Flight Safety Foundation Symposium Vancouver, 08-09 February 2011

1. Flight Safety Foundation SymposiumVancouver, 08-09 February 2011 A Process for Control and Conduct of Functional Check FlightsCathay Pacific Airways

2. Introduction Who we are What we do Why we are here in YVR

3. Introduction Who we are – • Flight Technical Section in Flight Operations Department • Manager – Aeronautical Engineering Background • 5 Ex-military Line Pilots (RAF, RAAF), 4 are TPS Graduates • Simulator Specialist Engineer • Operations Development Engineer

4. Introduction What we do – • Cathay Pacific Test Flying • Check Flights – periodic • Lease acceptance/return flights – infrequent • Cabin IFE/Power EMI tests - infrequent • Flight Simulator Evaluation • New simulator Company acceptance • Evaluation for Regulatory Qualification • Management of AFM Configuration • Projects on ad-hoc basis

5. Introduction Why we are here in YVR – • Shocked and saddened by Perpignan accident • FT Section has considerable airline test flight experience • A300-600, A330, A340-300, A340-600 • B747 Classic, B747-400, B777-200/300/300ER • No major incidents over many years • Competent and willing to contribute to discussion on improved Check Flight safety

6. Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Why we have check flight scheme in HKG - • Reason for scheme • Basic scheme details • Reporting responsibility

7. Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Reason for scheme - Scheme mandated by HKG Civil Aviation Dept. Known as Airworthiness Flight Test Scheme Follows UKCAA Scheme, still in effect for non-EASA aircraft CX finds benefit in these ‘Quality Control’ checks No other scheduled/regular post-maintenance flight test

8. Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Basic scheme details - • Series test required for each new aircraft (HKCAD)(Doubles as customer acceptance test for CX) • First annual test required for each new aircraft (rate may be reduced with HKCAD agreement) • Sample test of each fleet required(For CX fleets, 3 – 4 aircraft per year, on rotating basis) • Approx. half number of test flights compared with operators conducting post-maintenance test flights after D Check(D-Check frequency approx. 5 yrs)

9. Hong Kong Check Flight Scheme Reporting responsibility – • “Approved Pilots” individually approved by HKCAD to submit reports on test flights • Pilots employed by CX, test flight flown as agent of HKCAD • Pilots directly responsible to HKCAD for reporting

10. Check Flight Considerations Threats, potential errors increased RISK! • Non-standard OPS • Conducted infrequently • Tests near edges of flight envelope or system limits • Weather • ATC environment

11. Check Flight Considerations Increased RISK Risk Mitigation Methodology Considerations – • Who does the testing • What is tested • Where & when the testing is conducted • How the test process is controlled • Process documentation – Section Policy & Procedures Manual (PPM)

12. Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing – • Crew selection • Crew training • Crew currency

13. Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing / Crew selection – • FT Section test pilots • Ex-military line pilots with military post-maintenance test exp. • Senior Check/Training pilots (1-2 in each fleet) • Flight test crew includes trained flight test observer(need not be pilot) • Crew selected on basis of known methodical, disciplined nature • Numbers balanced considering task size, experience dilution, roster disruption

14. Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing / Crew training – • PPM self-study • Comprehensive flight test briefing by CAD-approved trainer • 1 Sim practice as PNF • 1 Test flight as PNF • 1 Sim practice as PF • 1 Test flight as PF • Consolidation test flight(s)

15. Check Flight Considerations Who does the testing / Crew currency – • If PPM currency requirements not satisfied, simulator practice required prior to test flight • Simulator practice should include entire scheduled crew(Approved Pilot, PNF, FT Observer) • When one crew member under training, other crew members should be experienced

16. Check Flight Considerations What is tested – • Test selection • Test schedule format • Additional HKCAD tests • Ad-hoc tests during flight ?

17. Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test selection – • Tests taken from manufacturers’ production test manuals • Manufacturers’ test manuals used within well-developed manufacturers’ flight test safety environment • Manufacturers’ production test manuals clearly suitable for crews conducting frequent, regular test activities at the manufacturers’ facilities • Manufacturers’ production test manuals not considered entirely suitable for airline crews conducting infrequent test activities

18. Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded – • Limits/Warnings/Cautions/Notes added to strengthen local flight test safety environment

19. Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded (contd)– • Initial and Completion conditions added

20. Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded (contd)– • Step-by-step procedure and result recording

21. Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Test schedule format – • Locally-developed test schedules expanded (contd)– • Carefully phrased instructionsSimple changes can be important – Condition, followed by Actione.g. After 3 min at idle, shutdown ENG 2 NOT Shutdown ENG 2 after 3 min at idle

22. Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Additional HKCAD tests – • Engine in-flight relight tests • In-flight relight envelope data used • Second segment and final segment climb performance • Manufacturers’ gross performance data supplied for specific ranges of weight and altitude

23. Check Flight Considerations What is tested / Ad-hoc tests during flight ? – • NO in-flight ad-hoc tests are conducted!! • If issue arises where in-flight test considered useful for issue resolution – • Issue/system reviewed with Engineering and manufacturer • Risk assessment conducted / risk mitigation developed • Test drafted / reviewed / practised (simulator)

24. Check Flight Considerations Where & when the testing is conducted – • Daylight hours • Critical tests in VMC(Low speed / high speed/Mach / backup power etc.) • ‘Non dynamic’ weather(No test in/near storms, typhoons etc – defer as appropriate) • Reserved test or low-use airspace

25. Check Flight Considerations Where & when the testing is conducted – • ATC is, and must be considered as, an integral part of a successful test • ATC brief (phone/fax) in addition to slot notification • Requirements for non-deviating headings (perf climbs) • Requirements for block altitudes • Crew use flight profile also sent to ATC • ATC info notes included

26. Check Flight Considerations Where & when the testing is conducted – • Typical flight profile

27. Check Flight Considerations How the test process is controlled – • Test process fully documented in FT Section Policy & Procedures Manual – PPM a ‘living’ document • PPM contains information to ensure • Regulatory compliance • Company compliance • Governmental compliance (e.g. Immigration requirements) • PPM contains information to educate non-TP-trained crew on essential elements of flight test methodology • Production flight test, NOT experimental flight test

28. Check Flight Considerations How the test process is controlled – • Compliance information drawn from • Air Navigation Order • Air Operator’s Certificate document • Company OPS Manuals • Initial effort required to research and set up framework for compliance • Compliance not burdensome in operation • New test crew not required to ‘reinvent the wheel’!

29. Check Flight Considerations How the test process is controlled – In-flight test procedures Assigned crew roles No independent testing Switch/knob confirmation prior operation Any crew member may call for temporary halt In-flight standard procedures Periodic reversion to SOPs ‘Re-baseline’ of OPS

30. Concluding Comments In the experience of Cathay Pacific Airways - • Are trained test pilots / FTEs required for safe conduct of check flights? • No • Are trained test pilots / FTEs required to administer a check flight scheme? • No

31. Concluding Comments • Has Cathay Pacific Airways benefited from having trained test pilots / FTEs set up the scheme philosophy and framework? • Definitely Yes – Cathay Pacific Airways has safely conducted check (airworthiness) flights for many years;Where in-flight systems failures occurred, risk mitigation methodology enabled safe returns to base • Should development of any new Regulatory framework for check flights involve test pilots, FTEs, and experienced industry teams? • Cathay Pacific Airways’ experience would suggest Yes

32. Concluding Statement • Cathay Pacific Airways is ready, willing, and, we believe, competent to assist the industry in its quest to improve the safety of check flight operations

33. Acknowledgements • General Manager Operations, Cathay Pacific Airways Capt. Russell Davie • Former Flight Technical Section Managers Capt. John Carrodus Capt. Terry Farquharson • Current members of Flight Technical SectionAirbus TeamBoeing Team Henry De Courcier John O’Halloran Ian McClelland Dave Lohse Matt Fullwood