First Edition 2015

Operational pressureand mission inertia

Ebola - wheredo we stand?

ICAO celebrates70 Years

Celebrating 40years of Annex 17

Emphasising growth in a struggling economy- the industry growth and safety conference

Dear Readers,Looking back on an event-filled year inaviation, it is clear that aviation safety andsecurity remain integral aspects of theaviat ion industry and require thecooperation of each and every role-player.

As at end December 2014, as an industry,we had two-hundred and e ightoccurrences (accidents and seriousincidents) of which 23 were fatal accidentswith 32 fatalities. We are very concernedabout these accident figures and aredetermined to redouble our efforts atassisting to bring the accident figures down.

In terms of the global aviation industry, wewitnessed the crash of the Air Asia airbusFlight QZ8501 in the Java Sea at the end ofthe year. It is encouraging to note that theblack boxes of this aircraft have been foundand that the causes for the tragedy maynow be investigated in earnest.

The outbreak of Ebola was anotheroccurrence which caused internationalconcern as thousands of lives were lostwithin a relatively short span of time. Forsome years prior to this outbreak, the SACAAwas already much involved in engagingwith the aviation industry and the NationalDepartment of Health in preparation forsuch outbreaks.

I would like to thank all the industry membersfor their participation in initiatives towardsimproving aviation safety and security inthe past year, such as the Round Tablediscussions and the regular meetings byindustry forums. This year we hosted the first-ever Afr ican Aerospace MedicineConference and I would like to contributethe success of this conference to the industryand the prof ic ient speakers whoparticipated. In the latter part of the yearwe also hosted the Inaugural AviationGrowth and Safety Conference. It wasrefreshing to see the passion of the industryin such diverse areas as medicine,economics, engineering and airspace.

Again, this wouldn't have been a successwithout your contributions and participation.

In 2014 the Regulator focused on improvingprocesses, in order to render updated,improved customer services. Amongstothers this has translated into anorganisational review diagnostic exercise,which aims at achieving a more streamlinedand effective Regulator.

In terms of efficiency, the SACAA waspleased to be awarded the Auditor-General's Award for a clean audit reportfor the 2012/13 financial year; for the secondsequential year. We were also honoured torecently receive the award as the Best-performing Institution in Transport from theDepartment of Transport; a recognitionwhich we will strive to demonstrate furtherin our values and brand promise; 'ourexcellence, your safety!'

This year we have focused on assisting withthe growth and expansion of the industryas part of our mandate, even during thecurrent economic challenges faced by thecountry. There is much to be done by all ofus, whether it is taking responsibility for thesafety of our own pleasure flights or workingat contributing towards safe skies over thecontinent. We all have an individual partto play in the civil aviation industry.

One of these functions is that of unmannedaircraft systems or remotely piloted aircraftsystems; a subject that is currently undermuch discussion. The SACAA has been busydrafting regulations for the use of theseaircraft and these have been submitted toCARCom, thus ensuring that industryconsu l tat ion takes p lace beforepromulgation.

I would like to thank the outgoing Boardmembers for their leadership over their termof office; and for their unflinching guidanceand support throughout. It is also a pleasureand a privilege to welcome the membersof the new Board as they step in to fulfil theirvital role.

This edition of the Safety Link gives anoverview of some of the aforementionedconferences, including the 'Hello Summer- Hello Winter' workshops, and sketches therisks engendered by operational pressureon air crew. We also give a perspective onEbola, by exploring the global and localimplications of this disease.

Poppy KhozaDirector of Civil Aviation

2

Message from the Director In thisedition

P3First year of Hello

Summer/Hello WinterWorkshops a great success

P4African Aerospace

Medicine Conference

P6Ten years as NASCOM

chairperson

P7Keeping it in the box

P8Operational pressure and

mission inertia

P9ICAO celebrates

70 years

P10Ebola - where do we

stand?

P12Emphasising growth in a

struggling economy - theindustry growth and safety

conference

P13Diabetes - the end of a

pilot’s dream?

P15Safety Management

P16Celebrating 40 years of

Annexure 17

P18Carriage of lithium

batteries

P19Aviation Security

excels in 2014

73

It has certainly been a dynamic and exciting year as theSACAA Flight Operations, Part 91 department, supported bykey role players within the aviation industry, travelled throughthe major provinces around the country to meet with thegeneral aviation fraternity.

Dubbed "Hello Winter" for the greater part of the roadshow,and linked principally to the change in seasonal weather, theeducational presentation was an exciting event that followedin the footsteps of the successful, first-of-its-kind workshopsheld in Gauteng and the Lowveld at the end of 2013.

For those who attended, the content was experienced asworthwhile and hard-hitting, and afforded General Aviationthe opportunity to meet with representatives from the greateraviation industry. SACAA Part 91, ATNS, the SAWS, Aeroclubof South Africa, Mayday SA, SA Search and Rescue and guestspeaker Eon de Vos delivered significant safety presentationswhich highlighted the necessity for general aviation (GA) pilotsto be even more vigilant and professional than pilots operatingwithin the commercial sector, due to the demands of the singlepilot operations domain.

The screening of a first-of-its kind video interview with retiredSAA Captain Rob du Plooy, who survived a horrific VFR intoIMC situation in a zero-panel aircraft earlier this year en-routeto Mossel Bay, had audiences captivated as they felt everyemotion of this situation in which Rob also lost his friend, andpilot-in-formation, to a CFIT accident in the Addo ElephantNational Park. This video has now been released for publicviewing on YouTube, and can also be reached directly fromthe SACAA website.

An array of attendees took the time to attend, includingstudents, instructors, flying schools and flying clubs alike. Whatwas the main reason for this initiative? It was to highlight theincredibly high demands for enhanced safety within the generalaviation sector, where the majority of accidents and fatalitiesoccur each year. The content was also presented in such away as to empower pilots for the weather season that layahead, and in turn influence decision-making and behaviourand bring about the right safety culture within our industry. Itis also an initiative to demonstrate to the industry that no oneworks alone, and that the various institutions are available toultimately help all pilots - whether they find themselves in troubleor not.

The content of this workshop included:

m A seasonal forecast and highlight of significant weather phenomena per province by the senior forecasters at SAWS;m A discussion on the false perception of the risk within the GA environment by SACAA;m Captain Eon de Vos, Comair airline Captain and TV personality, geared everyone's thinking towards the importance of Single Pilot CRM;m ATNS was represented by the local air traffic controllers who discussed challenges within each region;m An in-depth analysis of the recent Addo accident through interview. How did the one aircraft manage the horrific situation and survive?m Other crucial support tools available to help you: Search and Rescue; essential thinking from the Aeroclub of SA and also the introduction of a much-needed support service to the community, Mayday SA.

This programme commenced in October 2013 as a pilotprogramme by the newly formed Part 91 general aviation flightoperations department within SACAA, and has gained suchsupport and demand for further development and contentpresentation, that the industry is already planning the 2015programme.

We are proud to have met and engaged with 1300 pilotsthrough the main provinces in the country over a ten-month-period. The passion for flying is strong, and commitment tosafety is obvious. However, we need to move into a spacewhere the commitment directly affects the behaviour andculture within our GA environment, which should in turn leadto a reduction in accidents per year. As we stand, over 110aircraft events have already taken place within the 2014 year.These include incidents through to serious accidents andfatalities.

Keep a lookout for up-coming dates and adverts for the 2015programme. We promise you, it will be even more robust andinformative than what you have already seen. As an industry,we are taking safety within the general aviation communityseriously.

Fly safely, Aviator!

First Year of Hello Summer/Hello Winter Workshopsa great Success - By Mark Swarts

A packed hall listens attentively

The presenters of the Hello Winter Workshops are happyabout their contribution to aviation safety

4

African Aerospace Medicine ConferenceBy Martha Scheckle

The African Aerospace Medicine Conference, which tookplace from 9 to 13 June 2014, was the first conference of itskind in Africa. It had been an initiative of the South AfricanCivil Aviation Authority (SACAA) in collaboration with theInternational Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) representedby Drs Evans and Singh, the International Air TransportAssociation (IATA) represented by Dr Thibeault and theUniversity of Otago (Institute of Occupational and AviationMedicine) represented by Dr Powell.

