INDONESIA: Pilot Fired For Attempting To Fly A Citilink Plane While Drunk

Indonesian pilot has been fired after he was suspected of trying to fly a plane while he was “drunk”.

It comes as bizarre footage shows Tekad Purnawas, a pilot for Indonesian budget airline Citilink, stumbling through security at Surabaya airport on Wednesday.

In the clip, three security workers can be seen helping the captain pick up his belongings after he goes through the body scanner.

Apparently, the pilot somehow managed to make his way into the cockpit when he made an incoherent flight announcement as he was prepared to fly an Airbus A320 from Surabaya to the capital Jakarta.

One passenger posted a video online of the alleged slurred announcement showing people on board looking confused.

Many passengers decided to leave the plane soon after as they were suspicious that the pilot was drunk.

The pilot was eventually replaced by another captain at the request of passengers who left the plane before takeoff.

The one-hour-20-minute flight eventually departed an hour behind schedule with 154 passengers on board.

Citilink President Director Albert Burhan said in a statement yesterday: “Citilink is very serious about handling this matter.”

The airline, which is a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, confirmed the pilot appeared “physically unfit”.

Earlier this year, two pilots were arrested at Glasgow Airport on ­suspicion of being too drunk to fly.

The pilots were nicked under section 93 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.

Jean-Francois Perreault, 39, and Imran Zafar Syed, 37, were charged under the same legislation after allegedly being under the influence of alcohol before they were due to fly from Glasgow to Canada.

The two men had been due to pilot an Air Transat jet with up to 250 people on board.

MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambican Air Companies Banned From EU Airspace

The European Commission has announced that all Mozambican air companies remain on its blacklist of airlines that are not allowed to operate in the air space of the European Union.

According to a press release issued in Brussels on Thursday, the EU Commission stated that 214 airlines from 19 countries are banned from operating in EU airspace due to a lack of oversight by the aviation authorities in those states. In addition, six airlines, including Angola's national airline, TAAG, are subject to operational restrictions.

Mozambique was placed on the blacklist in 2011, not because of any safety problems with Mozambique Airlines (LAM) or any other Mozambican air company, but because the regulator, the Mozambique Civil Aviation Authority (IACM), was accused of failing to meet EU standards.

The ban has no practical effect as LAM does not operate any intercontinental flights. The only EU airline to fly to Maputo is the Portuguese company, TAP. The other companies operating intercontinental routes from Maputo are Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

Several countries have made progress. All airlines certified in Zambia are cleared from the list, along with Air Madagascar and three airlines certified in Indonesia (Citilink, Lion Air and Batik Air). In addition most aircraft of Iran Air are allowed to resume operations to the EU.

INDONESIA: Indonesian Aviation Authorities Inspect All Airbus A320 Aircraft Registered In Indonesia

The Indonesian aviation authorities are inspecting all Airbus A320 aircraft registered in the country, following the conclusion by investigators that a technical glitch contributed to the crash of an Indonesia AirAsia plane in the Java Sea last year.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation launched the inspections on Thursday, saying it will last for six months and target a total of 75 Airbus A320 aircraft operated by four airlines registered in Jakarta.

Suprasetyo, the ministry’s director general for air transportation, says the four airlines are Indonesia AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia Extra, Citilink and Batik Air.

The first two are separate local units of Malaysia’s AirAsia Group, Asia’s largest budget carrier. Citilink is the low-cost unit of Indonesia’s national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, while Batik Air is the premium division of the country’s largest low-cost carrier, Lion Air.

“Any A320 aircraft found to have experienced repetitive problems will be temporarily grounded,” Suprasetyo told a press briefing on Thursday.

Investigators from Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee, or KNKT, on Tuesday announced that the AirAsia plane crash in the Java Sea on Dec. 28, 2014, which killed all 162 people on board, was partly caused by repetitive failures of the plane’s rudder travel limiter unit, or RTLU, which helps control rudder movement.

Analysis of the flight data recorder retrieved from the sea showed that the RTLU failed four times since the plane took off from Surabaya, East Java at 5.35 a.m., en route to Singapore.

Investigators said RTLU failures were supposed to be a minor issue.

But the pilot’s and co-pilot’s mishandling of the problem, coupled with “ineffective communications” between them, put the aircraft in an “upset” situation — during which it nose dived sharply from a height of 32,000 to 38,000 feet, before stalling in midair and crashing into the sea.

Investigators attributed the crew’s mishandling of the situation to a lack of upset recovery training. They said AirAsia did not make the training mandatory because Airbus’ manual for the A320 said it was not required.

Airbus earlier said in an emailed statement to the Nikkei Asian Review that the manufacturer had received the final accident report from the Indonesian authorities and was carefully studying its content.

Muhammad Alwi, director for airworthiness and aircraft operations at the transport ministry, said inspectors would check “all systems of the planes”, but with a special focus on RTLUs.

Aside from inspecting the condition of the planes, Indonesia’s transportation ministry will also make upset recovery training mandatory for all airlines registered in the country.

“We will increase the frequency of flight trainings, especially on upset recovery, from once for every 12 months to once for every six months,” Suprasetyo added.

Furthermore, pilots in command will soon be obliged to report every problem they experience during flight upon landing.

This is because KNKT investigators also found that the AirAsia aircraft had experienced a total of 23 RTLU problems in the year leading up the crash. Information regarding the past glitches apparently had not reached the maintenance team before the plane was permitted to fly.

“We’re currently outlining a safety circular that will detail procedures to integrate reports of mechanical problems [experienced after every flight], manually and or electronically,” Suprasetyo said.

The ongoing inspections and the upcoming new regulations will only apply on Airbus A320 registered in Indonesia.

For Airbus A320 aircraft flying in Indonesia’s airspace that are registered in other countries, the Indonesian aviation authority will issue recommendations to its foreign counterparts to implement similar moves.

The Airbus A320 aircraft are commonly used for short- to medium-range flights. They are popular among many Southeast Asian airlines serving the region.

AirAsia Group operates a total of 160 Airbus A320 aircraft, including Indonesia AirAsia’s 29 planes. The Philippines’ Cebu Pacific Air just took delivery of its 33rd Airbus A320 in October.

Singapore’s Tiger Air operates 22 Airbus A320 aircraft.

INDONESIA: Citilink Orders 25 Airbus A320neo

Citilink, the low cost subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia has placed a firm order with Airbus for 25 A320neo. The contract, signed in December 2012, represents the first direct purchase by Citilink from Airbus. It follows an order placed in 2011 by Garuda Indonesia for 15 A320ceo and 10 A320neo aircraft for operation by Citilink.

Citilink already operates a fleet of 12 leased A320s on its fast growing domestic network.

“The A320 has played a key role in the recent success of Citilink” said Mr. Arif Wibowo, Chief Executive Officer of Citilink. “The low operating costs, fast turnaround times and strong passenger appeal of the A320 make it perfect for our operation and we are looking forward to the even greater efficiencies that will come with the NEO”

"We are pleased to welcome Citilink as a new customer of Airbus,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers, Airbus. “The order underscores the A320 Family’s position as the preferred choice for full service and low cost carriers worldwide, both with the current and new engine options.”

Incorporating new engines and large "Sharklet" wing tip devices, the A320neo Family will deliver fuel savings of 15 percent. The reduction in fuel burn is equivalent to 1.4 million litres of fuel - the consumption of 1,000 mid size cars, saving 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. In addition, the A320neo Family will provide a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions and reduced engine noise.

With close to 8,900 aircraft ordered and over 5,300 aircraft delivered to over 380 customers and operators worldwide, the A320 Family is the world's best-selling single-aisle aircraft family.