-T / T / +T | Comment(s)

Monday, February 6, 2006

Quick Takes

  • Hard on the heals of a set of recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the Cessna 208 Caravans' operations in icing conditions (RAN, Jan. 23), the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has come to some similar conclusions. So, TSB joins NTSB in recommending that 208s not go up in icing conditions that exceed the "light" icing range, although TSB seems to go a little farther. Specifically, it would: "Prohibit the continued operation in these conditions, until the airworthiness of the aircraft to operate in such conditions is demonstrated." Like NTSB, the Canadian agency adopts the airspeed of 120 knots as a safe minimum. Unlike the U.S. agency, TSB's latest set of recommendations says nothing about the autopilot. NTSB recommended that the autopilot always be disengaged in icing conditions. Also, while NTSB mostly cited two Cessna 208 crashes from last fall on approach to Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow and a departure from Winnipeg International in Canada, TSB only cites the latter accident. In making its recommendation on the autopilot, NTSB mostly cited the Moscow accident.
  • In 2005, February had the lowest number of aviation insurance renewals and premiums of any month, and it appears that 2006 will be no different, with only three renewals expected to take place, according to Aon, an insurance broker. The largest renewal in February is MyTravel, which is nearly six times larger in terms of fleet value than Tarom, according to 2005 renewal data. MyTravel will have a significant effect on the numbers for February. Aon said the six renewals that take place during March will provide the first indicators of market direction during 2006. Air Nortrum, a European regional, is one of the March renewals. The true picture for 2006 will not begin to emerge until April, because the very low level of premiums that come onto the market during the first quarter makes it difficult to establish a trend.
blog comments powered by Disqus