FLYING AT THE EDGE A TEST PILOTS PERSPECTIVE OF HUMAN FACTORS
2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
JEZ ROBINSON •
RAF: •
Tornados
•
Flying Instructor on Hawks
•
Test Pilot
•
Test Pilot Instructor
•
British Airways
•
Human Factors 2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
FLIGHT TEST PHILOSOPHY •
Inherently more risk than ‘normal’ flying
•
Careful planning / review / agreement
•
Safety is very much the focus
•
Never deviate from agreed/briefed limits in schedule
•
Everyone involved given test plan and attends briefing
•
Anyone can call “Stop” 2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
ACCIDENT INVOLVING AIRBUS A320 D-AXLA •
The views are mine alone
•
I ascribe no blame to anyone involved
•
Used solely to try and improve safety
•
Taken from the French accident investigators’ (BEA) report
BACKGROUND •
Aircraft leased from ANZ to XL Airways Germany (XL)
•
Post-lease airborne checks before returned to ANZ
•
Flight From and back to Perpignan and then to Frankfurt
•
Crew: •
XL:
Captain (pilot flying) and First Officer (pilot not-flying)
•
ANZ:
Pilot (in cockpit), 3 engineers
•
NZ CAA:
Airworthiness Inspector 2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
•
Test schedule agreed by XL captain and ANZ pilot •
Email exchanges between XL captain and ANZ pilot
•
XL captain spoke to Air Traffic Control
•
2 Briefings: •
XL pilots (in German)
•
XL captain and ANZ pilot
•
Aircraft crashed during a low-speed handling check
•
Airbus have procedures for such manoeuvres •
Release documentation to customers •
Strong health warnings
•
Must sign disclaimer
•
Minimum altitude 14,000ft
•
None of the pilots had received any specific training
•
ATC questioned type of flight •
•
Informed captain that he could not conduct manoeuvres as requested.
Crew delayed parts of the test until returning to the airfield
2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
ANZ Described first part of test. Stated above 14,000ft XL Decided to perform first part at 13,000ft ATC Descend to 12,000ft ATC Descend to 8,000ft
12,000ft ANZ “Low speed flight is now probably next”
Described the sequence of events • Did not mention altitude limit • Did not mention checking speeds
First part of test conducted ATC Cleared to make approach to runway
XL Low speed test done later or on way to Frankfurt
Descend to 6,000ft Descend to 5,000ft
5,000ft
2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
XL Discussion about the approach
5,000ft Descend to 2,000ft
Co-pilot briefed the approach
“Down below the clouds so you want what?”
4,000ft ANZ “To go slower you mean? …We need to go slower with err recovery from… recovery”
Asked Co-pilot to lower the landing gear, then said, “We do the err the…” Asked for speed values from ANZ pilot
“Low speed yeah” “just… to come right back to alpha floor activation” 3,000ft +30 sec… Warning horn +1min 30 sec… Aircraft Crashed
THE INTERACTIVE BIT •
Did the crew understand what they were doing?
•
Was everybody equally involved?
•
What was their attitude to risk?
•
Missed Opportunities
•
Who was driving the pace of events?
•
Who could have called ‘Stop!’? 2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
MY THOUGHTS •
Think about (and understand) the risk beforehand
•
Have a plan and contingencies (mitigate the risk)
•
Do not change the plan
•
Understand (and adhere to) the safety barriers
•
If there is any doubt… Stop!
•
The team must drive the pace of events 2016 Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
QUESTIONS?
Jez Robinson Robinson Aviation Consulting Ltd
[email protected]
