IFALPA Briefing Leaflet: Mental Health
11 October 2023 - IFALPA recognises the need to protect, promote, and support the mental and physical health and wellbeing of pilots. This Briefing Leaflet focuses on mental health, encouraging each stakeholder to exercise their duty of care (responsibility) for the mental health of pilots. Globally, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to greater concern for mental health, which was already in focus in the aviation world following German Wings 4U9525 in 2015. The pandemic triggered stress, anxiety, depression, and, for some, activated unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Position Paper IFALPA: Flights Into and Over Conflict Zones
12 October 2023 - Due to the dynamic political situation across the world, conflict zones persist and change, sometimes suddenly and/or unpredictably, exposing civil aviation to the risk of collateral damage or targeted attack. According to ICAO regulations, it is the responsibility of Member States to close any airspace over their territory in which the safety and security of air traffic cannot be guaranteed. Unfortunately, Member States do not adhere to this obligation in many cases (...)
Safety Bulletin IFALPA: Operating Aircraft with Deactivated Brakes
15 August 2023 - Recently, IFALPA has become aware that some aircraft are intentionally being operated with deactivated brakes or without a fully operational braking system. This Safety Bulletin highlights the potential safety consequences of these types of operations and presents some recommendations.
Joint Press Release IFALPA-IFATCA-ITF: International Aviation Organizations Condemn Workplace Harassment and Violence
MONTREAL, 25 July 2023 - The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), are united in their condemnation of all forms of workplace harassment and violence. Workplace harassment happens in all sectors, all global regions, and in all industries. However, in a world shifting rapidly towards total condemnation of workplace harassment, aviation often lags behind other industries. (...)
Position Paper IFALPA: Operational Experience in Fatigue Management Decision-Making
5 July 2023 - Proper fatigue management requires the use of operational experience to be incorporated into the decision-making process. IFALPA has identified that there is a need across the industry to standardize and discuss what the term “operational experience” means in practical implementation. While this paper addresses fatigue management, the topic also applies to broader safety management principles (...)
Position Paper IFALPA: Take-off Performance Considering Inversions
5 July 2023 - A rise of the OAT during climb-out at an inversion layer does happen often. Whenever there is a condition that the engines are operating at or close to the maximum flat rated temperature, a temperature rise leads to a loss of thrust. This can be in a range of 8-12% for a rise of 10°K (...)
Position Paper IFALPA: Weather Radar
5 July 2023 - There are multiple weather hazards that can be identified by a weather radar, e.g. thunderstorms, towering cumulus clouds, cumulonimbus clouds, clouds with potential icing, windshear. There is no plausible justification for an aircraft to be exposed to such hazards if it is carrying only crew and no passengers (...)
Position Paper IFALPA: Unapproved Techniques
5 July 2023 - It has been discovered that in past events, Operators have introduced techniques which were not in agreement with the Manufacturer’s recommendations. In one example, the NTSB determined1 "that the probable cause of this accident was the in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer as a result of the loads beyond ultimate design that were created by the first officer’s unnecessary and excessive rudder pedal inputs (...)
Position Paper IFALPA: Preflight Checks
5 July 2023 - Thorough preflight checks are crucial for flight safety to eliminate possible threats. The list given by ICAO covers significant items, but it is missing two essential subjects: The purity of fuel and the cover of pitot tubes and static ports.
Position Paper IFALPA: Individual Flotation Devices
5 July 2023 - Some Regulators allow seat cushions instead of life vests as individual flotation devices. This includes takeoffs and landings at coastal or near-coastal airports. When in water, especially when cold or turbulent, it is much more difficult to hold on to a cushion for an extended period than to keep floating with a life vest.