Business

Airlines warned to take extra precautions as planes return post COVID layoff

Published

3 years ago

December 15, 2020

NAV

Regulators, insurers, and experts are warning airlines to take extra care when reactivating planes left in extended storage during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing potential pilot rustiness, maintenance errors, and even insect nests blocking key sensors.

The unprecedented number of aircraft grounded as COVID 19 lockdowns blocked air travel – at one point reaching two-thirds of the global fleet – has created a spike in the number of reported problems as airlines return them to service.

The number of “unstabilized” or poorly handled approaches has risen sharply this year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Such mishaps can result in hard landings, runway overshoots, or even crashes.

According to aircraft maker Airbus SE AIR.PA, the largest category of fatal accidents can be traced back to the approach to an airport, while the largest number of non-fatal accidents happen during landing.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has reported an “alarming trend” in the number of reports of unreliable airspeed and altitude readings during the first flight after a plane leaves storage.

It said last month that issues found after prolonged parking included an engine shutdown in flight after technical problems, fuel system contamination, reduced parking brake pressure, and emergency batteries losing their charge.

In some cases, take-offs had to be abandoned or the aircraft had to return to base.

In most cases, the problem was traced back to undetected insect nests inside the aircraft’s pitot tubes, pressure-sensitive sensors that feed key data to an avionics computer.

Insects blocking a pitot tube contributed to the 1996 crash of a chartered Birgenair plane in the Dominican Republic that killed all 189 people on board.

“We’ve got people returning to work who are quite rusty, which is a big issue,” insurer Aon’s Moran said.

Australia’s aviation regulator said on Nov. 30 its inspectors would beef up surveillance on COVID-19 related risks involving the re-entry into service, pilot training, and safety risk management for the remainder of the year through to June 30, 2021.

Pilots also need to make an honest assessment of their skills and confidence upon returning to work, International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations representative Peter Meiresonne said at an industry webinar in October.

They may need to turn down offers like shorter landing approaches from air traffic control if they do not feel ready, he said.

The majority of airlines have developed training programs for pilots re-entering service ranging from theory refreshers to multiple simulator sessions and supervised in-flight checks, depending on the length of absence.