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Vol. 13 No. 20 THE AIR CARGO NEWS THOUGHT LEADER Wednesday February 26, 2014

VoicesFromUPSFlight1354

UPSDropCap022614 PS Airlines Flight 1354 was a scheduled cargo flight from Louisville International Airport to Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport.
On August 14, 2013, the aircraft flying this route—a UPS Airlines Airbus A300-600F—crashed and burst into flames short of the runway on approach to Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport in the US state of Alabama.
Both pilots—Capt. Cerea Beal Jr. and First Officer Shanda Fanning—died in the crash.
     They were the only people aboard the aircraft.
     In thriller or scary movies, the proverbial ‘voice from beyond the grave’ is not uncommon.
     In the aviation industry, which is based on knowledge, facts, and checklists, such occult humbug usually has no place.
     But the just-released National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident report for that all-cargo UPS flight delivers rather disturbing and haunting transcript quotes from the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) .

What Happened?

While NTSB attributes the crash of UPS Flight 1354 to fatigue on the side of the crew, the CVR had recorded a conversation of the crew complaining about the different duty time and rest requirements for pilots of all-cargo aircraft and passenger aircraft, which were mandated after the tragic accident of Comair flight 5191 on August 27th, 2006.
It’s worth noting here that while increased rest times have been mandated for pilots of passenger-carrying aircraft, no such increases have to date been mandated for all-cargo transporters.

Chilling CVR Transcript

     About one hour before the fatal accident, the Captain of the doomed flight commented to the First Officer:
     “I don’t get that.
     “You know it should be one level of safety for everybody,” to which the F/O is heard saying:
     “It makes no sense at all.”
     The conversation continued for quite some time, touching on the fact that both pilots obviously experienced fatigue because of irregular duty times and interrupted sleep cycles.
     Here are some excerpts:
     At one point the Flight Officer says:
     “It should be across the board.
     “To be honest, in my opinion whether you are flying passengers or cargo or you know box(es) of chocolate at night.
     “If you’re flying this time of day…”
     “…the you know (stammer) * fatigue is definitely…*** (expletive deleted).”
     Captain: “Yeah yeah yeah….** (expletive) really, God, I know these people have no clue. I know.”
     Flight officer: “And I just don’t understand what they…”
     Captain: “And they, you know, they talk about cost. Well, on the passenger side it just costs as much, the same thing.
     “You know, I mean give me a break.
     “And these companies are the ones that are really making the money.
     “They got a lot (of) nerve. (…)
     “They do that (stammering) *(expletive) and it says a lot about what they, how they think about you.”

What Happens Next?

     While factors other than crew fatigue certainly played a role in this accident—non-availability of BHX runways 06 and 24 and the crew being distracted by ATC communication to a FedEx flight that, for some reason, bore an identical flight number (FX1354)—the hope is that the communication of the tragic UPS flight recorded on the CVR will serve as a wake-up call to legislators and authorities to do away with second-class and first-class flying.
     One thing is getting clearer; a life threatening emergency can occur aboard a cargo aircraft just as easily as on a passenger flight.
     The potential for loss is not that much lower to warrant an entirely different set of rules as currently exists.
     According to one report last week on CNN:
     “Cargo pilots have special rest needs, they say, because they typically fly ‘on the back side of the clock’—at night—which raises havoc with sleep rhythms and contributes to fatigue.
     “UPS argues,” CNN said “that it gives pilots ample opportunity to sleep, that it has a non-punitive system for pilots who say they are too tired to fly, and that work hours have been largely negotiated with the pilots' union.
     “Finally, UPS said, ‘pilots share responsibility that they get adequate rest and are fit to fly.”
Jens

Airlift Stems For The
Love Of Women
International Women’s Month is celebrated around the world during the month of March.
   The theme for International Women’s Day on March 8th is “Inspiring Change.”
   Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo says it will move more than 560 tons of flowers originating from Andean countries (UIO and BOG) to Europe, “proudly reconfirming our commitment to the flower industry by adding full charter flights and aircraft upgrades,” the carriers said.
   “The majority of added capacity during March is intended for the Russian market, where the tradition of giving flowers on International Women’s Day is widely observed,” AF/KL/MP added.

