the plan. The liability of airlines has long been clear—it is defined in the War saw Convention and other inter national protocols. The CAB proposals would be the first to lay down the level of cover for airlines. The CAB wants domestic and inter national airlines to hold insurance up to $300,000 per person for both third party and passenger liability cover, with a $20 million minimum for each accident to cover third-party claims, and $90 million for each incident on a typical 400-seat aircraft involved, for passenger liability. Terms and conditions of insurance would have to be disclosed to the CAB, and thus would become public knowledge through the US Freedom of Informa tion legislation. Foreign airlines complain that this is another CAB move which infringes the principle of allowing governments to regulate their own airlines. The International Air Transport Associa tion warns that such measures would lead to standardisation of policy con ditions and rates, thus penalising the safer airlines and removing competi tion from the insurance market. O John Hine, president of the Inter national Union of Aviation Insurers, revealed at the union's annual meet ing that during 1979 insurers paid out 50 per cent more than they received in premiums. These payments do not include claims from relatives of pas sengers who died, because these are usually the subject of years of litiga tion. Short hauls ... • Japan Air Lines is modifying its long-range Boeing 747s to seat 391 instead of 361 passengers. Similar work on its DC-10-40s will upgrade capacity from 273 to 293 seats. Two of the 747s will be equipped for group travel in a single class 422-seat lay out. • Indian Airlines, India's domestic carrier, is expected to show a £22 mil lion loss for this financial year. The airline spends £82,000 per day more on fuel than a year ago. Expenditure on fuel and oil is 37 per cent of total operating expenses. From June 27 the airline has levied a 20-25 per cent fuel surcharge on passenger fares. Freight rates are unchanged.
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