Flight Safety Foundation Symposium Vancouver 08 09 February

Flight Safety Foundation Symposium Vancouver, 08 -09 February 2011 A Process for Control and Conduct of Functional Check Flights Cathay Pacific Airways 1

Introduction • Who we are • What we do • Why we are here in YVR 2

Introduction Who we are – • Flight Technical Section in Flight Operations Department • Manager – Aeronautical Engineering Background • 5 Ex-military Line Pilots (RAF, RAAF), 4 are TPS Graduates • Simulator Specialist Engineer • Operations Development Engineer 3

Introduction What we do – • Cathay Pacific Test Flying ØCheck Flights – periodic ØLease acceptance/return flights – infrequent ØCabin IFE/Power EMI tests - infrequent • Flight Simulator Evaluation ØNew simulator Company acceptance ØEvaluation for Regulatory Qualification • Management of AFM Configuration • Projects on ad-hoc basis 4

Introduction Why we are here in YVR – • Shocked and saddened by Perpignan accident • FT Section has considerable airline test flight experience • A 300 -600, A 330, A 340 -300, A 340 -600 • B 747 Classic, B 747 -400, B 777 -200/300 ER • No major incidents over many years • Competent and willing to contribute to discussion on improved Check Flight safety 5

Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Why we have check flight scheme in HKG • Reason for scheme • Basic scheme details • Reporting responsibility 6

Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Reason for scheme • Scheme mandated by HKG Civil Aviation Dept. • Known as Airworthiness Flight Test Scheme • Follows UKCAA Scheme, still in effect for non-EASA aircraft • CX finds benefit in these ‘Quality Control’ checks • No other scheduled/regular post-maintenance flight test 7

Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Basic scheme details • Series test required for each new aircraft (HKCAD) (Doubles as customer acceptance test for CX) • First annual test required for each new aircraft (rate may be reduced with HKCAD agreement) • Sample test of each fleet required (For CX fleets, 3 – 4 aircraft per year, on rotating basis) • Approx. half number of test flights compared with operators conducting post-maintenance test flights after D Check (D-Check frequency approx. 5 yrs) 8

Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Reporting responsibility – • “Approved Pilots” individually approved by HKCAD to submit reports on test flights • Pilots employed by CX, test flight flown as agent of HKCAD • Pilots directly responsible to HKCAD for reporting 9

Check Flight Considerations Threats, potential errors increased RISK! • Non-standard OPS • Conducted infrequently • Tests near edges of flight envelope or system limits • Weather • ATC environment 10

Check Flight Considerations Increased RISK Risk Mitigation Methodology Considerations – • Who does the testing • What is tested • Where & when the testing is conducted • How the test process is controlled • Process documentation – Section Policy & Procedures Manual (PPM) 11

Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing – • Crew selection • Crew training • Crew currency 12

Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing / Crew selection – • FT Section test pilots • Ex-military line pilots with military post-maintenance test exp. • Senior Check/Training pilots (1 -2 in each fleet) • Flight test crew includes trained flight test observer (need not be pilot) • Crew selected on basis of known methodical, disciplined nature • Numbers balanced considering task size, experience dilution, roster disruption 13

Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing / Crew training – • PPM self-study • Comprehensive flight test briefing by CAD-approved trainer • 1 Sim practice as PNF • 1 Test flight as PNF • 1 Sim practice as PF • 1 Test flight as PF • Consolidation test flight(s) 14

Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing / Crew currency – • If PPM currency requirements not satisfied, simulator practice required prior to test flight • Simulator practice should include entire scheduled crew (Approved Pilot, PNF, FT Observer) • When one crew member under training, other crew members should be experienced 15

Check Flight Considerations What is tested – • Test selection • Test schedule format • Additional HKCAD tests • Ad-hoc tests during flight ? 16

Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test selection – • Tests taken from manufacturers’ production test manuals • Manufacturers’ test manuals used within well-developed manufacturers’ flight test safety environment • Manufacturers’ production test manuals clearly suitable for crews conducting frequent, regular test activities at the manufacturers’ facilities • Manufacturers’ production test manuals not considered entirely suitable for airline crews conducting infrequent test activities 17

Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded – Ø Limits/Warnings/Cautions/Notes added to strengthen local flight test safety environment 18

Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded (contd)– Ø Initial and Completion conditions added 19

Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded (contd)– Ø Step-by-step procedure and result recording 20

Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded (contd)– Ø Carefully phrased instructions Simple changes can be important – Condition, followed by Action e. g. After 3 min at idle, shutdown ENG 2 NOT Shutdown ENG 2 after 3 min at idle 21

Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Additional HKCAD tests – • Engine in-flight relight tests Ø In-flight relight envelope data used • Second segment and final segment climb performance Ø Manufacturers’ gross performance data supplied for specific ranges of weight and altitude 22

Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Ad-hoc tests during flight ? – • NO in-flight ad-hoc tests are conducted!! • If issue arises where in-flight test considered useful for issue resolution – Ø Issue/system reviewed with Engineering and manufacturer Ø Risk assessment conducted / risk mitigation developed Ø Test drafted / reviewed / practised (simulator) 23

Check Flight Considerations Where & when the testing is conducted – • Daylight hours • Critical tests in VMC (Low speed / high speed/Mach / backup power etc. ) • ‘Non dynamic’ weather (No test in/near storms, typhoons etc – defer as appropriate) • Reserved test or low-use airspace 24

Check Flight Considerations Where & when the testing is conducted – • ATC is, and must be considered as, an integral part of a successful test • ATC brief (phone/fax) in addition to slot notification Ø Requirements for non-deviating headings (perf climbs) Ø Requirements for block altitudes • Crew use flight profile also sent to ATC Ø ATC info notes included 25

Check Flight Considerations Where & when the testing is conducted – • Typical flight profile 26

Check Flight Considerations How the test process is controlled – • Test process fully documented in FT Section Policy & Procedures Manual – PPM a ‘living’ document • PPM contains information to ensure Ø Regulatory compliance Ø Company compliance Ø Governmental compliance (e. g. Immigration requirements) • PPM contains information to educate non-TP-trained crew on essential elements of flight test methodology Ø Production flight test, NOT experimental flight test 27

Check Flight Considerations How the test process is controlled – • Compliance information drawn from Ø Air Navigation Order Ø Air Operator’s Certificate document Ø Company OPS Manuals • Initial effort required to research and set up framework for compliance • Compliance not burdensome in operation • New test crew not required to ‘reinvent the wheel’! 28

Check Flight Considerations How the test process is controlled – • In-flight test procedures Ø Assigned crew roles Ø No independent testing Ø Switch/knob confirmation prior operation Ø Any crew member may call for temporary halt • In-flight standard procedures Ø Periodic reversion to SOPs Ø ‘Re-baseline’ of OPS 29

Concluding Comments In the experience of Cathay Pacific Airways - • Are trained test pilots / FTEs required for safe conduct of check flights? Ø No • Are trained test pilots / FTEs required to administer a check flight scheme? Ø No 30

Concluding Comments • Has Cathay Pacific Airways benefited from having trained test pilots / FTEs set up the scheme philosophy and framework? Ø Definitely Yes – Cathay Pacific Airways has safely conducted check (airworthiness) flights for many years; Where in-flight systems failures occurred, risk mitigation methodology enabled safe returns to base • Should development of any new Regulatory framework for check flights involve test pilots, FTEs, and experienced industry teams? Ø Cathay Pacific Airways’ experience would suggest Yes 31

Concluding Statement • Cathay Pacific Airways is ready, willing, and, we believe, competent to assist the industry in its quest to improve the safety of check flight operations 32

Acknowledgements v. General Manager Operations, Cathay Pacific Airways Capt. Russell Davie v. Former Flight Technical Section Managers Capt. John Carrodus Capt. Terry Farquharson v. Current members of Flight Technical Section Airbus Team Boeing Team Henry De Courcier John O’Halloran Ian Mc. Clelland Dave Lohse Matt Fullwood 33