Aviation
Missing Malaysia plane: Omission stands out in Data reports
LONDON – Raw satellite data and other documents released by Malaysian and Australian authorities confirmed views that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 ran out of fuel, but failed to explain key assumptions investigators have used to establish search zones in the Indian Ocean.
The 45 pages of satellite data—detailed communication logs between the aircraft and a satellite—were provided to the Department of Civil Aviation of Malaysia by satellite firm Inmarsat.
Still, there were some glaring omissions. Australian and Malaysian authorities failed to disclose important details concerning their assumptions about the speed and altitude of the missing jetliner, while Inmarsat’s material left out specifics about its calculations.
Earlier calculations by investigators highlighted how differences in assumed speeds—amounting to 50 miles or more per hour—dramatically affected where the Boeing 777 may have gone down. Along with various altitude and fuel-consumption assumptions, air-safety experts have said such variables could shift the most likely point of impact by hundreds of miles.
The Australian report said Flight 370’s final “digital handshake” with the Inmarsat satellite didn’t coincide with previous regular hourly transmissions. That was likely due to its electrical systems resetting when the plane ran out of fuel, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau summary said.
Modeling of fuel burn at various flight paths and aircraft speeds support the idea that fuel exhaustion occurred near that last attempted link-up.
Families of some of the 239 passengers and crew on Flight 370 demanded the data release to open analysis of the flight path to other experts. However, some said the data were difficult to understand, despite a summary prepared by Inmarsat experts explaining how to read tables.
“We do not understand the report. We need an expert to explain it to us,” said Sahril Shaari, a cousin of Muhammad Razahan Zamani, who was on Flight 370.Jonathan Galaviz, who heads the aviation practice at consulting firm Global Market Advisors, lauded the effort by Malaysia to be transparent and said the raw data will help universities or individual experts independently verify the analysis.
Inmarsat’s notes are generally consistent with earlier public statements by investigators and the British satellite operator, and don’t appear to shed new light on the techniques experts used to chart the presumed path of the jetliner after it veered off course, disappeared from radar and went missing in the early hours of March 8.
Investigators, including those from the U.K., Australia and the U.S. have verified Inmarsat data and concluded that the Boeing Co. 777 jet flew to the remote southern Indian Ocean, thousands of miles off course and far from any land mass, and then crashed after likely running out of fuel.
Investigators are still poring over the data in their effort to narrow down the search area, Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s defense minister, said Monday. International experts have stood behind their calculations after repeated reexamination of so-called digital handshakes between the satellite and jet, and reviews of assumptions for flight speed, altitude and fuel consumption.
No flight-related debris has been found, even after a massive search involving 26 nations.
The search for the missing aircraft will now focus on mapping the ocean floor in a roughly 20,000 square-mile area around where experts believe Flight 370 went down.
The long-awaited release of the data coincide with disclosure of a few more details about the presumed accuracy of the transmissions between the jet and a satellite orbiting more than 22,000 miles above the Earth.
These results underscore investigators’ confidence in the technical analysis that underpins plans for a retooled search, expected to begin this summer.
But based on skeptics’ previous reactions to the release of data, the information could provide ammunition for criticism.
According to the Australian agency, the possible path of the jet—sketched by a composite of satellite signals, calculations by Inmarsat and other experts, and other jet signals—ultimately were determined by experts to be accurate to about 10 kilometers, or 6 miles.
– WALLSTREET JOURNAL
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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