Flight Safety Foundation Airport Operations 1998

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November–December 1998

Airline’s Five Unrestrained-cargo Incidents in Four Months Reveal Loading-procedure Deficiencies 6 pages. [PDF 56K]

The official investigation found factors that breached Air New Zealand’s defenses against errors in cargo loading. One incident investigated in detail involved reduced time available for loading, a modification to the automatic loading equipment, a loading team reduced in number and a busy loading foreman who delegated his oversight duties.

September–October 1998

Survey of Airline Baggage Handlers Suggests Methods to Prevent Back Injuries 8 pages. [PDF 56K]

A recent opinion survey of 156 baggage handlers explored the causes and prevention of back injuries in their occupation. Most of the participants, employed by 10 airlines and two ground-handling companies, said that manual handling and stacking of baggage within the baggage compartments of narrow-body aircraft pose the highest risk of back injury.

May–August 1998

Special Double Issue: Europe’s Air Traffic Strategy Offers Safety Insights Beyond the Region 12 pages. [PDF 82K]

In Europe, the safety of air traffic management requires changes in procedural standardization, system integration and international cooperation that might show the way to a finely tuned global transportation system of the future. Technology will increase capacity incrementally from now until 2015, but rapid improvements in air traffic safety will be necessary.

March–April 1998

International Sharing of ATC Research Urged 8 pages. [PDF 75K]

A report by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Civil Aeromedical Institute examined air traffic controller selection in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Sweden. The report also reviewed issues involved in air traffic controller job-performance measurement and found that questions remain about what performance criteria are relevant and how they are to be measured.

January–February 1998

Studies Investigate the Role of Memory In the Interaction Between Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers 8 pages. [PDF 71K]

One study indicated that the complexity and format of the clearance affect the pilot’s ability to remember it. Another study tested whether certain variables affected air traffic controllers’ ability to recall specific aircraft flight data.