Safety Plan Takes Off in Europe

Eurocontrol, the Flight Safety Foundation, the European Regions Airline Association and other pilot and ATC organizations are implementing a new action plan to address air-to-ground communications safety issues in Europe. These include callsign confusion, altitude busts, runway incursions, undetected simultaneous transmissions, radio interference, use of nonstandard phraseology and prolonged loss of communication. The plan focuses on causal factors for these issues and establishes remedial measures, including “national authorities ensuring that regular flight crew proficiency checks cover air-to-ground communications, as well as adherence to ICAO standard phraseology, procedures and best practices for flight crews and air traffic controllers.” Implementation of the plan will be phased in over the next 18 months, and all safety improvements should be in place by the end of next year, Eurocontrol said.