The aim of the African Aerospace Medicine Conference wasto promote awareness and encourage participation inaerospace medicine for medical examiners, assessors, trainersand researchers both on the continent and internationally.Furthermore the Conference aimed to create awarenessabout ICAO and other International Aerospace MedicineOrganisations' Medical Standards and to encourageharmonisation in the implementation of these standards bysharing of regulations, identification of challenges and thepromotion of aviation safety.

The theme of theConference was'Es tabl i sh ing afootprint towardsharmonisation ofA e r o s p a c eMedicine in Africa',a n d w h a t afootprint it left onour South Africansoil! The event wasgraced with thepresence of theM i n i s t e r o fT ranspor t , thehonourable DipuoP e t e r s , w h opointed out thataviation safetyand security is as h a r e dresponsibility, andt h e A b u j aDeclaration andits associated Plan of Action during its 22nd Session in AddisAbaba in January 2013, had clarified the need to work evencloser as a continent. She further referred to the need tostrengthen all ICAO initiatives related to the prevention ofthe spreading of communicable diseases.

The Director of Civil Aviation applauded the speakers anddelegates for their commitment to a coordinated effort inidentifying gaps and possible interventions in aerospacemedicine towards the advancement of aviation medicine.

What is safety and how is it quantified? This question was atthe heart of the medical discussions that took place at thisconference. The acceptable in-flight incapacitation rate wasestimated at 1% in one year as a conservative estimate. Theadvantages of having such a risk target are the objectivityand transparency of the target; although many conditionsare not amenable to calculation and the crew would still

need to use judgement in each situation.

Dr Anthony Evans from ICAO discussed risk mitigation whileon the subject of Safety Management in Aviation. He referredto safety as the state in which the risk of harm to persons orproperty damage is reduced to an acceptable level. Theissue of an acceptable level of risk in the light of medicalfitness was discussed, with reference to the evolution of safetythinking from that of technical factors, to human factors, toorganisational factors. Hazard identification (such as theavoidance of declaring a medical condition, which remainsa challenge) and risk management have to be balanced.Measuring, monitoring and analysing of pre-accident eventscould identify a trend and bring it back to the baselineperformance. He suggested that more attention should begiven to the organisational aspects of aeromedical regulation.

Dr Evans also pointed out that a lower medical standard forprivate pilots is reasonable, and this is up to the regulator.Each state needs to decide what the level of acceptable

risk is for their state.During the discussionDr Thibeault pointedout that regulationdoesn't necessarilysolve it all; for exampleabstinence for eighthours before flightdepends on thequantity of alcoholconsumed and maybe too little time forrecovery.

The issue of alcoholand other drug-re lated i s sues incommercial aviationwas discussed by DrEvans and Dr Powellas being a problembecause of continueduse by some crew,despite the adversec o n s e q u e n c e s .

Furthermore, it is usually a slow process until persons get tothe point of flying under the influence; in which case theyoften don't realise how great the threat to safety has become.Substance abuse has never been tolerated by regulationand has not become a big problem; however it is on theincrease and for this reason education needs to be used asthe single most important tool to oppose the problem. Randomtesting can be preventative but it is costly, and is a point onwhich ICAO is not prescriptive. It has been found that onsuspicion of abuse, testing is vital, as is post-accident andincident; yet random testing has not found to be very valuablein terms of detection. Delaying tactics by candidates aboutto be tested mean that problems often cannot be pickedup quickly enough. Dr Evans pointed out that the most successin overcoming the substance abuse issue world-wide hasbeen achieved by peer-led initiatives such as that of the FAAin the 1970s.

The event was graced with the presence of the Minister of Transport,the honourable Dipuo Peters

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The fascinating subject ofpsychiatry and culture-boundsyndrome was discussed by DrChabalala and Dr Singh, andas the former pointed out, thereis no health without mentalhealth. Dr Chabalala observedthat culture-bound syndrome isa collection of symptoms, andnot a syndrome. Traditionalh e a l e r s r e v e a l e d t h e i rperspectives on the matter,such as the calling of healersand the f requency andconsistency of s igns andsymptoms. The way forward fort rad i t iona l hea le r s wasdescribed as that of keeping adata base of mentors, initiatesand qualified specialists indifferent clans and establishinga profile register and a researchcommittee. Pressure should alsobe put on government to helptraditional healers to make theconstituents of their medicinesknown. Dr Chabalala concluded that culture-bound syndromeis not necessary a mania or a psychosis. However, it doesconstitute a great challenge for psychiatric practice in Africaand he suggested that there is a need for a paradigm shiftregarding the classification of mental illness. Dr Singh addedthat the WHO classifies behaviour that doesn't fit into theusual categories and is only found in certain groups of peopleglobally. The symptoms affect the ability to be pilots or airtraffic controllers. He has found that the simplest way to dealwith such situations is in terms of the symptoms. However,there should not be any discrimination regarding any illness.

The role of simulator assessments for medical qualificationswas questioned by Mr Trevor Reynolds by using a case studyof an anonymous patient, and he pointed out that simulatorsdo not allow for the manifestation of frontal lobe impairment,nor assess the ability to make autonomous decisions. Clinical,radiological and psychometric assessments cannot bereplaced by simulator assessments. Mr Eric Mataba discussedthe role of simulators as a primary and economical means oftraining. Although simulators mimic reality quite well, they donot provide for the mental workload while performing in flightand the gaps between reality and simulation, such as thefactor of surprise when experiencing an emergency in flight.This divide that may exist between flight and simulation meansthat actual aircraft flight training in the form of route trainingis still a mandatory requirement.

Mr Johan Erasmus took the subject of aviation psychologyfurther when he discussed aspects of the man-machineinterface. In assisting crew with their mental and emotionalhealth, aviation psychologists also assist with increasedautomation. One of the challenges is the resistance to seeingpsychologists.

Dr Loggerenberg discussed Air Rescue Africa's transport ofhighly dangerous pathogens by means of an isolation unit,which is safe as it seals off securely. While aiming to meet asubstantial level of compliance within the rather inflexiblerequirements, some of the challenges are that there may beno receiving hospital or port health clearance, or the patientsmay not be suitable for this type of transport, being ventilated,unstable, claustrophobic or otherwise unsuitable. Anotherinteresting topic on air ambulance transportation by Dr Ansa

Jordaan from SOS included practical points such as aspectsto consider before activating the air ambulance, theadvantages of air transport such as speed, access to remoteareas, and access to specialised supplies and skills. Theunfortunate disadvantages and challenges of air transportnot only include the patient's condition and financial limitations,but also the weather and infrastructure at the origin anddestination. Further considerations include equipment, thetime required to get the air ambulance into the air, the typeof aircraft, distance and access and documentationarrangements. The long-term cost-effective outcome needsto be considered, while being mindful of local resources. Theneed for doctor-to-doctor communication was emphasised.

In discussing Fatigue Risk Management, Dr Singh describedfatigue as being a physiological state of reduced mental orphysical performance capability resulting from sleep loss orextended wakefulness, the circadian phase, or workload(mental and/or physical activity) as it relates to impairedalertness and ability. He discussed the vital nature of sleepand the circadian rhythms, that all stages of sleep areimportant, and the fact that physical fatigue can be measuredbut mental fatigue not (although alertness can be measured).Dr Singh pointed out that sleep is a vital biological functionlike hunger or thirst which can only be traded with sleep,although controlled napping can temporarily relieve thesymptoms of sleep loss. Of course, there are many otherfactors which affect fatigue such as equipment problems,temperature changes and humidity, cockpit disharmonyetcetera. The challenge is to put all the factors that moderatealertness/fatigue in aviation into implementable and practicallegislation to protect against fatigue. In viewing pilots ashuman beings with conflicts between expectations and therealities of life, aids such as medication, coffee and alcoholare of limited or no assistance and a healthy lifestyle, goodsleeping habits and controlled rest on the flight deck providesome safer options; especially in view of the fact that onepilot asleep on a planned basis is better than two asleep onan unplanned basis. Controlled rest is in place in a wide rangeof states. Building up reserves and spare mental capacity isthe ideal.

