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FLIGHTS DOWN BUT UNSTABILISED APPROACHES UP – WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT OPERATIONAL RISK IN THE INDUSTRY’S GRADUAL EMERGENCE FROM COVID-19?
Airline operators and their insurers alike will be interested in statistics recently released by IATA which show that, despite the historic low volume of flight operations over the last few months, the percentage of unstabilized approaches prior to landing has dramatically increased.
The data has prompted IATA to issue a warning to operators about the need to adhere to standard operating procedures and ensure that risk mitigation strategies are reviewed. Is this an aberration or is it a symptom of a broader issue concerning the degradation of piloting skills caused by extensive periods of downtime during the coronavirus pandemic? Unstable approaches have more than doubled compared to this time last year – a stark and potentially worrying trend.
The criteria for a stabilized approach is not the subject of mandatory regulatory requirements on a global level. Instead, the position tends to be left to the airlines themselves – although, amongst most of them, it is fair to say that the criteria is largely consistent with the aircraft having to meet the following primary characteristics by 1,000ft AGL*:
Landing gear down and locked
Flaps deployed in the correct position for landing
Target V-ref speed achieved
Correct power setting inputted
Aircraft established on a 3° glideslope or the appropriate glideslope for a visual approach
*AGL = above ground level
Available at: https://www.hfw.com/Flights-down-but-unstabilised-approaches-upWhat-does-this-tell-usabout-operational-risk-in-the-industrys-gradual emergence-from-COVID-19