SIA gives older pilots a month's extension

Singapore Airlines (SIA) will allow captains above the age of 62 to fly until the end of April instead of March, as earlier announced, following discussions with the pilots' union and the Manpower Ministry.

The one-month extension was given as talks over SIA's decision not to re-hire retiring pilots continue, airline spokesman Nicholas Ionides said.

Both sides are exploring more long-term options, including allowing captains to stay until they turn 64, with shorter flying hours, The Straits Times has learnt.

Another alternative is to have them take no-pay leave. No further details were available.

The Manpower Ministry was approached by SIA and the Air Line Pilots Association - Singapore to help resolve the matter.

Last month, SIA said it would stop offering re-employment to captains above the retirement age of 62. Those already on re-employment contracts - that allowed them to fly until they are 64 - would also have to leave by the end of March, the airline said.

The decision affected more than 90 captains, including the union president, Captain Mok Hin Choon.

At the time, SIA, which employs about 2,400 pilots, said the decision was necessitated by a manpower surplus that has persisted in the past few years and is not expected to change until March next year at least.

The excess manpower is due to network changes and a challenging business environment, and despite measures taken to alleviate the surplus, including voluntary no-pay leave and voluntary movements to subsidiaries.

The challenges have hit business, with operating profit at the parent carrier plunging by 33 per cent year-on-year to $87 million in the three months to Dec 31.

Various measures, including plans to launch a premium economy product in August, have been taken to boost yields and profits.

To counter a slowdown in the premium air travel market, SIA started long-haul budget carrier Scoot more than two years ago and has taken a bigger stake in short-haul airline Tigerair.

But it will take time for the benefits to be realised, industry analysts said, and, until then, SIA will continue to watch its expenses, including manpower costs.

When contacted yesterday, Capt Mok declined to comment, citing ongoing negotiations.

The Straits Times, however, understands that if the dispute is not resolved, the union is likely to take the matter to the Industrial Arbitration Court.

SOURCE

British Airways Future Pilot Programme 2015

Job Description
Closing Date 08 March 2015 at 23:59

Please note we reserve the right to close the application window before the published date

The Future Pilot Programme is the cadet pilot training programme from British Airways. Designed for aspiring pilots from all walks of life, the programme offers the chance to pursue a career as a pilot with one of the world’s most progressive airlines.

Please refer to www.bafuturepilot.com before applying. You will need to have reached a decision on your choice of Flight Training Organisation (FTO) and considered your finance options before starting your application.


Role Requirements

You will need:
To be between the ages of 18 – 55 on 1st September 2015
A valid passport (with minimum of 12 months before expiry date) allowing unrestricted worldwide travel
The unrestricted right to live and work in the UK
To have achieved 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above, including English Language, Mathematics and a Science (single or double award), excluding General Studies and either 3 A-Levels at Grades BBC or above, excluding General Studies and Critical thinking or an Honours Degree at 2:2 (or higher) or a pass (or above) in a higher degree such as MSc, MA, MPhil, DPhil, PhD, MBA
To be able to obtain and hold a EASA Class 1 medical and meet British Airways medical criteria (assessed via BAHS Medical Assessment at Waterside)
Height between 1.57m (5'2") and 1.91m (6'3") with weight in proportion to height (height is accurately determined during the assessment process). Candidates who are taller than 1.91m may submit an application but may be required to undergo a functionality check to confirm their ability to meet the requirements of the seating positions in the British Airways fleet of aircraft

The Individual

You will be excited by the prospect of frequent travel, but will also be recognisant of the fact that British Airways operates flights globally, day and night, every day of the year
You will be highly motivated towards a career as a pilot with British Airways
You will be ready, willing and able to undergo an intensive, full-time series of training courses in order to train as a commercial pilot, all the while applying your own high personal standards and intellect to achieve results
You will have sound hand-eye co-ordination skills, and skills in mechanical, mathematical and verbal reasoning
You will be able to manage varying workload, solve complex problems, and make sound decisions under pressure
You will exhibit the qualities of a strong team player, as well as the leadership qualities required of a future British Airways Captain

It goes without saying that you’ll be a natural communicator, with fluency in spoken and written English, and that you’ll relish the opportunity to deliver the very highest possible levels of safety and service for our customers.