Dr Haggai from Nigeria in discussing West Africa referred toSouth Africa as the pace-setter and training destination. Dr

6

Karan spoke on East Africa and the challenges regardingignorance of the aeromedical discipline and consequent lackof coordination and collaboration which complicates mattersduring an emergency situation, such as that of the Ebolaoutbreak.

Dr Opperman, who represented the Southern AfricanAerospace Medicine Association, said that developing anAfrican Aerospace Medicine Association was essential. Hereferred to the dependence on one another of the military,academia, regulators and ICAO to achieve mutual objectives.The continuous circle of communication and cooperationachieves the result, with a view to the indispensability of thegeneral practitioner, providing clinical medicine, the specialiststo dissect and analyse, the industry to calm relations andfoster trust and legislation to define boundaries and fosterintegration. SAAsMA's objectives were discussed and all wereinvited to review them and consider the processes of thediscipline. There is combined strength in knowledge. Heemphasised that we as Africa should truly enter the internationalarena of aerospace.

In discussing aeromedical training, Dr David Powell mentionedthat AMEs, who need aviation medical competencies, focuson high-risk areas. He referred to the training available forDAMEs and recommended South Africa as a training

destination. Colonel Chris Blunden agreed with this whilediscussing the various training options and courses.

Dr Stephen Karan reported that during a meeting while at theaeromedical conference, the African participants hadunanimously decided to establish an African body for dealingwith aeromedical matters. Tentative details included the needfor full membership for all health professionals and associatemembership for all those individuals interested in aviationmedicine. Objectives would include the fostering ofcooperation and research. Dr Evans remarked that this is anexciting opportunity and ICAO would do their best to help.Dialogue and full partnership is vital; and although regulatoryaspects are important, there are many other areas forinvolvement, such as public health, and the existence of suchan organisation would be helpful in dealing with ICAO audits.In conclusion, the council should consist of many applicablebodies and the constitution is sti l l to be drafted.

Dr Bogatsu from the SACAA thanked everyone who hadcontributed towards the Conference and emphasised thatICAO depends on various states to take responsibility forthemselves; although the CAPSCA programme has assistedin many ways.

On Thursday, 13th November 2014, Mr Gabriel Bester,(pictured on the right), was presented with a Certificate ofAppreciation and Recognition, for serving his 10th year asChairman of the National Airspace Committee (NASCom).

The NASCom Committee convened at different venuesover the last couple of decades;with the initial meetings having beenheld at the Department ofTransport's Forum Building, locatedin Pretoria. Over the years membershave come and gone, but theCommittee's industry componenth a s a l w a y s r e m a i n e d afundamental in terms of themembers who make up theNASCom.

A number of different Chairpersonswere appointed to this Committeeover the years. Mr Bestbier wasappointed as Chairman of NASComon the 13th of October 2004.

Mr Bestbier enthusiastically took upthe challenge and very quicklyplaced his own personal andpar t ic ipat ive s ty le on th i sCommittee. He brought a level ofconsistency to all deliberations andthroughout ensured that the ensuingrecommendations finding their wayto the Director of Civil Aviation'soffice, received meaningful debateand consideration by all the

members, and he continues to do so.

Although NASCom is serious business, Mr Bestbier alwaysmanages to display his keen sense of humour when required!

10 Years as NASCom Chairby Rob Purkiss

7

Modern aircraft designs come from comprehensively regulatedconcepts and standards. While aircraft designers andmanufacturers have managed to produce aircraft with highfail-safe catastrophic margins, the aviation world has continuedto experience high accident rates.

During the Aviation Safety Seminar at Tucson, Arizona, May2010, Renee DuPont stated that over 80% of global aircraftaccidents are due to human factors; however these humanfactor mistakes are not made on purpose.

Many of these errors are made by some of the best and mostconscientious employees. Thus something must have interferedwith that person's performance and/or judgment in order forthe error to occur.

This situation is still prevalent, even in our own country. As westrive to make the skies as safe as possible and anticipate futureneeds and challenges, we must re-evaluate our approach tosafety oversight, in order to have the best target oversightpriorities. Therefore we are not immune from what the world isexperiencing.

Let's now turn our focus on our own environment; aircraftmaintenance. We do recognise that indeed, modern aircraftare built more safely than before and there continues to bevast improvements in both design and manufacturing; thereforeother than operation, the next key thing is maintenance. Inorder to keep these aircraft performing safely for continuousoperations, the aircraft require appropriate and relevantmaintenance.

“[Maintenance] errors are not the cause of accidents. Thecauses are to be found in whatever it was that interfered withthe [guilty party's] {performance/judgment} at a critical momentthe outcome (result) of which is a [maintenance] error,” - JeromeLederer: Flight Safety Foundation.

During the design of an aircraft, the inherent ageing of thataircraft is taken into consideration; subsequently this leads tothe development of instructions for continued airworthiness inorder to keep and maintain the aircraft in a safe condition.

These instructions are crucial aspects which will keep this aircraftsafe. In order for a mechanic to maintain an aircraft properly,pilots/operators need to report all the conditions which aircraftare subjected to during operations; these will include hardlandings, storms and lightning. This, when not reported, canlead to latent deficiencies which will gradually grow tocatastrophic failures.

On the other side, mechanics will need to have access to thelatest and current instructions for continued airworthiness suchas the Maintenance Review Board Report; MaintenancePlanning Documents; Maintenance Manuals, Service Instructions,bulletins, Airworthiness Directive and any other source whichthe design organisation and the National Aviation Authoritymay prescribe as necessary in order to keep the aircraftserviceable. These can simply be referred to as a safety box.

Therefore for us to keep the aircraft in serviceable operatingconditions, your aircraft will have to remain inside the safetybox.

'

Keeping it in the boxBy Simon Segwabe

“At stake is the safety of one of the world's most reliabletransport systems; therefore we need to safeguard this

industry which on its own has and will continue to provideand look after us.”

- Cathy Teague, Manager: General Aviation, South AfricanCivil Aviation Authority

8

As pilots, specifically those working forairlines or charter companies, becausewe strive to continually be professional inwhat we are trained to do, we aim tomitigate the adverse consequences ofboth anticipated and dynamic threats inour work environment. Pilots' mitigation ofrisk is so critical, that the aviation systemhas come to rely on this for continued safeand successful outcomes. However, inunderstanding the risks based on anenormous measure of experience, wemay sometimes end up in a situation thatchallenges our ability to distinguish thefine line between "getting the job done"and being both safe and legal.

The term 'mission inertia' in the humanfactors genre is used to describe pilots'goal-oriented behaviour. A pilot createsa plan to achieve a specific goal andthen strives to accomplish that goal (mostof the time this is certainly a positive trait).However, being excessively goal-oriented may completelyconsume an individual, and thus good judgment is eroded.When pilots succumb to Mission Inertia, normal procedures,verification policies (cross-checks) and safe practices (such ascompleting checklists) may be unconsciously sacrificed in orderto meet the goal. Mission Inertia usually starts with: "We can dothis." Sometimes the commitment to achieve a goal is socompelling that nobody ever stops to ask the question, "shouldwe be doing this?"

This following case study is an actual occurrence experiencedby a major airline in the United States. It is a great lesson learnedwhere a very well-intentioned crew, who used experience toanalyse and mitigate a threat, bent the rules in order to servetheir customers and keep a good perception of their companybrand. This then resulted in an intentional non-compliance,undesired aircraft state and additional crew-based error, whichmay have had significant consequences. In a study I conductedat my own airline, LOSA (Line Operations Safety Audit) dataclearly show that ground-based operations, with theiraccompanying time pressures and distractions, are most likelyto be consequential, that is, result in an error/undesired aircraftstate. Specifically, "airline operational pressure" as a threatcategory, is significantly associated with crew errors andundesired aircraft states.

Please be aware that the following event is described purelyfor educational purposes and this is in no way intended to bea critique of the crew's decision-making process or actions.Please consider the "airline operational pressure" threats, andpossible solutions to manage the threats manifesting, as thenarration unfolds. Simultaneously consider the primary objectiveof CRM (customer relationship management), which is toenhance the communication and management skills of theflight crew members concerned, by the effective utilisation ofall available resources to achieve a safe and efficient operation.

Flap Configuration Error - B777 Narita, Japan (this event triggereda FOQA red flag).

