The concern related to the operator’s removal of the Jeppesen hard copy library of Enroute and Terminal charts and publications before the electronic replacement documentation was fully operational.
The operator has removed its hardcopy Jeppesen Library of Enroute and Terminal Charts from one of its fleets. These were replaced with electronic charts and publications.
The replacement electronic documentation, relating to terminal control airspace boundaries ('control zone steps'), is inadequate. This could, and has, lead to unplanned departures from controlled airspace with the associated possibility of conflict with traffic outside controlled airspace (OCTA). The consequences of this type of incident could be catastrophic on a high capacity passenger aircraft.
The Distance Measuring Tool (DMT) provided with the electronic charts cannot be centred on the required reference point (ARP, VOR/DME, threshold, etc.) with any confidence, (there is no centring mark, which means that flight crew must judge as to where the middle of the displayed range circles may be). Airspace boundaries are only delineated when the DMT maximum scale is set at 30nm, or less. For airspace beyond that range, the DMT needs to be offset. In the case where the minimum indicated range is 10 NM, the airspace boundary needs to be interpreted. The reporter has interpreted errors up to 2 NM different from paper charts and 3nm difference from other flight crew members.
The electronic charts display airspace limits in a condensed format (dialogue box) that can only be viewed by reducing the chart scale or selecting the dialogue box. Both options require subtle and distinct movements on a touch screen. This is difficult at a stationary desk, let alone in an aircraft, in turbulence.
The company offered to uplink, uncontrolled, unamended, copies of the original paper charts (Jeppesen 10-1) as the airspace boundary is inlaid with the defining distance [no interpretation], and the continually readable minimum altitude. The veracity of these documents is inadequate for safe aviation practices.
This REPCON relates to operations into YPPH, YMML, YBBN, YSSY, YPAD. All have peculiarities that need to be monitored, or managed, for a safe operation. This cannot be done with the current documentation, as issued by the company.
Flight crew currently have access to CTA step information via the following methods:
- Distance measuring tool contained in Jepp FD Pro v2.1.1;
- Accessing www.jeppesen.com and logging into the airline account to access all terminal area charts, downloadable in pdf form. This ensures that flight crew always have access to the latest operationally approved data source directly from their iPad;
- Accessing these same charts bundled into a single file, downloadable. The front page of this file comes with a disclaimer stating that flight crew must check to ensure that these are up to date (not unlike paper based charts). iPad Administration within our flight operations area work diligently to ensure that they are kept up to date but the disclaimer on the opening page ensures that flight crew are made aware that it is always prudent to check before operational use. This check is available via the operator’s Jeppesen account.
The next version of Jeppesen FD Pro is currently in beta test and will include CTA step distance information. This is expected to be released around the end of March 2014.
Finally, the removal of paper based charts and the introduction of Jeppesen FD Pro to the flight deck underwent an extensive risk assessment and consultation process as well as external regulatory scrutiny by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority prior to introduction into the operating environment.
CASA has reviewed the REPCON and considers that while the presentation of control area (CTA) step information in 'dialogue boxes' on the iPad, may be ‘difficult’, as cited in the REPCON, the operator has implemented alternative methods of obtaining CTA step information via pre-flight download of PDF documents.
It is CASA’s view that the electronic documentation is adequate at present and could not find supportive evidence for the assertion that it could, and has, lead to unplanned departures from controlled airspace.
CASA is aware that the CTA step information will be permanently displayed on the iPad Jeppesen in the same style as on the traditional 10-1 paper chart, rather than using dialogue boxes, with the upcoming release of Jeppesen FD Pro v2.5 scheduled for later in March 2014. CASA believes this will resolve the problem the reporter has raised and no additional safety action is required.
The reporter advised that crews at foreign ports do not have access to the internet during their pre-flight preparations and hence cannot download the current charts from the Jeppesen website.
In response to this the operator advised that they subscribe to a service which provides access to Wi-Fi hotspots throughout their international network and allows crews to logon and access a variety of operational information including updates to charts referred to in the original report.
The reporter then advised that they had attempted to use the Wi-Fi hot spot internationally, but concluded that it was unworkable. The download speed was inadequate. The crew members resorted to using a commercial outlet to receive the standard flight planning package (the package is available in printed format from the company's local handling agent. The inadequate, provided, internet service does not affect operational integrity, with the exception of ...receiving accurate, amended airspace information).
Information that is required for safe and efficient operations (i.e. CTA steps and airspace delineation) needs to be made available to flight crews in an amended and accurate format. This could be made available in the company's electronic Flight Library suite, and 'pushed' to the crew members iPad, with other company documents (e.g. Company Departure Procedures [CDPs], Weight and Balance Documents, Company Charts [Escape Procedures, Company Approved Airports], etc.). The company's Flight Library, as installed on crew iPads, appears to be the optimum repository for the inclusion of CTA steps. Crew, and the company, are assured the crew operate with accurate information, as soon as the company has an amendment; it is available for use in concert with all company documentation; and the company controls it's operational procedures.
CASA's response that, '...pre-flight download is the only option until Jeppesen FD Pro v2.5 is available', should be enforced. The latest version is '2.1.1'. The end of the month (March 2014) has come and gone. The Regulator has instituted a procedure that is NOT being complied with. This e-mail is to draw the Regulators attention to the oversight.
The operator’s response is as follows:
Please find the response re the Wi-Fi issue:
We have had very few negative reports relating to the new Wi-Fi___33. We continue printing hardcopy flight plan information at international ports until we are completely satisfied with the iPad product. In regard to CTA step displays, the files cannot be ‘pushed’ to the company iPad because of their sheer size. At 186 Mb, it could prevent safety critical documents from being downloaded in a timely manner. It is preferable to allow flight crew to access the documents directly from the company internet or directly from www.jeppesen.com.
Finally, we have been field testing beta releases of the app with 14 flight crew from various fleets to ensure we deliver a robust and stable version. During testing, we uncovered several bugs that require fixing and further testing. This has resulted in some delays to the original timeline which has been communicated to CASA.
We will not deploy an application that is not functioning as intended. While we understand the delay is frustrating, we need to ensure that our obligations under CAO 82.0 are appropriately undertaken and acquitted. Currently beta version 6 is being field tested. We believe this may be the final pre-release version and hope to have the app in the deployment pipeline by the end of April.
Regulator response:
CASA has reviewed the information provided in your email, and considers that there are sufficient methods available for the operator’s crew members to obtain the control area step distance data without the updated Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro, and adequate pathways are available to gain access to this data in a timely manner.