The captain stated his belief that no single measure or piece of aircraft equipment can prevent CFIT accidents and that a range of measures suited to a particular operator and operating environment is needed. The captain added that ICAO has planned a series of CFIT-related actions, including the following:
- the adoption of colored terrain and minimum safe altitude contour presentation on approach procedure charts to improve their readability and understanding by a flight crew, particularly in the cockpit environment at night;
- new requirements and new emphasis on standard operating procedures (specifically, altitude awareness procedures), including the use of standard or automated callouts, guidance on the use of autopilot, and the incorporation of stabilized approach procedures concepts;
- changes to instrument approach procedure design, including the optimum angle for nonprecision approaches and the application of vertical navigation (VNAV) or FMS during nonprecision approaches; and
- the translation of the FSF's Education and Training Aid (see section 1.18.3.3) from English into the other five languages used by ICAO.[1]
1.18.3.3 Controlled Flight Into Terrain Training Aids
The Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group, along with the FAA, and the FSF have developed and published CFIT educational materials and training aids for use by operators. The purpose of each aid is to heighten flight crew awareness to CFIT precursors and the methods and techniques to avoid this type of accident.
The Boeing/FAA CFIT Education and Training Aid, which became available to air carriers in 1997, is presented in five sections. According to the FAA, this training aid, along with a new videotape, was distributed to all 14 CFR Part 121 and 135 operators for inclusion in their training programs. Section one provides a broad overview for airline executives of CFIT problems and possible solutions. Section two, titled "A Decision Maker's Guide," describes airline operations, aviation industry regulators, and industry efforts to eliminate CFIT. Section three, titled "An Operator's Guide," describes causal factors of CFIT accidents, the traps in which flight crews can find themselves, and specific in-flight escape maneuvers. Section four describes a model CFIT airline education program. Section five provides additional background information on CFIT and references selected reading materials and accident and incident information.
The FSF's CFIT Task Force developed a CFIT checklist in 1993 to aid in the avoidance of CFIT accidents. The checklist was designed so that the user, before a flight, could evaluate the risk factors and identify the potential for a CFIT accident. For example, the checklist indicated that flying in night IMC significantly increases the risk of a CFIT accident occurring. The checklist is divided into two diagnostic parts. The first part, titled "CFIT Risk Assessment," includes negative destination CFIT risk factors, such as VOR/DME approaches, airports near mountainous terrain, and radar coverage limited by
- ↑ The captain also indicated that ICAO was considering whether to publish a manual on CFIT avoidance.
