Rusty pilots, Swampy extension, higher speed limits

[reader]

From Bloomberg / Bangkok Post

Rusty pilots making flying errors is next aviation headache

On Sept 15, an Indonesian flight carrying 307 passengers and 11 crew to the northern city of Medan momentarily veered off the runway after landing, sparking an investigation by the country’s transport safety regulator. It found the pilot had flown less than three hours in the previous 90 days. The first officer hadn’t flown at all since Feb 1.

The incident underlines an emerging risk from the coronavirus pandemic: pilots aren’t getting enough opportunity to fly because airlines have grounded planes and scaled back operations due to a slump in demand for air travel.

In its preliminary report, Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee said the pandemic has made it harder to maintain pilot proficiency and flying experience. The Lion Air aircraft involved was an Airbus SE A330, one of 10 in the carrier’s fleet. Because Lion Air doesn’t have a simulator for the A330, its pilots are trained at third-party facilities in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Covid-19 travel restrictions have made those harder to access.

“Regular flying keeps your mind in the cockpit,” said Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety consultant who was an adviser to India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation. “Being away from flying for such a long time brings in some complacency. Add loss of income, uncertainty about jobs or the future of the airline, that brings in additional stress. With an increase in stress levels, proficiency drops.”

Analytics company Cirium says almost a third of the world’s passenger jets remain in storage -- parked in the centre of Australia and the US’s Mojave Desert. While there’s been a recovery in domestic travel in larger markets such as China, international traffic is way off pre-pandemic levels because of border restrictions and mandatory quarantine, a big deterrent to travellers. Thousands of pilots have been laid off or furloughed, and those still in work are flying a lot less because there’s so little demand.

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From The Nation

AOT revising Suvarnabhumi’s Bt44bn northern expansion plan

The 44 billion baht northern expansion of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport is being revised, to meet “new normal” requirements, according to Airports of Thailand. AOT president, Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, says the process will take 1 or 2 months to complete.

Nation Thailand reports that the airport’s new northern terminal will have the capacity to handle 30 million passengers a year, with Nitinai remaining optimistic about a return to normal figures next year. He says the availability of effective Covid-19 vaccines should fuel a return to normality, with passenger traffic at Suvarnabhumi eventually reaching pre-Covid numbers of 65 million in 2023.

He adds that the Satellite Terminal 1 should be completed in 2022, with plans also being drawn up to extend the airport’s existing terminal east and west. The Satellite Terminal 1 is expected to increase the airport’s capacity by an additional 15 million passengers a year.

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From The Nation

Cabinet gives green light to new 120kph speed limit

Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting approved a Transport Ministry draft for new speed limits on Thai roads.

The draft ministerial regulation raises the speed limit on highways from 90 kilometres per hour to 120kph (76 mph) – but only for cars.

A limit of 90kph has been set for trucks weighing more than 2.2 tonnes and buses with room for more than 15 passengers. Minivans and buses with capacity for 7-15 passengers are limited to 100kph (62 mph). A 65kph limit applies to cars towing another vehicle, small four-wheelers, and three-wheelersMeanwhile motorcycles have an 80kph (50mph)speed limit, though big bikes of 35kW or more have a 100kph ceiling.

School buses are limited to 80kph.

The speed limits will apply on national and rural highways of four lanes separated by a barrier and without U-turn points.

 

[vinapu]

14 minutes ago, reader said:

 

Rusty pilots making flying errors is next aviation headache

 

 

it's not surprising at all, I always say that worst day of the  year is first day at work after holidays . Those are rarely long but we still need some adjustment after break.

[anddy]

4 hours ago, reader said:

From The Nation

Cabinet gives green light to new 120kph speed limit

Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting approved a Transport Ministry draft for new speed limits on Thai roads.

The draft ministerial regulation raises the speed limit on highways from 90 kilometres per hour to 120kph (76 mph) – but only for cars.

A limit of 90kph has been set for trucks weighing more than 2.2 tonnes and buses with room for more than 15 passengers. Minivans and buses with capacity for 7-15 passengers are limited to 100kph (62 mph). A 65kph limit applies to cars towing another vehicle, small four-wheelers, and three-wheelersMeanwhile motorcycles have an 80kph (50mph)speed limit, though big bikes of 35kW or more have a 100kph ceiling.

School buses are limited to 80kph.

The speed limits will apply on national and rural highways of four lanes separated by a barrier and without U-turn points.

This is kinda funny, as speed limits don't play a noticeable role in road traffic. I wasn't even aware of the 90 kph limit, when driving I've always gone with the flow, quite literally, driving at speeds in a rough range of 90-130 like everybody else, depending on traffic conditions. Even when there are signs about radar being used to enforce it, it almost always seems just an empty threat with no actual enforcement happening. With only ONE exception, I've never gotten a speeding ticket. The one I got did state the limit of 90, I just checked. I thought maybe it was lower for some reason at that spot, didn't realize it was the general limit.  I was going at 113 and had no sense of violating a limit lol. The fine was the usual one, a paltry 500 Baht, big deal. As a result, nobody cares. TiT.