The return of UK SBAS?
US satellite communications company Viasat has demonstrated a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) for potential use at UK airports that could replace the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) that the UK lost access to when it left the European Union. Viasat demonstrated its system using Cranfield University’s National Flying Laboratory Centre’s Saab 340B twin-turboprop in January as part of a first step in...
Manston airport airfreight redevelopment appeal granted
The ongoing redevelopment saga surrounding Manston Airport in Kent has received another setback after yet another appeal against the project was granted. The project has now been stalled for around six years, after RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) first proposed to redevelop the mothballed airport as hub for international air freight and was granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) by UK Government. Local resident Ms Jenny Dawes had...
Global positioning system GPS jamming on the rise
Incidences of GPS jamming and spoofing appear to be on the rise and continue to threaten the safety of global air operations, a regulator/industry workshop has concluded. According to the International Airline Transport Association (IATA) there has been an increase in reports from airlines and other civilian pilots that they have been receiving incorrect data corrupting or crashing their navigation systems. Aside from the jamming of...
Ryanair considers forced winter leave for pilots
Ryanair is apparently considering one day of forced leave in the first quarter of 2024 for each pilot to ensure full staffing during the busy summer travel period, setting up a potential pushback from pilots resisting the move. The Irish low-cost carrier said it needs to allocate the forced day off after finding insufficient leave assigned on rosters in the January-March period, according to memos sent to pilots across Europe in...
The right stuff?
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has released a report stating that while airline pilot recruitment is looking positive for 2024, it now harbours concerns that the training industry may be experiencing capacity issues and could soon be struggling to meet demand. Having previously warned new entrants to the industry that a surplus of experienced pilots laid off during the pandemic meant that new pilot graduates would...
