Carbon Monoxide poisoning - A deadly menace in aviation. How can it be prevented?

AOPA

" PHYSICIAN ROBERT FRAYSER had lifted off in his Comanche 400 from the North Bend, Kansas, airport at 7 AM, en route for a meeting in Topeka. He was flying alone, cruising at 5,500 feet on autopilot, with the sun coming up on a clear, beautiful day. As Per the established routine, he switched the fuel selector to the auxiliary tank and set up the navigation system for nearby Topeka. About 90 minutes later, Dr Frayser found himself in a hayfield. The engine was silent. He was confused, disoriented, and groggy as he struggled to rouse himself from a deep sleep. His head was throbbing.

Thinking he was still in the air, he went through his landing checklist. As he became more oriented to his surroundings, a new reality dawned: The airplane’s right-wing was nearly torn off from an impact with a tree, but the plane was otherwise intact. Aside from a fractured wrist, minor cuts, and bruises, he seemed to be relatively uninjured. But he had no idea where he was. He had no memory of landing.

According to Dr Fraser, since the engines stopped working, no one had noticed the aircraft glide to a landing on the field. He was alone, disoriented, injured, and had a severe headache and ringing inhis ears and had no cognizance of his environment whatsoever.

Question is, what caused the crash? And why was Dr Fraser oblivious to it?

Carbon Monoxide poisoning

Despite being a major contributor to industrial accidents and aviation mishaps, carbon monoxide poisoning is something the pilots tend to ignore.

Carbon Monoxide, chemically abbreviated as "CO", is one of the most common and toxic substances in an aviation environment. In aviation, the most typical sources of CO are exhaust from-internal combustion engines (piston-driven aircraft, airside vehicles and ground servicing equipment), aircraft turbine engine exhaust and Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) exhaust.

Auxiliary Power Unit | Representative | Dviation Blog

Aviation fuel contains carbon and is a ready source of carbon monoxide when burned. Although piston engines produce the maximum concentration of carbon monoxide, exhaust from turbine engines can also produce carbon monoxide equally. Furthermore, the risk increases in the event of a post-crash when the levels of the deadly gas can shoot up astronomically within seconds.

Representative | The Telegraph

Why is it lethal?

Due to its properties as a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas, it can quietly build up, resulting in deadly consequences. Therefore it becomes imperative that the pilots recognize carbon monoxide poisoning as quickly as possible.

While on the ground, CO produced externally to an aircraft can enter cabins and flight decks via open doors and hatches. It is equally possible that exhaust gases from other aircraft parked in the vicinity can enter unfiltered via the bleed air and air-conditioning system.

Poisoning symptoms?

Sense of pressure in the headDrowsinessDizzinessRoaring/ringing sensation of the earsConfused and unable to think clearDrunk appearanceVomitingIncontinentConvulsionsBounding pulseCherry red lipsDilated pupilsIncapacitation

Guardian Avionics

Since it has an affinity of 240 times that of oxygen, it will more readily attach to the blood cells. Not surprisingly, symptoms exhibited will be similar to that of hypemic hypoxia- which, in simple terms refers to the decreased ability of the blood to transport oxygen.

This is particularly problematic within the general aviation sector as symptoms of CO poisoning are not always obvious and can happen quickly. Unless immediate action is taken to reduce exposure and reverse the concentration of CO in the blood, unconsciousness is inevitable.

What do the statistics say?

The dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, although well documented, still doesn't give an accurate picture of the extent of poisoning.

Analysis of toxicology samples from fatal U.S. aircraft accidents between 1967 and 1993 showed that at least 360 victims had been exposed to sufficient carbon monoxide before or after the crash to impairtheir abilities. Non-fatal carbon monoxide poisoning in aviation is likely a more common occurrence than currently believed.

Representative | Los Angeles Times

Between 1982 and 2020 there were 31 accidents attributed to CO poisoning. Twenty-three of those accidents were fatal, killing 42 people and seriously injuring four moreThe National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

What can be done to prevent it?

Ideally, the best protection against carbon monoxide poisoning is to avoid exposure. Additionally, an emergency drill incorporating the following may be done in the event of CO poisoning:

Select maximum rate of fresh air ventilation to the cabinTurning off the cabin heat completelyThe windows may be opened based on the current flight profile and operating permits-After removal from CO source, the body only removes about 0.5% from blood every 4 hoursInform Air Traffic Control and land as soon and practicable as possibleSeek medical attention soon on landingHave the aircraft thoroughly checked by a mechanic before continuing further flights.

Alternatively, interactive CO detectors, which are readily available on the market now, can be used. Costing less than $10 and which can be attached to the instrument panel or sidewall with adhesives, they use a chemically activated sensor that darkens when carbon monoxide is present.

AERO 551 Panel Mount Digital CO Detector and Cabin Pressure Warning | FAA and TSO certified | Guardian Avionics

Since pilots are susceptible to multiple distractions in the cockpit, the NTSB has been pushing for both an auditory alarm as well as a light to warn the pilot.

SOURCE(s): Excerpt(s) taken from pilot safety brochures/FAA

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An altercation between a senior Air India pilot and an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) on Tuesday, January 25 at the Srinagar airport led to an hour’s delay on the Srinagar - Delhi flight, the pilot has complained to the airline management.

Hindustan Times has reported that an Air India flight AI 826 was scheduled to take off at 1:10 PM but was delayed as the aircraft engineer refused to abide by the rules, the pilot alleged, according to a copy of the complaint.

The argument picked up when the commandant, flying the Airbus fleet in the airline, brought to the notice of the ground staff that there was an imbalance of 1400kg of fuel (an imbalance of fuel means that the fuel in both the wings was not equally filled, due to which, according to the rules, take off is not allowed). The AME allegedly forced the pilot to accept the aircraft in fuel imbalance condition. The pilot refused and insisted on balancing the fuel for its departure.

Airline officials said that instead of balancing the fuel, the AME allegedly asked the pilot to report the aircraft to have ‘snag’ after which he would declare it to be grounded. “It was after around 35-40 minutes that another AME attended the aircraft and balanced the fuel after which the aircraft took off at around 2:05 PM,” said an official.

The pilot reported the incident to the Air India management and alleged that the AME has behavioural issues. The complaint said, “Due to high-security airport and that too next day (being) Republic Day (I) fail to understand why they want to ground the aircraft. Please look into it through a security angle and intentionally for grounding.”

The complaint further said, “I request for urgent appropriate restitution against outrageous mortification sufficed by the undersigned... This will address the prevalent issues of onerous and worrisome duty of some and insincerity of others keeping in view the high headed behaviour.”

A former airline official, who did not wish to be named, said, “This (is) a classic example of how the new trend in aviation is to fly compromising with the safety of passengers. The trend is seen more with the low-cost carriers coming into the market, which needs to be addressed on an urgent basis.”

There have been numerous incidents of flight delays of Indian carriers, particularly Air India, due to employee arguments while on duty. In 2019, Air India had to ground a pilot and flight purser of a Bengaluru-Kolkata flight for unprofessional behavior. The pilot had asked the flight steward to rinse his lunch box, which he refused to do, resulting in the two fighting in full view of the passengers.

In 2015, two pilots in another Air India flight from Jaipur to New Delhi came to blows in the cockpit while discussing the pre-flight checklist. The first officer reportedly beat up the captain, who still decided to go ahead with the flight to avoid disruption in operations.

Airbus has unveiled plans of commercializing its in-house fleet of Beluga to assist other industries to haul urgently-needed outsized machinery by air.

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The announcement comes weeks after the Aerospace behemoth pulled the plug on the production of the iconic A380 "Jumbo Jet". The A380 production was brought to an end in 2021 with the 251st and the last model being delivered to its big-time customer- Emirates.

In what can be touted as the largest commercial freighter by volume from the Western hemisphere, the Airbus Beluga ST, which would be a part of the "Airbus Beluga Transport" fleet, would be deployed in diverse sectors such as space, energy, military, aeronautic, maritime and humanitarian aid.

Here's a quick peek into the iconic Beluga whale, with its iconic bulbous forehead.

Airbus BelugaST

The Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter), or Beluga, is a version of the standard A300-600 wide-body airliner modified to carry aircraft parts and outsized cargo. It derives its name from "Beluga"- a whale that it resembles. The BelugaXL, its replacement, made its first flight in January 2020. Additionally, they are also used to transport Airbus payloads such as helicopters, satellite components or complete satellites.

Overall length56.16 mHeight17.25 mLoadable volume length39.1 mLoadable cross-section max-height7.1 mMax payload47 tonnesMax take-off weight155 tonnesMax landing weight140 tonnesFuselage width7.7 mAIRBUS

 Managed by the Airbus Transport International (ATI) subsidiary, the company’s five existing Belugas feature one of the most voluminous cargo holds of any civil or military aircraft flying today.

Wikimedia Commons

Airbus would be replacing its five Beluga ST aircraft for internal moves with six new Beluga XLs to support ramped-up airliner production.

