Pilots warn on Jetstar risk

[Yada Yada]

Pilots warn on Jetstar risk
From: By Steve Creedy
July 18, 2006

QANTAS pilots have raised safety concerns over the ability of low-cost carrier Jetstar to fly international routes.

The pilots want the launch of the new Jetstar international services delayed, amid anxiety about proposed routes over remote stretches of ocean.

The pilots wrote to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority last month warning that any move to give Jetstar International immediate permission to fly routes that take them up to 180 minutes away from emergency airports would expose the public to "an unacceptable level of risk".

Jetstar, a unit of Qantas (qan.ASX:Quote,News), is seeking the 180-minute approval, known as extended twin-engine operations (ETOPS), so it can fly direct to Honolulu, starting later this year.

Qantas (qan.ASX:Quote,News)already has the 180-minute approval on the Airbus A330 planes Jetstar International will operate, but Jetstar must apply for permission in its own right.

The Australian and International Pilots Association says Jetstar lacks the experience to operate at the maximum ETOPS range and CASA should do a risk assessment and operational safety case before granting approval. It says Jetstar has a "limited operational, engineering, maintenance and experience base" and an operational and safety culture that may differ significantly from its parent's.

http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,19828047-462,00.html

The Qantas pilots are sounding a little desperate.

 

[Dave Noble]

The Qantas pilots are sounding a little desperate.

I dunno. It could be that , or they could have genuine concerns. As it goes on to say, the 180 rating hasn't been given to any other operator straight out, but over time as experience increases.

Dave

 

[bravoecho1]

Having seen what CX went through to get their ETOPS approval when they first bought the "bus", I would have to agree with the second half of Dave's comment.

 

[serfty]

I dunno. It could be that , or they could have genuine concerns. As it goes on to say, the 180 rating hasn't been given to any other operator straight out, but over time as experience increases.

Dave

At appears that a 180 ETOPS certification is not as 'straight out' as the Pilots are inferring. It's more of a step up from an existing 2 hour certification:

Mr Joyce said Jetstar already had 120-minute ETOPS on its trans-Tasman A320 services.

 

[Yada Yada]

I dunno. It could be that , or they could have genuine concerns. As it goes on to say, the 180 rating hasn't been given to any other operator straight out, but over time as experience increases.

It's an interesting point. I guess JQ is looking to leverage the status of its parent to some extent but perhaps it won't necessarily count in this situation.

 

[NM]

At appears that a 180 ETOPS certification is not as 'straight out' as the Pilots are inferring. It's more of a step up from an existing 2 hour certification:

However, JQ has no current or proven historic experience with maintaining or operating A330 aircraft. The pilots who are part of the 2-hour ETOPS certification for the Trans-Tasman operations are not the same ones to be flying the SYD-HNL missions using A330 aircraft.

I would expect that if Jetstar International wants to be identified as an airline in its own right, then it should be expected to earn any ETOPS rating the same way any other airline has to. If using QF maintenance services, then that part of the requirements should be simple. If using existing QF pilots then it should also make it simple. If they are employing new pilots with new management and training processes, then they need to assessed just as any other airline needs to be.

 

[serfty]

... If using existing QF pilots then it should also make it simple. ...

Thar bee th' rub!

Current QF pilots do not want to work for JQ! (or this thread would be redundant!)

 

[NM]

Thar bee th' rub!

Current QF pilots do not want to work for JQ! (or this thread would be redundant!)

But I am sure JQ would be very pleased to employ them .... for up to $100,000 less per year .

 

[Commuter]

I believe there may well be at least some (if not many) pilots with quite an extensive ETOPS experience on A330s flying for JQ in due course - and they're not from QF.