Issue 1 Jan - Mar 2016

When Does Legal Not Equal Safe?

Safe, legal, reliable. These are the cornerstones of our operations. You and I as pilots operate within the bounds of that published guidance and if followed will deliver safe operation most of the time. The industry concept of Operational Risk Management assesses the risk of legal threats faced by crews. The FOM, MEL, and QRH have risk assessment built into them, but they cannot account for the sum of all the threats faced by a crew to determine if you are conducting legal but still unsafe operations. Assessing the operational risks for each leg of a trip is familiar to all pilots. It serves to highlight the threats for each leg, considers mitigation strategies to lower the threat total, and forces involvement beyond the crew once the sum of the threats reaches a high level. Good idea. It is not enough to list five dangerous threats for the flight, nodding to each other in agreement, and then go fly without properly mitigating them. Furthermore, should you challenge your fellow crew-member, scheduler, dispatcher, or duty officer many have met the response of “well…it’s legal.” First of all we cannot assess the risk of an illegal

…Gear Up!! �1

Did You Know?1 -PEPP is Non-

Jeopardy!!

Going to training this year and want to audit ITU? Maybe you’d like to work on your procedural skills or see an a p p r o a c h o n t h e H U D ? C o n t a c t y o u r s i m u l a t o r scheduler and take advantage of this opportunity. Refer to the CBA Sect ion 11 .P.18 fo r restrictions.

2- We have good user guides!!

There are several guides that are very helpful in addressing technical proficiency issues. All are available on your iPad content locker under the ‘Reference’ tab

1. Company/HR: Pilot New Hire Guide

2. Trip Planning: International Operations Guide

3. Trip Planning: Enroute Flight Aid

…GEAR UP!A Training Committee Publication

Issue 1 Jan - Mar 2016

operation. So, legal is the starting threshold for discussing the risk level of a threat. Secondly, legal does not by itself equate safe. It only equals legal.

What are threats you should consider?

Examples might be:   duty day, crew experience, weather, aircraft capability, terrain, international experience, type of approach available, hours in last seven days, recency of experience in that airfield/country/operation, language barrier, and so on all legal within our FOM, and PHB; but, a particular combination of threats may be dangerous and require a threat to be mitigated removed, replaced, repaired but not ignored.

FedEx crews unlike our military brothers do not have the guidance of an operational risk tool to take your subjective gut feel of risk and translate that into a quantitative value that others can understand and define.

As such here are guidelines the U.S. Navy offers to follow during time critical risk assessment:

• What can go wrong or is changing?

• How can I keep it from effecting the mission without hurting me?

• Act to correct the situation.

• Telling the right people if you are unable to take the right action.

Read More:http://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_se/publication/afi90-802/afi90-802.pdf

http://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrma/om/safety/operational_risk_management.html

RNP or Not to RNP?

Recent changes in chart naming of RNAV (GNSS) approaches to RNP has generated a measure of confusion. Refer to the FOM 6.29 AUTHORIZED APPROACHES and you will see RNP is listed as an authorized approach. Don’t be confused with the RNAV (RNP) approach with which we are not yet authorized to fly. You may have trained them in the simulator but the airline is not yet authorized to fly them.

…Gear Up!! �2

3- “Continue” is a callout!!

The next time the weather is near minimums and see to land is required consider using the call out “continue”. It will buy you an additional 8 seconds of decision making time. Talking about the approach lights needed / expected at 100’ and the callouts to expect will exponentially increase the clarity of communications when critical decisions must be made in a stressful environment . At 1 0 0 f e e t t h e A L S r e d terminating bars or side row bars must be distinctly visible and identifiable. Reference the F O M 6 . 5 7 L a n d i n g R e q u i r e m e n t s f o r m o r e information.