Application Process

In order to apply for a place on the Future Pilot Programme you will need to apply using the online process. You will be asked a series of questions to determine your eligibility and suitability for the role, submit a CV, followed by application questions (cover letter).


1. As part of your application, we would like for you to submit a CV. Please ensure that your CV details (at least) the following (maximum 2 pages):
Work experience to date
Academic Achievements to date
Any other relevant interests/qualifications/awards/flying experience/courses/ air show attendances etc. which you would like to highlight to us
2. British Airways believes in investing in the future and that is why the Future Pilot Programme (FPP) has been developed to offer anyone with the right skills, passion and potential, the chance to realise their dream of becoming an airline pilot.

As part of your application, please submit a cover letter in which you detail (maximum 600 words):

a) Why you want to be a pilot
b) What you have done so far to make this dream a reality (Note: If you have applied for FPP previously, we are interested to also know what you have done to realise this goal since your last application)
c) Why you want to join British Airways

We wish you the very best of luck with your application.

SOURCE

Rescuers scour Taiwan crash site as pilot hailed a hero

Taiwan rescuers scoured a river for 12 people still missing from a TransAsia plane crash on Thursday (Feb 5), as the pilot, who died in the crash, was hailed a hero for apparently battling to avoid hitting built-up areas.

Hundreds of rescuers in boats, as well as divers and soldiers mounted the search in the chilly waters, as the death toll rose to 31 with more bodies located including those of the pilot and co-pilot, authorities said. The TransAsia ATR 72-600 crashed shortly after take-off from Songshan airport in Taipei on Wednesday, hitting an elevated road as it banked sidelong towards the Keelung River, leaving a trail of debris including a smashed taxi.

In an operation overnight, large parts of the plane's fuselage were lifted from the river, enabling rescuers to recover bodies trapped inside, as divers on Thursday battled strong currents to search downstream for more victims.

Fifteen people were injured in the incident, while 12 people remained missing from the 58 people on board flight GE235. The two persons in the taxi clipped by the plane were still hospitalised, said TransAsia Airways in a statement.

The airline has started giving out emergency relief funds of NT$200,000 (S$8,600) to the families of those affected - those on board and those who were in the taxi. Nine families have received the funds, and the airline is in the process of giving out the money to the remaining families. TransAsia has also given out funeral allowance of NT$1.2 million (S$51,000) to the families of the victims who have been identified, it said.

Pilot Liao Chien-tsung was applauded by aviation experts for apparently steering the turboprop plane, which had 53 passengers and five crew on board, away from populated areas, potentially avoiding more deaths and damage. "The pilot apparently made a conscious effort to avoid further and unnecessary casualties by ditching in the river. It was a very courageous move," Hong Kong-based aviation analyst Daniel Tsang told AFP.

Emotional citizens posted their praise and condolences on social media sites. "I believe the pilot managed to steer the plane away from high-rise buildings, he is a hero," Gin Oy, a writer and actress, said on her Facebook page.

The Apple Daily newspaper ran a front-page story thanking "the pilot for saving Taipei". "We are proud of him. He was very brave to avoid the buildings," Liao's aunt told reporters at a funeral home in Taipei. Friends and relatives described the 41-year-old Liao as a diligent and family-loving man from a humble background who studied hard to join the air force before becoming a commercial pilot.

President Ma Ying-jeou paid his respects to the victims and comforted their families at a funeral home in Taipei and was scheduled to visit the wounded at several hospitals later Thursday.

Near the river, dozens of weeping relatives called out the names of their loved who perished as monks chanted scripts and waved the victims' clothes in front the plane's wreckage in a religious ritual to guide the spirits home.

