Newsdesk – Commercial Aviation

26 accidents accounting for 146 passenger fatalities in 1990, a significant decrease over 1989 when there were 38 accidents which

took 523 passenger lives. These figures exclude accidents and incidents which do not involve the loss of passenger lives.

Acts of unlawful interference against civil aircraft increased, but resulted in a much smaller number of fatalities than in 1989. In 1990 there were 34 such incidents, of which four were fatal incidents resulting in 137 deaths. In 1989 there were 14 acts of unlawful interference, three of which were fatal occurrences resulting in 279 deaths.

MDC Slows MD-80 Production:

McDonnell Douglas are slowing production of the MD-80 twinjet due to the apparent slump in the commercial transport market.

Douglas boosted MD-80 production last year with the expectation of continued high sales, however the boosted production rate unfortunately coincided with the softening of the travel market and the flow-on effect of the Gulf war on world economies. The slump resulted in several expected orders not materialising including one from American Airlines, the largest single operator of the MD-80, which elected not to exercise 30 of the 90 remaining options it holds for the MD-80. During the third quarter of 1990, over 100 MD-80 options were dropped by customers and 10 firm MD-80 orders were also cancelled. MD-90 sales have similarly slumped, with a number of options dropped. Due to the slump in sales, MDC will reduce the MD-80 production rate from 12 per month to 10 per month (though this is still well above the 4. 8 per month production rate of

the mid 1980s). Scheduled deliveries will therefore be 125 in 1992 and 100 in both 1993 and 1994.

Meanwhile, MDC are planning to introduce a new 105 seat version of the MD-87. The new aircraft would be powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D-290 engines and feature an MTOW of 54,000kg and an empty weight of 32,000kg (compared to 64,000kg MTOW and 34,000kg landing weight for the 117 seat MD-87) with a range of about 2,380nm.

737-400 Cockpit Layout Slammed by UK Aaib:

The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) have strongly criticised the 737-400’s cockpit layout as being one of the worst possible.

The aircraft’s liquid crystal displays and their layout have been cited as a major factor in the British Midland Kegworth crash in 1989, allowing the crew to become easily confused and shutting down the wrong engine. The AAIB have expressed concern that there is no international standard for testing instrument layout and effectiveness before operations are commenced. In the case of the 737-400 liquid crystal instrument displays, some airlines have even reverted back to electromechanical instruments in their new 737s, though Boeing have as yet to modify the layout which has been cited as a major factor in the crash.

Meanwhile, there is now much international discussion on glass cockpits and cockpit layout. Although glass cockpit aircraft “have been remarkably accident free”.

there is recognition that the new cockpit layouts in several new generation airliners could be improved. Airliner manufacturers, accident investigation organisations, human factors specialists and airline pilot associations are beginning to push harder to have future avionic and cockpit designs produced with the needs of aircrew more in mind, therefore reducing the likelihood of human factors accidents.

Transatlantic Traffic Rebounds After Gulf War:

Following the cessation of hostilities in the Gulf, most transatlantic carriers have reported an increase in demand for seats.

Within days of the ceasefire, carriers were noting an increase in the number of bookings being recorded. Air France’s New York/Paris bookings marked one of the biggest gains in the market, bookings jumping to about 20-25% above the same period in early 1991. Other transatlantic carriers also recorded higher than usual travel inquiries, Pan Am for instance having its biggest single day since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Not all airlines recorded large jumps in bookings, however most at least recorded a gradual return towards normality, or in the very least an upturn in the number of advance bookings, these including Qantas and the Australian domestics.

However most carriers remain cautious- the increase in traffic is described as modest overall and is mostly due to business traffic, the airlines therefore remaining unsure whether holiday travellers are ready to again fly in the numbers hoped for. Though the threat of terrorism is no longer so high on the minds of travellers, there does remain the problem of weakened economies in several key markets. Which perhaps would explain why the Middle East travel market is picking up so fast, there being the prospect of many business travellers flying to accept work in shattered Kuwait.