The flight commenced with a two-pilot 777 nighttime departurefrom Narita, Japan (NRT). The weather was considered CAVOK

(ceiling and visibility OK). The passengers had already startedto board, while maintenance worked on the open logbookwrite-up. This resulted in the blocking of seat rows 4-12 and 29-33. Dispatching with an inoperative emergency exit requiredthe deplaning of 70 passengers from a full flight. An irate BusinessClass customer was rather perturbed and elected to cause ascene, which further delayed an already complicateddeplaning, rebooking and luggage removal process; anextremely challenging situation at best. To make matters worse,the lengthy delay was now causing a concern, as the flighthad to be dispatched before the NRT 23h00 local time "takeoffand landings prohibited" curfew restriction. Everyone involvedwas feeling a great deal of operational pressure. The Captainwas very proactive and in his words he was focused "on doingeverything he could to be airborne before the curfew." He didnot want to inconvenience the remaining 200+ passengers.

The Captain sent several ACARS (Aircraft CommunicationsAddressing and Reporting System) messages to the dispatcherin a proactive attempt to expedite the process and maximizethe possibility of a takeoff prior to the curfew. The dispatcher'sattempts at negotiating an exemption from the curfew wereunsuccessful. Meanwhile, Load Control was having troubleproducing an electronic load-sheet. The issue involved a loadcontrol automation glitch that prohibited the system fromgenerating a load-sheet with seats blocked off due to an MEL(Minimum Equipment List). By this time, everyone was feelingthe pressure to get the jet off the gate.

With less than 35 minutes before the 23h00L curfew, thedeplaning process was completed and it seemed that theaircraft was finally ready for pushback. An ACARS "STAY AT THEGATE" was sent to the aircraft, but according to the Captain,this message was missed (this message is generated whenaircraft loading has not been resolved prior to pushback). Afew minutes later at 22h27L the dispatcher sent another messageto the crew that read: "If we get down to the wire on curfewtime, consider an intersection takeoff." Everyone was pushinghard to beat the curfew and avoid a cancellation. At 22h37L,the Captain called for pushback without an electronic loadsheetand performance uplink. His entire focus had been on servinghis customers, which meant being airborne prior to the 23h00L

Operational pressure and mission inertiaBy Dr Preven Naidoo

9

curfew. To expedite the taxi, the crew started both engines,set the flaps to 5 degrees (this is the Boeing 777 default flapsetting) and started a slow taxi to runway 16R - still waiting fortheir loadsheet and performance data.

As the 777 approached the hold of runway 16R, the towercontroller started a verbal minute-by-minute countdown tocurfew: "5 minutes... 4 minutes..." Can you imagine how muchadditional operational pressure the crew was feeling at thatmoment? Needless to say, ATC was not very helpful in alleviatingthis crew's overall stress levels. During this controller's finalcountdown, the crew decided that when the final electronicloadsheet and performance figures arrived, they should focuson the V-speeds and CG. Due to the short duration of the flight,the aircraft was very light, by 777 standards.

At 22h57L, three minutes prior to the curfew, the ACARSloadsheet and performance data was received; however, theTakeoff Data Uplink (TDU) did not link up. Now two minutesbefore curfew, the flight was cleared for takeoff. The Captaintaxied slowly while the F/O hurriedly and manually entered theV-speeds and set the stab trim. With 60 seconds to spare, theF/O started the takeoff roll. Success; they beat the clock. Theircustomers would get to their intended destination.

As the aircraft accelerated, the Captain noted that theperformance uplink data information stated FLAPS 15, verbalizedthis to the F/O and moved the handle to the flaps 15 position.Subsequent data analysis recorded that the flap selection wasinitiated at 76 knots. The crew did not consider an abort dueto the light weight of the aircraft, the long runway and a beliefthat continuing the takeoff was the safest course of action.

Discussion

This experienced and well-intentioned crew took shortcuts toserve their customers and their company. They were solution-oriented and customer-focused. They demonstrated effectivecommunication and a high degree of coordination. They

considered the threats and had a plan to mitigate those threats.They got the job done. Getting the job done is admirable;however, on the other hand, a question we should pose toourselves, is: "is it possible to lean too far forward?" Anotherdiscussion point is: “What takes precedence, being smart (thelittle professor trap) or being legal?” Full compliance ismandatory; flying smart may be a higher standard, but beingboth smart and legal are ultimately essential. The old adage,"if there's any doubt, there's no doubt" may be quite relevantin such a case.

What is the difference between "expeditious" and "rushing"?Sometimes we must expedite the operation. Being expeditiousis manageable with effective workload and a prioritization oftasks. Being rushed is an equation for missing essential stepsand failing to trap errors! The ramifications of a cancellationwould have caused a major inconvenience to passengers andan additional expense for Delta. No pilot wants to be the bearerof bad news or cost the company money. This perspectivecan influence us to take extraordinary measures. Most of thetime, extraordinary measures are legal, safe and benefiteveryone. However, we must be cognisant of when we maybe crossing the line. Not making curfew and the resultingcancellation is an operational failure but sometimes, even afterour best heroics, some situations are beyond even our control.Heroics can sometimes compound a suspect decision with abad decision. The need to reposition the flaps during the takeoffroll should immediately raise the question: “what other essentialsteps did I miss? Should I really be getting airborne?”

This event clearly illustrates that there will always be externalinfluences that delay an on-time operation, place us in a timecrunch situation, or hinder our ability to complete the mission.We cannot always control situations. However, ourmanagement of airline operational pressures is something wecan control.

Fly safely.

In 1944, delegates from 54 nations gathered in the GrandBallroom of the Stevens Hotel in Chicago at the invitation ofthe United States of America. At this event, fifty-two nations,including South Africa, signed the Convention, establishingthe International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) as aspecialized agency of the United Nations. The ChicagoConvention is an international agreement which has sincepermitted the global civil aviation system to developpeacefully and in a manner benefiting all peoples andnations of the world.

In 2014, ICAO and its member states commemorated thismomentous occasion by convening a series of special eventsall around the world. The main event that was held at thesame venue where the Convention has been signed, wasgraced by the Secretary General of the United Nations, BanKi-moon. In South Africa, this event was celebrated throughthe International Civil Aviation Day (ICAD) which was heldin the Northern Cape province at Kimberly Airport. The eventwas attended by the Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms SindisiweChikunga and the MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Ms.Martha Bartlett. ICAD took place over 3 days, 5 - 7 December,and the first two days were dedicated to aviation awarenessaimed at learners from all the schools around the Northern

Cape. The theme for the year was "Cooperation on globalaviation progress: Celebrating 70 year’s of the ChicagoConvention".

ICAO's standards have created a foundation for a safe,harmonised, and environmentally responsible aviation system. It has influenced aircraft design and operation, as well asthe development of airways, airports, and air navigationfacilities. It ensures the safety and security of civil aviation,as well as global harmonisation of air traffic managementmodernisation programmes.

Over the past 70 years, ICAO standards have led todramatically improved safety rates, air traffic operations arebecoming more and more efficient, system modernisationis taking hold, aircraft are certified to incredibly safe levels,new entrants are integrated into the global airspace, andenvironmental concerns are being addressed, such asenvironmental noise and emissions limits for civil aviation.

South Africa continues to work with ICAO and its contractingStates to ensure that aviation remains the safest form oftransportation.

ICAO Celebrates 70 Yearsby Sibusiso Ketwa

10

Ebola - where do we stand?Edited by Martha Scheckle

The spread of disease through air travel isa modern-day consequence of the successof aviation as a mode of transport. It isestimated that annually three billionpassengers are carried on ultra-long rangeflights, and passengers and flights are ableto circumnavigate the globe in less than 24hours. This means that passengers can carrya communicable disease to the oppositeend of the world in less than a day and anight.

In the last decade, the entire world wasreminded of the complications and thethreats posed by communicable diseaseswhen in 2003; the rapid spread of SevereAcute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) caughtmany states by surprise. The primary casualtywas the aviation sector, resulting in a majorreduction in air travel, with financialimplications to the industry.

