Probe team gives proposals to boost aviation safety
PUTRAJAYA: The MH370 safety investigation team has made a list of recommendations to boost greater aviation safety and benefits, including suggesting that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) change its flight-following system.
Aside from MAS, suggestions were also made for the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAB) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for their consideration.
The proposals were listed in the Safety Investigation Report released yesterday.
The team, which listed eight proposals to MAS, suggested that its current flight-following system known as “Flight Explorer” be upgraded to the global real-time tracking system.
It also proposed the review and introduc- tion of new security measures for cargo scanning at all airports, particularly the Penang International Airport, and to develop a comprehensive “quick reference” for the operations control centre that covers abnormal operations or situations.
“It also recommended that a flight crew report to MAB flight operations of any serious ailment that can cause medical incapacitation,” the report said.
For MAB, the recommendation is to review and introduce new security procedures for cargo scanning at entry points at all airports and the team also suggested that the ICAO review the effectiveness of current emergency locator transmitters fitted to passenger aircraft.
“ICAO should also consider ways to effec- tively determine the location of an aircraft that enters water,” it said.
The report listed seven recommendations to CAAM, among which was to review existing coordination procedures or introduce new ones between Kuala Lumpur air traffic service centre and the joint air traffic control centre on unidentified primary target observed by the radar controller as well as to put in place more stringent security measures for cargo scanning at all airports particularly in Penang.
“Air traffic controllers are to be provided refresher training to ensure established procedures are always complied with.
CAAM should also review the present duty roster system for KL ATSC with the objective of improving working conditions,” said the report.
It also recommended that the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, among others, observe the requirement of language proficiency.
An independent international investigation team comprising 19 Malaysians and accredited representatives of safety investigation authorities from the United Kingdom, Australia, France, China, the United States, Indonesia and Singapore was set up to investigate the disappearance of MH370.
In honour of the victims, the report has a special page dedicated to them.
It said: “The report is dedicated to the memory of the 239 passengers and crew missing on MH370 on March 8, 2014. They will be forever missed by their families, friends and colleagues, but never forgotten,” it said.