MH370News:2015/Day 367
Day 367: Monday, 9 March 2015
News Summary
Media Statements
Monday, March 09, 01:30 PM GMT +0800 Media Statement
MEDIA STATEMENT
Released at 1.30p.m./9 March 2015
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) welcomes the publication of the Interim Statement from the Safety Investigation for MH370 (9M-MRO) published by the Ministry of Transport, Government of Malaysia. MAS lost 13 dear friends and colleagues on board the flight. We also want to find all of the answers as fast as possible.
MAS has supported and cooperated fully with the investigation from the beginning, across several lines of enquiry, and will continue to do so. MAS will act on any specific recommendations made in the final report.
MAS would like to clarify two points made in the interim report findings:
1. As stated in the findings of the report, the Engineering Maintenance System was not updated correctly when the ULB battery was first installed. This was a maintenance scheduling oversight.
However a similar ULB unit is also installed with the Solid State Cockpit Voice Recorder (SSCVR) and the battery life was still valid on the day of the event as stated in the Interim Report Factual Information document. The CVR is installed side by side with the Solid State Flight Data Recorder (SSFDR) at the E7 Avionic rack. The SSCVR battery would have been transmitting for 30 days upon activation when immersed in water.
2. The consignment of Motorola Lithium-ion batteries was physically inspected by MASKargo personnel in Penang and customs inspectors prior to being sealed before it left the Penang Cargo Complex. The inspection procedures followed for this consignment are in line with those defined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
MAS has already taken significant steps to improve safety in response to the loss of MH370. The airline has consistently adhered to the standards required by the International Air Transport Association (“IATA”) Operational Safety Audit (“IOSA”) programme, as part of its compliance with IATA membership requirements. In March 2015 it will voluntarily adopt the Enhanced IATA Operational Safety Audit to further enhance operational safety and security practices.
Flight tracking and monitoring procedures are being enhanced. We have upgraded our Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) across the entire MAS fleet. Since December 2014, the B777 fleet ACARS position report intervals have been changed from the 30 minute ACARS protocol previously in place, to match the recent ICAO mandated 15 minute reporting interval. Our B737-8, A330 and A380 fleet are now set at 10 minute reporting intervals.
We are also preparing to upgrade our flight tracking application using the SITA system. Once implemented, every aircraft will be tracked using ADS-B, Ground Radar and ACARS. This will allow the dispatcher to see both the aircraft’s actual track and projected track. Flight planning and flight monitoring is also now better integrated.
MAS will continue to review its operations and procedures to enhance flight safety.
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Regards,
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