Within a relatively short space of time, the threat of AvianInfluenza followed in 2005. These outbreaks prompted theInternational Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) to establish the CollaborativeArrangement for the Prevention and Management of PublicHealth Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA). CAPSCA's aim wasto ensure global preparedness and the coordination ofstakeholders in the management of public health outbreaksof international concern. The purpose of ICAO CAPSCA is tomitigate the risk from the pandemic at population level,reduce the risk of the spread on board aircraft travellers(passengers and crew) and mitigate the financial impactresulting from an outbreak or pandemic.

Consequent to the SARS outbreak, ICAO strengthened itssupport of Article 14 to the Convention on International CivilAviation - Prevention of Spread of Disease, according towhich contracting states agree to take effective measuresto prevent the spread of communicable diseases by air. Thesestates would also keep in close consultation with the agenciesdealing with international regulations on sanitary measuresapplicable to aircraft.

ICAO further amended Annex 9, which requires a contractingstate to establish a national aviation plan in preparation foran outbreak of a communicable disease posing a publichealth risk, or public health emergency of internationalconcern. According to Annex 9, the pilot-in-command shallensure that a suspected communicable disease is reportedpromptly to air traffic control and that Passenger Locatorcards be used for follow-up of those passengers sitting closeto an index case. There is a specific aircraft declaration withspecific symptoms and signs defined in Annex 9, to assistcabin crew to identify the disease.

South Africa has been a member of ICAO since 1947 andsubscribes to the prescripts of the ICAO Chicago Conventionof 1944. South Africa takes its cue from the international bodyin terms of developing oversight regulations pertaining to civilaviation safety and security. Through its membership, SouthAfrica complies with ICAO's Annexes 6, 9, and 11 and14through regulat ions and technical standards.

On the 8th of August 2014, the WHO declared the Ebola virusoutbreak in West Africa to be a Public Health Emergency ofInternational Concern (PHEIC) in accordance with theInternational Health Regulations. In order to support the globalefforts to contain the spread of the disease and provide acoordinated international response for the travel and tourismsector, the heads of the WHO, ICAO, the World TourismOrganisation (UNWTO), Airports Council International (ACI),IATA and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) issueda joint statement on the 18th of August 2014 and decided toactivate a Travel and Transport Task Force to monitor thesituation and provide timely information to the travel andtourism sector as well as to travellers. To date WHO has notrecommended any travel restriction or border closure in WestAfrica, and has insisted on containment strategies such asexit screening by the affected countries and the applicationof sanitary measures.

The current outbreak of laboratory-confirmed Ebolahaemorrhagic fever has taken place in Guinea, Liberia, Siera-Leon and Nigeria and has claimed thousands of lives so far.The incubation period is 2 to 21 days and WHO has indicatedthat there is no risk during the incubation period, and a lowrisk in the early phase of symptomatic patients. According toWHO, there is currently no specific treatment or preventativevaccine. At present the condition is being managed throughsupportive treatment care, with basic rehydration. TheAmericans have recently developed a serum which is stillundergoing approval processes, and two of the Americancitizens affected by Ebola were recently released from thehospital after receiving the serum. The symptoms includefever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and a sore throatand this is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and in somecases, bleeding. Historically the previous outbreaks had fatalityrates that reached 90%, and the current outbreak has fatalityrates of 50 - 60% of infected cases.

The South African Minister of Health has imposed a total travelban on all non-citizens travelling from identified high-riskcountries, to limit the spread of Ebola to the country. The high-risk countries are Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Nigeria,Kenya and Ethiopia are being identified as Medium Risk. All

11

travellers returning from these countries will be subjected torigorous screening and medical assessments before beingallowed entry into the country. Essential travel may includediplomatic or official health, and humanitarian missions andbusiness travel (this includes the aviation industry).

SACAA has been engaging with the aviation industry and theNational Department of Health since 2009 in preparation forthe management of an outbreak of public health ofinternational concern through the State Assistance Visit, whenICAO, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Centrefor Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and WHOconducted exercises to establish South Africa's understandingof the ICAO requirements and implementation of theInternational Health Regulations. Customs, emigration, airports,airlines, baggage handlers and the Department of Healthparticipated in the simulation exercise. South Africa was thesecond country after Nigeria to invite these global organisationsto assess the country's understanding of the programme. Theresults of this exercise have indicated that South Africa hasmeasures in place and understands the role of the differentstakeholders involved in the management of communicablediseases.

The SACAA is enforcing the ICAO-CAPSCA Programme asapplicable to airlines, airports, air traffic control, and baggagehandlers. This programme was developed to mitigate the riskof public health events of international concern to managethe spread at a population level, on board an aircraft, as wellas the financial implications of an outbreak to the country byreducing panic through preparedness planning.

Since April 2014 the SACAA has hosted aviation workshopswith the industry and the National Department of Healthrepresentatives in Gauteng, Cape Town, King Shaka, PortElizabeth, Upington, Limpopo, and the Kruger National Park,in order to share information and reinforce efforts aimed at

ensuring that the aviation industry is indeed ready and capableof dealing with the outbreak through the implementation ofthe applicable SACAA regulations. The workshops wereattended by local and international operators, including AfricanAirlines and other airlines from the continent and outside SouthAfrica, such as Singapore and Delta. Several Health Alerts havebeen continuously forwarded to the industry and are alsobeing published on the SACAA website to ensure that theindustry is updated regarding the developments.

The SACAA used an approved Master Surveillance Plan toidentify airlines, charter operators and ports that wereconsidered to be high risk and training and audits wereconducted.

Beyond the South African borders, South Africa is an officialICAO-CAPSCA Deputy Team Leader Technical Advisor, andassists ICAO in providing State Assistance Training on thecontinent to ensure that the ICAO Annexes are implementedin a harmonised fashion. South Africa has participated in thetrain ing of Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

The risk of South Africans being exposed to Ebola does exist,but it probably does not exceed that of the western countries,due to the fact that despite the different measures beingapplied at check-in counters, cabin crew training, ports ofentries and so forth, the nature of the symptoms and signs areusually non-specific until very late and may not be detectedby screening measure, whether visual, questionnaire andthermal scanners, al l of which have l imitat ions.

Should South Africa have a confirmed case, the designatedhospitals, advanced laboratory measures and the previouscontainment of past haemorrhagic conditions in South Africashould assist with the early diagnosis, management andcontainment of the disease.

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How can the civil aviation industry continueto grow and show profits while the economyhas slowed down? This was a major themeof the recent inaugural Aviation Growth andSafety Conference, which lifted off on 4November and continued until 6 November.

Boasting a number of economists andbusiness leaders, this year the SACAA addeda new component to their annual SafetySeminar by addressing the issue of the growthof the civil aviation industry in South Africa.The Director of Civil Aviation, Ms PoppyKhoza, emphasized the need for bothaviation growth and safety to prosper inunison to the benefit of the aviation industry.

Cooperation and streamlining of operationsand expenditures were much discussedissues. Structural and strategic barriers in thecompetitive market should be overcome,advised Liberty Mncube, Chief Economistfrom the Competition Commission, andDawie Roodt, Chief Economist from the Efficient Group,suggested that certain emerging markets present viableoptions for airlines wishing to invest in the aviation market.

Mr Raphaael Kuuchi, Vice President of the African branch ofthe International Air Transport Association (IATA) encouragedoperational efficiency cost management by means of themodules for measurement as provided by IATA on their website.Mr Erik Venter, the CEO of Comair Airways, continued on thecrucial economic aspects of streamlining aviation operationsby attracting high passenger volumes, while keeping costsdown. He said that the market growth needs to be stimulatedagain after the past seven years of stagnation. Interestingly,Melanie Humphries from Investec cautioned the audiencenot to compare the story of African aviation with the rest ofthe world, pointing out that the former so-called 'hopelesscontinent' is now being referred to as 'Africa rising.'

Jack Monedi, Chief Director: Permitting from the Departmentof Home Affairs, emphasised the need for the risk methodologyto have an integrated approach to arrivals into the country.He said that the aviation industry, together with Tourism, canassist. Mr Peter Aliwani from the African Civil AviationCommission (AFCAC), Nigeria expounded on the benefits ofcooperation, particularly between the states on the Africancontinent, and lauded the potential of the YamoussoukroDeclaration. He explained the impediments that have causedthis Decision to be supported, while its implementation hasbeen slow. The Chairperson of the new SACAA Board, MrSmunda Mokoena, also elaborated on this subject, mentioningthe benefit of open skies over Africa towards realising thepotential for the economic growth of the content.