Flowers By The Road Celebration all over the world…Flowers are sent to female highway maintenance workers in China as the world celebrates International Women's Day in Maanshan, Anhui, China, on Thursday, March 8, 2013. This year’s celebration continues all during March.

Qantas At A Loss

Qantas could slash as many as 3,000 jobs in a plan to strip $2 billion in costs. Tomorrow it will reveal half-year results, which could be as much as $300 million according to statements issued by the airline last December.
Australian Services Union national secretary Linda White said ASU, which represents 8,000 of Qantas’ 33,000 employees, “would fight for every job at the airline."

ChangiStrugglesWithStagnation

ingapore Changi Airport has again extended a range of financial incentives as part of its decade long drive to try and boost its cargo throughput and hold on to its existing business.

Fire Sale Rebates

Under the Changi Airport Growth Initiative for the financial year ending March 31, 2015, all scheduled freighter flights using Singapore will be eligible for a 50 percent landing fee rebate.
Cargo tenants leasing CAG cargo facilities at the Changi Airfreight Centre will also enjoy rebates, in this case based on cargo tonnage handled and worth up to 20 percent of their rentals.
“Together with other growth incentives available to freighter airlines, CAG’s support package for the cargo industry will amount to S$18 million for FY14/15,” said a CAG statement.
The package follows similar rebates offered in FY2012/13 and FY 2013/14 to freighter service providers and cargo tenants.

When Awards Are Not Enough

The strategy is part of CAG’s acknowledgement that as one of the world’s major business centers, and as the Asian headquarters of many leading 3PLs and logistics giants, Singapore needs to maintain—and, indeed, expand—its role as a cargo hub, and not simply concentrate on consolidating its position as the globe’s most passenger-friendly airport, a view reflected in the plethora of awards received by Changi in 2013.

Cargo Stalls As Costs Rise

Although one of Asia’s biggest hubs, with passenger numbers of 53.7 million last year, Changi’s cargo fortunes have stalled for much of the last decade as it has tried to cope with higher land and/or labor costs than regional rivals such as Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok, as well as the declining competitiveness of its domestic manufacturing sector, which used to drive export growth.

Lags Behind Hong Kong Incheon & Tokyo

In 2012, Changi was the world’s 12th busiest cargo airport and the fifth largest in Asia after Hong Kong, Shanghai, Incheon, and Tokyo, according to figures from ACI. But volumes have barely increased in a decade.
Final year figures for 2013 released this week revealed marginal 0.8 percent year-on-year growth, taking total throughput to 1.85 million tons, which could see Changi lose a place to Beijing in the rankings of Asia’s biggest cargo airports by throughput.

Missed The Boom

     Indeed, as long ago as 2004 the airport’s freight throughput totaled 1.78 million tons, only marginally less than is currently handled. In short, unlike Singapore’s booming maritime terminals, which have grown exponentially, Changi has missed out on much of the boom in intra-Asia and global trade over the last decade as globalization has seen the length and complexity of supply chains increase exponentially.
     CAG said its 2013 cargo highlights included perishables and pharma growth but overall, slower export and transshipment volumes were only just outweighed by stronger imports.
     Looking forward to 2014, CAG is far more downbeat than most others in Asia’s air cargo sector, as FlyingTypers has reported. While major airlines, airports and handlers are expecting improved conditions this year, following on from a healthy end to 2013 and the better outlook in European and U.S. consumer markets, CAG takes a rather different view.
     “The recovery of the global airfreight industry remains fragile and potential growth in cargo volumes, if any, will be amidst a challenging environment as global consumer demand and cargo yields continue to remain depressed,” said a statement.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The real question as airports and airlines in Asia gear up for higher volumes in 2014 is whether Changi will be able to secure a sizeable share of improving cargo markets; or whether throughput will continue to stagnate as it has for the last ten years, irrespective of wider market conditions.
SkyKing

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Jacques Ancher

Jacques Ancher will be named to the TIACA Hall Of Fame at the association's executive summit in Istanbul on April 24, 2014. Join to honor Jacques by registering here.

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