Condolences from aboard poured in. Pope Francis sent a message to Taiwan's archbishop Hung Shan-chuan offering prayers for the dead and "strength and comfort" for the injured and mourning. The United States' de facto embassy in Taiwan also offered its condolences.




TODDLER'S ESCAPE

Tales of miraculous escapes have emerged. Television footage showed a father cuddling his toddler son as they were taken to shore by boat after being rescued on Wednesday. Together with the child's mother, the family had switched seats on the plane "out of a hunch" that saved their lives, the United Daily News said, quoting a family friend.

Their new seats put them next to a crack in the plane after it crashed and Lin was able to pull his wife to safety and then revive his son after spotting him in the water, blue and unresponsive.

"My brother just can't live without his son. When he found him, after lying in cold water for three minutes and with no signs of breathing or heartbeat, he performed CPR. He brought his son back," survivor Lin's brother Lin Ming-yi told reporters.

The accident, which occurred on a domestic route to the island of Kinmen, was the second fatal crash for TransAsia since July. Desperate crew shouted "Mayday! Mayday! Engine flameout!" as the plane plunged out of the sky, according to a recording thought to be the final message from the cockpit to the control tower.

Among the 15 survivors of the crash, 26-year-old flight attendant Huang Jin-ya was lucky for the second time - she was supposed to be on the plane that crashed in July, killing 48, but switched her shift, according to local reports. "She crawled out of the plane using her last moments of consciousness and saw water everywhere. She kept crying and said to me 'I thought I was going to die'," said her aunt according to United Daily News.

A total of 31 Chinese nationals were onboard the plane, with at least 16 dead, 12 missing and three injured, the government said. Some of the grieving relatives arrived in Taiwan on Thursday. Local media reported that among the Chinese victims, 26-year-old tour leader Wang Qinghuo from Xiamen was due to get married on Sunday.

The Civil Aeronautics Administration has grounded a total of 22 ATR planes from two Taiwanese airlines for safety checks following the accident.

SOURCE

ICAO establishes minute-by-minute aircraft tracking

An international aviation summit gave strong backing on Wednesday (Feb 4) to a plan to have all commercial flights emit a distress signal every minute in emergencies, in response to last year's Malaysia Airlines disaster.

A large majority of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)'s 191 member states are in favour of implementing the plan as soon as possible, said officials, paving the way for its adoption next year.

The plan was prompted by last year's disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in what remains one of history's great aviation mysteries. The aircraft, with 239 people on board, has never been found, nearly a year on.

"Global tracking will not prevent accidents," said ICAO chairman Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu. Radar can track a plane but coverage is spotty and fades when aircraft are out at sea or they are flying below a certain altitude.

Under the new rules, airlines will be required to track their aircraft using a system that gives their location at 15-minute intervals. "When an airplane is in distress, the system will repeat the signal every minute," Aliu told a press conference.

The ICAO Council is expected to ratify the proposal in November, making it obligatory for all airlines starting in 2016. According to officials, it's the quickest and easiest fix to a growing air safety concern - locating downed aircraft. "We can do it today and it's not expensive," said Nancy Graham, director of the ICAO's Air Navigation Bureau.

The head of the International Air Transport Association, which speaks for the airline industry, agreed. "A number of airlines are planning to improve now the ways of tracking their airplanes," IATA president Tony Tyler said.

At the Montreal meeting due to wrap up on Thursday, delegates also agreed in principal on a new way to disseminate warnings about the imminent risks of flying over war zones. A repository would be created containing all risk information, much of which is currently available to carriers but is often fragmented.

The creation of a central database administered by the ICAO is in response to the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 last July after being shot down over eastern Ukraine.

SOURCE

Several dead after TransAsia plane crash lands in Taipei river

A TransAsia Airways plane has crash landed into the Keelung River in Taipei, breaking into several pieces and injuring more than 10 people. At least 12 people have been reported dead.