4- Training Advisory Group

Each training manager now has a Training Committee representative who regularly checks in to discuss training concerns on your behalf . Should you have feedback on the quality of your training we want to hear from you. Contact us at: TAG@alpa.org

A300-­‐Warren  Cox  

B-757/767-­‐Chris  Fitz  

B-777  -­‐Doug  Thompson  

MD-10/11-­‐Dave  Mikkola  

Issue 1 Jan - Mar 2016

Let’s look at these two different approach types and compare them. Refer to: EDFH RNP Rwy 03 and KMEM RNAV (RNP) X 18L. The differences aside from the chart naming are key to understanding if you are

authorized to fly the approach. All RNAV approaches FedEx are authorized to fly are GPS based and flown via VNAV or V/S using CDFA procedures. All of these approaches have LNAV/VNAV and/or LNAV minimums.

RNAV (RNP) is similar to Area Navigation (RNAV) but requires on-board navigation performance monitoring and alerting capability to ensure that the aircraft stays within a specific containment area. These RNAV (RNP) approaches display their minimums with a required RNP level and a corresponding DA. Additionally, the AR that is prohibited by the FOM is displayed as AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED, AR, or SAAAR on the RNAV (RNP) approach chart. Authorization is required because RNAV (RNP) approaches allow much less obstacle clearance (as low as 1200 feet lateral separation).

So, the next time you see an RNP approach and cannot recall if it is legal remember we only fly to LNAV/VNAV and/or LNAV minimums. A stated RNP level in the minima and‘AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED’ are indicators of prohibited approaches…for now

un-a-bel

/ˌənˈābəl/adjectivelacking the skill, means, or opportunity to do something.

Minimums for RNP 18L KMEM

Do we lack the skill to make the runway change given to us in the last second? Do we have the means to make this tight crossing restriction? One

word that is hard for us as pilots to say in any setting but especially in our "office." We as FedEx pilots truly are a can do group. If fact in many cases we are a Will do group. We know

…Gear Up!! �3

Issue 1 Jan - Mar 2016

that a deice event in Memphis will task us to the limits of our skill and patience, but we overcome each one with means and skills to get the aircraft launched safely even if it means sitting in the cockpit eight hours before we push.

When should we be more willing to say “unable”?

When’s the last time a benign vector off course forced you to go well above normal means to barely make a crossing restriction when with one word early to ATC would provide relief: unable. When's the last time you took a runway change in tight and your PM was lost in your plan while going heads down to try and type when one word would have kept both sets of eyes on the intended landing: unable. ASAP reports come in all varieties and when you read them or the safety reports you see various examples of one word that would have negated the need to even fill them out: unable. We have an outstanding team of aviators who will continue the tradition of a can do crew force but as we progress and operate in the ever more challenging environment we work in, let's all keep that one simple word readily available to use to make sure we keep the opportunity to try again next time. Unable.

Add 50 Feet!!Confusion on when to add or not add 50 feet to our non-ILS, or APV (Approaches With Vertical Guidance Reference FOM 6.29 for more information) approaches is an ongoing discussion that many are not confident in their understanding. When the question is asked I’m often reminded of a leadership video I watched years ago called “The Pickle Principle—Give ‘em the Pickle!!” (http://www.giveemthepickle.com/pickle_principle.htm) The basis of the discussion was focused around customer service and doing what is right. So, let’s make the addition of 50 feet much an academic discussion for understanding, but if there is disagreement among the crew—give ‘em the 50 feet!!

There are three times Domestically you do not have to add 50 feet to your MDA:

1. RNAV approach using LNAV/VNAV minimums (this one applies internationally as well)

2. ILS with the Glide Slope OTS

3. LOC or VOR approach with the ball note "Only authorized operators may use VNAV DA(H) in lieu of MDA(H)." (Not authorized for MD-11/10.)

…Gear Up!! �4

Issue 1 Jan - Mar 2016

After Start BulletinAfter  Start  Flow  is  Changing  

MisconHigurations  happen  when  we  attempt  a  takeoff  and  the  airplane  is  not  in  the  proper  takeoff  conHiguration.    We  have  had  an  unacceptable  amount  of  misconHigurations  at  FedEx  causing  us  to  search  for  a  solution.    We  reached  out  to  other  major  carriers  to  gather  data  on  procedure  and  practice.  The  airline  industry  has  mitigated  this  risk  by  simply  conHiguring  the  aircraft  prior  to  taxi,  as  well  as  verifying  the  planned  and  actual  Hlap  setting  are  correct.    This  practice  reduces  the  task  load  of  the  crew  during  taxi  and  in  turn  increases  their  situational  awareness.    Thus  allowing  the  crew  to  better  manage  distractions  and  pre-­‐takeoff  workload.  

