Dear Members,

VC has a new Chairman Industrial Relations: Dr. Marcel Gröls. On behalf of the Board and all members of our association, I would like to welcome you once again and wish you success, Marcel! We are happy that we can count on your contribution to the large number of negotiations and their strategic aspects.


In the coming months, there is lots of work to be done in those talks. Details on working hours, license issues and other provisions for the future months and possibly years of crisis are still not fixed with many employers.


There is also still a great deal of uncertainty due to operational restrictions and threats of quarantine orders, which is a burden on many colleagues. Dealing with these burdens is of fundamental importance to pilots. Psychological resilience is indispensable to keep calm, maintain control and solve problems even in unclear and threatening situations.


We are thus going to increasingly focus on mental health. That is why the Flight Safety Department will address these issues in more detail in the coming months.


In addition, we have the following topics:

  • Working Group "Diversity and Social" at the ULA Summer Meeting
  • Always be prepared I - Contamination of pitot static systems
  • Always be prepared II - "Zero ATC" events
  • US ruling on contaminated cabin air
  • Survey on well-being and safety behaviour


You can also find more current news on our social media channels on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.


Enjoy the read!

Martin Pacher
Board Member

Marcel Gröls is VC's new Chairman Industrial Relations

The tariff expert has many years of experience in the field of tariff policy, including as head of co-determination, tariff policy and HR management issues at Hamburger Hochbahn AG and previously at the Trade Union IG Metall. He received his doctorate on negotiation strategies of interest groups from the University of Hamburg.


According to the articles of association of the VC, his tasks include conducting top-level talks with employers and associations and presenting collective bargaining positions to the public.


Markus Wahl, VC President: "We are pleased that we have been able to win Marcel Gröls, a proven expert in collective bargaining policy and political lobbying. He will contribute his expertise to the strategic policy orientation of the VC. I am very much looking forward to working with him."

Working Group "Diversity and Social" at ULA summer talks "Perspectives after the Crisis"

At the summer meeting of the United Leaders Association (ULA), representatives of VC's working group Diversity and Social met as part of the "Diversity Team" to exchange views with other ULA members. Among other things, the advantages of online meetings in terms of equal opportunities and diversity were discussed.


Another major topic was the (threatened) loss of jobs of VC members due to the current situation. Here the question arose of how to help those who already lost their jobs and those threatened by unemployment and which opportunities for VC members can result from the involvement in the ULA. First ideas, such as internships in other industries for new insights and ideas, will be further developed at upcoming meetings.

Always be prepared I - Contamination of Air Data Systems

EASA has noticed an alarming increase in the number of reports of unreliable speed and altitude indications during the first flight(s) following the aircraft leaving storage, caused by contaminated air data systems. Pitot static systems were often found to be jammed by foreign objects, such as insect nests.


Since these issues have led to a number of Rejected Take-Off (RTO) and In-Flight Turn Back (IFTB) events, EASA has issued Safety Information Bulletin 2020-14 to raise awareness and mitigate the problem.

Always be prepared II - "Zero ATC" Events

"You’re halfway across the Atlantic when ATC declares that they are suspending all services. TIBA procedures (Skybrary: Traffic Information Broadcasts by Aircraft) are now in effect. Would you know what to do next?"


Since the probability of such incidents has increased due to the corona pandemic, the OPS Group provides information and links to more sources on such events in its article Planning for Zero ATC Events in Oceanic Airspace.

US ruling recognises chronic exposure to contaminated cabin air

The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive points out that a US ruling has officially recognised problems with contaminated cabin air. The Oregon Compensation Board's "Opinion and Order" has recognised that a Jet-Blue captain was exposed chronically to contaminated air on the Airbus aircraft he flew followed by an acute oil fume event in early 2017. "This is an historic ruling in the USA and has global implications for the aviation industry," the GCAQE states in its press release of August 11, 2020.

Trinity College Dublin: Survey on well-being, employment and safety behaviour

Trinity College Dublin' School of Psychology is conducting the survey "Impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on aviation workers and the aviation system" until 24. August 2020.


The survey is part of a study concerned with the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the well-being, employment and safety behaviour of aviation workers. The results will be made available to relevant stakeholders.


To the survey

News from Associations, Organisations and Regulators


ECA


IFALPA


Flight Safety Foundation

Lufthansa's Classic Plane Junkers Ju 52 D-AQUI to be on display at the "Quax" Airmen in Paderborn

The Junkers Ju 52 D-AQUI of the Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Stiftung will move to a new home in the headquarters of the Quax Airmen in Paderborn. It will be reassembled and is supposed to be at least able to taxi again around the airport once in a while. A restoration to complete airworthiness is not (yet) planned. More information can be found at Flugrevue (German).

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