Dear members,

It is a great pleasure to announce this year’s 50th birthday of Vereinigung Cockpit on March 11, 2019. What began as a vision of six pilots and flight engineers half a century ago in a snow-covered hotel in Montreal, is now one of the world’s most regarded pilot associations. From the very beginning, Vereinigung Cockpit successfully and indefatigably advocated for the improvement of flight safety on a constant basis. Among others, outstanding achievements include:

  • Stimulation of an incident reporting system in Germany,
  • Active participation in ergonomic cockpit design,
  • Generating policies and contributing our positions to rule making,
  • Advocating a just culture, thus contributing to the evolution of a positive safety culture.

The VC Waypoints represent one aspect of our aim to constantly contribute to the improvement of flight safety. Next to our popular links to publications of IFALPA, ECA, and EASA todays Waypoints edition covers the following topics:

  • Pilot Careers Live fair in Frankfurt
  • Portable Electronic Devices in Passenger Checked Baggage
  • Behavioural Detection as a Security Measure
  • Considerations when protecting Manned Aviation from Drones
  • Madeira Airport Survey on Operations and Wind Limitations

I invite you to browse through the contents to learn the latest about your topic of interest.

As we continuously strive to improve our Waypoint we require and seek your feedback. Please forward your inputs to flightsafety@vcockpit.de  or just use the reply function of your mail provider should you have any suggestions for improvement, tips, or wishes regarding topics to address. We will do our best to keep the Waypoints as informative and interesting as possible for your convenience.

Kind regards,

Your Technical Director Flight Safety

Vereinigung Cockpit turns 50!

On the occasion of this anniversary and the related stories and outstanding achievements, a 50 Year Vereinigung Cockpit chronicle will be published shortly.

From March 11, 2019, each era of VCs last 50 years will be published in regular intervals on www.50jahre.vcockpit.de. Look forward to articles regarding VCs founding and evolution within the context of our interests:

  • Being involved in the welfare and safety of civil aviation
  • Maintaining and pursuing interests related to professional policies

Pilot Careers Live Fair in Frankfurt

On March 09, 2019, the Pilot Careers Live fair takes place in the Frankfurt Hilton hotel. VC members can order free tickets (promotional code VC19). The German ALPA will again be represented at a stand informing about the pros and cons of the profession as a pilot and providing valuable advice for a successful start into a pilot’s career.  See pilotcareernews.com/live/frankfurt for further information and other exhibitors.

IFALPA Position Paper: PEDs in Passenger Checked Baggage

IFALPA has issued a position paper regarding risks of portable electronic devices (PEDs) in passengers' checked baggage containing other allowable dangerous goods such as flammable aerosols or flammable liquids. FAA tests have demonstrated serious risks with consequences likely to be catastrophic. Read more in IFALPAs position paper.

See as well IATAs passenger information leaflet for traveling with electronic devices – three steps to help you fly safer.

Special Procedures for In-Flight Contingencies in Oceanic Airspace

Applicable from 28 March, 2019, IFALPA has released a Safety Bulletin concerning procedures in the entire NAT (North Atlantic Track) Region and New York Oceanic West (WATRS).
The Bulletin covers the most frequent contingency cases potentially requiring deviation from assigned clearances, e.g. weather, medical emergencies, or loss of / significant reduction in required navigation capability.

IFALPA Security Briefing Leaflet: Behavioural Detection as a Security Measure

IFALPA issued a revised version of its 2016 Security Briefing Leaflet Behavioural Detection as a Security Measure. The focus is on disclosing dangerous people rather than dangerous objects in the attempt to adapt to new threats through risk-based security measures. One promising technique providing numerous benefits is behavioural detection as an additional security measure, concentrating exclusively on the observation of specific suspicious behaviour indicating a possible threat. Read more on IFALPAs position in their revised Security Briefing Leaflet.

IATA Bulletin: Key considerations when protecting manned aviation from drones

IATA reacts to the rapidly expanding use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and the resulting potential risks for manned aviation. With considerations to risk mitigation, IATA addresses anti-UAS operational measures including detection of and countering UASs. See IATAs Information Bulletin for detail.

Madeira Airport Survey on Operations and Wind Limitations

Our sister association, the Portuguese Airline Pilots' Association (APPLA), is conducting a research in order to gather feedback from pilots with relevant operational experience of commercial air transport (CAT) aircraft at Madeira Airport. This is mostly related to the specific wind effects and limitations during take-off, approach and landing at LPMA and is meant to provide the viewpoint of pilots to the Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), in regard of an ongoing project targeted at increasing the operational availability of the airport without compromising safety. Your cooperation is much appreciated and filling out the form should take you no more than ten minutes.

Access the APPLA survey here.