Josia Manyakoana, Executive Manager: Operations from theAir Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) askedwhether air traffic management will be able toaccommodate aviation growth in the future;and gave the answer as that safety performanceand efficiencies need to be planned for today,in order to respond to the growth in the future.According to him, the current capacity on theAfrican continent is insufficient for expectedgrowth in the next 20 years; however South Africais geared for the future at this time. Dr LesegoBogatsu from the SACAA had further good newsby mentioning that the Regulator had alreadysuccessfully prepared for communicable diseasesin 2009 and is actually now assisting othercountries.

Kgatile Nkala, General Manager: HumanResources from SA Express delineated the needfor a suitable pool of qualified skills in the industryand Nhlandla Dube, CEO of Vukani Aviationquestioned whether the aviation industry is willingto face the challenges which contribute to the

Emphasising growth in a struggling economy -the Industry Growth & Safety Conference 2014

By Martha Scheckle

Director of Civil Aviation, MsPoppy Khoza encouraged theaviation industry to cultivate a culture of inclusion and cooperation.

The need for both aviation growth and safety to prosper in unison to thebenefit of the aviation industry was emphasized at the conference

13

As with most teenagers, I left school not really sure of what Iwanted to. All I knew was that I wanted to drive somethingthat was ridiculously fast, with a ludicrous price tag to match.Eventually, after a lot of introspection, I started at WITS in theArchitecture faculty. I didn't hate it, I really enjoyed the creativeand mathematical aspects of the course, but something wasmissing. I hadn't ever intended on settling for a career whichinvolved monotony and I was determined to find somethingthat I loved. During my time at University, I had a typical studentjob, promoting various alcoholic beverages, at various venueswhere I met a wide array of very colourful and interestingpeople, one of whom offered me a job working at a Duty Freeshop at Johannesburg International Airport. This was wheremy fascination with flight blossomed. I then met a typicalyoung pilot, who was only too happy to take a young, blondehair, blue-eyed girl flying. It was a short flight, in a tiny Cessna152, but the bug had bitten me. I started my Private Pilot'sLicence (PPL) during the December holidays of my first yearat varsity, and it was then that I decided to drop out of varsity to pursue a career in aviation.

I was then employed by one of the airlines, and spent everycent of my earnings on obtaining my PPL part-time. My parents,who were less than impressed with me after I had droppedout of varsity, finally warmed to the idea of having a pilot fora daughter. I completed my Multi-Engine Instrument Ratingand Commercial Pilot's Licence (CPL). Soon after, I completedmy Grade III Instructor's Rating and started teaching peopleto fly. I moved on to complete my Multi-Engine and Grade IIinstructor's rating, which allowed me to kick young aspiringpilots out of the nest, as they say, for their initial solo flights andto test them for their PPL and Night Ratings.

Being a flight instructor was strenuous, requiring my undividedattention from the moment I arrived at work, to the momentI left; and being young, I was leading a hectic lifestyle. I wasfeeling very tired and thought all I needed was a holiday anda break away from my daily routine, so I took a week's leaveand jetted off to Mauritius.

On my return, many of my friends joked about what I hadreally been doing for a week, because who really loses weighton holiday, over-indulging at the hotel's eat-as-much-as-you-like buffet tables and lazing around on the beach drinkingcocktails. The truth was, I felt even worse than when I had left.

I was approaching the time for my annual aviation medicaland it had worked out that the aircraft I had been instructingon, needed routine maintenance at an airfield, convenientlylocated opposite the offices of my aviation medical examiner(the fancy name for the doctor who checks that you aremedically fit to fly). So that morning, I pre-flighted my trustysteed (Cessna 172) and headed off for my medical. It wasseldom that I got to fly alone and I remember thoroughlyenjoying not having someone next to me whose talents inspontaneously and creatively attempting to kill me, faroutweighed their inexperienced ability to fly an aircraft.

I arrived at the Doctor's office, and just like I had done for thepast few years, started with the paperwork and the numerouspages of questions covering my medical history. "Do you havea family history of diabetes?" - No, "Have you ever beendiagnosed with Diabetes?" - No. "Have you ever had sugaror protein in the urine?" - No.

I was a relatively fit and healthy 23-year old, so the questions

Diabetes - the end of a pilot’s dream?By Kirsty Barker

slow growth of black business in aviation. In this vein, DumisaniMthombeni, Vice President: Compliance & RPA SAFAir,described how their company got the BBBEE shareholdingdilemma sorted out by concentrating on their own employees,which turned out to be a success story.

However, the need of the client remains a priority and TebelloMokheme from Airports Council International pointed out thehigh requirements made by passengers, to the extent thatthe luxuries of yesterday are the requirements of today. Sheemphasised that airports need to know their passengers andtheir needs and expectations.

The safety aspects of the industry were not forgotten, andvarious topics addressed the need to bring the accident ratedown. 'We cannot waver in our cause of lowering the accidentrate,' said Poppy Khoza.

It is in the interests of safety and security that the RemotelyPiloted Aircraft Systems require regulation, and Mpho Lebogo,General Manager: Aircraft Safety discussed the advantagesand challenges relating to unmanned aircraft. He pointedout the possibility of systemic failures, lack of infrastructurerequirements and the security risks that affect the civilianpopulation; and the need to look at the larger picture whenconsidering the impact of these aircraft. Blessing Kavai, Assistant

Director: Safety and Flight Operations from IATA pointed outthat the African and Indian Ocean (AFI) region had madesignificant progress in 2013, and the all type accident ratehad improved by 50%. He emphasised the importance of thecollection and analysis of data towards accident prevention.

Amongst the many aspects of accident prevention, such asa just culture, flight inspection, runway safety and the needfor skills transfer in aircraft maintenance, the vital aspect ofmanaging an aviation crisis was outlined by Gawie Bestbier,General Manager: Air Safety Infrastructure from the SACAA.He sketched the chaotic and costly scenario to an airlinewhich does not take its crisis management plan seriously andleaves its reputation to the mercies of trial by the social media.

In her concluding remarks, Poppy Khoza pointed out the needfor the interrogation of air passenger taxes. She also questionedwhether South Africa is fully using the opportunities presentedby the continent to step up and assist and further encouragedthe entire aviation industry to cultivate a culture of inclusionand cooperation.

The Conference concluded with much food for thought onthe entire spectrum of the industry and the many opportunitiesto expand, grow and protect this vital aspect of the SouthAfrican economy.

didn't concern me in the slightest.I was given a cup for a urinesample, and continued with theeye and hearing test. I stood onone leg and balanced with my eyesclosed, touched my nose andfollowed the doctor's wanderingfinger with my eyes. A few taps onthe knees later, I was sent tochange out of the theatre gown,whilst the doctor headed off tocheck my urine. The question cameout of the blue:- "What did youhave for breakfast?" I hadn't eatenthat morning; my busy lifestyle oftenmeant that I substituted the mostimportant meal of the day for aquick coffee on the way to work.He had found sugar in my urine andI was immediately sent off to myfamily GP, who had been treatingme since I was born. A quick finger-prick test was done and it wasfound that my sugar was slightlyelevated, but not in the range tosuggest that my pancreas wasshutting down. I had lectured on Air Law several times, andwas all too familiar with what it said about Diabetes and Insulin.Flying was my life; if I wasn't instructing in the air, I was lecturingon the ground. I spent my weekends competing in NavigationRallies, my social time was spent sharing stories about flying,and if I wasn't doing that, I was reading some article to learnmore about flying or watching Air Crash Investigation on theDiscovery channel. There was certainly no room for Insulin inthat equation.

The weeks that followed were a blur of needles, glucosetolerance tests, HBA1Cs, doctors' rooms, second, and eventhird opinions. But all the doctors agreed, my HBA1C wasaround 10 and my Glutamic Acid DecarboxylaseAutoantibodies test (GAD) test results were equally out of theaccepted range. I refused the inevitable and started on themaximum dose of the Glucophage, which included themaximum dose of side effects. The constant nausea did,however, help with my unsustainable goal of completelyavoiding anything that vaguely resembled carbohydrate,along with the military-type gym programme that I had devisedfor myself - I was ignorantly confident and determined tomaintain my HBA1C below 7 so that I could return to the skies(as long as I was controlled without insulin, I would be allowedto fly). I somehow managed to achieve the seeminglyimpossible, and after a few months (and a few kilogrammeslighter) I reached the golden number 7.

