Flight Ops MD80

Flight Ops is an internal bulletin for crew

July edition 8 July 2009

1. General

Dear MD80 colleagues,

The new and slimmer Flight Operations organization has now been launched. The number of FO
employees has been reduced by approximately 25%. The change was absolutely necessary from a cost
perspective but naturally it is always sad when colleagues have to go. This reorganization also means
that all Fleet Chief Pilots will belong to a department called “Standards” and the Fleet Engineers a
department called “Engineering” in the “big organization”.

Structure AO NPH
FO

Safety and Quality Standards

Fleet Cabin Flight

Fleet
Office Office Standards
Fleet
Office
Office

Engineering &
Flight Dispatch Operational Adm

Flight Flow Man.ment Pilot Operational

Engineering
Planning Man.ment Support Support Admin.

Base Flight Manager Base Flight Manager Base Flight Manager

CPH OSL STO

The work that has to be done is still the same and it will be a challenge to support you all on a level that
you deserve. I ensure you that the MD80 Fleet Office is motivated and we will do our utmost to not let
you down.
As Fleet Technical Pilot no longer exists, the MD80 Fleet Office looks like this:

Yvonne has a maintenance technical course on the MD80 and holds a CPL. She is therefore a valuable
substitute for a Technical Pilot.
Jens is highly skilled on keeping track of revisions that we make and ensures that revision items are not
lost on the way. He is also appointed as CDRS investigator and assures that you receive an answer to
your reports if they are of operational nature.
MD80 Fleet Office also includes Training and Line check organization as well as the Chief Pilot at
respective base in strategic meetings held approximately every quarter.

Page 1 of 5
2. CDRS/OTA

The Operational Trend Analysis for June generally looks nice with the exception of a few approaches with
an average rate of descent of more than 1500 ft/min the last minute before touchdown.

3. Operational matters

Reports to learn from

 2000´ feet climbing the purser called flightdeck and reported smell of smoke in cabin. We
immediately turned back to Arlanda for a visual approach rwy 26. Mayday was called and
fire brigade met up after landing. After evaluation we continued to gate accompanied by
firetrucks. No sign of fire or smoke after landing.

I have spoken to the Commander on the phone and have been given a detailed description of how
he perceived this situation. The conversation reveals a fantastic example of how this type of
occurrence should be handled from a crew perspective as well as ATCC.

Cabin crew contacted cockpit immediately when the smell/smoke appeared shortly after liftoff from
19R at ARN. The flight crew declared “Mayday” and simultaneously stated their intention
“descending 2000 ft, turning left EA for a visual approach rwy 26” hereby notifying ATC of what they
planned to do. ATC immediately moved all arriving traffic and stopped all departures to clear the
airspace and thereby gave the crew freedom to maneuver as they wished to minimize airborne
time. No frequency changes were necessary as ATCC had called TWR and interconnected that
person so he/she overheard the departure frequency. Clear to land was given shortly after Mayday
was called giving the crew time to focus on their situation.

Opinions are sometimes ventilated in cockpit of the substandard performance of the ATCC staff in
STO. I think this shows though that we will have an excellent support the day we really need it.

 During approach to BGO we were cleared a Soxus2P arrival initially FL100 by Stavanger
Control. After Etnor we were changed to Flesland Approach. Passing Etnor in VMC we
continued descent on Soxus descend profile to 7000´. ATC then cleared us 6000´. After that
we commenced a visual approach to rwy 35.
Upon landing we were asked to contact ATC supervisor. He told us we were the second
aircraft that day that followed the vertical descend profile on Soxus arrival. That is obviously
not according to the Norwegian AIP. We realised our mistake after consulting Rules and
Regulation, Norway.

It has been informed upon before and statistics have improved but we still see some altitude
penetrations when flying RNAV arrivals. It is important to know how we may descend. There is an
ICAO document 4444 (amendment 5) that has been adopted by some countries (e.g. Sweden) that
describes “Descent below levels specified in a STAR”. It states:

When an arriving aircraft on a STAR is cleared to descend to a level lower than the level or the
level(s) specified in a STAR, the aircraft shall follow the published vertical profile of a STAR, unless
such restrictions are explicitly cancelled by ATC. Published minimum levels based on terrain
clearance shall always be applied.

Other countries that have not adopted the ICAO document above have their own similar rule in
“Country RAR” so you could say that the above applies in almost every country of our operations.

Page 2 of 5
Furthermore the following applies:

Cleared approach, you are cleared to follow the Star all the way down to minimum altitudes
including start of final approach, next clearance will be cleared to land. Minimum/maximum-crossing
altitudes in the procedure apply unless explicitly cancelled by ATC.

Cleared TRS 2N arrival, means clearance to follow prescribed track. Altitudes will be issued from
ATC however minimum/maximum-crossing altitudes in the procedure apply unless explicitly
cancelled by ATC.

Cleared ILS, means clearance to intercept LOC and G/P from last assigned altitude.