Reportedly, the company bagged the first contract end of last year with delivery from Airbus Helicopters’ manufacturing site in Marignane, France, to Kobe, Japan, for an undisclosed customer.

The Beluga’s wider cross-section will open up new markets and new logistical possibilities for customers. In the case of loading helicopters — not having to dismantle them first — really is a plus. Similarly, the largest commercial aircraft engines can be accommodated in a fully dressed configurationsaid Phillippe Sabo, the head of Air Oversize Transport in the announcement

Airbus A300-600ST | The Beluga Carrying Fuselage | AERONEF.NET

Apparently, the Beluga ST are only at 50% of their life and have been designed for 30,000 flight cycles and currently have an average of 15,000-according to Phillippe.

According to analysts, demand for outsized cargoes that can be transported without dismantling them has been rising, partly on the back of weakened supply chains.

Within the past few years, even before COVID-19, we were n approached by several companies asking if our Beluga aircraft were available to perform some charter flightssaid Business Development Manager Reza Fazlollahi

Having previously offered ad hoc charters services to third parties depending on availability, Airbus Beluga Transport will now be a full-time contract carrier.

SOURCE(s)

COVER: Aviation Stack Exchange

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) announced that the Type Certification of the first Indigenous Light Transport civil passenger aircraft "Hindustan 228-201" was handed over by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to Transport Aircraft R & D Center, HAL Kanpur at DGCA HQ New Delhi.

Hindustan 228-201 aircraft is the first Type Certified fixed-wing aircraft in India complying with the latest FAR 23 certification requirement which is a major milestone towards the vision of building a new, AtmanNirbhar Bharat.

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) shares jumped 4.63% to INR 1763 after the company received 'Type Certification of first Indigenous Light Transport civil passenger aircraft Hindustan 228-001' from the DGCA.

HAL Hindustan 228-201 aircraft is now DGCA Type Certified

HAL is engaged in carrying out the design, development, manufacture, repair and overhaul of aircraft, helicopters, engines and related systems like avionics, instruments and accessories primarily serving the Indian defence programme.

As of 31 December 2021, the Government of India held a 75.15% stake in the company. The company reported a 90.8% surge in consolidated net profit to INR 3,105.17 crore on a 6.4% rise in net sales to INR 11,561.13 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21.

ALSO READ - Alliance Air receives the first made-in-India civilian aircraft – Dornier 228

Earlier in April, Alliance Air said it took delivery of the first made-in-India Dornier 228 plane on April 7 to facilitate connectivity within the northeastern states.

Alliance Air said it took delivery of the first made-in-India Dornier 228 plane

Centre-run Alliance Air had in February signed an agreement with government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to lease two 17-seater Dornier 228 aircraft.

Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop short take-off and landing utility aircraft which is manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

HAL describes Dornier 228 as “a highly versatile multi-purpose light transport aircraft.” It also notes that the aircraft has been developed to meet requirements like utility and commuter transport, third level services and air-taxi operations, coast guard duties and maritime surveillance.

Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop short take-off and landing utility aircraft which is manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

The Hindustan-228 is a 17-seat multirole utility aircraft built for various applications such as VIP transport, passenger transport, air ambulance, flight inspection roles, cloud seeding, and recreational activities like para jumping, aerial surveillance, photography and cargo applications.

The aircraft can also be utilised for pollution prevention, troop transport, aerial survey, search and rescue, commuter transport, remote sensing applications, causality evacuation and cargo and logistics support.

(With Inputs from Business Standard)

Air India is likely to be handed over to the Tata group by the end of this week, senior government officials said on Monday, January 24.

After a competitive bidding process, the government had on October 8, 2021, sold Air India to Talace Private Limited -- a subsidiary of the Tata group's holding company for INR 18,000 crore. As a part of the deal, the Tata group will also be handed over Air India Express and a 50% stake in ground handling arm Air India SATS.

Following that, on October 11, a Letter of Intent (LoI) was issued to the Tata group confirming the government's willingness to sell its 100% stake in the airline. On October 25, the Centre signed the share purchase agreement (SPA) for this deal.

ALSO READ - Over INR 278 crore pending payments from government departments and sections to Air India

Officials told PTI on Monday, January 24 that the remaining formalities regarding this deal are expected to be completed in the next few days and the airline will be handed over to the Tata group by the end of this week.

ALSO READ - Pre-flight BMI measurements of cabin crew ordered by Air India

Tatas had on October 8 beat the INR 15,100 crore offer by a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh and the reserve price of INR 12,906 crore set by the government for the sale of its 100% stake in the loss-making carrier.