How  it  works:  

The  Captain  calls  for  ‘After  Start  Checklist’  which  will  trigger  a  Hlow  and  conHiguration  of  the  Hlaps/slats,  and  trim.    The  Hlight  control  check  will  be  accomplished  when  the    ‘Before  Takeoff  Checklist’  is  called  for.    The  expanded  checklist  allows  for  this  to  be  accomplished  prior  to  taxi.  

Coming  to  all  Hleets  in  2016:  

Currently  there  is  a  bulletin  for  the  B75/76  Hleet  only.    Each  Hleet  will  be  modifying  their  After  Start  Hlows  to  conHigure  the  airplane  for  takeoff.    

Challenges:  

Minor  checklist  modiHications  are  expected  as  we  incorporate  lessons  learned  from  the  75/76  community  and  the  airline  is  standardized.    Adjustments  will  be  made  to  add  guidance  for  de-­‐ice  scenarios.    One  requirement  for  this  procedure  is  to  allow  for  LTAET.    Currently  the  MD  10/11  has  challenges  with  conHiguring  and  performing  LTAET  that  are  being  addressed..    Lastly  we  know  that  there  is  a  lack  of  standardization  as  to  when  the  After  Start  Checklist  is  called  for.  

Nothing  prohibits  crews  from  conHiguring  after  push  back  at  this  time  or  from  running  the  Before  Takeoff  Checklist  prior  to  taxi.    An  airline  wide  solution  is  both  necessary  and  desired  to  minimize  procedural  differences  across  all  the  Hleets.  This  is  especially  true  given  the  amount  of  seat  movement  that  is  taking  place  now,  and  will  continue  for  the  foreseeable  future.  

…Gear Up!! �5

Issue 1 Jan - Mar 2016

HOT During De-Ice

Each fleet has a bulletin which details the use of ACARS to determine HOTs. Here are some key highlights if you have been using ACARS HOT but have not read the bulletin:

The primary way to determine a HOT is through an ACARS request. Go to: DOWNLINKS > OPS CTRL, enter the text “HOT”, then SEND.

You will receive three possible replies:

1. SureHOT+ Exact holdover time,

2.SureHOT holdover time range or,

3.An ACARS message directing you to use iPad HOT App or FOM.

Overview

SureHOT+ and SureHOT are automated systems that provide two different methods for holdover time (HOT) calculation using ACARS downlink requests.

The primary benefit to using SureHOT+ is that it allows operation in conditions that would otherwise be restricted (e.g., +SN) as reported via METAR or derived from the Snowfall Intensity vs Visibility Table.

The ultimate responsibility for making de/anti-icing decisions still resides with the Captain.

LimitationsSureHOT+ is authorized for use in snow, freezing rain, and freezing drizzle conditions only.

After receipt of initial SureHOT+ or SureHOT, flight crews are required to request an additional ACARS HOT:

…Gear Up!! �6

Issue 1 Jan - Mar 2016

1. Approximately five minutes prior to takeoff,

2. If precipitation changes or intensity increases after de/anti-icing.

SureHOT+ accurately determines actual snow intensity. Therefore, the SureHOT+ holdover time may be used when the METAR reports +SN (HEAVY SNOW), or the Snowfall Intensity vs Visibility Table yields +SN (HEAVY SNOW).

• In these instances, a PTOCC is NOT required, and departure is allowed within a valid HOT.

SureHOT METAR ConsiderationsThe SureHOT METAR Message is an automated look up of the manual process. All procedures and guidance related to the normal HOT determination process must be followed.For example: with METAR ONLY reporting +SN (HEAVY SNOW), a Pre-Takeoff Contamination Check (PTOCC) is required (refer to FOM).

…Gear Up!! �7