Dear members,

I am very pleased to report that our extraordinary General Meeting (GM) last Thursday was a complete success, both technically and organisationally. The use of a new software solution for the online event proved to be the right choice. It enabled an interactive exchange with the participants through the integration of a video conferencing solution. Likewise, all votes could be held smoothly and the voting transfers worked as intended.

But not only technical matters went well. Much more important is that the voting results make our entire association more future-proof. All motions were approved by the participants with large majorities. This demonstrates unity and it also shows that we as VC members are able to achieve results that take us forward. In the article below we have summarised the most important results of the GM for you.

Arne von Schneidemesser
Vice President

Particularly in light of the improving outlook for the aviation industry, it is relevant that we are positioned as a robust and powerful association. In the coming year, some crisis agreements with employers will expire and we currently see that the situation in air transport has changed fundamentally compared to the beginning of the pandemic:

We see that people want and need to travel. There is a lot of catch-up demand.
We see fully booked planes on North Atlantic routes since the US has allowed Europeans to travel to the States again.
And we see that cockpit job vacancies are being advertised again in Germany.

All this makes one thing crystal clear: We are needed! We are a crucial part of the aviation system and only with us can airlines and the air transport sector as a whole return to their former strength. We look forward to working together with the employers to create the conditions necessary for air transport to climb to old heights again!

Results of the extraordinary General Meeting on 11 November 2021

For all those who were unable to attend the extraordinary General Meeting (GM) on 11 November, we have compiled the most important information and results of the votes.

VC President Stefan Herth chaired the meeting, which was streamed live from our office in Frankfurt from 10 am. Including the delegated votes, 518 members were registered to participate. This number is a strong sign of support for VC! And the numerous delegations of votes shows how important it is to many members to be involved, even if they could not attend the GM themselves. The great unity in our association was also shown during the meeting by the fact that the resolutions summarised below were all passed with large majorities:

Formalities first: Activities of the Executive Board for the 2020 business year were approved with 98 per cent and a new auditor was elected.
New GM statutes and rules of procedure make it possible to hold meetings in online format in future, irrespective of Corona exceptions and regulations. This item was passed with nearly 88 (statutes) and almost 99 (rules of procedure) per cent approval.
VC Policies become Position Papers. This proposal was approved by the members with about 98 per cent. Practice has shown that there were hardly any differences in the previous logic, so the format will be standardised and the term "Policy" will be dropped. In future, we will thus work according to the structures of IFALPA and ECA. In addition, the new statutes text clarifies that position papers are an orientation of the association in terms of content. In future, guidelines will only serve to organise work in the form of work instructions and no longer to position the association in terms of content.
In case of replacements of Executive Board members, they have no voting rights until the Advisory Council has given its approval, but they may participate in Executive Board meetings. The Board quorum will be defined by members with voting rights only so that the ability to decide is not affected. This motion was passed with nearly 99 per cent approval.
The rules for the assessment of the membership fee were revised so that the total gross remuneration of a calendar year serves as the basis for calculation and is settled in the following year. This was approved by almost 96 per cent.
The membership fee regulations were amended with more than 90 per cent approval in order to limit a possible increase in membership fees in a transitional phase of three years compared to the old method of calculating membership fees. This would otherwise affect those members who worked normal or even increased hours during the crisis. In addition, severance payments were excluded from fee calculations.
A clarification on the quorum of the Advisory Council and the voting procedures was passed with over 98 percent approval.
VC's regulations on support for members in keeping their licences current were amended in various passages on the basis of practical experience with applications for support from members. This motion was passed with almost 99 percent of the votes.

Dr. Karl-Heinz Richstein
VC SupportLine Coordinator

VC SupportLine - Before stresses become problems

The VC SupportLine is a support service offered by pilots for pilots. It was established in 2013 and has been contacted by over 1,000 colleagues since then. VC SupportLine can draw on a large expert network, including Stiftung Mayday, AntiSkid, an association of experienced aviation psychologists (EAAP) and, of course, experienced fellow pilots.

It is extremely important to the coordinator of the SupportLine, Dr. Karl-Heinz Richstein, that confidentiality is protected under all circumstances: No one (!) may even know about the fact of the call, let alone the topics discussed. You can find more information about the work of and possible assistance from the SupportLine here on the VC Info-Website (in German).

Loss-of-Licence Insurance

Without a licence, you no longer have any chance to work in the cockpit. A loss of licence is therefore a bitter blow for almost everyone affected. In order to be at least financially protected against such a risk, Nexus Europe / Millstream offers VC members a discounted loss-of-licence insurance, which we would like to remind you of here.

You can find all necessary information on our website in the members' area at Service - Partners and Discounts - Insurances.

English version of VC Aviation Safety Concept SafeSKY 2021 released

The latest edition of VC's Aviation Safety Concept SafeSKY 2021 has been published in English. Our new edition contains adaptations based on new findings and changed regulations. We also cover new topics in the areas of security, training, health and professional environment, as well as airport, ground and environment.

SafeSKY 2021 - VC Aviation Safety Concept

PBAOM - What's that?

PBAOM stands for "Performance-Based Aerodrome Operating Minima". It is a continuation of the navigation principles established with PBN from approach to landing. In future, approach minima will no longer be classified exclusively in the previously established categories (CAT I-III), but each approach aid used will per se enable a better minimum. For airport operators, this offers the possibility of enabling bad weather approaches by installing fewer approach aids and using new technologies - such as enhanced vision systems - without having to invest directly in expensive full CAT II/III equipment.

A presentation on this topic can be found at ICAO: Skytalks Workshops - Performance-based Aerodrome Operating Minima

We need you!

VC is looking for a member for the Airport & Ground Environment and/or Aircraft Design & Operation working groups who is willing and has the time to get involved in this topic. The topic of PBAOM will have significant influence on operations in the next decade and we pilots should make sure that our perspective is included in the regulations.

If you are interested in working with us, please contact: flightsafety@vcockpit.de.

Flight Time Limitations WG is looking for new Members

Regulations defining flight duty and rest periods for pilots are an important basis for the safe performance of a flight, as they regulate the aspects of physical and mental stress on the crew. In this context, not only compliance with and implementation of the currently applicable regulations are important, but also the active monitoring and development of new regulations up to EASA level, based on scientific findings.

VC's Flight Time Limitations (FTL) working group deals with these topics. We are looking for interested pilots who would like to look beyond their duty roster and dive into the (admittedly somewhat dry - yet still exciting) matter of flight duty and rest times to strengthen our working group. Your experience as a pilot, motivation and team spirit are ideal prerequisites for joining us.

Are you interested? Please contact us by e-mail at agftl@vcockpit.de. We look forward to hearing from you.

Would you know how to evacuate?

Evacuation procedures are part of training, but how would the process work in real life? The accident of an MD-87 provides food for thought. The aircraft had overshot the end of the runway after the pilots performed a rejected takeoff. Of the 23 people on board, "only" two suffered serious injuries and another person suffered minor injuries, as the aircraft was successfully evacuated before a fire largely destroyed the plane.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published a report on the investigation launched: Runway Excursion, McDonnell Douglas MD-87

News from Associations, Organisations and Regulators

ICAO - Runway Global Report Format applicable worldwide

The ICAO Global Reporting Format (GRF) for assessing and reporting runway surface conditions became applicable worldwide on 4 November. In some parts of the world it had been in use for some time before. The global harmonisation is intended to benefit safety on the one hand and to increase the efficiency of airport operations on the other, for instance through a better planning of contaminant removal and more efficient use of aircraft de-icing. More information is available from ICAO:
Standardized runway reporting format to enhance aviation safety worldwide