Page 23 - World Airnews Magazine January 2020 Edition

EAA AIRCRAFT

A380 AIR FRANCE
EAA ACCIDENT CHALLENGE

DECOMMISSIONING

ir France will return a first Airbus
AA380 to its lessor in February.
The aircraft (F-HPJB) is currently being repaint-

ed in Malta in preparation for being handed back

hile fatal acci- to lessor Dr Peters, said Air France.
Wdent totals in But the carrier added that the aircraft will

amateur-built aircraft remain briefly return to service after painting and oper-

at historic lows, a slight in- ate a last commercial flight on 1 January.
crease in the total for the last Dr Peters said it is scheduled to receive a second
12-month reporting period A380 from Air France in 2020. The German les-

shows the continuing neces- sor's DS Aviation fund has leased a total five A380s

sity for dedicated educational to the French flag carrier. The remaining three

efforts to push the total even aircraft's leases expire in mid-2021, mid-2022 and

lower, according to the Experi- mid-2024, Dr Peters said. Singapore Airlines in 2017 decommissioned the first of five A380s

mental Aircraft Association. Air France has 10 A380s and disclosed earlier this year that all of on which it had decided not to extend leases. Four of the aircraft

The Federal Aviation Admin- them would be retired by 2022. were leased from Dr Peters.

istration reports that for the The Engine Alliance GP7200-powered aircraft were built be- One of these aircraft has been placed with Portuguese wet-lease

12-month period from October tween 2009 and 2014, Cirium fleets data shows. Three of them are carrier Hi Fly, which indicated interest in potentially taking further

1, 2018, to September 30, 2019, owned by Air France. A380s. But thus far, no other second-hand A380 deal has been
fatal accident totals for the Dr Peters said it is in "close contact" with Air France and Airbus disclosed.

experimental category overall, and is considering "all possible options" for placing the aircraft Earlier this month, Tarmac Aerosave revealed that it had com-
including amateur-built aircraft, in the market. "We focus on delivering the highest value for our pleted its first dismantling of a former Singapore Airlines A380. Q

racing aircraft, those used for investors," said the lessor.
exhibit only, research-and-de-
velopment, and some types
of light-sport aircraft, rose to Steering Committee that EAA has co-chaired for the past three

52 – five above the FAA’s “not to exceed” goal of 47 for the period. years. Efforts have also included more than 2,500 copies of the

Of that total, 39 fatal accidents were in amateur-built aircraft, an one-year old EAA Flight Test Manual now in the hands of ama- Fast & reliable aircraft connectivity
increase of four from the previous reporting period. teur-built aircraft owners and the increasing use of an additional

FAA measures accident totals on an October-through-September safety pilot during initial flight testing in amateur-built aircraft.

annual basis to coincide with the federal government’s fiscal year. “With already very small numbers involved, a few additional ac- anywhere in the world.

In addition, the National Transportation Safety Board earlier this cidents can create a percentage-rate anomaly, so it’s important to

month noted that fatal accidents in all categories of general avia- focus on driving the overall accident numbers lower,” Elliott said. ®

tion increased in calendar year 2018 after several years of decline. “We must focus on training, situational awareness, and good pilot Spidertracks is proud to be an Iridium partner - offering

“What this increase tells us is that enhancing safety is not simply skills to complement the ever-improving technology that is part of dedicated global coverage for flight following & communication,

a target number to be reached, but a continual effort to build on today’s aircraft cockpits.” Q

the positive foundation we have already no matter where you go.
established,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice

president of advocacy and safety. “We
are pleased that the accident totals re-
main below the challenge goal FAA issued
to us in 2010, when the agency asked us
to reduce the accident rate by 10 percent
over the ensuing decade. It is not enough
to simply reach a number, however; we
must keep a steady focus on making
improvements, especially as the num-

ber of general aviation flight hours have

increased over the past several years.”

Elliott noted that the overall fatal acci-
dent numbers for experimental category

aircraft remain much lower than other

recreational pursuits, such as boating,

skiing and snowboarding, and driving
all-terrain vehicles. Experience the difference today. Contact Pieter Cronje to discuss
getting started with the world’s most trusted flight data solution.
EAA has worked closely with the FAA
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fatal accidents, including through partic-

ipation in the FAA General Aviation Joint
World Airnews | January 2020 World Airnews | January 2020
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