"The disinvestment of Air India is now decided to be on January 27, 2022. The closing balance sheet as of January 20 has to be provided today Jan 24 so that it can be reviewed by Tatas and any changes can be effected on Wednesday, January 26.We have done an excellent job till now in providing all support for the disinvestment exercise. The next three days will be hectic for our department and I request all of you to give your best in these last three-four days before we get divested."Vinod Hejmadi, Director Finance, Air India

Seeking the cooperation of the employees, Hejmadi said, "We may have to work late in the night to complete the task given to us. I seek the cooperation of one and all."

While this will be the first privatisation since 2003-04, Air India will be the third airline brand in the Tatas' stable as it holds a majority interest in AirAsia India and Vistara, a joint venture with Singapore Airlines Ltd.

The Group, for the time being, plans to continue with Vistara as a separate entity, as SIA is not on board for the AI deal.

Air India will be the third airline brand in the Tatas' stable as it holds a majority interest in AirAsia India and Vistara. (Image Courtesy - DKODING)

Vistara is a 51:49 joint venture between the Tata Group and SIA. SIA, however, had agreed to be part of the plan to acquire Air India but did not want to continue after COVID impacted their business and funds dried up.

As part of the revival plan, the Tata Group is also blueprinting a 100-day plan for Air India to improve the operational and service standards of the airline that includes its on-time performance, as well as issues related to passenger complaints and call centres.

Despite a complete standstill in trade and travel between India and Pakistan, a new proposal by the Pakistan Hindu Council to allow Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh pilgrims to travel by air has been forwarded by the government in Islamabad.

In a report published by The Hindu, sources said that the proposal was sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi on behalf of the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) chief patron Ramesh Vankwani, asking that two chartered flights of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying pilgrims be allowed to fly from Lahore and Karachi to destinations in India on January 23, 2022.

Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan

However, the report also struck a cautious note, saying that the proposal, which was only received on January 24, had still to receive many clearances in New Delhi. The MEA did not respond to inquiries about whether permissions were likely within the next few days, or at all.

"Pakistani pilgrims will be taken on the special PIA flight to visit religious places in India while Indian pilgrims will arrive in Pakistan on Air India flights. the promotion of religious tourism in the region, an Air India flight will be operated from New Delhi to Peshawar on February 20 to bring Indian pilgrims to Samadhi of Shri Param Hans Ji Maharaj, Teri temple, in Karak area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and a series of air flights between the two countries has been started on a monthly basis. He further expressed the hope that the promotion of religious tourism could bring the people of the two countries closer."Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council and Member of National Assembly

Later, a Hindu lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party also stated that he will travel to India later this week with a delegation of pilgrims on January 24.

The proposed visit of Pakistani pilgrims to India is in connection with the religious tourism initiative. Hindu pilgrims from India and Gulf countries had arrived in Peshawar on January 1 via Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai to visit Shri Param Hansji Maharaj's Samadhi.

The Indian pilgrims were not allowed to travel on the PIA flight at the last moment by the Indian authorities following which they were brought to Pakistan via the Wagah border.

India-Pakistan Border

In all about 170 pilgrims, mostly Muslim, and about 20 Hindu pilgrims would be facilitated by the PHC, which signed an MoU with PIA in December 2021 to organize several “faith tourism initiatives”.

Amongst the early initiatives, the PHC said it had facilitated two groups of Hindu pilgrims from the UK, UAE, Spain, and other countries in the past few weeks, who were flown to Peshawar via PIA charters to visit the “ShriParamhansMaharajMandir” in the remote Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district of Teri. The Indian pilgrims crossed over Wagah by foot and then flew to Peshawar from Lahore.

Wagah Border

Trade between India and Pakistan has been suspended since August 2019, after the Pakistani government took several retaliatory actions to protest New Delhi’s amendment of Article 370 and other measures in Jammu and Kashmir.

Even an Indian request to send 500,000 MT of wheat as humanitarian aid to Afghanistan via the Wagah border has been awaiting Pakistani clearances for several months, although reports suggest this could come through within the next week.

The religious pilgrimage exchanges, which now also include the opening of the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims are among the few India-Pakistan confidence-building measures (CBMs) that continue to exist, with hundreds of visas issued by both sides each year for groups of Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim pilgrims.

Pakistan International Airlines

The other CBMs include an agreement to exchange lists of prisoners held by both sides of each other’s citizens, and lists of nuclear installations that are handed over on New Year’s day every year, that are still maintained.

However, the two countries have no direct travel or trade relations, and their missions in Delhi and Islamabad, which have been significantly downsized, do not have High Commissioners at present i.e. January 2022.

(With Inputs from The Hindu)