If the laws of physics say that what goes up must come down,then GAD and glucose tolerance tests say that what goesdown, must go up and up and up. After about six months ofboot camp style gym training, and a diet that certain prominentdieticians would consider extreme, my sugar started to climb,eventually not even registering on my glucometer. I couldn'tavoid the inevitable any longer, and started on insulin in July2010. It was the end of my world, and my dreams. I felt as ifI had failed at curing my diabetes and I quickly spiralled intoa depressed frame of mind. The meticulous and extremeattempt at staying off insulin was juxtaposed by the way inwhich I managed my diabetes when I started on insulin. Ifrequently forgot to inject and ate whatever I wanted. Istopped exercising, but stupidly attempted The Cape ArgusCycle race the year after I had started insulin therapy.Predictably, my terrible lack of control led to a severe episodeof diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a long hospital stay and a

lecture by a doctor, who I despised at the time, telling methat if I didn't start looking after myself I would die. A few moreDKAs followed and in short, I was an Endocrinologist's nightmare,and the only thing that was getting close to the sky was mysugar.

It took a long while and a lot of encouragement from myincredible doctors, family and friends before I realised that Iwould come out second best if I continued on this destructivepath.

Five years on, I am now on an insulin pump, which helps melive a normal life with my erratic schedule, and despite myrocky start and stubbornness towards accepting Diabetes,and although my pancreas and thyroid no longer work, I haveno other complications or side effects, for which I am grateful.

I haven't given up on my dream of flying again. The processis a long one. Currently there are a few countries allowingpilots with Type 1 Diabetes to fly commercially in a multi-crewenvironment, and we are lucky in South Africa, as we tend tofollow international practice and the authorities are in theprocess of reviewing the law. Pilots who have Type 2 Diabetes,using insulin, are currently allowed to operate in a multi-crewenvironment under strict protocols within the borders of theRepublic.

Let's be honest, nobody chooses to be a Diabetic, andrealistically nobody is going to embrace the diagnosis like youwould a long lost friend. There are so many books and blogsthat offer advice, and people that claim they have found themiraculous herb that will somehow jump start your pancreasinto working again. But find what works for you, listen to thewonderful people in the medical profession - they have awealth of knowledge and your best interests at heart.Experiment, knowing that you probably won't get it right thefirst time and probably not even the second or the third time- just don't stop trying. Remember that your sugar will neverbe perfect, and don't beat yourself up if it isn't. No matterwhat, do not be afraid to test. And finally, if you rememberthat Diabetes is not a death sentence, that you can live aperfectly normal life and accomplish anything (even thoughit might take a little extra work) and that anybody trying tosell you a miracle herb is probably smoking it - you will be justfine.

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15

In order to remain competitive in the world of aviation, it isimperative that we put safety first. It is a fact that aviation isa fast-growing industry, with air traffic projected to double inthe next 15 years. Safety risks must be addressed proactivelyto ensure that this significant expansion is carefully managedand supported through strategic regulatory and infrastructuredevelopments.

Safety management remains a top priority for the InternationalCivil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). It is for this reason thatICAO introduced an Annex dedicated to safety managementwhich will reinforce the role played by the State in managingsafety at the State level, stressing the concept of overall safetyperformance in all domains, in coordination with serviceproviders.

Aviation safety remains a priority for the South African CivilAviation Authority, hence the adoption of ICAO Annex 19.

The purpose of this article is to share information with theindustry and to meet the Standards and RecommendedPractices (SARPS) which are contained in Annex 19. One ofthe SARPS is the ensuring of continued education by meansof communication to the industry on matters concerning safety. It is therefore anticipated that articles such as this will providethe SACAA with a platform to share safety-related informationwith the industry, in particular matters related to Annex 19(Safety Management System and the State Safety Programme).

In our first article, we are focusing on the introduction of ICAOAnnex 19.

What is Annex 19?

It is an Annex dedicated to the management of safety byStates. In response to the HLSC 2010 recommendation 2/5,the Air Navigation Commission recommended that the newAnnex be developed in 2 phases:

m Phase 1 involved the consolidation of existing safety management provisions currently contained in as many as 6 different Annexes, into a single new Annex.m The development of enhanced requirements will become the focus of Phase 2, once the new Annex (1st edition) becomes applicable.

This approach was intended to expedite the creation of thenew Annex, while maintaining continuity with current SSP andSMS requirements. The ICAO Council approved this two-phaseapproach. The Air Navigation Commission (ANC) establisheda Panel of Experts, the Safety Management Panel (SMP), forthe development of Annex 19.

Annex 19 was adopted by the ICAO council on 25 February2013. It became effective on 15 July 2013 and becameapplicable on 14 November 2013. As an ICAO contractingState, South Africa adopted the Annex as presented with noreservations.

What is Annex 19 all about?

As mentioned previously, Annex 19 is an annex dedicated tothe management of safety. It is meant for States and serviceproviders. The Annex states that:

m "States shall establish a State Safety Programme (SSP), in order to achieve an acceptable level of safety (ALoS) in civil aviation".m The Annex further states that "States shall require, as part of their SSP, that service providers implement a Safety Management System (SMS) acceptable to the State" - ICAO Annex 19, Chapter 3 - State Safety Management Responsibilities.

Therefore Annex 19 mandates States and service providers toestablish and maintain a State Safety Programme (SSP) andSafety Management System (SMS).

What are the benefits of Annex 19?

m Annex 19 highlights the importance of safety management at the State level;m It enhances safety by consolidating safety management provisions applicable to multiple aviation domains;m It facilitates the evolution of safety management provisions;m It provides an opportunity to further promote the implementation of SMS and SSP provisions; andm It establishes a process to analyse feedback received regarding Annex 19 and safety management implementation.

What is a State Safety Programme and how does it affect meas a service provider? Please look out for our next issue wherewe will elaborate more on SSP.

Please direct SSP and SMS queries to:

Bongi MtlokwaSafety Risk011 545 1238sms@caa.co.za

Safety ManagementBy Bongi Mtlokwa

16

During the occasion of the 25th meeting of the InternationalCivil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Aviation Security (AvSec)Panel in Montreal Canada from the 17th to the 21st of March2014, the Panel commenced its deliberations with an observationof the 40th anniversary of Annex 17 - Security to the Conventionon International Civil Aviation.

Annex 17 has been instrumental in establishing a globalframework for safeguarding civil aviation against acts of unlawfulinterference. Even though the safety and security of internationalcivil aviation have always counted among ICAO's fundamentalStrategic Objectives, it was only in the 1960s, in conjunctionwith the increase in the number of terrorist acts committedagainst civil aviation, that security acquired greater significanceas a system for safeguarding civil aviation against acts ofunlawful interference, and from then became a criticallyimportant area of ICAO's work.

It was as a result of the rapid increase in the number of aircrafthijackings in 1969 and 1970, that the 17th Extraordinary ICAOAssembly was convened and held in Montréal from 16 to 30June 1970. The main topic of discussion was aviation security.The Assembly adopted a series of key resolutions relating tomeasures to ensure the security of international civil aviationand to the development of Standards and RecommendedPractices (SARPs) in this area.

In December 1972, a draft document containing a first versionof security-related ICAO SARPs was drawn up and sent to ICAOMember States for comments. As a result, on 22 March 1974,the ICAO Council adopted Annex 17 to the Convention, entitledInternational Standards and Recommended Practices - Security- Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts ofUnlawful Interference.

Since the publication of the first edition of Annex 17, fourteenamendments have been made, reflecting trends in thedevelopment of the global aviation system and responding tothe ever-changing conditions and emerging threats.

In response to the tragic events which occurred on 11 September2001 in the United States, on 7 December 2001 the ICAO Counciladopted one of the most important amendments to Annex 17,which underscored the importance of international cooperationand the exchange of information to safeguard international

civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference,the expansion of the applicability of Annex 17SARPs to domestic flights, including measures forcontrolling access to the flight deck, the presenceon board of security officers, and the screeningof passengers' cabin baggage and holdbaggage.

The provisions of Annex 17 have had a positiveimpact on the harmonisation of nationalregulatory documents governing aviation securityactivities in the ICAO Member States by promotingthe uniform application by States of ICAO SARPs.They have also provided an impetus to States toprovide mutual assistance and implementcoordinated multilateral measures for theestablishment of an integrated internationalaviation security system.

Annex 17 also calls upon States to include aseparate provision on aviation security in theirinternational air transport agreements and thereby

promotes the expansion of inter-state cooperation on aviationsecurity issues.

The Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) audits conductedsince 2002 promote the development of national aviationsecurity systems by providing targeted assistance from ICAOfor the elimination of identified deficiencies. The USAP alsoserves as a feedback tool, enabling States to provide importantinformation for the further improvement of Annex 17 SARPs andthe development of additional guidance material on a wholerange of identified issues.

The transition from periodic audits to the continuous monitoringsystem is an evolutionary step in the development of the USAPsystem which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on theestablishment of an integrated and sustainable global aviationsecurity system.

ICAO has drawn on the knowledge and experience of the bestaviation security experts from every continent of the world todevelop SARPsthat have formeda solid basis for theestablishment of aglobal system fors a f e g u a r d i n ginternational civilaviation againstacts of unlawfulinterference.As we celebrate4 0 y e a r s o fA n n e x u r e 1 7 ,South Africa willcontinue to ensurethe expeditiousimplementation ofAnnex 17 SARPs,and will furtherc o n t i n u econtributing to thedevelopment ofA n n e x u r e 1 7SARPS.

Celebrating 40 Years of Annexure 17By Luvuyo Lulama Gqeke

The Director of Civil Aviation, MsPoppy Khoza, joins in the 40th

Anniversary Celebrations

17

Introduction

Lithium batteries are the most widely used energy source beingused in portable consumer electronic devices such as mobilephones, laptop computers and tablets. They are also becomingthe power source of choice for aircraft equipment such asthe main aircraft battery, emergency locator transmitters,cockpit voice recorders, flight data recorders and so forth.

Lithium batteries are categorized based on their chemistry, asfollows:

1. Lithium metal: they are normally primary (non-rechargeable) batteries that contain lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode.

2. In tests done by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Technical Centre, it was identified that Halon, which is the fire suppression compression agent used in Class C aircraft cargo compartments, is unable to suppress a fire involving large quantities of lithium metal cells.

3. Lithium Ion: these batteries contain no metallic lithium, instead the lithium is present in an ionic form in the anode and cathode and they are rechargeable.

The FAA test results identify that Halon is capable of suppressinga fire involving lithium ion batteries.

All lithium batteries are classified as dangerous goods. Lithiumis a stored energy which is flammable and can potentiallypose a risk when transported in cargo, mail and passengerbaggage.

The significant and increasing volumes of lithium batteries intransport creates the potential for dangerous goods incidentsor accidents if not packaged and handled in accordancewith regulatory requirements. Based on the available incidentdata, airlines, postal authorities and many shippers of lithiumbatteries are unaware of the regulatory requirements, or wilfullyfail to comply with these requirements, which increases the

likelihood of fire from untested (including counterfeit) lithiumbatteries or from improperly prepared consignments.

At the 24th ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) there wasa discussion on a proposal to forbid the transportation of lithiumbatteries on passenger and cargo aircraft, which did not getsupport. After a lengthy debate, it was agreed that lithiumbatteries can be loaded on cargo aircraft without exemption,however, lithium batteries can be loaded on passenger aircraftas cargo by special approval, with effect from 1 January 2015.

Although approved by both the Air Navigation Commission(ANC) and ICAO Council, both bodies raised concerns andrequested that the DGP address these systematically. Theseinclude the risks posed by lithium metal batteries on cargoaircraft, lithium metal batteries packed with and containedin equipment and also the risks posed by lithium ion batteries.

The issue of non-compliance was also raised by both the ANCand ICAO Council, requesting the Secretariat through theDGP to take action to address this as matter of urgency. Thisis on the agenda for discussion in April 2015.

ICAO'S Position on Lithium Metal Batteries

The ICAO Council approved the following: “A shipment oflithium batteries may be transported on passenger aircraft ascargo with the prior approval of the appropriate authority ofthe State of Origin and the State of the Operator under thewritten conditions established by those authorities. Theconditions must include quantity limitations, size limitations andpacking requirements as established in the Supplement. Copiesof the documents of approval, showing the quantity limitationsand packaging requirements, must accompany theconsignment. Authorities issuing approvals in accordance withthis special provision must provide a copy to ICAO. WhenStates, other than the State of Origin and State of Operator,have notified ICAO that they require prior approval of shipmentsmade under this special provision, approval must also beobtained from these States, as appropriate.”

Carriage of Lithium BatteriesBy Luvuyo Lulama Gqeke

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The Aviation Security Division has had a very busy year. Beloware some of the highlights for the year:

The South African Civil Aviation Authority successfully hostedthe ICAO AvSec Panel Working Group on Training in SomersetWest during the month of February 2014. The work done at thismeeting was presented to the Aviation Security Panel in Marchof the same year.

In April 2014 the Director of Civil Aviation, Ms Poppy Khoza, wasappointed as the Deputy Chairperson of the ICAO AviationSecurity Panel, confirming the growing stature of both Ms Khozaand the South African Civil Aviation Authority in internationalaviation.

Our continued engagement with our international partners hasmeant continued international recognition of our robust cargosecurity regime as being equivalent to the best in the world.This was evidenced by the following two recognition agreementsconcluded during the year -

m In July 2014 the European Commission elevated the status of South Africa in terms of our cargo security regime to green. This meant that South African air carriers and handling agents were exempted from the requirements of the EU cargo security regime which requires that cargo process carriers transporting cargo into the EU be validated by EU validators at great cost. This, we believe, will have a positive effect on trade facilitation between SA and EU countries.

m In October 2014 the United States Transport Security Administration (US-TSA) confirmed that the recognition of

South Africa's National Cargo Security Programme (NCSP) which was signed in May 2013 has been updated to include the recognition of South Africa's Free Running National Explosives Detection Canine Programme, for use in the screening of air cargo bound for the United States.

The Aviation Security Department of the SACAA continues toplay an active role in international aviation security, thus ensuringthat South Africa contributes meaningfully to developments inthe Aviation Security arena and at the same time is keepingabreast with world developments. The number of ICAOcommittees in which the division participates testifies to this; ofwhich we can mention the following:

m ICAO AvSec Panel Working Group on Air Cargo Security (South Africa is the co-chair)m Joint Working Group between the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the World Customs Organisation on Advanced Cargo Informationm ICAO AvSec Panel Working Group on Trainingm ICAO AvSec Panel Working Group on Guidance Materialm ICAO AvSec Panel Working Group on Annex 17m Dangerous Goods panelm Task Force on Conflict Zones.

The Division is proud of the work done by its members duringthe past year and will continue to work hard to ensure thesecurity of South African skies, whilst ensuring that our standardscontinue to be on par, if not better, with the best in the world.

Aviation Security Excels in 2014By Luvuyo Lulama Gqeke

Members of the ICAO AvSec PanelWorking Group on Training togetherwith the Director for Civil Aviation duringa meeting of the working group inSomerset West in Cape Town

Ms. Victoria Reeder, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the USTransportation Security Administration (front left) and Ms. Poppy

Khoza, Director of Civil Aviation (front right) together with theirteams at a reception in honour of the U.S. recognition of SouthAfrica's National Air Cargo Security Programme in 2013, whichagreement has now been extended to include recognition for

canine screening programme

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Word Puzzle

FIND THE WORDS:

AIRPORTALTITUDECAPTAINCOCKPITCONTROLSCONTROL TOWERDEPARTUREDESTINATIONFLIGHT ATTENDANTGLIDE

GRAVITYHEADSETJETLANDINGLATITUDELIFTLONGITUDEMEASUREMENTPILOTPRESSUREPROPELLER

RUNWAYSEAT BELTSTABILIZERTAKE OFFTHRUSTTOWERWING

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