Asiana says to beef up training of pilots
Updated: 2013-07-15 19:01
(Agencies)
|
||||||||
SEOUL - Asiana Airlines said on Monday that it would enhance training for pilots seeking to convert to flying new aircraft, part of a series of measures it is undertaking after the fatal crash of an Boeing 777 plane in San Francisco.
Three Chinese teenagers were killed and over 180 people injured when the Asiana flight from Seoul crash-landed at San Francisco's international airport on July 6.
The pilot in charge of landing the plane was in training on the 777, while seated next to him was a co-pilot on his first flight as an instructor. Both were experienced pilots, although they had not flown together before, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said.
"We will bolster our training programme...when a pilot converts to a jet from a different manufacturer," Asiana said in a presentation to the government, which was shown to reporters.
Currently Asiana pilots have to fly 10 flights and a total of 60 hours on a 777 to complete its training programme, a spokeswoman for the airline has previously said. Pilot Lee Kang-kuk, a veteran who had nearly 10,000 hours of total flying experience, had completed eight flights and 43 hours on the Boeing 777, she said.
He had flown Airbus planes before switching to the Boeing 777.
The new measures will include enhancing training for visual approach and automated flight and conducting flight inspection on airports which are "vulnerable to safety."
The pilots aboard the Boeing 777 made a visual approach to San Francisco airport, and relied on automatic equipment to maintain airspeed.
Asiana said it will also seek to improve communications skills among crew members, and introduce a system to manage "fatigue risk."
Other measures include setting up separate maintenance teams for Boeing and Airbus planes, and enhancing safety management systems.
Meanwhile, the carrier said on Monday that it planned to sue US television station KTVU for reporting racially offensive fake names for the pilots of the Asiana flight.
"The KTVU report that not only disparaged Asians in general through the use of racially charged epithets, but also severely damaged the reputation of Asiana Airlines," it said.
- Asiana crash students return home
- Asiana survivors still coping with post traumatic stress
- 3rd girl dies in Asiana air crash
- Victim in Asiana crash was run over by fire truck - police
- Asiana takes out apology ad in Chinese media
- NTSB: No sign of mechanical trouble on Asiana 214
- 2 pilots called for Asiana to abort landing
- US star sprinter fails drug test
- Protests erupt after verdict
- Color Run in London promotes healthy living
- Urumqi residents hand in weapons
- Pool jammed in summer heat
- Last stop for the telegrams of India
- Heavy rain, strong winds as Soulik heads inland
- 8 dead, 19 injured after bus leaves road in Jinghong
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
More concerns over camps |
Challenging times on 'high-speed Silk Road' |
5th China-US S&ED |
Jiangnan Style |
Coming to a screen near you |
Hospital ship lends a helping hand |
Today's Top News
Four GSK China execs held for investigation
Asiana survivors coping with post traumatic stress
China's Q2 GDP growth slows to 7.5%
Canada mourns victims of train accident
Air crash students return to families
Snowden says he won't release harmful US data
Local governments face financing woes
Zimmerman not guilty
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |