The Fanblade

With the world in the grip of pending panic over a possible pandemic, IATA has responded by very sensibly seeking to put the record straight as to the risks of aircraft cabins spreading the viral infection. It has emphasised that “airlines are ready for the heightened level of alert… IATA has worked with WHO to prepare guidance material for front line staff at airlines, including cabin crew, maintenance workers, cleaners, passenger agents and cargo/baggage handlers.” Critically it states that modern aircraft are designed with cabin health in mind (although there’s no getting away from it being a confined environment): “People getting on planes [otherwise known as passengers... unless they are worried about hijackers suing airlines...] should be reassured of two things… airlines have equipment and measures in place to keep the cabin environment safe. For example modern aircraft [this immediately says 'don't get on old clapped out aeroplanes...] have air filtration systems similar to those in hospitals, aircraft are regularly disinfected as part of normal cleaning routines and crew are trained in handling procedures for passengers who might become ill on board aircraft. Secondly the years of planning for the possibility of avian influenza have prepared the industry to deal efficiently with the unfolding situation.” These comments were from the wise head of Giovanni Bisignani, IATA director general and ceo, and were points very well made. This message needs to be given wide airing, just like those cabins.

Could fate have sent a stark warning about Very Light Jets? A Cessna 500 crashed into a house shortly after taking off from Biggin Hill near London yesterday, killing both pilots and three passengers (luckily the house owners were not in the house at the time, they were on holiday). Why was this a warning? Well, it was only last week at a conference at the Royal Aeronautical Society that one speaker said that VLJs had been around for decades – and yes, the Cessna 500 was the aircraft he pointed too. It has eerie significance from where I’m standing, a passive observer. As the NTSB dispatches a team to help the AAIB, everyone must wait and see what the cause of this apparent double engine failure was… while those pondering the regulation of VLJs (at EASA in particular) have some real food for thought and hopefully constructive debate (as area where EASA has been doing its best to improve).