New NADP2 clean-up altitude

The fuelsaving group has identified a potential saving of 4 MSEK by lowering the clean-up altitude
to 1000 feet on the MD80 fleet. SAS fleet in total will give a saving of 10MSEK or more. Given the
serious economical situation we are in, this change of clean-up altitude will be implemented within
short on all SAS aircraft types. The procedure has been analyzed from an operational and
performance aspect.
1000 feet will be the “normal” NADP2 clean-up altitude but local authorities may dictate a higher
altitude (e.g. Germany 1500 ft). Furthermore our clean-up altitude may not be below the single
engine clean-up altitude.

The new NADP2 description will be:

“1000 feet, or as stated by local authority or engine failure clean up altitude, whichever is higher”

You will be notified through RAIS when the change is in effect. AOM will be updated 01DEC09.
Further information on the subject will be given from NPH FO, Björn Granviken.

CAT III minima presentation

CAT III minima are today normally defined as NO DH/ Lowest. At some airports it is presented
specifically as 50 feet/200 meters for MD80/B737 despite the fact that the airport official minima is
lower. In a near future only the lowest CAT III minima will be presented and we as pilots have to
apply relevant minimum weather requirements depending on aircraft type certification. As an
example Frankfurt has today the following presentation of CAT III minima:

MD80 must still adhere to 50 feet/200 meters. No big change, but I want to inform you about this so
you don’t get fooled by the non-applicable visibility presented in the minima box. The old MD has
not been re-certified.

Latest AOM revision

A clarification is needed to the last AOM revision. The table in AOM 3.3.7, page 15 that shows
“Equipment required to initiate a CAT II approach” was updated with CADC according to Boeing
FCOM. Unfortunately a small, but confusion, error sneaked through. It says “number installed 2”,
“number required 2”. The text should read: “number required 1”. A prerequisite perform a CAT II
with only one CADC is that autothrottle is available and engaged. AOM will be revised 01DEC09.

Page 3 of 5
4. Technical matters

Delays due to log book

Thank you for sending me reports via CDRS or mail. I have forwarded them through different
channels so they have reached Geir Steiro, John Dueholm and Peter Viinapuu to mention a few.
Things have started to move in the right direction.

It looks as if we in a relatively near future no longer will have to wait for the logbook to be brought to
the hangar and back for entering of rectifications into the M3 and Aura systems. Portable computers
are available to the maintenance staff but so far the reliability of the wireless network has prevented
the use. (See the text below written by Mats Wehlin, STODT-B)

I’m not yet convinced though that this means that the problems with entering data into M3 and Aura
system will decrease as this is only a method to avoid taking the log book physically to the hangar
so please continue to send CDRS reports or mail to me if you are delayed by maintenance
administrative routines.

 A series of changes in administrative procedures regarding reporting of maintenance has

taken place over the last 2-3 years. The purpose of these changes are to improve safety
and airworthiness reporting and at the same time increase efficiency and reduce cost of
maintenance. The latest step in this has been to reduce the number of computer systems
used to one common user interface for maintenance staff (M3).

When doing this, the dependency on both IT and following new procedure has increased.
Especially since SAS apply 0-tolerance on reporting of e.g component changes and
technical log-items into the airworthiness master system AuRA.

This means that reporting of items from the log book must be entered in the system (AuRA
via the common interface M3) and approved by the system before the aircraft can be
released.

The whole reporting process has been designed and tested to be performed at gate.
Portable computers and other equipment is in place.

However, repeated problems with connection to the wireless network has so far, especially
at ARN (but also at OSL and CPH), made it extremely difficult to operate. SAS Tech Staff
has therefore felt it necessary to bring the log into the office environment to access the
system via the fixed network. This increases the time before the logbook is returned.

The situation has improved some in last week but is still unacceptable due to the impact on
SAS Crew and passengers and naturally also SAS Tech staff who take pride in securing
take off on time. SAS Tech management has therefore initiated a high priority improvement
program and escalated this issue with the network providers at the main bases. The
progress is reported to SAS Tech CEO, Peter Möller every week.

When these technical problems have been solved there will be no need for taking the
logbook outside the red safety lines.

Best Regards

Mats Wehlin
The Agility Program
SAS Tech

Page 4 of 5
5. Other matters

Our fleet is shrinking fast now. 12 aircraft will be flown to Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées, south west of
Toulouse for long term parking. Some will later be delivered back to the owner. Others will be sold
and some will be cut up as scrap. The first aircraft will be delivered to France somewhere in between
01AUG – 01SEP as it looks now.

I hope you all will have a well deserved vacation and time to re-load your batteries. The world finance
crisis and the shrinking aviation market ensure that we will have a demanding effort ahead of us this
autumn. Continue your excellent work to keep up the flight safety on the same high level as today.

Take care of each other and fly safe.

Mats Henricson
+46 70 997 3212

Jens Ericsson
+46 70 997 1830

Yvonne Sundwall
+46 70 9975689

Page 5 of 5