Laser attacks on aircraft remain a serious safety risk for all pilots and flight crew, but for air ambulance services these incidents can also delay vital medical treatment reaching patients.

We speak with crew from Yorkshire Air Ambulance who share their experiences of laser attacks, including a recent incident where a crew member suffered an eye injury from a laser beam.

This episode covers safety guidance for pilots, flight crew and operational staff and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) explains why it is important for UK airspace users to report laser incidents as a crime.

Related information:

• Laser exposure self-assessment tool (ALESA)

(For pilots, flight crew or air-traffic controllers who have been exposed to lasers)

Guidance for UK airspace users on how to report a laser incident

As covered in this episode, if you are a pilot, flight crew, air traffic or other operational staff who has experienced a laser incident, please report it, both to the UK CAA using the link below and to your local police force.

• Make a report to the UK Civil Aviation Authority

Featured in this episode:

• The National Police Air Service (NPAS)
• Yorkshire Air Ambulance

The image for this episode shows Yorkshire Air Ambulance Chief Pilot, Owen McTeggart who features in the podcast.

A glider pilot has just launched into the air in Southwest England and released from the winch when they see a Cessna flying below them.   They take immediate action to avoid the aircraft and later file a report with the UK Airprox Board (UKAB).

UKAB Director Simon Oldfield tells us more about this incident and the review that followed.

We also speak with experienced glider pilot Andrew Watson and highlight the potential risks involved when flying near or above active gliding sites.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Airprox report 2022173 (UK Airprox Board)
• Airprox inside magazine – February 2023 (UK Airprox Board)
• Report an airprox (UK Airprox Board)
• Flying over gliding sites (UK CAA)

In May 2022, an Airbus A320 approaching Paris Charles de Gaulle airport was given an incorrect altimeter pressure setting, which caused the barometric altimeters on board to show that the aircraft was nearly 300 feet higher above the ground than it actually was.

The crew were unaware of the problem and didn't see the runway because of bad weather. They carried out what they believed was a normal go around and never realized that they came within six feet of hitting the ground.

In this episode we talk to aviation experts at the UK CAA and NATS to get their perspectives on what happened, the risks involved and the safety guidance in this area.

Guidance and resources mentioned in this episode

• SN-2023/003: Risk of Controlled Flight into Terrain during 3D BARO-VNAV and 2D Approaches (Altimeter Setting Procedures)
• Safety awareness video about this issue
• Information on the A320 incident at Paris Charles de Gaulle (Skybrary)

How do airports manage the risk of runway incursions?

We talk to Heathrow Airport’s Head of Airside Operations Trevor Waldock about causal factors that can lead to an incursion and some of the safeguards that are in place to prevent them.

You’ll hear about the safety guidance and procedures that are followed at airports and the importance of a ‘just culture’ where everyone is encouraged to report safety concerns and incidents. We also discuss the challenges of working through and emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guidance and resources related to this episode:

• European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions (EAPPRI)
• CAP 168 –Licensing of aerodromes
• UK (EU) No 139/2014 - The UK Aerodrome Regulation, UK Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material, and UK Certification Specification and Guidance Material for Aerodrome Design
• CAP 790 –Requirement for an Airside Driving Permit (ADP) scheme

An aircraft has landed at a busy UK airport and taxied away from the runway.

A tower controller asks the flight crew to hold position and the pilot reads the instruction back to confirm. The runway is clear and the controller is about to issue a landing clearance when they see that the aircraft is no longer holding its position.  It is now infringing the runway and continuing to roll forward.

This is the first episode of a two-part series looking at runway safety and specifically incursions at commercial airports. We speak with aviation experts including the UK CAA’s Principal Aerodrome Inspector, a commercial airline pilot and an air traffic controller about the risks relating to runway incursions and how to mitigate them.

Guidance and resources mentioned in this episode:

• CAP 168 –Licensing of aerodromes
• UK (EU) No 139/2014 - The UK Aerodrome Regulation, UK Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material, and UK Certification Specification and Guidance Material for Aerodrome Design
• CAP 790 –Requirement for an Airside Driving Permit (ADP) scheme
• European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions (EAPPRI)

The pilot of a light aircraft is accelerating down a runway in southern England when the plane starts moving to the left. Trying to avoid a runway excursion, he rotates the aircraft early and before reaching a safe flying speed.

We speak with AAIB Senior Inspector Emma Truswell about this incident and the findings from their investigation.

Also joining us is Paul Tedder from the CAA’s General Aviation Unit who covers the safety guidance around take off decision making and pre-departure briefings.

Reports and resources mentioned in this episode:

AAIB investigation to Europa XS, G-REJP

Clued Up: Rejected takeoffs (CAP 2510)

CAA Standards Document 14 (A): Class, type and instrument rating skill tests and proficiency checks

CAA Standards Document 19 (A): LAPL and PPL Skill test (Aeroplanes) policy and guidance for applicants and examiners

The Skyway Code

Training Comm 2019

Reporting occurrences has never been more important and in this special edition we speak to the CAA's Head of flight Operations Glen Bradley and Aerospace Modernisation Lead Adelle Roberts about how and why we should continue to report occurrences.

You can find more information on the Importance of occurrence reporting on the CAA website.

On 2 April 2022 a light aircraft flying from England to France disappeared from radar over the English Channel.

Tragically both of the pilots on board and the aircraft haven't been found.

A few weeks later the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) published a Special Bulletin that set out the evidence that was available about this flight up until that point. In this episode we cover what is in the report and discuss the safety guidance that it includes for pilots.

More information about this incident:

AAIB Special Bulletin S1/2022 on Piper PA-28R-200-2, G-EGVA

Flying in cloud animation

Safety guidance and resources mentioned in this episode:

The Skyway Code

CAA Safety Sense leaflet 23 - Pilots - its your decision

CAA Safety Sense leaflet 21 - Ditching

Weather planning resources for pilots from the Met Office (including METARs and TAFs)

Skybrary

The Airspace and Safety Initiative