Aviation facilities upgraded safety systems
February 28, 2012, 02:57 pm
Phoenix Aviation recently fitted enhanced ground proximity warning equipment to its fleet of executive twin jets, a King Air 250 and a Cessna Caravan, further raising the bar for safety systems. Phoenix Aviation also installed a new satellite tracking system in its operations rooms to improve overall efficiency and security.
Surpassing requirements established by federal regulators, the enhanced ground proximity warning system offers superior security features and interoperability. The warning system shows high ground on a high-definition screen in the instrument panel of the plane. The screen alerts the pilot to gain altitude and will show the rate of climb required to clear high ground safely, Coast Week reported.
According to Captain Rob Cork, director of flight operations for Phoenix Aviation, the new warning system is part of an overall mission the company has to continually improve its operations to keep passengers and crew safe throughout the trips.
"Our pilots receive simulator training in Britain each year which covers the use of the enhanced ground proximity warning system and TCAS," Cork told the source. "Through radio signals between aircraft, TCAS gives the pilot instructions to climb, or descend to avoid a collision."
Cork said the satellite tracking system is a major safety measure, allowing operations staff to view the position and progress of each plane in flight, to ensure it is on track and has safe skies ahead. The new equipment has the capability to transmit messages between operation staff and pilots, a key feature in the event of a problem or emergency on the plane, the source reported. Another way to protect from the unexpected is investment in pilot insurance.
Similar updates are being implemented in Australian airports, in response to heightened guidelines for helicopter landing sites. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority recently launched a project to update the existing civil aviation advisory publication on the establishment and use of helicopter landing sites. Helicopter operations, as well as private jet operations, continue to grow in popularity and complexity across the country, prompting officials to review existing guidance and improve the regulations, Flight Global reported.
The latest Civil Aviation Safety Authority Regulations include specific performance requirements for helicopter operations and provide a more detailed approach to the designing and use of helicopter landing sites. The new regulations will provide a outline the authority will follow when revamping the guidelines, the source reported.
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