Unmanned Aerial Systems

The expansion in use of large remotely controlled unmanned aerial systems by military and other operators has so far been confined largely to segregated airspace away from commercial passenger and cargo carrying traffic. However increasingly there is pressure for these aircraft to share airspace used by commercial aircraft. What is important to understand is that these aircraft can be very large indeed (the Predator UAS has a similar wingspan to a B737 and therefore IFALPA’s position is that in order to operate in unsegregated airspace they must conform to all the regulations that apply to the aircraft an crews of similarly sized manned aircraft (with a few exceptions mostly connected with life support and other manned aircraft issues). The ADO Committee is paying close attention to these developments in order that the safety of the flying public is not compromised.

ADO Contacts: Ellis Chernoff & Thomas Mildenberger

Runway Safety

Today one of the most pressing concerns in the drive to improve the safety of air transport operations is runway safety. Reducing the number of runway incursions (when an aircraft, vehicle, individual or animal enters a runway without clearance) and runway excursions (when an aircraft overruns, underuns or exits the paved surface of a runway) and mitigating their effects when they do happen is high on the agenda of both the ADO and the Aerodrome & Ground Environment (AGE) Committees.

ADO Contacts: Bob Perkins & Thomas Bos

Single Pilot Operations

Another issue that is giving the ADO Committee special cause for concern is the potential introduction of single pilot cruise operations in aircraft designed for operation by a crew of two. The detail of these concerns is set out in the IFALPA statement on the issue which you can find by clicking here.
ADO Contact: Stefan Wolf

Environmental Issues

Naturally as responsible citizens the aviation industry must do its part to protect the environment and it’s often overlooked how far the industry has come in improving fuel efficiency, and reducing noise, gaseous and particulate emissions it can be argued that in no other area has equivalent progress been made especially in the last 25 years. However, what is just as important is that in the quest to improve environmental performance safety is not compromised. That’s why the ADO Committee remains focussed on ensuring that new technology, procedures or techniques not only deliver in terms of ‘green performance’ but also either improve safety or at worst, do nothing to reduce it.

ADO Contact: Robert Brons

To learn more about how the ADO Committee works see the ADO information Briefing Leaflet click here.