Sixteen people have been rescued and sent to hospital, of which two of them were dead on arrival, said Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA). Thirty are still trapped or missing, reported TVBS. More than a hundred rescuers are currently involved.

The plane, TransAsia GE235, had 58 people aboard when it crash landed at 10.56am, local time, reported TVBS. Of the 58, there were 51 adults, two children and five crew members. Taiwan's CAA said the plane lost contact at 10.53am.

Thirty-one mainland Chinese tourists were among those on board, Taiwan's tourism bureau said.

The plane was an ATR-72, which just arrived in Taiwan last year, reported TVBS. The plane was on a domestic flight when it hit a road bridge before ploughing into the river, the AFP reported.

Taiwan's TransAsia Airways was involved in a deadly crash in July last year, when its plane, GE222, attempted to land in stormy weather and crashed on the island of Penghu, killing 48 people and wrecking houses and cars on the ground.

Footage taken from TVBS shows the plane hitting a vehicle while passing close to a highway.

Unverified images from a Twitter user in Taiwan have shown images of the plane flying close to a highway and going almost sideways before it hit the river.

SOURCE

Scoot collects its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Seattle

Budget carrier Scoot marked a new chapter in its history, after it collected the first of its Boeing 787 jets on Sunday.

Scoot's chief executive Campbell Wilson and crew received the "keys" to the new Dreamliner from planemaker Boeing under foggy skies at its Everett factory north of Seattle.

At the Boeing delivery centre, close to 80 guests, including journalists and suppliers, were treated to a 10-minute light-and-sound show in a ceremony to unveil the aircraft that gleamed in Scoot's trademark yellow.

The Dreamliner will leave Seattle for its 18-hour flight across the Pacific Sea, making a stop at Osaka before arriving in Singapore on Monday morning at 9.45am.

The plane's first "passengers" will be Mr Campbell, journalists and 38 others, including Scoot staff who scored coveted seats on the delivery flight through a contest.

Scoot's 787s, which will have up to 375 seats in two classes, promise to be more roomy and comfortable. Passengers in all classes can look outside through larger windows and entertain themselves by surfing the internet with Wifi onboard or streaming movies on their tablets and smartphones.

Sunday's delivery of the first Dreamliner comes more than two years after Scoot first announced that it will acquire the 787s. The Dreamliners, which are primarily made of carbon-fibre composite material, are lighter and use a fifth less fuel than the current fleet does.

Scoot, a Singapore Airlines subsidiary, has ordered 20 Dreamliners. As more B787s start coming onboard by August, the carrier expects to phase out six of its ageing, hand-me-down B777 aircraft from SIA. That will mark Scoot's transition to operating an all-Dreamliner fleet, which will be made up of the 787-8s and longer-range 787-9 variants.

Mr Campbell told The Straits Times that the eventual cost savings "improves our bottomline and gives us more scope to offer even better airfares".

It took more than 30 computerised mock-ups over the last two-plus years to finalise the look and feel of Scoot's Boeing 787 cabins. Scoot's Dreamliner fleet will be made up of the 787-8 and longer-range 787-9 variants.

They will each have up to 375 seats in two classes that promise to be roomier and more comfortable. Those onboard will:

- enjoy better seat pitch of between 31 inches (economy) to 38 inches (ScootBiz) and more legroom;

- get better views when they look outside through larger windows;

- charge their laptops and mobile devices with AC power, surf the internet with onboard Wifi connection or stream movies on their tablets and smartphones, although economy passengers will have to pay for these services;

- suffer fewer headaches, dry eyes and nausea, that are typically caused by the lack of oxygen, because the humidity level in the 787 cabin will be higher.

The Dreamliners, which are primarily made of carbon-fibre composite material, are lighter and use a fifth less fuel than the current fleet does. Scoot is among 58 airlines that have either ordered or received 1071 Dreamliners. Among them, 30 have received 231 787 jets.

SOURCE